Patent ID: 8355358
Filing Date: 2013-01-15
Classification: H04B,H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A system for handing over a mobile station between repeaters in a communications network, comprising: a switch including a first instance of a switch media access control (MAC) sublayer and a second instance of the switch MAC sublayer; a first repeater including a first instance of a repeater MAC sublayer, the mobile station being associated with the first repeater; and a second repeater including a second instance of the repeater MAC sublayer; and a third repeater including a third instance of the repeater MAC sublayer, wherein the first instance of the switch MAC sublayer are arranged to form a first logical access point, the first logical access point being configured to allow the mobile station to be handed over from the first instance of the repeater MAC sublayer to the second instance of the repeater MAC sublayer without having to re-associate with the first instance of the switch MAC sublayer, and wherein the second instance of the switch MAC sublayer and the third instance of the repeater MAC sublayer are arranged to form a second logical access point, the second logical access point being configured to allow the mobile station to be handed over from the first instance of the switch MAC sublayer to the second instance of the switch MAC sublayer after re-associating with the second instance of the switch MAC sublayer.