Access Point Data Mirroring Circuit for Simultaneous Traffic Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for capturing and analyzing data traffic in access points (APs) are inadequate as they cannot simultaneously capture both wireless and wired data traffic, leading to inefficiencies and potential data packet loss or misarrangement, and require external devices that occupy network interfaces and increase bandwidth usage.
Innovation Solution
An access point (AP) with a data mirroring circuit that can simultaneously capture both wireless and wired data traffic and mirror it to a communication port, such as a USB port, eliminating the need for external devices and reducing network bandwidth usage by utilizing the AP's internal processing and storage capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If external devices are used to capture data traffic, then data capture capability is improved, but network interface occupancy and bandwidth usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the data capture functionality with the access point itself by integrating a data mirroring circuit within the AP. This allows the AP to simultaneously capture both wireless and wired data traffic through its internal circuitry, eliminating the need for separate external capture devices and reducing network interface occupancy while maintaining reliable data capture capability
Solution Approach 2:
The access point is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a network connection device and as a data capture device. The data mirroring circuit enables the AP to perform multiple functions: providing wireless and wired network connections while simultaneously capturing and mirroring data traffic to external devices through USB or other communication ports
2Reliability
If external devices are used to capture data traffic, then data capture capability is improved, but bandwidth usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data capture function from external devices and relocates it to the access point's internal data mirroring circuit. This extraction allows the AP to capture data traffic locally without requiring external devices to consume network bandwidth, thereby reducing overall bandwidth usage while maintaining effective data capture capability
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate capture methods are used for wireless and wired traffic, then capture coverage is improved, but device complexity and port occupancy increase
Solution Approach 1:
The data mirroring circuit combines the capture of both wireless and wired data traffic into a single integrated system within the access point. This unified approach allows simultaneous capture of multiple traffic types through one circuit, eliminating the need for separate capture methods and reducing port occupancy while maintaining comprehensive capture coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The access point achieves universality by designing a single data mirroring circuit that can handle multiple types of data traffic (both wireless and wired) simultaneously. This multi-functional capability allows the AP to provide comprehensive capture coverage without requiring separate dedicated devices or ports for each traffic type
Data Source
AI summary
Examples described herein relate to an access point (AP) capable of simultaneously capturing both wireless data traffic and wired data traffic and mirroring the captured data traffic to a communication port on the AP. The AP includes a data mirroring circuit to capture the wireless data traffic and/or wired data traffic and mirror the captured data traffic to the communication port so that the captured data is transferred to an external device (e.g., a USB flash drive) connected to the communication port. In some examples, to enable the capturing and mirroring of the data traffic, the AP includes a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver captures the wireless data traffic and the wired data traffic transmitted and received by a data processing circuit of the AP, and the transmitter transmits the captured data traffic to the communication port to store the captured data traffic in the external device.