Abstract: A hybrid network device can implement a frame delivery path selection mechanism for communicating with other network devices in a hybrid communication network. In one embodiment, the hybrid network device determines a preferred network interface among a plurality of network interfaces of the hybrid network device for communicating with a second network device. The hybrid network device determines an address associated with the preferred network interface of the hybrid network device. The hybrid network device transmits an address announcement message comprising an indication of the address associated with the preferred network interface from the hybrid network device to the second network device to cause the second network device to use the address associated with the preferred network interface for communicating with the hybrid network device.

Abstract: A hybrid device can apply forwarding tables associated with one or more other hybrid network devices of a hybrid communication network to control the entire transmission route of a frame scheduled for transmission. The hybrid device can use its forwarding table and a forwarding table of a destination hybrid device to determine a source network interface address, a destination network interface address, and a frame transmission route. The destination hybrid device can use forwarding tables associated with one or more hybrid network devices to determine whether to process or drop a received frame, whether the frame was previously received, and/or whether the frame was received on an incorrect network interface. The hybrid device can also use the forwarding tables to ensure that the frame comprises an appropriate link layer address and to select an appropriate transmission route based on analyzing link performance values associated with multiple transmission routes.

Abstract: A hybrid network device can implement functionality to detect a change in a packet route associated with one or more packets sharing a common route, and to manage out-of-order packet arrival. In a hybrid communication network, a first network device can communicate with a second network device via a plurality of packet routes. The first network device can detect one or more route change indicators that are indicative of a change in a packet route between the first network device and the second network device from a first packet route to a second packet route based, at least in part, on a plurality of packets received from the second network device. Based on the route change indicators, it may be determined whether the plurality of packets were received according to a predetermined order and if the plurality of packets should be re-ordered based on the predetermined order.

Abstract: A hybrid network device can implement an address management scheme for maintaining consistency between source/destination addresses and corresponding source/destination communication interfaces. In one embodiment, a first network device can select a first network path from a plurality of network paths associated with the communication network for transmitting a packet to a second network device. A source address can be determined from a plurality of addresses associated with a plurality of communication interfaces of the first network device. A destination address can be determined from a plurality of addresses associated with a plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device based, in part, on the selected first network path. The packet including at least the source address and the destination address can be transmitted via the first network path from a source communication interface of the first network device to a destination communication interface of the second network device.

Abstract: A hybrid bridge can implement functionality for selectively populating its bridge tables based on preferred transmission routes to influence other network devices to transmit frames based on the preferred transmission routes. The hybrid bridge determines a preferred transmission route for communicating with each network device in the hybrid communication network. For each of the network devices, it is determined whether the hybrid bridge is part of the preferred transmission route associated with the network device. Depending on whether the hybrid bridge is part of the preferred transmission route to the network device and/or whether a network interface of the hybrid bridge is a transmit or a receive interface on the preferred transmission route, a local bridge table or a remote bridge table of the network interface can be populated with at least the address of a destination network device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for increasing data throughput for a wireless USB system that includes wire adapters that wirelessly transmit data between a host system and a USB enabled device.

Abstract: A hybrid device can be configured to use WLAN communication links for bridging network traffic between any pair of network devices in a hybrid communication network, irrespective of whether the bridged network devices support WLAN communication. The hybrid device receives a first data frame in a first frame format for transmission to a destination device. The hybrid device accesses its hybrid forwarding tables and identifies a transmit interface from which to transmit the first data frame for transmission to the destination device. If the transmit interface is a WLAN interface, WLAN forwarding tables associated with the WLAN transmit interface are accessed to identify a receiving WLAN device to which the first data frame should be transmitted. The WLAN transmit interface converts the first data frame into a second data frame in a WLAN frame format and transmits the second data frame to the receiving WLAN device.

Abstract: A hybrid network device can implement functionality for automatically detecting and locating legacy bridges in a communication network. In one embodiment, a first network device of a first class of network devices can determine that a second network device of a second class of network devices is communicatively located adjacent to at least one of a plurality of network interfaces of the first network device based, in part, on detecting that a packet originating from the second network device does not include a predetermined tag. The first network device can determine whether network segments associated with the first network device and a target network device are communicatively coupled via a network bridge device of the second class of network devices based on transmitting probe messages to the second network device and determining whether the target network device detected the probe messages.

Abstract: A hybrid network device can implement functionality to indicate the sequence of packets associated with a common packet stream transmitted via a plurality of packet routes and to manage out-of-order packet arrival. In a hybrid communication network, a first network device can determine sequence identifiers associated with a plurality of packets of a packet stream received from a second network device via a plurality of packet routes between the first network device and the second network device. The first network device can detect out-of-order delivery of one or more of the plurality of received packets based, at least in part, on the sequence identifiers associated with the plurality of packets. Consequently, the first network device can re-order at least a subset of the plurality of packets based on the sequence identifiers associated with the plurality of packets.

Abstract: A hybrid bridge can implement functionality for selectively populating its bridge tables based on preferred transmission routes to influence other network devices to transmit frames based on the preferred transmission routes. The hybrid bridge determines a preferred transmission route for communicating with each network device in the hybrid communication network. For each of the network devices, it is determined whether the hybrid bridge is part of the preferred transmission route associated with the network device. Depending on whether the hybrid bridge is part of the preferred transmission route to the network device and/or whether a network interface of the hybrid bridge is a transmit or a receive interface on the preferred transmission route, a local bridge table or a remote bridge table of the network interface can be populated with at least the address of a destination network device.

Abstract: A hybrid network device can implement functionality for automatic path selection and modification in a hybrid communication network. The hybrid network device can select an initial network interface from a plurality of network interfaces for transmitting a packet stream. In response to determining that the medium utilization of the initial network interface exceeds the medium utilization threshold, the hybrid network device can identify one or more packet streams originating from the initial network interface to shift to corresponding one or more alternate network interfaces. The hybrid network device can attempt to reduce the medium utilization of the initial network interface below the medium utilization threshold while maintaining the medium utilization of the one or more alternate network interfaces below the corresponding medium utilization thresholds.

Abstract: A simple connect setup function for hybrid networks is provided that allows a user to add devices optionally having a number of different network interfaces (e.g., that facilitate communications using different network technologies or protocols) to a hybrid network in a single, simplified operation that alleviates the need for the user to individually connect and/or configure a multitude of different network interfaces. The simple connect setup function also alleviates the need for the user to know on which devices the simple connect setup function must be activated for successful simple connect setup.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a passphrase-based security setup for a hybrid network including multiple network interfaces configured for communicating over one or more communication media are provided. The method includes receiving a passphrase from a user at a network interface of the multiple network interfaces. The received passphrase is then used for authenticating the device for one or more network interfaces. The authentication can be performed irrespective of a communication medium used by the network interfaces.

Abstract: A simple connect setup function for hybrid networks is provided that allows a user to add devices optionally having a number of different network interfaces (e.g., that facilitate communications using different network technologies or protocols) to a hybrid network in a single, simplified operation that alleviates the need for the user to individually connect and/or configure a multitude of different network interfaces. The simple connect setup function also alleviates the need for the user to know on which devices the simple connect setup function must be activated for successful simple connect setup.

Abstract: A hybrid device can apply forwarding tables associated with one or more other hybrid network devices of a hybrid communication network to control the entire transmission route of a frame scheduled for transmission. The hybrid device can use its forwarding table and a forwarding table of a destination hybrid device to determine a source network interface address, a destination network interface address, and a frame transmission route. The destination hybrid device can use forwarding tables associated with one or more hybrid network devices to determine whether to process or drop a received frame, whether the frame was previously received, and/or whether the frame was received on an incorrect network interface. The hybrid device can also use the forwarding tables to ensure that the frame comprises an appropriate link layer address and to select an appropriate transmission route based on analyzing link performance values associated with multiple transmission routes.

Abstract: A hybrid network device can implement functionality to indicate the sequence of packets associated with a common packet stream transmitted via a plurality of packet routes and to manage out-of-order packet arrival. In a hybrid communication network, a first network device can determine sequence identifiers associated with a plurality of packets of a packet stream received from a second network device via a plurality of packet routes between the first network device and the second network device. The first network device can detect out-of-order delivery of one or more of the plurality of received packets based, at least in part, on the sequence identifiers associated with the plurality of packets. Consequently, the first network device can re-order at least a subset of the plurality of packets based on the sequence identifiers associated with the plurality of packets.

Abstract: A hybrid network device can implement functionality to detect a change in a packet route associated with one or more packets sharing a common route, and to manage out-of-order packet arrival. In a hybrid communication network, a first network device can communicate with a second network device via a plurality of packet routes. The first network device can detect one or more route change indicators that are indicative of a change in a packet route between the first network device and the second network device from a first packet route to a second packet route based, at least in part, on a plurality of packets received from the second network device. Based on the route change indicators, it may be determined whether the plurality of packets were received according to a predetermined order and if the plurality of packets should be re-ordered based on the predetermined order.

Abstract: A hybrid network device can implement functionality for automatic path selection and modification in a hybrid communication network. The hybrid network device can select an initial network interface from a plurality of network interfaces for transmitting a packet stream. In response to determining that the medium utilization of the initial network interface exceeds the medium utilization threshold, the hybrid network device can identify one or more packet streams originating from the initial network interface to shift to corresponding one or more alternate network interfaces. The hybrid network device can attempt to reduce the medium utilization of the initial network interface below the medium utilization threshold while maintaining the medium utilization of the one or more alternate network interfaces below the corresponding medium utilization thresholds.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for optimizing the transmission of video configuration data in a system comprising a host computer and a display monitor. The invention comprises a wireless video source adapter connected to the host computer and a wireless video sink adapter connected to the monitor. Upon system startup, the video sink adapter acquires EDID information from the monitor and transmits it to the video source adapter, which does not activate its connection and indicate its presence to the host computer until after receiving the EDID information. The video source adapter then supplies the EDID information to the host computer in response to EDID requests from the computer. In this manner, the video source adapter acts as a virtual proxy for the display monitor from the point of the view of the host computer. The host computer then uses the EDID information to configure its video signal to match the parameters of the display monitor.

Abstract: A system, method and computer-readable medium for reducing the required throughput in an ultra-wideband system is provided. A temporal sub-sampling routine limits the number of frames, or portions thereof, to be transmitted to a sink over an RF link. The temporal sub-sampling routine may have a fixed, or static, sub-sampling rate that specifies the rate at which frames are discarded. In accordance with another embodiment, an automatic temporal sub-sampling mechanism is provided. Additionally, a tile copying mechanism may be implemented for reducing the throughput of the RF link. A WDV subsystem may include an interface to an external frame buffer that facilitates the temporal sub-sampling and tile copy routines disclosed herein.