CN101065932A

CN101065932A - Communicating simultaneously with stations in multiple wireless networks using a single wireless adapter

Info

Publication number: CN101065932A
Application number: CNA2005800405100A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 休伯特·张; 斯图尔特·凯丽; 托德·安特斯
Original assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV
Current assignee: Koninklijke Philips NV
Priority date: 2004-09-28
Filing date: 2005-09-28
Publication date: 2007-10-31
Also published as: JP2008515324A; WO2006035409A1; KR20070087551A; EP1797672A1

Abstract

A virtual instance or driver is created for each station in multiple wireless networks operating on the same RF channel. An identifier or address is then obtained for each station and associated with its respective virtual driver.

Description

Use single wireless adapter to communicate by letter with the station in a plurality of wireless networks simultaneously

Technical field

The present invention relates to use single wireless adapter simultaneously with a plurality of wireless networks in station method for communicating and corresponding wireless station.

Background technology

Laptop computer and such as the growth of the use of the handheld device of personal digital assistant causes the needs of wireless network are constantly increased.Typically, wireless network is according to the industrial standard work such as Institute of Electrical and Electric Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards.Wireless network is configured to several topologys.

Fig. 1 is the schematic diagram according to first wireless network topology of prior art.The station (station) 104,106 that network 100 comprises base station 102 and has wireless adapter 108,110 respectively.Network 100 is known as infrastructure (infrastructure) or WAP (WAP (wireless access point)) network.In the WAP network, base station 102 is to be 104,106 access points that connection is provided of standing.All are all transmitted by base station 102 to wireless device 104,106 and from the transfer of data of

wireless device

104 and 106.

Fig. 2 is the schematic diagram according to second wireless network topology of prior art.Network 200 comprises station 202,204,206.Each station of standing in 202,204,206 comprises wireless adapter 208,210,212 respectively.Network 200 is known as self-organizing (ad-hoc) or equity (peer-to-peer) network.In the ad-hoc network, 202,204, the 206 use wireless adapters 208,210,212 of standing directly intercom mutually.

In some applications, the user may want to communicate by letter with two or more wireless stations that are positioned at heterogeneous networks.Unfortunately, typically can not communicate by letter with the wireless station in another network in the wireless station in network, unless use another adapter.For example, under the situation that does not have second wireless adapter, can not communicate by letter with the station 202 in the network 200 in the station 106 in the network 100.

Summary of the invention

According to the present invention, provide a kind of use single wireless adapter simultaneously with a plurality of wireless networks in station method for communicating and system.For working in each wireless station of same radio-frequency channel, create a virtual drive or virtual instance.Then, obtain the identifier or the address at each station, and make it related with its corresponding virtual driver or routine.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 shows the schematic diagram according to first wireless network topology of prior art;

Fig. 2 shows the schematic diagram according to second wireless network topology of prior art;

Fig. 3 shows the schematic diagram according to the wireless communication system in the embodiments of the invention;

Fig. 4 shows the block diagram according to the wireless station in the embodiments of the invention;

Fig. 5 show in an embodiment according to the present invention in order to the flow chart of first method of a plurality of network services;

Fig. 6 shows management frames in an embodiment according to the present invention;

Fig. 7 show in an embodiment according to the present invention in order to the flow chart of second method of a plurality of network services.

Embodiment

Propose following the description and make those skilled in the art can realize and use embodiments of the invention, provide following description in the context of this external patent application and requirement thereof.For those those skilled in the art, will be apparent to the various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, and the rule here can be applicable to other embodiment.Therefore, the embodiment shown in the present invention does not wish to be subject to, but to meet maximum magnitude and the principle as described herein and the feature of claims.

With reference to the accompanying drawings, particularly with reference to figure 3, show the schematic diagram of wireless communication system in an embodiment according to the present invention.System 300 comprises network 302, stand 304 and station 306 with wireless adapter 308.Network 310 comprises station 312.Standing, each station in 304,312 all can be used as the base station or realize at wireless station, and this depends on whether in the network 302,310 each is configured to ad-hoc network or infrastructure network.

Stand and 306 use wireless adapters 308 and stand 304 and stand and 312 communicate by letter.In the embodiments of figure 3, network 302 and network 312 work in same radio-frequency channel, and the control of the media interviews in the wireless adapter 308 (MAC) (not shown) transmits and receive data according to the IEEE802.11 standard in addition.In according to other embodiments of the invention, wireless adapter 308 can send data according to different wireless standards or proprietary wireless protocol.

Fig. 4 is the block diagram according to the wireless station in the embodiments of the invention.Stand and 400 be connected to wireless adapter 402 by connecting 404.In according to one embodiment of present invention, adapter 402 is realized in station 400.In according to another embodiment of the invention, adapter 402 be independent of the station 400 or the station 400 outsides.

Wireless adapter 402 comprises RF (radio frequency) transceiver 406.Stand and 400 comprise operating system 408 and counter (enumerator) and converge (convergence) driver 410.Enumerator driver 410 has been created virtual instance or driver 412,414.In an embodiment according to the present invention, virtual drive 412,414 is realized as virtual MAC driver.

