Class of high throughput MAC architectures for multi-channel CSMA systems

• US 20040264475A1
• Filed: 02/12/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nature of The Conveyance
• Original Assignee: Nature of The Conveyance
• Inventors: Kowalski, John Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/778,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20040264475A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.5
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/28 in relation to timing considerations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/50 Queue scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/56 implementing delay-aware scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/627 policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 Buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/9094 Arrangements for simultaneous transmit and receive, e.g. simultaneous reading/writing from/to the storage element
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

An architecture for multi-channel CSMA systems using an 802.11 protocol includes a MAC for each a station, wherein each MAC includes plural transmit queues, a queue selection mechanism, and a holding queue; a physical layer having multiple channels therein; and a receiver for each station, each receiver having a re-ordering buffer for ordering packets in a proper sequence prior to the packets leaving the receiver. A method of providing high throughput in an 802.11 CSMA system includes selecting an optimum transmission route for a packet to be transmitted, including: selecting an optimum transmit queue; selecting an optimum channel in the physical layer; and transmitting the packet over the optimum transmission route.

Claims

1. An architecture for multi-channel CSMA systems using an 802.11 protocol, comprising:

In a MAC for a station, plural transmit queues, a queue selection mechanism, and a holding queue;

a physical layer having multiple channels therein; and

in a receiver for a station, a re-ordering buffer for ordering packets in a proper sequence prior to the packets leaving the receiver.

2. The architecture of claim 1 which further includes network allocation vectors in each station for avoiding collisions, based on the duration values of frames to be transmitted by the station.

3. The architecture of claim 1 wherein each of said multiple transmit queues is connected to a SAP, which is connected to one of the multiple channels.

4. The architecture of claim 1 wherein said queue selection mechanism determines which channel is to be used for packet transmission, wherein said queue selection mechanism instigates a queue selection policy using information about the stations involved in communication and the channels which each station is using, to determine the best queue for use by a station.

5. The architecture of claim 1 wherein said MAC broadcasts channel availability so that stations in the CSMA system use channels having the least traffic.

6. The architecture of claim 1 wherein said MAC includes plural back-off channels.

7. The architecture of claim 1 which further includes a detector to determine the availability of multiple channels in the CSMA system.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said selecting an optimum transmission route for a packet to be transmitted includes broadcasting channel availability by the MAC using beacon frames transmitted on all channels.

8. A method of providing high throughput in an 802.11 CSMA system, comprising:

providing a MAC for a station, the MAC including plural transmit queues, a queue selection mechanism, and a holding queue;

a physical layer having multiple channels therein; and

a receiver for a station, the receiver having a re-ordering buffer for ordering packets in a proper sequence prior to the packets leaving the receiver;

selecting an optimum transmission route for a packet to be transmitted, including;

selecting an optimum transmit queue;

selecting an optimum channel in the physical layer; and

transmitting the packet over the optimum transmission route.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said selecting an optimum transmission route for a packet to be transmitted includes providing a queue selection policy.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said providing a queue selection policy includes providing criterion for selecting taken from the group of criteria consisting of Equal Delay Criterion;

QoS Criterion;

Minimum Packet Error Criterion; and

Next Available Server Criterion.