Method for performing wireless switching

• US 20040004951A1
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zuniga, Juan Carlos, Hunkeler, Teresa Joanne
• Application Number:
  US10/334,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20040004951A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0023 Time-frequency-space
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/046 the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A wireless LAN (WLAN) system for communications among a plurality of users within a basic service system or cell comprising a switching access point (SAP) for transmitting and receiving point-to-multipoint communications to and from the users. A plurality of ports are available at the SAP, each of which assigned to a unique carrier frequency for isolating communications among the users to prevent collisions, with the ability of frequency assignment to be non-permanent, and a capability of dynamic or pseudo-random carrier assignment. An alternative embodiment of the SAP uses beamforming to provide spatial ports for assignments to the plurality of users.

Claims

1. A wireless LAN (WLAN) system for communications among a plurality of users within a basic service system or cell, comprising:

a switching access point (SAP) for transmitting and receiving point-to-multipoint communications to and from the users; and

a plurality of ports, each of which assigned to a unique carrier frequency for isolating communications among the users to prevent collisions;

wherein said assignment of frequencies is not permanent, and instead has capability of dynamic or pseudo-random carrier assignment.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said not permanent assignment is the dynamic carrier assignment which is achieved by request-to-send signals from the users and clear-to-send signals from the SAP.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said clear-to-send signals indicate a frequency assigned to the users.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said clear-to-send signals indicate a pseudo-random carrier assignment to the users.

5. The system of claim 1 whereby said pseudo-random carrier assignment is achieved by frequency hopping of the users along a sequence of changing carriers, said sequence known a priori by the users and the SAP.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein beamforming is used to create said spatial ports.

6. A wireless LAN (WLAN) system for communications among a plurality of users within a basic service system or cell, comprising:

a switching access point (SAP) for transmitting and receiving point-to-multipoint communications to and from the users; and

a plurality of ports, each of which assigned to a unique spatial beam for isolating communications among the users to prevent collisions;

wherein the SAP receives more than one spatial beam at once.

8. A wireless LAN (WLAN) user terminal comprising:

a multiple frequency transmitter for transmitting a request-to-send message and for transmitting data over an assigned transmit carrier;

a multiple frequency receiver for receiving a clear-to-send signal over a first frequency and for receiving data over an assigned receive carrier; and

a frequency controller, operatively coupled to the multiple frequency receiver, for determining the assigned transmit and the assigned receive carrier of the user terminal using the received clear-to-send signal.

9. The WLAN user terminal of claim 8 wherein the clear-to-send signal indicating a pseudo-random transmit and receive carrier assignment.