DEVICE AND METHODS FOR INCREASING WIRELESS CONNECTION SPEEDS

• US 20080259804A1
• Filed: 06/25/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Ben-Eli, David, Rainish, Doron, Sasson, Roni, Tamir, Tal
• Granted Patent: US 7,885,227 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/241
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Various embodiments include wireless client device comprising an application subsystem including a processor and a storage device coupled to the processor, a communication subsystem coupled to the application subsystem, the communication subsystem including a media access control (MAC) device and a physical (PHY) device, wherein the physical device is operably coupled to the processor of the application subsystem, wherein the physical device is operable to receive a wireless signal, to analyze the wireless signal for at least one aspect of wireless performance, and to determine if the at least one aspect of wireless performance can be improved, wherein, if it is determined that the at least one aspect of wireless performance can be improved, the physical device is operable to pass the wireless signal to the processor of the application subsystem for processing of the wireless signal within the processor.

Claims

1. A wireless client device comprising:

an application subsystem including

a processor,

a storage device coupled to the processor;

a communication subsystem coupled to the application subsystem, the communication subsystem including

a media access control (MAC) device,

a physical (PHY) device, wherein the physical device is operably coupled to the processor of the application subsystem;

wherein the physical device is operable to receive a wireless signal, to analyze the wireless signal for at least one aspect of wireless performance, and to determine if the at least one aspect of wireless performance can be improved,

wherein, if it is determined that the at least one aspect of wireless performance can be improved, the physical device is operable to pass the wireless signal to the processor of the application subsystem for processing of the wireless signal within the processor, and if it is determined that the at least one aspect of wireless performance can not be improved, the physical device is operable to process the wireless signal within the physical device.

2. The wireless client device of claim 1, wherein processing the wireless signal at the processor includes processing the wireless signal at the physical layer to generate a processed signal at the physical layer, and passing the processed signal back to the physical device.

3. The wireless client device of claim 2, further including passing the processed signal on to the media access control device for layer 2 and layer 3 processing to generate a data signal at a transport layer.

4. The wireless client device of claim 3, further including passing the data signal from the media access control device back to the application subsystem.

5. The wireless client device of claim 1, wherein the at least one aspect of wireless performance includes a bit error rate.

6. The wireless client device of claim 1, wherein the wireless signal is a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)/General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) signal.

7. The wireless client device of claim 1, wherein the wireless signal is a wireless signal that conforms to the IEEE 802.11 standard.

8. The wireless client device of claim 1, wherein the physical device is operable to determine that at least one other aspect of wireless performance can be improved, and that the processor of the application subsystem is available, and to continue to use the processor for the processing of the wireless signal.

9. The wireless client device of claim 8, wherein the processor is available for processing of the wireless signal unless any of the following are true:

the processor is executing a processor-intensive task, the processor is in a power-save mode;

or the processor has ceased performing instruction for any reason.

10. A method comprising:

receiving a wireless signal on a physical device of a communication subsystem;

analyzing the wireless signal for at least one aspect of wireless performance; and

determining if the at least one aspect of wireless performance can be improved;

if it is determined that the at least one aspect of wireless performance can be improved, then activating a processor of an application subsystem to process the wireless signal at the physical layer within the processor of the application subsystem to generate a processed signal at the physical layer, where the processor of the application subsystem is operably coupled to the physical device; and

if it is determined that the at least one aspect of wireless performance can not be improved, processing the wireless signal at the physical layer within the physical device.

11. The method of claim 10, further including passing the processed signal from the physical device to a media access control device for layer 2 and layer 3 processing to generate a data signal at a transport layer;

and

passing the data signal at the transport layer from the media access control device back to the application subsystem.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein passing the processed signal from the physical device to the media access control device includes further processing the processed signal at the physical device before passing the further processed singal to the media access control device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein activating the processor of the application subsystem includes selecting a digital signal processing algorithm that is optimally configured to address the conditions that the wireless client is currently experiencing.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one aspect of wireless performance includes frame error rates.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein determining if the at least one aspect of wireless performance can be improved includes determining that at least some pre-determined minimum percentage improvement of a current performance of the at least one aspect of the wireless performance is possible.

16. A method comprising:

receiving a wireless signal on a PHY device of a communication subsystem;

analyzing at least one aspect of wireless performance;

first, determining if the at least one aspect of wireless performance can be improved; and

second, determining an availability of a processor of an application subsystem, where the processor is operably coupled to the PHY device;

if it is first determined that the at least one aspect of wireless performance can be improved and second it is determined that the processor of the application subsystem is available, then activating the processor of the application subsystem to process the wireless signal within the processor of the application subsystem; and

if it is first determined that at least one aspect of wireless performance can not be improved or second it is determined that the processor is not available, processing the wireless signal using the PHY device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining the availability of the processor of the application system includes determining that the processor is not available because the processor is in a power-same mode.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein determining the availability of the processor of the application subsystem includes determining that the processor is not available because the processor is executing a task including video rendering.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein processing the wireless signal at the PHY device includes retrieving and executing a digital signal processing algorithm that is stored in the communication subsystem.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one aspect of wireless performance includes signal to point plus interference ratio (SINR), wherein the interference includes inter symbol interference.

21. A communication system comprising:

a network;

an access point coupled to the network and operable to provide wireless access to the network;

a plurality of wireless client devices coupled the network through the access point, the plurality of wireless client devices operable to transmit wireless signals to the network through the access point and, and to receive wireless signals from the network through the access point;

wherein at least one of the plurality of wireless client devices includes an application subsystem and a communication subsystem,

the application subsystem including a processor and a storage device coupled to the processor,

the communication subsystem coupled to the application subsystem, the communication subsystem including a media access control (MAC) device and a physical (PHY) device coupled to the media access control device, and wherein the physical device is operably coupled to the processor of the application subsystem;

wherein the physical device is operable to receive a wireless signal, to analyze the wireless signal for at least one aspect of wireless performance, and to determine if the at least one aspect of wireless performance can be improved,

wherein, if it is determined that the at least one aspect of wireless performance can be improved, the physical device is operable to pass the wireless signal to the processor of the application subsystem for process of the wireless signal within the processor, and if it is determined that the at least one aspect of wireless performance can not be improved, the physical device is operable to process the wireless signal within the physical device.

22. The communication system of claim 21, wherein one or more of the plurality of wireless client devices is a cell phone.

23. The communication system of claim 21, wherein at least one of the plurality of wireless client devices is operable to communicate with the access point using only unidirectional communications.

24. The communication system of claim 21, wherein the wireless signal includes microwave signals.

25. The communication system of claim 21, wherein the network includes a private network.