System and method for concurrent WLAN and WPAN wireless modes from a single device

• US 20050165916A1
• Filed: 12/24/2003
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cromer, Daryl Carvis, Locker, Howard Jeffrey, Vanover, Michael T., Jakes, Philip John
• Granted Patent: US 7,389,352 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method for concurrent WLAN and WPAN wireless modes from a single device is presented. A client uses a Wi-Fi device'"'"'s infrastructure mode to communicate in a WLAN environment and, during idle WLAN times, uses the Wi-Fi device'"'"'s adhoc mode to communicate in a WPAN environment. The Wi-Fi device uses a watchdog timer to switch between infrastructure mode and adhoc mode. When the client'"'"'s Wi-Fi device switches to infrastructure mode, the client'"'"'s Wi-Fi device uses an infrastructure register and an infrastructure device driver to transfer data over the WLAN environment. Likewise, when the client'"'"'s Wi-Fi device switches to adhoc mode, the client'"'"'s Wi-Fi device uses an adhoc register and an adhoc device driver to transfer data over the WLAN environment. The client uses a code shim to act as a virtual device driver at times when either the infrastructure device driver or the adhoc device driver is inactive.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

retrieving an infrastructure configuration profile;

retrieving an adhoc configuration profile;

establishing an infrastructure network connection corresponding to the infrastructure configuration profile using a wireless device; and

maintaining the infrastructure network connection while concurrently communicating over an adhoc network corresponding to the adhoc configuration profile using the wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

setting a watchdog timer;

selecting an infrastructure mode, the infrastructure mode corresponding to the infrastructure configuration profile;

detecting the expiration of the watchdog timer;

deselecting the infrastructure mode in response to the detecting; and

selecting an adhoc mode, the adhoc mode corresponding to the adhoc configuration profile.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

using an infrastructure device driver to maintain the infrastructure network connection while in infrastructure mode;

using an adhoc device driver to communicate over the adhoc network while in adhoc mode;

using a code shim as an infrastructure virtual device driver while in adhoc mode; and

using the code shim as an adhoc virtual device driver while in infrastructure mode.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein communicating over the adhoc network is performed while the wireless device'"'"'s infrastructure network connection is idle.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

retrieving a configuration mode bit; and

identifying that the configuration bit corresponds to a dual mode.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

polling a plurality of device drivers;

identifying that one of the plurality of device drivers is in a ready state in response to the polling; and

using the identified device driver to transfer data.

7. The method as described in claim 6 wherein the identified device driver is selected from the group consisting of an infrastructure device driver and an adhoc device driver.

8. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by the processors;

one or more nonvolatile storage devices accessible by the processors; and

a wireless communication tool for concurrently communicating with a plurality of wireless networks, the wireless communication tool comprising software code effective to;

retrieve an infrastructure configuration profile from one of the nonvolatile storage devices;

retrieve an adhoc configuration profile from one of the nonvolatile storage devices;

establish an infrastructure network connection corresponding to the infrastructure configuration profile using a wireless device; and

maintain the infrastructure network connection while concurrently communicating over an adhoc network corresponding to the adhoc configuration profile using the wireless device.

9. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the software code is further effective to:

set a watchdog timer;

select an infrastructure mode, the infrastructure mode corresponding to the infrastructure configuration profile;

detect the expiration of the watchdog timer;

deselect the infrastructure mode in response to the detecting; and

select an adhoc mode, the adhoc mode corresponding to the adhoc configuration profile.

10. The information handling system of claim 9 wherein the software code is further effective to:

use an infrastructure device driver to maintain the infrastructure network connection while in infrastructure mode;

use an adhoc device driver to communicate over the adhoc network while in adhoc mode;

use a code shim as an infrastructure virtual device driver while in adhoc mode; and

use the code shim as an adhoc virtual device driver while in infrastructure mode.

11. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein communicating over the adhoc network is performed while the wireless device'"'"'s infrastructure network connection is idle.

12. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the software code is further effective to:

retrieve a configuration mode bit from one of the nonvolatile storage devices; and

identify that the configuration bit corresponds to a dual mode.

13. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the software code is further effective to:

poll a plurality of device drivers;

identify that one of the plurality of device drivers is in a ready state in response to the polling; and

use the identified device driver to transfer data.

14. A program product comprising:

computer operable medium having computer program code, the computer program code being effective to;

retrieve an infrastructure configuration profile;

retrieve an adhoc configuration profile;

establish an infrastructure network connection corresponding to the infrastructure configuration profile using a wireless device;

maintain the infrastructure network connection while concurrently communicating over an adhoc network corresponding to the adhoc configuration profile using the device.

15. The program product of claim 14 wherein the software code is further effective to:

set a watchdog timer;

select an infrastructure mode, the infrastructure mode corresponding to the infrastructure configuration profile;

detect the expiration of the watchdog timer;

deselect the infrastructure mode in response to the detecting; and

select an adhoc mode, the adhoc mode corresponding to the adhoc configuration profile.

16. The program product of claim 15 wherein the software code is further effective to:

use an infrastructure device driver to maintain the infrastructure network connection while in infrastructure mode;

use an adhoc device driver to communicate over the adhoc network while in adhoc mode;

use a code shim as an infrastructure virtual device driver while in adhoc mode; and

use the code shim as an adhoc virtual device driver while in infrastructure mode.

17. The program product of claim 14 wherein communicating over the adhoc network is performed while the wireless device'"'"'s infrastructure network connection is idle.

18. The program product of claim 14 wherein the software code is further effective to:

retrieve a configuration mode bit; and

identify that the configuration bit corresponds to a dual mode.

19. The program product of claim 14 wherein the software code is further effective to:

poll a plurality of device drivers;

identify that one of the plurality of device drivers is in a ready state in response to the polling; and

use the identified device driver to transfer data.

20. The program product as described in claim 19 wherein the identified device driver is selected from the group consisting of an infrastructure device driver and an adhoc device driver.