Abstract: A central controller (CC) [22] of a wireless Local area network (LAN) [20], in conjunction with an association operation with a mobile terminal [24] and upon receiving from the mobile terminal (MT) a first control signal [CS1] of a sequence of control signals involved in the association operation, pre-reserves a MAC resource for transmission of at least a further control signal in the sequence. The MAC resource for the further control signal is pre-reserved prior to information for the further control signal being stored in a transmission buffer [58] of the mobile terminal. In essence, judging from the nature of the first control signal, the central controller (CC) anticipates eventuality of the further control signal and pre-reserves the MAC resource for the further control signal. The central controller (CC) pre-reserves the MAC resource to avoid transmission of a separate message to request a MAC resource for the further control signal.

Abstract: A wireless local area network (LAN) is operated so that a mobile terminal (MT) transmits various power-related information over an air interface to a power status repository (PSR) of the wireless local area network (LAN). For example, in one aspect of the invention, the mobile terminal transmits power status information, the power status information having an indication of whether the mobile terminal is currently operating using battery power or line power. The power status information is transmitted at one of the following times: (1) upon power-up of the mobile terminal; (2) upon command issued from the power status repository; (3) upon establishment of a connection between the mobile terminal and the LAN; and (4) upon a change in power status for the mobile terminal. The power status repository (PSR) can take the form of an Access Point (AP) for an intranet, or another mobile terminal in the case of an ad hoc network.

Abstract: A customer premises network includes a plurality of terminal adapters, which are interconnected by a double daisy chained bus, preferably an optical fiber bus. One bus is used in each data transmission, i.e., one bus for downstream transmission of data and the other bus for upstream transmission of data. Interconnecting the terminal adapters to form a daisy chain means that the transmitted data is regenerated at each terminal adapter. The customer premises network is preferably a home network or a small company network. It may also interface an access network via a network interface.

Abstract: In a WLAN where an AP and MTs use a duplex airlink having a MAC frame structure to communicate with each other, the AP places wakeup PDUs at different locations in a MAC frame to allow the MTs to conserve energy by maximizing sleep time. In other embodiments, the wakeup PDUs are sequenced by MAC-ID so that a MT can conclusively determine whether remaining wakeup PDUs in a sequence can contain its MAC-ID, and go to sleep early if they cannot. In another embodiment, a wakeup PDU type can indicate to a corresponding MT whether the MT can expect downlink data later in the same MAC frame. In addition, the wakeup PDU type can indicate to the MT that the MAC frame that it should awaken and remain awake to receive downlink data in the future.

Abstract: In a mobile, wireless telecommunications network, communications relating to a mobile terminal can be protected during a handover of the mobile terminal from a first access point to a second access point. This may be accomplished by transmitting a security token from the first access point to the mobile terminal, and then from the mobile terminal to the second access point, over the radio interface. Thereafter, the security token is transmitted from the first access point to the second access point through the fixed network to which both the first and the second access points are connected. The communications link between the mobile terminal and the second access point needed to achieve secure handover is then established only if the second access point determines that the security token received from the mobile terminal matches the security token received from the first access point.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the invention, in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) configured in accordance with the HIPERLAN Type 2 standard where an Access Point (AP) and Mobile Terminals (MTs) use a duplex airlink having a MAC frame structure to communicate with each other, when an MT fails to properly perceive and decode a wakeup announcement in the MAC frame that is directed to it by the AP, the MT will remain awake and continue to decode and monitor subsequent MAC frames until it either receives a wakeup announcement directed to it, or until a predetermined number of MAC frames transpire. Where the MT fails to correctly decode a wakeup announcement and/or fails to send an acknowledgment signal back to the AP when the wakeup announcement includes a polling request, the AP will continue to resend the wakeup announcement and any appropriate, associated downlink data pending for the AP, in subsequent MAC frames.

Abstract: A wireless local area network (LAN) is operated so that a mobile terminal (MT) transmits various power-related information over an air interface to a power status repository (PSR) of the wireless local area network (LAN). For example, in one aspect of the invention, the mobile terminal transmits power status information, the power status information having an indication of whether the mobile terminal is currently operating using battery power or line power. The power status information is transmitted at one of the following times: (1) upon power-up of the mobile terminal; (2) upon command issued from the power status repository; (3) upon establishment of a connection between the mobile terminal and the LAN; and (4) upon a change in power status for the mobile terminal. The power status repository (PSR) can take the form of an Access Point (AP) for an intranet, or another mobile terminal in the case of an ad hoc network.