Method for improving quality of service in a wireless network

• US 20060039395A1
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Mur, Daniel Camps, Perez-Costa, Xavier
• Granted Patent: US 7,782,886 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/412
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/566 of the information or information source or recipient
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method to improve the Quality of Service (QoS) in a wireless network, preferably in a WLAN according to the IEEE proposal 802.11e comprising an Access Point (AP) and at least one mobile station (STA) with different Access Categories (ACs) being defined for the transmission of frames depending on their priority, and in which a Power Save Mode (PSM), preferably according to IEEE standard 802.11, is used in the network is characterized in that the PSM queue is separated into several sub-queues at the Base Station.

Claims

1. A method for improving Quality of Service (QoS) in a wireless network comprising an access point and at least one mobile station, wherein the wireless network is operable in a power save mode (PSM) and supports Quality of Service, comprising:

defining different access categories for transmission of frames depending on their priority; and

separating a PSM queue into a plurality of sub-queues at the access point.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the PSM queue is logically separated into the plurality of sub-queues.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the PSM queue is physically separated into the plurality of sub-queues.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the PSM queue is separated into a number of sub-queues corresponding to the number of access categories.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the power save mode (PSM) conforms to IEEE standard 802.11.

6. An access point of a wireless network which is operable in a power save mode (PSM) and supports Quality of Service, comprising:

a plurality of PSM sub-queues defined based on priority for transmission of frames, wherein an incoming frame with priority is stored in a corresponding one of the PSM sub-queues;

a plurality of queues for storing frames read our from the plurality of PSM sub-queues according to their priority; and

a transmission buffer for storing frames read out from the plurality of queues depending on their priority.

7. A control method in an access point of a wireless network which is operable in a power save mode (PSM) and supports Quality of Service, comprising:

storing an incoming frame with priority into one selected from a plurality of PSM sub-queues defined based on priority for transmission of frames;

when receiving a request from a mobile station accommodated in the access point, searching a PSM sub-queue corresponding to a priority of the request to select frames corresponding to the request; and

transmitting selected frames to the mobile station which has transmitted the request.