Patent ID: 7319688
Filing Date: 2008-01-15
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for mobile communication, comprising: arranging a plurality of access points in a wireless local area network (WLAN) to communicate on a common frequency channel with a mobile station; linking the access points together by cables in a wired local area network (LAN), so as to convey frames of data to and from the mobile station via the LAN; receiving at one or more of the access points an uplink signal transmitted over the WLAN by the mobile station on the common frequency channel; responsively to receiving the uplink signal, sending one or more messages over the LAN among the access points by interleaving the messages in one or more of the frames of the data; arbitrating among the access points based on the messages so as to select one of the access points to respond to the uplink signal; and transmitting a response from the selected one of the access points to the mobile station, wherein linking the access points to convey the frames of the data comprises configuring the access points to convey the frames in accordance with a first media access control (MAC) protocol characterized by a first latency, and wherein sending the messages comprises using a second MAC protocol, having a second latency lower than the first latency, to send the messages responsively to receiving the uplink signal.