802.11 Phy Hashed SSID

Abstract

An access point (AP) hashes its SSID/BSSID according to a hashing function H and transmits wirelessly the hashed SSID/BSSID within a physical layer frame/packet to a user station (STA). The hashed SSID/BSSID uniquely identifies the AP. In one embodiment, the hashed SSID/BSSID is transmitted within a SIGNAL field of a preamble with the frame/packet. Upon receipt, the user station recovers the hashed SSID/BSSID and compares it to an expected hashed SSID/BSSID (calculated using the same hashing function H and a desired SSID/BSSID). In response to the comparison, the user station performs one or more actions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of communication in a 802.11 compliant wireless local area network (WLAN), the method comprising:
 transmitting a frame having a physical layer header,   wherein the physical layer header includes basic service set identifier (BSSID) related information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the transmitting is performed by an access point (AP). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the BSSID related information is a hash of a BSSID of the compliant WLAN. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the BSSID related information is within a signal field. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the BSSID related information is derived from a BSSID of the compliant WLAN via an exclusive-OR function. 
     
     
         6 . A method of communication in a 802.11 compliant wireless local area network (WLAN) having a basic service set identifier (BSSID) with a first bit length, the method comprising:
 transmitting a frame having BSSID related information,   wherein the BSSID related information has a second bit length substantially less than the first bit length.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the transmitting is performed by an access point (AP). 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the BSSID related information is a hash of the BSSID. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the BSSID related information is within a physical layer header.