FAIRNESS PROVISION VIA CONTROLLING A TRANSMISSION OPPORTUNITY WINDOW IN A WIRELESS MESH NETWORK

• US 20130182610A1
• Filed: 01/17/2012
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Renesas Mobile Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Pantelidou, Anna, Koskela, Timo, Hakola, Sami-Jukka, Turtinen, Samuli
• Granted Patent: US 8,879,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/255
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The invention allows fairness provision in wireless mesh networks with respect to the data rate that stations communicate. A fairness metric is obtained during a mesh profile negotiation performed in order for a wireless station to join a wireless mesh network. Predetermined mesh transmission parameters of the wireless station are sent to previously joined wireless stations in a predetermined neighborhood of the wireless station. From the previously joined wireless stations their respective predetermined mesh transmission parameters are received. In response to a first predetermined event, a transmission opportunity window is determined for the wireless station based on the obtained fairness metric, the predetermined mesh transmission parameters of the wireless station, and the predetermined mesh transmission parameters of the previously joined wireless stations.

Claims

1. A method of fairness provision via controlling a transmission opportunity window, comprising:

obtaining a fairness metric during a mesh profile negotiation performed in order for a wireless station to join a wireless mesh network;

sending predetermined mesh transmission parameters of the wireless station to previously joined wireless stations in a predetermined neighborhood of the wireless station;

receiving from the previously joined wireless stations in the predetermined neighborhood of the wireless station their respective predetermined mesh transmission parameters; and

in response to a first predetermined event, determining a transmission opportunity window for the wireless station based on the obtained fairness metric, the predetermined mesh transmission parameters of the wireless station, and the predetermined mesh transmission parameters of the previously joined wireless stations.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined mesh transmission parameters comprise at least one of a last used modulation scheme, a last used coding scheme, a last used transmission opportunity window and a currently communicated average data rate.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

in response to one of the first predetermined event and a subsequent predetermined event, or in response to a request from one or more previously joined wireless station, and if at least one of the last used modulation scheme, the last used coding scheme, and one of the currently communicated average data rate and the transmission opportunity window of the wireless station has changed, re-informing the previously joined wireless stations in the predetermined neighborhood about the change.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

in response to one of the first predetermined event and the subsequent predetermined event;

requesting the previously joined wireless stations in the predetermined neighborhood to re-send their respective mesh transmission parameters for use in determining the transmission opportunity window for the wireless station, or

utilizing average values of the mesh transmission parameters in determining the transmission opportunity window for the wireless station.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first predetermined event and the subsequent predetermined event comprise at least one of a scheduling decision to be made and the wireless station having data to send.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined neighborhood comprises the previously joined wireless stations within N hops from the wireless station, in which N≧

1.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the trans-mission opportunity window has a predetermined maximum duration.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information about the last used modulation scheme, the last used coding scheme, and one of the currently communicated average data rate and the transmission opportunity window is broadcast.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fairness metric is related to a rate-dependent parameter.

10. A wireless station adapted to communicate with a wireless mesh network, the wireless station comprising:

a first negotiation unit configured to obtain a fairness metric during a mesh profile negotiation performed in order for a wireless station to join the wireless mesh network;

a second negotiation unit configured to send predetermined mesh transmission parameters of the wireless station to previously joined wireless stations in a predetermined neighborhood of the wireless station, and to receive from the previously joined wireless stations in the predetermined neighborhood of the wireless station their respective predetermined mesh transmission parameters; and

a controller configured to determine a transmission opportunity window for the wireless station based on the obtained fairness metric, the predetermined mesh transmission parameters of the wireless station, and the predetermined mesh transmission parameters of the previously joined wireless stations, in response to a first predetermined event.

11. The wireless station according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined mesh transmission parameters comprise at least one of a last used modulation scheme, a last used coding scheme, a last used transmission opportunity window and a currently communicated average data rate.

12. The wireless station according to claim 10, further comprising:

a re-transmission unit configured to, in response to one of the first predetermined event and a subsequent predetermined event, or in response to a request from one or more previously joined wireless station, and if at least one of the last used modulation scheme, the last used coding scheme, and one of the currently communicated average data rate and the transmission opportunity window of the wireless station has changed, re-inform the previously joined wireless stations in the predetermined neighborhood about the change.

13. The wireless station according to claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to one of the first predetermined event and the subsequent predetermined event, or in response to a request:

request the previously joined wireless stations in the predetermined neighborhood to re-send their respective mesh transmission parameters for use in determining the transmission opportunity window for the wireless station, or

utilize average values of the mesh transmission parameters in determining the transmission opportunity window for the wireless station.

14. The wireless station according to claim 12, wherein the first predetermined event and the subsequent predetermined event comprise at least one of a scheduling decision to be made and the wireless station having data to send.

15. The wireless station according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined neighborhood comprises the previously joined wireless stations within N hops from the wireless station, in which N≧

1.

16. The wireless station according to claim 10, wherein the transmission opportunity window has a predetermined maximum duration.

17. The wireless station according to claim 10, wherein the information about the last used modulation scheme, the last used coding scheme, and one of the currently communicated average data rate and the transmission opportunity window is broadcast.

18. The wireless station according to claim 10, wherein the fairness metric is related to a rate-dependent parameter.

19. A computer program for fairness provision via controlling a transmission opportunity window, the computer program comprising code adapted to perform the following steps, when executed on a data-processing system:

obtaining a fairness metric during a mesh profile negotiation performed in order for a wireless station to join a wireless mesh network;

sending predetermined mesh transmission parameters of the wireless station to previously joined wireless stations in a predetermined neighborhood of the wireless station;

receiving the predetermined mesh transmission parameters from the previously joined wireless stations in the predetermined neighborhood of the wireless station; and

in response to a first predetermined event, determining a transmission opportunity window for the wireless station based on the obtained fairness metric, the predetermined mesh transmission parameters of the wireless station, and the predetermined mesh transmission parameters of the previously joined wireless stations.

20. The computer program according to claim 19, wherein the computer program is stored on a computer readable medium.