System throughput enhancement using an intelligent channel association in the environment of multiple access channels

• US 20040121749A1
• Filed: 11/06/2003
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Edgewater Computer Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: Engim, Inc.
• Inventors: Shoemaker, David, Cui, Jian, Trotter, John
• Application Number:
  US10/703,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20040121749A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/226.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A Channel Association method and apparatus for a wireless Network increases data throughput by intelligently associating clients to channels. Data rates are assigned to channels and clients with a similar data rate are associated to the same channel. The association is based on the client'"'"'s distance from a host, the received power of each client and the performance of the client at the host.

Claims

1. A method for assigning clients to channels in a multi-channel system for communicating with clients over a wireless network comprising the steps of:

determining a measure of a data rate of communication with a client; and

associating the client to one of a plurality of channels based on the determined data rate.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a data rate to each of a plurality of channels.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining further comprises:

measuring an average data rate of a received packet from a client.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining further comprises:

measuring the data rate of received data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of determining further comprises:

measuring an average data rate of the received data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining further comprises:

measuring the data rate of transmitted data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of determining further comprises:

measuring an average data rate of the transmitted data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining further comprises

measuring data rate of received data;

measuring data rate of transmitted data; and

using an average of the measured transmitted data rate and measured received data rate.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of measuring further comprises:

sensing average power of received data packets.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of associating further comprises:

storing the measured data rate.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of associating further comprises:

de-authenticating the client from a first channel; and

allowing the client to authenticate with a second channel.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network uses the IEEE 802.11b standard protocol.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein available data rates are 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the number of channels is three.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network uses the IEEE 802.11a standard protocol.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the available data rates are 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the number of channels is three.

18. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of assigning further comprises:

assigning a type of data packet to a channel.

19. The method of claim 2, wherein the assigned data rate includes a range of rates.

20. A multi-channel system for communicating with clients over a wireless network comprising:

a channel association routine which determines a measure of a data rate of communication with a client and associates the client to one of a plurality of channels based on the determined data rate.

21. The multi-channel system of claim 20, further comprising:

a configuration routine which assigns a data rate to each of a plurality of channels.

22. The multi-channel system of claim 20, further comprising:

a receive signal strength indicator which senses average power of received data packets.

23. The multi-channel system of claim 20 further comprising:

memory for storing the determined data rate.

24. The multi-channel system of claim 20 wherein the channel association routine moves a client to a second channel by de-authenticating the client from a first channel and allowing the client to authenticated with the second channel.

25. The multi-channel system of claim 20, wherein the wireless local area network uses the IEEE 802.11b standard protocol.

26. The multi-channel system of claim 25, wherein available data rates are 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps.

27. The multi-channel system of claim 26, wherein the number of channels is three.

28. The multi-channel system of claim 20, wherein the wireless network uses the IEEE 802.11b standard protocol.

29. The multi-channel system of claim 28, wherein the available data rates are 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps.

30. The multi-channel system of claim 29, wherein the number of channels is three.

31. The multi-channel system of claim 21, wherein the configuration routine assigns a type of traffic to a channel.

32. The multi-channel system of claim 20, wherein the data rate is a range of rates.

33. A multi-channel system for communicating with clients over a wireless network comprising:

means for determining a measure of a data rate of communication with a client; and

means for associating the client to one of the plurality of channels based on the determined data rate.