Wireless local area network system with improved transfer efficiency and data transfer method for same

• US 5,592,468 A
• Filed: 07/13/1995
• Issued: 01/07/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Sato, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau T.
• Application Number:
  US08/501,958
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 370/17, 370/95.1, 370/82, 370/79, 370/83, 370/94.1, 370/110.1, 370/110.4, 371/2.1, 371/5.1, 371/5.5, 371/32, 371/33, 371/34, 340/825.06
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1685 the supervisory signal being transmitted in response to a specific request, e.g. to a polling signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A pair of stations are associated with each other so that a data frame is transmittable from either to the other, the data frame including as basic fields thereof a header field, a data field with a data sequence, and a frame check field. The former comprises a calculator for calculating a total length of the basic fields, as a basic length, and/or for calculating a current error rate, a controller depending on the basic length and/or the current error rate to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a request for an acknowledgment of a reception of an entire length of the data frame by the latter, and a formatter for formatting the data sequence into the data frame, the formatter being responsive to the affirmative decision to combine the basic fields and a message field containing the request, to constitute the data frame.

Claims

1. A wireless LAN system, comprising:

a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame including as basic fields thereof a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station;

said first station comprising;

a calculation means for calculating a total length of said basic fields of said first frame, as a basic length of said first frame;

a first control means for depending on said basic length of said first frame to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first message for requesting an acknowledgment of a reception of said entire length of said first frame by said second station;

a formatter means for formatting said data sequence into said first frame;

said formatter means being responsive to said affirmative decision to combine said basic fields of said first frame and a first message field containing said first message, to thereby constitute said first frame; and

a first transmission means for transmitting said first frame.

2. A wireless LAN system according to claim 1, wherein said second frame consists of a second header field, a second message field with a second message comprising either of a third message and a fourth message respresentative of said acknowledgment of said reception and a negation thereof, respectively, and a second frame check field, and

wherein said first station further comprises:

a first reception means for receiving said second frame transmitted in response to said first frame received by said second station;

a first detection means for detecting said second message to generate a first detection signal having a first state and a second state thereof representative of said third and fourth messages, respectively;

said first control means being responsive to said second state of said first detection signal to generate a first command; and

said first transmission means being responsive to said first command to retransmit said first frame.

3. A wireless LAN system according to claim 2, wherein said first control means responds to said first state of said first detection signal so that said first command is not generated.

4. A wireless LAN system according to claim 2, wherein said first transmission means and said first reception means comprise radio circuitry selectively operable as one of said first transmission means and said first reception means.

5. A wireless LAN system according to claim 2, wherein said first station further comprises a memory means for storing therein said first frame.

6. A wireless LAN system according to claim 2, wherein said second station comprising:

a second reception means for receiving said first frame;

a second detection means for detecting said first message in said first frame and for responding to a presence of said first message to detect said reception of said entire length of said first frame to generate a second detection signal having a first state and a second state thereof representative of an occurrence and an unoccurrence of said reception, respectively;

a second control means for responding to said first state of said second detection signal to generate a second command; and

a second transmission means for responding to said second command to transmit said second frame.

7. A wireless LAN system according to claim 6, wherein said second control means responds to said second state of said second detection signal so that said second command is not generated.

8. A wireless LAN system according to claim 6, wherein said second transmission means and said second reception means comprise radio circuitry selectively operable as one of said second transmission means and said second reception means.

9. A wireless LAN system according to claim 1, wherein said reception of said entire length of said first frame by said second station is defined in terms of a complete reception without a transmission error between said first and second stations.

10. A wireless LAN system according to claim 1, wherein said formatter means responds to said negative decision to constitute said first frame by said basic fields thereof.

11. A wireless LAN system according to claim 1, wherein said first frame formatted in response to said affirmative decision comprises said first header field including a first identifier for identifying said first station as an initiator and a second identifier for identifying said second station as a recipient, said data field following said first header field, said first message field following said data field, and said first frame check field following said first message field.

