METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HIGH THROUGHPUT MULTIPLE RADIO SECTORIZED WIRELESS CELL

• US 20050282545A1
• Filed: 06/28/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Woodbury Wireless LLC
• Original Assignee: Rotani, Inc.
• Inventors: Spenik, John, Lastinger, Roc, Woodbury, Brian C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,305,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2605 Array of radiating elements provided with a feedback control over the element weights, e.g. adaptive arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/382 for resource allocation, admission control or handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0491 using two or more sectors, i.e. sector diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0495 using overlapping sectors in the same base station to implement MIMO for antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/00 Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/02 Resource partitioning among network components, e.g. reuse partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/12 Fixed resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for high throughput wireless cells, capable of functioning as access points, are described. The wireless cells may be equipped with multiple radios to increase the amount of throughput available through a single wireless cell. Multiple antennas attached to the radios through RF switches may enable the wireless cell to service multiple clients simultaneously. The physical sectors of the antennas may overlapped to form virtual sectors that provide greater flexibility in client load management and in simultaneously servicing multiple clients. Attenuators may reduce interference from foreign wireless cells or clients. Systems and methods for assigning minimally interfering channels to either physical sectors or to radios to reduce interference between adjacent sectors and overlapping sectors are also disclosed. An antenna horn may also allow any antenna to be used as a directional antenna and may enable the antenna'"'"'s angle of coverage to be adjusted. The use of multiple antennas on a client to reduce interferences is also described.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating performance of an active scan, said method comprising:

setting each radio to a preliminary channel, wherein each radio includes a plurality of channels;

permitting each radio to collect signal quality information for said preliminary channel;

retrieving and storing signal quality information from each radio;

probing for advanced clients;

changing the channel to the next channel;

repeating said permitting step, said retrieving step, said probing step, and said changing step until all channels have been tested; and

,

determining optimal channel assignment based on said signal quality information.

2. A method for facilitating initialization, said method comprising:

determining if a configuration is static, then, if said configuration is static, retrieving stored configuration data, programming each radio, and entering background loop;

if said configuration is not static, performing an active scan and probing for advanced clients, then;

if probe for advanced clients detects that advanced clients are present, programming each radio and entering background loop; and

,

if probe for advanced clients detects that advanced clients are not present, determining the optimal channel assignment, programming each radio, and entering background loop.

3. A method for facilitating the performance of background functions, said method comprising:

determining if a configuration is static, then;

if said configuration is static, starting performance of housekeeping functions;

if said configuration is not static, performing a passive scan and determining if a new, foreign wireless cell is detected, then;

if a new, foreign wireless cell is not detected, starting performance of house keeping functions;

if a new, foreign wireless cell is detected, determining a best fit channel assignment and determining if a new configuration is needed, then,

if a new configuration is not needed, starting performance of house keeping functions;

if a new configuration is needed, programming radio channels and starting performance of house keeping functions; and

,

upon completion of house keeping functions, repeat said step of determining if a configuration is static.

4. A method for a client to signal lack of throughput, said method comprising:

determining that throughput is insufficient to substantially comply with specifications; and

,

sending an optimization request message to a servicing wireless cell.

5. A method for a wireless cell to provide sufficient throughput, said method comprising:

receiving an optimization request message from a client;

performing a throughput optimization calculation; and

,

sending a channel change message to all clients associated with said wireless cell.

6. A method for a client to respond to a channel change message, said method comprising:

receiving the channel change message;

changing a channel to a new channel specified in the channel change message; and

,

determining if a throughput of said new channel is sufficient to substantially comply with specifications.

7. A method for a client to respond to insufficient throughput, said method comprising:

said client determining that throughput is insufficient to substantially comply with specifications;

said client sending an optimization request message to the servicing wireless cell, thereby resulting in said wireless cell receiving said optimization request message from said client, performing a throughput optimization calculation, and sending a channel change message to all clients associated with said wireless cell;

said client receiving a channel change message;

said client changing a channel to a new channel specified in said channel change message; and

,

said client determining if a throughput of said new channel is sufficient to substantially comply with specifications.

8. A method for a client to signal a successful channel change, said method comprising:

determining that throughput is sufficient to substantially comply with specifications; and

,

sending a channel change successful message to a servicing wireless cell.

9. A method for a wireless cell to respond to a channel change successful message, said method comprising:

receiving a channel change successful message from a client;

performing a throughput optimization calculation; and

,

sending a channel change complete message to all clients associated with said wireless cell.

10. A method for a client to respond to a successful channel change, said method comprising:

said client determining that throughput is sufficient to substantially comply with specifications;

said client sending a channel change successful message to a servicing wireless cell, thereby resulting in said wireless cell receiving a channel change successful message from said client, performing a throughput optimization calculation and sending a channel change complete message to all clients associated with said wireless cell; and

,

each client receiving a channel change complete message.

11. A method for a client to signal a unsuccessful channel change, said method comprising:

determining that throughput is not sufficient to substantially comply with specifications; and

,

sending a channel change unsuccessful message to a servicing wireless cell.

12. A method for a wireless cell to respond to a channel change successful message, said method comprising:

receiving a channel change unsuccessful message;

determining a next channel assignment; and

,

sending a channel change message to all clients associated with said wireless cell.

13. A method for a client to respond to an unsuccessful channel change, said method comprising:

said client determining that a throughput is not sufficient to substantially comply with specifications;

said client sending a channel change unsuccessful message to a servicing wireless cell, thereby resulting in said wireless cell receiving a channel change unsuccessful message, determining next channel assignment, and sending a channel change message to all clients associated with said wireless cell; and

,

each of said client responding to said channel change message.

14. A method for a wireless cell to respond to a channel change successful message when no channel may deliver desired throughput, said method comprising:

receiving a channel change unsuccessful message;

determining that all channels have been used and that no channel may deliver desired throughput;

determining an optimal channel for all clients associated with said wireless cell; and

,

sending optimal channel message to all clients associated with said wireless cell.

15. A method for a client to respond to an optimal channel message, said method comprising:

receiving an optimal channel message;

changing a channel to a new channel specified in the optimal channel message; and

,

performing adaptive steps to address insufficient throughput.

16. A method for a client to respond to a channel change successful message when no channel may deliver throughput, said method comprising:

said client signaling an unsuccessful channel change, thereby resulting in a wireless cell receiving a channel change unsuccessful message, discovering that all channels have been used and that no channel may deliver desired throughput, determining an optimal channel for all clients associated with said wireless cell and sending an optimal channel message to all clients associated with said wireless cell;

said client receiving said optimal channel message;

said client changing a channel to the channel specified in the optimal channel message; and

,

said client performing adaptive steps to address insufficient throughput.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said client signaling an unsuccessful channel change comprises:

determining that throughput is not sufficient to substantially comply with specifications; and

,

sending a channel change unsuccessful message to a servicing wireless cell.