LAN with message interleaving
First Claim
1. A method for mobile communication, comprising:
- arranging a plurality of access points in a wireless local area network (WLAN) to communicate on a common frequency channel with a mobile station;
linking the access points together by cables in a wired local area network (LAN), so as to convey frames of data to and from the mobile station via the LAN;
receiving at one or more of the access points an uplink signal transmitted over the WLAN by the mobile station on the common frequency channel;
responsively to receiving the uplink signal, sending one or more messages over the LAN among the access points by interleaving the messages in one or more of the frames of the data;
arbitrating among the access points based on the messages so as to select one of the access points to respond to the uplink signal; and
transmitting a response from the selected one of the access points to the mobile station.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for mobile communication includes arranging a plurality of access points in a wireless local area network (WLAN) to communicate on a common frequency channel with a mobile station, and linking the access points together by cables in a wired local area network (LAN), so as to convey frames of data to and from the mobile station via the LAN. When one or more of the access points receive an uplink signal transmitted over the WLAN by the mobile station on the common frequency channel, the access points send messages over the LAN by interleaving the messages in one or more of the frames of the data, and arbitrate among themselves based on the messages so as to select one of the access points to respond to the uplink signal.
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Citations
81 Claims
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1. A method for mobile communication, comprising:
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arranging a plurality of access points in a wireless local area network (WLAN) to communicate on a common frequency channel with a mobile station;
linking the access points together by cables in a wired local area network (LAN), so as to convey frames of data to and from the mobile station via the LAN;
receiving at one or more of the access points an uplink signal transmitted over the WLAN by the mobile station on the common frequency channel;
responsively to receiving the uplink signal, sending one or more messages over the LAN among the access points by interleaving the messages in one or more of the frames of the data;
arbitrating among the access points based on the messages so as to select one of the access points to respond to the uplink signal; and
transmitting a response from the selected one of the access points to the mobile station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for network communication, comprising:
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linking a plurality of nodes together in a local area network (LAN);
conveying frames of data among the nodes via the LAN in accordance with a first media access control (MAC) protocol; and
sending a message among the nodes over the LAN using a second MAC protocol by interleaving the message in one of the frames of the data. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A system for mobile communication, comprising:
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cables arranged to form a wired local area network (LAN); and
a plurality of access points interconnected by the LAN and arranged in a wireless local area network (WLAN) to communicate on a common frequency channel with a mobile station, the access points being adapted to convey frames of data to and from the mobile station via the LAN, and, upon receiving at one or more of the access points an uplink signal transmitted over the WLAN by the mobile station on the common frequency channel, to send one or more messages over the LAN among the access points by interleaving the messages in one or more of the frames of the data, responsively to receiving the uplink signal, and to arbitrate among the access points based on the messages so as to select one of the access points to respond to the uplink signal, and to transmit a response from the selected one of the access points to the mobile station. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A system for network communication, comprising:
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cables arranged to form a wired local area network (LAN); and
a plurality of nodes, which are linked together by the LAN and are adapted to convey frames of data among the nodes via the LAN in accordance with a first media access control (MAC) protocol, and which are further adapted to send a message among the nodes over the LAN using a second MAC protocol by interleaving the message in one of the frames of the data. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. Access point apparatus for deployment in a wireless local area network (WLAN) as one of a plurality of access points for mobile communication, the apparatus comprising:
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a radio transceiver, which is configured to communicate on a predetermined frequency channel with a mobile station;
a physical layer interface, for connecting the access point to a wired local area network (LAN) interconnecting the access points; and
processing circuitry, which is adapted to convey frames of data to and from the mobile station via the physical layer interface over the LAN, and, when the transceiver receives an uplink signal transmitted over the WLAN by the mobile station on the predetermined frequency channel, to send and receive messages via the physical layer interface over the LAN to and from the plurality of access points by interleaving the messages in one or more of the frames of the data, and to perform an arbitration among the access points based on the messages so as to select one of the access points to respond to the uplink signal, and to control the transceiver so that the transceiver returns a response to the mobile station subject to the arbitration. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. Node apparatus for deployment as one of a plurality of nodes in a local area network (LAN), the apparatus comprising:
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a physical layer interface, for connecting the node to the LAN; and
processing circuitry, which is adapted to convey frames of data among the nodes via the physical layer interface over the LAN in accordance with a first media access control (MAC) protocol, and which is further adapted to send a message among the nodes over the LAN using a second MAC protocol by interleaving the message in one of the frames of the data. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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Specification