# US 2025/0168142 A1 · Telecommunications network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0168142 A1 - Document ID: US20250168142A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/874,011 - Filed: 2023-05-05 - Published: 2025-05-22 - Earliest claimed: 2022-06-13 - Assignees: British Telecommunications public limited company - Applicants: British Telecommunications Public Limited Company - Inventors: Jerome AROKKIAM; Simon RINGLAND - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250168142A1 ## CPC - H04L 61/2596: Translation of addresses of the same type other than IP, e.g. translation from MAC to MAC addresses - H04L 41/0895: Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements - H04L 41/0893: Assignment of logical groups to network elements - H04L 41/12: Discovery or management of network topologies - H04L 2101/604: Address structures or formats - H04L 2101/622: Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract This invention provides a method of operating a wireless local area network, the wireless local area network including a user device, a wireless access point and a wireless repeater, wherein the wireless repeater is configured to virtualise a Media Access Control, MAC, address of the user device when the user device is connected to the wireless repeater by changing the Organisationally Unique Identifier, OUI, of the MAC address, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining data including a plurality of records, wherein each record of the plurality of records relates to the user device and includes a MAC address and a device label of the user device, wherein at least one record of the plurality of records includes a MAC address that has been virtualised by the wireless repeater; processing each record of the plurality of records by: determining that the MAC address of the processed record is a local MAC address, and, if so, identifying another record of the plurality of records that is uniquely associated with the user device based on the MAC address of the processed record by determining a Network Interface Controller, NIC, value of the MAC address of the processed record, determining that the determined NIC value is uniquely associated with a device label in the plurality of records, and identifying another record of the plurality of records having the associated device label, and assigning a unique identifier to the processed record based on the MAC address of the identified other record of the plurality of records; analysing the plurality of records having the unique device identifier; and causing a reconfiguration in the wireless local area network based on the analysis. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a wireless local area network, the wireless local area network including a user device, a wireless access point and a wireless repeater, wherein the wireless repeater is configured to virtualise a Media Access Control, MAC, address of the user device when the user device is connected to the wireless repeater by changing the Organisationally Unique Identifier, OUI, of the MAC address, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining data including a plurality of records, wherein each record of the plurality of records relates to the user device and includes a MAC address and a device label of the user device, wherein at least one record of the plurality of records includes a MAC address that has been virtualised by the wireless repeater; processing each record of the plurality of records by: determining that the MAC address of the processed record is a local MAC address, and, if so, identifying another record of the plurality of records that is uniquely associated with the user device based on the MAC address of the processed record by determining a Network Interface Controller, NIC, value of the MAC address of the processed record, determining that the determined NIC value is uniquely associated with a device label in the plurality of records, and identifying another record of the plurality of records having the associated device label, and assigning a unique device identifier for uniquely identifying the user device to the processed record based on the MAC address of the identified other record of the plurality of records; analysing the plurality of records having the unique device identifier; and causing a reconfiguration in the wireless local area network based on the analysis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each record of the plurality of records also includes a timestamp and the step of identifying another record of the plurality of records having the associated device label identifies a plurality of other records having the associated device label, and the method further comprises the step of: identifying a record of the plurality of other records having the associated device label having the most recent timestamp. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in either claim 1, wherein, prior to the step of determining that the determined NIC value is uniquely associated with the device label in the plurality of records, the method further comprises the step of: determining that a count of other records of the plurality of records having globally unique MAC addresses with the determined NIC value is zero. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the steps of claim 1. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A computer readable carrier medium comprising the computer program of claim 4. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A data processing device comprising a processor adapted to perform the steps of the method of claim 1.