Claims
- 1. A method for affiliating a wireless device with a wireless local area network (WLAN), the method comprises:
establishing, by a control node of the WLAN, at least one access frequency for affiliation with the WLAN; periodically providing, by the control node, a beacon frame on the at least one access frequency, wherein the beacon indicates timing of affiliation with the WLAN; determining, by the wireless device, the at least one access frequency for affiliating with the WLAN; determining, by the wireless device, the timing of affiliation with the WLAN based on the beacon frame; providing, by the wireless device, identification information of the wireless device via the at least one access frequency during the beacon frame; determining, by the control node, access privileges of the wireless device based on the identification information; and affiliating, by the control node, the wireless device with an initial access channel from a set of access channels in accordance with the access privileges.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising ignoring the identification information if received on a frequency other than the at least one access frequency.
- 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing, by the control node, at least one non-access frequency, wherein the at least one non-access frequency is identified by the absence of the beacon frame.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein affiliating the wireless device with the initial access channel comprises, selecting the initial access channel for affiliation with the wireless device based on at least one of: an existing load on the set of access channels, correlating a service request from the wireless device with a service request for the initial access channel, the wireless device identification information, and a wireless device group identification.
- 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the control node, a transfer acknowledgement signal to the wireless device in response to receiving the identification information.
- 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the control node, a change channel affiliation signal to the wireless device to transfer the wireless device to a second access channel, from the set of access channels, different from the initial access channel.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining access privileges of the wireless device comprises denying access to the wireless device on the at least one access frequency, by not providing a transfer acknowledgement signal in response to receiving the identification information, to cause the wireless device to provide the identification information on another of the at least one access frequencies.
- 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing, by the control node, a unique frequency of the at least one access frequencies, to function as the at least one access frequency for affiliation with the WLAN.
- 9. An apparatus for affiliating a wireless device with a wireless local area network (WLAN), the apparatus comprises:
a processing module; and a memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory includes operational instructions that cause the processing module to: establish, at a control node of the WLAN, at least one access frequency for affiliation with the WLAN; periodically provide, at the control node, a beacon frame on the at least one access frequency, wherein the beacon indicates timing of affiliation with the WLAN; determine, at the wireless device, the at least one access frequency for affiliating with the WLAN; determine, at the wireless device, the timing of affiliation with the WLAN based on the beacon frame; provide, at the wireless device, identification information of the wireless device via the at least one access frequency during the beacon frame; determine, at the control node, access privileges of the wireless device based on the identification information; and affiliate, at the control node, the wireless device with an initial access channel from a set of access channels in accordance with the access privileges.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to ignore the identification information if received on a frequency other than the at least one access frequency.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to establish, at the control node, at least one non-access frequency, wherein the at least one non-access frequency is identified by the absence of the beacon frame.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to affiliate the wireless device with the initial access channel by selecting the initial access channel for affiliation with the wireless device based on at least one of: an existing load on the set of access channels, correlating a service request from the wireless device with a service request for the initial access channel, the wireless device identification information, and a wireless device group identification.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to provide, at the control node, a transfer acknowledgement signal to the wireless device in response to receiving the identification information.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to provide, at the control node, a change channel affiliation signal to the wireless device to transfer the wireless device to a second access channel, from the set of access channels, different from the initial access channel.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to determine access privileges of the wireless device by denying access to the wireless device on the at least one access frequency, by not providing a transfer acknowledgement signal in response to receiving the identification information, to cause the wireless device to provide the identification information on another of the at least one access frequencies.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to establish, at the control node, a unique frequency of the at least one access frequencies, to function as the at least one access frequency for affiliation with the WLAN.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This patent is claiming priority under 35 USC § 119(e) and §120 to: co-pending patent application entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A MULTIMEDIA SYSTEM” having a serial number of 09/864,524, and a filing date of May 24, 2001, such co-pending patent application is hereby incorporated by reference; and provisional patent application having the same title as the present patent application, having a serial number of 60/437,364, and a filing date of Dec. 31, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60437381 |
Dec 2002 |
US |