Method and apparatus for a Bluetooth-enabled Ethernet interface

• US 9,370,034 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2010
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sarkar, Shantanu, Inn, Glenn, Nandakumar, Suhas, Dunlap, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): KASSIM, KHALED M
• Application Number:
  US12/887,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20120069838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,093 Days
• Field of Search: 370/350, 370/352, 370/356, 370/466, 370/328, 455/412, 455/411, 455/575.2, 455/442
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes determining when a relay arrangement is available to pair with an endpoint. The relay arrangement is arranged to wirelessly communicate with the endpoint and to communicate over a wired network. The method also includes authenticating the endpoint with respect to the relay arrangement when the relay arrangement is available to pair with the endpoint, and pairing the endpoint with the relay arrangement if the endpoint is authenticated with respect to the relay arrangement. Pairing the endpoint with the relay arrangement includes the endpoint and the relay arrangement engaging in wireless communications, as well as the relay arrangement engaging in wired communications over the wired network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining when a first relay arrangement is available to pair with an endpoint, the first relay arrangement being arranged to wirelessly communicate with the endpoint, the first relay arrangement further being arranged to communicate over a wired network, wherein determining when the first relay arrangement is available to pair with the endpoint includes selecting the first relay arrangement over an alternate relay arrangement that is also available to pair with the endpoint;

authenticating the endpoint with respect to the first relay arrangement when it is determined that the first relay arrangement is available to pair with the endpoint;

pairing the endpoint with the first relay arrangement if the endpoint is authenticated with respect to the first relay arrangement, wherein pairing the endpoint with the first relay arrangement includes the endpoint and the first relay arrangement engaging in wireless communications and the first relay arrangement engaging in wired communications over the wired network;

determining if a second relay arrangement is available to pair with the endpoint after the endpoint is paired with the first relay arrangement;

determining whether the second relay arrangement is more suitable to pair with the endpoint than the first relay arrangement if it is determined that the second relay arrangement is available to pair with the endpoint;

authenticating the endpoint with respect to the second relay arrangement when it is determined that the second relay arrangement is more suitable to pair with the endpoint than the first relay arrangement; and

pairing the endpoint with the second relay arrangement if the endpoint is authenticated with respect to the second relay arrangement, wherein pairing the endpoint with the second relay arrangement includes the endpoint and the second relay arrangement engaging in wireless communications and the second relay arrangement engaging in wired communications over the wired network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the second relay arrangement is more suitable to pair with the endpoint than the first relay arrangement includes at least one selected from the group including analyzing signal strength, analyzing noise, and analyzing bandwidth.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein pairing the endpoint with the second relay arrangement includes un-pairing the endpoint from the first relay arrangement.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program code, the computer program code, when executed, configured to:

determine when a first relay arrangement is available to pair with an endpoint, the first relay arrangement being arranged to wirelessly communicate with the endpoint, the first relay arrangement further being arranged to communicate over a wired network, wherein the computer code configured to determine when the first relay arrangement is available to pair with the endpoint is further configured to select the first relay arrangement over an alternate relay arrangement that is also available to pair with the endpoint;

authenticate the endpoint with respect to the first relay arrangement when it is determined that the first relay arrangement is available to pair with the endpoint;

pair the endpoint with the first relay arrangement if the endpoint is authenticated with respect to the first relay arrangement, wherein the computer code configured to pair the endpoint with the first relay arrangement includes computer code configured to enable the endpoint and the first relay arrangement to engage in wireless communications and computer code configured to enable the first relay arrangement to engage in wired communications over the wired network;

determine if a second relay arrangement is available to pair with the endpoint after the endpoint is paired with the first relay arrangement;

determine whether the second relay arrangement is more suitable to pair with the endpoint than the first relay arrangement if it is determined that the second relay arrangement is available to pair with the endpoint;

authenticate the endpoint with respect to the second relay arrangement when it is determined that the second relay arrangement is more suitable to pair with the endpoint than the first relay arrangement; and

pair the endpoint with the second relay arrangement if the endpoint is authenticated with respect to the first relay arrangement, wherein the computer program code configured to pair the endpoint with the second relay arrangement is further configured to enable the endpoint and the second relay arrangement to engage in wireless communications and to enable the second relay arrangement to engage in wired communications over the wired network.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4 wherein the computer program code configured to determine whether the second relay arrangement is more suitable to pair with the endpoint than the first relay arrangement include computer program code configured to perform at least one selected from the group including an analysis of signal strength, an analysis of noise, and an analysis of bandwidth.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4 wherein the computer code configured to pair the endpoint with the second relay arrangement includes computer code configured to un-pair the endpoint from the first relay arrangement.