Quality guarantee for real-time applications over shared networks
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- measuring the performance of a shared wireless channel by making direct measurements of a number of packets of one or both of critical traffic and non-critical traffic transmitted during a time period as well as by making direct measurements of transmission metrics associated with the transmission of those packets during that time period, these direct measurements being made in order to determine residual bandwidth for a subsequent time period; and
adjusting control parameters for transmission of critical traffic and non-critical traffic for the subsequent time period based on the direct measurements so as to maintain a quality of service for critical traffic generated by critical applications and to optimize utilization of any residual bandwidth.
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Abstract
A shared wireless channel may serve real-time traffic and non-real-time traffic. Depending on channel conditions, the real-time traffic may experience variable levels of quality. The present invention contemplates systems and methods for guaranteeing bounded access time for real-time applications in a shared wireless network in the presence of non-real-time traffic. The systems and methods provide mechanisms to adapt to changing characteristics of wireless channels and to maximize throughput of non-real-time traffic while preserving the quality of real-time applications. The systems and methods may be extended generally to provide adaptive control over the delivery of multiple classes of traffic to protect the quality of critical applications over a shared transmission medium, including IEEE 802.11 networks, IEEE 802.16 networks, and DOCSIS networks.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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measuring the performance of a shared wireless channel by making direct measurements of a number of packets of one or both of critical traffic and non-critical traffic transmitted during a time period as well as by making direct measurements of transmission metrics associated with the transmission of those packets during that time period, these direct measurements being made in order to determine residual bandwidth for a subsequent time period; and adjusting control parameters for transmission of critical traffic and non-critical traffic for the subsequent time period based on the direct measurements so as to maintain a quality of service for critical traffic generated by critical applications and to optimize utilization of any residual bandwidth. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method comprising:
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measuring the performance of a shared transmission medium by making direct measurements of a number of packets of critical and non-critical traffic transmitted during a time period as well as by making direct measurements of transmission metrics associated with the transmission of those packets during that time period, these direct measurements being made in order to determine residual bandwidth for a subsequent time period; and adjusting control parameters for transmission of critical traffic and non-critical traffic for the subsequent time period based on the direct measurements so as to maintain a quality of service for critical traffic generated by critical applications and to optimize utilization of any residual bandwidth; wherein the number of packets of critical traffic transmitted during the first time period includes probe packets not generated by critical applications. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system comprising:
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a control module operative to control transmission of critical traffic and non-critical traffic over a shared wireless channel; a media access control module operative to transmit packets of critical traffic and non-critical traffic over the shared wireless channel; and an update module operative to; make direct measurements of the number of packets of one or both of critical traffic and non-critical traffic transmitted during a time period; make direct measurements of transmission metrics associated with transmission of the packets during the time period; determine residual bandwidth available over the shared transmission medium for a subsequent time period; and adjust control parameters to be used by the control module to control transmission of critical traffic and non-critical traffic during the subsequent time period so as to maintain a quality of service for critical traffic generated by critical applications and to optimize utilization of any residual bandwidth. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification