Abstract: A reduced or low-profile mechanical clip is described. This mechanical clip may include a trench that constrains the mechanical degrees of freedom of wires, such as those between an interface circuit and an antenna in an electronic device. Moreover, the mechanical clip may have a low height (such as less than 3 mm) so it can fit in a confined space between components in the interior of the electronic device. The mechanical clip may be mountable on a surface in the interior of the electronic device, such as on a printed circuit board or on an inner surface of a chassis or external housing of the electronic device. By mechanically constraining the mechanical degrees of freedom of the wires, the mechanical clip may reduce electrical noise induced by motion of the wires. In addition, the mechanical clip may facilitate low-cost reproducible assembly of the electronic device.

Abstract: A system and method for a wireless link to a remote receiver includes a communication device for generating RF and a planar antenna apparatus for transmitting the RF. The planar antenna apparatus includes selectable antenna elements, each of which has gain and a directional radiation pattern. The directional radiation pattern is substantially in the plane of the antenna apparatus. Switching different antenna elements results in a configurable radiation pattern. Alternatively, selecting all or substantially all elements results in an omnidirectional radiation pattern. One or more directors and/or one or more reflectors may be included to constrict the directional radiation pattern. The antenna apparatus may be conformally mounted to a housing containing the communication device and the antenna apparatus.

Abstract: In order to accurately determine the location of an electronic device in an environment, a computer selects a set of received-signal-strength (RSS) values based on wireless communication between the electronic device and access points in sub-regions of the environment. This set includes a largest RSS value associated with a sub-region and at least two RSS values associated with neighboring sub-regions. Then, the computer calculates pairwise distance estimates of the location of the electronic device in the environment based on predefined locations of the access points associated with the set, one or more differences of pairs of RSS values in the set and a predetermined path-loss factor in the environment, where a given pair of RSS values includes the largest RSS value and one of the at least two RSS values. Furthermore, the computer determines the location of the electronic device in the environment based on the pairwise distance estimates.

Abstract: Systems and methods here may be used for authorizing network access including using by a server computer with a processor and memory, for receiving, through the gateway support node, a request to access the first network associated with the gateway support node from a client device, wherein the request includes a client device identifier, sending a validation request of the client device identifier to the data storage server, receiving a validation response based on previously registered client device identifier information and previously registered credential information from a second network, from the data storage server and sending authorization approval to the gateway support node for the client device access request to the first network.

Abstract: The system monitors a wireless device, detects when the device has failed or is not operating properly, and is able to remotely reset the device. The device may be reset remotely without a technician required to physically attend to the device. This out of band management allows for quicker, cheaper and more efficient handling of undesired states of a device, such as failure to operate. For a modem, the system may detect that the modem is not broadcasting a signal or is not communicating with the Internet or other network. The reset may be implemented through an access point in communication with the malfunctioning modem. For an access point, the system may detect that the access point is not communicating with a modem or another access point. The reset may be implemented by a neighboring access point or modem.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improving data transmission rates in communication networks are disclosed. In an 802.11 wireless communication network, where a source node of the wireless network transmits TCP data to a destination node of the wireless network, the destination node does not transmit TCP acknowledgments (ACKs) for the TCP data if 802.11 ACKs indicate that the destination node received the TCP data. If a source outside the wireless network transmits TCP data to the destination node within the wireless network through an intermediate device, such as an access point, the destination node suppresses transmitting TCP ACKs. The intermediate device transmits TCP ACKs as proxy for the destination node to the source. The intermediate device also suppresses TCP ACKs where a source node within the wireless network sends the TCP data to a destination node outside of the wireless network.

Abstract: A system and method for improving radio performance through automatic channel selection utilizing a closed-channel model is disclosed. A measurement engine records maximum user throughput on a per station basis during normal traffic operation. The measurement engine further records throughput metrics based on test traffic sent to all associated stations during idle operation. A policy logic engine utilizes the measurements to determine an optimal transmission channel for transmission and receipt of data.

Abstract: Methods and systems here may be used for managing a wireless network including associating a first and second wireless access device to an access point (AP), assigning the first and second wireless access device to respective first and second isolation groups, providing local communication via the AP within the isolation group, and prohibiting local communication via the AP between the first and second isolation groups.

Abstract: A mesh network with a network-wide pre-shared key (PSK) that can be updated is described. The PSK can be used to establish secure communication between arbitrary electronic devices in the mesh network. In order to prevent electronic devices from being inadvertently ‘stranded,’ i.e., unable to securely communicate with other electronic devices in the mesh network when the PSK is updated, pairs of electronic devices in the mesh network establish personal PSKs (PPSKs). In particular, after securely associating with each other, a given pair of electronic devices may have used the current PSK to authenticate and encrypt their communication. Then, the given pair of electronic devices may define a PPSK, e.g., by exchanging one or more random numbers. If a subsequent attempt at establishing secure or encrypted communication between the given pair of electronic devices fails, these electronic devices may use the PPSK as a backup to establish the encrypted communication.

