Software framework and development platform for Wi-Fi chipsets

1. A wireless network device, comprising:

a wireless signal driver configured to generate a Wi-Fi network;

an application-driver framework configured for application-agnostic and driver-agnostic communication, the application-driver framework including:

a bidirectional interface that communicatively couples the wireless signal driver to the application-driver framework, the bidirectional interface including an abstraction layer via which driver-specific command signals and driver-specific event signals, which are specific to the wireless signal driver, are converted into driver-agnostic command signals and driver-agnostic event signals which are communicated with the application-driver framework, and via which the driver-agnostic command signals and the driver-agnostic event signals are converted into the driver-specific command signals and driver-specific event signals are communicated with the wireless signal driver; and

an application interface that is configured to interface one or more applications with the application-driver framework, the application interface being configured to communicate application-agnostic command signals and application-agnostic event signals with the application-driver framework and to communicate application-specific event signals and application-specific command signals with the one or more applications and the application-driver framework.

2. The wireless network device of claim 1 , further comprising a central processing unit (CPU), wherein:

the wireless signal driver and the bidirectional interface are included in the application-driver framework; and

the application-driver framework is included on the CPU.

3. The wireless network device of claim 1 , further comprising a first chipset and a second chipset, wherein:

the wireless signal driver is separate and distinct from the bidirectional interface and from the application-driver framework;

the bidirectional interface and the application-driver framework are included on the first chipset, the second chipset, or both the first and second chipsets; and

the wireless signal driver is included on the second chipset.

4. The wireless network device of claim 3 , wherein the wireless signal driver, the application-driver framework, the bidirectional interface, and the application interface are included on a single central processing unit (CPU).

5. The wireless network device of claim 3 , wherein the first chipset and the second chipset are from different vendors, have different architectures, or have different versions.

6. The wireless network device of claim 1 , wherein:

the wireless signal driver is a first wireless signal driver; and

the wireless network device further comprises:

a first central processing unit (CPU);

a second CPU;

a CPU interface configured to enable communication between the first CPU and the second CPU; and

a second wireless signal driver.

7. The wireless network device of claim 6 , wherein:

the first wireless signal driver is separate and distinct from the bidirectional interface and from the application-driver framework;

the first wireless signal driver, the application-driver framework, the bidirectional interface, a first portion of the CPU interface, and the application interface are included on the first CPU;

the second wireless driver and a second portion of the CPU interface are included on the second CPU;

the first wireless signal driver is configured to drive a first wireless signal card; and

the second wireless signal driver is configured to drive a second wireless signal card.

8. The wireless network device of claim 1 , wherein:

at least one application of the one or more applications includes a library;

the application-driver framework is configured to implement a user-space background process; and

the at least one application is dynamically loaded by the user-space background process.

9. The wireless network device of claim 1 , wherein at least one application is implemented as:

a dynamically loadable library; or

a standalone process interfaced by an inter-process communication bus.

10. The wireless network device of claim 1 , wherein:

the one or more applications is configured to use wireless signal information associated with a wireless network or to invoke a wireless function implemented by the wireless network; and

the wireless network is generated or supported by the wireless signal driver.

11. The wireless network device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more applications includes one or more or a combination of:

a home management application;

a media access control (MAC) sublayer management entity (MLME) delegation;

a client steering application;

a channel and power management application;

application management;

a data path control application; and

a spatial stream diagnostic application.

12. The wireless network device of claim 10 , further comprising:

a first chipset including a first chipset architecture; and

a second chipset including a second chipset architecture, wherein:

a first application of the one or more applications is run on the first chipset;

a second application of the one or more applications is run on the second chipset; and

the application-driver framework is configured to provide compatibility between the first application and the second application.

13. The wireless network device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless signal driver, the application-driver framework, the bidirectional interface, and the application interface are configured as a Wi-Fi repeater, a wireless access point (WAP), or a Wi-Fi gateway.

14. A method performed by a wireless network device, the method comprising:

converting, by a bidirectional interface that communicatively couples a wireless signal driver to an application-driver framework, a first driver-specific command signal specific to the wireless signal driver into a first driver-agnostic command signal;

converting, by the bidirectional interface, a first driver-specific event signal into a first driver-agnostic event signal, the first driver-agnostic command signal and the first driver-agnostic event signal communicated via the application-driver framework;

converting, by the bidirectional interface, a second driver-agnostic command signal into a second driver-specific command signal;

converting, by the bidirectional interface, a second driver-agnostic event signal into a second driver-specific event signal;

interfacing one or more applications with the application-driver framework via an application interface;

communicating an application-agnostic command signal, via the application interface, to the application-driver framework;

communicating an application-agnostic event signal, via the application interface, to the application-driver framework;

communicating an application-specific command signal, via the application interface, to the one or more applications; and

communicating an application-specific event signal, via the application interface, to the one or more applications.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein:

the wireless signal driver and the bidirectional interface are included in the application-driver framework; and

the application-driver framework is included on a central processing unit (CPU).

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein:

the wireless signal driver is separate and distinct from the bidirectional interface and from the application-driver framework;

the bidirectional interface and the application-driver framework are included on a first chipset, a second chipset, or both the first and second chipsets; and

the wireless signal driver is included on the second chipset.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

implementing a user-space background process by the application-driver framework; and

dynamically loading at least one application of the one or more applications by the user-space background process, the at least one application including a library.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising implementing at least one application of the one or more applications as a dynamically loadable library or a standalone process interfaced by an inter-process communication bus.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

using, by the one or more applications, wireless signal information associated with a wireless network generated or supported by the wireless signal driver; or

invoking, by the one or more applications, a wireless function implemented by the wireless network.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the one or more applications includes one or more of or a combination of:

a home management application;

a media access control (MAC) sublayer management entity (MLME) delegation;

a client steering application;

a channel and power management application;

application management;

a data path control application; and

a spatial stream diagnostic application.