‘Shield’: protecting high priority channel access attempts in overlapped wireless cells
First Claim
1. A method for reducing an interference between overlapping first and second wireless local area network cells in a medium, each cell including a respective plurality of member stations, comprising:
- assigning an inter-cell contention-free period value;
transmitting by an access point station in the first wireless local area network cell, a shield packet to deter member stations from contending for the medium; and
transmitting by the access point station in the first wireless local area network cell, a beacon packet containing the inter-cell contention-free period value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system reduce interference between overlapping first and second wireless LAN cells contending for the same medium. Each cell includes a respective plurality of member stations. An inter-cell contention-free period value is assigned to a first access point station in the first cell, associated with an accessing order in the medium for member stations in the first and second cells. The access point in the first cell transmits an initial shield packet to deter other stations from contending for the medium. The access point then transmits a beacon packet containing the inter-cell contention-free period value to member stations in the second cell. A second access point in the second cell can then delay transmissions by member stations in the second cell until after the inter-cell contention-free period expires.
116 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for reducing an interference between overlapping first and second wireless local area network cells in a medium, each cell including a respective plurality of member stations, comprising:
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assigning an inter-cell contention-free period value; transmitting by an access point station in the first wireless local area network cell, a shield packet to deter member stations from contending for the medium; and transmitting by the access point station in the first wireless local area network cell, a beacon packet containing the inter-cell contention-free period value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A wireless communications system for reducing an interference between overlapping first and second wireless local area network cells in a medium, comprising:
a first access point station in the first wireless local area network cell having an inter-cell contention-free period value, wherein the first access point station transmits a shield packet to deter member stations from contending for the medium, and wherein the first access point station transmits a beacon packet containing the inter-cell contention-free period value. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for reducing an interference between overlapping first and second wireless local area network cells in a medium, each cell including a respective plurality of member stations, comprising:
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receiving by an access point station in the second wireless local area network cell, a shield packet sent from the first wireless local area network cell for deterring member stations in the second wireless local area network cell from contending for the medium; receiving a beacon packet at member stations in the second wireless local area network cell with an inter-cell contention-free period; and delaying transmissions by the member stations in the second wireless local area network cell until after the inter-cell contention-free period.
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Specification