Abstract: A wireless communication sniffer including: a packet identification module; a channel modeler; single-channel and multi-channel equalization matrix calculators; and an equalizer. The packet identification module identifies a packet as single-user (SU) or multi-user (MU). The channel modeler models the communication channel for the packet as either a set of single-channel or multi-channel parameters responsive to the SU and MU packet identification. The single-channel equalization matrix calculator calculates a single-channel equalization matrix using the set of single-channel parameters, responsive to an SU identification. The multi-channel equalization matrix calculator calculates a multi-channel equalization matrix using the set of multi-channel parameters, responsive to an MU identification. The equalizer equalizes the received communication packet utilizing the single-channel or multi-channel equalization matrix responsive to the SU or MU packet identification respectively.

Abstract: A wireless transceiver for a wireless local area network (WLAN) including a port evaluator and a port correlator. Transceiver radio frequency “RF” communication ports are configured to couple to at least one of a wired or wireless communication medium. Shared and discrete components form transmit and receive chains each coupled to a corresponding RF communication port for communications with associated transceiver nodes. The port evaluator is coupled to each of the RF communication ports and configured to evaluate the selected communication channel on each of the RF communication ports with respect to each of the plurality of transceiver nodes. The port correlator is coupled to the shared and discrete components and to the port evaluator and configured to correlate each of the transceiver nodes with a corresponding subset of the RF communication ports supporting optimal communications therewith based on the evaluation by the port evaluator.

Abstract: A WAP including: an MU grouping module; a constrained station identifier: a precode matrix calculator and compressor, and a spatial mapper. The MU grouping module selects a downlink MU group of stations and a number of downlink streams. The constrained station identifier identifies any of the stations in the MU group that are constrained stations and a limit on the number of training streams supported for the most constrained station. The precode matrix calculator calculates a precode matrix “Q” for spatially separating the aggregate number of MU-MIMO downlink streams. The precode matrix compressor responds to the identification of any constrained stations in the MU group, by compressing the precede matrix Q into a compressed precode matrix “C(Q)”. The spatial mapper spatially maps a training portion of each packet with a selected one of C(Q) and Q as a precode matrix; based on whether or not a constrained station is identified within the MU group.

Abstract: A wireless access point (WAP) including: a channel segregator and a medium access controller (MAC). The channel segregator segregates transceiver communication resources including communication bandwidth and communication chains between the communication channel and a backup channel during a complementary operational phase characterized by monitoring of the backup channel concurrently with supporting WLAN communications on the communication channel, and further configured at a conclusion of monitoring of the backup channel to re-integrate the transceiver communication resources exclusively onto a selected one of the communication channel and the backup channel during a dedicated operational phase. The MAC is coupled to the channel segregator and configured to identify for the plurality of station nodes on the WLAN, each change in transceiver communication resources between the dedicated and complementary operational phases including changes in bandwidth and communication streams.

Abstract: A wireless access point including: a sounding mode module, a sounding matrix generator, a sounding aggregator, and a beamforming expansion module. The sounding mode module determines whether a number of communication streams supported by the WAP matches the number of streams contained in a sounding response from a station, and initiates a composite set of an integer “N” soundings when those capabilities do not match. The sounding matrix generator generates “N” linearly independent spatial mapping matrices each associated with a corresponding one of the set of composite soundings. The sounding aggregator aggregates a plurality of partial beamforming matrices received from the targeted station node in response to the composite soundings. The beamforming expansion module expands the aggregated beamforming matrices into a full beamforming matrix for spatially mapping downlink communications between the WAP and the targeted station node.

Abstract: A system for coordinating a WLAN including MIMO WAP nodes supporting WLAN communications with an associated set of station nodes on a shared OFDM communication channel. A primary beam coordinator aggregates channel state information (CSI) for communication links and crosslinks between each WAP node and both associated and non-associated station nodes and extrapolates therefrom spatially distinct primary beam pattern setup options for each of the WAP nodes to enable substantially non-interfering concurrent downlink communications between each WAP node and a corresponding subset of its associated station nodes. The WAP nodes select a corresponding one of the primary beam options together with its associated stations as provided by the primary beam coordinator and generate the corresponding selected primary beam option for subsequent downlink communications to the associated subset of station nodes.

Abstract: An apparatus for compressing an image including: a principal component analyzer, a puncture, a truncator, and a projector. The principal component analyzer iteratively performs a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) on a selected portion of the image, wherein each resulting orthogonal basis set has “N” basis vectors. The puncturer punctures selected dimensional components of the orthogonal basis set resulting from each PCA of the selected portion of the image, without removing any of the associated “N” basis vectors thereof. The truncator removes selected basis vectors of a final one of the resulting orthogonal basis sets of the principal component analyzer, thereby forming a truncated basis set for compression of the selected portion of the image. The projector projects the image onto the truncated basis set thereby obtaining coefficients of the selected portion of the image, relative to the truncated basis set.

Abstract: A wireless transceiver apparatus including: a channel estimator, a discrete matrix transform module, a tone set controller, and a shared matrix transform module. The channel estimator determines a channel matrix for each tone on each communication link. The discrete matrix transform module derives a transform matrix for the communication link(s) on a selected base tone from the associated channel matrix determined by the channel estimator. The tone set controller initializes an estimation of the transform matrix, on a neighboring tone, with the transform matrix derived for the base tone. The shared matrix transform module iteratively estimates the transform matrix on a neighboring tone, from successive perturbations of the initial transform matrix derived for the base tone and the associated channel matrix for the neighboring tone; thereby reducing a number of iterations required to estimate the transform matrix on the neighboring tone.

Abstract: A wireless access point (WAP) including: an airtime correlator, a dormancy allocator and a medium access control (MAC). The airtime correlator is configured to correlate airtime usage of the selected communication channel by the WAP with one of an idle WLAN state characterized by an absence of upstream or downstream communications and an active WLAN state characterized by at least one of upstream and downstream communications on the WLAN. The dormancy allocator is configured to allocate during at least one of the idle and the active WLAN states, a portion of available airtime to at least one dormancy interval in which a base power level of the WAP is reduced at least below a level required to support downstream communications. The MAC is configured to identify for the plurality of station nodes on the WLAN, a contention free period overlapping in time with the at least one dormancy interval.

Abstract: A wireless transceiver apparatus configured to support wireless communications with transceiver nodes on a wireless local area network (WLAN). The wireless transceiver apparatus includes: transmit and receive path components and an opportunistic link controller. The opportunistic link controller includes: a carrier sensor module, a dominant link identifier module, and a concurrent link selector module. The carrier sensor module senses availability of the selected communication channel. The dominant link identifier module is responsive to a determination of carrier unavailability by the carrier sensor module and configured to identify carrier unavailability arising from a remote link on a neighboring WLAN. The concurrent link selector module is responsive to the identification of carrier unavailability arising from the remote link and configured to transmit a concurrent communication link to a corresponding one of the transceiver nodes on the associated WLAN which avoids interference with the remote link.

Abstract: A wireless access point (WAP) including: a station grouping module, a transmit selector, a spatial mapper, an output injector, and an input injector. The station grouping module selects a group of station nodes for concurrent MIMO communications. The transmit selector determines whether all station nodes in the group support a multi-user (MU) protocol. The spatial mapper precodes concurrent transmissions to the group using a precode matrix “Q” which spatially separates the concurrent MIMO transmissions to each station node in the group. The output injector injects preambles for synchronizing timing of the MIMO transmissions at the output of the spatial mapper, responsive to an affirmative determination by the transmit selector. The input injector injects preambles before precoding in the spatial mapper, responsive to a negative determination by the transmit selector; whereby transmission preambles are precoded when at least one station node in the group doesn't support the MU protocol.

Abstract: A wireless apparatus node supporting wireless communications on a wireless local area network (WLAN). The wireless apparatus node includes: a local link prober, a remote link prober, a cross-link interference estimator, and a concurrent access controller. The local link prober probes a target node for channel information characterizing a communication channel for a local link therewith. The remote link prober probes a pair of device nodes on the WLAN capable of forming a remote link for cross-channel information characterizing communication channels there between. The cross-link interference estimator estimates interference signal levels at each node of the remote link resulting from communication over the local link. The concurrent access controller is responsive to a determination of an active communication on the remote link to allow a concurrent communication on the local link when interference levels at the remote link fall below a threshold level.

Abstract: A wireless device with multiple antennae and configured to support orthogonal frequency-division multiplexed (OFDM), multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communications of a wireless local area network (LAN) over a wireless communication medium on a communication channel.

