Method of associating an ip address with a plurality of link layer addresses in a wireless communication network

Abstract

This invention relates generally to a method of associating an IP address with a link layer address in a wireless communication network. The method comprises the steps of assigning an IP address to a plurality of link layer addresses; establishing a link layer connection with a first wireless network interface on the IP address; and establishing a link layer connection with a second wireless network interface on the IP address. The method of the present invention enables the increased downloading of data to a client device by aggregating data links associated with an IP address. The method also enables the bi-casting of data to a client device from an IP address associated with a plurality of link layer addresses of wireless communication device. Finally, the invention enables failure recovery by enabling downloading to a second link layer address if a communication link to a first link layer address deteriorates.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.