Packet detection in the presence of platform noise in a wireless network

• US 20070116158A1
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Guo, Yongfang, Li, Qinghua, Myszne, Jorge, Lin, Xintian, Ling, Stanley, Carasso, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,636,404 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/343
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2027/003 at baseband only
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0014 Carrier regulation of chaotic carriers H04L27/001; for multicarrier receivers H04L27/2657
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/042 Detectors therefor, e.g. correlators, state machines digital correlators in general G06F17/15

Abstract

Techniques are presented for improving packet detection within a wireless device in the presence of platform noise.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

performing a correlation operation using input energy in a wireless receiver to generate a correlation result;

comparing said correlation result to a threshold value;

making a packet arrival decision based on said comparison; and

occasionally updating said threshold value to enhance packet detection performance in the wireless receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

repeating performing, comparing, and making regularly during wireless receiver operation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

occasionally updating said threshold value includes modifying said threshold value when one or more predetermined conditions change in the wireless receiver environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

occasionally updating said threshold value includes modifying said threshold value at predefined times during wireless receiver operation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

occasionally updating said threshold value includes modifying said threshold value when a platform noise profile of a platform associated with said wireless receiver changes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

occasionally updating said threshold value includes modifying said threshold value when one or more clocks associated with a corresponding wireless platform are turned on or off.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

occasionally updating said threshold value includes modifying said threshold value when changes are detected in a wireless channel associated with said wireless receiver.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

occasionally updating said threshold value includes modifying said threshold value when one or more predetermined applications are initiated within a corresponding platform.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

occasionally updating said threshold value includes determining a threshold value that will achieve a target packet detection false alarm rate within the wireless receiver.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

determining a threshold value that will achieve a target packet detection false alarm rate includes;

collecting data during idle periods of operation;

selecting a target false alarm rate for said wireless receiver;

using said collected data to determine a threshold value that will achieve said target false alarm rate in said wireless receiver.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

occasionally updating said threshold value includes determining a new threshold value to achieve a tradeoff between packet detection false alarm rate and missed packet detection rate within the wireless receiver.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

determining a new threshold value to achieve a tradeoff between packet detection false alarm rate and missed packet detection rate within the wireless receiver includes;

determining a threshold value (Th_FA) that will achieve a target false alarm rate in said wireless receiver;

determining a threshold value range based on Th_FA; and

searching said threshold value range for a value that achieves a best packet detection rate in the wireless receiver.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

determining a threshold value range includes determining a range from (Th_FA-δ

) to Th_FA, where δ

is a small value that does not significantly affect achieved false alarm rate.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

searching said threshold value range includes measuring packet detection rate using packets known to have been transmitted in the wireless channel, wherein said packets known to have been transmitted include one or more of;

beacon packets, clear-to-send (CTS) packets, and acknowledgement packets.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein:

occasionally updating said threshold value includes identifying a threshold value that maximizes measured throughput in a wireless channel between a remote transmitter and the wireless receiver.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a correlator to perform a correlation operation using input energy in a wireless receiver to generate a correlation result;

a comparator to compare said correlation result to a threshold value for use in making a packet arrival decision; and

a controller to vary said threshold value during receiver operation to improve packet detection performance in the wireless receiver.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

said controller includes logic to determine a threshold value that will achieve a target packet detection false alarm rate in the wireless receiver.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

said controller includes logic to determine a threshold value that will achieve a tradeoff between packet detection false alarm rate and missed packet detection rate.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

said controller includes logic to determine a new threshold value when one or more predetermined conditions change in the wireless receiver environment.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

said controller includes logic to monitor throughput in a wireless channel between a remote transmitter and the wireless receiver and logic to determine a threshold value that will maximize said throughput in said wireless channel.

21. An article comprising a storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computing platform, operate to:

perform a correlation operation using input energy in a wireless receiver to generate a correlation result;

compare said correlation result to a threshold value;

make a packet arrival decision based on said comparison; and

occasionally update said threshold value to improve packet detection performance in the wireless receiver.

22. The article of claim 21, wherein said instructions further operate to:

perform, compare, and make a packet arrival decision repeatedly during wireless receiver operation.

23. The article of claim 21, wherein:

operation to occasionally update said threshold value includes operation to modify said threshold value when one or more predetermined conditions change in the wireless receiver environment.

24. The article of claim 23, wherein:

operation to occasionally update said threshold value includes operation to modify said threshold value at predefined times during wireless receiver operation.

25. The article of claim 23, wherein:

operation to occasionally update said threshold value includes operation to determine a threshold value that will achieve a target packet detection false alarm rate within the wireless receiver.

26. The article of claim 23, wherein:

operation to occasionally update said threshold value includes operation to determine a threshold value that will achieve a tradeoff between packet detection false alarm rate and missed packet detection rate within the wireless receiver.

27. The article of claim 23, wherein:

operation to occasionally update said threshold value includes operation to identify a threshold value that maximizes measured throughput for a wireless channel between a remote transmitter and the wireless receiver.

28. A system comprising:

at least one dipole antenna;

a correlator to perform a correlation operation using input energy in a wireless receiver to generate a correlation result;

a comparator to compare said correlation result to a threshold value for use in making a packet arrival decision; and

a controller to vary said threshold value during receiver operation to improve packet detection performance in the wireless receiver.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein:

said controller includes logic to determine a threshold value that will achieve a target packet detection false alarm rate in the wireless receiver.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein:

said controller includes logic to determine a threshold value that will achieve a tradeoff between packet detection false alarm rate and missed packet detection rate.