US 7,499,425 B2
Methods for ensuring medium access in a wireless network
Tan Pek Yew, Singapore (Singapore); Wei Lih Lim, Singapore (Singapore); Shinichiro Ohmi, Osaka (Japan); and Yasuo Harada, Hyogo (Japan)
Assigned to Panasonic Corporation, Osaka (Japan)
Filed on Nov. 08, 2002, as Appl. No. 10/290,185.
Claims priority of application No. 2001-344347 (JP), filed on Nov. 09, 2001.
Prior Publication US 2003/0108059 A1, Jun. 12, 2003
Int. Cl. H04Q 7/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 370—329  [455/464] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for use in a system comprising an access point and a plurality of stations, the method comprising:
periodically broadcasting a control frame, including information specifying contention slots during which a station may transmit a reservation request in contention with other stations, the periodic broadcasting being carried out by the access point;
transmitting a reservation request, which does not include information indicating a required bandwidth, from a station to the access point in the contention slots;
transmitting a permission signal from the access point, which provides a transmission opportunity for the station, in response to a successful receipt of the reservation request from the station; and
transmitting a bandwidth request including the information indicating the required bandwidth, from the station to the access point, during the transmission opportunity, said bandwidth request having a data structure different from that of said reservation request.