METHOD OF OPERATING IN A NETWORK IN WHICH A PLURALITY OF STATIONS COMMUNICATE OVER A SHARED MEDIUM

摘要

A method of operating in a network in which a plurality of stations
communicate over a shared medium, comprising providing a physical layer (e.g.,
PHY) for handling physical communication over the shared medium; providing a
high level layer (e.g., PAL) that receives data from the station and supplies
high level data units (e.g., MSDUs) for transmission over the medium;
providing a MAC layer that receives the high level data units from the high
level layer and supplies low level data units (e.g., MPDUs) to the physical
layer; at the MAC layer, encapsulating content from a plurality of the high
level data units; dividing the encapsulated content into a plurality of pieces
(e.g., segments) with each piece capable of being independently retransmitted;
and supplying low level data units containing one or more of the plurality of
pieces.