Wireless access points providing hybrid 802.11 and scheduled priority access communications

• US 9,693,388 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2015
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mimosa Networks, Inc. (Airspan Networks Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mimosa Networks, Inc. (Airspan Networks Inc.)
• Inventors: Gurevich, David, Hinman, Brian L., Fink, Jaime, Masilamani, Ashok N., Ponnampalam, Vishakan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Kibrom T
• Application Number:
  US14/741,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20150319584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5069 for group communication, multicast communication or broadcast communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0215 based on user or device properties, e.g. MTC-capable devices services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] H04W4/70; wireless resource selection or allocation plan definition based on terminal or device properties H04W72/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0816 with collision avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

Wireless access points providing hybrid 802.11 and scheduled priority access communications are provided herein. An exemplary wireless access point may be configured to communicate with a set of standard access clients using an 802.11 mode of communication during standard access phases, as well as communicate with a set of priority access clients during priority access phases, when the wireless access point is not communicating with the set of standard access clients, using a priority mode of communication.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

communicating with an associated access point;

receiving a clear to send (CTS) frame comprising a network allocation vector (NAV) maximum duration;

ceasing transmission with the associated access point until expiration of the network allocation vector (NAV) maximum duration;

extending cessation of transmission with the associated access point if an additional CTS frame is received before the expiration of the network allocation vector (NAV) maximum duration, wherein the additional CTS frame has a duration that is equal to a priority access phase duration minus the network allocation vector (NAV) maximum duration, wherein priority access clients communicate with the associated access point during the priority access phase duration; and

communicating with the associated access point after the expiration of the network allocation vector (NAV) maximum duration.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the additional CTS frame has a network allocation vector (NAV) maximum duration.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein communication can occur during a point coordination function interframe space (PIFS) which occurs after the expiration of the network allocation vector (NAV) maximum duration.

4. A computing device configured to communicate with a wireless access point, the computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory for storing logic, wherein the logic is executed by the processor to;

communicate with the wireless access point;

receive a clear to send (CTS) frame comprising a network allocation vector (NAV) maximum duration;

cease transmission with the wireless access point until expiration of the network allocation vector (NAV) maximum duration;

extend cessation of transmission with the wireless access point if an additional CTS frame is received before the expiration of the network allocation vector (NAV) maximum duration, the additional CTS frame having a duration that is equal to a priority access phase duration minus the network allocation vector (NAV) maximum duration, wherein priority access clients communicate with the wireless access point during the priority access phase duration; and

resume communicating with the wireless access point after the expiration of the network allocation vector (NAV) maximum duration.

5. The computing device according to claim 4, wherein the additional CTS frame has a network allocation vector (NAV) maximum duration.

6. The computing device according to claim 4, wherein the computing device can communicate with the wireless access point after a point coordination function interframe space (PIFS) that occurs after the expiration of the network allocation vector (NAV) maximum duration.

7. The computing device according to claim 6, wherein the computing device is capable of operating in both a standard 802.11 mode and a priority mode using a MAC protocol.

8. The computing device according to claim 7, wherein the computing device can communicate with the wireless access point using the MAC protocol during cessation of transmission during the network allocation vector (NAV) maximum duration.

9. The computing device according to claim 7, wherein the computing device communicates with the wireless access point using the MAC protocol when a priority access frame is received during the network allocation vector (NAV) maximum duration.

10. The computing device according to claim 9, wherein the priority access frame comprises a priority access client group identifier for the computing device and the priority access phase duration.

11. The computing device according to claim 10, wherein the computing device does not communicate with the wireless access point if the priority access client group identifier does not match the priority access client group identifier stored on the computing device.