12. A wireless LAN system according to claim 1, wherein said first control means compares said basic length of said first frame with a threshold value, and makes said affirmative decision when said basic length is larger than said threshold value.

13. A wireless LAN system according to claim 1, wherein said calculation means calculates a length difference between said basic length of said first frame and a field length of said data field, and

wherein said first control means makes said affirmative decision when said length difference is equal to or larger than said field length of said data field.

14. A wireless LAN system, comprising:

a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame including as basic fields thereof a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station;

said first station comprising;

a calculation means for calculating a total length of said basic fields of said first frame, as a basic length of said first frame;

a first control means for depending on said basic length of said first frame to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first message for requesting an interruption of an acknowledgment of a reception of said entire length of said first frame by said second station;

a formatter means for formatting said data sequence into said first frame;

said formatter means being responsive to said affirmative decision to combine said basic fields of said first frame and a first message field containing said first message, to thereby constitute said first frame; and

a first transmission means for transmitting said first frame.

15. A wireless LAN system according to claim 14, wherein said second frame consists of a second header field, a second message field with a second message comprising either of a third message and a fourth message respresentative of said acknowledgment of said reception and a negation thereof, respectively, and a second frame check field, and

wherein said first station further comprises:

a first reception means for receiving said second frame transmitted in response to said first frame received by said second station;

a first detection means for detecting said second message to generate a first detection signal having a first state and a second state thereof representative of said third and fourth messages, respectively;

said first control means being responsive to said second state of said first detection signal to generate a first command, subject to said negative decision; and

said first transmission means being responsive to said first command to retransmit said first frame.

16. A wireless LAN system according to claim 15, wherein said first control means responds to said first state of said first detection signal under said affirmative decision so that said first command is not generated.

17. A wireless LAN system according to claim 15, wherein said first station further comprises a memory means for storing therein said first frame.

18. A wireless LAN system according to claim 15, wherein said second station comprising:

a second reception means for receiving said first frame;

a second detection means for detecting said first message in said first frame to generate a second detection signal having a first state and a second state thereof representative of a presence and an absence of said first message, respectively;

a second control means for responding to said first state of said second detection signal to generate a second command; and

a second transmission means for responding to said second command to interrupt transmitting said second frame.

19. A wireless LAN system according to claim 18, wherein said first control means responds to said second state of said second detection signal so that said first command is not generated.

20. A wireless LAN system according to claim 14, wherein said first control means compares said basic length of said first frame with a threshold value, and makes said affirmative decision when said basic length is smaller than said threshold value.

21. A wireless LAN system, comprising:

a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame being composed of a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, a first message field, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station, said second frame being composed of a second header field, a second message field, and a second frame check field;

said first station comprising;

a calculation means for calculating said entire length of said first frame;

a first control means for depending on said entire length of said first frame to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first request message for requesting an acknowledgment of a reception of said first frame by said second station;

a formatter means for formatting said data sequence into said first frame;

said formatter means being responsive to said affirmative decision to place said first request message in said first message field, and to said negative decision to place in said first message field a second request message for requesting an interruption of said acknowledgment of said reception by said second station;

a first transmission means for transmitting said first frame;

a first reception means for receiving said second frame transmitted in response to said first frame received by said second station, said second frame having in said second message field either of a first response message representative of said acknowledgment of said reception and a second response message respresentative of a negation thereof;

a first detection means for detecting either of said first and second response messages in said second message field to generate a first detection signal having a first state and a second state thereof representative of a presence of said first response message and that of said second response message, respectively;

said first control means being responsive to said second state of said first detection signal to generate a first command, subject to said affirmative decision; and

said first transmission means being responsive to said first command to retransmit said first frame.

22. A wireless LAN system according to claim 21, wherein said first station further comprises a memory means for storing therein said first frame.

