Portable wireless local area network

Claim 2

A wireless local area network for exchanging data between a plurality of end-user devices, comprising a plurality of adapters each one of said adapters being coupled to respective one of said end-user devices, and being arranged such that in response to a request from more than one of said end-user devices for resources of said local area network, said adapters cooperate to allocate said resources to a particular one of said end-user-devices only when said particular one of said end-user devices is a sole winner of an auction among said more than one of said end-user devices requesting access to said resources; and a repeater which receives data signals from said particular one of said end-user devices which won said auction and which broadcasts said received data signals to said end-user devices.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 wherein said repeater includes: a transceiver which transmits said received data signals at a different frequency from which said signals were received.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 1 further including respective processors which are included in said adapters and which perform successive comparisons of most significant bits in addresses associated with each one of said end-user devices during successive rounds of said auction until said sole winner is selected.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 1 wherein at least two of said end-user devices communicate their respective address in order to participate in said auction.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 1 further including respective processors which are included in said adapters and which perform successive comparisons of most significant digits in codes associated with each one of said end-user devices during successive rounds of said auction until said sole winner is selected.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 1 wherein said repeater defines time intervals within which said auction for said resources can be held.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 1 wherein said repeater provides timing signals for said end-user devices.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 8 wherein said broadcasting step includes the step of: transmitting said received data signals at a different frequency from which said signals were received.

Claim 12

The invention of claim 8 wherein said granting step includes the step of: performing successive comparisons of most significant bits in respective addresses associated with each one of said end-user devices during successive rounds of said auction until said sole winner is selected.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 8 further comprising the step of: communicating an address by each end-user device in order to participate in said auction.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 8 wherein said granting step includes the step of: performing successive comparisons of most significant digits in codes associated with each one of said end-user devices during successive rounds of said auction until said sole winner is selected.

Claim 15

The invention of claim 8 further comprising the step of: defining time intervals within which said auction for said resources can be held.

Claim 16

The invention of claim 1 wherein said broadcasting step further includes the step of: providing timing signals for said received data signals.

Claim 17

A wireless local area network for exchanging data between a plurality of end-user devices, said local area network comprising: means for receiving from said end-user devices requests for access to said local area network; means for defining transmission cycles for exchange of data on said local area network; means for assigning a unique address to each of the end-user devices requesting access to said local area network for use of resources of said local area network; and means within each of the end-user devices for collectively allocating access to said local area network to a particular one of said end-user devices requesting use of the resources of said local area network within said transmission cycle only when the particular one of said end-user devices is a sole winner of an auction for said access to said local area network, wherein at least one other end-user device to which a unique address has been assigned competes for said access to said local area network in said auction.

Claim 18

A wireless local area network for exchanging data between a plurality of end-user devices, said local area network comprising: means for receiving from said end-user devices requests for access to said local area network; means for defining transmission cycles for exchange of data on said local area network; means for assigning a unique address to each of the end-user devices requesting access to said local area network for use of resources of said local area network; and means within each of the end-user devices for collectively allocating access to said local area network to a particular one of said end-user devices requesting use of the resources of said local area network within said transmission cycle only when the particular one of said end-user devices is a sole winner of an auction for said access to said local area network, wherein at least one other end-user device to which a unique address has been assigned competes for said access to said local area network in said auction.

Claim 19

A wireless local area network for exchanging data between a plurality of end-user devices, comprising a repeater which receives data signals from a particular one of said end-user devices and which broadcasts said received data signals to the other end-user devices; a plurality of adapters which are arranged to a) couple respective ones of said end-user devices to said local area network and b) allocate resources of said local area network to a particular one of said end-user devices in response to receiving from more than one of said end-user devices a request to access said resources of said local area network, said resources being allocated to said particular one of said end-user devices only when said particular one of said end-user devices is a sole winner of an auction among said more than one end-user devices which contend for access to said resources, said allocation of resources allowing data to be received from said particular one of said end-user devices by said repeater for broadcasting to said plurality of end-user devices.

Claim 20

A wireless local area network for exchanging data between a plurality of end-user devices, comprising a repeater which receives data signals from a particular one of said end-user devices and which broadcasts said received data signals to the other end-user devices; a plurality of adapters which are arranged to a) couple respective ones of said end-user devices to said local area network and b) allocate resources of said local area network to a particular one of said end-user devices in response to receiving from more than one of said end-user devices a request to access said resources of said local area network, said resources being allocated to said particular one of said end-user devices only when said particular one of said end-user devices is a sole winner of an auction among said more than one end-user devices which contend for access to said resources, said allocation of resources allowing data to be received from said particular one of said end-user devices by said repeater for broadcasting to said plurality of end-user devices.