Patent ID: 7664075
Filing Date: 2010-02-16
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A wireless access point for forming a connection to a parent wireless access point as part of a bridge connection to a wired access point outside of the range of the wireless access point, the wired access point providing a connection to one or more wired networks, the wireless access point being adapted to form the connection to the parent wireless access point without forming a network ring, the wireless access point comprising: a scanning object configured to issue a scan request to a network interface, the scanning object enabling collection of access point data from one or more potential parent access points; a selection object configured to filter and sort the collected access point data to select a potential parent access point; an authentication state machine configured to perform authentication and validate the potential parent access point; and an association state machine configured to receive from the potential parent access point a packet including hierarchical data for the potential parent access point indicative of access point ancestry, the hierarchical data comprising a listing of the potential parent access point and at least one other wireless repeater access point to which the potential parent access point is connected, and compare the hierarchical data to identifying information on the wireless access point and/or zero or more child access points of the wireless access point to determine if the hierarchical data of the potential parent access point includes the wireless access point and/or one or more of the child access points.