Method and apparatus for maintaining connectivity of nodes in a wireless local area network

Claim 2

In a wireless local area network (LAN) comprising a plurality of cells, each cell including at least one access point for communicating information between cells and at least one node for communicating via the LAN through said access points, a method for maintaining connectivity of a node in the wireless LAN comprising the steps of: (a) the node selecting a second access point as a candidate for accepting a handoff of the node from a first access point; (b) communicating an instruction from the node to the first access point instructing the first access point to relay a request to the second access point that the second access point accept a handoff of the node from the first access point to the second access point; (c) directly relaying said request from the first access point to the second access point; and (d) performing the handoff, such that the node communicates with the second access point.

Claim 3

The method as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising the step of determining whether said second access point will accept the request for a handoff.

Claim 4

The method as set forth in claim 2 , further comprising the step of repeating said selecting, communicating, relaying and determining steps if said second access point determines not to accept said request for a handoff.

Claim 5

The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the step of performing a handoff comprises the steps of: (a) transmitting second access point operating parameters from said second access point to said first access point; (b) relaying said second access point operating parameters to said node from said first access point; and (c) adjusting node parameters in response to said second access point parameters so as to establish communication between said node and said second access point.

Claim 6

The method as set forth in claim 4 , wherein one of said second access point operating parameters comprises a spreading code utilized by said second access point.

Claim 7

The method as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising the step of, after said handoff has been performed, forwarding a message that is destined for said node from said first access point to said second access point upon receipt of said message at said first access point, wherein the second access point communicates the message to the node.

Claim 8

The method as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising the step of, after said handoff has been performed, informing other access points that said node has been handed off to said second access point, such that communications to said node are achieved through said second access point.

Claim 9

The method as set forth in claim 1 , before said selection step, further comprising the step of the node determining whether to establish connectivity with another access point.

Claim 10

The method as set forth in claim 8 , further comprising the steps of: communicating a handoff initiation message from said first access point to said node requesting that said node establish connectivity with another access point; and said node determining whether to establish connectivity with another access point in response to the request of the first access point.

Claim 11

The method as set forth in claim 1 , before said selection step, further comprising the step of the first access point determining whether the node should establish connectivity with another access point.

Claim 12

In a wireless local area network (LAN) comprising a plurality of cells, each cell including at least one access point for communicating information between cells and at least one node for communicating via the LAN through said access points, a method for maintaining connectivity of a node in the wireless LAN comprising the steps of: said node determining whether to establish connectivity with another access point; and if said node determines to establish connectivity with another access point: said node selecting a second access point as a candidate for accepting a handoff of said node from a first access point; communicating an instruction from said node to said first access point instructing said first access point to relay a request to said second access point that said second access point accept a handoff of said node from said first access point to said second access point; relaying said request directly from said first access point to said second access point; determining whether said second access point will accept said handoff; if said second access point determines to accept said handoff: transmitting second access point operating parameters from said second access point to said first access point, wherein one of said operating parameters comprises a spreading code utilized by said second access point; relaying said second access point operating parameters to said node from said first access point; adjusting node parameters in response to said second access point operating parameters so as to establish communication between said node and said second access point, thereby accomplishing a handoff; and if said second access point determines not to accept said handoff, repeating said selecting, communicating, relaying and determining steps.

Claim 13

In a wireless local area network (LAN) comprising a plurality of cells, each cell including at least one access point for communicating information between cells and at least one node for communicating via the LAN through said access points, a method for maintaining connectivity of a node in the wireless LAN comprising the steps of: said node determining whether to establish connectivity with another access point; and if said node determines to establish connectivity with another access point: said node selecting a second access point as a candidate for accepting a handoff of said node from a first access point; communicating an instruction from said node to said first access point instructing said first access point to relay a request to said second access point that said second access point accept a handoff of said node from said first access point to said second access point; relaying said request directly from said first access point to said second access point; determining whether said second access point will accept said handoff; if said second access point determines to accept said handoff: transmitting second access point operating parameters from said second access point to said first access point, wherein one of said operating parameters comprises a spreading code utilized by said second access point; relaying said second access point operating parameters to said node from said first access point; adjusting node parameters in response to said second access point operating parameters so as to establish communication between said node and said second access point, thereby accomplishing a handoff; and if said second access point determines not to accept said handoff, repeating said selecting, communicating, relaying and determining steps.

Claim 14

In a wireless local area network (LAN) comprising a plurality of cells, an apparatus for maintaining connectivity in the LAN comprising: a plurality of access points for communicating information between cells; link means connected to first and second access points for permitting communications between said first and second access points; and at least one node for communicating over the LAN through said access points; each node comprising: node programming logic for selecting a second access point as a candidate for handoff of said node from a first access point, forming an instruction instructing said first access point to relay a request to said second access point requesting that said second access point accept a handoff of said node from said first access point, and causing said instruction to be communicated to said first access point, and handing off said node to said second access point by establishing communications between said node and said second access point, said first access point comprising first access point programming logic for relaying said request directly from said first access point to said second access point over said link means.

Claim 15

In a wireless local area network (LAN) comprising a plurality of cells, an apparatus for maintaining connectivity in the LAN comprising: a plurality of access points for communicating information between cells; link means connected to first and second access points for permitting communications between said first and second access points; and at least one node for communicating over the LAN through said access points; each node comprising: node programming logic for selecting a second access point as a candidate for handoff of said node from a first access point, forming an instruction instructing said first access point to relay a request to said second access point requesting that said second access point accept a handoff of said node from said first access point, and causing said instruction to be communicated to said first access point, and handing off said node to said second access point by establishing communications between said node and said second access point, said first access point comprising first access point programming logic for relaying said request directly from said first access point to said second access point over said link means.

Claim 16

The apparatus as set forth in claim 12 , wherein said second access point comprises second access point programming logic for determining whether said second access point will accept said handoff.

Claim 17

The apparatus as set forth in claim 13 , wherein, if said second access point programming logic determines to reject said handoff, said node programming logic selects an alternate access point and communicates an instruction to the first access point instructing the first access point to relay a request to the alternate access point requesting that the alternate access point accept a handoff of the node.

Claim 18

The apparatus as set forth in claim 12 , wherein: said second access point comprises circuitry for relaying second access point operating parameters to said node through said link means and said first access point; and said node programming logic comprises circuitry for adjusting node parameters in response to said second access point operating parameters so as to establish communications between said node and said second access point.

Claim 19

The apparatus as set forth in claim 15 , wherein one of said second access point operating parameters comprises a spreading code utilized by said second access point.

Claim 20

The apparatus as set forth in claim 12 , said first access point further comprising programming logic for forwarding a message that is destined for said node from said first access point to said second access point upon receipt of said message at said first access point.

Claim 21

The apparatus as set forth in claim 12 , said first access point further comprising programming logic for informing other access points that said node has been handed off to said second access point, such that communications to said node are achieved directly through said second access point.

Claim 22

The apparatus as set forth in claim 12 , wherein said node further comprises programming logic for determining whether said node will establish connectivity with another access point.

Claim 23

The apparatus as set forth in claim 19 , wherein said first access point further comprises programming logic for communicating a handoff initiation message from said first access point to said node requesting that said node establish connectivity with another access point, and said programming logic for determining whether said node will establish connectivity further comprises programming logic for determining whether said node will establish connectivity with another access point in response to the request of the first access point.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein said first access point further comprises programming logic for determining whether the node should establish connectivity with another access point.