MULTIPLE COEXISTING PERSONAL AREA NETWORKS HAVING DIFFERENT HANDSHAKING
An electronic device is described. This electronic device may include a radio that supports multiple coexisting networks having different handshaking and a common PAN communication protocol. During operation, a single radio in the electronic device may provide different beacons for the coexisting networks. Then, the radio may receive a response associated with another electronic device, where the response may specify a first coexisting network in the coexisting networks. Next, the radio may establish a connection with the other electronic device, where establishing the connection involves performing handshaking associated with the first coexisting network. Note that the common PAN communication protocol may include: Bluetooth, BLE, Zigbee, or Z-Wave.
1 . An electronic device, comprising:
a pad or a connector configured to couple to an antenna; and
an interface circuit coupled to the pad or the connector, wherein the interface circuit comprises a radio, wherein the radio is configured to support multiple coexisting networks having different handshaking and a common personal area network (PAN) communication protocol, and wherein the radio is configured to:
provide different beacons for the coexisting networks;
receive a response associated with another electronic device, wherein the response specifies a first coexisting network in the coexisting networks; and
establish a connection with the other electronic device, wherein establishing the connection comprises performing handshaking associated with the first coexisting network.
2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the coexisting networks have different PAN identifiers.
3 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a given beacon comprises a given PAN identifier of a given coexisting network.
4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the response comprises a PAN identifier of the first coexisting network.
5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a given coexisting network has an associated band of frequencies and a channel identifier in the band of frequencies.
6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein given handshaking specifies operations during connection setup with a given coexisting network.
7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the different handshaking comprises different security procedures in the coexisting networks.
8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the common PAN communication protocol comprises: Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy (BLE), Zigbee, or Z-Wave.
9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the different beacons are provided at different times.
10 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for use in conjunction with an electronic device, the computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions, wherein, when executed by the electronic device, the program instructions cause a radio in the electronic device to perform operations comprising:
providing different beacons for multiple coexisting networks, wherein the coexisting networks have different handshaking and a common personal area network (PAN) communication protocol:
receiving a response associated with another electronic device, wherein the response specifies a first coexisting network in the coexisting networks; and
establishing a connection with the other electronic device, wherein establishing the connection comprises performing handshaking associated with the first coexisting network.
11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the coexisting networks have different PAN identifiers.
12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein a given beacon comprises a given PAN identifier of a given coexisting network; and
wherein the response comprises a PAN identifier of the first coexisting network.
13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein given handshaking specifies operations during connection setup with a given coexisting network.
14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the different handshaking comprises different security procedures in the coexisting networks.
15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the common PAN communication protocol comprises: Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy (BLE), Zigbee, or Z-Wave.
16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the different beacons are provided at different times.
17 . A method for providing multiple coexisting networks, comprising:
by a radio in an electronic device:
providing different beacons for the coexisting networks, wherein the coexisting networks have different handshaking and a common personal area network (PAN) communication protocol;
receiving a response associated with another electronic device, wherein the response specifies a first coexisting network in the coexisting networks; and
establishing a connection with the other electronic device, wherein establishing the connection comprises performing handshaking associated with the first coexisting network.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein a given beacon comprises a given PAN identifier of a given coexisting network; and
wherein the response comprises a PAN identifier of the first coexisting network.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein given handshaking specifies operations during connection setup with a given coexisting network.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the different beacons are provided at different times.