Patent ID: 8503390

Claim:
A method for scanning in a radio communication system, comprising: transmitting by a mobile station (MS) on all channels a probe message containing an Internet Protocol IP address of the original access point (AP) of the mobile station MS and a medium access control (MAC) address of the mobile station MS; switching to an original channel; transmitting a response inquiry message to the original AP, and receiving a probe response message within a predetermined period; transmitting by the AP, if the AP of the probe message received on said channel is not said original AP, a probe message containing said MAC address to said original AP according to said IP address; buffering by said original AP of the probe response message received, and transmitting by the AP of the probe response message to the MS according to said MAC address after the response inquiry message sent by the MS has been received; receiving, by the original AP, of the response inquiry message transmitted by the MS and transmitting an inquiry response message to the MS; and retransmitting, if the inquiry response message from the original AP is not received by the MS within the predetermined period, the response inquiry message by the MS to the original AP.