Method and apparatus for coordinating a wireless PAN network and a wireless LAN network

A wireless network interface circuit adapted to be coupled to a wireless network for communicating, the wireless network interface circuit comprising:

• circuitry for conveying signals between the network interface circuit and a computing device to which the network interface circuit is electrically coupled;
• logic for determining a length of time for PAN-computing device communication;
• and
• logic for reserving the wireless medium for the length of time by signalling from the network interface circuit using a protocol of a PAN network, wherein the PAN network protocol is adapted such that devices operable in a second network will defer use of a shared wireless medium even without being able to completely interpret frames sent from the network interface circuit according to the PAN network protocol
• logic for wirelessly communicating with a PAN device using the wireless medium and the PAN network protocol during the time, thereby allowing communication between the wireless network interface circuit and the PAN device without traffic expected from the second network.

A wireless network interface circuit adapted to be coupled to a wireless network for communicating, the wireless network interface circuit comprising:

• circuitry for conveying signals between the network interface circuit and a computing device to which the network interface circuit is electrically coupled;
• logic for wirelessly communicating with a network coordinator of a first network;
• logic for wirelessly communicating with a node of a second network, wherein an effective broadcast range of the node of the second network is expected to be insufficient to communicate directly with the network coordinator of the first network;
• logic for determining a length of time for PAN-computing device communication;
• and
• logic for reserving the wireless medium with the network coordinator of the first network for the length of time, thereby allowing communication from the node without traffic expected from the network coordinator of the first network.

A method of interfacing a computing device to a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a wireless personal area network (PAN), wherein the WLAN is characterized by a plurality of nodes intercommunicating over a wireless medium and the wireless PAN is characterized by lower power transmissions over a wireless medium relative to transmissions over the WLAN, the method comprising:

• adapting a network circuit, comprising logic and at least one antenna, for interfacing the computing device to the WLAN and to the wireless PAN;
• setting up associations and communicating with devices over the WLAN and the wireless PAN using at least one common modulation scheme and at least one common frame formatting layer;
• and
• coordinating with the WLAN coordinator and the wireless PAN device, usage of the WLAN such that the wireless PAN device and computing device can communicate without interference.

A method of interacting with a primary network and a secondary network, wherein a plurality of wireless local area network (WLAN) devices communicate using protocols of the primary network and a wireless medium and wherein one or more personal area network (PAN) devices communicate using the protocols of the secondary network and the wireless medium using lower power transmissions over the wireless medium relative to transmissions over the WLAN, the method comprising:

• configuring a dual-net device that is capable of communicating over the primary network using its protocols and over the secondary network using its protocols;
• determining, at the dual-net device, that a reservation of the wireless medium is needed for a PAN device that is not also a dual-net device;
• signalling a request for a reservation of the wireless medium from the dual-net device such that the request can be received and understood by at least one other WLAN device;
• determining, at the dual-net device, if the reservation was successful;
• if the reservation was successful, signalling, using the protocols of the secondary network, to the PAN device that is not also a dual-net device that the wireless medium is reserved for that device for communications using the protocols of the secondary network.

A method of communicating in a wireless network between a device as a station and an access point over a first network and between the device as a coordinator and a peripheral over a second network, comprising:

• communicating with the access point over the first wireless network, wherein the first wireless network is an 802.11x network;
• signalling, from the device to the access point, for the use of DLS, DLS being a protocol that allows for two stations associated with the access point to communicate directly;
• and
• signalling, from the device to a second device, using DLS, wherein the second device is not a device associated with the access point.