초록 ▼

An apparatus and a method for presenting a novel format of a media access control (MAC) frame that enables the use of a direct link protocol (DLP) and multiple channels, thereby reducing contention among stations, and enhancing a transfer rate by using the MAC frame format in infrastructure-based wi

An apparatus and a method for presenting a novel format of a media access control (MAC) frame that enables the use of a direct link protocol (DLP) and multiple channels, thereby reducing contention among stations, and enhancing a transfer rate by using the MAC frame format in infrastructure-based wireless communications. A DLP station of the present invention includes a channel-switching module for switching a channel by writing a new channel number in a DLP request frame; a mode-switching module for switching a DLP mode by writing a new mode number in the DLP request frame; and a MAC frame-generating module for generating various MAC frames including the DLP request frame.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A direct link protocol (DLP) station, comprising: a channel-switching module which switches a channel by writing a new channel number in a DLP request frame; a mode-switching module which switches a DLP mode by writing a new mode number in the DLP request frame in which the n

What is claimed is: 1. A direct link protocol (DLP) station, comprising: a channel-switching module which switches a channel by writing a new channel number in a DLP request frame; a mode-switching module which switches a DLP mode by writing a new mode number in the DLP request frame in which the new channel number is written by the channel-switching module; and a media access control (MAC) frame-generating module for generating various MAC frames including the DLP request frame in which the new channel number and the new mode number are written, wherein the MAC frame-generating module comprises: a DLP request frame-generating module for generating the DLP request frame; a DLP response frame-generating module for generating a DLP response frame in response to the DLP request frame; and a MAC data frame-generating module for generating a MAC frame containing data to be sent to said other stations. 2. The DLP station as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a MAC frame-transmitting/receiving module for transmitting the various frames generated by the MAC frame-generating module and receiving frames from one of other stations and an access point. 3. The DLP station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the MAC frame-generating module further comprises: a DLP start frame-generating module for generating a DLP start frame which informs said other stations that a DLP has started, thereby causing another channel to be used depending on a channel mode; and a DLP end frame-generating module for generating a DLP end frame which informs said other stations that the DLP is intended to be terminated. 4. A wireless network system for enhancing throughput using a direct link protocol (DLP) and multiple channels, comprising: a plurality of DLP stations and an access point, wherein each of the plurality of DLP stations comprises: a channel-switching module which switches a channel by writing a new channel number in a DLP request frame; a mode-switching module which switches a DLP mode by writing a new mode number in the DLP request frame in which the new channel number is written by the channel-switching module; and a media access control (MAC) frame-generating module which generates various MAC frames including the DLP request frame in which the new channel number and the new mode number are written, wherein the MAC frame-generating module comprises: a DLP request frame-generating module for generating the DLP request frame; a DLP response frame-generating module for generating a DLP response frame in response to the DLP request frame; and a MAC data frame-generating module for generating a MAC frame containing data to be sent to at least one of the DLP stations. 5. The wireless network system as claimed in claim 4, wherein each DLP station further comprises a MAC frame-transmitting/receiving module for transmitting various frames generated by the MAC frame-generating module and receiving frames from one of other stations and the access point. 6. The wireless network system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the MAC frame-generating module further comprises: a DLP start frame-generating module for generating a DLP start frame which informs the DLP stations that the DLP has started, thereby causing another channel to be used depending on a channel mode; and a DLP end frame-generating module for generating a DLP end frame which informs the DLP stations that the DLP is intended to be terminated. 7. The wireless network system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the access point comprises: a channel list-managing module for managing and distributing a list of available channels through periodical analysis of channel conditions; a channel number-writing module for checking whether there is an available DLP channel from the channel list and writing an available channel in the DLP request frame; and a point coordinator module for performing buffering and management of a frame that is required to be sent to sleeping stations. 8. The wireless network system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the access point further comprises a MAC frame-transmitting/receiving module for forwarding one of a received DLP request frame and a DLP response frame to other stations.