Methods of operating an access point using a plurality of directional beams
First Claim
1. A method of operating an access point in a wireless network, wherein the access point is configured to operate a plurality of directional beams, the method comprising:
- transmitting a training packet from the access point and receiving response packets from a plurality of station devices, wherein the response packet includes an identifier specific to a directional beam transmitting the training packet and a priority value associated with one or more criteria for directional beam selection;
assigning each of the plurality of station devices one of the directional beams from the plurality of directional beams based on the received response packets;
allocating upstream timeslots to each of the plurality of station device and allocating general upstream timeslots that are not associated with a single station device;
receiving data at a first rate at the access device from a station device of the plurality of station devices during an upstream timeslot allocated to the station device and using the directional beam assigned for the station device;
receiving data at a second data rate at the access device from a station device of the plurality of station devices during a second upstream timeslot that is a general upstream timeslot;
wherein, for at least some of the plurality of station devices, the first rate has a different modulation scheme than the second rate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Multi-directional antenna apparatuses, which may include phased array antennas and/or arrays of multiple antennas, and methods for operating these directional antennas. In particular, described herein are apparatuses configured to operate as an access point (AP) for communicating with one or more station devices by assigning a particular directional beam to each access point, and communicating with each station device using the assigned directional beam at least part of the time. Methods and apparatuses configured to optimize the assignment of one or more directional beam and for communicating between different station devices using assigned directional beams are described.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of operating an access point in a wireless network, wherein the access point is configured to operate a plurality of directional beams, the method comprising:
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transmitting a training packet from the access point and receiving response packets from a plurality of station devices, wherein the response packet includes an identifier specific to a directional beam transmitting the training packet and a priority value associated with one or more criteria for directional beam selection; assigning each of the plurality of station devices one of the directional beams from the plurality of directional beams based on the received response packets; allocating upstream timeslots to each of the plurality of station device and allocating general upstream timeslots that are not associated with a single station device; receiving data at a first rate at the access device from a station device of the plurality of station devices during an upstream timeslot allocated to the station device and using the directional beam assigned for the station device; receiving data at a second data rate at the access device from a station device of the plurality of station devices during a second upstream timeslot that is a general upstream timeslot; wherein, for at least some of the plurality of station devices, the first rate has a different modulation scheme than the second rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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6. A method of operating an access point in a wireless network, wherein the access point is configured to operate a plurality of directional beams, the method comprising:
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transmitting a training packet from the access point and receiving response packets from a plurality of station devices, wherein the response packet includes an identifier specific to a directional beam transmitting the training packet and a priority value associated with one or more criteria for directional beam selection; assigning each of the plurality of station devices one of the directional beams from the plurality of directional beams as a downstream directional beam, based on the received response packets; assigning each of the plurality of station devices one of the directional beams from the plurality of directional beams as an upstream directional beam, wherein at least one of the station devices has an assigned downstream directional beam that is different from its assigned upstream directional beam; allocating upstream timeslots to each of the plurality of station device and allocating general upstream timeslots that are not associated with a single station device; receiving data at a first rate at the access device from a station device of the plurality of station devices during an upstream timeslot allocated to the station device and using the directional beam assigned for the station device; receiving data at a second data rate at the access device from a station device of the plurality of station devices during a second upstream timeslot that is a general upstream timeslot; wherein, for at least some of the plurality of station devices, the first rate has a different modulation scheme than the second rate.
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Specification