Patent ID: 8804655

Claim:
A wireless local area network (LAN) network, comprising: a plurality of base stations; and a mobile station to notify a first base station of the base stations of a first entry into a power-save mode, the mobile station to perform a handoff initiation process with a second base station of the base stations to which the mobile station performs handoff, the mobile station to notify the first base station of a first exit from the power-save mode in response to completing the handoff initiation process, the first base station to buffer a packet that is to be transmitted to the mobile station through the first base station in response to the first base station being notified of the first entry into the power-save mode by the mobile station, the first base station to transmit the buffered packet to the mobile station in response to the first base station being notified of the first exit from the power-save mode by the mobile station, the second base station to buffer a second packet that is to be transmitted to the mobile station through the second base station in response to the second base station being notified of a second entry into the power-save mode by the mobile station, the second base station to transmit the buffered second packet to the mobile station in response to the second base station being notified of a second exit from the power-save mode by the mobile station, wherein the handoff initiation process comprises the mobile station being configured to send a probe request message to the second base station and to receive a probe response message from the second base station, after notifying the first base station of the first entry into the power-save mode, and wherein the mobile station is configured to establish a handoff link in response to notifying the first base station of a third entry into the power-save mode.