Multi-communication access point

• US 6,393,261 B1
• Filed: 02/27/2001
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Extreme Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Telxon Corporation (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Lewis, Daniel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gary, Erika A.
• Application Number:
  US09/795,527
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 455/103, 455/435, 455/561, 455/432, 455/574, 455/101, 455/343, 370/338, 370/315, 370/328, 370/493, 370/401, 370/329, 370/344, 370/480, 375/132, 375/134, 375/137, 375/267, 375/135
• US Class Current: 455/103
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

An access point is provided for use in a wireless network having a system backbone and a plurality of mobile terminals. The access point includes a communication circuit coupling the access point to the system backbone, and a first transceiver for wirelessly communicating with at least one of the plurality of mobile terminals on a first communication channel. In addition, the access point includes a second transceiver for wirelessly communicating with at least another of the plurality of mobile terminals on a second communication channel different from the first communication channel.

Claims

1. An access point for use in a wireless network having a system backbone and a plurality of mobile terminals, comprising:

a communication circuit coupling the access point to the system backbone;

a first transceiver for wirelessly communicating with at least one of the plurality of mobile terminals on a first communication channel; and

a second transceiver for wirelessly communicating with at least another of the plurality of mobile terminals on a second communication channel different from the first communication channel;

wherein each transceiver periodically broadcasts a beacon, each beacon including transmission parameters corresponding to the communication channel of the first and second transceivers.

2. The access point of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver and the second transceiver are configured to communicate substantially simultaneously with their respective mobile terminals.

3. The access point of claim 1, further comprising a look-up table maintained in memory for identifying which of the first transceiver and the second transceiver is responsible for communicating with the plurality of mobile terminals registered to the access point.

4. The access point of claim 3, wherein information received via the communication circuit is forwarded to one of the plurality of mobile terminals via a corresponding one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver based on contents of the look-up table.

5. The access point of claim 1, wherein the first communication channel and the second communication channel utilize different frequency hopping sequences.

6. The access point of claim 1, wherein the first communication channel and the second communication channel utilize different PN code sequences.

7. The access point of claim 1, wherein the first communication channel and the second communication channel utilize different frequency bands.

8. The access point of claim 1, wherein the first communication channel and the second communication channel utilize different modulation techniques.

9. The access point of claim 1, further comprising means for assigning which of the plurality of mobile terminals communicate with the access point via the first transceiver and which of the plurality of mobile terminals communicate with the access point via the second transceiver.

10. The access point of claim 9, wherein the means for assigning is operative based on a predefined criteria.

11. The access point of claim 10, wherein the predefined criteria relates to a number of mobile terminals assigned to at least one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

12. The access point of claim 10, wherein the predefined criteria relates to an amount of data traffic handled by at least one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

13. The access point of claim 10, wherein the predefined criteria relates to an application type of data handled by at least one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

14. The access point of claim 10, wherein the predefined criteria is based on a distinction between voice data and non-voice data being communicated via the access point.

15. The access point of claim 10, wherein the first transceiver utilizes a first radio frequency technology and the second transceiver utilizes a second radio technology different from the first radio technology.

16. The access point of claim 1, wherein in the event the access point does not permit registration of one of the mobile terminals with respect to a particular one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver associated with a request to register sent by the mobile terminal, the access point automatically registers the mobile terminal with respect to the other of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

17. The access point of claim 1, wherein in the event the access point does not permit registration of one of the mobile terminals with respect to a particular one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver associated with a request to register sent by the mobile terminal, the access point responds to the mobile terminal with a recommendation that the mobile terminal attempt to register with respect to the other of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

18. The access point of claim 1, wherein the access point temporarily permits registration of one of the mobile terminals with respect to a particular one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver associated with the request to register, and thereafter instructs the mobile terminal to attempt to register with respect to the other of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

19. The access point of claim 1, wherein the beacon transmitted by one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver indicates whether the access point has buffered data for a mobile terminal with respect to the other of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

20. The access point of claim 19, wherein the buffered data is transmitted to the mobile terminal by the one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

21. A wireless network, comprising:

a system backbone, a plurality of mobile terminals, and at least one access point, the access point comprising;

a communication circuit coupling the access point to the system backbone;

a first transceiver for wirelessly communicating with at least one of the plurality of mobile terminals on a first communication channel; and

a second transceiver for wirelessly communicating with at least another of the plurality of mobile terminals on a second communication channel different from the first communication channel;

wherein each transceiver periodically broadcasts a beacon, each beacon including transmission parameters corresponding to the communication channel of the first and second transceivers and the beacon transmitted by one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver indicates whether the access point has buffered data for a mobile terminal with respect to the other of the first transceiver and the second transceiver, the buffered data being transmitted to the mobile terminal by the one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

22. The wireless network of claim 21, wherein the first transceiver and the second transceiver are configured to communicate substantially simultaneously with their respective mobile terminals.

