IP Library Granted Patent US 11,570,251
Granted Patent B2
US 11,570,251 · App. 17/185,541 · Granted Jan 31, 2023

Wireless local area networks

Inventors: Stephen McCann (Southampton, GB); Michael Peter Montemurro (Toronto, CA); James Randolph Winter Lepp (Ottawa, CA)
Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
H04L67/12H04W12/04H04W52/0203H04W84/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,570,251
App. No.
17/185,541
Granted
Jan 31, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

In some examples, a system includes a plurality of network controllers, a WI-FI wireless local area network (WLAN) over which at least a first network controller and a second network controller of the plurality of network controllers are to communicate, wherein a link between the first network controller and the second network controller through the WI-FI WLAN is a synchronized link.

Claims (32)

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of network controllers comprising a first network controller and a second network controller, wherein the first network controller comprises a first clock to produce a first oscillating signal, and the second network controller comprises a second clock to produce a second oscillating signal;

a wireless local area network (WLAN) over which at least the first network controller and the second network controller are to communicate,

wherein a link between the first network controller and the second network controller through the WLAN is a synchronized link based on transition edges of the first oscillating signal being aligned in time with transition edges of the second oscillating signal;

wherein each of the first network controller and the second network controller comprises:

a respective first queue to store data according to a real-time access class that is to be communicated between the first network controller and the second network controller over the synchronized link, and

a respective second queue to store non-real-time access class data that is to be communicated between the first network controller and the second network controller over a further link separate from the synchronized link.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first network controller and the second network controller comprises:

respective multiple first queues to store data according to corresponding different real-time access classes.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the different real-time access classes are mapped to different priorities, and the system comprises:

a scheduler to select, based on the different priorities, from among data of the multiple first queues for transmission over the synchronized link.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-real-time access class data comprises asynchronous data.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein a communication of the data according to the real-time access class over the synchronized link and a communication of the non-real-time access class data over the further link is to avoid mixing the data according to the real-time access class with the non-real-time access class data.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first network controller and the second network controller comprises media access parameters to transmit data according to the real-time access class over the synchronized link.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the synchronized link is to communicate data using a carrier having a frequency of greater than or equal to 10 gigahertz.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the synchronized link is to communicate data using light signals.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first network controller and the second network controller are to communicate data over the synchronized link protected by a wireless security scheme.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an authentication server to authenticate network controllers of the plurality of network controllers.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a provisioning server to provision a given network controller of the plurality of network controllers using a profile of the given network controller, in response to the given network controller joining the WLAN.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor to measure motion data associated with motion of the system, and wherein the WLAN is to send the motion data or an indication based on the motion data to at least some of the plurality of network controllers to cause the at least some of the plurality of network controllers to enter a lower power state for power saving.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein a given network controller of the plurality of network controllers is to save session information that is available across a power cycle of the given network controller, the given network controller to use the saved session information when powering up to establish a session represented by the saved session information.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the saved session information comprises a security key and a network address.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first network controller maintains synchronized links with multiple network controllers of the plurality of network controllers, the first clock is a master clock, and the multiple network controllers comprise respective clocks synchronized to the master clock.

16. A method comprising:

communicating data between a first network controller and a second network controller over a wireless local area network (WLAN) in a system, wherein the first network controller comprises a first clock to produce a first oscillating signal, and the second network controller comprises a second clock to produce a second oscillating signal, wherein a link between the first network controller and the second network controller through the WLAN is a synchronized link based on transition edges of the first oscillating signal being aligned in time with transition edges of the second oscillating signal;

storing, in a respective first queue of each of the first network controller and the second network controller, data according to a real-time access class that is to be communicated between the first network controller and the second network controller over the synchronized link; and

storing, in a respective second queue of each of the first network controller and the second network controller, non-real-time access class data that is to be communicated between the first network controller and the second network controller over a further link separate from the synchronized link.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein each of the first network controller and the second network controller comprises respective multiple first queues storing data according to corresponding different real-time access classes.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the different real-time access classes are mapped to different priorities, the method further comprising:

selecting, by a scheduler in the system based on the different priorities, from among data of the multiple first queues for transmission over the synchronized link.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the non-real-time access class data comprises asynchronous data.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein a communication of the data according to the real-time access class over the synchronized link and a communication of the non-real-time access class data over the further link is to avoid mixing the data according to the real-time access class with the non-real-time access class data.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
Reel/Frame 064007/0061 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jun 16, 2023
From: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064015/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 7, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
Reel/Frame 063269/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 26, 2021
From: MONTEMURRO, MICHAEL PETER; LEPP, JAMES RANDOLPH WINTER
To: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 055419/0076 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 26, 2021
From: MCCANN, STEPHEN
To: BLACKBERRY UK LIMITED
Reel/Frame 055419/0090 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 26, 2021
From: BLACKBERRY UK LIMITED
To: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 055419/0117 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 15969956 · May 3, 2018
Related Publication 20210203725A1 · Jul 1, 2021