Use of separate control channel to mitigate interference problems in wireless networking

• US 20060121854A1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bahl, Paramvir, Madhavan, Poovanpilli G., Abhishek, Abhishek, Mundie, Craig J., Westerinen, William J., Poncini, Victoria M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,440,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/63.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/10 Dynamic resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points

Abstract

Described is a system and method for transporting interference-related control data and other information between nodes in a wireless network, using a control channel that is distinct from a content channel used to transport content. The control channel may be a different channel in the same unlicensed band as the content channel, a channel in a different unlicensed band, or a channel in a licensed band, and thereby not subject to the same interference-related problems that the unlicensed content channel may experience. As a result, management information for adjusting the content channel'"'"'s communication parameters may still be communicated between the nodes, whereby mitigation actions may occur. For example, the content channel may be changed to another frequency, compression may be implemented or varied, and/or the data transfer rate may be varied. The control data can also be used to change the control channel'"'"'s communication parameters.

Claims

1. In a wireless network, a method comprising:

transmitting content data on a main data channel that is in the unlicensed band;

receiving control data on 1a control channel that is different from the main data channel, the control data including information for managing the transmission of the content data on the main data channel; and

varying at least one parameter corresponding to further transmissions on the main data channel based on the control data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the control data comprises receiving the information on a channel in a licensed band.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the control data comprises receiving the information on a channel in an unlicensed band.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein receiving the control data comprises communicating on a different channel in the same unlicensed band.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein receiving the control data comprises communicating on a channel in a different unlicensed band.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein varying at least one parameter comprises varying compression of data sent on the main data channel.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein varying at least one parameter comprises varying change a frequency of transmission on the main data channel.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein varying at least one parameter comprises varying a rate of data sent on the main data channel.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the information for managing the transmission of the content data on the main data channel comprises interference-related information, and wherein varying at least one parameter comprises performing an action to mitigate interference-related communication problems on the main data channel.

10. At least one computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed perform the method of claim 1.

19. At least one computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed perform the method of claim 1.

11. In a wireless network, a method comprising:

communicating content data between nodes, on a first main data channel that is in the unlicensed band; and

communicating control data on a control channel, the control data including information related to the communication of the content data; and

exchanging control data between the nodes via the control channel to change the first main data channel to a second main data channel in the unlicensed band.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the control data includes interference-related information, and wherein exchanging the control data is performed to mitigate interference problems with communications on the first main channel.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein communicating the control data comprises communicating on a channel in a licensed band.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein communicating the control data comprises communicating on a channel in an unlicensed band.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein communicating on the channel in the unlicensed band channel comprises selecting a channel in the same unlicensed band as the main data channel that is different from the main data channel.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein communicating on the channel in the unlicensed band channel comprises selecting a channel in a different unlicensed band from the unlicensed band of the main data channel.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising exchanging the control data to vary compression of content data transmitted on the main data channel.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising exchanging the control data to vary a rate of transmitting content data on the main data channel.

20. In a wireless communication environment, a system comprising:

a plurality of nodes that communicate with one each other, each node comprising;

a main content transmission mechanism including a first radio that transmits content on a content channel to at least one other node; and

a control transmission mechanism including a second radio that transmits control data on a control channel that is different from the content channel, the control data including interference-related information; and

wherein the nodes communicate the control data to vary communication of the content in order to mitigate problems caused by interference on the content channel.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the content channel is a channel in an unlicensed band and the control channel is a channel in a licensed band.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the content channel is one channel in an unlicensed band and the control channel is a another channel in the unlicensed band.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein the content channel is a channel in an unlicensed band and the control channel is a channel in a different unlicensed band.

24. The system of claim 20 wherein in order to mitigate problems caused by interference on the content channel, the nodes communicate the control data to change the content channel.