Network channel access protocol - slot allocation

• US 7,149,183 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2002
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trilliant Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SkyPilot Networks Incorporated (Trilliant Networks Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bradley, Kirk Alton, Rich, Mark J., Hammel, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, BRENDA H
• Application Number:
  US10/122,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20020176381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,702 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/232, 370/235, 370/252, 370/329, 370/341, 370/376, 370/395.21, 370/395.41, 370/458, 370/231, 370/230, 370/253, 370/389
• US Class Current: 370/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/02 Resource partitioning among network components, e.g. reuse partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/06 Hybrid resource partitioning, e.g. channel borrowing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/12 Fixed resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• 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 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/569 of the traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Network channel access protocol is disclosed. More particularly, a distributed, locally determined, channel access protocol that adapts to load, avoids interference and controls access by a group of nodes to a set of shared channels is disclosed. Shared channel space is divided into a number of communication slots that are repeated at a predetermined interval. Permission to use a slot to communicate between any two nodes is dynamically adjusted by the channel access protocol, which locally: (i) estimates load to neighboring nodes; (ii) allocates or deallocates slot usage to adapt to load and avoid interference; and (iii) asserts and advertises slot usage within an interference area about itself.

Claims

1. A method for adaptively determining a communication slot allocation in a wireless network, comprising:

providing a node;

determining at least a portion of a present transmission load for the node;

comparing the portion of the present transmission load to an estimated transmission load to provide a first result;

estimating a future transmission load using the first result;

computing a number of communication slots using the future transmission load estimate;

comparing the number of communication slots computed to a present allocation of communication slots to provide a second result; and

determining whether to adjust the present allocation of communication slots using the second result.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining whether to adjust the present allocation of communication slots comprises providing a third result.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the third result is selected from increasing, decreasing, and maintaining the present allocation of communication slots.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising allocating communication slots using the third result.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the second result is selected from greater than, equal to, and less than the present allocation of communication slots.

6. A method for adaptively determining a communication slot allocation in a wireless network, comprising:

determining at least some portion of an input transmission load;

comparing the input transmission load portion to an output transmission load portion to provide a first result;

setting a next transmission load using the first result

computing a number of communication slots for the next transmission load;

comparing the number of communication slots computed to an allocation of communication slots of the node to provide a second result; and

determining whether to adjust the allocation of communication slots using the second result.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising communicating slot allocations between nodes.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising adjusting the allocation of communication slots in response to the second result.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising communicating an adjustment in the allocation of communication slots to a node, the adjustment comprising information for a shared databases.

10. A method for adaptively determining a communication slot allocation in a wireless network, comprising:

providing a first node;

determining a first transmission load for communication from the first node to a second node;

comparing the first transmission load to a second transmission load to provide a first result;

using the first result to set a third transmission load;

computing a number of communication slots for the third transmission load;

comparing the number of communication slots computed to an allocation of communication slots of the first node to provide a second result; and

adjusting the allocation of communication slots using the second result.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising communicating to the second node an adjustment in the allocation of communication dots.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the adjustment of the allocation is communicated to the second node for building a shared database between the first node and the second node.

13. A computer-readable medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor in response to receiving initialization, causes execution of a method comprising:

determining an input transmission load;

comparing the input transmission load to an output transmission load to provide a first result;

setting a next transmission load using the first result;

computing a number of communication slots for the next transmission load;

comparing the number of communication slots computed to an allocation of communication slots of the node to provide a second result; and

determining whether to adjust the allocation of communication slots using the second result.