IP Library Granted Patent US 11,546,905
Granted Patent B1
US 11,546,905 · App. 17/214,714 · Granted Jan 3, 2023

WiFi routers and switching

Inventors: Brian Vencil Skarda (South Jordan, UT); Christopher Lee Harris (Holladay, UT)
Assignee: VIVINT, INC.
H04W72/0453H04W72/085H04W74/0833H04W88/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,546,905
App. No.
17/214,714
Granted
Jan 3, 2023
Kind
B1
Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for Wi-Fi routers and switching are described. An apparatus for wireless communication in a Wi-Fi network may include a set of radio frequency (RF) switches, where a first RF switch provides a connection for a set of RF signal paths to a processor of the apparatus and a second RF switch provides a connection for the set of RF signal paths to an antenna of the apparatus. The set of RF signal paths may include a combination of one or more highpass signal paths, lowpass signal paths, bandpass signal paths, or passthrough signal paths. The apparatus may determine a set of Wi-Fi channels for the wireless communication with one or more wireless devices of the Wi-Fi network, select at least one RF signal path to pass at least one Wi-Fi channel, and process the wireless communication using the at least one RF signal path.

Claims (49)

1. An apparatus for wireless communication in a Wi-Fi network, comprising:

a processor;

memory coupled with the processor;

a set of radio frequency switches coupled to the processor, a first radio frequency switch of the set of radio frequency switches providing a first connection for a set of radio frequency signal paths to the processor, and a second radio frequency switch of the set of radio frequency switches providing a second connection for the set of radio frequency signal paths to an antenna of the apparatus, the set of radio frequency signal paths comprising one or more highpass signal paths, lowpass signal paths, bandpass signal paths, or passthrough signal paths, or any combination thereof; and

instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

determine a set of Wi-Fi channels for the wireless communication with one or more wireless devices in the Wi-Fi network;

select at least one radio frequency signal path from the set of radio frequency signal paths to pass at least one Wi-Fi channel of the set of Wi-Fi channels; and

process the wireless communication in the Wi-Fi network based at least in part on passing the at least one Wi-Fi channel of the set of Wi-Fi channels using the at least one radio frequency signal path from the set of radio frequency signal paths.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to process the wireless communication are further executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

receive the wireless communication from the one or more wireless devices; and

filter the wireless communication using a filter included in the at least one radio frequency signal path.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

scan the set of Wi-Fi channels to determine a channel quality associated with each Wi-Fi channel of the set of Wi-Fi channels,

wherein the instructions to select the at least one radio frequency signal path are further executable by the processor based at least in part on the scan.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to select the at least one radio frequency signal path are further executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

select the at least one radio frequency signal path based at least in part on a user setting to select the at least one radio frequency signal path.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

set the first radio frequency switch to provide the first connection for the at least one radio frequency signal path based at least in part on the selection of the at least one radio frequency signal path; and

set the second radio frequency switch to provide the second connection for the at least one radio frequency signal path based at least in part on the selection of the at least one radio frequency signal path.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

select, based at least in part on a trigger, a second radio frequency signal path from the set of radio frequency signal paths to pass a second Wi-Fi channel of the set of Wi-Fi channels; and

process a second wireless communication in the Wi-Fi network based at least in part on passing the second Wi-Fi channel of the set of Wi-Fi channels using the second radio frequency signal path from the set of radio frequency signal paths.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

detect that a channel quality associated with the at least one Wi-Fi channel satisfies a threshold, wherein the trigger corresponds to the channel quality associated with the at least one Wi-Fi channel satisfying the threshold.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

enable a timer based at least in part on the channel quality associated with the at least one Wi-Fi channel satisfying the threshold, wherein the trigger corresponds to the timer lapsing.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , the instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

scan the set of Wi-Fi channels to determine a respective channel quality associated with each Wi-Fi channel of the set of Wi-Fi channels, wherein the threshold is based at least in part on the respective channel qualities.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

