Abstract: An instant message is received, converted to blog-compatible information, and posted on a blog.

Abstract: The principles of the present invention provide for using directional antennas to adaptively communicate in a wireless mesh network. A number of infrastructure components are included in a wireless mesh network environment. Each infrastructure component includes an omni-directional antenna and one or more directional antennas (e.g., electronically steered phased array antennas) that can be used to communicate with other infrastructure component and wireless devices. Directional antennas can utilize one or more directional beams that can be directed towards an infrastructure component or wireless device to communicate with the infrastructure component or wireless device. Infrastructure components can adapt to communicate with the same destination through different intermediary infrastructure components. Since the signal strength of a directional beam can be greater than that of an omni-directional antenna of the same gain, infrastructure components can be separated by greater distances.

Abstract: The principles of the present invention provides for using directional antennas to increase signal strength and enhance throughput in a wireless network. An antenna device includes an omni-directional antenna and at least one directional antenna. Each directional antenna (e.g., an electronically steered phased array antenna) can have one or more feeds for directing beams to wireless devices. The antenna device utilizes the omni-directional antenna to send and receive control data that facilitates locating wireless devices and determining when a wireless device is to send program data to or receive program data from the antenna device. The antenna device utilizes the directional antenna to send program data to and receive program data from wireless devices. Since the directional antennas use directional beams, the range and barrier penetration of directional antennas is greater than that of the omni-directional antenna.

Abstract: A wireless device and method provides for adding nodes to a wireless mesh network by adjusting an antenna sensitivity pattern of one or more nodes in the wireless mesh network to exhibit spatial selectivity. The method transmits a query, and if a response is received within a predetermined time period, the wireless device receives the response and adds the responding wireless device to the mesh network. The wireless device can adjust the transmission pattern to enable the antenna sensitivity pattern to cover a predetermined spatial area, and the predetermined time period can be fixed. The wireless devices can adjust the antenna sensitivity pattern in a coordinated manner. A method for supporting data connections between three or more wireless devices includes adjusting the sensitivity pattern of an antenna on a first wireless device, communicating with a second wireless device, and further adjusting the sensitivity pattern of the antenna for more wireless devices.

Abstract: The principles of the present invention provides for using directional antennas to mitigate the effects of interference in a wireless network. An antenna device includes an omni-directional antenna and at least one directional antenna. Each directional antenna (e.g., an electronically steered phased array antenna) can have one or more feeds for directing beams at wireless devices. The antenna device utilizes the omni-directional antenna to send and receive control data that facilitates locating wireless devices and determining when a wireless device is to send program data to or receive program data from the antenna device. The antenna device utilizes directional antennas to send program data to and receive program data from wireless devices. Since directional antennas use directional beams, directional antennas can be tuned channels with reduced interference based on the location of wireless devices relative to the antenna device.

Abstract: A wireless device that adaptively makes the determination of whether or not to pre-authenticate. If the wireless device is running an application that is sensitive to latency (also referred to herein as a low latency application), then pre-authentication is performed and latency is reduced during the switch between wireless access points. Such low latency applications may include voice over IP, video, interactive whiteboard, or video teleconferencing. On the other hand, if the wireless device is not running a low latency application, the wireless device is less susceptible to latency when making the wireless access point switch. In that case, pre-authentication is not performed and processing and battery resources are preserved.

Abstract: The principles of the present invention provide for using directional antennas to adaptively communicate in a wireless mesh network. A number of infrastructure components are included in a wireless mesh network environment. Each infrastructure component includes an omni-directional antenna and one or more directional antennas (e.g., electronically steered phased array antennas) that can be used to communicate with other infrastructure component and wireless devices. Directional antennas can utilize one or more directional beams that can be directed towards an infrastructure component or wireless device to communicate with the infrastructure component or wireless device. Infrastructure components can adapt to communicate with the same destination through different intermediary infrastructure components. Since the signal strength of a directional beam can be greater than that of an omni-directional antenna of the same gain, infrastructure components can be separated by greater distances.

Abstract: The principles of the present invention provides for using directional antennas to increase signal strength and enhance throughput in a wireless network. An antenna device includes an omni-directional antenna and at least one directional antenna. Each directional antenna (e.g., an electronically steered phased array antenna) can have one or more feeds for directing beams to wireless devices. The antenna device utilizes the omni-directional antenna to send and receive control data that facilitates locating wireless devices and determining when a wireless device is to send program data to or receive program data from the antenna device. The antenna device utilizes the directional antenna to send program data to and receive program data from wireless devices. Since the directional antennas use directional beams, the range and barrier penetration of directional antennas is greater than that of the omni-directional antenna.

Abstract: The principles of the present invention provides for using directional antennas to mitigate the effects of interference in a wireless network. An antenna device includes an omni-directional antenna and at least one directional antenna. Each directional antenna (e.g., an electronically steered phased array antenna) can have one or more feeds for directing beams at wireless devices. The antenna device utilizes the omni-directional antenna to send and receive control data that facilitates locating wireless devices and determining when a wireless device is to send program data to or receive program data from the antenna device. The antenna device utilizes directional antennas to send program data to and receive program data from wireless devices. Since directional antennas use directional beams, directional antennas can be tuned channels with reduced interference based on the location of wireless devices relative to the antenna device.

Abstract: A method and system for managing power consumption in a portable computing device having a network interface module is presented. A power management module receives inputs from other modules and determines when the network interface module is to be put in a doze state for a predetermined number of beacon intervals to conserve power consumption in the network interface module. The network interface module in a device that is associated with a network is put in the doze state after an event has occurred including when a scan has been performed, after a delayed sleep timer has expired, and after a beacon transmission has been completed and no traffic is buffered for the device. The delayed sleep-time is set based on the estimated round trip time of a packet.