Adaptive communication management to accommodate hidden terminal conditions
First Claim
1. A wireless network in a communication infrastructure having a packet switched backbone network, the wireless network comprising:
- an access point, communicatively coupled to the packet switched backbone network, having access point processing circuitry and access point wireless transceiver circuitry;
a first client device having first client processing circuitry and first client wireless transceiver circuitry;
a second client device having second client processing circuitry and second client wireless transceiver circuitry;
the access point processing circuitry, using the access point wireless transceiver circuitry and an associated set of communication parameters, manages communication both between the first client wireless transceiver circuitry and the packet switched backbone network, and between the second client wireless transceiver circuitry and the packet switched backbone network;
the first client processing circuitry attempts to detect transmissions from the second client wireless transceiver circuitry via the first client wireless transceiver circuitry;
the access point processing circuitry, based on at least the attempt to detect transmissions from the second client wireless transceiver circuitry by the first client processing circuitry, identifies a hidden terminal condition; and
the access point processing circuitry attempts to address the hidden terminal condition by altering at least one parameter of the associated set of communication parameters.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless access point and multiple wireless terminals exchange utilization, status, mobility and reception characteristics. Each wireless terminal generates reception characteristics based on transmissions received from the wireless access point and from other devices in the network. In one operating mode, the characteristics gathered by the wireless devices are forwarded to the wireless access point, and, based on all received characteristics, the wireless access point selects its own transmission power for different types of the transmission. In another mode, all characteristics are exchanged between every wireless terminal and the access point so that each can independently or cooperatively make transmission power control decisions. In a further mode, the wireless access point adjusts protocol parameters based on an assessment of the characteristics received from the client devices, to detect an event such as a hidden terminal condition. The utilization, status, mobility, and reception characteristics include received signal strength, error rates, estimated battery life, availability of unlimited power, active versus sleep mode ratios, anticipated bandwidth utilization, coding schemes available, deterministic/non-deterministic requirements, encryption and security requirements, quality of service requirements, position, velocity, stationary status, etc. Gathering of such characteristics involves both retrieval of preset parameters from memory and generating parameters based on received transmissions (including test packets).
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A wireless network in a communication infrastructure having a packet switched backbone network, the wireless network comprising:
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an access point, communicatively coupled to the packet switched backbone network, having access point processing circuitry and access point wireless transceiver circuitry;
a first client device having first client processing circuitry and first client wireless transceiver circuitry;
a second client device having second client processing circuitry and second client wireless transceiver circuitry;
the access point processing circuitry, using the access point wireless transceiver circuitry and an associated set of communication parameters, manages communication both between the first client wireless transceiver circuitry and the packet switched backbone network, and between the second client wireless transceiver circuitry and the packet switched backbone network;
the first client processing circuitry attempts to detect transmissions from the second client wireless transceiver circuitry via the first client wireless transceiver circuitry;
the access point processing circuitry, based on at least the attempt to detect transmissions from the second client wireless transceiver circuitry by the first client processing circuitry, identifies a hidden terminal condition; and
the access point processing circuitry attempts to address the hidden terminal condition by altering at least one parameter of the associated set of communication parameters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for use in an access point that wirelessly couples a first client device and a second client device to a packet switched backbone network, the method comprising:
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receiving a first plurality of characteristics relating to an evaluation by the first client device of transmissions received by the first client device from both the access point and the second client device;
receiving a second plurality of characteristics relating to an evaluation by the second client device of transmissions received by the second client device from both the access point and the first client device; and
assessing both the first plurality of characteristics and the second plurality of characteristics and, based on the assessment, detecting a hidden terminal condition; and
selecting a first protocol parameter for transmissions by the access point when the hidden terminal condition is detected. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for use in a first client device that, along with at least a second client device, wirelessly communicates with and a packet switched backbone network via an access point, the method comprising:
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transmitting based on a first protocol parameter;
evaluating transmissions received from both the access point and the second client device and transmitting to the access point a first plurality of characteristics relating to the evaluation by the first client device;
receiving a transmission from the access point that includes a second protocol parameter, in response to the access point identifying a potential hidden terminal condition; and
transmitting based on second protocol parameter. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A communication network comprising:
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a first device having a first wireless transceiver;
a second device having a second wireless transceiver;
a third device having a third wireless transceiver;
the second device generates a first reception characteristic based on at least one transmission from the third wireless transceiver, and the second device transmits the first reception characteristic to the first wireless transceiver of the first device;
the third device generates a second reception characteristic based on at least one transmission from the second wireless transceiver, and the third device transmits the second reception characteristic to the first wireless transceiver of the first device; and
the first device, based on the first reception characteristic and the second reception characteristic identifies a hidden terminal condition and, when the hidden terminal condition id detected, selects a first protocol parameter for transmissions by the first transceiver circuitry to the third transceiver circuitry and a second protocol parameter for transmissions by the first transceiver circuitry to the second transceiver circuitry, and the first protocol parameter differs from the second protocol parameter. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification