KR100738539B1 - Apparatus and method for simultaneously supporting a plurality of services in a single wireless terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus and method for simultaneously supporting a plurality of services in a single wireless terminal according to the present invention may enable one wireless device to operate like multiple devices at the same time through generation of a virtual MAC address and use of the generated virtual MAC address. By doing so, a user using a wireless device can obtain various services simultaneously with only one wireless device, and the economic burden can be reduced.

In addition, the apparatus and method for simultaneously supporting a plurality of services in a single wireless terminal according to the present invention, in performing various services in one wireless device, as well as one wireless network, each different wireless network according to the performance of the service Simultaneous access to services can provide more guaranteed services with quality and security.

Description

Apparatus and method for simultaneously supporting a plurality of services in a single wireless terminal {APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR APPLY THE SERVICE OF THE MULTIPLE FOR SAME TIME IN AN UNITY WIRELESS DEVICE}

1 is a block diagram of a wireless device that simultaneously supports a plurality of services according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a block diagram of a VoWLAN device simultaneously supporting voice and data services according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a data service performing method of a VoWLAN apparatus simultaneously supporting voice and data services according to an embodiment of the present invention.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

100: wireless device 110: RF unit

120: MAC / baseband unit 130: control unit

140: storage unit

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for simultaneously supporting a plurality of services in a single wireless terminal.

Conventional voice services are provided through circuit switched telephones and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) terminals.

VoIP is a technology that delivers voice data to the Internet or IP networks used for data communication. In other words, VoIP provides a voice service and voice data to a user at the same time. The VoIP terminal applying this technology can improve network efficiency by transmitting voice and data to one network, and can provide various intelligent network services linked to the Internet to users. In addition, VoIP terminals have the advantage of low cost even in long distance calls such as long distance and international calls.

On the other hand, the recent development of technology for providing a voice service over the air.

Here, the wireless technologies include technologies such as a wireless LAN, Bluetooth, home RF, and the like. Bluetooth is a general term for standards, short-range wireless communication technologies and products for low-cost, two-way short-range communication between portable devices such as mobile phones, PDAs, and laptops without complicated wires. Bluetooth has its own security features and can be used as a high security communication medium such as e-commerce. Bluetooth has an operating range of 10m and data transmission at 1Mbps (up to 2Mbps in 2nd generation technology). In addition to data, Bluetooth can use up to three voice channels.

Home RF has a 50m operating range, longer than Bluetooth, and a speed of 2Mbps. Home RF has the advantage of simultaneously transmitting data and voice over four voice channels and one data channel.

In addition, a wireless device that provides a voice service currently provides a data service to a device and a terminal that do not have an interface for a data service through a wired interface connection.

When a wireless device providing a voice service is connected to a device and a terminal that do not have an interface for data service by a user while providing a voice service, the wireless device stops the provided voice service. The wireless terminal provides a data service to the connected device and the terminal. The serial port, USB (Universal Serial Bus), IEEE 1394, etc. may be used for the wired interface.

As such, a wireless device providing a voice service may not provide a data service at the same time as providing a data service only when the voice service is not provided.

On the other hand, it is not possible to perform various functions simultaneously in other wireless devices as well as wireless devices that provide voice services.

If the wireless device performs various functions, the wireless device should be equipped with as many MAC / baseband chips and RF chips as desired for the wireless network connection. However, even in such a case, if a wireless network operator operates a wireless network of each function differently for reasons of service quality or security, the wireless device cannot simultaneously access the wireless network of each function.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the problems according to the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for simultaneously supporting a plurality of services in a single wireless terminal to perform various functions simultaneously in a wireless device. In providing.

An apparatus for simultaneously supporting a plurality of services in a single wireless terminal according to an aspect of the present invention, a plurality of functional units for performing a predetermined function; A MAC processor for generating virtual MAC addresses using a MAC address previously stored in the wireless terminal and performing a MAC address masking function on a destination MAC address of a packet received from a wireless network; The generated virtual MAC address is allocated to each of the functional units, and the wireless network is accessed using the assigned MAC address, and each received packet from the wireless network is distributed by the allocated functional units through the MAC address masking function. It includes a control unit.

The MAC processing unit generates consecutive virtual MAC addresses using the pre-stored MAC address and the pre-stored masking bits.

The masking bit is the number of arbitrary lower bits of the MAC address that can be set to zero by MAC address masking.

The MAC address masking function is a function of setting to 0 any arbitrary bit of the MAC address.

The control unit causes the functional units to transmit a packet, which records the virtual MAC address assigned to each source, as a source MAC address, to the wireless network.

When the MAC processor performs a MAC address masking function on a destination MAC address of a packet received from the wireless network, the controller determines whether the destination MAC address is one of the generated virtual MAC addresses, and generates the generated MAC address. If it is one of the virtual MAC addresses, it transmits an ACK to the wireless network and forwards the received packet to the functional unit which allocated the confirmed virtual MAC address.

The controller allows the functional units to be connected to the wireless network to simultaneously perform their respective functions.

The control unit allows the functional units to be connected to the same wireless network or to different wireless networks according to respective functions.

In addition, the apparatus for simultaneously supporting a plurality of services in a single wireless terminal according to the present invention further comprises a storage unit for storing the MAC address and the masking bits.

On the other hand, a method for simultaneously supporting a plurality of services in a single wireless terminal according to another aspect of the present invention, generating virtual MAC addresses using the pre-stored MAC address; Assigning the generated virtual MAC addresses one by one for each predetermined function unit, and allowing the predetermined function unit to be connected to a wireless network using the assigned virtual MAC address; Performing a MAC address masking function on a MAC address included in the received packet when an arbitrary packet is received from the wireless network; After performing the MAC address masking function, check whether the MAC address included in the received packet is one of the generated virtual MAC addresses, and transmit an ACK if it is one of the generated virtual MAC addresses. And forwarding the received packet to the functional unit that has been assigned.

Generating virtual MAC addresses using the pre-stored MAC address is a step of generating consecutive virtual MAC addresses using the pre-stored MAC address and the pre-stored masking bits.

As described above, an apparatus and method for simultaneously supporting a plurality of services in a single wireless terminal of the present invention described below allow a wireless device to operate as a plurality of devices by using a virtual MAC address. will be. Here, in order to operate as if one wireless device is a plurality of devices, one wireless device should be able to transmit / receive several MAC addresses. In the present invention, a wireless device generates several virtual MAC addresses and transmits / receives the generated virtual MAC addresses so that one wireless device can operate like several wireless devices.

Media Access Control (MAC) is a lower layer of the two sub-layers of the IEEE-defined data link layer. The MAC address is a 48-bit hardware address of the network link. The MAC sublayer handles shared media access issues, such as token passing or contention.

The MAC address is a standardized data link layer address required for every port or device connected to the network. Other devices on the network use this address to find specific ports in the network and create or update routing tables and data structures. . The length of a MAC address is 6 bytes and is managed by the IEEE and is also expressed as a name such as a hardware address, a MAC-layer address, and a physical address.

There are two types of MAC addresses, a global address and a local address. Both consist of 48 bits (6 bytes). Global addresses are uniquely assigned around the world and are used mostly by internetworking. Local addresses are set up by the user so that they are unique within the scope of a particular user's network. That is, it is assigned by serial equipment manufacturer.

The global address is managed by the IEEE and the top three bytes are allocated to the network device vendor. The device manufacturer purchases the upper 3 bytes, allocates the lower 3 bytes to individual products, and prints the global address into ROM (Read Only Memory) when the network device is manufactured. The user does not need to set a global address for the introduction or exchange of network devices.

On the other hand, when using a local address, it is necessary to manage the address system so that the same address is not assigned to a plurality of users in the network.

You can find out whether your MAC address is global or local by looking at the binary address. If the bit for identification is 1, it is a global address, and if it is 0, it is a local address.

Hereinafter, an apparatus and method for simultaneously supporting a plurality of services in a single wireless terminal according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram of a wireless device that simultaneously supports a plurality of services according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the wireless device 100 may be configured to include an RF unit 110, a MAC / baseband unit 120, a controller 130, and a storage unit 140.

In the wireless device 100, the RF (Radio Front End) unit 110 performs wireless transmission / reception with a wireless network. Here, the RF unit 110 may perform wireless transmission / reception using a wireless LAN, Bluetooth, home RF, and the like.

Looking at the transmission / reception of the RF unit 110 in detail, the RF unit 110 modulates a low-band digital signal of the baseband (Interband) (Intermediate Frequency (IF)) to a radio frequency (RF). The RF unit 110 increases the output of the RF modulated signal and transmits the signal to the wireless network. In addition, the RF unit 110 receives a signal from the wireless network, demodulates a low digital signal of the baseband by lowering the output of the received signal.

The MAC / baseband unit 120 processes analog signals. The MAC / baseband unit 120 may include a separate chip for each of the MAC and the baseband, and in some cases, may be implemented as a single chip.

The MAC / baseband unit 120 performs a function of allowing a wireless protocol to be performed. In addition, the MAC / baseband unit 120 may perform MAC address masking and generate a virtual MAC address. In addition, the MAC / baseband unit 120 performs a function of controlling the RF unit 110 to control an automatic gain control (AGC) for controlling gain of signals transmitted and received by the RF unit 110. Control) function can be performed.

The controller 130 may control a radio physical layer such as the MAC / baseband unit 120.

The controller 130 may include predetermined functional units (not shown), and each of the virtual MAC addresses generated by the MAC / baseband unit 120 may be assigned one by one. Herein, the functional unit refers to performing a function such as a voice and a data service.

The storage unit 140 may be configured as a RAM or a ROM, and may store a user interface program and data, which is a program for operating the controller 130. And stores the MAC address of the wireless device.

The operation of transmitting / receiving a virtual MAC address in a wireless device having such a configuration will be described.

First, the controller 130 may control the MAC / baseband unit 120 to cause the MAC / baseband unit 120 to generate virtual MAC addresses for the MAC address stored in the storage 140. The controller 130 may recognize all the generated virtual MAC addresses as the MAC addresses of the wireless device 100. Here, the MAC / baseband unit 120 may determine the MAC addresses stored in the storage unit 140. It is possible to generate virtual MAC addresses that are contiguous with the last arbitrary bit, ie according to the masking bit.

'MAC address masking' refers to a function of setting 0 to any lower bit of the MAC address stored in the storage 140.

In addition, the 'masking bit' refers to a bit that can be set to 0 by MAC address masking. Here, the number of masking bits may be preset.

Meanwhile, the MAC / baseband unit 120 may not generate two or more virtual MAC addresses for which the last bit is not consecutive.

Next, an example of generating a virtual MAC address of the MAC / baseband unit 120 will be described. Herein, it is assumed that the MAC address stored in the storage 140 is 00: 00: f0: 8f: 1e: 80.

If the masking bit is first set to the last bit of the MAC address, the virtual MAC address that the MAC / baseband unit 120 can generate is 00: 00: f0: 8f: 1e: 80, 00: 00: f0: 8f. Could be: 1e: 81. Therefore, in this case, the newly created virtual MAC address becomes 00: 00: f0: 8f: 1e: 81, and the controller 130 is 00: 00: f0: 8f: 1e: 80, 00: 00: f0: 8f: 1e: 81 Two MAC addresses can be recognized as the same MAC address.

Secondly, when the masking bit is set to the last 2 bits, the virtual MAC address that the MAC / baseband unit 120 can generate is 00: 00: f0: 8f: 1e: 80, 00: 00: f0: 8f: 1e: 81, 00: 00: f0: 8f: 1e: 82, 00: 00: f0: 8f: 1e: 83. Therefore, in this case, the newly created virtual MAC address becomes 00: 00: f0: 8f: 1e: 81, 00: 00: f0: 8f: 1e: 82, 00: 00: f0: 8f: 1e: 83, and the control unit 130 is 00: 00: f0: 8f: 1e: 80, 00: 00: f0: 8f: 1e: 81, 00: 00: f0: 8f: 1e: 82, 00: 00: f0: 8f: 1e: 83 Four MAC addresses can be recognized as the same MAC address.

In this case, the newly created virtual MAC address should be different from the MAC address of other products, so it is necessary to secure the assignable virtual MAC address in consideration of how many virtual MAC addresses will be supported from the production stage.

The controller 130 may assign each of a plurality of virtual MAC addresses generated by the MAC / baseband unit 120 one by one to a predetermined function unit. The controller 130 may transmit a packet in which a predetermined function unit records a MAC address assigned to each source as a source MAC address to the wireless network through the MAC / baseband unit 120 and the RF unit 110. .

In addition, when an arbitrary packet is received from the wireless network through the RF unit 110, the controller 130 controls the MAC / baseband unit 120 to mask the MAC address of the destination MAC address of the received packet. Can be done.

Here, MAC address masking refers to a function that can be set to 0 only for the last bit of the MAC address.

The controller 130 may recognize a plurality of virtual MAC addresses as MAC addresses of the wireless device 100 through MAC address masking of the MAC / baseband unit 120. For example, when the MAC address stored in the storage unit 140 is 00: 00: f0: 8f: 1e: 80, the MAC / baseband unit 120 may control each other at 00: 00: f0: by the control of the controller 130. When a packet having 8f: 1e: 80 and 00: 00: f0: 8f: 1e: 81 as the destination MAC address is received, it can mask 0 for the last bit of each MAC address. Accordingly, the controller 130 may recognize both MAC addresses as the MAC addresses of the wireless device 100.

The control unit 130 performs the MAC address masking of the MAC / baseband unit 120 as described above, and the destination MAC address of the packet received by the MAC / baseband unit 120, that is, the wireless device 100. You can check if it is a MAC address. The controller 230 may transmit an ACK to all packets in which the identified destination MAC address is identified as the MAC address of the wireless device 100, and transmit the received packet to the functional unit to which the identified corresponding MAC address has been assigned.

As such, the wireless device 100 may operate as a plurality of devices by generating virtual MAC addresses and transmitting / receiving the generated virtual MAC addresses to the wireless network.

Next, a voice over wireless LAN (VoWLAN) device will be described as an embodiment for a device that simultaneously supports a plurality of services in a single wireless terminal.

VoWLAN is a technology that performs a voice service using a wireless LAN. A widely used wireless LAN standard is IEEE 802.11.

Hereinafter, the VoWLAN device, which will be described as an embodiment of the present invention, may perform a data service simultaneously with performing a voice service using a virtual MAC address.

2 is a block diagram of a VoWLAN apparatus that simultaneously supports voice and data services according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the VoWLAN apparatus 200 may include an RF unit 210, a MAC / baseband unit 220, a controller 230, a storage unit 240, a voice processor 250, and an external connection unit 260. It may be configured to include.

Here, the description of the same components as those shown in FIG. 1 will be omitted.

The voice processor 250 performs a voice service through the WLAN.

The external connection unit 260 allows the connected device to perform data service through connection with a device that does not have an interface for data service.

The external connection 260 may include at least one of a serial port, a wired interface such as USB and IEEE 1394, and a wireless interface such as an ultra wideband (UWB). UWB is an ultra-short-range wireless interface that enables high-speed data communication of 100 to 200 Mbps within 1 to 2 meters.

A method of performing a voice service and a data service using a virtual MAC address by a VoWLAN device having such a configuration will be described.