23. A wireless LAN system according to claim 21, wherein said second station comprises:

a second reception means for receiving said first frame;

a second detection means for detecting either of said first and second request messages in said first message field and for responding to a presence thereof to detect either of an occurrence and an unoccurrence of said reception to generate a second detection signal having a first state and a second state thereof representative of said occurrence and said unoccurrence, respectively;

a second control means for responding to said first state of said second detection signal to generate a second command and to said second state of said second detection signal to generate a third command; and

a second transmission means for responding to said second command to transmit said second frame with said first response message in said second message field and to said third command to transmit said second frame with said second response message in said second message field.

24. A wireless LAN system according to claim 21, wherein said first control means compares said basic length of said first frame with a threshold value, and makes said affirmative decision when said basic length is larger than said threshold value.

25. A wireless LAN system, comprising:

a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame including as basic fields thereof a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station;

said first station comprising;

a calculation means for calculating a total length of said basic fields of said first frame, as a basic length of said first frame;

a first control means for depending on said basic length of said first frame to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first message for requesting a response to a reception of said first frame by said second station, said response being representative of a transmission error of said first frame between said first and second stations;

a formatter means for formatting said data sequence into said first frame;

said formatter means being responsive to said affirmative decision to combine said basic fields of said first frame and a first message field containing said first message, to thereby constitute said first frame; and

a first transmission means for transmitting said first frame.

26. A wireless LAN system according to claim 25, wherein said second frame consists of a second header field, a second message field with a second message comprising either of a third message and a fourth message respresentative of an occurrence and an unoccurrence of said transmission error, respectively, and a second frame check field, and

wherein said first station further comprises:

a first reception means for receiving said second frame transmitted in response to said first frame received by said second station;

a first detection means for detecting said second message to generate a first detection signal having a first state and a second state thereof representative of said third and fourth messages, respectively;

said first control means being responsive to said second state of said first detection signal to generate a first command; and

said first transmission means being responsive to said first command to retransmit said first frame.

27. A wireless LAN system according to claim 26, wherein said first station further comprises a memory means for storing therein said first frame.

28. A wireless LAN system according to claim 26, wherein said second station comprises:

a second reception means for receiving said first frame;

a second detection means for detecting said first message in said first frame and for responding to a presence of said first message to check for said transmission error to generate a second detection signal having a first state and a second state thereof representative of said occurrence and said unoccurrence of said transmission error, respectively;

a second control means for responding to said first state of said second detection signal to generate a second command; and

a second transmission means for responding to said second command to transmit said second frame.

29. A wireless LAN system according to claim 26, wherein said first control means responds to each of said first and second states of said first detection signal to calculate an error rate of said transmission error, and depends also on said error rate to make said either of said affirmative and negative decisions.

30. A wireless LAN system according to claim 29, wherein said first control means compares said error rate with a threshold value, and makes said affirmative decision when said error rate is larger than said threshold value.

31. A wireless LAN system according to claim 25, wherein said first control means compares said basic length of said first frame with a threshold value, and makes said affirmative decision when said basic length is larger than said threshold value.

32. A wireless LAN system, comprising:

a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame including as basic fields thereof a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station;

said first station comprising;

a calculation means for calculating a total length of said basic fields of said first frame, as a basic length of said first frame;

a control means for depending on said basic length of said first frame to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first message for requesting a response to a reception of said first frame by said second station, said response being representative of an error rate with respect to a transmission error between said first and second stations;

a formatter means for formatting said data sequence into said first frame;

said formatter means being responsive to said affirmative decision to combine said basic fields of said first frame and a first message field containing said first message, to thereby constitute said first frame; and

a transmission means for transmitting said first frame; and

said second station responding to said first message to calculate said error rate and to transmit said second frame including in a second message field thereof a second message representative of said error rate.

33. A wireless LAN system according to claim 32, wherein said first message further requests an acknowledgment of said reception of said first frame to be complete, and

wherein said second station further responds to said first message to detect either of an occurrence and an unoccurrernce of said reception of said first frame to enter in said second message field of said second frame either of a third message representative of said occurrence of said reception and a fourth message representative of said unoccurrence of said reception.

