Abstract: A communication system transmits and receives communications within a sectorized cell between at least one primary station and at least one secondary station. The communication system includes a unit for generating and shaping a beam; an antenna for transmitting and receiving signals within said beam; and a unit for directing the beam. The shaped beam is directed at a plurality of predetermined directions; either continuously or discretely.

Abstract: A startup process of an access point (AP) includes a discovery phase and an announcement phase. During the discovery phase, the AP detects neighboring APs from its own extended service set (ESS), neighboring APs from different ESSs, and external sources of interference. During the announcement phase, the AP transmits its beacon signals at maximum power in order to accelerate recognition by neighboring APs running the discovery phase. An automatic initialization channel selection process of an AP scans channels the AP will use to communicate. Information of each scanned channel is recorded and a best performance channel is determined for use by the AP.

Abstract: A method for accelerating discovery of access points (APs) in a wireless local area network begins by transmitting an advertisement packet by an AP via at least one channel other than a channel on which the AP transmits beacon signals. The advertisement packet is received by a station (STA), which then determines whether to associate to the transmitting AP. The advertisement packet can include reassociation information, such that the STA can associate to the AP based on the information in the advertisement packet, or timing information, such that the STA can tune to the AP and receive the AP's beacon without dwelling on the AP for an extended period of time.

Abstract: This invention relates to wireless local area networks, and particularly to the IEEE 802.11 family of standards. It consists of a method and apparatus that can be implemented in access points (APs) and subscriber wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs), in order to allow an AP to initiate re-association of a WTRU to itself or a different AP. The invention improves the robustness of the network by enabling more efficient load balancing, congestion control, and roaming, without compromising the user experience.

Abstract: A method for seamless channel change in a wireless local area network having a station (STA) and an access point (AP) begins by sending a channel change intention message from the AP to the STA. A channel change response message is sent from the STA to the AP, informing the AP whether the STA will follow the channel change. The AP determines whether to proceed with the channel change, and performs the channel change if the determination is positive.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for estimating the position and velocity of mobile wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) in a wireless communication system. Network stations use directional communication beams to divide service areas into sectors to provide communication services to the WTRUs. A WTRU saves pertinent information such as sector ID, received power and time of reception of the several received signals. The collected information is sent to the network, where it is used to estimate the WTRU's position, speed and direction of travel, which information can then be used to improve radio resource management.

Abstract: In a wireless communication system using multiplexed transport channels in combinations thereof on a coded composite transport channel (CCTrCh), a system for dynamically varying the combinations of transport channels includes configuring means for configuring mutually exclusive dedicated transport channels based on semi-static transport parameters, and mapping means for mapping data to a channel selectively based on a preferred semi-static transport parameter, wherein the mutually exclusive dedicated transport channels are not multiplexed together onto the CCTrCh.

Abstract: A method for communicating a list of handover candidates in a wireless local area network from a station to a serving access point (AP) begins by determining a list of handover candidate APs at the station. The candidate list is sorted at the station and is sent to the serving AP. The sending step can include sending the candidate list to the serving AP upon the expiration of a predetermined period of time or upon receipt at the station of an event trigger. The method can also include the step of requesting a candidate list from the station by the serving AP.

Abstract: A method for neighbor scanning in a wireless local area network having a station, a first access point (AP) to which the station is associated, and a second AP begins by generating timing information regarding a beacon signal sent by the second AP. The timing information is reported from the first AP to the station. The station schedules a time, based on the timing information, to listen for the beacon signal transmitted by the second AP.

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for displaying holographic images in mobile devices. A mobile device in accordance with the present invention comprises a 3D image processing unit and a holographic display unit. The 3D image processing unit generates a holographic image, and the holographic display unit displays the holographic image generated by the 3D image processing unit.

Abstract: An access point operates in an 802.11 wireless communication network communicating with a client station, and includes a smart antenna for generating directional antenna beams and an omni-directional antenna beam. An antenna steering algorithm scans the directional antenna beams and the omni-directional antenna beam for receiving signals from the client station. The signals received via each scanned antenna beam are measured, and one of the antenna beams is selected based upon the measuring for communicating with the client station. The selected antenna beam is preferably a directional antenna beam. Once the directional antenna beam has been selected, there are several usage rules for exchanging data with the client station. The usage rules are directed to an active state of the access point, which includes a data transmission mode and a data reception mode.