First, the controller 230 may perform the voice service by controlling the voice processor 250 using the MAC address stored in the storage 240.

The user may connect an external device (hereinafter referred to as an external device for short) to the external connection unit 260 of the voice service of the VoWLAN device 200 by wire / wireless.

If the controller 230 determines that the external connection unit 260 is connected to the external device via wired / wireless while performing a voice service, the controller 230 operates the MAC / baseband unit 220 so that the MAC / baseband unit 220 is a virtual MAC address. Can be generated.

The MAC / baseband unit 220 may generate a continuous virtual MAC address by using the MAC address and masking bits stored in the storage unit 240 under the control of the controller 230. Here, two MAC addresses resulting from the generation of the virtual MAC address will be referred to as a first MAC address and a second MAC address, respectively.

When the MAC / baseband unit 220 generates the virtual MAC address, the controller 230 may assign the first MAC address to the voice processor 250 and the second MAC address to the external access unit 260. Here, the first MAC address may be allocated to the external access unit 260 and the second MAC address may be allocated to the voice processing unit 250.

When the MAC address is allocated to the voice processing unit 250 and the external access unit 260 as described above, the voice processing unit 250 transmits a packet in which the source MAC address is recorded as the first MAC address to the MAC / baseband unit 220 and the RF unit 210. ) Can be transmitted to the WLAN. In addition, the external access unit 260 may transmit a packet in which the source MAC address is recorded as the second MAC address to the WLAN network through the MAC / baseband unit 220 and the RF unit 210.

Meanwhile, when a packet is received from the WLAN, the controller 230 may allow the MAC / baseband unit 220 to perform a MAC address masking function. The controller 230 may check whether the destination MAC address of the received packet is the first or second MAC address by performing the MAC address masking of the MAC / baseband unit 220. The controller 230 may transmit the received packet to the voice processing unit 250 if the determined destination MAC address is the first MAC address, and deliver the received packet to the external access unit 260 if it is the second MAC address.

As such, the VoWLAN device 200 generates a virtual MAC address and allocates the generated virtual MAC address to the voice processing unit 250 and the external connection unit 260 so that the voice processing unit 250 and the external connection unit 260 are one device. It can be used to simultaneously perform voice service and data service.

That is, the VoWLAN apparatus 200 may assign the first MAC address to the voice processing unit 250 so that the voice processing unit 250 may access the wireless LAN network to perform a voice service.

In addition, the VoWLAN device 200 allocates a second MAC address to the external processor 260 so that the external processor 260 can access the wireless LAN network and perform a data service connected to the external processor 260. It is possible to have a device that does not have a data service.

Here, the VoWLAN apparatus 200 may allow the voice processing unit 250 and the external access unit 260 to access the same WLAN network, and may simultaneously access the voice service WLAN network and the data service WLAN network. As described above, when the VoWLAN apparatus 200 simultaneously accesses different networks, the user may acquire a voice service having a higher quality and a data service having a higher security.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a data service performing method of a VoWLAN device simultaneously supporting voice and data services according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the VoWLAN apparatus 200 may first operate the voice processor 250 to perform a voice service through the WLAN (S101).

The VoWLAN device 200 may check whether a data service execution request is received from a user while performing a voice service (S103).

If the VoWLAN device 200 does not receive a data service request from the user, the VoWLAN device 200 continuously performs the voice service.

However, if the VoWLAN apparatus 200 receives a data service execution request from the user, the VoWLAN apparatus 200 may generate a virtual MAC address (S105). Here, the VoWLAN device 200 may generate a virtual MAC address consecutive to the last bit of the MAC address already stored in the storage 240.

The VoWLAN device 200 may perform a data service simultaneously with a voice service using the generated virtual MAC address (S107). Here, the VoWLAN apparatus 200 may allocate the generated virtual MAC address to the external access unit 260 and perform data service through the wireless LAN network using the virtual MAC address assigned to the external access unit 260.

As described above, an apparatus and method for simultaneously supporting a plurality of services in a single wireless terminal according to the present invention may be achieved by generating a virtual MAC address and using the generated virtual MAC address. By operating, a user using a wireless device can acquire various services at the same time with only one wireless device, and reduce the economic burden.

In addition, the apparatus and method for simultaneously supporting a plurality of services in a single wireless terminal according to the present invention, in performing various services in one wireless device, as well as one wireless network, each different wireless network according to the performance of the service Simultaneous access to services can provide more guaranteed services with quality and security.

Claims (13)

In a device that supports a plurality of services at the same time in a single wireless terminal, A plurality of functional units performing a predetermined function; A MAC processor for generating virtual MAC addresses using a MAC address previously stored in the wireless terminal and performing a MAC address masking function on a destination MAC address of a packet received from a wireless network; And Assigning a virtual MAC address, said generated by the functional units and using the assigned MAC address, and connected to the radio network, for distributing by the functional unit assigned to each packet received from the wireless network through the MAC address masking Apparatus for supporting a plurality of services at the same time in a single wireless terminal including a control unit. The method of claim 1, MAC processing unit, And a plurality of services simultaneously supported by a single wireless terminal generating consecutive virtual MAC addresses using the pre-stored MAC address and the pre-stored masking bits. The method of claim 2, The masking bit is, A device that supports multiple services simultaneously in a single wireless terminal, which is any number of lower bits of the MAC address that can be set to zero by MAC address masking. The method of claim 1, MAC address masking function, Device that supports multiple services at the same time in a single radio terminal that is a function to set to 0 for any lower bit of the MAC address. The method of claim 1, The control unit, And simultaneously supporting a plurality of services in a single wireless terminal for transmitting the packet to the wireless network in which the functional units record the virtual MAC address assigned to each source MAC address. The method of claim 1, The control unit, When the MAC processing unit performs a MAC address masking function on a destination MAC address of a packet received from the wireless network, the MAC processor determines whether the destination MAC address is one of the generated virtual MAC addresses, and among the generated virtual MAC addresses. And if there is one, supporting a plurality of services simultaneously in a single wireless terminal transmitting an ACK to the wireless network and delivering the received packet to a function that has allocated the identified virtual MAC address. The method of claim 1, The control unit, And a plurality of services simultaneously supported by a single wireless terminal to allow the functional units to be connected to the wireless network to perform respective functions simultaneously. The method of claim 1, The control unit, Apparatus for supporting a plurality of services at the same time in a single wireless terminal for allowing the functional units to be connected to the same wireless network, or to different wireless networks according to each function. The method of claim 1, And a storage unit for storing the MAC address and masking bits. In a method for simultaneously supporting a plurality of services in a single wireless terminal, Generating virtual MAC addresses using a MAC address previously stored in the single wireless terminal; Assigning the generated virtual MAC addresses one by one for each predetermined function unit, and allowing the predetermined function unit to be connected to a wireless network using the assigned virtual MAC address; Performing a MAC address masking function on a MAC address included in the received packet when an arbitrary packet is received from the wireless network; And After performing the MAC address masking function, it is determined whether the MAC address included in the received packet is one of the generated virtual MAC addresses, and if it is one of the generated virtual MAC addresses, the function unit allocated the checked MAC address to the function unit. A method for simultaneously supporting a plurality of services in a single wireless terminal comprising the step of forwarding the received packet. The method of claim 10, Generating virtual MAC addresses using the pre-stored MAC address, Generating a plurality of contiguous virtual MAC addresses using the pre-stored MAC address and the pre-stored masking bits. The method of claim 11, The masking bit is, A method for simultaneously supporting a plurality of services in a single radio terminal, which is an arbitrary number of lower bits of a MAC address that can be set to zero by MAC address masking. The method of claim 10, The MAC address masking function, A method of simultaneously supporting a plurality of services in a single wireless terminal, which is a function of setting a zero value for any lower bit of a MAC address.

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