Distributed access point for IP based communications
View Patent ↗An apparatus for Internet-Protocol based communications in a wireless network includes a network interface, a controller, and memory. The interface receives a series of multicast data packets. The controller identifies one or more receiving nodes in the wireless network requesting data corresponding to the series of multicast data packets and determines that the effective unicast rate for one or more unicast data packets exceeds a minimum data rate of the series of multicast data packets using an 802.x protocol. The memory stores instructions that may be executable by a processor. Upon execution of the instructions by a processor, the received series of multicast data packets is converted into one or more unicast packets, the execution and conversion occurring in response to instructions received from the controller. A system for Internet-Protocol based communications in a wireless network implements such an apparatus in the context of an access point.
1. An apparatus for Internet-Protocol based communications in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:
a network interface to receive a series of multicast data packets;
a controller to:
identify one or more receiving nodes in the wireless network requesting data corresponding to the series of multicast data packets, and
determine that the effective unicast rate for one or more unicast data packets exceeds a minimum data rate of the series of multicast data packets using an 802.x protocol; and
memory storing instructions executable by a processor to convert the received series of multicast data packets into one or more unicast packets in response to instructions received from the controller.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is a software application stored in memory independent of the memory storing instructions executable by a processor to convert the received series of multicast data packets into one or more unicast, the controller software application executable by a processor to identify the one or more receiving nodes and determine that the effective unicast rate for the one or more unicast data packets exceeds a minim data rate of the series of multicast data packets.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is an application specific microprocessor.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is a software application stored in memory with instructions executable by a processor to convert the received series of multicast data packets into one or more unicast packets.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller further assigns each of the one or more receiving nodes in the wireless network to a group of receiving nodes.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of radios, and wherein each group of receiving nodes is assigned to one or more radios from the plurality of radios, and each of the plurality of radios is coupled to a wireless network interface to wirelessly transmit the one or more unicast data packets to the group of receiving nodes assigned to the radio using an 802.x protocol.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller and the plurality of radios are embedded on a common motherboard.
8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller and the plurality of radios are on separate motherboards.
9. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising a wireless network interface to wirelessly transmit the one or more unicast data packets to a group of receiving nodes from the one or more receiving nodes requesting the data corresponding to the one or more multicast data packets.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the controller and the wireless network interface are on a common motherboard.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the controller and the wireless network interface are on separate motherboards.
12. A system for Internet-Protocol based communications in a wireless network, the system comprising:
an access point including:
a network interface to receive a series of multicast data packets, and
memory storing instructions executable by a processor to convert the received series of multicast data packets into one or more unicast packets in response to instructions received from a controller; and
a controller that is physically distinct from but communicatively coupled to the access point, the controller configured to:
identify one or more receiving nodes in the wireless network requesting data corresponding to the series of multicast data packets, and
determine that the effective unicast rate for the one or more unicast data packets exceeds a minimum data rate of the series of multicast data packets using an 802.x protocol.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to assign each of the one or more receiving nodes in the wireless network to a group of receiving nodes.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the access point further includes a plurality of radios, and wherein each group of receiving nodes is assigned to one or more radios from the plurality of radios, and each of the plurality of radios is coupled to a wireless network interface to wirelessly transmit the one or more unicast data packets to the group of receiving nodes assigned to the radio using an 802.x protocol.
15. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a wireless network interface to wirelessly transmit the one or more unicast data packets to a group of receiving nodes from the one or more receiving nodes requesting the data corresponding to the one or more multicast data packets.
16. A system for Internet-Protocol based communications in a wireless network, the system comprising:
a motherboard including:
a network interface to receive a series of multicast data packets, and
memory storing instructions executable by a processor to convert the received series of multicast data packets into one or more unicast packets in response to instructions received from a controller, and
a radio; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the radio at the first motherboard by way of a wireless network, the controller configured to:
identify one or more receiving nodes in the wireless network requesting data corresponding to the series of multicast data packets, and
determine that the effective unicast rate for the one or more unicast data packets exceeds a minimum data rate of the series of multicast data packets using an 802.x protocol.