Stand and 400 can be used as arbitrarily and realize such as the wireless station of computer or PDA.Though Fig. 4 has only described two virtual drives, can create the virtual drive of any amount according to embodiments of the invention.When wireless station during, can create or delete described virtual drive at any time as the part of one or more wireless networks.

Referring now to Fig. 5, show in an embodiment according to the present invention in order to the flow chart of first method of a plurality of network services.Wireless adapter is that a virtual instance or driver are created in each the wireless station in the network, shown in frame 500.In according to one embodiment of present invention, counter and to converge driver be that each equipment in the network is created a virtual MAC driver.

Then, obtain the identifier at each wireless station, and each virtual MAC driver related with corresponding identifier (frame 502,504).Determine whether to exist another to be operated in the network of same RF channel at frame 506 then.If handle to get back to frame 500 and repeat and all handle up to all networks.

In according to one embodiment of present invention, the identifier that obtains at frame 502 comprises BSSID (BSSID).For example, each BSSID is included in the management frames that meets on the form such as the IEEE802.11 standard.Fig. 6 shows according to the management frames in the embodiments of the invention.Typically, the management frames association that is used to stand, go association, synchronously and authentication.Frame 600 comprises frame control field 602, duration identifier field 604, DAF destination address field 606, source address field 608, BSSID field 610, sequential control field 612, data field 614 and Frame Check Sequence or crc field 616.As previously discussed, in according to one embodiment of present invention, obtain the BSSID of each base station in the network and make it related with corresponding virtual MAC driver (seeing the frame 502,504 among Fig. 5).

Referring now to Fig. 7, show in an embodiment according to the present invention in order to the flow chart of second method of a plurality of network services.At first, be the chart of network creation, shown in frame 700.Described chart can be used as (for example) look-up table (LUT) and realizes.

Then, be establishment virtual instance of the station in the wireless network or driver, and give routine (frame 702,704) address assignment.In according to one embodiment of present invention, enumerator driver is that virtual MAC driver is created at each station in the wireless network, and distributes MAC Address for virtual MAC driver.Then, described station is recorded in the chart, shown in frame 706.

Then, determine whether there are other stations in the wireless network at frame 708.If then handle and get back to frame 702, and all handle at repetition all stations in wireless network.All handle at stations all in wireless network, determines whether to exist other to be operated in the network of same RF channel at frame 710.If then handles and get back to frame 700, and the all-network that repeats on same RF channel is all handled.After finishing, chart is with each station and virtual MAC driver and corresponding M AC address correlation thereof.

Claims

1, a kind of wireless station (306) comprising: wireless adapter (308); And corresponding to a plurality of virtual drives (412,414) of two or more wireless stations (304,312), wherein, at least two in described two or more wireless stations (304,312) are in the different wireless network (302,310).

2, wireless station as claimed in claim 1 (306) also comprises the enumerator driver (410) that is used to create described a plurality of virtual drive (412,414).

3, wireless station as claimed in claim 1 (306), also comprise a look-up table for each of described two or more wireless networks (302,310), wherein, for each station in the wireless network separately, each look-up table virtual drive of record and an address.

4, wireless station as claimed in claim 3 (306), wherein, each virtual drive and each address comprise virtual MAC driver and MAC Address.

5, a kind of two or more stations (304,312) method for communicating that is used for different networks (302,310) comprises: be that a virtual drive (412,414) is created at each station (304,312) in each wireless network (302,310); Obtain the identifier of each station (304,312); And it is each identifier is related with corresponding virtual driver (412,414).

6, method as claimed in claim 5, wherein: create a virtual drive (412,414) for each station (304,312) in each wireless network (302,310), a virtual MAC driver is created at each station (304,312) that is included as in each wireless network (302,310); And the identifier that obtains each station (304,312), comprise the BSSID that obtains each station (304,312).

7, method as claimed in claim 5, wherein, described two or more wireless networks (302,310) work in same RF channel.

8, a kind of two or more stations (304,312) method for communicating that is used for different networks (302,310) comprises: a) create a virtual drive (412) for each station (304) in the network (302); B) distribute an address for each virtual drive (412); C) write down each virtual drive (412) and corresponding address thereof; And d) for described two or more wireless networks (302,310), repeats) a) to c.

9, method as claimed in claim 8 wherein, writes down each virtual drive (412,414) and corresponding address thereof, comprising: each virtual drive (412,414) and corresponding address thereof are stored in the look-up table.

10, method as claimed in claim 8, wherein: create a virtual drive (412) for each station (304) in the network (302), a virtual MAC driver is created at each station (304) that is included as in the network (302); And, distribute the address for each virtual drive (412), comprise to each virtual drive (412) and distribute a MAC Address.

11, method as claimed in claim 8, wherein, described two or more wireless networks (302,310) are operated on the same RF channel.