Patent ID: 7787401
Filing Date: 2010-08-31
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: for a particular network identifier of at least one network identifier active in a first wireless device that supports more than one network identifier, the first wireless device including an arrangement for modulating and transmitting, the arrangement including a transmitter and modulator, and medium access control (MAC) hardware coupled to the transmitter and modulator, each network identifier identifying an infrastructure wireless network for which the first wireless device acts as an access point: wherein transmitting the subset is more frequent than the transmitting of a full beacon frame, and wherein at least one of: the information in a mini-beacon is selected such that an unassociated wireless station receiving the mini-beacon is discouraged from attempting to associate with the access point of the particular network identifier, and the information in a mini-beacon is selected to provide timing information such that a station receiving the mini-beacon frames can maintain synchronization, such that a second wireless device for which the first wireless device acts as an access point can determine when the next full parent beacon frame is to be transmitted.