US 8,576,870 B2 · Access point systems

Abstract

Wireless local area networks may be established between devices. Each device may include wireless interfaces. A first device may include an infrastructure interface that supports an interface link with access point equipment on a given channel. The first device may listen for probe requests from a second device on the given channel. The second device may send probe requests on a series of channels in single-channel increments. When the second device sends the probe request on the given channel, the first device may receive the probe request. Each probe request may include an information element. The first device may extract the information element from a received probe request and may compare the extracted information element to a predetermined stored information element. If there is match, an association process may be used to establish a wireless link between the first and second devices.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for supporting wireless networking between a first electronic device and a second electronic device, wherein the second electronic device sends a series of probe requests to the first device on a sequence of channels incremented in single-channel increments, each of the probe requests including an information element, the method comprising:

with the first device, maintaining a first wireless local area network link with access point equipment using a given wireless local area network channel;
with the first device, listening for probe requests from the second device on the given wireless local area network channel;
with the first device, receiving a probe request from the second device;
with the first device, extracting the information element from the probe request and comparing the extracted information element to a predetermined information element to determine whether the extracted information element matches the predetermined information element;
and
in response to determining that the extracted information element matches the predetermined information element, establishing a second wireless local area network link between the first device and the second device without the access point equipment.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Access point systems

Life of this patent

Access point systems

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18