Techniques for switching between wireless networks

• US 9,642,055 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2013
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Vallabhu, Venkata, Canpolat, Necati
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, DUC T
• Application Number:
  US14/129,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20150181486A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Examples are disclosed for switching between wireless networks. In some examples a method for switching between wireless network may comprise creating a virtual wireless adapter, maintaining a first wireless connection with a first wireless network, initiating a second wireless connection with a second wireless network using the virtual wireless adapter, disconnecting the first wireless connection with the first wireless network, and establishing the second wireless connection with the second wireless network. Other examples are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method for switching between wireless networks, comprising:

creating a virtual wireless adapter by splitting a wireless local area network (WLAN) stack into two or more virtual stacks, a first virtual stack of the two or more virtual stacks to maintain a first wireless connection and a second virtual stack of the two or more virtual stacks to initiate the second wireless connection;

maintaining the first wireless connection with a first wireless network using the first virtual stack;

initiating the second wireless connection with a second wireless network using the second virtual stack while maintaining the first wireless connection;

verifying quality of the second wireless connection;

in response to verifying the quality of the second wireless connection, transitioning at least one application from the first virtual stack to the second virtual stack, and disconnecting the first wireless connection with the first wireless network; and

utilizing the second wireless connection with the second wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising automatically selecting the second wireless network from a list of available wireless networks based on one or more characteristics of the first wireless network or one or more characteristics of the second wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving an input signal indicating manual selection of the second wireless network from a list of available wireless networks.

4. The method of claim 1, the first and second wireless connections established using a same wireless radio.

5. The method of claim 1, the first and second wireless networks comprising wireless local area networks (WLAN).

6. The method of claim 1, the two or more virtual stacks each having at least a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) component and a virtual wireless adapter.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining that the second wireless connection was successfully established; and

reducing the number of virtual stacks to one stack.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

acquiring one or more of a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) address or an Internet Protocol (IP) address from the second wireless network using the virtual wireless adapter.

9. An apparatus for switching between wireless networks, comprising:

a processor component;

a radio coupled to the processor component; and

wireless network switching logic to be executed on the processor component to;

split a wireless stack into two or more virtual stacks each including a virtual wireless adapters and a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) component,

maintain a first wireless connection with a first wireless network using a first virtual stack,

initiate a second wireless connection with a second wireless network using a second virtual stack while maintaining the first wireless connection,

verify quality of the second wireless connection;

transition at least one application from the first virtual stack to the second virtual stack,

disconnect the first wireless connection with the first wireless network,

utilize the second wireless connection with the second wireless network, and

remove any unused virtual stacks.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, the wireless network switching logic to automatically select the second wireless network from a list of available wireless networks based on one or more characteristics of the first wireless network or one or more characteristics of the second wireless network or to receive an input signal indicating manual selection of the second wireless network from a list of available wireless networks.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, the first and second wireless connections established using the radio.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, the first and second wireless networks comprising different wireless local area networks (WLAN).

13. The apparatus of claim 9, the wireless stack comprising a wireless local area network (WLAN) stack.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, the wireless network switching logic to determine that the second wireless connection was successfully established and reduce the number of virtual stacks to one stack.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, the wireless network switching logic to acquire one or more of a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) address or an Internet Protocol (IP) address from the second wireless network using the second of the two virtual wireless adapters.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, comprising one or more antennas coupled to the radio, and a memory coupled to the processor component.

17. The apparatus of claim 9, comprising a network interface coupled to the processor component.

18. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a system to:

create a virtual wireless adapter by splitting a wireless local area network (WLAN) stack into two or more virtual stacks, a first virtual stack of the two or more virtual stacks to maintain a first wireless connection and a second virtual stack of the two or more virtual stacks to initiate the second wireless connection;

maintain the first wireless connection with the first virtual stack;

initiate the second wireless connection with the second virtual stack while maintaining the first wireless connection;

verify quality of the second wireless connection;

transition at least one application of the first virtual stack to the second virtual stack;

disconnect the first wireless connection with the first wireless network; and

utilize the second wireless connection with the second wireless network.

19. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to select the second wireless network from a list of available wireless networks based on one or more characteristics of the first wireless network or one or more characteristics of the second wireless network.

20. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to receive an input signal indicating manual selection of the second wireless network from a list of available wireless networks.

21. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to determine that the second wireless connection was successfully established, and reduce the number of virtual stacks to one stack.