34. A wireless LAN system according to claim 33, wherein said first station further comprises:

a reception means for receiving said second frame transmitted in response to said first frame received by said second station;

a detection means for detecting said third and fourth messages to generate a detection signal having either of a first state and a second state thereof representative of said third and fourth messages, respectively;

said control means being responsive to said second state of said detection signal to generate a command; and

said transmission means being responsive to said command to retransmit said first frame.

35. A wireless LAN system according to claim 34, wherein said first station further comprises a memory means for storing therein said first frame and said error rate.

36. A wireless LAN system according to claim 33, wherein said second station comprises a memory means for storing therein said error rate.

37. A wireless LAN system according to claim 33, wherein said error rate is defined in terms of a current error rate of said transmission error.

38. A wireless LAN system according to claim 37, wherein said control means depends also on a latest value of said error rate to make said either of said affirmative and negative decision.

39. A wireless LAN system according to claim 32, wherein said control means compares said basic length of said first frame with a threshold value, and makes said affirmative decision when said basic length is larger than said threshold value.

40. A wireless LAN system, comprising:

a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame including as basic fields thereof a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station;

said first station comprising;

a memory means for storing therein an updatable record of events in communications with said second station, said record including an event data on a past tranmission of said first frame and a value data on an error rate associated therewith;

a calculation means for statistically determining a first error rate from said event data and said value data;

a first control means for depending on said first error rate to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first message for requesting an acknowledgment of a reception of said entire length of said first frame by said second station;

a formatter means for formatting said data sequence into said first frame;

said formatter means being responsive to said affirmative decision to combine said basic fields of said first frame and a first message field containing said first message, to thereby constitute said first frame; and

a first transmission means for transmitting said first frame.

41. A wireless LAN system according to claim 40, wherein said second frame consists of a second header field, a second message field with a second message comprising either of a third message and a fourth message respresentative of said acknowledgment of said reception and a negation thereof, respectively, and a second frame check field, and

wherein said first station further comprises:

a first reception means for receiving said second frame transmitted in response to said first frame received by said second station;

a first detection means for detecting said second message to generate a first detection signal having a first state and a second state thereof representative of said third and fourth messages, respectively;

said first control means being responsive to said second state of said first detection signal to generate a first command; and

said first transmission means being responsive to said first command to retransmit said first frame.

42. A wireless LAN system according to claim 40, wherein said first control means responds to said first state of said first detection signal so that said first command is not generated.

43. A wireless LAN system according to claim 41, wherein said second station comprising:

a second reception means for receiving said first frame;

a second detection means for detecting said first message in said first frame and for responding to a presence of said first message to detect said reception of said entire length of said first frame to generate a second detection signal having a first state and a second state thereof representative of an occurrence and an unoccurrence of said reception, respectively;

a second control means for responding to said first state of said second detection signal to generate a second command; and

a second transmission means for responding to said second command to transmit said second frame.

44. A wireless LAN system according to claim 43, wherein said second control means responds to said second state of said second detection signal so that said second command is not generated.

45. A wireless LAN system according to claim 40, wherein said formatter means responds to said negative decision to constitute said first frame by said basic fields thereof.

46. A wireless LAN system according to claim 40, wherein said first control means compares said first error rate with a threshold value, and makes said affirmative decision when said first error rate is larger than said threshold value.

47. A wireless LAN system according to claim 46, wherein said first error rate has a decreased value with time.

48. A wireless LAN system according to claim 46, wherein said first error rate has a decreased value with an increased frequency of transmission of said first frame.

49. A wireless LAN system according to claim 46, wherein said first error rate has an increased value with a decreased frequency of transmission of said first frame.

50. A wireless LAN system according to claim 46, wherein said first error rate is determined such that:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">R=A×

α

+C

where, R is a current value of said first error rate, A is said associated error rate, α

is an attenuation factor, and C is a compensation term.

51. A wireless LAN system according to claim 50, wherein said compensation terms is determined such that:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">C=β

/L

where, β

is a learnable constant, and L is a sum of respective said entire lengths of respective said first frames in experienced transmissions after said past transmission, acknowledged by said acknowledgment, or a sum of respective said entire lengths of all said first frames in said experienced transmissions per a sum of respective said entire lengths of respective said first frames in said experienced transmissions, not acknowledged by said acknowledgment, whichever is smaller.

52. A wireless LAN system according to claim 40, wherein said second station has a second error rate determined therein and informed by said second frame to said first station, to be stored in said memory means.

53. A wireless LAN system, comprising:

a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame including as basic fields thereof a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station;

said first station comprising;

a memory means for storing therein an updatable record of events in communications with said second station, said record including an event data on a past tranmission of said first frame and a value data on an error rate associated therewith;

a calculation means for statistically determining a first error rate from said event data and said value data;

a first control means for depending on said first error rate to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first message for requesting an interruption of an acknowledgment of a reception of said entire length of said first frame by said second station;

a formatter means for formatting said data sequence into said first frame;

said formatter means being responsive to said affirmative decision to combine said basic fields of said first frame and a first message field containing said first message, to thereby constitute said first frame; and

a first transmission means for transmitting said first frame.

54. A wireless LAN system according to claim 53, wherein said second frame consists of a second header field, a second message field with a second message comprising either of a third message and a fourth message respresentative of said acknowledgment of said reception and a negation thereof, respectively, and a second frame check field, and

wherein said first station further comprises:

a first reception means for receiving said second frame transmitted in response to said first frame received by said second station;

a first detection means for detecting said second message to generate a first detection signal having a first state and a second state thereof representative of said third and fourth messages, respectively;

said first control means being responsive to said second state of said first detection signal to generate a first command, subject to said negative decision; and

said first transmission means being responsive to said first command to retransmit said first frame.

55. A wireless LAN system according to claim 54, wherein said first control means responds to said first state of said first detection signal under said affirmative decision so that said first command is not generated.

56. A wireless LAN system according to claim 54, wherein said second station comprising:

a second reception means for receiving said first frame;

a second detection means for detecting said first message in said first frame to generate a second detection signal having a first state and a second state thereof representative of a presence and an absence of said first message, respectively;

a second control means for responding to said first state of said second detection signal to generate a second command; and

a second transmission means for responding to said second command to interrupt transmitting said second frame.

57. A wireless LAN system according to claim 56, wherein said first control means responds to said second state of said second detection signal so that said first command is not generated.

58. A wireless LAN system according to claim 53, wherein said first control means compares said first error rate with a threshold value, and makes said affirmative decision when said first error rate is smaller than said threshold value.

59. A wireless LAN system according to claim 53, wherein said second station has a second error rate determined therein and informed by said second frame to said first station, to be stored in said memory means.

60. A wireless LAN system, comprising:

a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame being composed of a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, a first message field, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station, said second frame being composed of a second header field, a second message field, and a second frame check field;

said first station comprising;

a memory means for storing therein an updatable record of events in communications with said second station, said record including an event data on a past tranmission of said first frame and a value data on an error rate associated therewith;

a calculation means for statistically determining a first error rate from said event data and said value data;

a first control means for depending on said first error rate to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first request message for requesting an acknowledgment of a reception of said first frame by said second station;

a formatter means for formatting said data sequence into said first frame;

said formatter means being responsive to said affirmative decision to place said first request message in said first message field, and to said negative decision to place in said first message field a second request message for requesting an interruption of said acknowledgment of said reception by said second station;

a first transmission means for transmitting said first frame;

a first reception means for receiving said second frame transmitted in response to said first frame received by said second station, said second frame having in said second message field either of a first response message representative of said acknowledgment of said reception and a second response message respresentative of a negation thereof;

a first detection means for detecting either of said first and second response messages in said second message field to generate a first detection signal having a first state and a second state thereof representative of a presence of said first response message and that of said second response message, respectively;

said first control means being responsive to said second state of said first detection signal to generate a first command, subject to said affirmative decision; and

said first transmission means being responsive to said first command to retransmit said first frame.

