Locally adminstered mac address based method for selectively and efficiently identifying enhanced version nodes of standards

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide a method for selectively identifying nodes implemented enhanced version of a protocol standard by creating a random locally administered MAC address and advertising said random locally administered MAC address as the address that implies a particular protocol amendment of a protocol standard.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
   
   
       13 . A method for selectively identifying nodes implementing enhanced version of a protocol standard, said method comprising:
 creating a random locally administered MAC address;   advertising to a network said random locally administered MAC address as the address that implies a particular protocol amendment of the protocol standard.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 propagating said random locally administered MAC address across a network using a plurality of beacons, in an Information Element.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 reserving said random locally administered MAC address to mean those nodes which are capable of said particular protocol amendment.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 sending, via a transceiver, a packet addressed to at least a one of the reserved addresses to indicate that the packet has special significance related to said particular protocol amendment.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving a packet at a receiver;   comparing the address of the packet with the receivers address and that of the specially reserved addressed;   determining if the receiver needs to process the packet or not.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 checking the address of the packet against a list of reserved addresses to determine if the packet has special meaning for nodes capable of one of the protocol enhancements; and   treating the packet as if it was addressed to all nodes capable of the specific protocol amendment, or as per the enhanced protocol in the protocol amendment, If the destination address in the received packet matches one of the reserved addresses.