The field of wireless communication has seen dramatic growth over the last few years. Currently, most people use their wireless devices, be it cellular phones, PDA's, laptops, and/or other devices, for various purposes, business and personal, on a constant and daily basis. Society is truly becoming a wireless one. Many wireless solutions have been introduced, and have made tremendous strides into everyday life.
For example, the use of Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPAN) has been gaining popularity in a great number of applications because of the flexibility and convenience in connectivity they provide. WPAN systems generally replace cumbersome cabling and/or wiring used to connect peripheral devices and/or mobile terminals by providing short distance wireless links that allow connectivity within very narrow spatial limits. WPAN may be based on standardized technologies, for example Class 2 Bluetooth© technology. While WPAN may be very beneficial for certain applications, other applications may require larger service areas and/or capabilities.
To satisfy such needs, other technologies have been developed to provide greater wireless service. Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) systems may operate within a wider range. In contrast to the WPAN systems, WLAN provide connectivity to devices that are located within a slightly larger geographical area, such as the area covered by a building or a campus. WLAN systems are generally based on specific standards, for example IEEE 802.11 standard specifications to supplement the communication capacity provided by traditional wired Local Area Networks (LANs) installed in the same geographic area as the WLAN system.
In short, wireless networks may exist to support wireless mobile communication devices (WMCDs). However, while WMCDs have continued to grow in complexity and capability, these WMCDs still continue to suffer from some major limitations, especially physical limitations and power.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds