System and method for providing a mesh network using a plurality of wireless access points (WAPs)

• US 20040114546A1
• Filed: 06/26/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Seshadri, Nambirajan, Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Granted Patent: US 7,787,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/310.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1607 Details of the supervisory signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/125 by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/767 after changing the attachment point, e.g. after hand-off
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/16 for PBS [Private Base Station] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/12 using signalling between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/20 Negotiating bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/302 due to low signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 : Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 : between access points

Abstract

A first access point located in a first cell may be coupled to a second access point located in a second cell. Service may be initially provided to an access device by the first access point cell. The access device may subsequently be serviced by a second access point whenever a signal for the access device falls below a specified threshold level. The second cell may be a neighboring cell, which may be located adjacent to the first cell. A first signal may be transmitted from a first beamforming antenna coupled to the first access point, to the second access point via an uplink channel. Similarly, a second signal may be transmitted from a second beamforming antenna coupled to the second access point, to the first access point via a downlink channel. The uplink and downlink channels may be a backhaul channel.

Claims

1. A method for providing a mesh network using a plurality of access points, the method comprising:

coupling a first access point located in a first cell to at least a second access point located in a second cell;

providing service initially to at least one of a plurality of access devices by said at least a first access point located in said first cell; and

servicing said at least one of a plurality of access devices by said at least a second access point located in said second cell whenever a signal for said at least one of a plurality of access devices falls below a specified threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least a second cell is a neighboring cell located adjacent to said first cell.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising transmitting a first signal from a first beamforming antenna coupled to said first access point, to said at least a second access point.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising transmitting a second signal from a second beamforming antenna coupled to said at least a second access point, to said first access point.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein a path for facilitating said transmitting said first signal between said first beamforming antenna and said second beamforming antenna is an uplink channel.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a path for facilitating said transmitting of said second signal between said second beamforming antenna and said first beamforming antenna is a downlink channel.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said uplink and said downlink channel is a backhaul channel.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising coupling said first access point located in a first cell to at least a third access point located in said first cell.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising servicing said at least one of a plurality of access devices by said at least a third access point located in said first cell whenever a signal for said at least one of a plurality of access devices falls below a specified threshold.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein at least one of said first access point and said at least one of a plurality of access devices determines when said signal for said at least one of a plurality of access devices falls below a specified threshold.

11. A machine-readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having at least one code section for facilitating communication in a mesh network using a plurality of access points, the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps comprising:

coupling a first access point located in a first cell to at least a second access point located in a second cell;

providing service initially to at least one of a plurality of access devices by said at least a first access point located in said first cell; and

servicing said at least one of a plurality of access devices by said at least a second access point located in said second cell whenever a signal for said at least one of a plurality of access devices falls below a specified threshold.

12. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said at least a second cell is a neighboring cell located adjacent to said first cell.

13. The machine-readable storage according to claim 12, further comprising code for transmitting a first signal from a first beamforming antenna coupled to said first access point, to said at least a second access point.

14. The machine-readable storage according to claim 13, further comprising code for transmitting a second signal from a second beamforming antenna coupled to said at least a second access point, to said first access point.

15. The machine-readable storage according to claim 14, wherein a path for facilitating said transmitting of said first signal between said first beamforming antenna and said second beamforming antenna is an uplink channel.

16. The machine-readable storage according to claim 15, wherein a path for facilitating said transmitting of said second signal between said second beamforming antenna and said first beamforming antenna is a downlink channel.

17. The machine-readable storage according to claim 16, wherein said uplink channel and said downlink channel is a backhaul channel.

18. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, further comprising code for connecting said first access point located in a first cell to at least a third access point located in said first cell.

19. The machine-readable storage according to claim 18, further comprising code for servicing said at least one of a plurality of access devices by said at least a third access point located in said first cell whenever a signal for said at least one of a plurality of access devices falls below a specified threshold.

20. The machine-readable storage according to claim 19, wherein at least one of said first access point and said at least one of a plurality of access devices comprises code for determining when said signal for said at least one of a plurality of access devices falls below a specified threshold.

21. A system for providing a mesh network using a plurality of access points, the system comprising:

means for coupling a first access point located in a first cell to at least a second access point located in a second cell;

means for providing service initially to at least one of a plurality of access devices by said at least a first access point located in said first cell; and

means for servicing said at least one of a plurality of access devices by said at least a second access point located in said second cell whenever a signal for said at least one of a plurality of access devices falls below a specified threshold.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said at least a second cell is a neighboring cell located adjacent to said first cell.

23. The system according to claim 22, comprising a first beamforming antenna coupled to said first access point for transmitting a first signal from said first access point to said at least a second access point.

24. The system according to claim 23, comprising a second beamforming antenna coupled to said at least a second access point for transmitting a second signal from said at least a second access point to said first access point.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein a path for facilitating said transmitting between said first beamforming antenna and said second beamforming antenna is an uplink channel.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein a path for facilitating said transmitting between said second beamforming antenna and said first beamforming antenna is a downlink channel.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein said uplink channel and said downlink channel is a backhaul channel.

28. The system according to claim 21, further comprising coupling said first access point located in a first cell to at least a third access point located in said first cell.

29. The system according to claim 28, further comprising servicing said at least one of a plurality of access devices by said at least a third access point located in said first cell whenever a signal for said at least one of a plurality of access devices falls below a specified threshold.

30. The system according to claim 29, wherein at least one of said first access point and said at least one of a plurality of access devices determines when said signal for said at least one of a plurality of access devices falls below a specified threshold.