Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer-readable media, for enabling a client device to learn characteristics of one or more access points in a wireless network used by the client device. In addition to learning the characteristics of the access point, the client device also can learn its own hardware characteristics, its usage profile, its environmental operation condition, its user preferences, and its computing context. The client devices uses the learned characteristics to realize computing efficiencies based on dynamic configuration of wireless network settings at the client device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer-readable media, for enabling a client device to learn characteristics of one or more access points in a wireless network used by the client device. In addition to learning the characteristics of the access point, the client device also can learn its own hardware characteristics, its usage profile, its environmental operation condition, its user preferences, and its computing context. The client devices uses the learned characteristics to realize computing efficiencies based on dynamic configuration of wireless network settings at the client device.

Abstract: A path selection unit selects a network communication path from a plurality of available network communication paths for transmitting data from a hybrid network device to a destination network device. A packet transmit unit determines path connection characteristics associated with the selected network communication path. The packet transmit unit generates a hybrid network packet for transmitting the data to the destination network device based, at least in part, on the path connection characteristics associated with the selected network communication path. The packet transmit unit transmits the hybrid network packet to the destination network device via the selected network communication path.

Abstract: System and method for load-balancing a plurality of transmission media. A first plurality of packets of a first stream may be transmitted to a second device on a first transmission medium. It may be determined that current medium utilization of the first transmission medium exceeds a first threshold. The first stream may be selected for transmission on both of the first transmission medium and a second transmission medium based on said determining that current medium utilization of the first transmission medium exceeds the first threshold. A second plurality of packets of the first stream may then be transmitted to the second device using both the first transmission medium and the second transmission medium. A first portion of the second plurality of packets may be transmitted on the first transmission medium and a second portion of the second plurality of packets may be transmitted on the second transmission medium.

Abstract: A new enrollee device is configured for a communication network using an electronic device and a network registrar. The new enrollee device is a headless device that lacks a first user interface for configuring the new enrollee device for the communication network. The electronic device obtains, at a sensor, sensor information that is indicative of a device key associated with the new enrollee device. The electronic device determines the device key based on the sensor information. The device key is provided to the network registrar to cause the network registrar to configure the new enrollee device for the communication network.

Abstract: Providing communication path information in a mixed communication network. A first message may be provided from a first device to a second device. The first message may request notification of characteristics of at least one communication path between the second device and a third device. The first device, the second device, and the third device may be coupled together in a mixed communication network. Accordingly, the first device may receive at least one message from the second device regarding the characteristics of the at least one communication path between the second device and the third device.

Abstract: An access point selector can implement functionality for selecting an access point that should establish a communication link with a client device attempting to join a communication network. The access point selector can receive notifications from access points, in response to the client device's button being activated. Information in the received notifications can be analyzed and one of the access points (that transmitted the notifications) can be selected to establish the communication link with the client device. In some embodiments, prior to selecting an access point that should establish the communication link with the client device, the access point selector can attempt to identify a designated access point (DAP) in the communication network. The access point selector may execute operations for selecting the access point only if the DAP cannot be identified in the communication network.

Abstract: System and method for switching a stream to a new transmission medium. A first stream may be received. A first plurality of packets of the first stream may be transmitted to a second device on a first transmission medium. The first plurality of packets may include one or more index marker packets. It may be determined that at least a portion of the first plurality of packets may not have been received by the second device. A second plurality of packets of the first stream may be transmitted to the second device on a second transmission medium. The second plurality of packets may include at least a subset of the first plurality of packets and at least a subset of the one or more index marker packets. The one or more index marker packets may be configured for use by the second device to detect and discard duplicate packets.

Abstract: A new enrollee device is configured for a communication network using an electronic device and a network registrar. The new enrollee device is a headless device that lacks a first user interface for configuring the new enrollee device for the communication network. The electronic device obtains, at a sensor, sensor information that is indicative of a device key associated with the new enrollee device. The electronic device determines the device key based on the sensor information. The device key is provided to the network registrar to cause the network registrar to configure the new enrollee device for the communication network.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide a discovery protocol allowing nodes that are interested in knowing a network topology to discover other nodes in the network topology. The discovery protocol includes two message types, topology discovery messages and topology query messages. A node issues topology discovery messages upon powering up, at periodic intervals, or upon detecting a change in network topology. The topology discovery messages are broadcast to all nodes on a network and identify the issuing node to the network. A topology query message is sent to a particular node and requests a response from the receiving node regarding the neighboring nodes of the receiving node. The querying node can use the response data to discover other nodes and to send the discovered nodes query messages such that the node can determine a network topology to a desired level of depth within the network.

