METHOD FOR ALLOCATING DATA-TRANSMISSION RESOURCES, AND CORRESPONDING SWITCHING METHOD, ACCESS POINT, TERMINAL, COMPUTER PROGRAM AND SIGNAL

• US 20120294246A1
• Filed: 11/10/2010
• Published: 11/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Cariou, Laurent, Christin, Philippe, Bernard, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,071,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0005 Control or signalling for completing the hand-off
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/06 Reselecting a communication resource in the serving access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for allocating resources in a communication network including at least one access point exchanging data with at least one terminal connected thereto, and managing at least two communication channels. The method in the access point implements a phase of associating and authenticating a terminal with the access point, including a step of associating a unique identifier with the terminal, and a phase of managing the assembly of channels. The phase of managing includes implementing a reference table associating one of the channels to a terminal identified by the unique identifier thereof, including the following steps: detecting a switching of a terminal connected with the access point, from an initial channel to a destination channel; and updating the reference table to associate the unique identifier of the terminal to the destination channel.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A method for allocating data-transmission resources in a communications network comprising at least one access point exchanging data with at least one terminal linked to the access point, and managing a set of at least two communications channels, wherein the method comprises:

said access point implementing a phase of associating and authenticating a terminal with said access point, comprising a step of associating, with said terminal, a unique identifier in said access point; and

said access point implementing a phase of managing said set of channels, implementing a reference table associating, with a terminal, identified by its unique identifier, one of said channels, said phase of managing comprising the following steps;

detecting a switching of a terminal linked to said access point, from a first channel, called an initial channel, to a second channel, called a destination channel; and

updating said reference table to associate the unique identifier of said terminal with said destination channel.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said phase of associating and authenticating also comprises a step of exchanging at least one encryption key between said access point and said terminal, said encryption key or keys being common for said set of channels.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method comprises, in said access point, a step of sending, on said initial channel, a command configured for changing a channel allocated to a terminal linked to said access point, said command configured for changing an allocated channel comprising at least said identifier of the terminal and an identifier of said destination channel.

14. The method according to claim 13,wherein said command configured for changing a channel comprises a field for designating the concerned terminals, comprising a plurality of bits, each associated with one of the terminals, and taking a first value when the terminal must do the switching towards the destination channel and a second value when it must keep the initial channel.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method further comprises a phase of synchronizing the initial and destination channels, comprising a step of simultaneously sending a first beacon on said first initial channel and a second beacon on said destination channel.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method comprises a step of sending, from said access point to at least one terminal linked to said access point, on said initial channel, at least one piece of information on the state of at least one channel distinct from said initial channel.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said at least one piece of information on the state of at least one channel distinct from said initial channel is transmitted by encapsulation in a beacon of said initial channel.

18. A method for switching data transmission from an initial channel to a destination channel, in a terminal associated with an access point of a communications network, said access point managing a set of at least two communications channels, wherein the method comprises, in said terminal:

a phase of associating and authenticating with said access point, comprising a step of obtaining a unique identifier in said access point, and

a phase of managing the switching implementing the following steps;

determining a destination channel managed by said access point, by processing at least one piece of information received from said access point; and

switching the data transmission from said initial channel to said determined destination channel, without modifying said identifier.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said piece of information received from said access point comprises a command for changing a channel allocated to said terminal, comprising at least one piece of information for identifying said terminal and an identifier of said destination channel.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the method comprises, in said terminal, the following steps:

receiving, on said initial channel, at least one piece of information pertaining to the state of at least one other channel managed by said access point; and

deciding to switch from said initial channel to a destination channel, as a function of said at least one piece of information pertaining to the state of at least one other channel.

21. An access point in a communications network, exchanging data with at least one terminal linked to the access point, and managing a set of at least two communications channels, wherein the access point comprises:

a processor configured to perform steps of;

implementing a phase of associating and authenticating a terminal with said access point, comprising a step of associating, with said terminal, a unique identifier in said access point, and

implementing a phase of managing said set of channels, implementing a reference table associating with a terminal, identified by its unique identifier, one of said channels, and comprising;

detecting a switching of a terminal linked to said access point, from a first channel, called an initial channel, to a second channel, called a destination channel; and

updating said reference table to associate the unique identifier of said terminal with said destination channel.

22. A terminal of a communications network, exchanging data with an access point to which it is linked, on a communications channel, called an initial channel, chosen from a set of at least two communications channels, managed by said access point, wherein the terminal comprises:

a processor configured to perform steps of;

implementing a phase of associating and authenticating with said access point, comprising a step of obtaining a unique identifier in said access point, and

implementing a phase of managing the switching by;

determining a destination channel managed by said access point, by processing at least one piece of information received from said access point; and

switching the data transmission from said initial channel to said determined destination channel, without modifying said identifier.

23. A non-transitory computer readable memory comprising a computer program stored thereon, comprising instructions for implementing a method for allocating data-transmission resources in a communications network comprising at least one access point exchanging data with at least one terminal linked to the access point, and managing a set of at least two communications channels, when this program is executed by a processor, wherein the instructions comprise:

instructions configured to implement in said access point a phase of associating and authenticating a terminal with said access point, comprising a step of associating, with said terminal, a unique identifier in said access point; and

instructions configured to implement in said access point a phase of managing said set of channels, implementing a reference table associating, with a terminal, identified by its unique identifier, one of said channels, said phase of managing comprising the following steps;

detecting a switching of a terminal linked to said access point, from a first channel, called an initial channel, to a second channel, called a destination channel; and

updating said reference table to associate the unique identifier of said terminal with said destination channel.

24. A non-transitory computer readable memory comprising a computer program stored thereon, comprising instructions for implementing a method for switching data transmission from an initial channel to a destination channel, in a terminal associated with an access point of a communications network, said access point managing a set of at least two communications channels, wherein the instructions comprise:

instructions configured to implement in said terminal a phase of associating and authenticating with said access point, comprising a step of obtaining a unique identifier in said access point, and

instructions configured to implement in said terminal a phase of managing the switching implementing the following steps;

determining a destination channel managed by said access point, by processing at least one piece of information received from said access point; and

switching the data transmission from said initial channel to said determined destination channel, without modifying said identifier.