Distributed MAC architecture for wireless repeater
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for handing over a mobile device between repeaters in a communications network, comprising:
- a switch including a first instance of a switch media access control (MAC) sublayer;
a first repeater including a first instance of a repeater MAC sublayer, the mobile station being associated with the first repeater; and
a second repeater including a second instance of the repeater MAC sublayer,wherein the first instance of the switch MAC sublayer and the first instance and the second instance of the repeater MAC sublayer are arranged to form a first logical access point, the first logical access point being configured to allow the mobile station to be handed over from the first repeater to the second repeater without having to re-associate with the second repeater.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for communicating between devices is described. In one embodiment, the method comprises running two or more instances of a switch MAC sublayer on a switch and managing the two or more instances of the switch MAC sublayer as multiple logical access points inside the switch.
61 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A system for handing over a mobile device between repeaters in a communications network, comprising:
-
a switch including a first instance of a switch media access control (MAC) sublayer; a first repeater including a first instance of a repeater MAC sublayer, the mobile station being associated with the first repeater; and a second repeater including a second instance of the repeater MAC sublayer, wherein the first instance of the switch MAC sublayer and the first instance and the second instance of the repeater MAC sublayer are arranged to form a first logical access point, the first logical access point being configured to allow the mobile station to be handed over from the first repeater to the second repeater without having to re-associate with the second repeater. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A system for handing over a mobile device between repeaters in a communications network, comprising:
-
a first logical network, the first logical network including a first instance of a switch media access control (MAC) sublayer, and a first and a second instance of a repeater MAC sublayer, wherein the first logical network is configured to allow the mobile station to be handed over from the first instance of the repeater MAC sublayer to the second instance of the repeater MAC sublayer without having to re-associate with the second instance of the repeater MAC sublayer. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method for handing over a mobile device between repeaters in a communications network, comprising:
-
(a) associating the mobile station with a first repeater having a first instance of a repeater media access control (MAC) sublayer; (b) sending an association request to a switch having a first instance of the switch MAC sublayer to hand over the mobile station to a second repeater, the second repeater including a second instance of the repeater MAC sublayer; and (c) sending a response to the second repeater that the mobile station is associated with the first instance of the switch MAC sublayer; (d) handing over the mobile station from the first repeater to the second repeater without having to re-associate the mobile station with the second repeater. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification