Server system for performing communication over wireless network and communication method thereof

• US 20050125713A1
• Filed: 07/23/2004
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jung Ho, Chang, Jae Won, Cho, Jin Cheol, Kang, Sang Hyuk, Roh, Young Hoon, Kim, Pan Su, Hong, Kwang Hui, Kim, Sang Mahn
• Granted Patent: US 7,401,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/748
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/18 Automatic repetition systems, e.g. Van Duuren systems

Abstract

Disclosed are a server system for performing communication over a wireless network and a communication method thereof. The server system comprises at least one client device and a server device for performing a state monitoring operation or a control operation for the client device over the wireless network. When a data packet is sent, the server device begins to send a following packet by variably applying a transmission rate according to a network transmission state when a leading packet has been completely transmitted. Because a transmission rate can be set appropriately to the network state, the number of unnecessary retransmissions can be reduced. Therefore, transmission delay can be avoided and stable and rapid wireless communication can be achieved.

Claims

1. A server system for performing communication over a wireless network, comprising:

at least one client device comprising a communicator for performing data communication with a server device over the wireless network; and

the server device for performing a state monitoring operation or a control operation for the at least one client device,

wherein the server device comprises;

a network state detector for detecting a state of the wireless network whenever a data packet is sent; and

a communicator for repeating a retransmission operation the predetermined number of times when failing to send the data packet, variably setting a transmission rate according to a transmission state of the network when a leading packet detected by the network state detector has been sent, and beginning to send a following packet at the variably set transmission rate.

2. The server system according to claim 1, wherein the communicator provided in the server device comprises:

a transmission rate setup module for comparing the number of leading packet retransmissions with the number of following packet retransmissions, sending the data packet at a last transmission rate of the leading packet if the number of leading packet retransmissions is equal to or larger than the number of following packet retransmissions, and sending the data packet at a current data transmission rate if the number of leading packet retransmissions is smaller than the number of following packet retransmissions.

3. The server system according to claim 1, wherein the communicators provided in the server and client devices comprise a wireless network modem for wireless networking, respectively.

4. The server system according to claim 1, wherein the server device comprises:

an input unit for receiving a control signal; and

an output unit for outputting an operation and processing result based on input signals from the client and server devices.

5. The server system according to claim 4, wherein the server device further comprises:

a controller for processing an input signal from the input unit and various control signals from the at least one client device, transmitting the control signal to the communicator provided in the server device so that the at least one client device can be controlled over the wireless network, and outputting a processing result based on the control signal to the output unit.

6. The server system according to claim 5, wherein the controller provided in the server device comprises:

a memory for storing transmission rate information over the network, storing a positive acknowledgement signal after sending data to the client device, and storing the number of retransmissions when the leading packet is sent.

7. The server system according to claim 1, wherein the client device comprises:

an input unit for receiving a control signal; and

an output unit for displaying a processing result based on input signals from the client device and the server device.

8. The server system according to claim 7, wherein the client device further comprises:

a controller for processing an input signal from the input unit and various control signals from the server device, and transmitting a processing result based on the control signal to the communicator provided in the client device so that the processing result can be transmitted to the server device or transmitting the processing result based on the control signal to the output unit so that the output unit can display the processing result.

9. The server system according to claim 2, wherein the server device employs an Internet-based refrigerator capable of carrying out the state monitoring operation or the control operation for the at least one client device coupled to a home network.

10. The server system according to claim 9, wherein the client device employs a web pad for receiving a control command from the Internet-based refrigerator and displaying a processing result.

11. The server system according to claim 10, wherein the web pad is installed to be attached to or separated from the Internet-based refrigerator

12. A communication method of a server system for performing communication over a wireless network, the server system comprising at least one client device for performing data communication with a server device over the wireless network, and the server device for performing a state monitoring operation or a control operation for the at least one client device, the operating method comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting, by the server device to send data, a request-to-send (RTS) signal to a corresponding client device;

(b) transmitting, by the client device, a clear-to-send (CTS) signal to the server device in response to the RTS signal;

(c) comparing, by the server device, the number of leading packet retransmissions and the number of following packet retransmissions, and sending a data packet from the server device to the client device over a communication channel at a predetermined transmission rate; and

(d) transmitting a positive acknowledgement (ACK) signal when the client device has appropriately received the data packet from the server device, and transmitting a negative acknowledgement (NAK) signal when the client device has not appropriately received the data packet.

13. The communication method according to claim 12, wherein an auto-fall back function for optimizing a data transmission rate is implemented so that one of data transmission rates set in highest, higher, lower and lowest levels can be automatically applied according to an access radius between the server and client devices when a data transmission operation is carried out.

14. The communication method according to claim 12, wherein the step (c) comprises the steps of:

sending the data packet at a last transmission rate of a leading packet if the number of leading packet retransmissions is equal to or larger than the number of following packet retransmissions; and

sending the data packet at a current data transmission rate if the number of leading packet retransmissions is smaller than the number of following packet retransmissions.

15. The communication method according to claim 12, wherein the step (d) comprises the step of:

when the client device has not appropriately received the data packet, transmitting another RTS signal from the server device and repeating the steps (a) to (d).

16. The communication method according to claim 12, wherein the step (d) comprises the steps of:

if the client device has appropriately received the data packet, determining whether or not all data packets have been completely sent;

if all data packets have been completely sent, terminating a data packet transmission process; and

if all data packets have not been completely sent, transmitting another RTS signal for a next data packet transmission operation and repeating the steps (a) to (d).