Methods and systems of dynamic channel allocation for access points in wireless networks

• US 20060109799A1
• Filed: 12/29/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Institute For Information Industry
• Original Assignee: Institute For Information Industry
• Inventors: Tseng, Yu-Chee, Lin, Chih-Yu, Lin, Bing-Rong
• Granted Patent: US 7,376,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• 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 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices

Abstract

A method for dynamic channel allocation for access points in wireless networks. Communication information of wireless devices is gathered. A network topology formed by the wireless devices is derived according to the communication information. Switch channel indexes for each wireless device are calculated according to the communication information and network topology. Desired wireless devices for switching channels are determined according to the switch channel indexes.

Claims

1. A system of dynamic channel allocation for access points in a wireless network, comprising a plurality of wireless devices, each allocated with a communication channel, the system comprising:

an allocating server, gathering communication information of each wireless device, deriving a network topology formed by the wireless devices according to the communication information, calculating switch channel indexes for the each wireless device according to the communication information and network topology, and determining desired wireless devices for switching channels according to the switch channel indexes.

2. The system of dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the allocating server determines, according to an SCI of a wireless device or the channel load of a channel allocated to the wireless device, whether the channel of the wireless device has to be switched.

3. The system of dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 2, wherein the allocating server determines to switch the channel of the wireless device if the SCI is greater than an SCI threshold or the channel load of the channel of the wireless device is greater than a channel load threshold.

4. The system of dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 3, wherein the allocating server further calculates switch channel indexes corresponding to each communication channel according to the communication information and network topology, and chooses a channel with a minimum SCI for allocation to the wireless device.

5. A system of dynamic channel allocation for access points in a wireless network, comprising at least one first, second, third, and fourth wireless devices, each is allocated a first, second, third, and fourth communication channels respectively, wherein the first, third, and fourth communication channels do not interfere with each other and the first communication channel is identical to the second communication channel, the system comprising:

an allocating server, connecting to the wireless devices through a hub, gathering communication information of each wireless device, deriving a network topology formed by the wireless devices according to the communication information, calculating a first, second, third, and fourth switch channel indexes for the each wireless device according to the communication information and network topology, and, when the first SCI is greater than a SCI threshold, determining to allocate the third or fourth communication channel to the first wireless device.

6. The system of dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 5, wherein the allocating server determines to allocate the third or fourth communication channel to the first wireless device when the first SCI is greater than the SCI threshold or the channel load of the first communication channel is greater than a channel load threshold.

7. The system of dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 6, wherein the allocating server further calculates the third and fourth switch channel indexes according to the communication information and network topology, and determines to allocate the third communication channel to the first wireless device when the third SCI is smaller than the fourth SCI.

8. The system of dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 5, wherein the communication information comprises a packet loss ratio during packet transmission for a wireless device, calculated according to packet retransmission timeout.

9. The system of dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 8, wherein the communication information comprises packet reception and transmission time during packet transmission for the wireless device, indicating the packet load for the wireless device.

10. The system of dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 9, wherein the communication information comprises mutual scan information between any two wireless devices, determining whether transmission coverage of one wireless device overlaps the other.

11. The system of dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 10, wherein the communication information comprises association and disassociation records of a wireless device.

12. A method of dynamic channel allocation for access points in a wireless network, comprising a plurality of wireless devices, each allocated with a communication channel, the method comprising:

gathering communication information of each wireless device;

deriving a network topology formed by the wireless devices according to the communication information;

calculating switch channel indexes for the each wireless device according to the communication information and network topology; and

determining desired wireless devices for switching channels according to the switch channel indexes.

13. The method of dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 12, wherein the channel switch further determines, according to an SCI of a wireless device or the channel load of a channel allocated to the wireless device, whether the channel of the wireless device is switched.

14. The method of dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 13, wherein the channel of the wireless device is switched if the SCI is greater than an SCI threshold or the channel load of the channel of the wireless device is greater than a channel load threshold.

15. The method of dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 14, further comprising calculating switch channel indexes corresponding to each communication channel according to the communication information and network topology, and chooses a channel with a minimum SCI for allocation to the wireless device.

16. The method of dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 12, wherein the communication information comprises a packet loss ratio during packet transmission for a wireless device, calculated according to packet retransmission timeout.

17. The method of dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 16, wherein the communication information comprises packet reception and transmission time during packet transmission for the wireless device, indicating the packet load for the wireless device.

18. The method of dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 17, wherein the communication information comprises mutual scan information between any two wireless devices, determining whether transmission coverage of one wireless device overlaps another wireless device.

19. The method of dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 18, wherein the communication information comprises association and disassociation records of a wireless device.

20. A wireless network, comprising:

a plurality of wireless devices, each allocated with a communication channel;

a hub; and

an allocating server, connecting to the wireless devices through a hub, gathering communication information of each wireless device, deriving a network topology formed by the wireless devices according to the communication information, calculating switch channel indexes for each wireless device according to the communication information and network topology, and determining desired wireless devices for switching channels according to the switch channel indexes.

21. The wireless network for dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 20, wherein the allocating server determines, according to an SCI of a wireless device or the channel load of a channel allocated to the wireless device, whether the channel of the wireless device has to be switched.

22. The wireless network for dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 21, wherein the allocating server determines to switch the channel of the wireless device if the SCI is greater than an SCI threshold or the channel load of the channel of the wireless device is greater than a channel load threshold.

23. The wireless network for dynamic channel allocation as claimed in claim 22, wherein the allocating server further calculates switch channel indexes corresponding to each communication channel according to the communication information and network topology, and chooses a channel with a minimum SCI for allocation to the wireless device.