Abstract: A link optimizer for optimizing a link on a wireless local area network (WLAN). The link optimizer including: a beamform matrix generator configured to generate discrete candidate beamforming matrices for spatially modulating successive communication packets from a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) capable transmitter one of the WLAN nodes that supports beamforming to a recipient one of the nodes that does not support beamforming; and a beamform evaluator configured to evaluate discrete ones among the set of candidate beam forming matrices generated by the beamform matrix generator based on receipt acknowledgements from the recipient one of the nodes for each successive communication packet transmitted from the MIMO capable transmitter one of the nodes; and to utilize a successfully evaluated one of the candidate beam forming matrices for transmission of subsequent communication packets from the MIMO transmitter one of the nodes to the recipient one of the nodes.

Abstract: A structural correlation manager for managing wireless local area networks (WLAN) each supporting wireless communications between an associated access point node and associated station nodes on a corresponding one of a plurality of communication channels across an available spectrum. The apparatus comprises a structural correlation manager including a structural identifier to identify an architectural structure surrounding the WLAN; and a correlator configured to correlate the architectural structure surrounding the nodes and the communication parameters utilized by the nodes to maximize wireless communications within structure and minimize wireless communications outside the structure.

Abstract: A wireless access point (WAP) including: a station set identifier and a subnet controller. The station set identifier is configured to identify at least one set of at least two station nodes among the plurality of station nodes and complementary communication options for each station in the at least one set which facilitate concurrent communications between the WAP and the stations in the set. The subnet controller is configured both to generate subnets equal in number to a number of stations in at least one set, and for each subnet an associated beacon channel discrete from the beacon channels of other subnets, together with any required aggregate channels matching each station's identified communication option and an associated medium access control, and further to control transmission of data from the WAP to the at least two station nodes concurrently on the associated subnets.

Abstract: A link optimizer for optimizing a link on a wireless local area network (WLAN). The link optimizer includes: a sounding distender, a beamform matrix derivation module, and a link dimension attenuator. The sounding distender send a sounding packet exclusively at a maximum number of streams and at a maximum bandwidth supported by the link and receives a MIMO feedback beamforming matrix in response. The beamform matrix derivation module derives from the received MIMO feedback beamforming matrix a set of derived MIMO beamforming matrices having at least a column dimension less than a column dimension in the feedback beamforming matrix. The link dimension attenuator selects at least one of the derived beamforming matrices for transmission of subsequent communication packets, thereby avoiding a requirement for additional channel sounding.

Abstract: A diagnostic system for spatial diagnosis of the WLAN includes: a sounding aggregator and a spatial correlator. The sounding aggregator is configured to aggregate multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channel state information (CSI) from channel soundings of the WLAN, including channel soundings between a wireless access point (WAP) node and associated station nodes on a selected one of a plurality of communication channels of the WLAN. The spatial correlator is coupled to the sounding aggregator and configured to correlate CSI from the channel soundings with spatial characteristics of the WLAN including at least one of: a change in location of a WLAN node, human activity among the WLAN nodes, and structural impediments among WLAN nodes.

Abstract: A wireless access point including: a station grouping module for selecting station nodes for concurrent multi-user (MU) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication links, for retrieving ‘sounding’ packets therefrom which characterize the associated communication channels; a precode selector for determining whether an aggregate number of receive antennas on the at least two station nodes exceeds in number the plurality of antenna on the WAP; a post-equalization precoder responsive to an affirmative determination by the precode selector to perform a similarity transform of the inner products of the associated communication channels using ‘Q’ as a transform matrix where ‘Q’ block diagonalizes the associated communication channels; and a spatial mapper for precoding all concurrent transmissions to the selected at least two station nodes using “Q” as a precode matrix.

Abstract: An asynchronous access controller comprising a subscriber profiler, a piracy detector and a password injector. The subscriber profiler configured to aggregate both information about subscribers together with information about each associated WLAN. The piracy detector is configured to detect whether wireless communications usage of at least one of the WLANs exceeds at least one parameter specified in a service level agreement (SLA) with the associated subscriber. The password injector controller is configured to inject a new network access password into one or more of the nodes of the WLAN responsive to an affirmative determination by the piracy detector; whereby subsequent network access is selectively revoked on the WLAN in a manner which returns communications usage thereon into conformance with the SLA for the associated subscriber.