Wireless ethernet adapter

An apparatus for providing wireless Ethernet connectivity over an ultra-wideband (UWB) link, the apparatus comprising an adapter coupled to an external network via an Ethernet port, the adapter including:

• a radio frequency (RF) transceiver for transmitting and receiving radio signals over the UWB link;
• a physical (PHY) layer for configuring a plurality of communication channels in an UWB spectrum for the RF transceiver, the PHY layer using time frequency codes to define the plurality of communication channels;
• a Media Access Control (MAC) layer for providing a mechanism for addressing and channel access for the PHY layer;
• and
• a memory having instructions executable at the adapter to:
• route data received from the external network to a UWB-enabled device on a communication channel in the plurality of communication channels over the wireless link;
• reserve a time slot in a plurality of time slots associated with the communication channel to monitor the plurality of communication channels to identify a preferred communication channel based on monitored traffic;
• monitor the plurality of communication channels in the UWB spectrum using the time slot;
• establish a wireless link on the preferred communication channel;
• route data received from the external network to a UWB-enabled device on the preferred communication channel over the wireless link;
• decrement a channel change count field;
• check the plurality of communication channels to determine whether a new communication channel has a least amount of usage when the channel change count field reaches a predetermined value;
• switch to the new communication channel if it is determined that the new communication channel has the least amount of usage;
• and
• transmit a superframe having a channel change information element indicating the new communication channel.

A method for providing wireless Ethernet connectivity over an ultra-wideband (UWB) link, the method comprising:

• means for reserving a time slot, the means for reserving a time slot to
• reserve a first time slot of a plurality of time slots associated with a communication channel of a plurality of communication channels in a UWB spectrum to exchange data between an adapter and an UWB-enabled device on the communication channel, the plurality of communication channels defined by time frequency codes;
• and
• reserve a second time slot of the plurality of time slots to monitor the plurality of communication channels to identify a preferred communication channel in the plurality of communication channels based on monitored traffic;
• monitoring the plurality of communication channels at the adapter using the second time slot;
• establishing a wireless link on the preferred communication channel;
• exchanging the data between the adapter and the UWB-enabled device on the preferred communication channel over the wireless link;
• decrementing a channel change count field;
• checking the plurality of communication channels to determine whether a new communication channel has a least amount of usage when the channel change count field reaches a predetermined value;
• switching to the new communication channel if it is determined that the new communication channel has the least amount of usage;
• and
• notifying the UWB-enabled device of the switch to the new communication channel.