Abstract: A UE transmitter in a 3G UTRAN wireless communication system performs dynamic link adaptation (DLA) with dynamic semi-static parameters for overcoming RF propagation difficulties. Separate transport channels (DCH) are defined for each semi-static parameter, including forward error coding (FEC) coding type and rate. When data rate is decreased during DLA, a TFC is selected having the desired FEC coding type and rate. Since this adjustment occurs at each TTI, mapping of data packet codes in each timeslot on the physical channel includes the benefit of FEC rather than reduced data rate alone. This permits improved SIR in a timeslot that may be experiencing RF propagation difficulties during the UL mapping process.

Abstract: In a wireless local area network having an access point (AP) and at least one station, wherein data is prioritized by access categories, a method for admission control begins by calculating a transmission budget for each access category (AC) and a total transmission budget for all ACs requiring admission control. A traffic stream admission request is sent from a station to the AP. A medium time value for the traffic stream is calculated at the AP, based on information extracted from the admission request. The medium time value is compared to the transmission budget for the AC corresponding to the traffic stream and the total transmission budget. The traffic stream is accepted if the medium time value is not greater than both the transmission budget for the AC corresponding to the traffic stream and the total transmission budget; otherwise, the traffic stream is rejected.

Abstract: A silent measurement period (SMP) for a selected channel in an allowable channel set (ACS) of the access point (AP) is set. During the SMP, the AP does not serve wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) within its coverage area and reserves its channels for other BSSs. A normal operating channel of the AP is changed to the selected channel upon initialization of the SMP. Characteristics of the selected channel is measured during the SMP. The operating channel of the AP is changed back to the normal operating channel when the duration of the SMP expires.

Abstract: An improved method of network management, particularly in the context of standards IEEE802.11 and IEEE802.11k, through two new MAC measurements, with attendant advantages. The two new measurements include WTRU uplink traffic loading measurement, and an AP service loading measurement and is generally applicable at least to layers 1 and 2 as applied to a least 802.11k in the context of OFDM and CDMA 2000 systems, but is applicable to other scenarios as well. A Method for determining and advertising congestion is also provided for a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) system. The present invention also introduces a method for managing congestion when congestion is detected. This aspect of the present invention applies primarily to wireless systems that use the Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) mechanism. The methods are advantageously implemented in selectively configured WTRUs of various forms.

Abstract: A wireless communication method and apparatus for balancing the loads of access points (APs). A baseline range parameter of a particular one of the APs is obtained. The load of the particular AP and the channel utilization on channels not used by the particular AP are estimated and compared to different thresholds. The range of the coverage area of the particular AP is adjusted depending on the results of the comparisons. The transmission power level of the AP is determined by summing the AP range adjustment with a required received power (RRP) value. The range (i.e., transmission power level) of a particular AP with a light load is increased if the load on at least one channel used by another AP is heavy, and the range of a particular AP with a heavy load is decreased if the load on all channels not used by the particular AP is light.

Abstract: A method for radio resource management (RRM) in a wireless local area network (WLAN) having an access point and a station begins by obtaining a first group of parameters from a current traffic channel. Measurements from all available channels are taken for a second group of parameters. The radio resources of the WLAN are autonomously managed by selectively invoking at least one RRM algorithm that uses at least one parameter. A RRM algorithm may be invoked based upon results produced by a previously executed RRM algorithm, whereby RRM algorithms may be continuously invoked such that the radio resources are autonomously managed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus which determine the minimum transmission power level of an access point (AP) for reliably communicating with at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) in a wireless communication system. The apparatus obtains the range of the AP and estimates the interference to the AP by executing a slow interference estimation process and a fast interference estimation process. A required received power (RRP) of the WTRU is obtained from the interference estimate. The minimum transmission power level of the AP is determined by summing the range of the AP and the RRP.

Abstract: A method for changing a channel in a wireless local area network (WLAN) to alleviate congestion and high interference levels, the WLAN having an access point (AP) and at least one station, begins by determining a list of candidate channels. A channel is selected from the candidate list and is evaluated against predetermined criteria. If the selected channel meets the predetermined criteria, then all of the stations communicating with the AP are disassociated and the AP is changed to the selected channel. If the selected channel does not meet the predetermined criteria, then the selected channel is removed from the candidate list and the selecting step is repeated if there are additional candidate channels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for autonomously determining a coverage area of each of a plurality of access points (APs) in a wireless communication system are disclosed. Each of a plurality of APs transmits loud packets to, and receives loud packets from, other APs. Each AP measures received powers of the loud packets received from the other APs. Each AP estimates path losses from the other APs using the measured received powers and calculates the range of the AP from the estimated path losses from the other APs.