61. A wireless LAN system according to claim 60, wherein said second station comprises:

a second reception means for receiving said first frame;

a second detection means for detecting either of said first and second request messages in said first message field and for responding to a presence thereof to detect either of an occurrence and an unoccurrence of said reception to generate a second detection signal having a first state and a second state thereof representative of said occurrence and said unoccurrence, respectively;

a second control means for responding to said first state of said second detection signal to generate a second command and to said second state of said second detection signal to generate a third command; and

a second transmission means for responding to said second command to transmit said second frame with said first response message in said second message field and to said third command to transmit said second frame with said second response message in said second message field.

62. A wireless LAN system according to claim 60, wherein said first control means compares said first error rate with a threshold value, and makes said affirmative decision when said first error rate is larger than said threshold value.

63. A wireless LAN system according to claim 60, wherein said second station has a second error rate determined therein and informed by said second frame to said first station, to be stored in said memory means.

64. A wireless LAN system, comprising:

a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame including as basic fields thereof a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station;

said first station comprising;

a memory means for storing therein an updatable record of events in communications with said second station, said record including an event data on a past tranmission of said first frame and a value data on an error rate associated therewith;

a calculation means for statistically determining a first error rate from said event data and said value data;

a first control means for depending on said first error rate to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first message for requesting a response to a reception of said first frame by said second station, said response being representative of a transmission error of said first frame between said first and second stations;

a formatter means for formatting said data sequence into said first frame;

said formatter means being responsive to said affirmative decision to combine said basic fields of said first frame and a first message field containing said first message, to thereby constitute said first frame; and

a first transmission means for transmitting said first frame.

65. A wireless LAN system according to claim 64, wherein said second frame consists of a second header field, a second message field with a second message comprising either of a third message and a fourth message respresentative of an occurrence and an unoccurrence of said transmission error, respectively, and a second frame check field, and

wherein said first station further comprises:

a first reception means for receiving said second frame transmitted in response to said first frame received by said second station;

a first detection means for detecting said second message to generate a first detection signal having a first state and a second state thereof representative of said third and fourth messages, respectively;

said first control means being responsive to said second state of said first detection signal to generate a first command; and

said first transmission means being responsive to said first command to retransmit said first frame.

66. A wireless LAN system according to claim 65, wherein said second station comprises:

a second reception means for receiving said first frame;

a second detection means for detecting said first message in said first frame and for responding to a presence of said first message to check for said transmission error to generate a second detection signal having a first state and a second state thereof representative of said occurrence and said unoccurrence of said transmission error, respectively;

a second control means for responding to said first state of said second detection signal to generate a second command; and

a second transmission means for responding to said second command to transmit said second frame.

67. A wireless LAN system according to claim 65, wherein said first control means responds to each of said first and second states of said first detection signal to update said first error rate.

68. A wireless LAN system according to claim 64, wherein said first control means compares said first error rate with a threshold value, and makes said affirmative decision when said first error rate is larger than said threshold value.

69. A wireless LAN system according to claim 64, wherein said second station has a second error rate determined therein and informed by said second frame to said first station, to be stored in said memory means.

70. A wireless LAN system, comprising:

a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame including as basic fields thereof a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station;

said first station comprising;

a memory means for storing therein an updatable record of events in communications with said second station, said record including an event data on a past tranmission of said first frame and a value data on an error rate associated therewith;

a calculation means for statistically determining a first error rate from said event data and said value data;

a control means for depending on said first error rate to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first message for requesting a response to a reception of said first frame by said second station, said response being representative of a second error rate calculated at said second station with respect to a transmission error of said first frame;

a formatter means for formatting said data sequence into said first frame;

said formatter means being responsive to said affirmative decision to combine said basic fields of said first frame and a first message field containing said first message, to thereby constitute said first frame; and

a transmission means for transmitting said first frame;

said second station responding to said first message to calculate said second error rate and to transmit said second frame including in a second message field thereof a second message representative of said second error rate.

