RF port for multiple wireless local area networks
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A Radio Frequency (RF) port adapted for a wireless communication system and for use with a cell controller which performs a second plurality of functions of a wireless communication standard protocol and that is at least partially housed in a first housing, comprising:
- a second housing that is physically separate and spatially remote from said first housing, and is removeably coupled to the first housing via an Ethernet cable;
a RF receiver housed in said second housing, said RF receiver adapted to receive a first RF signal of a first Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) having a first coverage area and adapted to receive a second RF signal of a second WLAN having a second coverage area that at least partially overlaps said first coverage area, wherein the first WLAN and the second WLAN are accessible at the same time; and
a processor housed in said second housing, said processor receptive of said first RF signal and said second RF signal from said RF receiver and adapted to perform a first plurality of functions of the a wireless communication standard protocol without performing the second plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol during at least one an operational mode to produce a first data signal from said first RF signal and a second data signal from said second RF signal;
wherein the first plurality of functions and the second plurality of functions each include at least one media access control (MAC) function of the wireless communication standard protocol.
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Abstract
A wireless local area network is provided with simplified RF ports which are configured to provide lower level media access control functions. Higher level media access control functions are provided in a cell controller, which may service one or more RF ports that are capable operating with at least two wireless local area subnetworks. Mobile units can also be configured with the higher level media access control functions being performed in a host processor.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. A Radio Frequency (RF) port adapted for a wireless communication system and for use with a cell controller which performs a second plurality of functions of a wireless communication standard protocol and that is at least partially housed in a first housing, comprising:
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a second housing that is physically separate and spatially remote from said first housing, and is removeably coupled to the first housing via an Ethernet cable; a RF receiver housed in said second housing, said RF receiver adapted to receive a first RF signal of a first Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) having a first coverage area and adapted to receive a second RF signal of a second WLAN having a second coverage area that at least partially overlaps said first coverage area, wherein the first WLAN and the second WLAN are accessible at the same time; and a processor housed in said second housing, said processor receptive of said first RF signal and said second RF signal from said RF receiver and adapted to perform a first plurality of functions of the a wireless communication standard protocol without performing the second plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol during at least one an operational mode to produce a first data signal from said first RF signal and a second data signal from said second RF signal; wherein the first plurality of functions and the second plurality of functions each include at least one media access control (MAC) function of the wireless communication standard protocol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A Radio Frequency (RF) port adapted for a wireless communication system and for use with a cell controller which performs a second plurality of functions of a wireless communication standard protocol and that is at least partially housed in a first housing, comprising:
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housing means for defining a second housing that is physically separate and spatially remote from said first housing, and is removeably coupled to the first housing via an Ethernet cable; receiving means housed in said housing means for receiving a first RF signal and a second RF signal, said first RF signal of a first Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) having a first coverage area and said second RF signal of a second WLAN having a second coverage area that at least partially overlaps said first coverage area, wherein the first WLAN and the second WLAN are accessible at the same time; and processing means housed in said housing means for processing said first RF signal and said second RF signal, said processing means adapted to receive said first RF signal and said second RF signal from the receiving means and to perform a first plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol without performing the second plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol during an operational mode to produce a first data signal from said first RF signal and a second data signal from said second RF signal, wherein the first plurality of functions and the second plurality of functions each include at least one media access control (MAC) function of the wireless communication standard protocol. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of operating a Radio Frequency (RF) port that is at least partially housed in a first housing, adapted for a wireless communication system, and for use with a cell controller which performs a second plurality of functions of a wireless communication standard protocol and that is at least partially housed in a second housing physically separate and spatially remote from said first housing and is removeably coupled to the first housing via an Ethernet cable, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a first RF signal of a first Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) having a first coverage area while receiving a second RF signal of a second WLAN having a second coverage area that at least partially overlaps said first coverage area, wherein the first WLAN and the second WLAN are accessible at the same time; performing a first plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol to produce a first data signal from said first RF signal and to produce a second data signal from said second RF signal without performing the second plurality of functions of the wireless communication standard protocol during an operational mode, wherein the first plurality of functions and the second plurality of functions each include at least one media access control (MAC) function of the wireless communication standard protocol. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification