Apparatus and method for adapting WI-FI access point to wireless backhaul link of a wireless network

An integrated wireless network comprising:

• a wireless public network comprising a plurality of base stations configured to communicate with mobile stations located in a coverage area of said wireless public network, wherein each of said plurality of base stations is configured to communicate with mobile stations up to several miles away, and
• a wireless local area network comprising a plurality of access points configured to communicate with selected ones of said mobile stations located in a coverage area of the wireless local area network, a first one of said plurality of access points comprising:
• a first transceiver configured to communicate with selected ones of said mobile stations within a short distance of said access point;
• an input/output interface coupling said access point to an external mobile station via a wireline communication bus, wherein said externally coupled mobile station is configured to communicate wirelessly with a first base station in a wireless public network portion of said integrated wireless network;
• a data processor configured to communicate with said externally coupled mobile station via said input/output interface;
• and
• interconnection circuitry configured to transfer data traffic between said first transceiver and said data processor, such that said access point enables said selected mobile stations to communicate with said first base station via said externally coupled mobile station.

In an integrated wireless network comprising:

• 1) a wireless public network configured to communicate with mobile stations located in a coverage area of the wireless public network;
• and 2) a wireless local area network comprising a plurality of access points configured to communicate with selected ones of the mobile stations located in a coverage area of the wireless local area network, a method of operating a first one of the plurality of access points comprising:
• communicating with the selected mobile stations within a short distance of the first access point via a first transceiver;
• wirelessly communicating with a first one of the plurality of base stations via an external mobile station coupled to the access point via a wireline communication bus;
• and
• transferring data traffic between the first transceiver and the externally coupled mobile station via the wireline communication bus to thereby enable the selected mobile stations to communicate with the first base station via the first access point.