Multiplex communications – Communication over free space – Having a plurality of contiguous regions served by...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-11
2004-09-07
Ton, Dang (Department: 2666)
Multiplex communications
Communication over free space
Having a plurality of contiguous regions served by...
C370S386000, C370S389000, C370S466000, C370S476000, C709S223000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06788658
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of wireless communications; more particularly, the present invention relates to receiver diversity in a wireless communications system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1
illustrates an exemplary network environment used today. Referring to
FIG. 1
, a corporate Local Area Network (LAN) backbone
102
interfaces to a number of desktop computers
103
1
-
103
n
and may interface to Internet
101
. Corporate LAN backbone
102
may comprise a firewall
102
A, corporate server
102
B, and a standard Ethernet switch
102
C. Ethernet switch
102
C includes an interface by which desktops
103
1
-
103
1n
are coupled to the corporate LAN backbone
102
and may access corporate sever
102
B and Internet
101
(via firewall
102
A).
More recently, Wireless LANs (WLANs) are being installed. Many of the recently implemented WLANs operate according to the protocol set forth in the 802.11 Standard, particularly as more enterprises are adopting the 802.11 Standard. ISO | IEC DIS 8802.11
FIG. 2
illustrates one embodiment of an 802.11 based WLAN (LAN) system. Referring to
FIG. 2
, the Internet or other LAN
201
is coupled to an 802.11 server
203
via firewall (FW)
202
. Server
203
communicates with mobile stations in a number of 802.11 cells
206
1
-
206
n
using an access point in each of cells
206
1
-
206
n
, such as access point
204
. Server
203
is coupled to access points such as access point
204
, via an Ethernet connection. There is one access point for each of the 802.11 cells
206
1
-
206
n
. Mobile stations in each of the 802.11 cells, such as laptops
205
1
and
205
2
in cell
206
1
, communicate wirelessly with the access points via the 802.11 protocol. The communications from mobile stations in the 802.11 cells to the access points are forwarded through to server
203
and potentially to Internet/LAN
201
, while communications from Internet/LAN
201
are forwarded through server
203
to the mobile stations via the access points.
There are a number of problems associated with the current implementations of 802.11 networks. For example, in order to set up an 802.11 network such as shown in
FIG. 2
, a site survey is required in order to determine where each of the access points are placed to ensure that the 802.11 cells provide complete coverage over a particular geographic area. This may be costly. Also, the cost of each of the access points is approximately $500.00. Generally, such a high cost is a deterrent to having a large number of access points. However, by reducing the number of access points, coverage diminishes and the 802.11 network is less effective. Furthermore, there are a number of mobility problems associated with the current 802.11 network deployments. For example, the 802.11 standard sets forth a number of solutions to handle the issue of mobility of mobile stations between the 802.11 cells. However, these schemes do not work effectively as there is no standard solution in place and users haven't indicated a desire for long-term proprietary solutions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A communication architecture is described. In one embodiment, the architecture comprises a repeater having repeater MAC sublayer functionality and a switch coupled to the repeater and having switch MAC sublayer functionality. The repeater MAC sublayer functionality and the switch MAC sublayer functionality cooperate to perform the MAC functionality in a distributed fashion.
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Blakely , Sokoloff, Taylor & Zafman LLP
Mehra Inder Pal
Ton Dang
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