Time division multiplexing for access ports in a wireless network

• US 7,822,000 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Extreme Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Sekhar, Ramesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly; Nghi H
• Application Number:
  US11/171,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20070002889A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,944 Days
• Field of Search: 370/337, 370/328, 370/338, 455/403, 455/502, 455/525
• US Class Current: 370/337
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding

Abstract

A method for allowing time multiplexing in a wireless network comprising two or more access port and a wireless switch includes receiving a time ordered sequence comprising a plurality of time slots from the wireless switch. Next, the signals are transmitted according to the time ordered sequence. In another embodiment, an access port used in a wireless network that includes a wireless switch comprises a transceiver operable to receive a time ordered sequence comprising a plurality of time slots calculated by the wireless switch. Further the access port comprises a plurality of antennas coupled to an antenna selector; the antenna selector configured to couple selectively the transceiver with at least one of the plurality of antennas based at least in part on the time ordered sequence.

Claims

1. A method for sending data in a wireless local area network comprising a plurality of access ports and a wireless switch, the method comprising:

determining neighboring access ports for a first access port of the plurality of access ports from the wireless switch;

determining a time ordered sequence for the first access port based on the neighboring access ports from the wireless switch, the time ordered sequence representing an amount of time the first access port is to complete a task; and

transmitting the data from the first access port according to the determined time ordered sequence,

wherein the step of determining a time ordered sequence further comprises;

dividing the time ordered sequence into a plurality of time slots;

allocating a first set of time slots of the plurality of time slots for each communication between the first access port and all neighboring access ports;

allocating a second set of time slots of the plurality of time slots for broadcast transmissions; and

allocating a third set of time slot of the plurality of time slots for communication between the first access port and a mobile unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining neighboring access ports further comprises:

receiving a data packet at the wireless switch that was received by the first access port and a second access port of the plurality of access ports;

determining if the first access port and the second access port are neighboring access ports; and

determining a time offset between the first access port and the second access port to synchronize the first access port and the second access port if the first access port and the second access port are neighboring access ports.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of determining if the first access port and the second access port are neighboring access ports further comprises determining if the first access port and the second access port are neighboring access ports if the first access port routes the data packet through the second access port or the second access port routes the data packet through the first access port.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of determining a time offset further comprises computing the difference of a first timestamp indicating the time of the packet reception at the first access port and a second timestamp indicating the time of the packet reception at the second access port.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising allocating the time slots of the time ordered sequence for the first access port based at least in part on the time offset between the first access port and the second access port.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of allocating the time slots further comprises:

allocating for the first access port a first time slot of the time ordered sequence for sending a broadcast transmission; and

allocating for the second access port a second time slot of the time ordered sequence for sending a broadcast transmission, the first time slot and the second time slot selected as to provide a temporal separation between the broadcast transmissions to prevent interference.