Wireless communication system architecture having split MAC layer
First Claim
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1. An architecture comprising:
- a repeater having repeater MAC sublayer functionality; and
a switch coupled to the repeater and having switch MAC sublayer functionality, wherein the repeater MAC sublayer functionality and the switch MAC sublayer functionality cooperate to execute a MAC layer in a distributed fashion, wherein the repeater MAC sublayer functionality handles generating acknowledgement packets, and wherein the switch MAC sublayer functionality handles multiple frame types during reception from repeaters including association requests and authentication requests.
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Abstract
A communication architecture is described. In one embodiment, the architecture comprises a repeater having repeater MAC sublayer functionality and a switch coupled to the repeater and having switch MAC sublayer functionality. The repeater MAC sublayer functionality and the switch MAC sublayer functionality cooperate to perform the MAC functionality in a distributed fashion.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An architecture comprising:
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a repeater having repeater MAC sublayer functionality; and
a switch coupled to the repeater and having switch MAC sublayer functionality, wherein the repeater MAC sublayer functionality and the switch MAC sublayer functionality cooperate to execute a MAC layer in a distributed fashion, wherein the repeater MAC sublayer functionality handles generating acknowledgement packets, and wherein the switch MAC sublayer functionality handles multiple frame types during reception from repeaters including association requests and authentication requests. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An architecture comprising:
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at least one mobile device to transmit and receive packets using an 802.11 family of protocols;
a plurality of repeaters to receive packets from the at least one mobile device; and
a switch communicably coupled to one or more of the plurality of repeaters, wherein a MAC layer functionality of the 802.11 family of protocols is divided into two portions, wherein the plurality of repeaters performs one of the two portions and the switch performs the other portion, wherein a repeater MAC sublayer handles generating acknowledgment packets, and wherein a switch MAC sublayer handles multiple frame types during reception from the plurality of repeaters including association requests and authentication requests. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification