Granted Patent B2

US 12,659,919 · App. 18/468,835 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

Inventors: Jerome Henry (Pittsboro, NC); Robert E. Barton (Richmond, CA); Indermeet S. Gandhi (San Jose, CA)

Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.

H04W64/003H04W84/12H04W88/085

Abstract

Claims (63)

1 . A method comprising:

identifying a plurality of network devices enabled to assist with management of Backscatter Devices (BKDs) in a network;

determining, for each of the plurality of network devices, a relative position with respect to an Access Point (AP) it is associated with;

determining a first group of network devices from the plurality of network devices to relay BKD frames based on the relative position of each of the plurality of network devices and positions of the BKDs;

causing each of one or more APs of the network with which the first group of network devices are associated with to send a BKD relay assistance request to each of the first group of network devices, the BKD relay assistance request comprising a request to detect the BKD frames backscattered by the BKDs and to relay the detected BKD frames to the AP;

receiving data frames comprising the BKD frames from the first group of network devices;

receiving a signal level at which each of the BKD frames were received by the first group of network devices; and

determining a subset of network devices from the first group of network devices to send the BKD relay assistance request based on the received signal level.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the relay assistance request comprises:

a target detection channel on which the BKD frames are expected from the BKDs; and

a target relay channel on which to relay the detected BKD frames.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a second group of network devices from the plurality of network devices to transmit charging frames for the BKDs; and

causing the second group of network devices to transmit the charging frames.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein causing the second group of network devices to transmit the charging frames further comprises:

sending characteristics of the charging frames to the second group of network devices, the characteristics comprising a structure, a duration, and a number of frames.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein causing the second group of network devices to transmit the charging frames further comprises:

causing sending a trigger frame to the second group of network devices, the trigger frame causing the second group of network devices to transmit the charging frames.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

causing a network device to change its association from a first AP to a second AP to assist with management of the BKDs.

7 . A method comprising:

receiving, by a first Access Point (AP), instructions to send a Backscatter Device (BKD) relay assistance request to network devices associated with the first AP and enabled to assist with management of BKDs in a network;

transmitting, by the first AP, the BKD relay assistance request to the network devices;

sending, by the first AP, charging frames to the BKDs, wherein the BKDs transmit BKD frames in response to the charging frames;

receiving, by the first AP, data frames comprising the BKD frames from the network devices;

transmitting, by the first AP, a BKD charging assistance request to transmit charging frames to at least two network devices associated with the first AP; and

transmitting characteristics of the charging frames, the characteristics comprising a structure, a duration, and a number of frames.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving a signal level at which each of the BKD frames were received by the network devices; and

changing a structure of the charging frames based on received signal levels at which the BKD frames were received.

9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving an acceptance to the BKD charging assistance request to transmit the charging frames from a first network device of the at least two network devices; and

receiving a proposal for different characteristics from a second network device of the at least two network devices.

10 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

transmitting a trigger frame to the at least two network devices, the trigger frame triggering transmission of the charging frames by the at least two network devices.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the processing unit is further operative to:

receive an acceptance to the BKD charging assistance request to transmit the charging frames from a first network device of the at least two network devices; and

receive a proposal for different characteristics from a second network device of the at least two network devices.

12 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

forming a first group of network devices for relaying the BKD frames; and

forming a second group of network devices for transmitting the charging frames.

13 . The method of claim 7 , wherein transmitting the BKD relay assistance request comprises transmitting the BKD relay assistance request comprising:

a target detection channel on which the BKD frames are expected from the BKDs; and

a target relay channel on which to send the detected BKD frames.

14 . A system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit disposed in a first Access Point (AP) and coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to:

receive instructions to send a Backscatter Device (BKD) relay assistance request to network devices associated with the first AP and enabled to assist with management of BKDs in a network;

transmit the BKD relay assistance request to the network devices;

send charging frames to the BKDs, wherein the BKDs transmit BKD frames in response to the charging frames;

receive data frames comprising the BKD frames from the network devices;

transmit a BKD charging assistance request to transmit charging frames to at least two network devices associated with the first AP; and

transmit characteristics of the charging frames, the characteristics comprising a structure, a duration, and a number of frames.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the processing unit is further operative to:

receive a signal level at which each of the BKD frames were received by the network devices; and

change a structure of the charging frames based on received signal levels at which the BKD frames were received.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the processing unit is further operative to transmit a trigger frame to the at least two network devices, the trigger frame triggering transmission of the charging frames by the at least two network devices.

17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the processing unit is further operative to:

form a first group of network devices for relaying the BKD frames; and

form a second group of network devices for transmitting the charging frames.

18 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the processing unit being operative to transmit the BKD relay assistance request comprises the processing unit being operative to transmit the BKD relay assistance request comprising:

a target detection channel on which the BKD frames are expected from the BKDs; and

a target relay channel on which to send the detected BKD frames.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (31)