System for multiple wireless local area networks

• US 8,498,278 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2007
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Beach, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamza, Faruk
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUADALUPE CRUZ, AIXA AMYR
• Application Number:
  US11/622,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20070177435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,392 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• 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 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A system is provided for a wireless local area network. The system includes, but is not limited to, at least one cell controller and simplified RF ports which are configured to provide lower level media access control functions. Higher level media access control functions are provided in a cell controller, which may service one or more RF ports that are capable operating with at least two wireless local area subnetworks. Mobile units can also be configured with the higher level media access control functions being performed in a host processor.

Claims

1. A wireless data communications system operating according to a wireless communication standard protocol, comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing physically separate and spatially remote from said first housing, and removeably coupled to the first housing via an Ethernet cable;

a RF receiver housed in said first housing, said RF receiver adapted to receive a first RF signal of a first Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) having a first coverage area and adapted to receive a second RF signal of a second WLAN having a second coverage area that at least partially overlaps said first coverage area;

a first processor housed in said first housing, said first processor receptive of said first RF signal and said second RF signal from the RF receiver and adapted to perform a first plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol to simultaneously produce a first data signal from said first RF signal and a second data signal from said second RF signal; and

a second processor housed in said second housing, said second processor communicatively coupled to the first processor via a wired network connection and receptive of said first data signal and said second data signal produced by said first processor and adapted to perform a second plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol, different from said first plurality of functions during an operational mode, for said first data signal and said second data signal, wherein said second plurality of functions includes at least one media access control (MAC) function, and said first plurality of functions includes at least one MAC function.

2. The wireless data communications system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication standard protocol is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard protocol.

3. The wireless data communications system of claim 1, wherein the first processor and second processor are communicatively coupled via a wired communication standard protocol.

4. The wireless data communications system of claim 3, wherein the wired communication standard protocol is an Ethernet protocol.

5. A wireless data communications system operating according to a wireless communication standard protocol, comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing physically separate and spatially remote from said first housing, and removeably coupled to the first housing via an Ethernet cable;

a RF receiver housed in said first housing, said RF receiver adapted to receive a first RF signal of a first Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) having a first coverage area and adapted to receive a second RF signal of a second WLAN having a second coverage area that at least partially overlaps said first coverage area;

a first processor housed in said first housing, said first processor receptive of said first RF signal and said second RF signal from the RF receiver and adapted to perform a first plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol to simultaneously produce a first data signal from said first RF signal and a second data signal from said second RF signal; and

a second processor housed in said second housing, said second processor communicatively coupled to the first processor via a wired network connection and receptive of said first data signal and said second data signal produced by said first processor and adapted to perform a second plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol, different from said first plurality of functions during an operational mode, for said first data signal and said second data signal, wherein said second plurality of functions includes at least one media access control (MAC) function;

wherein said first plurality of functions includes at least one time-critical MAC function.

6. The wireless data communications system of claim 5, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a cyclic redundancy check function.

7. The wireless data communications system of claim 5, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a network activity vector function.

8. The wireless data communications system of claim 5, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a ready to send/clear to send function.

9. The wireless data communications system of claim 5, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a header generation/parsing function.

10. The wireless data communications system of claim 5, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a collision avoidance function.

11. The wireless data communications system of claim 5, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a frequency hopping function.

12. The wireless data communications system of claim 5, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is an ack parsing/generating function.

13. The wireless data communications system of claim 5, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a retransmission timeout function.

14. A wireless data communications system operating according to a wireless communication standard protocol, comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing physically separate and spatially remote from said first housing, and removeably coupled to the first housing via an Ethernet cable;

a RF receiver housed in said first housing, said RF receiver adapted to receive a first RF signal of a first Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) having a first coverage area and adapted to receive a second RF signal of a second WLAN having a second coverage area that at least partially overlaps said first coverage area;

a first processor housed in said first housing, said first processor receptive of said first RF signal and said second RF signal from the RF receiver and adapted to perform a first plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol to simultaneously produce a first data signal from said first RF signal and a second data signal from said second RF signal; and

a second processor housed in said second housing, said second processor communicatively coupled to the first processor via a wired network connection and receptive of said first data signal and said second data signal produced by said first processor and adapted to perform a second plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol, different from said first plurality of functions during an operational mode, for said first data signal and said second data signal, wherein said second plurality of functions includes at least one media access control (MAC) function;

wherein said second plurality of functions includes at least one non-time-critical MAC function.

15. The wireless data communications system of claim 14, wherein at least one of said non-time-critical MAC functions is an association processing function.

16. The wireless data communications system of claim 14, wherein at least one of said non-time-critical MAC functions is a roaming function.

17. The wireless data communications system of claim 14, wherein at least one of said non-time-critical MAC functions is a retransmission function.

18. The wireless data communications system of claim 14, wherein at least one of said non-time-critical MAC functions is a rate control function.

19. The wireless data communications system of claim 14, wherein at least one of said non-time-critical MAC functions is a host interface function.

20. A wireless data communications system operating according to a wireless communication standard protocol, comprising:

first housing means;

second housing means physically separate and spatially remote from said first housing means, and removeably coupled to the first housing means via an Ethernet cable;

receiver means housed in said first housing means for receiving a first RF signal from a first Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) having a first coverage area and a second RF signal from a second WLAN having a second coverage area that at least partially overlaps said first coverage area;

first processing means housed in said first housing means and for receiving said first RF signal and said second RF signal and adapted to perform a first plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol to simultaneously produce a first data signal from said first RF signal and a second data signal from said second RF signal; and

second processing means housed in said second housing means and coupled to the first processing means via a wired network connection, said second processing means adapted for receiving said first data signal and said second data signal produced by said first processing means and adapted to perform a second plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol, different from said first plurality of functions during an operational mode, for said first data signal and said second data signal, wherein said second plurality of functions includes at least one media access control (MAC) function, and said first plurality of functions includes at least one MAC function.

21. The wireless data communications system of claim 20, wherein said wireless communication standard protocol is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard protocol.

22. A wireless data communications system operating according to a wireless communication standard protocol, comprising:

first housing means;

second housing means physically separate and spatially remote from said first housing means, and removeably coupled to the first housing via an Ethernet cable;

receiver means housed in said first housing means for receiving a first RF signal from a first Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) having a first coverage area and a second RF signal from a second WLAN having a second coverage area that at least partially overlaps said first coverage area;

first processing means housed in said first housing means and for receiving said first RF signal and said second RF signal and adapted to perform a first plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol to simultaneously produce a first data signal from said first RF signal and a second data signal from said second RF signal; and

second processing means housed in said second housing means and coupled to the first processing means via a wired network connection, said second processing means adapted for receiving said first data signal and said second data signal produced by said first processing means and adapted to perform a second plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol, different from said first plurality of functions during an operational mode, for said first data signal and said second data signal, wherein said second plurality of functions includes at least one media access control (MAC) function;

wherein said first plurality of functions includes at least one time-critical MAC function.

23. The wireless data communications system of claim 22, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a cyclic redundancy check function.

24. The wireless data communications system of claim 22, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a network activity vector function.

25. The wireless data communications system of claim 22, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a ready to send/clear to send function.

26. The wireless data communications system of claim 22, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a header generation/parsing function.

27. The wireless data communications system of claim 22, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a collision avoidance function.

28. The wireless data communications system of claim 22, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a frequency hopping function.

29. The wireless data communications system of claim 22, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is an ack parsing/generating function.

30. The wireless data communications system of claim 22, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a retransmission timeout function.

31. A wireless data communications system operating according to a wireless communication standard protocol, comprising:

first housing means;

second housing means physically separate and spatially remote from said first housing means, and removeably coupled to the first housing via an Ethernet cable;

receiver means housed in said first housing means for receiving a first RF signal from a first Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) having a first coverage area and a second RF signal from a second WLAN having a second coverage area that at least partially overlaps said first coverage area;

first processing means housed in said first housing means and for receiving said first RF signal and said second RF signal and adapted to perform a first plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol to simultaneously produce a first data signal from said first RF signal and a second data signal from said second RF signal; and

second processing means housed in said second housing means and coupled to the first processing means via a wired network connection, said second processing means adapted for receiving said first data signal and said second data signal produced by said first processing means and adapted to perform a second plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol, different from said first plurality of functions during an operational mode, for said first data signal and said second data signal, wherein said second plurality of functions includes at least one media access control (MAC) function;

wherein said second plurality of functions includes at least one non-time-critical MAC function.

32. The wireless data communications system of claim 31, wherein at least one of said non-time-critical MAC functions is a retransmission function.

33. The wireless data communications system of claim 31, wherein at least one of said non-time-critical MAC functions is a rate control function.

34. The wireless data communications system of claim 31, wherein at least one of said non-time-critical MAC functions is a host interface function.

35. A method of operating a wireless data communications system operating according to a wireless communication standard protocol, comprising:

receiving a first RF signal at a RF port housed in a first housing, said first RF signal of a first Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) having a first coverage area;

receiving a second RF signal with the RF port housed in said first housing, said second RF signal of a second WLAN having a second coverage area that at least partially overlaps said first coverage area, wherein said second housing is physically separate and spatially remote from said first housing means and removeably coupled to the first housing via an Ethernet cable;

said RF port performing a first plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol to simultaneously produce a first data signal from said first RF signal and a second data signal from said second RF signal;

receiving said first data signal and said second data signal at a cell controller housed in a second housing physically separate and spatially remote from the first housing and coupled to the RF port via a wired network connection; and

the cell controller performing a second plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol, different than said first plurality of functions during an operational mode, for said first data signal and said second data signal, wherein said second plurality of functions includes at least one media access control (MAC) function, and said first plurality of functions includes at least one MAC function.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said wireless communication standard protocol is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard protocol.

37. A method of operating a wireless data communications system operating according to a wireless communication standard protocol, comprising:

receiving a first RF signal at a RF port housed in a first housing, said first RF signal of a first Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) having a first coverage area;

receiving a second RF signal with the RF port housed in said first housing, said second RF signal of a second WLAN having a second coverage area that at least partially overlaps said first coverage area;

said RF port performing a first plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol to simultaneously produce a first data signal from said first RF signal and a second data signal from said second RF signal;

receiving said first data signal and said second data signal at a cell controller housed in a second housing physically separate and spatially remote from the first housing and removeably coupled to the RF port via an Ethernet cable; and

the cell controller performing a second plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol, different than said first plurality of functions during an operational mode, for said first data signal and said second data signal, wherein said second plurality of functions includes at least one media access control (MAC) function;

wherein said first plurality of functions includes at least one time-critical MAC function.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a cyclic redundancy check function.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a network activity vector function.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a ready to send/clear to send function.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a header generation/parsing function.

42. The method of claim 37, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a collision avoidance function.

43. The method of claim 37, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a frequency hopping function.

44. The method of claim 37, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is an ack parsing/generating function.

45. The method of claim 37, wherein at least one of said time-critical MAC functions is a retransmission timeout function.

46. A method of operating a wireless data communications system operating according to a wireless communication standard protocol, comprising:

receiving a first RF signal at a RF port housed in a first housing, said first RF signal of a first Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) having a first coverage area;

receiving a second RF signal with the RF port housed in said first housing, said second RF signal of a second WLAN having a second coverage area that at least partially overlaps said first coverage area;

said RF port performing a first plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol to simultaneously produce a first data signal from said first RF signal and a second data signal from said second RF signal;

receiving said first data signal and said second data signal at a cell controller housed in a second housing physically separate and spatially remote from the first housing and removeably coupled to the RF port via an Ethernet cable; and

the cell controller performing a second plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol, different than said first plurality of functions during an operational mode, for said first data signal and said second data signal, wherein said second plurality of functions includes at least one media access control (MAC) function;

wherein said second plurality of functions includes at least one non-time-critical MAC function.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein at least one of said non-time-critical MAC functions is a retransmission function.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein at least one of said non-time-critical MAC functions is a rate control function.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein at least one of said non-time-critical MAC functions is a host interface function.