Method and apparatus for channel allocation in a wireless local area network (WLAN)

• US 20040125779A1
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VIXS Systems Incorporated (Pixelworks Incorporated), VIXS Incorporated
• Original Assignee: VIXS Systems Incorporated (Pixelworks Incorporated)
• Inventors: Doyle, James, Girardeau, James Ward Jr., Yuen, William, Kelton, James Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,623,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 based on the type of the allocated resource
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for allocating channels in a wireless local area network (WLAN) among a plurality of clients. This method involves first assigning at least one client of the plurality of clients to a channel of a set of active channels. Next, for each client the access time is determined based on an access time factor. Assigning individual clients to channels further involves determining available channel capacity of the set of active channels and the desired channel consumption of the multiple clients. When the available channel capacity is equal to or greater than the desired channel consumption, multiple clients may be assigned to multiple channels. However, when the available channel capacity is less than the desired channel consumption, the desired channel consumption of the multiple clients is scaled to produce a scaled channel consumption wherein multiple clients are assigned to channels based on the available channel capacity of each of the set of channels and the scaled channel consumption.

Claims

14. A method for prioritizing channel allocation in a wireless local area network (WLAN) among a plurality of clients, the method comprises:

determining client requirements for at least one of the plurality of clients;

determining channel capacity of at least one channel of a set of active channels of the WLAN with respect to the at least one of the plurality of clients;

determining an allocation factor for the at least one of the plurality of clients based on the client data requirements of the at least one of the plurality of clients and the channel capacity of the at least one of the plurality of clients;

assigning one of the set of active channels to the at least one of the plurality of clients based on prioritization of the allocation factor for the at least one of the plurality of clients; and

for each of the set of active channels having the at least one client of the plurality of clients assigned to the channel, determining access time for each client of the at least one clients based on an access time factor.

1. A method for channel allocation in a wireless local area network (WLAN) among a plurality of clients, the method comprises:

assigning at least one client of the plurality of clients to a channel of a set of active channels; and

for each of the set of active channels having the at least one client of the plurality of clients assigned to the channel, determining an access time for each client of the at least one clients based on an access time factor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning at least one client further comprises:

determining available channel capacity of the set of active channels determining desired channel consumption of the multiple clients; and

when the available channel capacity is equal to or greater than the desired channel consumption, assigning multiple clients of the plurality of clients to multiple channels of the set of active channels.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

when the available channel capacity is less than the desired channel consumption, scaling the desired channel consumption of the multiple clients to produce a scaled channel consumption; and

assigning the multiple clients to the multiple channels of the set of active channels based on the available channel capacity of each of the set of channels and the scaled channel consumption.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the scaling the desired channel consumption further comprises at least one of:

scaling the desired channel consumption based on a linear scaling function of a ratio between the available channel capacity and the desired channel consumption;

scaling the desired channel consumption based on default scaling parameters; and

scaling the desired channel consumption based on a consumption prioritization scheme.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning at least one client further comprises:

determining desired channel consumption of the at least one client;

determining available channel capacity for each of the set of active channels;

determining whether one of the set of active channels has the available channel capacity equal to or greater than the desired channel consumption; and

when the one of the set of active channels has the available channel capacity equal to or greater than the desired channel consumption, assigning the at least one client to the one of the set of active channels.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprises:

when none of the set of active channels has the available channel capacity equal to or greater than the desired channel consumption, determining a channel of the set of active channels having the most available channel capacity; and

assigning the at least one client to the channel of the set of active channels having the most available channel capacity.

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

determining available access time of the channel of the set of active channels having the most available channel capacity; and

adjusting the desired channel consumption of the at least one client based on the available access time.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the determining access time further comprises:

allocating access time for existing clients on the channel of the set of active channels having the most available channel capacity and the at least one client based on the access time factor.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

when none of the set of active channels has the available channel capacity equal to or greater than the desired channel consumption, determining a channel of the set of active channels that can support existing clients and the at least one client with a least reduction of quality of service of the existing clients and the at least one client; and

assigning the at least one client to the channel of the set of active channels that can support existing clients and the at least one client with a least reduction of quality of service of the existing clients and the at least one client.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

when none of the set of active channels has the available channel capacity equal to or greater than the desired channel consumption, scaling the desired channel consumption of existing clients assigned to the set of active channels and of the at least one client to produce a scaled channel consumption; and

reassigning the existing clients and assigning the at least client to the set of active channels based on the available channel capacity of the set of channels and the scaled channel consumption.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining access time for each client of the at least one clients based on an access time factor further comprises allocating equal access time to the each client of the at least one clients.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining access time for each client of the at least one clients based, on an access time factor further comprises allocating unequal access time to the each of the at least one clients based on desired channel consumption of the each of the at least one clients.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining access time for each client of the at least one clients based on an access time factor further comprises allocating unequal access time to the each of the at least one clients based on desired quality of service of the each of the at least one clients.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining client requirements further comprises at least one of:

receiving a message from the at least one client regarding the client requirements;

providing a request for the client requirements from the at least one client; and

retrieving default system administration settings for the client requirements.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the assigning one of the set of active channels further comprises:

assigning the one of the set of active channels based on a modulo pairing of the at least one client with another client of the plurality of clients.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the assigning the one of the set of active channels further comprises:

determining duty cycle consumption of a time slot of a plurality of time slots for the at least one client based on the allocation factor, wherein an access controlled time period of the one of the set of active channels is divided into the plurality of time slots; and

assigning at least one time slot of the plurality of time slots to the at least one client based on the duty cycle consumption.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the assigning at least one time slot of the plurality of time slots to the at least one client based on the duty cycle consumption further comprises selecting the at least one time slot to correspond in time to another time slot of another channel of the set of active channels supporting another client of the plurality of clients having a similar duty cycle consumption as the at least one client.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprises:

establishing a packet size for transmission to the at least one client during the at least one time slot based on the duty cycle consumption.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprises:

scaling the number of bytes in a packet to the another client such that the packet rate to the at least one client is similar to the packet rate to the another client.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprises:

adjusting duration of the time slot of the plurality of time slots based on the duty cycle consumption of the at least one client.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprises:

assigning another client of the plurality of clients to a time slot of a plurality of times of another channel of the set of active channels, wherein duration of the time slot of a plurality of times of another channel is different than the duration of the time slot of the plurality of time slots assigned to the at least one client.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining access time further comprises at least one of:

allocating equal access time to the each client of the at least one clients; and

allocating unequal access time to the each of the at least one clients based on at least one of client requirements of the each of the at least one clients and desired quality of service of the each of the at least one clients.

24. The method of claim 14 further comprises:

detecting a change in the channel capacity of at least one channel to produce a changed channel capacity; and

determining a new allocation factor based on the changed channel capacity and the client requirements.

23-1. The method of claim 14 further comprises:

detecting a change in the client requirements to produce changed client requirements; and

determining a new allocation factor based on the channel capacity and the changed client requirements.

25. An apparatus for allocating channels in a wireless local area network (WLAN) among a plurality of clients, comprising:

a processing module; and

a memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory includes operational instructions that cause the processing module to;

assign at least one client of the plurality of clients to a channel of a set of active channels; and

for each of the set of active channels having the at least one client of the plurality of clients assigned to the channel, determine access time for each client of the at least one clients based on an access time factor.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the operational instructions further comprise:

determining available channel capacity of the set of active channels

determining desired channel consumption of the multiple clients; and

when the available channel capacity is equal to or greater than the desired channel consumption, assigning multiple clients of the plurality of clients to multiple channels of the set of active channels.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising operational instructions that when the available channel capacity is less than the desired channel consumption:

scale the desired channel consumption of the multiple clients to produce a scaled channel consumption; and

assign the multiple clients to the multiple channels of the set of active channels based on the available channel capacity of each of the set of channels and the scaled channel consumption.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein scaling the desired channel consumption further comprises at least one of the following steps:

scaling the desired channel consumption based on a linear scaling function of a ratio between the available channel capacity and the desired channel consumption;

scaling the desired channel consumption based on default scaling parameters; and

scaling the desired channel consumption based on a consumption prioritization scheme.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein operational instructions further comprise the steps of:

determining desired channel consumption of the at least one client;

determining available channel capacity for each of the set of active channels;

determining whether one of the set of active channels has the available channel capacity equal to or greater than the desired channel consumption; and

when the one of the set of active channels has the available channel capacity equal to or greater than the desired channel consumption, assigning the at least one client to the one of the set of active channels.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein operational instructions further comprise the steps of:

when none of the set of active channels has the available channel capacity equal to or greater than the desired channel consumption, determining a channel of the set of active channels having most available channel capacity; and

assigning the at least one client to the channel of the set of active channels having most available channel capacity.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein operational instructions that determine access time further comprise instructions to:

determine available access time of the channel of the set of active channels having the most available channel capacity; and

adjust the desired channel consumption of the at least one client based on the available access time.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein operational instructions that determine access time further comprise instructions to:

allocate access time for existing clients on the channel of the set of active channels having the most available channel capacity and the at least one client based on the access time factor.

33. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein operational instructions further comprise instructions that:

when none of the set of active channels has the available channel capacity equal to or greater than the desired channel consumption, determine a channel of the set of active channels that can support existing clients and the at least one client with a least reduction of quality of service of the existing clients and the at least one client; and

assign the at least one client to the channel of the set of active channels that can support existing clients and the at least one client with a least reduction of quality of service of the existing clients and the at least one client.

34. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein operational instructions further comprise instructions that:

when none of the set of active channels has the available channel capacity equal to or greater than the desired channel consumption, scale the desired channel consumption of existing clients assigned to the set of active channels and of the at least one client to produce a scaled channel consumption; and

reassign the existing clients and assigning the at least client to the set of active channels based on the available channel capacity of the set of channels and the scaled channel consumption.

35. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein determining access time for each client of the at least one clients based on an access time factor further comprises the steps of:

allocating equal access time to the each client of the at least one clients.

36. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the determining access time for each client of the at least one clients based on an access time factor further comprises the steps of:

allocating unequal access time to the each of the at least one clients based on desired channel consumption of the each of the at least one clients.

37. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the determining access time for each client of the at least one clients based on an access time factor further comprises the steps of:

allocating unequal access time to the each of the at least one clients based on desired quality of service of the each of the at least one clients.

38. An apparatus for prioritizing channel allocation in a wireless local area network (WLAN) amongst a plurality of clients, comprising:

a processing module; and

a memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory includes operational instructions that cause the processing module to;

determine client requirements for at least one of the plurality of clients;

determine channel capacity of at least one channel of a set of active channels of the WLAN with respect to the at least one of the plurality of clients;

determine an allocation factor for the at least one of the plurality of clients based on the client data requirements of the at least one of the plurality of clients and the channel capacity of the at least one of the plurality of clients;

assign one of the set of active channels to the at least one of the plurality of clients based on prioritization of the allocation factor for the at least one of the plurality of clients; and

for each of the set of active channels having the at least one client of the plurality of clients assigned to the channel, determine access time for each client of the at least one clients based on an access time factor.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein operational instructions to determine client requirements further comprises instructions to:

receive a message from the at least one client regarding the client requirements;

provide a request for the client requirements from the at least one client; and

retrieve default system administration settings for the client requirements.

40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein operational instructions to assign one of the set of active channels further comprises instructions to:

assign the one of the set of active channels based on a modulo pairing of the at least one client with another client of the plurality of clients. (even ID to ch A, odd ID to ch B)

41. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein operational instructions to assign the one of the set of active channels further comprises:

determining duty cycle consumption of a time slot of a plurality of time slots for the at least one client based on the allocation factor, wherein an access controlled time period of the one of the set of active channels is divided into the plurality of time slots; and

assigning at least one time slot of the plurality of time slots to the at least one client based;

on the duty cycle consumption.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein operational instructions to assign at least one time slot of the plurality of time slots to the at least one client based on the duty cycle consumption further comprises:

selecting the at least one time slot to correspond in time to another time slot of another channel of the set of active channels supporting another client of the plurality of clients having a similar duty cycle consumption as the at least one client.

43. The apparatus of claim 42 further comprising operational instructions to:

establish a packet size for transmission to the at least one client during the at least one time slot based on the duty cycle consumption.

44. The apparatus of claim 43 further comprising operational instructions to:

scale number of bytes in a packet to the another client such that packet rate to the at least one client is similar to the packet rate to the another client.

45. The apparatus of claim 41 further comprising operational instructions to:

adjust a duration of the time slot of the plurality of time slots based on the duty cycle consumption of the at least one client.

46. The apparatus of claim 45 further comprising operational instructions to:

assign another client of the plurality of clients to a time slot of a plurality of times of another channel of the set of active channels, wherein duration of the time slot of a plurality of times of another channel is different than the duration of the time slot of the plurality of time slots assigned to the at least one client.

47. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the operational instructions to determine access time further comprise at least one operational instructions to:

allocate equal access time to the each client of the at least one clients; and

allocate unequal access time to the each of the at least one clients based on at least one of client requirements of the each of the at least one clients and desired quality of service of the each of the at least one clients.

48. The apparatus of claim 38 further comprising operational instructions to:

detect a change in the client requirements to produce changed client requirements; and

determine a new allocation factor based on the channel capacity and the changed client requirements.

49. The apparatus of claim 38 further comprising operational instructions to:

detect a change in the channel capacity of at least one channel to produce a changed channel capacity; and

determine a new allocation factor based on the changed channel capacity and the client requirements.