Abstract: Some representative embodiments are directed to controlling access to a wireless medium using “credit” periods and “free” periods. During a credit period, credits are initially assigned to the stations and each station is repetitively polled as long as the station has credit remaining and data is available to communicate. During the free periods, stations are polled using a start-time fair queuing algorithm. By dividing the access to the wireless medium in this manner, real time applications may use the credit periods to prevent communication latency from deteriorating application performance. Specifically, the repetitive occurrence of the credit periods and the assignment of credits to the stations ensures that each station will communicate at least at a minimum data rate. Additionally, controlling access to the wireless medium in this manner prevents frame collisions and, thereby, increases network throughput.

Abstract: The present invention is generally related to managing wireless communications associated with a plurality of mobile devices moving in the same direction. In one embodiment, an intelligent wireless switch (IWS) is used to manage communications. The IWS includes an internal access point for managing a wireless local area network (WLAN) for a plurality of wireless devices. The IWS includes a plurality of stations for communicating with a plurality of external access points. The IWS also includes a packet switch controller for directing data between the plurality of wireless devices and the plurality of stations. By switching between the plurality of stations in response to the signal strengths of the external access points, the plurality of wireless devices are able to continuously conduct data communications without interruptions associated with reaching the limits of a coverage area of an external access point.