Adaptive link layer for point to multipoint communication system

• US 6,650,623 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Monument Bank of Intellectual Property, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Aperto Networks
• Inventors: Truong, Paul, Ngo, Khuong, Fuentes, Jean, Varma, Subir, Reza, Majidi-Ahy
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VAN KIM T
• Application Number:
  US09/475,642
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 370/318, 370/328-329, 370/338, 370/347, 370/349, 370/445-447, 370/465-479, 370/342, 370/241, 370/230-256, 455/69, 455/70
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0093 Point-to-multipoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/50 at the moment of starting communication in a multiple access environment

Abstract

The invention provides a method and system for a wireless transport layer, such as for use in a wireless communication system. In a preferred embodiment, the wireless transport layer includes the capability for instructing customer premises equipment to adjust the physical characteristics on its communication link with the base station controller, and for instructing customer premises equipment to conduct further communications using those new physical characteristics. The wireless transport layer includes a number of provisions for adjusting communication between the base station controller and customer premises equipment in view of the prospect of adjusting physical characteristics for communication between the two end points. The use of a point-to-multipoint wireless channel provides services over a link whose parameters are continuously adapting to current conditions on a per-user basis.

Claims

1. A method, including steps of

determining first values for a set of parameters for a communication link, in a first layer of an OSI model communication system;

sending information using said first values;

obtaining information regarding characteristics of said communication link; and

adjusting said first values in response to said information, whereby further use of said communication link is responsive to said steps of adjusting;

determining alternative values for said set of parameters for a second communication link in said communication system;

sending information using said second communication link;

obtaining alternative information regarding characteristics of said second communication link; and

adjusting said alternative values in response to said alternative information, whereby further use of said second communication link is responsive to said steps of adjusting;

wherein said steps of adjusting include

determining second values in response to said information; and

combining said first values and said second values;

whereby said first values are adjusted in response to a result of said steps of combining.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said first values include at least two of:

an antenna selection value, a power level value, a channel selection value, a modulation type value, a symbol rate value, an error code type value, a set of equalization values.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said steps of adjusting said alternative values are responsive to a result of said steps of adjusting said first values.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein said steps of determining alternative values are responsive to a result of said steps of determining first values.

5. A method as in claim 1, including steps of

determining second values for a set of parameters for communication link, in a second layer of said communication system;

adjusting said second values and responses said information; and

wherein said steps of sending information use said second values.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein said first layer includes a media access layer;

and

said second layer includes at least one of;

a physical layer, a network layer, a transport layer, an application layer.

7. A method as in claim 5, wherein

said first layer includes a physical layer;

and

said second layer includes at least one of;

a media access layer, a network layer, a transport layer, an application layer.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein said second values include at least one of:

a message size value, a set of acknowledgment and retransmission values, a TDD duty cycle value.

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein said steps of combining include adaptively altering said first values using at least one hysteresis parameter.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein said steps of determining are responsive to a higher-level layer in said communication system.

11. A method as in claim 10, wherein

said first layer includes a media access layer;

and

said second layer includes at least one of;

a network layer, a transport layer, an application layer.

12. A method as in claim 10, wherein

said first layer includes a physical layer;

and

said higher-level layer includes at least one of a media access layer, a network layer, a transport layer, an application layer.

13. A method, including steps of determining first values for a set of parameters for a communication link, in a first layer of an OSI model communication system;

sending information using said first values;

obtaining information regarding characteristics of said communication link; and

adjusting said first values in response to said information, whereby farther use of said communication link is responsive to said steps of adjusting;

wherein said steps of adjusting include

determining second values in response to said information; and

combining said first values and said second values;

wherein said steps of combining include adaptively altering said first values using at least one hysteresis parameter;

whereby said first values are adjusted in response to a result of said steps of combining.

14. A method as in claim 13, wherein said first values include at least two of:

an antenna selection value, a power level value, a channel selection value, a modulation type value, a symbol rate value, an error code type value, a set of equalization values.

15. A method as in claim 13, including steps of

determining alternative values for said set of parameters for a second communication link in said communication system;

sending information using said second communication link;

obtaining alternative information regarding characteristics of said second communication link; and

adjusting said alternative values in response to said alternative information, whereby further use of said second communication link is responsive to said steps of adjusting.

16. A method as in claim 13, wherein said steps of adjusting said alternative values are responsive to a result of said steps of adjusting said first values.

17. A method as in claim 13, wherein said steps of determining alternative values are responsive to a result of said steps of determining first values.

18. A method as in claim 13, including steps of

determining second values for a set of parameters for communication link, in a second layer of said communication system;

adjusting said second values and responses said information; and

by wherein said steps of sending information use said second values.

