US 12003976

Here's a concise summary of US patent 12003976:

US Patent 12003976

• Title: Method and apparatus for processing bandwidth intensive data streams using virtual media access control and physical layers
• Assignee: Xifi Networks R and D Inc.
• Inventor: Sai C. Manapragada
• Filing Date: March 4, 2024
• Issue Date: June 4, 2024 (listed as Publication Date on Google Patents, which for a B1 patent indicates grant/issue date)
• Abstract: A wireless networking system is disclosed. The system includes an application layer with applications having wireless bandwidth requirements. It employs first and second wireless transceiver resources, each linked to an actual MAC and PHY layer, with their own bandwidth availabilities. A processing layer evaluates these requirements and availabilities. This processing layer contains a bandwidth allocator that assigns portions of the first and second actual bandwidths to virtual MAC and virtual PHY layers to fulfill the application layer's wireless bandwidth requirement.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Claim 1: This claim describes a wireless networking device (e.g., a wireless access point) that handles high-bandwidth data streams using virtualization. It connects an application (with a data stream and bandwidth need) to physical wireless transceivers through virtual and actual MAC/PHY layers. The device is configured to:
  • Set up a connection (association) for a recipient with both the first and second actual MAC and PHY interfaces.
  • Identify a specific portion of the first transceiver's bandwidth resources.
  • Check if any of these identified resources are unavailable.
  • Transmit the application's data stream using only the available frequencies within that identified bandwidth portion, without requiring the recipient to disconnect from either actual MAC/PHY interface.
  • Crucially, this utilization of a portion of the first transceiver's bandwidth does not prevent other devices from using the remaining bandwidth of that same transceiver simultaneously for other data transmission or reception.
• Claim 14 (dependent on Claim 1, but includes independent method steps): This claim expands on Claim 1 by allowing the processing interface to identify multiple, non-contiguous portions of the first wireless transceiver's bandwidth. It then evaluates the availability of resources within these multiple portions and uses subsets of frequencies from the available resources across these non-contiguous portions to transmit the data stream, still without disassociating the recipient.
• Claim 18 (dependent on Claim 1, but includes independent method steps): This claim addresses scenarios where the first wireless transceiver's identified bandwidth portion is unavailable. In such cases, the processing interface will:
  • Identify a portion of the second wireless transceiver's bandwidth resources.
  • Evaluate its availability.
  • If the first transceiver's portion is unavailable and the second transceiver's portion is available, use the second transceiver to transmit the data stream, again without requiring recipient disassociation, and only using available frequencies.
  • Similar to Claim 1, this utilization of the second transceiver's bandwidth portion does not prevent other devices from using its remaining bandwidth simultaneously.
• Claim 19 (dependent on Claim 18, but includes independent method steps): Building on Claim 18, if both the first and second transceivers' identified bandwidth portions are available, the processing interface evaluates their data transfer characteristics (e.g., based on environmental conditions). It then selects the transceiver with the better characteristics to transmit the data stream to the recipient, maintaining transparency to layers above the processing interface and without disassociating the recipient.
• Claim 21 (dependent on Claim 1, but includes independent method steps): This claim introduces bandwidth aggregation. The processing interface is configured to aggregate the identified bandwidth portion of the first wireless transceiver with a portion of the available bandwidth of the second wireless transceiver. This allows the device to simultaneously transmit the first data stream to the recipient from both transceivers.
• Claim 23 (dependent on Claim 21, but includes independent method steps): This claim, building on Claim 21, applies the aggregation concept to reception. The processing interface aggregates bandwidth portions from both transceivers to cause them to simultaneously receive a second data stream from the recipient.
• Claim 25 (dependent on Claim 1, but includes independent method steps): This claim describes simultaneous transmit and receive operations using different transceivers. The processing interface identifies an available bandwidth portion on both the first and second transceivers. It then uses the first transceiver to transmit the first data stream and the second transceiver to simultaneously receive a second data stream from the recipient, using only available frequencies. This happens transparently and without disassociation, and the utilization of these bandwidth portions does not prevent other devices from using the remaining bandwidths of both transceivers.
• Claim 29 (dependent on Claim 25, but includes independent method steps): This claim builds on Claim 25 by allowing the processing interface to identify additional (second) portions of bandwidth available for communication on the first wireless transceiver. It then uses the first transceiver to transmit the first data stream, utilizing both the first and second identified bandwidth portions that are available, transparently and without disassociation.
• Claim 30 (dependent on Claim 29, but includes independent method steps): This claim, dependent on Claim 29, further allows the processing interface to identify additional (second) portions of bandwidth available on the second wireless transceiver. It then uses the second transceiver to receive the second data stream from the recipient, utilizing both the first and second identified bandwidth portions of the second transceiver that are available, transparently and without disassociation.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:

A search of CAFC 2026 dockets did not return any specific litigation or appeals directly involving US Patent 12003976. The search results provided general CAFC case summaries and news from 2026, but no mention of this particular patent number.