Range extension in wireless local area networks
A method for associating a new end-station (end-STA) with a relay access point (R-AP) in a relay transmission. An assignment of a new identifier is transmitted to the new end-STA, wherein traffic indication map indications for the new end-STA in a beacon from the R-AP follows the transmission of the new identifier assignment. A message is sent to a root access point (AP), the message including an indication of a number of information fields in the message and at least one information field, each of the at least one information fields including an identifier of one end-STA associated with the R-AP. An acknowledgement is received from the root AP on a condition that the root AP correctly receives the message and associates an identifier of the end-STA with an identifier of the R-AP.
1. A method for use in an IEEE 802.11 relay access point (R-AP) for reporting an association of an end-station (end-STA) with the R-AP in a relay transmission, the method comprising:
assigning a first identifier to the associated end-STA;
transmitting the first identifier to the associated end-STA;
transmitting a beacon, wherein the beacon includes traffic indication map (TIM) indications, at least one of the TIM indications for the associated end-STA;
transmitting a message to a root access point (AP) that enables the root AP to associate the associated end-STA with the R-AP, the message including:
an indication of a number of information fields in the message; and
a number of information fields identified by the indication, each information field including a unique identifier associated with a respective indicated end-STA associated with the R-AP.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the unique identifier associated with a respective indicated end-STA includes any one of: a medium access control address of the respective indicated end-STA or an association identifier of the respective indicated end-STA.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first identifier is an association identifier.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the root AP associates the associated end-STA with the R-AP based on an R-AP identifier associated with the R-AP, wherein the R-AP identifier includes any one of: a medium access control address of the R-AP or an association identifier of the R-AP.
5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an the acknowledgement from the root AP, wherein the acknowledgement includes any one of: an acknowledgement frame or a block acknowledgement frame.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the message includes an end-STA information element.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein each of the number of information fields identified by the indication, further includes:
a previous association indication of a respective indicated end-STA, which is a device that the respective indicated end-STA was previously associated with; and
a previous association identifier (AID) of a respective indicated end-STA, which is the AID of a root access point (AP) that the respective indicated end-STA was previously associated with.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the device includes any one of: an AP, a relay AP, or a root AP.
9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the previous association indication includes a medium access control address of the device.
10. An IEEE 802.11 relay access point (R-AP), comprising:
a processor configured to assign a first identifier to an end-station (end-STA) associated with the R-AP;
a transmitter configured to:
transmit the first identifier to the end-STA associated with the R-AP;
transmit a beacon, wherein the beacon includes traffic indication map (TIM) indications, at least one of the TIM indications for the associated end-STA; and
transmit a message to a root access point (AP) that enables the root AP to associate the associated end-STA with the R-AP, the message including:
an indication of a number of information fields in the message; and
a number of information fields identified by the indication, each information field including a unique identifier associated with a respective indicated end-STA associated with the R-AP.
11. The R-AP according to claim 10 , wherein the unique identifier associated with a respective indicated end-STA includes any one of: a medium access control address of the respective indicated end-STA or an association identifier of the respective indicated end-STA.
12. The R-AP according to claim 10 , wherein the first identifier is an association identifier.
13. The R-AP according to claim 10 , wherein the root AP associates the associated end-STA with the R-AP based on an R-AP identifier associated with the R-AP, wherein the R-AP identifier includes any one of: a medium access control address of the R-AP or an association identifier of the R-AP.
14. The R-AP according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a receiver configured to receive an acknowledgement from the root AP, wherein the acknoledgment includes any one of: an acknowledgement frame or a block acknowledgement frame.
15. The R-AP according to claim 10 , wherein the message includes an end-STA information element.
16. The R-AP according to claim 10 , wherein each of the number of information fields identified by the indication further includes:
a previous association indication of a respective indicated end-STA, which is a device that the respective indicated end-STA was previously associated with; and
a previous association identifier (AID) of a respective indicated end-STA, which is the AID of a root access point (AP) that the respective indicated end-STA was previously associated with.
17. The R-AP according to claim 16 , wherein the device includes any one of: an AP, a relay AP, or a root AP.
18. The R-AP according to claim 16 , wherein the previous association indication includes a medium access control address of the device.