Integrated self-optimizing multi-parameter and multi-variable point to multipoint communication system

• US 6,654,384 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• 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: Hakim, Joseph, Reza, Majidi-Ahy, Varma, Subir
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VAN KIM T
• Application Number:
  US09/475,716
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 370/318, 370/328, 370/329, 370/338, 370/347, 370/235, 370/349, 370/445-447, 370/465-469, 370/474, 370/479, 370/342, 455/69-70, 375/241
• US Class Current: 370/469
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0001 Systems modifying transmission characteristics according to link quality, e.g. power backoff adaptive data allocation for multicarrier modulation H04L5/0044; controlling transmission power for radio systems H04W52/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0003 by switching between different modulation schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0007 by modifying the frame length
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0009 by adapting the channel coding H04L1/1812 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0015 characterised by the adaptation strategy
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1816 with retransmission of the same, encoded, message
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1825 Adaptation of specific ARQ protocol parameters according to transmission conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1854 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1867 Arrangements specially adapted for the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1893 Physical mapping arrangements physical resource mapping in general H04L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0093 Point-to-multipoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0252 per individual bearer or channel dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

The invention provides a method and system for adaptive point to multipoint wireless communication. The wireless physical layer and the wireless media-access-control (MAC) layer collectively include a set of parameters, which are adaptively modified by a base station controller for communication with a plurality of customer premises equipment. The base station controller adjusts communication with each customer premises equipment individually and adaptively in response to changes in characteristics of communication, including physical characteristics, amount of communication traffic, and nature of application for the communication traffic.

Claims

1. A method, including steps of

determining first values for a plurality of first parameters and one or more second parameters for a communication link, said first parameters being associated with a first layer of an OSI model communication system and said second parameters being associated with a second layer of the OSI model communication system;

sending first information using said first values;

obtaining second information regarding characteristics of said communication link in response to a result of said steps of sending; and

adjusting a plurality of said first values in conjunction in response to said second information, whereby said first parameters and said second parameters for further use of said communication link are responsive to said steps of adjusting;

wherein said steps of adjusting include steps of dynamically selecting a set of altered first values in response to said second information, said set of altered first values including at least two changes to said first parameters and said second parameters, said set of altered first values having been determined to be superior to altered first values having only one change to said first parameters and said second parameters.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said first layer and said second layer are selected from the group:

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

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said first parameters 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.

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

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

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein said communication link is subject to at least one of:

interference effects, multipath effects, both interference effects and multipath effects.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein said communication link includes a wireless communication link.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein said communication link includes a plurality of distinguishable channels, said channels being distinguished using a plurality of:

frequency division, time division, space division, spread spectrum code division.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein said communication link includes a plurality of distinguishable channels, said channels being distinguished using at least one of:

frequency division, time division, space division, spread spectrum code division.

11. A method as in claim 1, wherein said steps of adjusting are responsive to a type of protocol being used by at least one of the group:

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

12. A method as in claim 11, wherein said steps of adjusting are responsive to whether an application layer protocol is for asymmetric transfer of information.

13. A method as in claim 11, wherein said steps of adjusting are responsive to whether an application layer protocol is for sending voice or video information.

9. A method including steps of

determining first values for a plurality of first parameters and one or more second parameters for a communication link, said first parameters being associated with a first layer of an OSI model communication system and said second parameters being associated with a second layer of the OSI model communication system;

sending first information using said first values;

obtaining second information regarding characteristics of said communication link in response to a result of said steps of sending; and

adjusting a plurality of said first values in conjunction in response to said second information, whereby said first parameters and said second parameters for further use of said communication link are responsive to said steps of adjusting; and

recording an old set of said first values for said communication link;

wherein said steps of adjusting include

calculating a new set of said first values for said communication link in response to a result of said steps of obtaining second information; and

combining an adjusted set of said first values adaptively in response to said old set of said first values and said new set of said first values.

10. A method as in claim 9, wherein said steps of combining include determining said adjusted set using at least one hysteresis parameter.

14. A base station controller including

one or more antennas for sending and receiving information over a communication link;

a processor that controls sending and receiving information over the communication link responsive to at least first parameters associated with a first layer of an OSI model communication system and one or more second parameters associated with a second layer of an OSI model communication system; and

a memory that stores data and instructions, the data including the first parameters and the second parameter, the instructions including steps of;

determining first values for a plurality of the first parameters and the second parameters for the communication link;

sending first information using said first values;

obtaining second information regarding characteristics of said communication link in response to a result of said steps of sending; and

adjusting a plurality of said first values in conjunction in response to said second information, whereby said first parameters and said second parameters for further use of said communication link are responsive to said steps of adjusting;

wherein said steps of adjusting include steps of dynamically selecting a set of altered first values in response to said second information, said set of altered first values including at least two changes to said first parameters and said second parameters, said set of altered first values having been determined to be superior to altered first values having only one change to said first parameters and said second parameters.

15. A base station controller as in claim 14, wherein said first layer and said second layer are selected from the group:

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

16. A base station controller as in claim 14, wherein said first parameters 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.

17. A base station controller as in claim 14, wherein said second parameters include at least one of:

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

18. A base station controller as in claim 14, wherein said communication link is subject to at least one of:

interference effects, multipath effects, both interference effects and multipath effects.

19. A base station controller as in claim 14, wherein said communication link includes a wireless communication link.

20. A base station controller as in claim 14, wherein said communication link includes a plurality of distinguishable channels, said channels being distinguished using a plurality of:

frequency division, time division, space division, spread spectrum code division.

21. A base station controller as in claim 14, wherein said communication link includes a plurality of distinguishable channels, said channels being distinguished using at least one of:

frequency division, time division, space division, spread spectrum code division.

24. A base station controller as in claim 14, wherein said steps of adjusting are responsive to a type of protocol being used by at least one of the group:

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

25. A base station controller as in claim 24, wherein said steps of adjusting are responsive to whether an application layer protocol is for asymmetric transfer of information.

26. A base station controller as in claim 24, wherein said steps of adjusting are responsive to whether an application layer protocol is for sending voice or video information.

22. A base station controller including

one or more antennas for sending and receiving information over a communication link;

a processor that controls sending and receiving information over the communication link responsive to at least first parameters associated with a first layer of an OSI model communication system and one or more second parameters associated with a second layer of an OSI model communication system; and

a memory that stores data and instructions, the data including the first parameters and the second parameter, the instructions including steps of;

determining first values for a plurality of the first parameters and the second parameters for the communication link;

sending first information using said first values;

obtaining second information regarding characteristics of said communication link in response to a result of said steps of sending;

adjusting a plurality of said first values in conjunction in response to said second information, whereby said first parameters and said second parameters for further use of said communication link are responsive to said steps of adjusting; and

recording an old set of said first values for said communication link;

wherein said steps of adjusting include

calculating a new set of said first values for said communication link in response to a result of said steps of obtaining second information; and

combining an adjusted set of said first values adaptively in response to said old set of said first values and said new set of said first values.

23. A base station controller as in claim 22, wherein said steps of combining include determining said adjusted set using at least one hysteresis parameter.

27. A memory storing information including instructions, the instructions executable by a processor to control sending and receiving information over a communication link responsive to at least first parameters associated with a first layer of an OSI model communication system and one or more second parameters associated with a second layer of an OSI model communication system, the instructions including steps of:

determining first values for a plurality of the first parameters and the second parameters for the communication link;

sending first information using said first values;

obtaining second information regarding characteristics of said communication link in response to a result of said steps of sending; and

adjusting a plurality of said first values in conjunction in response to said second information, whereby said first parameters and said second parameters for further use of said communication link are responsive to said steps of adjusting;

wherein said steps of adjusting include steps of dynamically selecting a set of altered first values in response to said second information, said set of altered first values including at least two changes to said first parameters and said second parameters, said set of altered first values having been determined to be superior to altered first values having only one change to said first parameters and said second parameters.

28. A memory as in claim 27, wherein said first layer and said second layer are selected from the group:

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

29. A memory as in claim 27, wherein said first parameters 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.

30. A memory as in claim 27, wherein said second parameters include at least one of:

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

31. A memory as in claim 27, wherein said communication link is subject to at least one of:

interference effects, multipath effects, both interference effects and multipath effects.

32. A memory as in claim 27, wherein said communication link includes a wireless communication link.

33. A memory as in claim 27, wherein said communication link includes a plurality of distinguishable channels, said channels being distinguished using a plurality of:

frequency division, time division, space division, spread spectrum code division.

34. A memory as in claim 27, wherein said communication link includes a plurality of distinguishable channels, said channels being distinguished using at least one of:

frequency division, time division, space division, spread spectrum code division.

37. A memory as in claim 27, wherein said steps of adjusting are responsive to a type of protocol being used by at least one of the group:

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

38. A memory as in claim 37, wherein said steps of adjusting are responsive to whether an application layer protocol is for asymmetric transfer of information.

39. A memory as in claim 37, wherein said steps of adjusting are responsive to whether an application layer protocol is for sending voice or video information.

35. A memory storing information including instructions, the instructions executable by a processor to control sending and receiving information over a communication link responsive to at least first parameters associated with a first layer of an OSI model communication system and one or more second parameters associated with a second layer of an OSI model communication system, the instructions including steps of

determining first values for a plurality of the first parameters and the second parameters for the communication link;

sending first information using said first values;

obtaining second information regarding characteristics of said communication link in response to a result of said steps of sending;

adjusting a plurality of said first values in conjunction in response to said second information, whereby said first parameters and said second parameters for further use of said communication link are responsive to said steps of adjusting; and

recording an old set of said first values for said communication link;

wherein said steps of adjusting include

calculating a new set of said first values for said communication link in response to a result of said steps of obtaining second information; and

combining an adjusted set of said first values adaptively in response to said old set of said first values and said new set of said first values.

36. A memory as in claim 35, wherein said steps of combining include determining said adjusted set using at least one hysteresis parameter.