The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 04, 2008
Filed:
May. 29, 2003
Robert B. O'hara, Jr., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Robert J. Friday, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Patrice R. Calhoun, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Paul F. Dietrich, Seattle, WA (US);
Robert B. O'Hara, Jr., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Robert J. Friday, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Patrice R. Calhoun, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Paul F. Dietrich, Seattle, WA (US);
Airespace, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A wireless discovery and communication mechanism to facilitate configuration, management and performance tasks associated with wireless network environments. In certain embodiments, access elements transmit and receive neighbor messages on a periodic basis to neighboring access elements. The neighbor messages can include configuration and/or protocol information to allow the access elements or associated devices to discover each other over the air. The present invention can be applied to a variety of wireless network architectures, such as a plurality of distributed, substantially autonomous access points, or to a hierarchical wireless network system comprising central control elements, each supervising and controlling one or more access elements as described more fully below.