Token-based receiver diversity

• US 7,957,741 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2009
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bims, Harry
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Duc M
• Application Number:
  US12/501,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20100002623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 455/436, 455/440, 455/438, 455/442, 370/331, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/02 Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas RAKE receivers H04B1/7115
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0491 using two or more sectors, i.e. sector diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/12 Shortest path evaluation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/50 using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A token-based receiver diversity processing is described. In one embodiment, a receiver diversity comprises repeaters receiving wirelessly transmitted packets from a mobile station, and one of the repeaters forwarding packets of the wirelessly transmitted packets to a switch if the one repeater is currently assigned to forward packets from the mobile station based on an indicator assigned prior to the wirelessly transmitted packets being sent.

Claims

1. A method for coordinating communication amongst a plurality of mobile stations to a network switch having a plurality of ports, each of the plurality of ports being coupled to at least one repeater from among a plurality of repeaters, the method comprising:

(A) pre-assigning a token to a first repeater from among of the plurality of repeaters, the token uniquely associating the first repeater with a mobile station from among the plurality of mobile stations;

(B) receiving a first indicator associated with a data packet from the mobile station received at the first repeater at a first port from among the plurality of ports and a second indicator associated with the data packet received at a second repeater from among the plurality of repeaters at a second port from among the plurality of ports; and

(C) determining whether a second repeater is closer to the mobile station based upon the first indicator and the second indicator; and

(D) re-assigning the token to the second repeater if the second repeater is closer to the mobile station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (A) comprises:

sending an Add Token command to the first repeater to pre-assign the token to the first repeater, the Add Token command causing the first repeater to add a new mobile station to a table of mobile stations that the first repeater supports.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first indicator and the second indicator are a first received signal strength indicator (RSSI) associated with the data packet and a second RSSI associated with the data packet, respectively.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein step (C) comprises:

determining whether the second repeater is closer to the mobile station based upon the first RSSI and the second RSSI.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (C) comprises:

(C)(i) determining a coverage area of the mobile station based upon the first indicator and the second indicator;

(C)(ii) determining a location of the mobile station with respect to a location of the first repeater and a location of the second repeater based upon the coverage area; and

(C)(iii) determining whether the second repeater is closer to the mobile station based upon the location of the mobile station.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein step (C)(i) comprises:

determining the coverage area of the mobile station based upon a first received signal strength indicator (RSSI) associated with the data packet and a second RSSI associated with the data packet.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (D) comprises:

(D)(i) sending a Delete Token command to the first repeater, the Delete Token command causing the first repeater to remove the mobile station from a first table of mobile stations that the first repeater supports; and

(D)(ii) sending an Add Token command to the second repeater to re-assign the token to the second repeater, the Add Token command causing the second repeater to add a new mobile station to a second table of mobile stations that the second repeater supports.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(E) determining a location of the mobile station with respect to the first repeater and the second repeater based the first indicator and the second indicator.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first indicator and the second indicator are a first received signal strength indicator (RSSI) associated with the data packet and a second RSSI associated with the data packet, respectively.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(E) storing an indication that the first repeater is closer to the mobile station in a table.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

(F) updating the table to indicate the second repeater is closer to the mobile station when the second repeater is closer to the mobile station.

12. A network switch configured to coordinate communication amongst a plurality of mobile stations, each of the plurality of ports being coupled to at least one repeater from among a plurality of repeaters, comprising:

a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) configuration module configured to pre-assign a token to a first repeater from among of the plurality of repeaters, the token uniquely associating the first repeater with a mobile station from among the plurality of mobile stations;

a first port and a second port from among the plurality of ports, the first port and the second port being configured to receive a first indicator associated with a data packet from the mobile station received at the first repeater and a second indicator associated with the data packet received at a second repeater from among the plurality of repeaters, respectively; and

a location tracking module configured to determine whether the second repeater is closer to the mobile station based upon the first indicator and the second indicator,

wherein the wireless LAN configuration module is further configured to re-assign the token to the second repeater if the second repeater is closer to the mobile station.

13. The network switch of claim 12, wherein the wireless LAN configuration module is further configured to send an Add Token command to the first repeater to pre-assign the token to the first repeater, the Add Token command causing the first repeater to add a new mobile station to a table of mobile stations that the first repeater supports.

14. The network switch of claim 12, wherein the first indicator and the second indicator are a first received signal strength indicator (RSSI) associated with the data packet and a second RSSI associated with the data packet, respectively.

15. The network switch of claim 12, wherein the location tracking module is further configured to determine whether the second repeater is closer to the mobile station based upon the first RSSI associated and the second RSSI.

16. The network switch of claim 12, wherein the location tracking module is further configured to determine whether the second repeater is closer to the mobile station by:

(i) determining a coverage area of the mobile station based upon the first indicator and the second indicator;

(ii) determining a location of the mobile station with respect to a location of the first repeater and a location of the second repeater based upon the coverage area; and

(iii) determining whether the second repeater is closer to the mobile station based upon the location of the mobile station.

17. The network switch of claim 16, wherein the first indicator are a first received signal strength indicator (RSSI) associated with the data packet and the second indicator is a second RSSI associated with the data packet.

18. The network switch of claim 12, wherein wireless LAN configuration module is further configured to send a Delete Token command to the first repeater, the Delete Token command causing the first repeater to remove the mobile station from a first table of mobile stations that the first repeater supports, and to send an Add Token command to the second repeater to re-assign the token to the second repeater, the Add Token command causing the second repeater to add a new mobile station to a second table of mobile stations that the second repeater supports if the second repeater is closer to the mobile station.

19. The network switch of claim 12, wherein the location tracking module is further configured to determine a location of the mobile station with respect to the first repeater and the second repeater based upon the first indicator and the second indicator.

20. The network switch of claim 19, wherein the first indicator and the second indicator are a first received signal strength indicator (RSSI) associated with the data packet and a second RSSI associated with the data packet, respectively.

21. The network switch of claim 12, wherein the location tracking module is further configured to store an indication that the first repeater is closer to the mobile station in a table.

22. The network switch of claim 21, wherein the location tracking module is further configured to update the table to indicate the second repeater is closer to the mobile station when the second repeater is closer to the mobile station.