Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating a fast handoff for subscribers in a Wireless Metropolitan Area Network (WMAN) by establishing a hard association with a first entity by sending a hard association request to the first entity and receiving a hard association response in response to the hard association request and establishing a pending association with a second entity by sending a pending association request to a second entity and receiving a pending association response from the second entity. In one embodiment, the pending association with the second entity may be converted to a hard association.

Abstract: Methods for performing client to client communication in a wireless local area network are disclosed. At an ‘n’ tier client in the wireless local area network, a signaling message from an ‘n?1’ tier client is received wherein the signaling message comprises a first period, a second period, and a third period. Communicating with the ‘n?1’ tier client during the first period and communicating with the ‘n+1’ tier client during the third period. At an access point in the wireless local area network, an association table identifying clients in the wireless local area network is created and a first period for client to client communication based upon the association table and traffic in the wireless local area network is determined where the access point does not communicate with the clients during the first period.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for managing communication in a Public Safety Communication Network (PSCN). The PSCN includes a plurality of Mobile Stations (MSs) (110, 115, 120) and a master controller (105). The method includes initiating a communication between one or more MSs and the master controller using a primary channel (405). The primary channel corresponds to a primary frequency spectrum in the PSCN. The method further includes identifying one or more available channels in one or more of the primary frequency spectrum and a secondary frequency spectrum (410). Each of the primary frequency spectrum and the secondary frequency spectrum include one or more channels. Thereafter, a channel hopping pattern is generated for one or more MSs based on one or more available channels (415). The channel hopping pattern corresponds to a sequence of frequency hops for a MS.

Abstract: A method (20,200) and apparatus (10) for detecting and identifying spectrum opportunities, including the steps of communicating a location of at least one node (12) to at least one base station (14) (24), transmitting a list of at least one channel from the at least one base station (14) to the at least one node (12) (26), and sensing the at least one channel from the list by the at least one node (12) (34). The method (20,200) also includes the steps of determining if the at least one channel is in use, and if the at least one channel is in use, determining the user of the at least one channel that is in use (38).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operation of a node within a mobile ad hoc cognitive radio network is provided. The method includes sensing at least one assigned communications channel. Sensing at least one assigned communications channel includes measuring a value of at least one parameter corresponding to the communications channel. The method further includes comparing the measured value of the at least one parameter with a set of stored values of the at least one parameter to determine a change in the measured values. Finally a sleep mode of the node is activated for a time period, wherein the time period is determined using the change in the measured values.

Abstract: A method and system for data transmission by computational devices in a wireless network (100) are disclosed. A computational device (102) organizes the wireless network in a hierarchical topology having at least one root node and updates a list of interferers and a list of descendents. Then, the computational device allocates a Contention Free Period (CFP) slot to each computational device in the wireless network based on at least one of the list of interferers and the list of descendents and transmits data during the allocated CFP slot.

Abstract: A method for transmitting beacons by nodes in a multi-tier wireless local area network is disclosed. First, a first beacon by a tier 1 node in the multi-tier wireless local area network is transmitted. Then, a second beacon by a tier 2 node is transmitted where the second beacon is transmitted based upon the time that the first beacon is sent by the tier 1 node.

Abstract: A wireless communication network is provided in which a plurality of radio devices achieve frequency diversity. By utilizing cognitive capability within the radio devices to iteratively select frequency sets, a lowest cardinality frequency set is generated and used to communicate amongst the plurality of radio devices. Each radio device can have different hardware, as the iterative selection of frequency set can take into account the different hardware capabilities of the radio devices.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for selecting a root node in an ad hoc network comprising a plurality of nodes including a first node. According to one implementation of these techniques, a first node can receive a message from at least one of the other nodes. Each message includes a number of primary factors associated with a particular node regarding capabilities of the particular node. The primary factors associated with each node can then be evaluated, and an attempt can be made to select the root node based on the primary factors associated with each node. If the first node is unable to select the root node based on the primary factors associated with each node, then the root node can be selected based on secondary factors associated with each node.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for packet scheduling in a wireless network is described. First values for a data transmission rate are measured for each of a plurality of mobile stations over time. Second values for a function of the data transmission rate are computed using at least one of the first values for each of the mobile stations. A rate of change of the data transmission rate is computed for each of the plurality of mobile stations using the second values associated therewith. A stability of the data transmission rate is computed for each of the plurality of mobile stations using the second values associated therewith. A channel quality factor is determined for each of the mobile stations using a current value of the second values, the rate of change of the function, and the stability of the function associated therewith.

Abstract: A method for performing neighbor discovery in a multi-tier wireless local area network where a client creates a neighbor list identifying a neighbor wherein the neighbor is identified as an access point or a client. Then, the client determines a time to perform a scan of neighbors based upon 1) a type of neighbor discovery to be performed and 2) when a first beacon is transmitted by an access point in a first tier of the multi-tier wireless local area network. Subsequently, the client performs a scan of neighbors at the determined time on a channel associated with the type of neighbor discovery. Finally, the client receives a beacon sent from a neighbor of the client to update the neighbor list with information transmitted in the beacon.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for selecting a root node in an ad hoc network that contains a plurality of nodes including a first node. According to one implementation of these techniques, a first node can receive a message from at least one of the other nodes. Each message includes a number of primary factors associated with a particular node regarding capabilities of the particular node. The primary factors associated with each node can then be evaluated, and an attempt can be made to select the root node based on the primary factors associated with each node. If the first node is unable to select the root node based on the primary factors associated with each node, then the root node can be selected based on secondary factors associated with each node.

Abstract: A method for transmitting beacon transmissions in a wireless local area network (WLAN) communications system (100) operating on one or more channels includes transmitting a first beacon (C1) using a directional antenna in a first direction (D1) on a first channel. A second beacon (C2) is then transmitted using a directional antenna in a second direction (D2) on the first channel. This process is then repeated such that the first beacon and second beacon after a predetermined beacon interval. The first beacon begins its transmission at a target beacon transmission time (TBTT) and the second beacon begins its transmission in a sequential period defined by an antenna switching time after the transmission of the first beacon.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operation of a node within a mobile ad hoc cognitive radio network is provided. The method includes sensing at least one assigned communications channel. Sensing at least one assigned communications channel includes measuring a value of at least one parameter corresponding to the communications channel. The method further includes comparing the measured value of the at least one parameter with a set of stored values of the at least one parameter to determine a change in the measured values. Finally a sleep mode of the node is activated for a time period, wherein the time period is determined using the change in the measured values.

Abstract: A method for communicating beacon transmissions from a wireless access point (WAP) to a client transceiver in a wireless local area network (WLAN) system (500) includes obtaining a reference timing for the wireless access point (WAP) (502). The sector configuration and the sector timing in the WAP is then determined (503). A virtual target beacon transmission time (TBTT) for the sector of interest serviced by the WAP is then calculated (506), as is a channel number of the sector of interest. Finally, the method provides for listening (507) for a sector beacon signal from the sector of interest at the virtual TBTT and the calculated channel number.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for managing communication in a Public Safety Communication Network (PSCN). The PSCN includes a plurality of Mobile Stations (MSs) (110, 115, 120) and a master controller (105). The method includes initiating a communication between one or more MSs and the master controller using a primary channel (405). The primary channel corresponds to a primary frequency spectrum in the PSCN. The method further includes identifying one or more available channels in one or more of the primary frequency spectrum and a secondary frequency spectrum (410). Each of the primary frequency spectrum and the secondary frequency spectrum include one or more channels. Thereafter, a channel hopping pattern is generated for one or more MSs based on one or more available channels (415). The channel hopping pattern corresponds to a sequence of frequency hops for a MS.

Abstract: A wireless communication network is provided in which a plurality of radio devices achieve frequency diversity. By utilizing cognitive capability within the radio devices to iteratively select frequency sets, a lowest cardinality frequency set is generated and used to communicate amongst the plurality of radio devices. Each radio device can have different hardware, as the iterative selection of frequency set can take into account the different hardware capabilities of the radio devices.

Abstract: A method (20,200) and apparatus (10) for detecting and identifying spectrum opportunities, including the steps of communicating a location of at least one node (12) to at least one base station (14) (24), transmitting a list of at least one channel from the at least one base station (14) to the at least one node (12) (26), and sensing the at least one channel from the list by the at least one node (12) (34). The method (20,200) also includes the steps of determining if the at least one channel is in use, and if the at least one channel is in use, determining the user of the at least one channel that is in use (38).

Abstract: Methods for delivery of multicast packets in a wireless communication system are disclosed. The methods comprise transmitting a contention free period initiation signal from an access point to the station, transmitting broadcast packets from the access point to the station, transmitting multicast packets from the access point to the station and holding the multicast packets in storage after the transmission, transmitting a contention free period end signal from the access point to the station, determining if a negative acknowledgement message has been received, retransmitting the multicast packets in response to receiving a negative acknowledgment message, and eliminating the multicast packets at a next beacon interval.

Abstract: A method for transmitting beacon transmissions in a wireless local area network (WLAN) communications system (100) operating on one or more channels includes transmitting a first beacon (C1) using a directional antenna in a first direction (D1) on a first channel. A second beacon (C2) is then transmitted using a directional antenna in a second direction (D2) on the first channel. This process is then repeated such that the first beacon and second beacon after a predetermined beacon interval. The first beacon begins its transmission at a target beacon transmission time (TBTT) and the second beacon begins its transmission in a sequential period defined by an antenna switching time after the transmission of the first beacon.