US 2017/0325073 A1 · DISTRIBUTED ACCESS POINT FOR IP BASED COMMUNICATIONS

Abstract

An apparatus for Internet-Protocol based communications in a wireless network includes a network interface, a controller, and memory. The interface receives a series of multicast data packets. The controller identifies one or more receiving nodes in the wireless network requesting data corresponding to the series of multicast data packets and determines that the effective unicast rate for one or more unicast data packets exceeds a minimum data rate of the series of multicast data packets using an 802.x protocol. The memory stores instructions that may be executable by a processor. Upon execution of the instructions by a processor, the received series of multicast data packets is converted into one or more unicast packets, the execution and conversion occurring in response to instructions received from the controller. A system for Internet-Protocol based communications in a wireless network implements such an apparatus in the context of an access point.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for Internet-Protocol based communications in a wireless network having a minimum available physical data rate, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface to receive a plurality of multicast data packets;
a memory;
and
a processor for executing instructions stored in the memory to:
identify a plurality of receiving nodes in the wireless network requesting data corresponding to the plurality of multicast data packets,
convert the received plurality of multicast data packets into one or more unicast data packets,
determine an effective unicast rate for said one or more unicast data packets,
compare said effective unicast rate to said minimum available physical data rate,
serially transmit said one or more unicast data packets to said plurality of receiving nodes at said effective unicast rate, when said effective unicast rate is greater than said minimum available physical data rate, and
serially transmit said one or more unicast data packets to said plurality of receiving nodes at said minimum available physical data rate, when said effective unicast rate is less than or equal to said minimum available physical data rate.

7 more elements

A non-transitory computer storage medium for storing a plurality of computer instructions, the plurality of computer instructions, when executed by a processor, perform a method for Internet-Protocol based communications in a wireless network having a minimum available physical data rate, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of multicast data packets by a network interface;
identifying a plurality of receiving nodes in the wireless network requesting data corresponding to the plurality of multicast data packets;
converting the received plurality of multicast data packets into one or more unicast data packets;
determining an effective unicast rate for said one or more unicast data packets;
comparing said effective unicast rate to said minimum available physical data rate;
serially transmitting said one or more unicast data packets to said plurality of receiving nodes at said effective unicast rate, when said effective unicast rate is greater than said minimum available physical data rate;
and
serially transmitting said one or more unicast data packets to said plurality of receiving nodes at said minimum available physical data rate, when said effective unicast rate is less than or equal to said minimum available physical data rate.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Distributed access point for ip based communications

Life of this patent

Distributed access point for ip based communications

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20