determine a reset condition of the apparatus, wherein the trigger corresponds to the reset condition.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the set of radio frequency signal paths comprises a set of filters, each filter of the set of filters corresponding to a radio frequency signal path of the set of radio frequency signal paths.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

one or more Wi-Fi radio chips coupled with the processor.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the set of Wi-Fi channels corresponds to a first radio frequency spectrum band, each Wi-Fi channel corresponding to a radio frequency spectrum subband of the first radio frequency spectrum band.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first radio frequency spectrum band is a 2.4 gigahertz band.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is located within a threshold distance of a Wi-Fi device in the Wi-Fi network.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more wireless devices are camera-enabled devices.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a Wi-Fi device associated with one or more of an automation system, a security system, or a home automation system.

18. A method for wireless communication at an apparatus in a Wi-Fi network, comprising:

determining a set of Wi-Fi channels for the wireless communication with one or more wireless devices in the Wi-Fi network, wherein the apparatus comprises a processor and a set of radio frequency switches, a first radio frequency switch of the set of radio frequency switches providing a first connection for a set of radio frequency signal paths to the processor, a second radio frequency switch of the set of radio frequency switches providing a second connection for the set of radio frequency signal paths to an antenna of the apparatus;

selecting at least one radio frequency signal path from the set of radio frequency signal paths to pass at least one Wi-Fi channel of the set of Wi-Fi channels, wherein the set of radio frequency signal paths comprises one or more highpass signal paths, lowpass signal paths, bandpass signal paths, or passthrough signal paths, or any combination thereof; and

processing the wireless communication in the Wi-Fi network based at least in part on passing the at least one Wi-Fi channel of the set of Wi-Fi channels using the at least one radio frequency signal path from the set of radio frequency signal paths.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein processing the wireless communication comprises:

receiving the wireless communication from the one or more wireless devices; and

filtering the wireless communication using a filter included in the at least one radio frequency signal path.

20. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therein, the program code readable/executable by a processor to:

determine a set of Wi-Fi channels for the wireless communication with one or more wireless devices in the Wi-Fi network, wherein the apparatus comprises a processor and a set of radio frequency switches, a first radio frequency switch of the set of radio frequency switches providing a first connection for a set of radio frequency signal paths to the processor, a second radio frequency switch of the set of radio frequency switches providing a second connection for the set of radio frequency signal paths to an antenna of the apparatus;

select at least one radio frequency signal path from the set of radio frequency signal paths to pass at least one Wi-Fi channel of the set of Wi-Fi channels, wherein the set of radio frequency signal paths comprises one or more highpass signal paths, lowpass signal paths, bandpass signal paths, or passthrough signal paths, or any combination thereof; and

process the wireless communication in the Wi-Fi network based at least in part on passing the at least one Wi-Fi channel of the set of Wi-Fi channels using the at least one radio frequency signal path from the set of radio frequency signal paths.

Assignments (7)
AFTER-ACQUIRED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 27, 2025
From: VIVINT LLC; SMART HOME PROS, INC.; VIVINT AMIGO, INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS PRIORITY COLLATERAL TRUSTEE
Reel/Frame 070349/0816 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2025
From: VIVINT, INC.
To: VIVINT LLC
Reel/Frame 069767/0343 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL 067456, FRAME 0729 Recorded Nov 11, 2024
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: VIVINT, INC.
Reel/Frame 069334/0165 →
RELEASE (REEL 057434 / FRAME 0591) Recorded Nov 1, 2024
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: VIVINT LLC (F/K/A VIVINT, INC.)
Reel/Frame 069289/0529 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 17, 2024
From: VIVINT, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 067456/0729 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT NO. 2 Recorded Jul 12, 2021
From: VIVINT, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 057434/0591 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 26, 2021
From: SKARDA, BRIAN VENCIL; HARRIS, CHRISTOPHER LEE
To: VIVINT, INC.
Reel/Frame 055742/0291 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,416,845