System and method for multi-mode radio operation

• US 7,330,696 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: DellaRatta, George, Orlassino, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Lee
• Application Number:
  US10/996,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20060111045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/23 Manipulation of direct-mode connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/10 between terminal device and access point, i.e. wireless air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

Described is a system having a mobile station and an access point which connects the mobile station to a network. The mobile station has a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation. In the first mode of operation, the mobile station transmits a data packet intended for a further mobile station to the access point and the access point transmits the data packet to the further mobile station. In the second mode of operation, the mobile station transmits the data packet intended for the further mobile station directly to the further mobile station.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a mobile station; and

an access point connecting the mobile station to a network;

wherein the mobile station has a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation,

the first mode of operation comprising the mobile station transmitting a data packet intended for a further mobile station to the access points and the access point transmitting the data packet to the further mobile station, and the mobile station listening for the data packet transmission from the access point to the further mobile station and the associated acknowledgement from the further mobile station to the access point,

the second mode of operation comprising the mobile station transmitting the data packet intended for the further mobile station directly to the further mobile station when the address of the further mobile station is present in the table of the mobile station.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile station includes a table to store a hardware address of the further mobile station.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the hardware address has a timer value associated therewith.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the mobile station initiates communication with the further mobile station using the second mode of operation before an expiration of the timer value.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein the mobile station in the first mode of operation adds the hardware address of the further mobile station to the table and resets a timer value associated therewith, when one of the listened for transmissions is detected.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile station switches from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation when the further mobile station enters a radio frequency coverage area of the mobile station.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the further mobile station uses the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation to transmit a further data packet to the mobile station.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the further mobile station includes a table to store a hardware address of the mobile station.

9. A system, comprising:

a mobile station; and

an access point connecting the mobile station to a network;

wherein the mobile station has a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation,

the first mode of operation comprising the mobile station transmitting a data packet intended for a further mobile station to the access point and the access point transmitting the data packet to the further mobile station,

the second mode of operation comprising the mobile station transmitting the data packet intended for the further mobile station directly to the further mobile station;

wherein the mobile station includes a table to store a hardware address of the further mobile station,

wherein the hardware address has a timer value associated therewith,

wherein, when the timer value reaches a limit value, the hardware address is removed from the table.

10. A system, comprising:

a mobile station; and

an access point connecting the mobile station to a network;

wherein the mobile station has a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation,

the first mode of operation comprising the mobile station transmitting a data packet intended for a further mobile station to the access point and the access point transmitting the data packet to the further mobile station,

the second mode of operation comprising the mobile station transmitting the data packet intended for the further mobile station directly to the further mobile station;

wherein the mobile station switches from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation when the mobile station hears an acknowledgment signal transmitted from the further mobile station to the access point.

11. A system, comprising:

a mobile station; and

an access point connecting the mobile station to a network;

wherein the mobile station has a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation,

the first mode of operation comprising the mobile station transmitting a data packet intended for a further mobile station to the access point and the access point transmitting the data packet to the further mobile station,

the second mode of operation comprising the mobile station transmitting the data packet intended for the further mobile station directly to the further mobile station;

wherein the mobile station operates in the second mode of operation to transmit the data packet to the further mobile station and operates in the first mode of operation to transmit data packets to additional mobile stations without leaving the second mode of operation.

12. A mobile station, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing a set of instructions for execution on the processor;

wherein the set of instructions comprises a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation,

the first mode of operation comprising the mobile station transmitting a data packet intended for a further mobile station to an access point connected to a network, the access point transmitting the data packet to the further mobile station, and the mobile station listening for the data packet transmission from the access point to the further mobile station and the associated acknowledgement from the further mobile station to the access point,

the second mode of operation comprising the mobile station transmitting the data packet intended for the further mobile station directly to the further mobile station when the address of the further mobile station is present in the table.

13. The mobile station according to claim 12, wherein the mobile station includes a table to store a hardware address of the further mobile station.

14. The mobile station according to claim 13, wherein the hardware address has a timer value associated therewith.

15. The mobile station according to claim 13, wherein the mobile station in the first mode of operation adds the hardware address of the further mobile station to the table and resets a timer value associated therewith, when one of the listened for transmissions is detected.

16. A mobile station, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing a set of instructions for execution on the processor;

wherein the set of instructions comprises a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation,

the first mode of operation comprising the mobile station transmitting a data packet intended for a further mobile station to an access point connected to a network, the access point transmitting the data packet to the further mobile station,

the second mode of operation comprising the mobile station transmitting the data packet intended for the further mobile station directly to the further mobile station;

wherein the mobile station includes a table to store a hardware address of the further mobile station,

wherein the hardware address has a timer value associated therewith,

wherein when the timer value reaches a limit value, the hardware address is removed from the table.

17. A mobile station, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing a set of instructions for execution on the processor;

wherein the set of instructions comprises a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation,

the first mode of operation comprising the mobile station transmitting a data packet intended for a further mobile station to an access point connected to a network, the access point transmitting the data packet to the further mobile station,

the second mode of operation comprising the mobile station transmitting the data packet intended for the further mobile station directly to the further mobile station;

wherein the mobile station operates in the first mode of operation to transmit data packets to additional mobile stations without leaving the second mode of operation.

18. A method, comprising:

checking a data packet transmitted to a mobile station;

checking a field of a media access control frame when the data packet is from a mobile station with its hardware address present in the table of the mobile station that received the data packet;

adjusting transmission power of the mobile station based on a value in the field; and

transmitting a next media access control frame using the adjusted transmission power.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the field is one of a type field and a subtype field.

20. A method, comprising:

sending a data packet destined for a mobile unit to an access point;

listening for one of a transmission of the data packet by the access point to the mobile unit and a transmission of an acknowledgment by the mobile unit to the access point;

adding an address of the mobile unit to a table when the one of the listened for transmissions is detected; and

sending a further data packet destined for the mobile unit directly to the mobile unit when the address is present in the table.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the address is a media access control address.

22. The method according to claim 20, further comprising

removing the address from the table when a timer value associated with the address expires.

23. The method according to claim 20, further comprising

receiving an acknowledgment from the mobile unit after the mobile unit has received the further data packet.

24. The method according to claim 20, further comprising

resending the further data packet to the mobile unit when a timer expires before reception of an acknowledgment.

25. The method according to claim 20, further comprising

resending the further data packet to the access point when a timer expires before reception of an acknowledgment.