METHOD TO PROVIDE CENTRALLY COORDINATED CONTENTION-FREE CHANNEL ACCESS WITHIN A WIRELESS MESH NETWORK
First Claim
1. In a wireless local area network (WLAN) mesh network of clusters, each cluster having a master node with a plurality of associated slave nodes, a method for coordinating channel access between the clusters, comprising:
- establishing a structure of clusters as a hierarchal mastership, wherein a higher level master node serves a plurality of subservient master nodes; and
centrally controlling the hierarchal mastership by the high level master node using an HCF controlled channel access (HCCA) mechanism.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a wireless local area network (WLAN) mesh network of clusters, each cluster having a master node with a plurality of associated slave nodes, a method an apparatus for coordinating channel access between the clusters. A structure of clusters is established as a hierarchal mastership, wherein a high level master node serves a plurality of subservient master nodes. The hierarchal mastership is controlled by the high level master node using an HCF controlled channel access (HCCA) mechanism. Alternatively, the structure of clusters is configured as a peer-to-peer mastership that controls channel access by a distributed mechanism, such as EDCA.
27 Citations
34 Claims
-
1. In a wireless local area network (WLAN) mesh network of clusters, each cluster having a master node with a plurality of associated slave nodes, a method for coordinating channel access between the clusters, comprising:
-
establishing a structure of clusters as a hierarchal mastership, wherein a higher level master node serves a plurality of subservient master nodes; and
centrally controlling the hierarchal mastership by the high level master node using an HCF controlled channel access (HCCA) mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. In a wireless local area network (WLAN) mesh network of clusters, each cluster having a master node with a plurality of associated slave nodes, a method for coordinating channel access between the clusters, comprising:
-
establishing a structure of clusters in a peer-to-peer mastership, wherein all master nodes are treated as equals; and
controlling the peer-to-peer mastership by a distributed mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A wireless local area network (WLAN), comprising:
-
a mesh network of clusters, each cluster comprising;
a master node and a plurality of associated slave nodes, said clusters, in order to coordinate channel access between the clusters, being configured to provide a hierarchal mastership, wherein a higher level master node is configured to serve a plurality of subservient master nodes of a plurality of lower level clusters; and
the higher level master node having an HCF controlled channel access (HCCA) mechanism for centrally controlling the clusters in the hierarchal mastership. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
32. A wireless local area network (WLAN), comprising:
-
a mesh network of clusters, each cluster comprising a master node and a plurality of associated slave nodes, whereby coordinating channel access between the clusters, comprises;
said clusters being arranged in a peer-to-peer mastership, wherein all master nodes are configured as equals; and
a distributed mechanism controls the peer-to-peer mastership. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
-
Specification