Time synchronized wireless method and operations

• US 8,086,232 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2006
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Extreme Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Enterasys Networks Incorporated (Extreme Networks, Inc.)
• Inventors: Krishnan, Venkatraman G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/476,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20070078974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,008 Days
• Field of Search: 455/434, 455/41.2, 455/41.1, 455/515, 455/450, 455/452.1, 455/464, 455/15, 455/502, 455/503, 455/507, 455/509, 455/511, 455/526
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A scanning method, computer readable medium, and device for suspending, during a first data scanning sequence including a plurality of discrete data scanning intervals, data scanning operations during at least one discrete data scanning interval chosen from the plurality of discrete data scanning intervals. A data transmission operation is performed during the at least one discrete data scanning interval.

Claims

1. A scanning method comprising:

during a data scanning process of one or more channels, wherein the data scanning process includes at least a first data scanning sequence, and wherein at least one of the one or more channels is subdivided into a plurality of discrete data scanning intervals;

suspending data scanning operations before or during at least one discrete data scanning interval chosen from the plurality of discrete data scanning intervals, the suspending being based upon, at least in part, a type of data available for transmission;

determining a last interval scanned, wherein the last interval scanned is determined based upon a completion of the data scanning process for a discrete data scanning interval prior to the suspending of data scanning operations;

performing a data transmission operation during at least a portion of the first data scanning sequence; and

during a subsequent data scanning sequence;

performing a data scanning operation for a second discrete data scanning interval that is not subsequent to the last interval scanned.

2. The scanning method of claim 1 wherein:

the first data scanning sequence is a first data scanning sequence for a first wireless communication channel; and

the subsequent data scanning sequence is a subsequent data scanning sequence for the first wireless communication channel.

3. The scanning method of claim 2 further comprising:

performing at least a portion of a first data scanning sequence for a second wireless communication channel prior to performing the subsequent data scanning sequence for the first wireless communication channel.

14. The scanning method of claim 1 further comprising storing a position corresponding to at least one of a completed, suspended, and skipped discrete data scanning interval.

15. The scanning method of claim 14 further comprising resuming data scanning at at least one of the completed, suspended, and skipped data scanning interval.

16. The scanning method of claim 14 further comprising rescheduling the skipped discrete data scanning interval for scanning during a subsequent data scanning sequence.

17. The scanning method of claim 1 further comprising prioritizing the scanning of a previously skipped discrete data scanning interval.

4. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

during a data scanning process of one or more channels, wherein the data scanning process includes at least a first data scanning sequence, and wherein at least one of the one or more channels is subdivided into a plurality of discrete data scanning intervals;

suspending data scanning operations before or during at least one discrete data scanning interval chosen from the plurality of discrete data scanning intervals, the suspending being based upon, at least in part, a type of data available for transmission;

determining a last interval scanned, wherein the last interval scanned is determined based upon a completion of the data scanning process for a discrete data scanning interval prior to the suspending of data scanning operations;

performing a data transmission operation during at least a portion of the first data scanning sequence; and

during a subsequent data scanning sequence;

performing a data scanning operation for a second discrete data scanning interval that is not subsequent to the last interval scanned.

5. The computer program product of claim 4 wherein:

the first data scanning sequence is a first data scanning sequence for a first wireless communication channel; and

the subsequent data scanning sequence is a subsequent data scanning sequence for the first wireless communication channel.

6. The computer program product of claim 5 further comprising instructions for performing operations comprising:

performing at least a portion of a first data scanning sequence for a second wireless communication channel prior to performing the subsequent data scanning sequence for the first wireless communication channel.

7. The computer program product of claim 4 wherein the computer readable medium is included with a network addressable device configured to control one or more data scanning sequences in one or more devices.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the network addressable device is at least one of a wireless access point and a wireless switch.

9. A device configured to perform operations comprising:

during a data scanning process of one or more channels, wherein the data scanning process includes at least a first data scanning sequence, and wherein at least one of the one or more channels is subdivided into a plurality of discrete data scanning intervals;

suspending data scanning operations before or during at least one discrete data scanning interval chosen from the plurality of discrete data scanning intervals, the suspending being based upon, at least in part, a type of data available for transmission;

determining a last interval scanned, wherein the last interval scanned is determined based upon a completion of the data scanning process for a discrete data scanning interval prior to the suspending of data scanning operations;

performing a data transmission operation during at least a portion of the first data scanning sequence; and

during a subsequent data scanning sequence;

performing a data scanning operation for a second discrete data scanning interval that is not subsequent to the last interval scanned.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein:

the first data scanning sequence is a first data scanning sequence for a first wireless communication channel; and

the subsequent data scanning sequence is a subsequent data scanning sequence for the first wireless communication channel.

11. The device of claim 10, the device further configured to perform operations comprising:

performing at least a portion of a first data scanning sequence for a second wireless communication channel prior to performing the subsequent data scanning sequence for the first wireless communication channel.

12. The device of claim 9 wherein the device is a network addressable device configured to control one or more data scanning sequences in one or more devices.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the network addressable device is at least one of a wireless access point and a wireless switch.