Self-configuring, self-optimizing wireless local area network system

Abstract

A system and associated method provides for a wireless local area network (WLAN) that permits mobile units to communicate with an external, wired network. Nodes in the WLAN include multiple components, such as a base module, antenna module, and one or more wireless modules. Indeed, this system can employ two or more wireless modules that employ different short-range wireless protocols, such as IEEE 802.11-type and Bluetooth protocols. The nodes may perform self-discovery to determine modules within the node and associated functionality, as well as identify neighboring nodes to thereby establish a mesh-type network. Nodes can be configured to provide connectivity to the wired network, while others (access points) communicate wirelessly with mobile devices. The nodes may then be interconnected wirelessly, or via wires.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a base module positioned within a stack, said stack being associated with a node of a wireless local area network, and said wireless local area network being configured to communicate with an external network;   an antenna module positioned within the stack; and   one or more wireless modules positioned within the stack and coupled to the base and antenna modules,   wherein a first wireless module of the wireless modules is configured to
 identify other wireless modules in the stack, 
 determine whether the first wireless module is a backhaul module or an access point module, and 
 responsive to determining that the first wireless module is a backhaul node, determine an access point with which to connect. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein to determine whether the first wireless module is a backhaul module or an access point module, the first wireless module is configured to determine whether a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol is being received wirelessly or via a wired ETHERNET connection. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless module comprises a finite state machine configured to determine an access point with which to connect. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the one or more wireless modules employ different short-range wireless protocols. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the different short-range wireless protocols comprise at least two different IEEE 802.11-type protocols, or a combination of at least one of the at least two different IEEE 802.11-type protocols and a BLUETOOTH protocol. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to communicate wirelessly with one or more mobile units within the wireless local area network. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to provide connectivity to the external wired network. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless module is configured to automatically perform discovering backhaul connectivity to the external wired network by:
 determining one or more wireless communication paths to one or more access points connected to the external wired network wirelessly or through a wired connection,   identifying a shortest communication path of the one or more wireless communication paths to a selected access point, and   establishing a communication path using the shortest communication path with the selected access point to provide communications between the first wireless module with the wired network via the selected access point.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein, to identify the shortest communication path to the selected access point, the first wireless module is further configured to determine round trip delay times for communicating with the first wireless module using a return signal strength indicator from each of the one or more access points. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the wireless modules is configured to use a first type of encryption for communicating with at least one wireless mobile unit within the wireless local area network, and to use a second type of encryption for data traffic provided to the selected access point, such that the wireless mobile unit is configured to exchange data with said at least one of the wireless modules without compromising a security of the data traffic provided between the said at least one of the wireless modules and the selected access point under the second type of encryption. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the selected access point of the one or more access points is a backhaul node connected wirelessly to said external wired network wirelessly. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein determining an access point with which to connect includes considering a return signal strength indicator from each of candidate access points. 
     
     
         13 . A method, comprising:
 performing, by a first wireless module of a plurality of wireless modules comprised in a stack associated with a node of a wireless local area network, an automatic self-discovery by identifying other wireless modules in the stack,   automatically determining whether the first wireless module is a backhaul module or an access point module,   responsive to determining that the first wireless module is a backhaul node, determine an access point with which to connect,   wherein the stack further comprises a base module and an antenna module to which the one or more wireless modules are coupled.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein to determine whether the first wireless module is a backhaul module or an access point module, the first wireless module is configured to determine whether a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol is being received wirelessly or via a wired ETHERNET connection. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first wireless module comprises a finite state machine configured to determine an access point with which to connect. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein at least two of the one or more wireless modules employ different short-range wireless protocols and the different short-range wireless protocols comprise at least two different IEEE 802.11-type protocols, or a combination of at least one of the at least two different IEEE 802.11-type protocols and a BLUETOOTH protocol. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising automatically discovering connectivity to the external wired network by at least one of said wireless modules or each of said wireless modules by performing:
 determining one or more wireless communication paths to one or more access points connected to said external wired network wirelessly or through a wired connection;   identifying a shortest communication path of said one or more wireless communication paths to a selected access point of the one or more access points; and   establishing a communication path using said shortest communication path with the selected access point to provide communications between the first wireless module with the wired network via the selected access point.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising determining round trip delay times for communicating with the first wireless module using a return signal strength indicator from each of the one or more access points to identify the shortest communication path to the selected access point. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein determining the one or more communication paths to the one or more access points is performed periodically to continuously provide optimal data traffic routing and to reroute the data traffic to a new access point of said one or more access points if the one selected access point fails. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein determining to which access point to connect includes considering a return signal strength indicator from each of candidate access points.