초록 ▼

A method and apparatus splits information into subsets of information to be communicated for a wireless apparatus. The split information (512a-512d) is transmitted to a plurality of proximal wireless units (106b-106 n). The plurality of proximal wireless units convey at least some of the transmitted

A method and apparatus splits information into subsets of information to be communicated for a wireless apparatus. The split information (512a-512d) is transmitted to a plurality of proximal wireless units (106b-106 n). The plurality of proximal wireless units convey at least some of the transmitted split information to a destination wireless apparatus ( 106a). This splitting operation is used in both uplink and downlink communications.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method for communicating information for a wireless apparatus in communication with a first wireless communication system and also in communication with a second wireless communication system comprising: determining proximal wireless units in communication with the wireless

What is claimed is: 1. A method for communicating information for a wireless apparatus in communication with a first wireless communication system and also in communication with a second wireless communication system comprising: determining proximal wireless units in communication with the wireless apparatus via the second communication system; splitting information received from the first communication system and to be communicated to the wireless apparatus into split information; transmitting, using the second communication system, at least a portion of the split information to a plurality of proximal wireless units; and conveying, by the plurality of proximal wireless units, at least some of the transmitted split information to the wireless apparatus. 2. The method of claim 1 including the steps of: receiving, by the wireless apparatus, the conveyed information; and combining, by the wireless apparatus, the conveyed split information. 3. A method for communicating information for a wireless apparatus in communication with a first wireless communication system and also in communication with a second wireless communication system comprising: splitting information to be communicated for the wireless apparatus; transmitting the split information to a plurality of proximal wireless units; and conveying, by the plurality of proximal wireless units, at least some of the transmitted split information to the wireless apparatus wherein the wireless apparatus is a member of a local area network (LAN) and including the steps of: receiving, by the wireless apparatus, data indicating an amount of data to be sent via a wide area network (WAN) for the wireless apparatus; notifying the wide area network which of the plurality of wireless units will participate in sharing their wireless resources for use in facilitating communication with the wireless apparatus; sending to each of the participating wireless units, a partial bandwidth request indicating an amount of data to receive from the wide area network; receiving, from the WAN, by each of the participating wireless units, portions of a communication destined for the wireless apparatus; retransmitting by the plurality of participating wireless units, respective portions of the communication to the wireless apparatus; combining received portions of the communication retransmitted by the plurality of participating wireless units to obtain a complete communication. 4. A method for communicating information for a wireless apparatus in communication with a first wireless communication system and also in communication with a second wireless communication system comprising: splitting information received from the first wireless communication system to be communicated via the second wireless communication system; transmitting at least a portion of the split information to a plurality of proximal wireless units via the second communication system for conveyance the plurality of proximal wireless units of the transmitted split information to the wireless apparatus. 5. The method of claim 4 including the steps of: receiving, by the second wireless communication system, the conveyed information; and combining, by the second wireless communication system, the conveyed split information. 6. A method for communicating information for a wireless apparatus in communication with a first wireless communication system and also in communication with a second wireless communication system comprising: splitting information to be communicated to the second wireless communication system; transmitting the split information to a plurality of proximal wireless units; and conveying, by the plurality of proximal wireless units, at least some of the transmitted split information to the second wireless communication system wherein the wireless apparatus is a member of a wireless local area network (LAN), wherein the second wireless communication system is a wireless wide area network (WAN) and including the steps of: determining which of the plurality of proximal wireless units will participate in sharing their wireless resources to determine how to split information to be communicated from the wireless local area network to the wireless wide area network; notifying the wide area network which of the plurality of wireless units will participate in sharing their wireless resources for use in facilitating communication with the wireless apparatus; sending to each of the participating wireless units, a partial bandwidth request indicating an amount of data to receive from the wireless device; sending, by the wireless device, each of the participating wireless units, portions of a communication associated with the wireless apparatus, destined for the WAN; retransmitting by the plurality of participating wireless units, respective portions of the communication to the WAN; and combining, by a WAN network element, received portions of the communication retransmitted by the plurality of participating wireless units to obtain a complete communication. 7. A method for operating a wireless device in communication with a wireless apparatus via Local Area Network, the wireless device in communication with a Wide Area Network, the method comprising the steps of: determining proximal wireless units in communication with the wireless apparatus via the Local Area Network; splitting information received from the Wide Area Network to be communicated to the wireless apparatus into split information; transmitting, using the Local Area Network, at least some portions of the split information to different proximal wireless units for conveyance by the different proximal wireless units to the wireless apparatus.