Method and Apparatus for Estimating Collision Probability in a Wireless Network

• US 20090135726A1
• Filed: 09/08/2008
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unify Patente GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Corporate Research Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Rosca, Justinian, Balan, Radu Victor
• Granted Patent: US 7,839,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/241
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/142 using statistical or mathematical methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/147 for predicting network behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method for estimating packet collisions within a wireless network, comprising: for each transmit packet an Access Point (AP) of the network records statistics transmission information; based on this statistical information the AP computes: Total number of slot times generated during this transmission, n; Total number of deferrals, m; and Total number of unsuccessful transmissions, Q s; and using a sequence (m,n,Q) of statistics for each access category (AC), the AP computes the probability of collision for unsuccessful packets, p.

Claims

1. A method for estimating packet collisions within a wireless network, comprising:

for each transmit packet an Access Point (AP) of the network records statistics about transmission of information;

based on this statistical information the AP computes;

Total number of slot times generated during the transmission, n;

Total number of deferrals, m; and

Total number of unsuccessful transmissions, Q;

using sequences (m,n,Q) of statistics for each access category (AC), the AP computes the probability of collision for unsuccessful packets, p, for each access category.

2. The method recited in claim 1 wherein p is selected to maximize:

3. The method recited in claim 2 determining in the AP whether the computed probability is greater than a predetermined threshold or a state-based logic based on comparison with predetermined thresholds of the features derived from estimates of the probability of collision is true for the respective access category.

4. The method recited in claim 3 wherein if the computed probability is greater than a predetermined threshold for the respective access category, the AP either influence admission control for one or all access categories adjusts some of the present traffic in order to alleviate potential problems.