Handoff method and apparatus for mobile wireless workstation

A method for providing an appearance of a continual connection of a data processor means to a wired network of the type having a plurality of wireless link adapter means, individual ones of the plurality of link adapter means directing data from the wired network over a wireless link to one or more data processor means belonging to an associated active group of data processor means, where a data processor means is enabled, at any given time, to be a member of only one active group that is associated with one of said plurality of link adapter means, comprising the steps of:

• in response to the data processor means breaking the wireless link with a first link adapter means, the data processor means being a member of the active group of the first link adapter means,
• deleting the data processor means from the active group of the first link adapter means;
• and
• re-directing data, that is intended for the data processor means, from the first link adapter means over the wired network to a storage means selected from one or more storage means that are coupled to the wired network;
• in response to the data processor means establishing a link with a second link adapter means,
• adding the data processor means to the active group associated with the second link adapter means;
• transmitting stored data in a First In/First Out order from the storage means to the second link adapter means;
• receiving the data from the storage means;
• and
• sending the received data from the second link adapter means to the data processing means;
• in response to the storage means transmitting all of the stored data to the second link adapter means,
• terminating the re-direction of data from the first link adapter means to the storage means;
• and
• receiving, from the network, further data addressed to the data processing means, the further data being received with the second link adapter means.

Apparatus for providing an appearance of a continual connection of a data processor means to a wired network of the type having a plurality of wireless link adapter means each of which bidirectionally passes data to and from the network over a wireless link, the data being transmitted to or received from data processor means having means for coupling to the wireless link, comprising:

• data storage means bidirectionally coupled to the network;
• means, responsive to the data processor means breaking the wireless link with a first link adapter means of the plurality of link adapter means, for re-directing to the data storage means any data received from the network that is intended for the data processor means;
• means, responsive to the data processor means establishing a link with a second link adapter means of the plurality of link adapter means, for initiating the transmission of stored data from the data storage means to the second link adapter means;
• means for receiving the data from the data storage means;
• and
• means for sending, over the wireless link, the received data from the second link adapter means to the data processing means.