19. A method as in claim 18, wherein

said first layer includes a media access layer;

and

said second layer includes at least one of;

a physical layer, a network layer, a transport layer, an application layer.

20. A method as in claim 18, wherein

said first layer includes a physical layer;

and

said second layer includes at least one of;

a media access layer, a network layer, a transport layer, an application layer.

21. A method as in claim 13, wherein said second values include at least one of:

a message size value, a set of acknowledgment and retransmission values a TDD duty cycle value.

22. A method as in claim 13, wherein said steps of determining are responsive to a higher-level layer in said communication system.

23. A method as is in claim 22, wherein

said first layer includes a media access layer;

and

said second layer includes at least one of;

a network layer, a transport layer, an application layer.

24. A method as is in claim 22, wherein

said first layer includes a physical layer;

and

said higher-level layer includes at least one of;

a media access layer, a network layer, a transport layer, an application layer.

25. A base station controller, including

communication elements that send and receive information;

a processor that executes instructions to control the communication elements;

a memory that stores information including said instructions, said instructions comprising the steps of;

determining first values for a set of parameters for a communication link, in a first layer of an OSI model communication system;

sending information using said first values;

obtaining information regarding characteristics of said communication link; and

adjusting said first values in response to said information, whereby further use of said communication link is responsive to said steps of adjusting;

determining alternative values for said set of parameters for a second communication link in said communication system;

sending information using said second communication link;

obtaining alternative information regarding characteristics of said second communication link; and

adjusting said alternative values in response to said alternative information, whereby further use of said second communication link is responsive to said steps of adjusting;

wherein said steps of adjusting include

determining second values in response to said information; and

combining said first values and said second values;

whereby said first values are adjusted in response to a result of said steps of combining.

26. A base station controller as in claim 25, wherein said first values include at least two of:

an antenna selection value, a power level value, a channel selection value, a modulation type value, a symbol rate value, an error code type value, a set of equalization values.

27. A base station controller as in claim 25, wherein said steps of adjusting said alternative values are responsive to a result of said steps of adjusting said first values.

28. A base station controller as in claim 25, wherein said steps of determining alternative values arc responsive to a result of said steps of determining first values.

29. A base station controller as in claim 25, wherein said instructions further include steps of

determining second values for a set of parameters for communication link, in a second layer of said communication system;

adjusting said second values and responses said information; and

wherein said steps of sending information use said second values.

30. A base station controller as in claim 25, wherein said second values include at least one of:

a message size value, a set of acknowledgment and retransmission values, a TDD duty cycle value.

31. A base station controller as in claim 25, wherein said steps of combining include adaptively altering said first values using at least one hysteresis parameter.

32. A base station controller as in claim 25, wherein said steps of determining are responsive to a higher level layer in said communication system.

33. A base station controller, including

communication elements that send and receive information;

a processor that executes instructions to control the communication elements;

a memory that stores information including said instructions, said instructions comprising the steps of;

determining first values for a set of parameters for a communication link, in a first layer of an OSI model communication system;

sending information using said first values;

obtaining information regarding characteristics of said communication link; and

adjusting said first values in response to said information, whereby further use of said communication link is responsive to said steps of adjusting;

wherein said steps of adjusting include

determining second values in response to said information; and

combining said first values and said second values;

wherein said steps of combining include adaptively altering said first values using at least one hysteresis parameter;

whereby said first values are adjusted in response to a result of said steps of combining.

34. A base station controller as in claim 33, wherein said first values include at least two of:

an antenna selection value, a power level value, a channel selection value, a modulation type value, a symbol rate value, an error code type value, a set of equalization values.

35. A base station controller as in claim 33, wherein said instructions further include steps of

determining alternative values for said set of parameters for a second communication link in said communication system;

sending information using said second communication link;

obtaining alternative information regarding characteristics of said second communication link; and

adjusting said alternative values in response to said alternative information, whereby further use of said second communication link is responsive to said steps of adjusting.

36. A base station controller as in claim 33, wherein said steps of adjusting said alternative values are responsive to a result of said steps of adjusting said first values.

37. A base station controller as in claim 33, wherein said steps of determining alternative values are responsive to a result of said steps of determining first values.

38. A base station controller as in claim 33, wherein said instructions further include steps of

determining second values for a set of parameters for communication link, in a second layer of said communication system;

adjusting said second values and responses said information; and

wherein said steps of sending information use said second values.

39. A base station controller as in claim 33, wherein said second values include at least one of:

a message size value, a set of acknowledgment and retransmission values, a TDD duty cycle value.

40. A base station controller as in claim 33, wherein said steps of determining are responsive to a higher level layer in said communication system.