Patent ID: 7197015

Claim:
In a wireless communication system including at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and at least one access point (AP), a method for managing an association and disassociation of the WTRU which is associated with the AP comprising: (a) broadcasting an association confirmation period message by an AP, wherein the association confirmation period message includes timing information of when the AP expects to receive an association confirmation message from WTRUs desiring to maintain an association with the AP; (b) receiving the broadcasted association confirmation period message at a WTRU; (c) storing the association confirmation period in a management information base (MIB) of the WTRU; (d) transmitting an association confirmation message from the WTRU to the AP, one message during each association confirmation period as stored in the WTRU's MIB, when the WTRU is in an idle mode and desires to maintain an association with the AP; and (e) disassociating the WTRU at the AP if the AP does not receive an association confirmation message from the WTRU within the association confirmation period.