71. A wireless LAN system according to claim 70, wherein said first message further requests an acknowledgment of said reception of said first frame to be complete, and

wherein said second station further responds to said first message to detect either of an occurrence and an unoccurrernce of said reception of said first frame to enter in said second message field of said second frame either of a third message representative of said occurrence of said reception and a fourth message representative of said unoccurrence of said reception.

72. A wireless LAN system according to claim 71, wherein said first station further comprises:

a reception means for receiving said second frame transmitted in response to said first frame received by said second station;

a detection means for detecting said third and fourth messages to generate a detection signal having either of a first state and a second state thereof representative of said third and fourth messages, respectively;

said control means being responsive to said second state of said detection signal to generate a command; and

said transmission means being responsive to said command to retransmit said first frame.

73. A data transfer method for a wireless LAN system including a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame including as basic fields thereof a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station, said method comprising the steps of:

calculating a total length of said basic fields of said first frame, as a basic length of said first frame;

depending on said basic length of said first frame to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first message for requesting an acknowledgment of a reception of said entire length of said first frame by said second station;

formatting said data sequence into said first frame, by responding to said affirmative decision to combine said basic fields of said first frame and a first message field containing said first message, to thereby constitute said first frame; and

transmitting said first frame.

74. A data transfer method for a wireless LAN system including a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame including as basic fields thereof a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station, said method comprising the steps of:

calculating a total length of said basic fields of said first frame, as a basic length of said first frame;

depending on said basic length of said first frame to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first message for requesting an interruption of an acknowledgment of a reception of said entire length of said first frame by said second station;

formatting said data sequence into said first frame, by responding to said affirmative decision to combine said basic fields of said first frame and a first message field containing said first message, to thereby constitute said first frame; and

transmitting said first frame.

75. A data transfer method for a wireless LAN system including a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame being composed of a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, a first message field, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station, said second frame being composed of a second header field, a second message field, and a second frame check field, said method comprising the steps of:

calculating said entire length of said first frame;

depending on said entire length of said first frame to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first request message for requesting an acknowledgment of a reception of said first frame by said second station;

formatting said data sequence into said first frame, by responding to said affirmative decision to place said first request message in said first message field, and to said negative decision to place in said first message field a second request message for requesting an interruption of said acknowledgment of said reception by said second station;

transmitting said first frame;

receiving said second frame transmitted in response to said first frame received by said second station, said second frame having in said second message field either of a first response message representative of said acknowledgment of said reception and a second response message respresentative of a negation thereof;

detecting either of said first and second response messages in said second message field to generate a first detection signal having a first state and a second state thereof representative of a presence of said first response message and that of said second response message, respectively;

responding to said second state of said first detection signal to generate a first command, subject to said affirmative decision; and

responding to said first command to retransmit said first frame.

76. A data transfer method for a wireless LAN system including a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame including as basic fields thereof a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station, said method comprising the steps of:

calculating a total length of said basic fields of said first frame, as a basic length of said first frame;

depending on said basic length of said first frame to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first message for requesting a response to a reception of said first frame by said second station, said response being representative of a transmission error of said first frame between said first and second stations;

formatting said data sequence into said first frame, by responding to said affirmative decision to combine said basic fields of said first frame and a first message field containing said first message, to thereby constitute said first frame; and

transmitting said first frame.

77. A data transfer method for a wireless LAN system including a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame including as basic fields thereof a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station, said method comprising the steps of:

calculating a total length of said basic fields of said first frame, as a basic length of said first frame;

depending on said basic length of said first frame to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first message for requesting a response to a reception of said first frame by said second station, said response being representative of an error rate with respect to a transmission error between said first and second stations;

formatting said data sequence into said first frame, by responding to said affirmative decision to combine said basic fields of said first frame and a first message field containing said first message, to thereby constitute said first frame;

transmitting said first frame; and

responding to said first message to calculate said error rate and to transmit said second frame including in a second message field thereof a second message representative of said error rate.