Abstract: An electronic device obtains a device password associated with the new enrollee device to be configured for a communication network. The device password is provided to a network registrar to cause the network registrar to configure the new enrollee device for the communication network. The network registrar performs an enrollment process based upon the device password and provides feedback to the electronic device to indicate whether or not the new enrollee device was successfully added to the communication network. Alternatively, when an electronic device detects the presence of a new enrollee device to be configured for the communication network, the electronic device generates a device password for the new enrollee device and provides the device password to the new enrollee device and to the network registrar, thereby causing the network registrar to initiate an enrollment process for the new enrollee device based upon the device password.

Abstract: A hybrid device can implement functionality to automatically configure itself to form a home network with other network devices. If it is determined that the hybrid device is the central access point of a hybrid network, operating parameters are determined for the central access point. The central access point can then operate in conjunction with other non-CAP hybrid devices of the hybrid device to determine how to configure the non-CAP hybrid device. The configuration of the non-CAP hybrid device can be determined based, at least in part, on a communication link performance measurement between the CAP and the non-CAP hybrid device. Furthermore, the hybrid network can also be monitored to ensure that the hybrid devices do not repeatedly or randomly switch between different configurations.

Abstract: A hybrid STP can be implemented in a hybrid communication network to prevent communication loops without disabling network interfaces of hybrid devices and redundant paths of the hybrid communication network, while preserving the advantages of the hybrid communication network. Each network interface of a hybrid device can be designated as a relay interface or a non-relay interface. Each of the relay interfaces is independent of the other network interfaces of the hybrid device. The non-relay interfaces operate as a single virtual interface and do not forward packets between each other. Each network interface of the hybrid device may also be associated with a forwarding bit that indicates whether broadcast packets should be forwarded via the network interface. The hybrid device can determine whether/how to forward a packet depending on whether an ingress interface is a relay or non-relay interface and a forwarding bit value of the ingress interface.

Abstract: A configuration device is disclosed for configuring a network device in a communication network. The configuration device initiates pairing operations with the network device via a short-range communication connection. The configuration device determines whether the network device is in a registered state or an unregistered state. If the configuration device determines that the network device is in the unregistered state, the configuration device establishes a secure short-range communication channel between the configuration device and the network device. The configuration device transmits a network key to the network device via the secure short-range communication channel for configuring the network device to communicatively connect to the communication network. If the configuration device determines that the network device is in the registered state, the configuration device determines whether to unregister the network device.

Abstract: System and method for selecting a transmission medium on which to transmit a first stream. At least one of the plurality of transmission media may be substantially dynamic in nature. Path characteristics of each of a plurality of transmission media may be determined. A first transmission medium may be selected from the plurality of transmission media for the first stream based on the determined path characteristics. A first plurality of packets of the first stream may be transmitted on the first transmission medium.

Abstract: A hybrid device can be configured to execute operations to select singleton coordinating functionality in a hybrid communication network. In one embodiment, a single master device (e.g., a hybrid device configured as both a registrar and a central access point (CAP)) can be selected. The hybrid device can transmit search messages to detect an existing master device and/or to identify other hybrid devices contending to become the master device. The hybrid device with the preferred device identifier is selected as the master device. In another embodiment, operations for selecting the coordinating functionality are split into two independent stages—a CAP selection stage and a registrar selection stage. In the CAP selection stage, the hybrid device with a preferred device weight (or a preferred device weight and a preferred device identifier) is configured as the CAP. In the registrar selection stage, similar operations can be executed to select the registrar.

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 device can implement functionality to automatically configure itself to form a home network with other network devices. If it is determined that the hybrid device is the central access point of a hybrid network, operating parameters are determined for the central access point. The central access point can then operate in conjunction with other non-CAP hybrid devices of the hybrid device to determine how to configure the non-CAP hybrid device. The configuration of the non-CAP hybrid device can be determined based, at least in part, on a communication link performance measurement between the CAP and the non-CAP hybrid device. Furthermore, the hybrid network can also be monitored to ensure that the hybrid devices do not repeatedly or randomly switch between different configurations.

Abstract: Security keys are typically needed to communicate with various network communication protocols of a mixed communication network. Herein, a protocol-specific key for a particular network communication protocol is generated based upon a result of a hash operation that includes a network key associated with the mixed communication network and information corresponding to the particular network communication protocol. Interoperability of multiple devices in the mixed communication network is made possible when the multiple devices generate (i.e. derive) protocol-specific keys using the same network key and common information corresponding to particular network communication protocols.

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.