EP0851633A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for achieving handover in wireless LAN by buffering data at subsequent access point
Assignee: Nokia of America Corp
•
Filing: 1997-12-16
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Granted: —
•
Expires: 2017-12-16
Abstract
Abstract A system, associated with a first access point of a wireless local area network ("LAN"), for achieving handover of a mobile station from the first access point to a second access point of the wireless LAN, a method of operating the first access point to achieve handover and a wireless computer network. The system includes: (1) a wireless transceiver circuit that receives a handover imminent message from the mobile station indicating that the mobile station is about to dissociate from the first access point and associate with the second access point and (2) a network interface that transmits a handover preparation message, including an identifier relating to the mobile station, to the second access point via the LAN that causes the second access point to initiate a process under which the second access point begins to receive and buffer messages destined for the mobile station, the mobile station subsequently dissociating from the first access point and associating with the second access point to achieve the handover.
Inventors
- 👤 Hendrik Moelard
- 👤 Leo Monteban
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 16:11
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W36/00; H04W36/02; H04W36/0005; H04W36/0011; H04W36/0033; H04W36/08; H04W36/083; H04W84/00; H04W84/02; H04W84/10; H04W84/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of operating a wireless computer network
to achieve handover of a mobile station from a first access
point to a second access point, said method comprising the
steps of: receiving a first message from said mobile station into
a wireless transceiver circuit, said first message
indicating that said mobile station will soon dissociate
from said first access point and associate with said second
access point; transmitting a second message, including an identifier
relating to said mobile station, across a wired backbone
portion of said wireless computer network, said second
message causing said wireless computer network to route
future messages destined for said mobile station to said
second access point and causing said second access point to
begin to receive and buffer messages destined for said
mobile station; and subsequently dissociating said mobile station from said
first access point, said mobile station associating with
said second access point to achieve said handover.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as recited in Claim 1 further
comprising the step of transmitting buffered messages to
said mobile station following transmission of said first
message.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method as recited in Claim 1 wherein said
step of transmitting said second message comprises the step
of transmitting said second message from said said second
access point to said first access point.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method as recited in Claim 3 wherein said
wireless computer network comprises at least one bridge
containing a bridge filter table, said step of transmitting
causing said bridge to update an entry in said bridge filter
table corresponding to said identifier.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system as recited in Claim 4 wherein said
identifier indicates that said mobile station is a source of
said second message.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method as recited in Claim 1 wherein said
step of transmitting said second message comprises the step
of transmitting said second message from said said first
access point to said second access point.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method as recited in Claim 6 wherein said
wireless computer network comprises at least one bridge
containing a bridge filter table, said step of transmitting
causing said bridge to update an entry in said bridge filter
table corresponding to said identifier.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system as recited in Claim 7 wherein said
identifier indicates that said mobile station is a
destination of said second message.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as recited in Claim 1 further
comprising the step of receiving messages from said mobile
station destined for said wireless computer network after
said network interface transmits said second message.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as recited in Claim 1 further
comprising the step of transmitting a dissociate message to
said mobile station to cause said mobile station to
dissociate from said first access point.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
182 words
A wireless computer network, comprising: a wire-based local area network ("LAN") having a server
and a backbone; a plurality of bridges coupled to said backbone; a plurality of access points that allow messages to be
communicated among said LAN and a plurality of roamable
wireless mobile stations; and a system, associated with each of said plurality of
access points, for achieving handover of a mobile station
from a current access point of said mobile station to a
subsequent access point of said mobile station, said system
comprising: a wireless transceiver circuit that receives a
first message from said mobile station indicating that
said mobile station will sooon dissociate from said
current access point and associate with said subsequent
access point; and a network interface that transmits a second
message, including an identifier relating to said
mobile station, across said backbone of said LAN that
causes said subsequent access point to begin to receive
and buffer messages destined for said mobile station,
said mobile station subsequently dissociating from said
current access point and associating with said
subsequent access point to achieve said handover.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The network as recited in Claim 11 wherein said
transceiver transmits buffered messages to said mobile
station following transmission of said first message.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
The network as recited in Claim 11 wherein said
subsequent access point initiates said process by
transmitting said second message to said current access
point via said LAN, said second message causing said
plurality of bridges to redirect messages destined for said
mobile station from said current access point to said
subsequent access point.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
The network as recited in Claim 11 wherein each of
said plurality of bridges comprises a bridge filter table,
said second message causing said each of said plurality of
bridges to update an entry in said bridge filter table
corresponding to said identifier.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The network as recited in Claim 11 wherein said
transceiver circuit receives messages from said mobile
station destined for said LAN after said network interface
transmits said first message.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The network as recited in Claim 11 wherein said
transceiver transmits a dissociate message to said mobile
station to cause said mobile station to dissociate from said
current access point.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
The network as recited in Claim 11 wherein said
subsequent access point transmits said received and buffered
messages to said mobile station after said mobile station
associates with said subsequent access point.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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