Method and apparatus for local area networks
US8966611B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 20, 2012 |
| Grant date | Feb 24, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 20, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S370/911
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A mechanism for segregating traffic amongst STAs that are associated with a bridge, referred to herein as the personal virtual bridged local area network (personal VLAN), is based upon the use of a VLAN to segregate traffic. The IEEE 802.1Q-1998 (virtual bridged LANs) protocol provides a mechanism that is extended by the invention to partition a LAN segment logically into multiple VLANs. One embodiment of the invention extends the standard VLAN bridge model to provide a mechanism that is suitable for use within an AP. In a preferred embodiment, the Personal VLAN bridge extends the standard VLAN bridge in at least any of the following ways: VLAN discovery in which a personal VLAN bridge provides a protocol for VLAN discovery; VLAN extension in which a Personal VLAN allows a station to create a new port that serves a new VLAN, or to join an existing VLAN via an authentication protocol.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.