Technique for selecting a signal path in an antenna system
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- receiving through an antenna system a first portion of a beacon frame signal via a first signal path and a second portion of said beacon frame signal via a second signal path;
measuring the signal quality of said first portion of said beacon frame signal and of said second portion of said beacon frame signal; and
selecting between said first signal path and said second signal path for receiving a subsequent signal, wherein said selecting is based on the signal quality of said first portion and said second portion of said beacon frame signal.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for selecting between the signal paths of an antenna system is disclosed. The illustrative embodiment provides an efficient selection technique wherein the antenna system is the steerable beam type, in which directionally distinct beams are formed. The illustrative embodiment also provides an efficient selection technique wherein the antenna system is the diversity switching type, in which multiple, distinct antennas are used. The technique in the illustrative embodiment reduces the number of directed (i.e., addressed) frames that are lost compared with other techniques and, as a result, improves network performance.
37 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving through an antenna system a first portion of a beacon frame signal via a first signal path and a second portion of said beacon frame signal via a second signal path;
measuring the signal quality of said first portion of said beacon frame signal and of said second portion of said beacon frame signal; and
selecting between said first signal path and said second signal path for receiving a subsequent signal, wherein said selecting is based on the signal quality of said first portion and said second portion of said beacon frame signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method comprising:
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receiving through an antenna system a first portion of a field that constitutes a beacon frame via a first signal path and a second portion of said field via a second signal path;
measuring the signal quality of said first portion as received via said first signal path and of said second portion as received via said second signal path; and
selecting one of said first signal path and said second signal path for receiving a subsequent signal, wherein said selecting is based on the signal quality of said first portion and said second portion of said field. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method comprising:
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receiving through an antenna system a first signal via a first signal path on a shared-communications channel;
measuring the signal quality of said first signal;
receiving a portion of a beacon frame signal via a second signal path in said shared-communications channel after said receiving of said first signal;
measuring the signal quality of said portion of said beacon frame signal; and
selecting between said first signal path and said second signal path for receiving a subsequent signal, wherein said selecting is based on the signal quality of said first signal and said beacon frame signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus comprising:
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an antenna system for switching between a first signal path and a second signal path;
a receiver for receiving a first portion of a beacon frame signal via said first signal path and a second portion of said beacon frame signal via said second signal path; and
a processor for;
(i) measuring the signal quality of said first portion and said second portion of said beacon frame signal; and
(ii) selecting between said first signal path and said second signal path for doing one of receiving and transmitting a subsequent signal, wherein said selecting is based on the signal quality of said first portion and said second portion of said beacon frame signal. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification