Patent ID: 7545773
Filing Date: 2009-06-09
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A wireless communication apparatus that concurrently supports two processors having different media-access-control (MAC) addresses comprising: a management processor associated with a first MAC address; and a host processor associated with a second MAC address coupled to the management processor via a first wireless link, the host processor including a multiple media access control interface, wherein the multiple media access control interface is wirelessly coupled to the management processor and coupled non-wirelessly to the host processor, wherein the multiple media access control interface is configured to provide wireless communications between the host processor and a network interface card via a second wireless link, and wherein the multiple media access control interface is configured to provide wireless communications between the management processor and the network interface card via the first wireless link and the second wireless link, the multiple media access control interface including: a first media access control layer to provide wireless communications between the host processor and a network with the first media access control address; and a second media access control layer to provide wireless communication between the management processor and the network with the second media access control address concurrently with the first media access control layer, wherein the first MAC layer is configured to establish a first communication link between an access point and the host processor through the NIC in accordance with a pre-configured profile, the first communication link utilizing the second wireless link, wherein the host processor is configured to authenticate the first communication link, wherein after the first communication link is authenticated, the first MAC layer is further configured to provide selected profile parameters associated with the access point to the second MAC layer and the second MAC layer is configured to establish a second communication link between the access point and the management processor through the NIC in accordance with the selected profile parameters, the second communication link utilizing the first and second wireless links, and wherein the management processor is configured to authenticate the second communication link.