Broadcast/multicast collision free frame transmission
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsLiwen Chu, George A. Vlantis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A protocol for collision avoidance in inter and intra basic service set broadcast/multicast communication in a wireless network is disclosed. An access point reserves a broadcast transmission time and conveys that reservation to each of its associated stations. Using a beacon or an action frame, the transmission reservation time is sent to all stations and other neighboring access points within range of the primary access point. Upon receiving the broadcast transmission time reservation, each station associated with the reserving access point and any neighboring access points set their network allocation vector thus preventing frame transmission or reception during the now reserved transmission time.
Claims20
A protocol for reducing frame collisions in wireless basic service set communication, said protocol comprising:
- reserving by an access point a broadcast transmission time wherein the access point is associated with a region having at least one station;
- notifying each station associated with the access point of the broadcast transmission time;
- and
- setting at each station associated with the at least one access point a network allocation vector stopping frame transmission during the broadcast transmission time.
A system for avoiding broadcast frame collision in a wireless network;
- the system comprising:
- at least one access point wherein each access point is associated with at least one station and wherein the at least one access point reserves a broadcast transmission time;
- and
- an action frame operative to distribute the broadcast transmission time to the at least one station and other access points having overlapping coverage with the at least one access point wherein responsive to receiving the action frame the at least one station and/or the other access points restrict transmission to times other than said broadcast transmission time.
A computer-readable storage medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine wherein said program of instructions comprises a plurality of program codes for preventing frame collisions in broadcast transmission in a wireless network, said program of instructions comprising:
- one of said program codes for reserving by an access point a broadcast transmission time wherein the access point is associated with a region having at least one station;
- one of said program codes for notifying each station associated with the access point of the broadcast transmission time;
- and
- one of said program codes for setting at each station associated with the at least one access point a network allocation vector stopping frame transmission during the broadcast transmission time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.