US 7224678

Here's a concise summary of US Patent 7224678:

US Patent 7224678

• Title: Wireless local or metropolitan area network with intrusion detection features and related methods
• Original Assignee: Harris Corp
• Current Assignee: Stingray IP Solutions LLC
• Inventors: Thomas Jay Billhartz
• Filing Date: 2002-08-12
• Issue Date: 2007-05-29
• Abstract: A wireless local or metropolitan area network includes a plurality of stations transmitting data using a Media Access Control (MAC) layer, each with a MAC address. A policing station detects intrusions by monitoring transmissions for Frame Check Sequence (FCS) errors from a MAC address. If the number of FCS errors for a MAC address exceeds a threshold, an intrusion alert is generated. The policing station can also detect intrusions based on failed MAC address authentications, illegal Network Allocation Vector (NAV) values, and unexpected contention or contention-free operation.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Claim 1 (System Claim - FCS Errors): A wireless network system is described. It has multiple stations that send data using MAC addresses. A "policing station" monitors these transmissions. If it detects too many Frame Check Sequence (FCS) errors from a particular MAC address (meaning data integrity issues, potentially from an intruder), it generates an alert.
• Claim 12 (System Claim - Failed Authentications): This wireless network system also has stations transmitting data with MAC addresses. The policing station monitors for failed attempts to authenticate MAC addresses. If a certain number of failed authentication attempts for a MAC address are detected, an intrusion alert is generated.
• Claim 22 (System Claim - Illegal NAV Values): This wireless network system involves stations that send Request To Send (RTS) and Clear To Send (CTS) packets before transmitting data. These packets contain a Network Allocation Vector (NAV) that indicates how long the channel will be reserved. The policing station monitors these RTS/CTS packets. If it detects an NAV value that is "illegal" (e.g., outside permitted time limits), it generates an intrusion alert.
• Claim 30 (System Claim - Contention-Free Mode Operation outside CFP): In this wireless network, stations operate in contention-free mode during specific Contention-Free Periods (CFPs) and in contention mode otherwise. The policing station monitors transmissions to detect if any station operates in contention-free mode outside of an authorized CFP. If such unauthorized operation is detected, an intrusion alert is generated.
• Claim 36 (System Claim - Contention Mode Operation during CFP): Similar to claim 30, this wireless network has stations that should operate in contention-free mode during CFPs and contention mode otherwise. The policing station monitors transmissions to detect if any station operates in contention mode during an authorized CFP. If such unexpected contention mode operation is detected, an intrusion alert is generated.
• Claim 42 (Method Claim - FCS Errors): This claim outlines a method for detecting intrusions in a wireless network. It involves stations transmitting data using MAC addresses. The method includes monitoring these transmissions for FCS errors from a MAC address. If the number of FCS errors for that MAC address exceeds a threshold, an intrusion alert is generated.
• Claim 51 (Method Claim - Failed Authentications): This method for intrusion detection involves monitoring transmissions among stations in a wireless network to detect failed attempts to authenticate MAC addresses. An intrusion alert is generated if a certain number of failed authentication attempts for a MAC address are detected.
• Claim 59 (Method Claim - Illegal NAV Values): This method for intrusion detection involves stations transmitting RTS and CTS packets containing NAV values. The method monitors these RTS/CTS packets for illegal NAV values. If an illegal NAV value is detected, an intrusion alert is generated.
• Claim 65 (Method Claim - Contention-Free Mode Operation outside CFP): This method for intrusion detection involves stations operating in contention-free mode during CFPs and contention mode otherwise. The method monitors transmissions to detect contention-free mode operation outside of a CFP. An intrusion alert is generated if this occurs.
• Claim 69 (Method Claim - Contention Mode Operation during CFP): This method for intrusion detection involves stations operating in contention-free mode during CFPs and contention mode otherwise. The method monitors transmissions to detect contention mode operation during a CFP. An intrusion alert is generated if this occurs.

Regarding CAFC 2026 dockets: A search for "US patent 7224678 CAFC 2026 dockets" did not return specific results indicating active CAFC litigation for this patent in 2026. The Google Patents page for US7224678B2 indicates the patent is "Expired - Lifetime" as of 2024-05-20. It also lists several district court cases and one PTAB case (IPR2019-01631) which was settled. Given its expired status, new litigation in 2026, especially at the appellate level, would be unusual unless related to past damages or appeals from earlier cases.