METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INCREASING DATA THROUGHPUT

• US 20060270351A1
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Woodbury Wireless LLC
• Original Assignee: Rotani, Inc.
• Inventors: Spenik, John, Lastinger, Roc, Woodbury, Brian C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,400,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/63.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/382 for resource allocation, admission control or handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for using primary direction of data flow to increase data throughput are disclosed. A wireless cell and/or client detects noise sources, detects the channels used by the noise sources, determines the primary direction of data flow, and selects a channel for communication between the wireless cell and client that reduces noise source interference with the primary direction of data flow.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating improvement of data throughput, said method comprising:

determining a primary direction of a majority of data flow between a wireless cell device and a client device, wherein said wireless cell device is configured to wirelessly communicate with said client device using a first channel of a plurality of channels, and wherein at least one of said wireless cell device and said client device is denominated as at least one of a receiving device which receives said majority of data flow and a transmitting device which transmits said majority of data flow;

measuring, from a perspective of said receiving device, at least one of noise source signal strength, noise source transmission activity, transmitting device signal to noise source signal-to-noise ratio, transmitting device signal strength, data throughput, error rate, and retransmission rate for each of said plurality of channels; and

,

assigning one of said plurality of channels to said transmitting device and said receiving device based upon said measuring step.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said assigning step comprises assigning said channel different from any channel having a noise source signal strength that is at least one of a highest level and greater than a predetermined level.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said assigning step comprises assigning using a transmitting device signal to noise source signal-to-noise ratio that is at least one of a highest level and greater than a predetermined level.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said assigning step comprises assigning using a transmitting device signal strength that is at least one of a highest level and greater than a predetermined level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said assigning step comprises assigning using a data throughput that is at least one of a highest level and greater than a predetermined level.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said assigning step comprises assigning using an error rate that is at least one of a lowest level and less than a predetermined level.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said assigning step comprises assigning using a retransmission rate that is at least one of a lowest level and less than a predetermined level.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said assigning step comprises assigning using a noise source transmission activity that is at least one of a lowest level and less than a predetermined level.

9. A method for facilitating improvement of data throughput, said method comprising:

establishing wireless communication between a wireless cell device and a client device, wherein said wireless cell device is configured to wirelessly communicate with said client device using a first channel of a plurality of channels;

measuring data throughput for data received by said wireless cell device and data received by said client device for each of said plurality of channels, wherein at least one of said wireless cell device and said client device receiving a highest data throughput is denominated as a receiving device, and the other of said at least one of said wireless cell device and said client device is denominated as a transmitting device;

denominating one of said plurality of channels receiving a highest data throughput as a receiving channel;

assigning a primary direction of data flow, wherein a majority of data communicated between said wireless cell and said client is transmitted from said transmitting device to said receiving device using said receiving channel.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising said receiving device monitoring data throughput, wherein when said data throughput decreases below a predetermined threshold, said wireless cell device and said client device perform said measuring step, said denominating step, and said assigning step.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising said transmitting device monitoring data throughput, wherein when said data throughput decreases below a predetermined threshold, said wireless cell and said client perform said measuring step, said denominating step, and said assigning step.

12. A method for facilitating improvement of data throughput, said method comprising:

establishing wireless communication between a wireless cell device and a client device, wherein said wireless cell device is configured to wirelessly communicate with said client device using a first channel of a plurality of channels;

determining a primary direction of a majority of data flow between said wireless cell device and said client device, wherein at least one of said wireless cell device and said client device receiving said majority of data flow is denominated as a receiving device, and wherein at least one of said wireless cell device and said client device transmitting said majority of data flow is denominated as a transmitting device;

measuring, from a perspective of said receiving device, at least one of noise source signal strength, noise source transmission activity, transmitting device signal to noise source signal-to-noise ratio, transmitting device signal strength, data throughput, error rate, and retransmission rate for each channel for each of said plurality of channels;

assigning one of said plurality of channels to said transmitting device and said receiving device based upon said measuring step;

monitoring by said receiving device and said transmitting device for a change greater than a predetermined threshold in at least one of primary direction of data flow, noise source signal strength, noise source transmission activity, data throughput, error rate, and retransmission rate; and

,

repeating said measuring step and said assigning step when said monitoring step detects said change.

13. A method for facilitating improvement of data throughput, said method comprising:

determining a primary direction of a data flow between a wireless cell device and a client device, wherein said wireless cell device is configured to wirelessly communicate with said client device using two channels, and wherein said wireless cell device has at least two directional antennas and said client device has an omni-directional antenna, and wherein at least one of said wireless cell device and said client device is denominated as a receiving device which receives said data flow and as a transmitting device which transmits said data flow;

measuring data throughput as received by said receiving device;

repeating said measuring step for each of said directional antennas and each of said channels; and

,

assigning one of said directional antennas and one of said channels that provides a highest data throughput.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising said receiving device monitoring data throughput, wherein when said data throughput decreases below a predetermined threshold, said wireless cell device and said client device perform said determining step, said measuring step, said repeating step, and said assigning step.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising said transmitting device monitoring data throughput, wherein when said data throughput decreases below a predetermined threshold, said wireless cell device and said client device perform said determining step, said measuring step, said repeating step, and said assigning step.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising said wireless cell device and said client device positioning in an environment relative to a noise source, wherein a signal from said noise source passes through an object in said environment adapted to attenuate said signal before said signal reaches said receiving device.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising said wireless cell device and said client device positioning in an environment relative to a noise source, wherein a signal from said noise source passes through a wall located in said environment before said signal reaches said receiving device.

18. A method for facilitating improvement of data throughput, said method comprising:

determining a primary direction of a data flow between a wireless cell device and a client device, wherein said wireless cell device is configured to wirelessly communicate with said client device using two channels, and wherein said wireless cell device has an omni-directional antenna and said client device has at least two directional antennas, and wherein at least one of said wireless cell device and said client device is denominated as a receiving device which receives said data flow and as a transmitting device which transmits said data flow;

measuring data throughput as received by said receiving device;

repeating said measuring step for each of said directional antennas and each of said channels; and

,

assigning one of said directional antennas and one of said channels that provides a highest data throughput.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising said receiving device monitoring data throughput, wherein when said data throughput decreases below a predetermined threshold, said wireless cell device and said client device perform said determining step, said measuring step, said repeating step, and said assigning step.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising said transmitting device monitoring data throughput, wherein when said data throughput decreases below a predetermined threshold, said wireless cell device and said client device perform said determining step, said measuring step, said repeating step, and said assigning step.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising said wireless cell device and said client device positioning in an environment relative to a noise source, wherein a signal from said noise source passes through an object in said environment adapted to attenuate said signal before said signal reaches said receiving device.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising said wireless cell device and said client device positioning in an environment relative to a noise source, wherein a signal from said noise source passes through a wall located in said environment before said signal reaches said receiving device.