Multiple MAC addresses in a device

• US 9,661,573 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2015
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Chu, Liwen, Vlantis, George A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jae Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Voltaire, Jean F
• Application Number:
  US14/953,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20160088558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 370311, 370328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5092 by self-assignment, e.g. picking addresses at random and testing if they are already in use
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0222 in packet switched networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Multiple virtual MAC addresses may be added to WGA devices that may have different traffic streams to another device that requires different services, thus creating distinct MAC and device level implications. Beamforming training can be done at the device level for all virtual MAC addresses. Wakeup, doze, and ATIM power save can be done at the device level depending on the frames received. Authentication, deauthentication, association, and deassociation can be done variously at both levels. Further MSDUs can be aggregated for the multiple MAC addresses.

Claims

1. A method of wakeup beacon interval (BI) calculation for a non-personal basic set control point (PCP)/non-access point (AP) device, the method comprising:

checking if the non-PCP/non-AP device has multiple media access control (MAC) addresses; and

if yes, calculating a wakeup BI based upon at least one of a pseudo-static schedule and a wakeup element, the wakeup BIs being wakeup BIs of all stations identified by MAC addresses in a multiple MAC address element, the multiple MAC address element comprising an element identification field comprising a physical MAC address for the non-PCP/non-AP device, a length field, and a plurality of virtual MAC addresses, each virtual MAC address being associated with a respective virtual internal station from a plurality thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing normal wakeup BI calculation if the non-PCP/non-AP device does not have multiple MAC addresses.

3. A method of doze beacon interval (BI) calculation for a personal basic set control point (PCP)/access point (AP) device, the method comprising:

checking if the PCP/AP device has multiple media access control (MAC) addresses; and

if yes, calculating a doze BI based upon at least one of a pseudo-static schedule and a wakeup element, the doze BIs being doze BIs of all PCP/APs identified by MAC addresses in a multiple MAC address element, the multiple MAC address element comprising an element identification field comprising a physical MAC address for the PCP/AP device, a length field, and a plurality of virtual MAC addresses, each virtual MAC address being associated with a respective virtual internal station from a plurality thereof.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising performing normal doze BI calculation if the PCP/AP device does not have multiple MAC addresses.

5. A method of transmitting frames to a power save device, the method comprising:

checking if at least one of the power save device and a peer device has multiple media access control (MAC) addresses via a multiple MAC address element; and

if yes, transmitting an announcement traffic indication message (ATIM) frame to the peer device, the multiple MAC address element comprising an element identification field comprising a physical MAC address for the at least one of the power save device and the peer device, a length field, and a plurality of virtual MAC addresses, each virtual MAC address being associated with a respective virtual internal station from a plurality thereof.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

if acknowledgement of the ATIM is received from the at least one of the power save device and the peer device, transmitting a buffered frame with end of service period (EOSP) set to ‘

0’

to the at least one of the power save device and the peer device until the buffered frame is a last frame from stations identified by any MAC addresses of the at least one of the power save device and the peer device to stations identified by MAC addresses of the at least one of the power save device and the peer device; and

if yes, transmitting the buffered frame with EOSP set to ‘

1’

to the at least one of the power save device and the peer device and labeling the at least one of the power save device and the peer device to be in doze state after receiving acknowledgement from the at least one of the power save device and the peer device.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising performing normal ATIM power save operation if the at least one of the power save device and the peer device does not have multiple MAC addresses.

8. A method of receiving frames to a power save device, the method comprising:

checking if at least one of the power save device and a peer device has multiple media access control (MAC) addresses via a multiple MAC address element;

if yes, receiving an announcement traffic indication message (ATIM) frame from the at least one of the power save device and the peer device, the multiple MAC address element comprising an element identification field comprising a physical MAC address for the at least one of the power save device and the peer device, a length field, and a plurality of virtual MAC addresses, each virtual MAC address being associated with a respective virtual internal station from a plurality thereof.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

sending an acknowledgement to the at least one of the power save device and the peer device and setting stations identified by all MAC addresses to active and receiving frames from the at least one of the power save device and the peer device until an end of service period (EOSP) of the received frames is set to ‘

1’

; and

setting stations identified by all MAC addresses to doze.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising performing normal ATIM power save if neither of the power save device and the peer device have multiple MAC addresses.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a multiple media access control (MAC) address element, the multiple MAC address element comprising:

a non-transmitted MAC address;

an element identification field comprising a physical MAC address;

a length field; and

a plurality of virtual MAC addresses, each virtual MAC address being associated with a respective virtual internal station from a plurality thereof, the multiple MAC address element for

checking if at least one of a power save device and a peer device has multiple media access control (MAC) addresses, and

if yes, transmitting an announcement traffic indication message (ATIM) frame to the peer device.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein all sub elements for stations identified by MAC addresses that require MAC layer security are the same.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein stations identified by the plurality of virtual MAC addresses have at least some identical properties.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein an authentication/deauthentication/association/deassociation includes the non-transmitted MAC address for stations identified by the plurality of virtual MAC addresses.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein stations identified and all MAC addresses in non-transmitted MAC address finish an authentication/deauthentication/association/deassociation in one authentication/deauthentication/association/deassociation procedure;

and wherein results of the authentication/deauthentication/association/deassociation are identical to stations and all MAC addresses in the plurality of virtual MAC addresses.

16. A non-personal basic set control point (PCP)/non-access point (AP) device comprising:

a processor and a wireless transceiver configured to calculate a wakeup beacon interval (BI), the calculating comprising

checking if the non-PCP/non-AP device has multiple media access control (MAC) addresses, and

if yes, calculating a wakeup BI based upon at least one of a pseudo-static schedule and a wakeup element, the wakeup BIs being wakeup BIs of all stations identified by MAC addresses in a multiple MAC address element, the multiple MAC address element comprising an element identification field comprising a physical MAC address for the non-PCP/non-AP device, a length field, and a plurality of virtual MAC addresses, each virtual MAC address being associated with a respective virtual internal station from a plurality thereof.

17. The non-PCP/non-AP device of claim 16 wherein the calculating comprises performing normal wakeup BI calculation if the non-PCP/non-AP device does not have multiple MAC addresses.

18. A personal basic set control point (PCP)/access point (AP) device comprising:

a processor and a wireless transceiver configured to calculate a beacon interval (BI), the calculating comprising

checking if the PCP/AP device has multiple media access control (MAC) addresses, and

if yes, calculating a doze BI based upon at least one of a pseudo-static schedule and a wakeup element, the doze BIs being doze BIs of all PCP/APs identified by MAC addresses in a multiple MAC address element, the multiple MAC address element comprising an element identification field comprising a physical MAC address for the PCP/AP device, a length field, and a plurality of virtual MAC addresses, each virtual MAC address being associated with a respective virtual internal station from a plurality thereof.

19. The PCP/AP device of claim 18 wherein said processor is configured to perform normal doze BI calculation if the PCP/AP device does not have multiple MAC addresses.