A WI-FI MESH NETWORK

Abstract

A Wi-Fi mesh network comprising: a mesh controller (110) comprising: a backhaul interface (111) configured to communicate via a backhaul channel (1) as a mesh controller; and a fronthaul interface (112) configured to communicate via a fronthaul channel (2) as an access point; at least one mesh agent (120) comprising: a backhaul interface (121) configured to communicate via the backhaul channel (1) as a mesh agent; and a fronthaul interface (122) configured to communicate via the fronthaul channel (2) as an access point; at least one standard client (130), comprising a fronthaul interface (132) configured to communicate via the fronthaul channel (2) as a client; and at least one dedicated client (140) comprising a backhaul interface (141) configured to communicate via the backhaul channel (1) as a client.

Claims

1. A Wi-Fi mesh network comprising: a mesh controller (110) comprising: a backhaul interface (111) configured to communicate via a backhaul channel (1) as a mesh controller; and a fronthaul interface (112) configured to communicate via a fronthaul channel (2) as an access point; at least one mesh agent (120) comprising: a backhaul interface (121) configured to communicate via the backhaul channel (1) as a mesh agent; and a fronthaul interface (122) configured to communicate via the fronthaul channel (2) as an access point; at least one standard client (130), comprising a fronthaul interface (132) configured to communicate via the fronthaul channel (2) as a client; characterized in that it further comprises: at least one dedicated client (140) comprising a backhaul interface (141) configured to communicate via the backhaul channel (1) as a client.

2. The Wi-Fi mesh network according to claim 1, further comprising at least one dedicated repeater client (150) comprising: a backhaul interface (151) configured to communicate via the backhaul channel (1) as a client; and a repeater module (153) configured to provide signal repeating functionality for data over the backhaul channel (1).

3. The Wi-Fi mesh network according to claim 2, wherein the dedicated repeater client (150) is a digital television set-top box device.

4. The Wi-Fi mesh network according to claim 1, wherein the dedicated client (140) is a digital television set-top box device.

5. The Wi-Fi mesh network according to claim 1, wherein the backhaul channel (1) is a wireless channel.

6. The Wi-Fi mesh network according to claim 1, wherein the backhaul channel (1) is a wired channel.

7. A device (140) configured to operate as the dedicated client (140) within the mesh network according to claim 1.

8. A device configured to operate as the dedicated repeater client (150) within the mesh network according to claim 2.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0020] The present invention will be shown by means of example embodiments on a drawing, wherein:

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a topology of a basic Wi-Fi infrastructure;

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a topology of a Wi-Fi infrastructure with a repeater;

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a topology of a mesh network;

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a first topology of a Wi-Fi infrastructure according to the invention;

[0025] FIG. 5 shows a second topology of a Wi-Fi infrastructure according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0026] The present invention is presented by means of an embodiment related to Wi-Fi networks as defined by the IEEE 802.11 family of standards. However, it may be also utilized with other similar wireless standards.

[0027] FIG. 4 shows a first topology of a Wi-Fi infrastructure according to the invention. A mesh controller 110 comprises a backhaul interface 111 configured to communicate via a backhaul channel 1 as a mesh controller and a fronthaul interface 112 configured to communicate via a fronthaul channel 2 as an access point. A plurality of mesh agents 120 are connected to the mesh controller 110, each comprising a backhaul interface 121 configured to communicate via the backhaul channel 1 as a mesh agent and a fronthaul interface 122 configured to communicate via the fronthaul channel 2 as an access point. A plurality of standard clients 130 communicate with the mesh controller 110 and the mesh agents 120, each client 130 comprising a fronthaul interface 132 configured to communicate via the fronthaul channel 2 as a client.

[0028] The network further comprises a plurality of dedicated clients 140 that are digital television set-top boxes (STB), each comprising a backhaul interface 141 configured to communicate via the backhaul channel 1 as a client.

[0029] FIG. 5 shows a second topology of a Wi-Fi infrastructure according to the invention. It comprises the mesh controller 110, a plurality of mesh agents 120, a plurality of standard clients 130 and a plurality of dedicated clients 140 as described with respect to FIG. 4.

[0030] In addition, the network further comprises a plurality of dedicated repeater clients 150 that are digital television set-top boxes (STB), each comprising a backhaul interface 151 configured to communicate via the backhaul channel 1 as a client and a repeater module 153 configured to provide signal repeating functionality for data over the backhaul channel 1. The repeated client 150 device operates in a manner as known for repeater devices functionality, and in addition, in order to improve data transmission efficiency, once it receives a data packet, then before transmitting the data to the other devices 140 the repeated may check which part of the data is addressed to the repeater itself 150 and that data is disregarded from further retransmission. The device 140 may withhold sending data until it connects with the repeater 150.

[0031] For example, the network infrastructure as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 could be effectively implemented in a hotel facility. Hotel facilities often have a complicated mesh network because of a large space to be covered by the Wi-Fi signal and a high number of obstacles such as walls. They also need to support a high number of client devices, which are both hotel infrastructure devices (such as STBs) and visiting clients' devices. Therefore, if the STB devices are configured as dedicated client devices for the mesh network that could communicate over the backhaul channel, this significantly decreases the network bandwidth consumption, as the STB data are sent only via the backhaul channel. Moreover, if the STBs are also used as dedicated repeater client devices, this reduces the number of access points that would be needed to provide coverage for the STBs to operate within the Wi-Fi network.

[0032] While the invention presented herein has been depicted, described, and has been defined with reference to particular preferred embodiments, such references and examples of implementation in the foregoing specification do not imply any limitation on the invention. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader scope of the technical concept. The presented preferred embodiments are exemplary only, and are not exhaustive of the scope of the technical concept presented herein.

[0033] Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited to the preferred embodiments described in the specification, but is only limited by the claims that follow.