Abstract: A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless transceiver with “N” transmit and receive chains and a bandwidth evaluation circuit, a chain partitioning circuit and a switchable radio frequency ‘RF’ filter bank. The bandwidth evaluation circuit evaluates both the utilization of the WLAN(s) and any remaining communications channels and determines whether to operate the MIMO chains synchronously as a single radio or asynchronously as multiple radios. The chain partitioning circuit either partitions subsets of the MIMO chains for asynchronous operation as distinct radios or combines all MIMO chains for synchronous operation as a single radio. The switchable RF filter bank is responsive to a partitioning of subsets of the chains into distinct radios to add RF filters to a RF portion of the chains to isolate each radio from one another, and responsive to a combining of all MIMO chains into a single radio to remove all RF filters.

Abstract: An example device may include an antenna node configured to be coupled to an antenna element. The antenna node may be configured to pass wireless communications over multiple frequency bands. The device may also include multiple signal paths coupled to the antenna node. Each of the multiple signal paths may be configured to carry a signal from a different one of the multiple frequency bands. The device may further include a switch element coupled to the antenna node by the multiple signal paths and an amplifier circuit within the multiple signal paths between the switch element and the antenna node. The amplifier circuit may be configured to amplify the signals carried by the multiple signal paths.

Abstract: Methods and systems describe herein relate to a reconfigurable multi-radio bridge that may connect a local area network (LAN) with an access point (AP) or other WAP to the backhaul and may dynamically change and/or select transmission methods. An example implementation of a reconfigurable multi-radio bridge performs a method including discovering a topology of a network that includes one or more wireless stations (STAs), evaluating a metric for each of at least two routes discovered in the topology, receiving a packet that identifies a first STA of the one or more STAs as an intended destination of the packet, selecting a route of the at least two routes over which to send the packet based on the metric, and sending the packet from a reconfigurable multi-radio bridge over the selected route toward the first STA.

Abstract: An example device may include an antenna node configured to be coupled to an antenna element. The antenna node may be configured to pass wireless communications over multiple frequency bands. The device may also include multiple signal paths coupled to the antenna node. Each of the multiple signal paths may be configured to carry a signal from a different one of the multiple frequency bands. The device may further include a switch element coupled to the antenna node by the multiple signal paths and an amplifier circuit within the multiple signal paths between the switch element and the antenna node. The amplifier circuit may be configured to amplify the signals carried by the multiple signal paths.

Abstract: An example method of wireless data transmission may include determining a configuration of multiple antenna element nodes. The configuration may indicate a frequency band of operation for each of the multiple antenna element nodes and the configuration may be determined based on one or more network factors of multiple frequency bands. The method may also include selecting, based on the configuration, a signal path to couple to each of the multiple antenna element nodes from multiple signal paths. The multiple signal paths may each be configured to amplify signals carried thereon and at least two of the multiple signal paths may be coupled between each antenna element node and a common node. The method may further include directing, based on the configuration, wireless communications over the multiple antenna element nodes.

Abstract: Methods and systems describe herein relate to a reconfigurable multi-radio bridge that may connect a local area network (LAN) with an access point (AP) or other WAP to the backhaul and may dynamically change and/or select transmission methods. An example implementation of a reconfigurable multi-radio bridge performs a method including discovering a topology of a network that includes one or more wireless stations (STAs), evaluating a metric for each of at least two routes discovered in the topology, receiving a packet that identifies a first STA of the one or more STAs as an intended destination of the packet, selecting a route of the at least two routes over which to send the packet based on the metric, and sending the packet from a reconfigurable multi-radio bridge over the selected route toward the first STA.

Abstract: A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless transceiver with “N” transmit and receive chains and a bandwidth evaluation circuit, a chain partitioning circuit and a switchable radio frequency ‘RF’ filter bank. The bandwidth evaluation circuit evaluates both the utilization of the WLAN(s) and any remaining communications channels and determines whether to operate the MIMO chains synchronously as a single radio or asynchronously as multiple radios. The chain partitioning circuit either partitions subsets of the MIMO chains for asynchronous operation as distinct radios or combines all MIMO chains for synchronous operation as a single radio. The switchable RF filter bank is responsive to a partitioning of subsets of the chains into distinct radios to add RF filters to a RF portion of the chains to isolate each radio from one another, and responsive to a combining of all MIMO chains into a single radio to remove all RF filters.

