Claims
- 1. A software-implemented method of configuring a computer to associate with a network through a wireless communication link, comprising:
creating a computer profile corresponding to a network having an Extended Service Set identifier, wherein the profile includes the identifier; using the computer profile to cause the computer to recognize the network; and creating a communication link between the computer and the network.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
using variable network parameters such as encryption key status, frequency, and power requirements to create the computer profile.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the software is integrated into the operating system of the computer.
- 4. The method of claim 1 further comprising encrypting the data passing over the communication link between the computer and the network.
- 5. The method of claim 1 further comprising programming the computer to contain multiple profiles to recognize and connect with multiple unrelated networks.
- 6. The method of claim 5 further comprising creating additional profiles, each of the profiles corresponding to one of the multiple unrelated networks.
- 7. The method of claim 1 further comprising at a supporting peripheral, associating each computer profile with a wireless network based on a priority value until there is a successful association or the list of profiles is exhausted.
- 8. The method of claim 7 further comprising incrementing a counter associated with the selected profile each time that profile is matched to a network.
- 9. The method of claim 8 utilizing the counter value to prioritize subsequent associations of computer profiles and wireless networks.
- 10. The method of claim 7 further comprising storing the name of a selected profile for use by other programs.
- 11. A method of creating profiles for configuring a computer to connect to a wireless
network using a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising: prompting the user to enter profile information associated with multiple networks within a wireless network; entering the profile information; storing the profile information for later retrieval; and configuring the computer to connect to a particular network based on a particular profile.
- 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the profile includes an Extended Service Set Identifier corresponding to a particular network.
- 13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
providing the user with multiple graphical user interface (GUI) style screens, wherein the screens allow the user to enter variable network parameters such as encryption key status, frequency, and power requirements.
- 14. A method for enabling a mobile processor to connect to a plurality of networks, comprising:
storing data representative of each network; acquiring signals from each network which indicates the proximity of the proximity; and enabling a user to select a particular network from a plurality of networks.
- 15. An article comprising a computer-readable medium that stores computer-executable instructions for configuring a computer with a network through a wireless communication link, the instructions causing a computer to:
create a profile using a corresponding to a network having an Extended Service Set identifier, wherein the profile includes the identifier, wherein the profile is created using a graphical user interface; use the computer profile to cause the adapter to recognize the network; and create a communication link between the connector and the network.
- 16. A wireless network adapter, comprising:
an input device for receiving data; a display device for allowing a user to examine the received data;
a processor programmed to link the adapter with any number of wireless networks; and a memory containing a process that associates the adapter to one or more unique networks.
- 17. The adapter of claim 16 further comprising a scanner capable of reading bar code data.
- 18. A configurable access point for allowing a user to match the quality of service provided over a channel in a wireless local area network with the quality of service provided over the packetized wired network connected to the wireless local area network (WLAN) at the access point so as to substantially achieve a uniform quality of service from source to destination node, comprising he steps of
specifying the WLAN quality of service parameter at the access point associated with the wireless channel connected to the source/mobile unit; adjusting medium access control (MAC) and physical (PHY) level operation parameters at the access point and at the mobile unit so that the specified quality of service over the wireless link is enabled; determining the quality of service levels available over the wired communications link and the wireless link, if applicable, at the destination; specifying the end-to-end quality of service levels based upon the available levels over the links; and transmitting a message from source to destination with the specified quality of service at each link.
- 19. A configured wireless network, including a plurality of mobile or stationary access points and optionally at least one host computer connected to said access points, and a plurality of remote mobile wireless units, at least some of the units being capable of communicating with at least one of the access points when located within a predetermined range therefrom and being normally associated with and in communication with a single one of such access points, each mobile unit having a unique user address, comprising:
a computer associated with a network using a software implementation; a computer profile stored to correspond to the network association; and a computer profile used to connect to the network.
- 20. The network of claim 19 further comprising supporting software integrated into the computer operating system.
- 21. The network of claim 19 further comprising peripherals that create the association between the network and the computer.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/236,981 filed on Sep. 29, 2000 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/217,796 filed on Jul. 12, 2000.
Provisional Applications (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60236981 |
Sep 2000 |
US |
|
60217796 |
Jul 2000 |
US |