Meru Networks Patent Grants

Network-based control of stations in a wireless communication network

Granted: December 15, 2015
Patent Number: 9215745
Using the feature named “KEY_SEARCH_AD1” in the Atheros 11n chipset, an access point can determine whether to send an ACK packet in response to a message packet in response to whether the BSSID present in the sender address is present in the keycache. The AP can maintain a list of about 128 arbitrarily selected BSSID's, to each of which it will respond with an ACK packet if it receives a message from a mobile station with that BSSID. (1) the number of mobile stations that can be…

Automatic channel layering

Granted: December 8, 2015
Patent Number: 9210587
Deploying multiple access points on multiple wireless communication channels to optimize coverage area. Additional channels provide additional communication capability which multiple AP's, and their associated stations, can collectively use. An additional set of AP's can be disposed in the additional communication channel, with multiple communication channels possibly physically intersecting. The system control element collects information from devices in the wireless communication…

Optimizing quality of service in wireless networks

Granted: November 24, 2015
Patent Number: 9197482
An AP having a message waiting time that provides proper QoS while losing minimal communication bandwidth, setting parameters for each level of QoS in response to a measure of the degree of contention for that level of QoS, and in response to a measure of the degree of contention for those levels of QoS with higher priority, and setting waiting time parameters in response to a stochastic model of contention at each level of QoS. Changes in contention at each level of QoS affect the AP's…

Seamless roaming in wireless networks

Granted: November 10, 2015
Patent Number: 9185618
A system and method for providing a seamless transition between access points for mobile devices. The method comprises associating a unique identifier for a plurality of mobile stations with a unique identifier for a first network in an acknowledgment table, then, upon receiving a frame from a mobile station, acknowledging the reception of the frame if the frame includes the unique identifier for the mobile station and the unique identifier for the network. The transfer of operation…

Wireless communication antennae for concurrent communication in an access point

Granted: September 22, 2015
Patent Number: 9142873
One or more access points in a wireless communication system, wherein at least one of those access points includes a set of more than one antennae capable of concurrent communication, and at least one of those more than one antennae is isolated from a remainder of that set of antennae during concurrent communication. Isolation includes one or more of disposed a first antenna in a null region of a second antenna, disposing a first antenna to communicate polarized and substantially…

Distributed client steering algorithm to a best-serving access point

Granted: July 7, 2015
Patent Number: 9078198
Network devices are steered to preferred access points using a probability function. A probe request for connection is received from a network device. The probe request can be from a network device attempting to use a wireless network (e.g., a IEEE 802.11-type network or other suitable type of network). A probability function that defines a likelihood of granting the network device a connection is used to determine whether to accept or deny the response. The probe response is then sent…

Hybrid virtual cell and virtual port wireless network architecture

Granted: May 5, 2015
Patent Number: 9025581
A controller directing access points to default to a virtual cell service mode which allows seamless mobility for stations in motion around a wireless network is disclosed. Responsive to identifying a first station, the controller logic may dictate tighter controls for the first station by selecting a virtual port service mode. Some embodiments can also select a native cell service mode for devices due to a connection history of the station or a MAC OUI that is incompatible with virtual…

Recognizing application protocols by identifying message traffic patterns

Granted: March 31, 2015
Patent Number: 8995459
A communication system detects particular application protocols in response to their message traffic patterns, which might be responsive to packet size, average packet rate, burstiness of packet transmissions, or other message pattern features. Selected message pattern features include average packet rate, maximum packet burst, maximum future accumulation, minimum packet size, and maximum packet size. The system maintains a counter of packet tokens, each arriving at a constant rate, and…

Differential signal-to-noise ratio based rate adaptation

Granted: February 17, 2015
Patent Number: 8958334
Systems and methods for implementing a differential signal to noise ratio (DSNR) based rate adaptation for wireless networks are disclosed. The described methods probabilistically adapt the rate of data transmission based on an assessment of the causes of data loss. The described methods include determining a DSNR for data transmission during a predetermined window of time and adapting the transmission rate in a probabilistic manner responsive to the differential SNR and a differential…

Dual-stack dual-band MIMO antenna

Granted: January 27, 2015
Patent Number: 8941539
A dual-band antenna including a ground plane, a first resonating plate that resonates in a first frequency band, a first shorting plate that shorts the first resonating plate to the ground plane, a second resonating plate that resonates in a second frequency band, with the second resonating plate raised above the first resonating plate with respect to the ground plane, and a second shorting plate that shorts the second resonating plate to the first resonating plate. Also, a dual-stack…

Access point for surveillance of anomalous devices

Granted: January 6, 2015
Patent Number: 8929341
An access point switches between an access point mode and a surveillance mode. In the access point mode, the access point provides network access for end stations using a BSSID (Basic Service Set Identifier) while in the access point mode. In surveillance mode, the access point scans one or more channels of the wireless network to identify one or more anomalous devices.