Abstract: A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless transceiver with “N” transmit and receive chains and a bandwidth evaluation circuit, a chain partitioning circuit and a switchable radio frequency ‘RF’ filter bank. The bandwidth evaluation circuit evaluates both the utilization of the WLAN(s) and any remaining communications channels and determines whether to operate the MIMO chains synchronously as a single radio or asynchronously as multiple radios. The chain partitioning circuit either partitions subsets of the MIMO chains for asynchronous operation as distinct radios or combines all MIMO chains for synchronous operation as a single radio. The switchable RF filter bank is responsive to a partitioning of subsets of the chains into distinct radios to add RF filters to a RF portion of the chains to isolate each radio from one another, and responsive to a combining of all MIMO chains into a single radio to remove all RF filters.

Abstract: An example device may include an antenna node configured to be coupled to an antenna element. The antenna node may be configured to pass wireless communications over multiple frequency bands. The device may also include multiple signal paths coupled to the antenna node. Each of the multiple signal paths may be configured to carry a signal from a different one of the multiple frequency bands. The device may further include a switch element coupled to the antenna node by the multiple signal paths and an amplifier circuit within the multiple signal paths between the switch element and the antenna node. The amplifier circuit may be configured to amplify the signals carried by the multiple signal paths.

Abstract: Methods and systems describe herein relate to a reconfigurable multi-radio bridge that may connect a local area network (LAN) with an access point (AP) or other WAP to the backhaul and may dynamically change and/or select transmission methods. An example implementation of a reconfigurable multi-radio bridge performs a method including discovering a topology of a network that includes one or more wireless stations (STAs), evaluating a metric for each of at least two routes discovered in the topology, receiving a packet that identifies a first STA of the one or more STAs as an intended destination of the packet, selecting a route of the at least two routes over which to send the packet based on the metric, and sending the packet from a reconfigurable multi-radio bridge over the selected route toward the first STA.

Abstract: A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless transceiver with “N” transmit and receive chains and a bandwidth evaluation circuit, a chain partitioning circuit and a switchable radio frequency ‘RF’ filter bank. The bandwidth evaluation circuit evaluates both the utilization of the WLAN(s) and any remaining communications channels and determines whether to operate the MIMO chains synchronously as a single radio or asynchronously as multiple radios. The chain partitioning circuit either partitions subsets of the MIMO chains for asynchronous operation as distinct radios or combines all MIMO chains for synchronous operation as a single radio. The switchable RF filter bank is responsive to a partitioning of subsets of the chains into distinct radios to add RF filters to a RF portion of the chains to isolate each radio from one another, and responsive to a combining of all MIMO chains into a single radio to remove all RF filters.

Abstract: A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless transceiver with “N” transmit and receive chains and a bandwidth evaluation circuit, a chain partitioning circuit and a switchable radio frequency ‘RF’ filter bank. The bandwidth evaluation circuit evaluates both the utilization of the WLAN(s) and any remaining communications channels and determines whether to operate the MIMO chains synchronously as a single radio or asynchronously as multiple radios. The chain partitioning circuit either partitions subsets of the MIMO chains for asynchronous operation as distinct radios or combines all MIMO chains for synchronous operation as a single radio. The switchable RF filter bank is responsive to a partitioning of subsets of the chains into distinct radios to add RF filters to a RF portion of the chains to isolate each radio from one another, and responsive to a combining of all MIMO chains into a single radio to remove all RF filters.

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: An improved string switch architecture is provided having a partial shared memory. The string switch includes a plurality of input ports configured to classify incoming packets, wherein the destination output port and priority is determined at classification; a plurality of output ports, each having a string bank of memory units that compose the aggregate output queue memory for each port; a write manager configured to receive write requests and to write each packet directly to the appropriate memory location within each output port; where each output port includes an assignment block configured to receive packets originating from each input port; and a read manager configured to read data from the plurality of output ports. The write manager may be configured to write packet data received in a round robin fashion, which may be independent from the packet protocol.