78. A data transfer method for a wireless LAN system including a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame including as basic fields thereof a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station, said method comprising the steps of:

storing in said first station an updatable record of events in communications with said second station, said record including an event data on a past tranmission of said first frame and a value data on an error rate associated therewith;

statistically determining a first error rate from said event data and said value data;

depending on said first error rate to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first message for requesting an acknowledgment of a reception of said entire length of said first frame by said second station;

formatting said data sequence into said first frame, by responding to said affirmative decision to combine said basic fields of said first frame and a first message field containing said first message, to thereby constitute said first frame; and

transmitting said first frame.

79. A data transfer method for a wireless LAN system including a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame including as basic fields thereof a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station, said method comprising the steps of:

storing in said first station an updatable record of events in communications with said second station, said record including an event data on a past tranmission of said first frame and a value data on an error rate associated therewith;

statistically determining a first error rate from said event data and said value data;

depending on said first error rate to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first message for requesting an interruption of an acknowledgment of a reception of said entire length of said first frame by said second station;

formatting said data sequence into said first frame, by responding to said affirmative decision to combine said basic fields of said first frame and a first message field containing said first message, to thereby constitute said first frame; and

transmitting said first frame.

80. A data transfer method for a wireless LAN system including a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame being composed of a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, a first message field, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station, said second frame being composed of a second header field, a second message field, and a second frame check field, said method comprising the steps of:

storing in said first station an updatable record of events in communications with said second station, said record including an event data on a past tranmission of said first frame and a value data on an error rate associated therewith;

statistically determining a first error rate from said event data and said value data;

depending on said first error rate to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first request message for requesting an acknowledgment of a reception of said first frame by said second station;

formatting said data sequence into said first frame, by responding to said affirmative decision to place said first request message in said first message field, and to said negative decision to place in said first message field a second request message for requesting an interruption of said acknowledgment of said reception by said second station;

transmitting said first frame;

receiving said second frame transmitted in response to said first frame received by said second station, said second frame having in said second message field either of a first response message representative of said acknowledgment of said reception and a second response message respresentative of a negation thereof;

detecting either of said first and second response messages in said second message field to generate a first detection signal having a first state and a second state thereof representative of a presence of said first response message and that of said second response message, respectively;

responding to said second state of said first detection signal to generate a first command, subject to said affirmative decision; and

responding to said first command to retransmit said first frame.

81. A data transfer method for a wireless LAN system including a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame including as basic fields thereof a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station, said method comprising the steps of:

storing in said first station an updatable record of events in communications with said second station, said record including an event data on a past tranmission of said first frame and a value data on an error rate associated therewith;

statistically determining a first error rate from said event data and said value data;

depending on said first error rate to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first message for requesting a response to a reception of said first frame by said second station, said response being representative of a transmission error of said first frame between said first and second stations;

formatting said data sequence into said first frame, by responding to said affirmative decision to combine said basic fields of said first frame and a first message field containing said first message, to thereby constitute said first frame; and

transmitting said first frame.

82. A data transfer method for a wireless LAN system including a first station and a second station having an established association with each other so that a formatted first frame is transmittable from said first station to said second station, said first frame including as basic fields thereof a first header field, a data field with a variable-length data sequence, and a first frame check field with a calculated value for a check of an entire length of said first frame, and a formatted second frame is transmittable from said second station to said first station, said method comprising the steps of:

storing in said first station an updatable record of events in communications with said second station, said record including an event data on a past tranmission of said first frame and a value data on an error rate associated therewith;

statistically determining a first error rate from said event and value data;

depending on said first error rate to make either of an affirmative decision for and a negative decision against sending a first message for requesting a response to a reception of said first frame by said second station, said response being representative of a second error rate calculated at said second station with respect to a transmission error of said first frame;

formatting said data sequence into said first frame, by responding to said affirmative decision to combine said basic fields of said first frame and a first message field containing said first message, to thereby constitute said first frame;

transmitting said first frame; and

responding to said first message to calculate said second error rate and to transmit said second frame including in a second message field thereof a second message representative of said second error rate.