Patent ID: 6914906

Claim:
A method for sending an IP packet to a physical end node comprising the steps of: creating the IP packet comprising: a virtual internet protocol address corresponding to a plurality of physical end nodes served by a first access point; and a data field comprising: a destination identification corresponding to one of the physical end nodes of the plurality of physical end nodes, said one of the physical end nodes being a destination for the IP packet; and user data; communicating the IP packet to a first access point, serving a plurality of physical end nodes, over an RF network including one or more access points, communicatively coupled to one another, wherein at least some of the access points, each, serve one or more physical end nodes, via one or more wireless communication links, and one or more of the access points are connected to a wired network; transmitting, by the first access point, the IP packet; decoding, by the plurality of physical end nodes served by the first access point, the data field of the IP packet for determining the destination identification of the IP packet; and determining by each of the plurality of physical end nodes whether it is the destination for the IP packet.