CDMA messaging between wireless LAN access points

1. A method for mobile communication, comprising:

arranging a plurality of access points in a wireless local area network (WLAN) to communicate over the air with a mobile station;

linking the access points to one another over a communication medium;

exchanging control messages among the access points over the communication medium using a code division multiple access (CDMA) protocol; and

responsive to the control messages, transmitting signals over the air from one of the access points to the mobile station,

wherein exchanging the control messages comprises receiving at one or more of the access points an uplink signal transmitted over the WLAN by the mobile station, and arbitrating among the access points based on the control messages so as to select one of the access points to respond to the uplink signal, and

wherein transmitting the signals comprises transmitting a response from the selected one of the access points to the mobile station.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein exchanging the control messages comprises sending broadcast messages from one or more of the access points to the plurality of the access points.

3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein sending the broadcast messages comprises sending the messages over the communication medium from two or more of the access points simultaneously using the CDMA protocol.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein linking the access points comprises configuring the communication medium as a shared medium, so that the control messages transmitted by any of the access points are received by all the other access points via the shared medium.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein exchanging the control messages comprises inserting a preamble in the control messages, the preamble comprising a synchronization word common to all the access points, and an access point identifier, which identifies the one of the access points sending each of the messages.

6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein exchanging the control messages further comprises receiving the control messages, and applying a set of data masks to the preamble of the received control messages in order to identify the one of the access points sending each of the messages.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein arbitrating among the access points comprises receiving and processing the control messages at each of the plurality of the access points, so that each of the access points determines which one of the access points is to be selected to respond to the uplink signal.

8. Apparatus for mobile communication, comprising:

a communication medium; and

a plurality of access points interconnected by the communication medium and arranged in a wireless local area network (WLAN) to communicate over the air with a mobile station, the access points being adapted to exchange control messages with the other access points over the communication medium using a code division multiple access (CDMA) protocol, so that responsive to the control messages, one or more of the access points transmit signals over the air to the mobile station,

wherein the access points are configured, upon receiving at one or more of the access points an uplink signal transmitted over the WLAN by the mobile station, to arbitrate among the access points based on the control messages so as to select one of the access points to respond to the uplink signal, and to transmit a response from the selected one of the access points to the mobile station.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the access points are adapted to broadcast the control messages over the communication medium to the plurality of the access points.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the access points are configured so that two or more of the access points may transmit the messages over the communication medium simultaneously using the CDMA protocol.

11. Apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the communication medium is configured as a shared medium, so that the control messages transmitted by any of the access points are received by all the other access points via the shared medium.

12. Apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the access points are adapted to insert a preamble in the control messages, the preamble comprising a synchronization word common to all the access points, and an access point identifier, which identifies a corresponding one of the access points sending each of the messages.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein upon receiving the control messages, the access points are adapted to apply a set of data masks to the preamble of the received control messages in order to identify the one of the access points sending each of the messages.