Distributed MAC architecture for wireless repeater
First Claim
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1. A system for handing over a mobile station between repeaters in a communications network, comprising:
- a switch including a first instance of a switch media access control (MAC) sublayer and a second instance of the switch MAC sublayer;
a first repeater including a first instance of a repeater MAC sublayer, the mobile station being associated with the first repeater; and
a second repeater including a second instance of the repeater MAC sublayer; and
a third repeater including a third instance of the repeater MAC sublayer,wherein the first instance of the switch MAC sublayer are arranged to form a first logical access point, the first logical access point being configured to allow the mobile station to be handed over from the first instance of the repeater MAC sublayer to the second instance of the repeater MAC sublayer without having to re-associate with the first instance of the switch MAC sublayer, andwherein the second instance of the switch MAC sublayer and the third instance of the repeater MAC sublayer are arranged to form a second logical access point, the second logical access point being configured to allow the mobile station to be handed over from the first instance of the switch MAC sublayer to the second instance of the switch MAC sublayer after re-associating with the second instance of the switch MAC sublayer.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for communicating between devices is described. In one embodiment, the method comprises running two or more instances of a switch MAC sublayer on a switch and managing the two or more instances of the switch MAC sublayer as multiple logical access points inside the switch.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for handing over a mobile station between repeaters in a communications network, comprising:
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a switch including a first instance of a switch media access control (MAC) sublayer and a second instance of the switch MAC sublayer; a first repeater including a first instance of a repeater MAC sublayer, the mobile station being associated with the first repeater; and a second repeater including a second instance of the repeater MAC sublayer; and a third repeater including a third instance of the repeater MAC sublayer, wherein the first instance of the switch MAC sublayer are arranged to form a first logical access point, the first logical access point being configured to allow the mobile station to be handed over from the first instance of the repeater MAC sublayer to the second instance of the repeater MAC sublayer without having to re-associate with the first instance of the switch MAC sublayer, and wherein the second instance of the switch MAC sublayer and the third instance of the repeater MAC sublayer are arranged to form a second logical access point, the second logical access point being configured to allow the mobile station to be handed over from the first instance of the switch MAC sublayer to the second instance of the switch MAC sublayer after re-associating with the second instance of the switch MAC sublayer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for handing over a mobile station between repeaters in a communications network, comprising:
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a first logical network, the first logical network including a first and second instance of a switch media access control (MAC) sublayer, and a first instance of a repeater MAC sublayer; and a second logical network, the second logical network including a second instance of the switch MAC sublayer and a second instance of the repeater MAC sublayer, wherein the second logical network is configured to allow the mobile station to be handed over from the first instance of the switch MAC sublayer to the second instance of the switch MAC sublayer after re-associating with the second instance of the switch MAC sublayer. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for handing over a mobile station between repeaters in a communications network, comprising:
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associating the mobile station with a first repeater having a first instance of a repeater media access control (MAC) sublayer, the first instance of the repeater MAC sublayer and a first instance of a switch MAC sublayer forming a first logical network; sending an association request to a switch having the first instance of the switch MAC sublayer and a second instance of the switch MAC sublayer to hand over the mobile station to a second repeater, the second repeater including a second instance of the repeater MAC sublayer, the second instance of the repeater MAC sublayer and the second instance of the switch MAC sublayer forming a second logical network; sending a response to the second repeater that the mobile station is not associated with the second instance of the switch MAC sublayer; and handing over the mobile station from the first repeater to the second repeater after re-associating the mobile station with the second instance of the switch MAC sublayer. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification