Patent ID: 7577434

Claim:
A handover method in a wireless local area network (LAN) including a first access point that controls wireless communications with mobile stations existing in a first wireless area and a second access point that controls wireless communications with mobile stations existing in a second wireless area, the first and second wireless area partially overlapping each other, comprising the steps of: assigning, when the first access point is requested by first one of the stations existing in the first wireless area for an association with the wireless LAN, a first identification code different from an identification code assigned to another of the stations which is already associated with the wireless LAN to approve the association; assigning, when the second access point is requested by second one of the stations existing in the second wireless area for an association with the wireless LAN, a second identification code different from an identification code assigned to another of the stations which is already associated with the wireless LAN to approve the association; periodically transmitting from the first or second access point a beacon frame to the first or second station existing and associated in the first or second wireless areas, respectively, the beacon frame containing an identification code corresponding to the first or second station; monitoring by the first access point a signal received from the first station existing in the first wireless area; requesting, when the first access point detects the received signal being lower than a predetermined level, the second access point for a handover of the first station; determining, when the second access point is requested for the handover from the first access point, whether to accept the handover based on a signal received from the first station; accepting the handover of the first station by the second access point; and periodically transmitting from the second access point, in place of the first access point, a beacon frame containing the first identification code assigned to the first station; wherein the first or second access point assigns, when approving the association of the first or second station, the first or second station to an identification code provided to the first or second access point, respectively, each of the first and second access points comprising: an identification code manager for managing whether the identification code is unassigned or assigned; and a station manager for managing correspondence of the first or second station of which the association is approved with the identification code assigned to the first or second station, respectively.