Patent ID: 7110381
Filing Date: 2006-09-19
Classification: H04B,H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A network node for operating in a wireless computer-data network that operates according to an IEEE 802.11 standard, that includes a local network client, and that operates according to an IEEE 802.11 PHY standard, the network node comprising: a physical-layer (PHY) radio receiver for supporting communications from the wireless computer-data network to said local network client, the radio receiver configured for operation using OFDM according to an IEEE 802.11 OFDM PHY standard and including one or more local oscillators, a first downconverter coupled to one of the local oscillators and configured in operation to convert a received signal to an intermediate frequency signal, a filter to filter the intermediate frequency signal to produce a filtered intermediate frequency signal, a second downconverter coupled to one of the local oscillators and configured in operation to convert the filtered intermediate frequency signal to form a signal for digitizing, an analog to digital converter to digitize the signal for digitizing, and a digital processor to process the digitized signal output by the analog to digital converter, the digital processor including a processor implementing a discrete Fourier transform operation, and further including a programmable processor; and at least two receiver antennas connected through a diversity switch to the PHY radio receiver and providing for alternative diversity reception points that are selectable according to a switch signal determined by the digital processor according to radio signal quality, the diversity switch having a signal path for the switch signal from the digital processor of the PHY radio receiver.