23. The wireless network of claim 21, further comprising a look-up table maintained in memory for identifying which of the first transceiver and the second transceiver is responsible for communicating with the plurality of mobile terminals registered to the access point.

24. The wireless network of claim 21, wherein in the event the access point does not permit registration of one of the mobile terminals with respect to a particular one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver associated with a request to register sent by the mobile terminal, the access point automatically registers the mobile terminal with respect to the other of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

25. The wireless network of claim 21, wherein in the event the access point does not permit registration of one of the mobile terminals with respect to a particular one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver associated with a request to register sent by the mobile terminal, the access point responds to the mobile terminal with a recommendation that the mobile terminal attempt to register with respect to the other of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

26. The wireless network of claim 21, wherein the access point temporarily permits registration of one of the mobile terminals with respect to a particular one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver associated with the request to register, and thereafter instructs the mobile terminal to attempt to register with respect to the other of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

27. A communication method in a system comprising a system backbone, a mobile terminal, and an access point coupled to the system backbone for enabling wireless communications between the mobile terminal and the system backbone via the access point, the access point comprising a first transceiver for communicating wirelessly via a first frequency hopping sequence, and a second transceiver for communicating wirelessly via a second frequency hopping sequence different from the first frequency hopping sequence, the method comprising the steps of:

the first transceiver and the second transceiver each periodically broadcasting a beacon, each beacon including hopping sequence data corresponding to the first frequency hopping sequence and the second frequency hopping sequence;

the mobile terminal responding to at least one of the beacons by transmitting to the access point a request to register; and

the access point selectively permitting registration of the mobile terminal with at least one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver in response to the request to register, based on a predetermined criteria.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the beacons broadcasted by the first transceiver and the second transceiver contain frequency hopping sequence data corresponding exclusively to the transceiver from which the beacon is broadcasted.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the beacons broadcasted by the first transceiver ad the second transceiver each contain frequency hopping sequence data for both the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein in the event the access point does not permit registration of the mobile terminal with respect to a particular one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver associated with the request to register, the access point automatically registers the mobile terminal with respect to the other of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein in the event the access point does not permit registration of the mobile terminal with respect to a particular one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver associated with the request to register, the access point responds to the mobile terminal with a recommendation that the mobile terminal attempt to register with respect to the other of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the access point temporarily permits registration of the mobile terminal with respect to a particular one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver associated with the request to register, and thereafter instructs the mobile terminal to attempt to register with respect to the other of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the access point permits concurrent registration of the mobile terminal with respect to each of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein beacons transmitted by respective ones of the first transceiver and the second transceiver indicate whether the access point has buffered data for the mobile terminal with respect to the other of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein the beacons broadcast by the first transceiver and the second transceiver contain an indication of whether data has been buffered by one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the beacons broadcast by the first transceiver and the second transceiver indicate which of the first transceiver and the second transceiver has buffered data.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the buffered data is transmitted to the mobile terminal by the other of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

38. A communication method in a system comprising a system backbone, a mobile terminal, and an access point coupled to the system backbone for enabling wireless communications between the mobile terminal and the system backbone via the access point, the access point comprising a first transceiver for communicating wirelessly via a first frequency hopping sequence, and a second transceiver for communicating wirelessly via a second frequency hopping sequence different from the first hopping sequence, the method comprising the steps of:

the first transceiver and the second transceiver each periodically broadcasting a beacon, each beacon including hopping sequence data corresponding to both the first frequency hopping sequence of the first transceiver and the second frequency hopping sequence of the second transceiver;

the mobile terminal selecting which of the first transceiver and the second transceiver to register with based on the hopping sequence data and responding by transmitting to the access point a request to register; and

the access point permitting registration of the mobile terminal with at least one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver in response to the request to register.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the beacon further comprises information relating to usage of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the information relates to types of data handled by the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the information relates to data traffic load of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the beacons broadcast by the first transceiver and the second transceiver contain an indication of whether data has been buffered by one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the beacons broadcast by the first transceiver and the second transceiver indicate which of the first transceiver and the second transceiver has buffered data.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the buffered data is transmitted to the mobile terminal by the other of the first transceiver and the second transceiver.