Efficient Direct Link Communication Protocol for Infrastructure Mode IEEE 802.11 Wireless LANs

A modified PCF (Point Coordination Function) MAC (Medium Access Control) protocol is proposed to support the multiple simultaneous direct link communication between STAs (STAtions) for infrastructure mode IEEE 802.11 wireless LANs. By the proposed MAC protocol, the direct link communication between STAs, which are located within the communication range of each other, is allowed without the use of the AP (Access Point) as a relay. Moreover, when the multiple direct data communication between STAs can be simultaneously performed with a sufficiently small interference, the multiple simultaneous direct link communication is allowed for the efficient use of radio bandwidth. Index Terms – Wireless LAN, MAC, PCF, Direct Link Communication