Method and system for querying the dynamic aspects of wireless connection

• US 6,629,151 B1
• Filed: 12/08/1999
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bahl, Paramvir
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIN, WEN TAI
• Application Number:
  US09/456,858
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• Field of Search: 709/250, 709/230, 709/227, 709/223, 709/224, 370/352, 370/353, 375/297, 375/306, 375/326, 375/219, 375/239, 455/69, 455/86, 455/126
• US Class Current: 709/250
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration

Abstract

Interfaces between wireless network hardware and software can provide for wireless-specific functionality and allow software to take advantage of the unique capabilities of a wireless network. These interfaces can perform static queries, dynamic queries, or a request to set attributes. Static queries can be information which does not change depending on the wireless connection, dynamic queries will attempt to obtain information based on the current wireless connection maintained by the hardware, and setting attributes allows the software components to change parameters within the hardware components. Additionally, callback functions are provided to allow the wireless network hardware to alert software to key events.

Claims

1. A method of wireless-specific communication between a wireless network hardware component connected to a computer and a software component on the computer, the method comprising:

calling an interface to the wireless network hardware component;

providing the interface with an input, wherein the input specifies the location of a parameter and wherein the input includes an object identifier, wherein the object identifier specifies a wireless-specific query from the software component to the wireless network hardware component requesting a wireless-specific dynamic query data for a packet; and

receiving a wireless-specific dynamic query response for the packet from the wireless network hardware component wherein, for the packet, the dynamic query is performed to obtain information about the dynamic aspects of the wireless connection at any instant in time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a media access control layer address a transmitter of an incoming packet received by the wireless network hardware component.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein, the transmitter is a point of attachment.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a base station identifier of a transmitter of an incoming packet received by the wireless network hardware component, wherein the transmitter is a point of attachment.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a frequency of a beacon signal of a transmitter of an incoming packet received by the wireless network hardware component, wherein the transmitter is a point of attachment.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a link-layer retransmission count of an incoming packet received by the wireless network hardware component.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a transmission power of an outgoing packet sent by the wireless network hardware component.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a retransmission count of an outgoing packet sent by the wireless network hardware component.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a delay in acquiring a medium of transmission of an outgoing packet sent by the wireless network hardware component.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a running average throughput of a packet, wherein the running average throughput requested is a running average throughput of a wireless communication connection by the wireless network hardware component, and wherein the packet is either an incoming packet received by the wireless network hardware component or an outgoing packet sent by the wireless network hardware component.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a running average bit error rate of a packet, wherein the running average bit error rate requested is a running average bit error rate of a wireless communication connection by the wireless network hardware component, and wherein the packet is either an incoming packet received by the wireless network hardware component or an outgoing packet sent by the wireless network hardware component.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a running average medium acquisition delay of a packet, wherein the running average medium acquisition delay requested is a running average medium acquisition delay of a wireless communication connection by the wireless network hardware component, and wherein the packet is either an incoming packet received by the wireless network hardware component or an outgoing packet sent by the wireless network hardware component.

13. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing wireless-specific communication between a wireless network hardware component connected to a computer and a software component on the computer, the communication comprising the steps of:

calling an interface to the wireless network hardware component;

providing the interface with an input, wherein the input specifies the location of a parameter and wherein the input includes an object identifier, wherein the object identifier specifies a wireless-specific query from the software component to the wireless network hardware component requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data for a packet, and receiving a wireless-specific dynamic query response for the packet from the wireless network hardware component wherein, for the packet, the dynamic query is performed to obtain information about the dynamic aspects of the wireless connection at any instant in time.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a media access control layer address a transmitter of an incoming packet received by the wireless network hardware component.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein, the transmitter is a point of attachment.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a base station identifier of a transmitter of an incoming packet received by the wireless network hardware component, wherein the transmitter is a point of attachment.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a frequency of a beacon signal of a transmitter of an incoming packet received by the wireless network hardware component, wherein the transmitter is a point of attachment.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a link-layer retransmission count of an incoming packet received by the wireless network hardware component.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a transmission power of an outgoing packet sent by the wireless network hardware component.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a retransmission count of an outgoing packet sent by the wireless network hardware component.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a delay in acquiring a medium of transmission of an outgoing packet sent by the wireless network hardware component.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a running average throughput of a packet, wherein the running average throughput requested is a running average throughput of a wireless communication connection by the wireless network hardware component, and wherein the packet is either an incoming packet received by the wireless network hardware component or an outgoing packet sent by the wireless network hardware component.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a running average bit error rate of a packet, wherein the running average bit error rate requested is a running average bit error rate of a wireless communication connection by the wireless network hardware component, and wherein the packet is either an incoming packet received by the wireless network hardware component or an outgoing packet sent by the wireless network hardware component.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein, the wireless-specific query requesting the wireless-specific dynamic query data on the packet-by-packet basis is a request for a running average medium acquisition delay of a packet, wherein the running average medium acquisition delay requested is a running average medium acquisition delay of a wireless communication connection by the wireless network hardware component, and wherein the packet is either an incoming packet received by the wireless network hardware component or an outgoing packet sent by the wireless network hardware component.