Back to results
US 2015/0318922 A1Published application
Visible light communications personal area network controller and access point systems and methods
AssigneeMotorola Solutions, Inc.
InventorsJEELAN POOLA, SOMESH AGRAWAL, PRASAD K, SUNDARESAN SUNDARAM
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A network, a Visible Light Communications (VLC) controller, and a method relate to a network architecture splitting frame processing functionality between Light Fidelity (LiFi) Access Points (APs) and a VLC controller or virtualized controller. In such configurations, the LiFi APs are so-called thin devices that may be widely deployed through an infrastructure to concurrently provide illumination and network access via VLC protocols such as IEEE 802.15.7 or variants thereof.
Claims20
A network, comprising:
- at least one visible light access point communicatively coupled to a device via a light connection;
- a controller communicatively coupled to the at least one visible light access point and an external network;
- the at least one visible light access point is configured to perform a first set of media access control functions;
- and
- the controller is configured to perform a second set of media access control functions, wherein the controller and the at least one visible light access point cooperatively perform the first set of media access control functions and the second set of media access control functions associated with frames between the device.
2 more elements
A controller, comprising:
- a network interface communicatively coupled to a Visible Light Communications (VLC) access point and a network;
- a processor;
- and
- memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
- receive a first partially processed data frame from the VLC access point, wherein the first partially processed data frame is directed from a device to the network, and wherein the first partially processed data frame has been processed according to a first set of media access control functions by the VLC access point;
- perform a second set of media access control functions on the first partially processed data frame, wherein the controller and the at least one visible light access point cooperatively perform the first set of media access control functions and the second set of media access control functions associated with frames between the device;
- partially process a second data frame according to the second set of media access control functions, wherein the second data frame is directed from the network to the device;
- and
- transmit the second partially processed data frame to the VLC access point for subsequent processing of the second partially processed data according to the first set of media access control functions by the VLC access point.
6 more elements
A method, comprising:
- receiving a first data frame at a Visible Light Communications (VLC) access point directed from a device to a network;
- performing a first set of media access control functions on the first data frame in the VLC access point to provide a first partially processed data frame;
- forwarding the first partially processed data frame to a controller;
- performing a second set of media access control function on the first partially processed data frame to provide a first fully processed data frame;
- forwarding the first fully processed data frame to the network;
- receiving a second data frame at the controller directed from the network to the device;
- performing the second set of media access control functions on the second data frame in the controller to provide a second partially processed data frame;
- forwarding the second partially processed data frame to the VLC access point;
- performing the first set of media access control function on the second partially processed data frame to provide a second fully processed data frame;
- and
- forwarding the second fully processed data frame to the device.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.