Patent Publication Number: US-2006015621-A1

Title: System and method for information handling system task selective wireless networking

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling system networking, and more particularly to a system and method for task selective wireless networking.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.  
      Information handling systems often interact with each other and a number of different types of peripherals through networks in order to communicate, print or otherwise process information. Typical local area networks interface information handling systems and peripherals with wires, such as Ethernet cables, in peer-to-peer or server-client architectures. Businesses often invest considerable amounts of money in purchasing information handling systems and stringing cables through structures to network the information handling systems. However, home-based information handling systems tend to avoid wired network configurations due to the cost and complexity. For businesses, investments in effective information technology and networking often pay substantial dividends through improved productivity of employees who are better able to quickly access and use relevant information. Recent improvements in information handling system applications and peripherals have made effective networking of even greater importance to businesses. For instances, employees increasingly rely on desktop, notebook and PDA information handling systems to perform various tasks in the office environment ranging from basic tasks, such as telephone service provided by Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), to data intensive tasks, such as multimedia tasks that involve communication of relatively large amounts of data like the display of HDTV signals on a LCD monitor. Similarly, a growing number of homes rely on information handling systems to manage busy schedules, complex finances and a wide variety of multimedia applications relating to the storage and display of music and movies.  
      As businesses have increased their reliance on networking of information handling systems, industry has responded by developing wireless networking conventions for business and home use. Wireless networks communicate information with radio waves thereby reducing the need to connect information handling systems and peripherals with cables. For instance, the IEEE 802.11 standard includes a number of wireless protocols, such as the 802.11a standard operating at a frequency of 5 GHz, the 802.11b standard operating at 2.4 GHz with the Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum and having relatively rapid data transfers to an approximate range of 100 meters, and the 802.11g standard known as Bluetooth operating at 2.4 GHz and having relatively slow data transfers to an approximate range of 10 meters. Businesses that use wireless local area networks (WLANs) typically deploy 802.11b compliant access points throughout a business structure with each in turn typically interfaced to an access point and switch through an Ethernet connection to support network connectivity. In a WLAN, each networked information handling system and peripheral has a wireless card that communicates with the server through the wireless access points. The wireless access points typically negotiate frequency use within a defined spectrum to coordinate simultaneous communication between multiple devices without undue interference or congestion. A difficulty with WLANs is the use of a shared access fairness architecture under the 802.11b standard that results in congestion during heavy network use, such as might arise with multiple users or during multimedia operations, which slows overall network capacity and effectiveness. The Bluetooth standard is typically used in Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPAN), however, due to the Bluetooth standard&#39;s relatively low data transfer rate, its application are generally limited to basic peripherals, such as keyboards and mice. In order to improve data transfer rates in WPAN environments, industry has developed an Ultrawide Band standard (UWB) that uses the 3.1 to 10.6 GHz frequency band and a strong protocol stack to provide rapid data transfers in short range peer-to-peer architectures for low noise, low power and cable free device and peripheral connectivity. The UWB standard has a relatively limited range of 10 to 20 meters, however the UWB standard supports high data transfer rates in excess of those available through 802.11b.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Therefore a need has arisen for a system and method which selectively allocates tasks between plural wireless networks to improve information handling system networking capacity and efficiency.  
      In accordance with the present invention, a system and method are provided which substantially reduce the disadvantages and problems associated with previous methods and systems for wireless networking of information handling systems. First and second wireless transceiver are co-located to communicate information between one or more information handling systems and one or more peripherals. The information is allocated between a first local area network associated with the first transceiver and a second personal area network associated with the second transceiver according to one or more desired factors.  
      More specifically, a multi-mode switch coordinates information communication between one or more information handling systems and one or more peripherals by allocating communication of information between wireless local and personal area networks. A wireless local area network module interfaced with an antenna communicates wireless local area network information such as with 802.11b compliant signals. A wireless personal area network module interfaced with the antenna communicates wireless personal area network information such as through Bluetooth or Ultrawide band compliant signals. Classification of information for communication through the local versus personal area network is according to one or more factors, such as the relative congestion of each network or the content of the information. A task allocation module interfaced with the local and personal area network modules allocates information for communication through each respective network. Bandwidth intensive communication, such as for performing multimedia voice video and data functions, are biased to the personal area network to preserve local area bandwidth for enterprise applications.  
      The present invention provides a number of important technical advantages. One example of an important technical advantage is that information is allocated for communication between local and personal area networks to more effectively use available bandwidth. Co-location of local and personal area network modules in a common housing or support infrastructure, such as through a common antenna, reduces manufacturing cost and improves coordination of communication of information allocated between the personal and local area networks. The use of a personal area network to communicate information associated with bandwidth-intensive office tasks decreases congestion in enterprise-wide network applications. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference number throughout the several figures designates a like or similar element.  
       FIG. 1  depicts a block diagram of an information handling systems and peripherals supported by a multi-mode switch;  
       FIG. 2  depicts a block diagram of a multi-mode switch configured to support wireless local and personal area networks with a common infrastructure; and  
       FIG. 3  depicts a block diagram of the multimode switch deployed in business structures to support plural users. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      Enterprise and office network communication is supported with allocation between wireless local and personal area networks that selectively communicate information between information handling systems and peripherals based on one or more factors. For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a block diagram depicts information handling systems and peripherals supported by a multi-mode switch that allocates communication of information between wireless local and personal area networks. A desktop information handling  10 , notebook information handling system  12  and PDA information handling system  14  include processing components to process and communicate information. Information handling systems  10 ,  12  and  14  interact with a variety of peripherals to process, communicate, store and display information, such as but not limited to monitor  16 , printer  18 , personal network attached storage  20  and VoIP device  22 . The information handling systems and peripherals communicate through a wireless network  24  supported through a multi-mode wireless switch  26 . Each information handling system and peripheral communicates information through an antenna  28  that supports a wireless local area network transceiver and a wireless personal area network transceiver. The wireless local area network supports enterprise-wide communication that allows information handling systems and peripherals to communicate through a local area, such as a factory. Plural wireless personal area networks disposed within the local area network each support personal office space information handling system and peripheral communication, such as within an office cube area.  
      Multi-mode wireless switch  26  integrates multiple wireless networking modes to support integrated wireless local area and personal area network connectivity. Integrated multi-mode common radio transceiver and antenna structures selectively support communication based on the information&#39;s classification as local area or personal area information. For instance, selected tasks performed by information handling systems and peripherals are allocated to an 802.11(b) local area network band, such as communication of information between information handling systems  10 ,  12  and  14  as well as communication with VoIP device  22  with an enterprise local area network. Other selected tasks performed by information handling systems and peripherals are allocated to an Ultrawide band personal area network, such as communication of information in support of multimedia tasks through personal network attached storage  20  or for display of video with an HDTV or LCD monitor  16 . As another example, a Bluetooth personal area network supports communication of basic peripherals, such as a keyboard and mouse. Classification rules are selectable through a user interface that allows permanent classification of certain types of information as personal or local, and that allows variable classification of other types of information based on relative network congestions, such as bandwidth availability. Multi-mode wireless switch  26  integrates the dual transceiver capability within a single housing or, alternatively, in a single structure that inserts into an information handling system, such as a daughter board card.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 2 a  block diagram depicts a multi-mode switch configured to support wireless local and personal area networks with a common infrastructure disposed in a single housing. A wireless local area network module  30  and wireless personal area network  32  interface with a common antenna  28  to communicate information in each respective network. A wired module  34  communicates with conventional wire-based networks through an Ethernet interface  36 . A power module  38  obtains power for operating multi-mode switch  26  with Power over Ethernet (PoE) according to the 802.3af standard.  
      A task allocation module  40  allocates information for communication through wireless local area network module  30 , wireless personal area network module  32  and wired module  34 . Classification of information for allocation to a selected network is performed, for instance, with an allocation switch module  42  that assigns networks to communicate information on a task basis. The allocation of tasks is prioritized by a prioritization module  44  based on the traffic type, frequency band and application type, such as information associated with data, video, voice or other specific multimedia applications. For instance, the prioritization module determines prioritization from the source or destination routing information of information or, as another example, from monitoring the amount of information or amount of available bandwidth of the personal and local wireless networks. A voice module  46  supports prioritized communication of VoIP information through WLAN module  30  and wired module  34 . For instance, voice module  46  scans periodically for mobile VoIP phones and, upon initiation of a VoIP communication, activates a quality of service engine  48  to tag voice packets for prioritized communication. A firewall module  50  provides for secured access to switch  26  by selected users, and a radio propagation module  44  supports features such as mobility, co-channel interference, link-failover and congestion management.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a block diagram depicts an example of deployment of multi-mode wireless switch  26  in a business networking solution. First and second building structures  60  each support office environments having plural office cubicles  62 , with each office cubicle  62  supporting a business employee. A multi-mode wireless switch  26  is deployed to support plural cubicles  62 , such as the four cubicles depicted in  FIG. 3 . Depending upon the networking demands of employees, multi-mode wireless switch  26  may support as many as ten or fifteen cubicles with both WLAN and WPAN environments. Multi-mode wireless switch  26  communicates information with a data center  66  through a cable  64  and the business network cloud  24 , such as a conventional series of switches and routers. Information handling systems within cubicles  62  access business information technology resources, such as storage  68 , external router  70  and phone switch  72 , to perform desired business functions, like communication of e-mail, data, voice and video information.  
      The allocation module within multi-mode wireless switch  26  manages network usage by information handling systems and peripherals within its assigned cubicles  62  by assigning communications between a WLAN and WPAN. For instance, desktop information handling systems  10  that are located in cubicles assigned to a switch  26  communicate with the network cloud through the WLAN while desktop information handling systems outside of the assigned cubicles may be selectively prohibited from use of the switch  26  to limit congestion. In contrast, notebook information handling systems  12  that are portable through the business environment may interact with WLAN hotspots supported by various switches  26  deployed through the business environment. As another example, mobile VoIP phones communicate through WLAN hotspots supported by switches  26  deployed throughout the business environment and with external phones through phone switch  72 . Phones that include both wireless VoIP and cellular functionality automatically seek to communicate through the WLAN if available and a cellular tower  76  if no WLAN is available, thus reducing external network communication costs. Desired VoIP quality of service is aided with prioritized allocation of bandwidth of the WLAN to VoIP phones and increased reliance on associated WPANs to communicate other information. Peripherals for each cubicle  62  assigned to a switch  26  primarily communicate through the WPAN defined by the switch  26  to reduce congestion on the WLAN. As tasks having varying network communication demands arise, such as varying data content and transfer rates, multi-mode switch  26  prioritizes transfer of information and allocates tasks between the WLAN and WPAN to optimize network use.  
      Although the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.