Separating control and data in wireless networks

• US 20060262759A1
• Filed: 05/23/2005
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bahl, Paramvir, Padhye, Jitendra D., Kyasanur, Pradeep
• Granted Patent: US 7,613,138 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management

Abstract

Wireless communication techniques are described in which control and data are separated. In an implementation, a method is described which includes sending data packets on one or more wireless channels and sending control data relating to the data packets on at least one other wireless channel having a data rate that is lower than a data rate of the one or more wireless channels.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending data packets on one or more wireless channels; and

sending control data relating to the data packets on at least one other wireless channel having a data rate that is lower than a data rate of the one or more wireless channels.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the control data specifies an advanced reservation.

3. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the control data is configured to provide contention resolution.

4. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the sending of the control data is performed using a radio and the sending of the data packets is performed using one or more other radios.

5. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the sending of the control data is performed using an omnidirectional antenna and the sending of the data packets is performed using a directional antenna.

6. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the sending of the control data is performed at a frequency below 900 MHz and the sending of the data packets is performed at a frequency above 900 MHz.

7. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising sending control data relating to one or more other packets simultaneously during the sending of the data packets.

8. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving data from an application; and

forming the data packets from the received data into a packet train that is configured for communication over the one or more wireless channels during a period of time specified by a single reservation communicated on the control channel.

9. A method as described in claim 8, further comprising receiving a single acknowledgement indicating which of the data packets, if any, that were included in the packet train were not received.

10. A method comprising:

sending a set of data packets on one or more wireless channels; and

sending control data on at least one other wireless channel, wherein the control data is configured to reserve a time on the one or more wireless channels to send another set of data packets.

11. A method as described in claim 10, further comprising sending the other set of data packets during the reserved time.

12. A method described in claim 10, wherein the other set of data packets are configured to be sent on the one or more wireless channels subsequent to the sending of the set data packets.

13. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the sending of the control data is performed at a frequency below 900 MHz and the sending of the data packets is performed at a frequency above 900 MHz.

14. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the sending of the control data is performed using an omnidirectional antenna and the sending of the data packets is performed using a directional antenna.

15. A method as described in claim 10, further comprising:

forming the data packets into a packet train that is configured for communication over the one or more wireless channels during the reserved time; and

receiving a single acknowledgement indicating which of the data packets, if any, that were included in the packet train were not received.

16. A method comprising:

sending a set of data packets on one or more wireless channels; and

sending contention control data relating to another set of data packets on at least one other wireless channel simultaneously during the sending of the set of data packets.

17. A method described in claim 16, wherein the sending of the contention control data is performed using omnidirectional antenna and the sending of the set of data packets is performed using a directional antenna.

18. A method as described in claim 16, wherein the one or more wireless channels operate at a frequency above 900 MHz and the at least one channel operated at a frequency at or below 900 MHz.

19. A method as described in claim 16, further comprising:

receiving data from an application; and

forming the set of data packets from the received data into a packet train that is configured for communication over the one or more wireless channels during a period of time specified by a single reservation communicated on the control channel.

20. A method as described in claim 19, further comprising receiving a single acknowledgement indicating which of the data packets, if any, that were included in the packet train were not received.