IP Verse

Apparatus and method for integrating short-range wireless personal area networks for a wireless local area network infrastructure

Patent No. US9264991 (titled "Apparatus and method for integrating short-range wireless personal area networks for a wireless local area network infrastructure") on Nov 6, 2013. The application was issued on Feb 16, 2016.

What is this patent about?

'991 is related to the field of wireless communication, specifically addressing the integration of short-range Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs) into longer-range Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). Existing WLAN technologies like Wi-Fi (802.11x) consume significant power, making them unsuitable for battery-operated WPAN devices. Furthermore, the lack of a unified standard for WPANs leads to interference issues when coexisting with WLANs.

The underlying idea behind '991 is to create a wireless hub that acts as a bridge between a WLAN and a WPAN, allowing low-power WPAN devices to communicate over the longer-range WLAN infrastructure without the power overhead typically associated with WLAN connectivity. This is achieved by offloading the power-intensive WLAN communication tasks to the hub, which then relays data to and from the power-sensitive WPAN devices using a potentially modified, lower-power protocol.

The claims of '991 focus on a network-enabled hub that facilitates data communication between wireless devices. The hub maintains simultaneous network connections using a first network protocol (WLAN) and a second network protocol (WPAN). The second network protocol is an overlay protocol, partially consistent with the first, allowing communication in a common wireless space. The hub implements data forwarding logic to route data between nodes in the WLAN and WPAN.

In practice, the wireless hub contains a WLAN-compliant radio circuit, a processor, and memory. The processor runs software that manages both the WLAN and WPAN connections, forwarding data between them. The hub can be integrated into a power outlet or other electronic devices. A key aspect is the ability to maintain connectivity to both networks concurrently, or near-concurrently, allowing seamless communication between WPAN devices and the broader WLAN infrastructure.

This approach differs from prior solutions by shifting the burden of long-range, high-power communication from the battery-operated WPAN devices to the always-powered wireless hub. The hub can use a modified 802.11x protocol for WPAN communication, optimized for low power consumption, while still leveraging the existing WLAN infrastructure for long-range connectivity. This enables applications like remote monitoring of security sensors or medical devices without significantly impacting battery life.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical Landscape

In the mid-2000s when ’991 was filed, wireless networking was typically implemented using distinct hardware for different communication ranges, such as separate chipsets for local area networks and short-range personal area networks. At a time when systems commonly relied on dedicated access points to bridge devices to a wider network, hardware and software constraints made it non-trivial to maintain simultaneous, persistent connections across multiple protocols using a single radio interface. Engineering practices generally required devices to switch between network types or operate on entirely independent signal paths, as managing overlapping protocol traffic on shared antenna resources often led to synchronization loss or significant interference.

Prosecution Position

The examiner allowed the application because the claims specify a network hub that uses a single radio circuit to maintain simultaneous connections to both a local area network (WLAN) and a personal area network (WPAN). A key technical factor in the approval was the use of an overlay protocol for the second network that is only partially consistent with the first network's protocol, yet allows both sets of communications to share the same antenna hardware. Additionally, the hub includes specific data-forwarding logic to route packets between nodes on these different networks and a routing module that handles poll requests to identify and retrieve information from specific stations across the integrated network environment.

Claims

There are 20 claims in this patent, with independent claims 1 and 19. The independent claims are directed to a network-enabled hub and a computing device having the hub, facilitating data communications between wireless devices using different network protocols. The dependent claims generally add specific features, limitations, or embodiments to the network-enabled hub and computing device described in the independent claims.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)Support for SpecificationInterpretation
Data forwarding logic
(Claim 1, Claim 19)		Advantageously, the present invention extends the communication range of power-sensitive battery-operated devices and allows power-sensitive battery operated devices to become part of the larger WLAN infrastructure, thus enabling monitoring and control from any location that is within the range covered by the WLAN In addition, since battery-operated devices are IP addressable and since the AP of the WLAN can be connected to the Internet via an Internet router, the battery-operated devices may be monitored and controlled from any location when access to the Internet is available.Logic implemented in the network-enabled hub that forwards data between an originating node and a destination node, where the originating node is a node in one of the first and second networks and the destination node is a node in the other of the first and second networks.
Network-enabled hub
(Claim 1, Claim 19)		A wireless hub for integrating a wireless personal area network (“WPAN”) seamlessly into a wireless local area network (“WLAN”) includes, in part, a wireless circuit compliant with the WLAN standard, a processor coupled to the wireless circuit and a memory module that is coupled to the wireless circuit and the processor.A hub that facilitates data communication between wireless devices by connecting to both a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a wireless personal area network (WPAN).
Overlay protocol
(Claim 1, Claim 19)		In accordance with one embodiment, the software platform allows the wireless circuit to connect to the WPAN, without losing connectivity (such as association and synchronization) to the WLAN. In another embodiment, the wireless circuit is configured to connect to the WLAN and WPAN alternately.A second network protocol where communications are partially consistent with a first network protocol, and at least some communications using the second network protocol impinge on at least some antennae used for communications using the first network protocol.
Software platform
(Claim 19)		The hub further includes software modules forming a software platform that allows the wireless circuit to connect to both the WPAN and WLAN. In accordance with one embodiment, the software platform allows the wireless circuit to connect to the WPAN, without losing connectivity (such as association and synchronization) to the WLAN.At least one software module that allows the wireless radio circuit to connect to both the WLAN and the WPAN.
Wireless radio circuit
(Claim 1, Claim 19)		A wireless hub for integrating a wireless personal area network (“WPAN”) seamlessly into a wireless local area network (“WLAN”) includes, in part, a wireless circuit compliant with the WLAN standard, a processor coupled to the wireless circuit and a memory module that is coupled to the wireless circuit and the processor.A circuit that sends and receives data wirelessly, providing bi-directional wireless data communication capability.

Litigation Cases New

US Latest litigation cases involving this patent.

Case NumberFiling DateTitle
6:22-cv-00642Jun 21, 2022Ozmo Licensing LLC v. Dell Technologies Inc. et al
1:23-cv-00747Jun 21, 2022Ozmo Licensing LLC v. Dell Technologies Inc. et al
6:21-cv-01225Nov 24, 2021Ozmo Licensing LLC v. Acer Inc. et al

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US9264991

Application Number
US14073260A
Filing Date
Nov 6, 2013
Publication Date
Feb 16, 2016
External Links
Slate, USPTO, Google Patents