System and method for providing seamless handover in a wireless computer network
First Claim
1. For use with a wireless computer network having a plurality of access points, a mobile station adapted to communicate with said network via a current access point and having a scanning circuit for locating a new access point, said scanning circuit requiring a scanning period of time to locate said new access point, said mobile station comprising:
- a detection circuit that generates a ready-to-scan signal indicating that said mobile station is about to activate said scanning circuit; and
a suspension circuit, coupled to said detection circuit, that receives said ready-to-scan signal and generates, in response thereto, a data suspend signal for transmission to said current access point, said data suspend signal causing said current access point to suspend transmission of data to said mobile station, thereby preventing loss of said data during said scanning period.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
For use with a wireless computer network having a plurality of access points, a mobile station adapted for communicating with the network via a current access point and having a scanning circuit for locating a new access point, the scanning circuit requiring a scanning period of time to locate the new access point, a method of operation of the mobile station and a wireless computer network infrastructure. The mobile station comprises: (1) a detection circuit that generates a ready-to-scan signal indicating that the mobile station is about to activate the scanning circuit and (2) a suspension circuit, coupled to the detection circuit, that receives the ready-to-scan signal and generates, in response thereto, a data suspend signal for transmission to the current access point, the data suspend signal causing the current access point to suspend transmission of data to the mobile station, thereby preventing loss of the data during the scanning period.
304 Citations
20 Claims
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1. For use with a wireless computer network having a plurality of access points, a mobile station adapted to communicate with said network via a current access point and having a scanning circuit for locating a new access point, said scanning circuit requiring a scanning period of time to locate said new access point, said mobile station comprising:
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a detection circuit that generates a ready-to-scan signal indicating that said mobile station is about to activate said scanning circuit; and a suspension circuit, coupled to said detection circuit, that receives said ready-to-scan signal and generates, in response thereto, a data suspend signal for transmission to said current access point, said data suspend signal causing said current access point to suspend transmission of data to said mobile station, thereby preventing loss of said data during said scanning period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. For use with a wireless computer network having a plurality of access points and a mobile station adapted to communicate with said network via a current access point and having a scanning circuit for locating a new access point, said scanning circuit requiring a scanning period of time to locate said new access point, a method of preventing data loss during said scanning period, comprising the steps of:
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generating a ready-to-scan signal, said ready-to-scan signal indicating that said mobile station is about to activate said scanning circuit; and generating, in response to said read-to-scan signal, a data suspend signal for transmission to said current access point, said data suspend signal causing said current access point to suspend transmission of data to said mobile station, thereby preventing loss of said data during said scanning period. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A wireless computer network infrastructure, comprising:
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at least one central server having a plurality of access points operating at different frequencies; and a plurality of mobile stations adapted for communicating with said network via a corresponding plurality of current access points, each of said plurality of mobile stations having data processing and storage circuitry and a frequency scanning circuit for locating a new access point, said scanning circuit requiring a scanning period of time to locate said new access point, said each of said plurality of mobile stations further including; a detection circuit that generates a ready-to-scan signal indicating that said mobile station is about to activate said frequency scanning circuit, and a suspension circuit, coupled to said detection circuit, that receives said ready-to-scan signal and generates, in response thereto, a data suspend signal for transmission to said current access point, said data suspend signal causing said current access point to suspend transmission of data to said mobile station, thereby preventing loss of said data during said scanning period. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification