Patent ID: 6907229

Claim:
A method for mobile communication by access points in a wireless local area network (WLAN), wherein the access points include at least first and second access points and are configured to communicate on a common frequency channel with mobile stations, including at least first and second mobile stations, the method comprising: receiving a first uplink signal from the first mobile station at the first access point with a first uplink power level; transmitting a first downlink signal on the common frequency channel from the first access point to the first mobile station in response to the first uplink signal, at a first downlink power level, which is adjusted responsively to the first uplink power level to be less than a maximum downlink power level; making a determination that while the first access point is transmitting the first downlink signal at the first downlink power level, the first downlink signal received at the second access point is below a predetermined interference threshold; receiving a second uplink signal from the second mobile station at the second access point; and responsive to the determination, transmitting a second downlink signal on the common frequency channel from the second access point to the second mobile station in response to the second uplink signal, simultaneously with transmission of the first downlink signal from the first access point to the first mobile station.