Access points with selective communication rate and scheduling control and related methods for wireless local area networks (WLANs)

• US 7,443,823 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2004
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hunkeler, Teresa Joanne, Zaki, Maged
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Chi H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoang; Thai D.
• Application Number:
  US10/932,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20050100045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: 370328-345, 375135-136, 375146-153, 455550-553, 4551151-1153
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0044 allocation of payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/569 of the traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

The present invention is directed to methods and wireless communication devices that are configured to enhance communication capacity in a wireless network. In one aspect of the invention various scheduling processes and schedulers for the transmissions of data packets are disclosed. In another aspect of the invention, the selection of appropriate transmission rates to advertise by a common unit which provides wireless service to different types of wireless transmit receive units (WTRUs) is addressed.

Claims

1. A method for a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) to conduct wireless communications with a plurality of other WTRUs that implements a process for advertising available wireless communication data rates to the other WTRUs where the other WTRUs include a first type of WTRU capable of communicating at data rates in a first defined set of rates and a second type of WTRU capable of communicating at data rates in a second defined set of rates that include first type data rates that are useable by both the first and second types of WTRUs and second type data rates that are useable by the second type of WTRUs, but not the first type WTRUs, the method comprising:

determining a number m of the first type of WTRUs and a number n of the second type of WTRUs wirelessly communicating with the rate advertising WTRU;

determining a quality of a radio link between the rate advertising WTRU and the first and second types of WTRUs with which it is communicating; and

advertising support of the second defined set of data rates when m=0 or when the determined radio link quality lies at a desired level and n=0.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps are performed by an Access Point (AP) for a wireless local area network (WIAN) that is configured for communicating with 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps data rates and the second defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first type of data rates that are usable by the first and second types of WTRUs include 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps the second type of data rates that are not usable by the first type of WTRUs include 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the determining of a quality of a radio link includes determining of a frame error rate (FER) such that a desired level of link quality is determined when the FER is below a predetermined threshold.

4. A method for a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) to conduct wireless communications with a plurality of other WTRUs that implements a process for advertising available wireless communication data rates to the other WTRUs where the other WTRUs include a first type of WTRU capable of communicating at data rates in a first defined set of rates and a second type of WTRU capable of communicating at data rates in a second defined set of rates that include first type data rates that are useable by both the first and second types of WTRUs and second type data rates that are useable by the second type of WTRUs, but not the first type WTRUs, the method comprising:

determining a number m of the first type of WTRUs and a number n of the second type of WTRUs wirelessly communicating with the rate advertising WTRU;

determining a quality of a radio link between the rate advertising WTRU and the first and second types of WTRUs with which it is communicating; and

advertising support of the second defined set of data rates when m≠

0, n≠

0 and all of the second type of WTRUs are communicating with the rate advertising WTRU at second type data rates that are not useable by the first type WTRUs.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the steps are performed by an Access Point (AP) for a wireless local area network (WLAN) that is configured for communicating with 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps data rates and the second defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first type of data rates that are usable by the first and second types of WTRUs include 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps the second type of data rates that are not usable by the first type of WTRUs include 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the advertising support of the second defined set of data rates is performed when all of the second type of WTRUs that are communicating with the AP are communicating at data rates greater than 11 Mbps.

7. A method for a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) to conduct wireless communications with a plurality of other WTRUs that implements a process for advertising available wireless communication data rates to the other WTRUs where the other WTRUs include a first type of WTRU capable of communicating at data rates in a first defined set of rates and a second type of WTRU capable of communicating at data rates in a second defined set of rates that include first type data rates that are useable by both the first and second types of WTRUs and second type data rates that are useable by the second type of WTRUs, but not the first type WTRUs, the method comprising:

determining a number m of the first type of WTRUs and a number n of the second type of WTRUs wirelessly communicating with the rate advertising WTRU;

determining a quality of a radio link between the rate advertising WTRU and the first and second types of WTRUs with which it is communicating; and

advertising support of the second defined set of data rates when m≠

0, at least one of the second type of WTRUs is communicating with the rate advertising WTRU at a first type data rate and m/n is greater than or equal to a predetermined WTRU ratio threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the steps are performed by an Access Point (AP) for a wireless local area network (WLAN) that is configured for communicating with 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps data rates and the second defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first type of data rates that are usable by the first and second types of WTRUs include 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps the second type of data rates that are not usable by the first type of WTRUs include 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps.

9. A method for a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) to conduct wireless communications with a plurality of other WTRUs that implements a process for advertising available wireless communication data rates to the other WTRUs where the other WTRUs include a first type of WTRU capable of communicating at data rates in a first defined set of rates and a second type of WTRU capable of communicating at data rates in a second defined set of rates that include first type data rates that are useable by both the first and second types of WTRUs and second type data rates that are useable by the second type of WTRUs, but not the first type WTRUs, the method comprising:

determining a number m of the first type of WTRUs and a number n of the second type of WTRUs wirelessly communicating with the rate advertising WTRU;

determining a quality of a radio link between the rate advertising WTRU and the first and second types of WTRUs with which it is communicating; and

advertising support of the first type of data rates and not the second type of data rates when m≠

0, at least one of the second type of WTRUs is communicating with the rate advertising WTRU at a first type data rate and m/n is less than a predetermined WTRU ratio threshold.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the advertising support of the first type of data rates and not the second type of data rates includes advertising support of the first defined set of data rates and wherein communications on unadvertised rates is disabled in the rate advertising WTRU.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the steps are performed by an Access Point (AP) for a wireless local area network (WLAN) that is configured for communicating with 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps data rates and the second defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first type of data rates that are usable by the first and second types of WTRUs include 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps the second type of data rates that are not usable by the first type of WTRUs include 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

advertising support of the second defined set of data rates when m≠

0, at least one of the second type of WTRUs is communicating with the rate advertising WTRU at a first type data rate and m/n is greater than or equal to the predetermined WTRU ratio threshold.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the steps are performed by an Access Point (AP) for a wireless local area network (WLAN) that is configured for communicating with 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps data rates and the second defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first type of data rates that are usable by the first and second types of WTRUs include 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps the second type of data rates that are not usable by the first type of WTRUs include 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

advertising support of the second defined set of data rates when m≠

0, n≠

0 and all of the second type of WTRUs are communicating with the rate advertising WTRU at second type data rates that are not useable by the first type WTRUs.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the steps are performed by an Access Point (AP) for a wireless local area network (WLAN) that is configured for communicating with 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps data rates and the second defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first type of data rates that are usable by the first and second types of WTRUs include 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps the second type of data rates that are not usable by the first type of WTRUs include 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the advertising support of the second defined set of data rates is performed when all of the second type of WTRUs that are communicating with the AP are communicating at data rates greater than 11 Mbps.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

advertising support of the second defined set of data rates when m=0 or when the determined radio link quality lies at a desired level and n=0.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the steps are performed by an Access Point (AP) for a wireless local area network (WLAN) that is configured for communicating with 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps data rates and the second defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first type of data rates that are usable by the first and second types of WTRUs include 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps the second type of data rates that are not usable by the first type of WTRUs include 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the determining of a quality of a radio link includes determining of a frame error rate (FER) such that a desired level of link quality is determined when the FER is below a predetermined FER threshold and the advertising support of the second defined set of data rates is performed when all of the second type of WTRUs that are communicating with the AP are communicating at data rates greater than 11 Mbps.

20. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) configured to conduct wireless communications with a plurality of other WTRUs and to advertise available wireless communication data rates to the other WTRUs where the other WTRUs include a first type of WTRU capable of communicating at data rates in a first defined set of rates and a second type of WTRU capable of communicating at data rates in a second defined set of rates that include first type data rates that are useable by both the first and second types of WTRUs and second type data rates that are useable by the second type of WTRUs, but not the first type WTRUs, the rate advertising WTRU comprising:

a receiving unit configured to determine a number m of the first type of WTRUs and a number n of the second type of WTRUs wirelessly communicating with the rate advertising WTRU;

a signal processing unit configured to determine a quality of a radio link between the rate advertising WTRU and the first and second types of WTRUs with which it is communicating; and

a transmitting unit configured to advertise support of the second defined set of data rates when m=0 or when the determined radio link quality lies at a desired level and n=0.

21. The WTRU of claim 20 configured to communicate at 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates as an Access Point (AP) for a wireless local area network (WLAN) where the first defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps data rates and the second defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first type of data rates that are usable by the first and second types of WTRUs include 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps the second type of data rates that are not usable by the first type of WTRUs include 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps.

22. The WTRU of claim 21 wherein the signal processing unit is configured to determine a quality of a radio link by determining of a frame error rate (FER) such that a desired level of link quality is determined when the FER is below a predetermined threshold.

23. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) configured to conduct wireless communications with a plurality of other WTRUs and to advertise available wireless communication data rates to the other WTRUs where the other WTRUs include a first type of WTRU capable of communicating at data rates in a first defined set of rates and a second type of WTRU capable of communicating at data rates in a second defined set of rates that include first type data rates that are useable by both the first and second types of WTRUs and second type data rates that are useable by the second type of WTRUs, but not the first type WTRUs, the rate advertising WTRU comprising:

a receiving unit configured to determine a number m of the first type of WTRUs and a number n of the second type of WTRUs wirelessly communicating with the rate advertising WTRU;

a signal processing unit configured to determine a quality of a radio link between the rate advertising WTRU and the first and second types of WTRUs with which it is communicating; and

a transmitting unit configured to advertise support of the second defined set of data rates when m≠

0, n≠

0 and all of the second type of WTRUs are communicating with the rate advertising WTRU at second type data rates that are not useable by the first type WTRUs.

24. The WTRU of claim 23 configured to communicate at 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates as an Access Point (AP) for a wireless local area network (WLAN) where the first defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps data rates and the second defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first type of data rates that are usable by the first and second types of WTRUs include 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps the second type of data rates that are not usable by the first type of WTRUs include 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps.

25. The WTRU of claim 24 wherein the transmitting unit is configured to advertise support of the second defined set of data rates when all of the second type of WTRUs that are communicating with the WTRU are communicating at data rates greater than 11 Mbps.

26. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) configured to conduct wireless communications with a plurality of other WTRUs and to advertise available wireless communication data rates to the other WTRUs where the other WTRUs include a first type of WTRU capable of communicating at data rates in a first defined set of rates and a second type of WTRU capable of communicating at data rates in a second defined set of rates that include first type data rates that are useable by both the first and second types of WTRUs and second type data rates that are useable by the second type of WTRUs, but not the first type WTRUs, the rate advertising WTRU comprising:

a receiving unit configured to determine a number m of the first type of WTRUs and a number n of the second type of WTRUs wirelessly communicating with the rate advertising WTRU;

a signal processing unit configured to determine a quality of a radio link between the rate advertising WTRU and the first and second types of WTRUs with which it is communicating; and

a transmitting unit configured to advertise support of the second defined set of data rates when m≠

0, at least one of the second type of WTRUs is communicating with the rate advertising WTRU at a first type data rate and m/n is greater than or equal to a predetermined WTRU ratio threshold.

27. The WTRU of claim 26 configured to communicate at 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates as an Access Point (AP) for a wireless local area network (WLAN) where the first defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps data rates and the second defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first type of data rates that are usable by the first and second types of WTRUs include 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps the second type of data rates that are not usable by the first type of WTRUs include 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps.

28. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) configured to conduct wireless communications with a plurality of other WTRUs and to advertise available wireless communication data rates to the other WTRUs where the other WTRUs include a first type of WTRU capable of communicating at data rates in a first defined set of rates and a second type of WTRU capable of communicating at data rates in a second defined set of rates that include first type data rates that are useable by both the first and second types of WTRUs and second type data rates that are useable by the second type of WTRUs, but not the first type WTRUs, the rate advertising WTRU comprising:

a receiving unit configured to determine a number m of the first type of WTRUs and a number n of the second type of WTRUs wirelessly communicating with the rate advertising WTRU;

a signal processing unit configured to determine a quality of a radio link between the rate advertising WTRU and the first and second types of WTRUs with which it is communicating; and

a transmitting unit configured to advertise support of the first type of data rates and not the second type of data rates when m≠

0, at least one of the second type of WTRUs is communicating with the rate advertising WTRU at a first type data rate and m/n is less than a predetermined WTRU ratio threshold.

29. The WTRU of claim 28 wherein the transmitting unit is configured to advertise support of the first defined set of data rates and to disable communications on unadvertised rates when m≠

0, at least one of the second type of WTRUs is communicating with the rate advertising WTRU at a first type data rate and m/n is less than the predetermined WTRU ratio.

30. The WTRU of claim 29 configured to communicate at 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates as an Access Point (AP) for a wireless local area network (WLAN) where the first defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps data rates and the second defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first type of data rates that are usable by the first and second types of WTRUs include 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps the second type of data rates that are not usable by the first type of WTRUs include 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps.

31. The WTRU of claim 29 wherein the transmitting unit is configured to advertise support of the second defined set of data rates when m≠

0, at least one of the second type of WTRUs is communicating with the rate advertising WTRU at a first type data rate and m/n is greater than or equal to the predetermined WTRU ratio threshold.

32. The WTRU of claim 31 configured to communicate at 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates as an Access Point (AP) for a wireless local area network (WLAN) where the first defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps data rates and the second defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first type of data rates that are usable by the first and second types of WTRUs include 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps the second type of data rates that are not usable by the first type of WTRUs include 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps.

33. The WTRU of claim 31 wherein the transmitting unit is configured to advertise support of the second defined set of data rates when m≠

0, n≠

0 and all of the second type of WTRUs are communicating with the rate advertising WTRU at second type data rates that are not useable by the first type WTRUs.

34. The WTRU of claim 33 configured to communicate at 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates as an Access Point (AP) for a wireless local area network (WLAN) where the first defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps data rates and the second defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first type of data rates that are usable by the first and second types of WTRUs include 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps the second type of data rates that are not usable by the first type of WTRUs include 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps.

35. The WTRU of claim 34 wherein the transmitting unit is configured to advertise support of the second defined set of data rates when all of the second type of WTRUs that are communicating with the WTRU are communicating at data rates greater than 11 Mbps.

36. The WTRU of claim 31 wherein the transmitting unit is configured to advertise support of the second defined set of data rates when m=0 or when the determined radio link quality lies at a desired level and n=0.

37. The WTRU of claim 36 configured to communicate at 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates as an Access Point (AP) for a wireless local area network (WLAN) where the first defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps data rates and the second defined set of rates includes 1, 2, 5.5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps data rates where the first type of data rates that are usable by the first and second types of WTRUs include 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps the second type of data rates that are not usable by the first type of WTRUs include 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48 and 54 Mbps.

38. The WTRU of claim 37 wherein the signal processing unit is configured to determine a quality of a radio link by determining of a frame error rate (FER) such that a desired level of link quality is determined when the FER is below a predetermined FER threshold and wherein the transmitting unit is configured to advertise support of the second defined set of data rates is performed when all of the second type of WTRUs that are communicating with the WTRU are communicating at data rates greater than 11 Mbps.

39. The WTRU of claim 38 wherein the receiving unit, the signal processing unit and the transmitting unit are implemented in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).