Abstract: Systems and methods for provisioned configuration of wireless devices to allow access to restricted wireless networks are provided. Using an open wireless or wired network, a user of a wireless device may be authenticated. A configuration application, which includes the parameters and policies of the provisioned configuration, is generated, transferred to, and executed on the wireless device. Following configuration by the application, the wireless device is allowed to access the restricted wireless network within the parameters and policies of the provisioned configuration.

Abstract: In order to facilitate access to multiple networks, an electronic device may first authorize a portable electronic device to access a radio-access network associated with a network operator. In particular, the electronic device may provide a request with a first identifier for a portable electronic device to an authentication/authorization server for access to the radio-access network. After receiving first authorization information from the authentication/authorization server for the portable electronic device to access the radio-access network, the electronic device may provide a second request with a second identifier of the portable electronic device to a second server for access to a second network associated with the second server and an entity. Based on the subsequent response from the second server, the electronic device may provide access information to a radio node that allows the portable electronic device to access the radio-access network, or radio-access network and the second network.

Abstract: A system for integrating wireless service providers' core networks with Wi-Fi radios using a Wireless Services Gateway (WSG). The WSG can allow wireless device users to seamlessly connect to a network such as the internet using both cellular phone antennae as well as Wi-Fi radio antennae while still utilizing their preferred wireless service provider's core network system of billing, authenticating and policy decision making. This system can allow for data transmission of wireless devices through Wi-Fi instead of through cellular antennae, thus increasing bandwidth and data transmission rates.

Abstract: A mesh network with a network-wide pre-shared key (PSK) that can be updated is described. The PSK can be used to establish secure communication between arbitrary electronic devices in the mesh network. In order to prevent electronic devices from being inadvertently ‘stranded,’ i.e., unable to securely communicate with other electronic devices in the mesh network when the PSK is updated, pairs of electronic devices in the mesh network establish personal PSKs (PPSKs). In particular, after securely associating with each other, a given pair of electronic devices may have used the current PSK to authenticate and encrypt their communication. Then, the given pair of electronic devices may define a PPSK, e.g., by exchanging one or more random numbers. If a subsequent attempt at establishing secure or encrypted communication between the given pair of electronic devices fails, these electronic devices may use the PPSK as a backup to establish the encrypted communication.

Abstract: During wireless communication with a multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) group, a transmitting device may exclude a receiving device from a subset of the multi-user MIMO group to which it communicates data. In particular, based on responses from receiving devices to sounding packets with beamforming information for the receiving devices, the transmitting device calculates beam-pattern settings for a set of antennas so that, when communicating with the subset, receiving devices in the subset are located on beams within beam patterns formed by the set of antennas while a remainder of the receiving devices (including the receiving device) are located at exclusion zones in the beam patterns. Moreover, a beam pattern for a given receiving device in the subset provides a beam at a location of the given receiving device and provides exclusion zones at locations of the other receiving devices in the multi-user MIMO group.

Abstract: An electronic device modifies a schedule of communication frequencies (such as an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing access schedule) by changing the times when subcarriers are used for communication with a set of electronic devices in order to cluster subsets of the set of electronic devices. This clustering may leave the throughput associated with the communication at least approximately unchanged. Then, the electronic device selects, for the subsets, transmit antenna radiation patterns and receive antenna radiation patterns in order to increase the throughputs during transmission and/or receiving.

Abstract: Passive tracking of an electronic device (and, more generally, the anonymous use of location-based services) is avoided by identifying the electronic device with different addresses in a block of addresses when transmitting probe requests. In particular, the electronic device may request and then receive the block of addresses from an address-management server. Subsequently, when a probe request is transmitted (e.g., to an access point), the electronic device may use one of the addresses in the block of addresses instead of the media access control (MAC) address. Furthermore, whenever subsequent probe requests are transmitted, the electronic device may include a different address in the block of addresses.

Abstract: A system for integrating wireless service providers' core networks with Wi-Fi radios using a Wireless Services Gateway (WSG). The WSG can allow wireless device users to seamlessly connect to a network such as the internet using both cellular phone antennae as well as Wi-Fi radio antennae while still utilizing their preferred wireless service provider's core network system of billing, authenticating and policy decision making. This system can allow for data transmission of wireless devices through Wi-Fi instead of through cellular antennae, thus increasing bandwidth and data transmission rates.

Abstract: In order to maintain performance during wireless communication, a transmitting electronic device may selectively perform a remedial action based on a monitored throughput. In particular, the transmitting electronic device may monitor communication with one or more receiving electronic devices, and may calculate a throughput metric based on the monitored communication. For example, the transmitting electronic device may monitor data rates, may receive feedback about the communication from at least one of the receiving electronic devices, and may determine an observed distribution of the data rates. Then, the transmitting electronic device may compare the throughput metric to a threshold value. If the throughput metric is less than the threshold value, the transmitting electronic device may perform the remedial action.

Abstract: A channel aware scheduler (CAS) is disclosed that takes advantage of changing wireless channel conditions in order to maximize aggregated system throughput. The CAS is aware of the different channel conditions for one or more stations and adjusts its scheduling of packet transmissions in light of the same. A related CAS algorithm may take advantage of that knowledge in order to increase aggregated system throughput while concurrently addressing other potential fairness constraints.