Operating wireless communication systems in close proximity

Granted: December 2, 2014
Patent Number: 8903320
A method wherein a message packet is received at a node in a 1st wireless communication system, wherein said 1st wireless communication system determines whether it is experiencing interference with a 2nd wireless communication system, and wherein said 1st wireless communication system takes action to reduce said interference. Reducing said interference might include reduction in signal strength, change in message coding, and other actions, in response to a set of selected interference…

Wireless communication selective barrier

Granted: November 18, 2014
Patent Number: 8893252
A selective barrier prevents undesired communication between a protected region and an unprotected region. Wireless communication is allowed within the protected region, while wireless communication is prevented between the protected region and any unprotected regions. Particular undesired message packets might be selected by business rules responsive to aspects of individual messages. Particular unprotected regions might be statically or dynamically determined. Alternatively, the…

Security in wireless communication systems

Granted: October 21, 2014
Patent Number: 8867744
Wireless security is enforced at L1, in addition to or in lieu of other layers. AP's can switch dynamically from serving to scanning. Scanners listen for authorized frame headers. Scanners either receive, or allow authorized frames to be received, at their destination. Scanners kill unauthorized frames while they are still transmitting; scanners continue listening for and killing unauthorized frame headers until frame ending time demands their return to serving, multiplying their…

Wireless network controller certification authority

Granted: August 5, 2014
Patent Number: 8799648
A controller for a wireless network includes processing elements, an interface for communication with access points for the wireless network, and an interface to another network. The processing elements oversee communication between that other network and the access points, and the controller acts as a certification authority for authenticating access points using public key techniques.

Seamless mobility in wireless networks

Granted: July 22, 2014
Patent Number: 8787309
AP's associated with a communication network and any wireless devices desiring contact, operated according to a protocol in which each wireless device selects AP's with which to communicate. A system coordinator causes the AP's to operate so as to guide each wireless device to an AP selected by the system coordinator. This has the effect that, notwithstanding that the protocol involves having the wireless device make the selection of AP, functionally, the AP's make the selection for it.…

Wireless rate adaptation

Granted: July 1, 2014
Patent Number: 8767548
A method of adapting wireless transmission rates that includes the steps of determining at least a short-term loss ratio for wireless communication during a window of time, and adapting a transmission rate responsive to at least the short-term loss ratio, a maximum tolerable loss threshold for the communication during the window, and an opportunistic rate increase threshold for the communication during the window. A size of the window, the maximum tolerable loss threshold, and the…

TCP proxy acknowledgements

Granted: December 3, 2013
Patent Number: 8599734
A system and method enable the transmission of messages between a source device and a wireless station. A first message is received at an access point from the source device. The access point transmits the first message to the wireless station and stores a copy of the first message in a memory. The access point receives an acknowledgement message from the wireless station and transmits a proxy acknowledgement message to the source device. The access point transmits a control message to…

Blocking IEEE 802.11 wireless access

Granted: August 27, 2013
Patent Number: 8522353
One or more 802.11 access points that are programmed or otherwise configured to transmit a preferably continuous waveform over a band of frequencies that interferes with other devices in the region, effectively blocking all (or at least most) 802.11 traffic on channels spanned by that band of frequencies.

Seamless mobility in wireless networks

Granted: June 25, 2013
Patent Number: 8472359
AP's associated with a communication network and any wireless devices desiring contact, operated according to a protocol in which each wireless device selects AP's with which to communicate. A system coordinator causes the AP's to operate so as to guide each wireless device to an AP selected by the system coordinator. This has the effect that, notwithstanding that the protocol involves having the wireless device make the selection of AP, functionally, the AP's make the selection for it.…