Communication network providing wireless and hard-wired dynamic routing

• US 6,407,991 B1
• Filed: 05/05/1998
• Issued: 06/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Meier, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGO, RICKY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US09/072,791
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• Field of Search: 370/315, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/408, 370/420, 370/492, 370/277, 370/278, 370/282, 370/285, 370/465, 370/466, 370/467, 370/279, 370/338
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0225 User interface arrangements, e.g. keyboard, display; Interfaces to other computer systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1098 the scanning arrangement having a modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/007 specially adapted for indoor communication
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/69 Spread spectrum techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0003 by switching between different modulation schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0007 by modifying the frame length
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0014 by adapting the source coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/44 Distributed routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/48 Routing tree calculation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/325 : in the network layer [OSI layer 3], e.g. X.25 H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/326 : in the transport layer [OSI layer 4] H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 : Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 : using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 : Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/30 : for proactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/00 : Network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 : adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• 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: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 : Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 : between access points

Abstract

A data communication network for providing dynamic routing through both wireless and wired subnetworks to support wireless communication devices and wired remote stations is disclosed. In the wireless network, the wireless communication devices can be mobile RF terminals, while the wired remote stations might be personal computers attached to a wired subnet, such as an ethernet coaxial cable. The wireless network architecture utilizes a spanning tree configuration which provides for transparent bridging between wired subnets and the wireless subnets. The spanning tree configuration provides dynamic routing to and from wireless communication devices and remote stations attached to standard IEEE 802 LANs.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a hard-wired communication network having a plurality of wired communication devices attached thereto, each of said plurality of wired communication devices communicating data as prescribed by a first communication protocol;

a wireless communication network having a plurality of wireless communication devices, each of said plurality of wireless communication devices communicating data as prescribed by a second communication protocol;

each of the plurality of wired communication devices and each of the plurality of wireless communication devices using a first type of identifier;

each of the plurality of wireless communication devices receiving a second type of identifier that is delivered using the first type of identifier;

one of said plurality of wired communication devices comprises a wired access point which participates on the wireless communication network via the second communication protocol; and

when any one of said plurality of wireless communication devices communicates data to any other of said plurality of wireless communication devices, said any one of said plurality of wireless communication devices uses the second type of identifier of the any other of said plurality of wireless communication devices to deliver the data via at least the second communication protocol to the any other of said plurality of wireless communication devices.

2. The communication system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of wired communication devices receiving the second type of identifier that is delivered using the first type of identifier.

3. The communication system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of wireless communication devices requests the second type of identifier.

4. The communication system of claim 3 wherein the request is made to register with the wireless communication network.

5. The communication system of claim 2 wherein each of the plurality of wired communication devices requests the second type of identifier.

6. The communication system of claim 5 wherein the request is made to establish communication with the wired communication network.

8. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of wireless communication devices participate in a spanning tree.

9. The communication system of claim 8 wherein each of the plurality of wireless communication devices receives the second type of identifier from a root node in the spanning tree.

7. The communication system of claim,7 wherein the wired access point utilizes a table that identifies routing pathways based on the second type of identifier.

10. A communication system comprising:

a hard-wired communication network having a first communication device and a second communication device, the first communication device and the second communication device communicating data using a wired protocol;

a wireless communication network having a third communication device and a fourth communication device, the third communication device and the fourth communication device communicating data using a wireless protocol;

the third communication device having a first identifier of a first type and, using the first identifier, receiving a third identifier of a second type;

the fourth communication device having a second identifier of the first type and, using the second identifier, receiving a fourth identifier of the second type; and

the third communication device and the fourth communication device utilize the third identifier and fourth identifier to exchange data via the wireless protocol.

11. The communication system of claim 10 wherein the first communication device having a fifth identifier of the second type and the second communication device having a sixth identifier of the second type.

12. The communication system of claim 10 wherein the third communication device receives the third identifier of the second type upon request.

13. The communication system of claim 11 wherein the first communication device receives the fifth identifier of the second type for communicating data upon request.

14. The communication system of claim 12 wherein the request is made to register with the wireless communication network.

15. The communication system of claim 13 wherein the request is made to register with the wireless communication network.

16. The communication system of claim 10 wherein the first communication device utilizes a table that identifies routing pathways based on the second type of identifier.

17. The communication system of claim 10 wherein the third communication device and the fourth communication device participate in a spanning tree.

18. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the third communication device and the fourth communication device each receives the second type of identifier from a root node in the spanning tree.

19. A communication system comprising:

a hard-wired communication network having a plurality of wired communication devices attached thereto, each of said plurality of wired communication devices communicating data as prescribed by a first communication protocol, and having a unique identifier for communicating data;

a wireless communication network having a plurality of wireless communication devices, each of said plurality of wireless communication devices communicating data as prescribed by a second communication protocol, and having a unique identifier for communicating data;

one of said plurality of wired communication devices comprises a wired access point which participates on the wireless communication network via the second communication protocol; and

when any one of said plurality of wireless communication devices communicates data to any other of said plurality of wireless communication devices, said any one of said plurality of wireless communication devices associates the unique identifier of the any other of said plurality of wireless communication devices with the data communicated for use by the first and second communication protocols for routing of the data to the any other of said plurality of wireless communication devices.

20. The communication system of claim 19, wherein said plurality of wireless communication devices participate in a spanning tree.