Overlapping sub-channels in a network

摘要

In a network, a first network station (61) communicates with a second network station (65) using a first channel (45) from a plurality of channels. The first channel (45) has a central frequency (46). A third network station (62) communicates using a sub-channel (55) of the first channel (45). The sub-channel overlaps the first channel (45). The sub-channel (55) has a center frequency (56) that varies sufficiently from the center frequency (46) of the first channel (45) so that the first network station (61) and the second network station (65) do not lock onto packets transmitted from the third network station (62). The center frequency (56) of the sub-channel (55) is closer in frequency to the center frequency (46) of the first channel (45) than to a center frequency of any other channel in the plurality of channels.

主权项

1. A network station, comprising: a processor; and, a transceiver that sends and receives wireless communications, wherein the transceiver is arranged to communicate with a second network station on a sub-channel with a center frequency, the sub-channel being a sub-channel of a first Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 channel from a plurality of IEEE 802.11 channels, the first channel having a central frequency, the sub-channel overlapping the first channel, the center frequency of the sub-channel being offset sufficiently from the center frequency of the first channel so that the network station and the second network station do not lock onto packets transmitted from a third network station transmitting in the first channel; wherein the center frequency of the sub-channel is closer in frequency to the center frequency of the first channel than to a center frequency of any other channel in the plurality of channels;
wherein the network station is an access point in a first local area wireless network and the third network station is a second access point in a second local area wireless network; wherein the transceiver being arranged to send out a beacon signal with a center frequency at the center frequency of the first channel, so that when the second access point sends out a beacon signal with a center frequency at the center frequency of the first channel, the beacon signal sent out by the transceiver is completely within a bandwidth of the first channel and within a bandwidth of the sub-channel and the beacon signal sent out by the second access point is completely within the bandwidth of the first channel and within the bandwidth of the sub-channel; wherein the beacon signal sent out by the transceiver includes a training sequence in a preamble that indicates the beacon signal sent out by the first access point has a smaller bandwidth than other transmissions from the first access point.