Patent ID: 8873752

Claim:
One or more non transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processing devices, perform for performing a method of associating a wireless device with a first basestation, the method comprising: assigning a token to the wireless device, wherein the token is held by a basestation, wherein the token is transferable from one basestation to another basestation, wherein the token is held by only one basestation at a time, and wherein the token identifies the basestation that holds the token as a single point of access to network resources for the wireless device, such that the wireless device only accesses the network resources by way of the basestation that holds the token; at the first basestation, receiving a connection request from the wireless device, wherein the wireless device is already connected to a second basestation, wherein the second basestation to which the wireless device is already connected holds the token assigned to the wireless device and provides the single point of access to the network resources for the wireless device; authenticating the wireless device at the first basestation, wherein the authenticating is not performed by a central server; at the first basestation, subsequent to authenticating the wireless device, receiving a token-transfer-request message from the wireless device, wherein the token-transfer-request message is a request for the first basestation to obtain the token from the second basestation that holds the token; and transferring the token assigned to the wireless device from the second basestation to the first basestation, comprising A) sending a token-request message to the second basestation, requesting the token be transferred, B) receiving a message containing the token from the second basestation, C) sending an acknowledgment to the second basestation, acknowledging the receipt of the token, and D) receiving an acknowledgement, acknowledging the receipt of the acknowledgment acknowledging the receipt of the token, wherein the first basestation provides the single point of access to the network resources for the wireless device by virtue of holding the token, and wherein the second basestation is no longer a point of access to the network resources for the wireless device because the second basestation no longer holds the token; wherein transferring the token assigned to the wireless device to the first basestation comprises assigning the wireless device a temporary token when communication with the second basestation currently holding the token cannot be achieved.