Method And Apparatus For Providing Quality Of Service (QOS) In A Wireless Local Area Network

• US 20090232082A1
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Paramesh Gopi, Sameer Bidichandani
• Inventors: Gopi, Paramesh, Bidichandani, Sameer
• Granted Patent: US 8,559,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/165 Combined use of TCP and UDP protocols; selection criteria therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/06 Transport layer protocols, e.g. TCP [Transport Control Protocol] over wireless transmission control protocol/Internet protocol [TCP/IP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and computer programs for configuring one or more transmission parameters of a wireless client in a wireless local area network (WLAN) are provided. In one implementation, the method includes associating a wireless client with a wireless communication system in a WLAN, and at the wireless client, receiving one or more real-time data packets transmitted from the wireless communication system. Each real-time data packet contains real-time data in an uncompressed format. The method further includes sending an acknowledgement (ACK) packet for each real-time data packet correctly received by the wireless client.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with a wireless communication system through a wireless client, the method comprising:

associating a wireless client with a wireless communication system;

at the wireless client, receiving one or more real-time data packets transmitted from the wireless communication system, each real-time data packet containing real-time data; and

sending an acknowledgement (ACK) packet for each real-time data packet correctly received by the wireless client.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the wireless client with the wireless communication system includes sniffing a SSID associated with a WLAN.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring one or more transmission parameters associated with the wireless client to support a real-time transmission mode for receiving the one or more real-time data packets from the wireless communication system, the real-time transmission mode being characterized by a configuration that permits the wireless client to receive real-time data packets that do not contain TCP/IP headers.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein configuring one or more transmission parameters associated with the wireless client includes configuring one or more of a beacon interval, a data transfer rate, a contention window size, or an interframe spacing window.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein configuring one or more transmission parameters associated with the wireless client includes changing a beacon interval from an initial beacon interval to a pre-determined beacon interval different from the initial beacon interval after the wireless client has been associated with the wireless communication system.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein configuring one or more transmission parameters associated with the wireless client includes setting a data transfer rate of a MAC associated with the wireless client at a fixed rate.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein configuring one or more transmission parameters associated with the wireless client includes setting a contention window size parameter of a MAC associated with the wireless client to a value CWmin (minimum contention window).

8. The method of claim 3, wherein configuring one or more transmission parameters associated with the wireless client includes setting an interframe spacing parameter of a MAC associated with the wireless client to a minimum size.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving one or more real-time data packets transmitted from the wireless communication system includes receiving one or more real-time data packets transmitted unicast from the wireless communication system.

10. A wireless client comprising:

a SSID (Service Set Identifier) engine operable to associate a wireless client with a wireless communication system;

a transceiver operable to receive one or more real-time data packets transmitted from the wireless communication system, each real-time data packet containing real-time data; and

a negotiation engine operable to send an acknowledgement (ACK) packet for each real-time data packet correctly received by the wireless client.

11. The wireless client of claim 10, wherein the SSID engine is operable to sniff a SSID associated with a WLAN.

12. The wireless client of claim 10, further comprising a control engine operable to configure one or more transmission parameters associated with the wireless client to support a real-time transmission mode, the real-time transmission mode being characterized by a configuration that permits the wireless client to receive real-time data packets not containing TCP/IP headers.

13. The wireless client of claim 12, wherein the control engine is operable to configure one or more transmission parameters including a beacon interval, a data transfer rate, a contention window size, or an interframe spacing window.

14. The wireless client of claim 12, wherein the control engine is operable to control a beacon interval engine associated with the wireless client, the beacon interval engine operable to change a beacon interval from an initial beacon interval to a pre-determined beacon interval different from the initial beacon interval after the wireless client has been associated with the wireless communication system.

15. The wireless client of claim 12, wherein the control engine is operable to control a data rate transfer engine associated with the wireless client, the data rate transfer engine operable to set a data transfer rate of a corresponding MAC at a fixed rate.

16. The wireless client of claim 12, wherein the control engine is operable to control a contention window engine associated with the wireless client, the contention window engine operable to set a contention window size parameter of a corresponding MAC to a value CWmin (minimum contention window).

17. The wireless client of claim 12, wherein the control engine is operable to control an interframe space engine associated with the wireless client, the interframe space engine operable to set an interframe spacing parameter of a corresponding MAC to a minimum size.

18. The wireless client of claim 10, wherein the transceiver is operable to receive one or more real-time data packets transmitted unicast from the wireless communication system.

19. The wireless client of claim 10, wherein the transceiver is operable to receive the one or more real-time data packets in accordance with one or more of the following IEEE wireless communication protocols:

802.11, 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.16 and 802.20.

20. A wireless client comprising:

SSID (Service Set Identifier) means for associating a wireless client with a wireless communication system;

transceiver means for receiving one or more real-time data packets transmitted from the wireless communication system, each real-time data packet containing real-time data; and

negotiation means for sending an acknowledgement (ACK) packet for each real-time data packet correctly received by the wireless client.