Wireless Repeater Forwarding Encrypted Frames Without Decryption

Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional wireless signal repeating processes are complex and resource-intensive, causing significant network latencies due to the need for decryption and re-encryption of IEEE 802.11 frames in wireless communication devices far from access points or blocked by obstacles.

Innovation Solution

A wireless communication system comprising a communication device, a repeater, and an access point with packet transceiver and computing circuits that manage frames with specific address formats, allowing for forwarding of encrypted frames without decryption and re-encryption, reducing system resource consumption and latency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the wireless repeater decrypts and re-encrypts the IEEE 802.11 frame body in the packet, then the wireless communication device can connect to the wireless access point through the repeater, but the system resources are consumed heavily and network latencies are significant

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveconnectivityVSAvoidnetwork latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the frame body from the decryption/encryption process. The repeater only processes the frame header (modifying addresses) while leaving the encrypted frame body intact, thereby eliminating the resource-intensive decryption and re-encryption operations while maintaining connectivity functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a special encrypted frame format where the frame body remains encrypted but is handled as an intermediary element that passes through the repeater without decryption. This allows the repeater to forward packets without performing the harmful decryption operation, reducing latency while maintaining security

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the wireless repeater decrypts and re-encrypts the IEEE 802.11 frame body in the packet, then the wireless communication device can connect to the wireless access point through the repeater, but the system resources are consumed heavily

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveconnectivityVSAvoidsystem resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the frame body from the decryption/encryption process. The repeater only processes the frame header (modifying addresses) while leaving the encrypted frame body intact, thereby eliminating the resource-intensive decryption and re-encryption operations while maintaining connectivity functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The encrypted frame body serves itself by passing through the repeater without requiring external decryption services. The frame maintains its encrypted state throughout the forwarding process, allowing the repeater to operate with minimal resource consumption while the original encryption provides security

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If the traditional wireless repeating establishment process is used, then the wireless communication device can connect to the wireless repeater, but the process is complex involving inquiries, identity authentication, association, and key negotiations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnectivity establishmentVSAvoidrepeating establishment process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the connectivity establishment process by having the wireless communication device directly associate with the wireless access point, bypassing the need for separate repeater association steps. The repeater operates transparently in the background, eliminating the complex multi-step authentication and key negotiation process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20240147345A1Wireless communication device, wireless repeater, and wireless access point

Publication Date: 2024.05.02 REALTEK SEMICON CORP

AI summary

A wireless repeater is in communication with a wireless communication device and a wireless access point (AP) and includes a packet transceiver circuit and a computing circuit. The computing circuit is configured to control the packet transceiver circuit to receive from the wireless communication device or the wireless access point a first frame that includes a first receiver address, a first transmitter address, a first destination address, and a first source address, and to control the packet transceiver circuit to send a second frame to the wireless AP or the wireless communication device, the second frame including a second receiver address, a second transmitter address, a second destination address, and a second source address. The first source address is identical to the second source address, the first destination address is identical to the second destination address, and the first receiver address is identical to the second transmitter address.