Embedding class of service information in MAC control frames

• US 20040162024A1
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Xocyst Transfer AG LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Xocyst Transfer AG LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Wentink, Maarten Menzo
• Application Number:
  US10/377,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162024A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]

Abstract

An apparatus for improving the compilation of quality of service information in wireless local area networks is disclosed. In the illustrative embodiment, a class-of-service field is embedded in medium access control (MAC) control frames; this field is populated with an indication of the class of service of a Data Frame associated with the control frame.

Claims

1. A node in a telecommunications network, said node comprising:

a receiver for receiving an acknowledgement frame that comprises a class-of-service field; and

a processor for parsing said acknowledgement frame.

2. The node of claim 1 wherein said class-of-service field is populated with an indication of the class of service of a Data Frame associated with said acknowledgement frame.

3. The node of claim 2 wherein said processor is also for compiling a traffic metric for said Data Frame'"'"'s class of service.

4. The node of claim 3 further comprising a carrier sensing mechanism for determining the transmission time of said Data Frame, wherein said transmission time is included in said traffic metric.

5. The node of claim 4 further comprising a transmitter for broadcasting said traffic metric.

6. The node of claim 5 wherein said receiver, said transmitter, and said processor operate in accordance with IEEE 802.11e, and wherein said acknowledgement frame and said Data Frame are in accordance with IEEE 802.11e, and wherein said acknowledgement frame and said Data Frame are transmitted in accordance with a direct link protocol.

7. The node of claim 2 wherein said acknowledgement frame is transmitted with greater potency than potency with which said Data Frame is transmitted.

8. A node in a telecommunications network, said node comprising:

a receiver for receiving a Data Frame that comprises a first class-of-service field, wherein said first class-of-service field is populated with an indication of said Data Frame'"'"'s class of service; and

a transmitter for transmitting an acknowledgement frame that comprises a second class-of-service field, wherein said second class-of-service field is populated with said indication of said Data Frame'"'"'s class of service.

9. The node of claim 8 further comprising a processor for parsing said Data Frame and composing said acknowledgement frame.

10. The node of claim 8 wherein said receiver and said transmitter operate in accordance with IEEE 802.11e, and wherein said acknowledgement frame and said Data Frame are in accordance with IEEE 802.11e.

11. The node of claim 10 wherein said acknowledgement frame and said Data Frame are transmitted in accordance with a direct link protocol.

12. The node of claim 8 wherein said acknowledgement frame is transmitted with greater potency than the potency with which said Data Frame is transmitted.

13. The node of claim 8 wherein said transmitter is also for transmitting a second Data Frame at lesser potency than the potency with which said acknowledgement frame is transmitted.

14. A node in a telecommunications network, said node comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a Data Frame that comprises a first class-of-service field, wherein said first class-of-service field is populated with an indication of said Data Frame'"'"'s class of service; and

a receiver for receiving an acknowledgement frame that comprises a second class-of-service field, wherein said second class-of-service field is populated with said indication of said Data Frame'"'"'s class of service.

15. The node of claim 14 further comprising a processor for composing said Data Frame and parsing said acknowledgement frame.

16. The node of claim 14 wherein said receiver and said transmitter operate in accordance with IEEE 802.11e, and wherein said acknowledgement frame and said Data Frame are in accordance with IEEE 802.11e, and wherein said Data Frame and said acknowledgement frame are transmitted in accordance with a direct link protocol.

17. The node of claim 14 wherein said acknowledgement frame is transmitted with greater potency than the potency with which said Data Frame is transmitted, and wherein the average radiated power with which said acknowledgement frame is transmitted is within 50% of the average radiated power with which said Data Frame is transmitted.

18. The node of claim 14 wherein said transmitter is also for transmitting a second acknowledgement frame at greater potency than the potency with which said Data Frame is transmitted.

19. A node in a telecommunications network, said node comprising:

a receiver for receiving a Request-to-Send Frame that comprises a first class-of-service field, wherein said first class-of-service field is populated with an indication of the class of service of a Data Frame associated with said Request-to-Send Frame; and

a transmitter for transmitting a Clear-to-Send frame that comprises a second class-of-service field, wherein said second class-of-service field is populated with said indication of the class of service of said Data Frame.

20. The node of claim 19 wherein:

said Request-to-Send Frame also comprises a duration field populated with an indication of the transmission time of at least one frame, wherein said at least one frame comprises said Data Frame; and

said transmission time is included in a traffic metric for said Data Frame'"'"'s class of service.