Method and apparatus for client control of wireless communications

• US 7,599,699 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2006
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Woodbury Wireless LLC
• Original Assignee: Rotani, Inc.
• Inventors: Funke, Nicholas, Spenik, John, Woodbury, Brian, Lastinger, Roc
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brandt; Christopher M
• Application Number:
  US11/586,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20070099641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 455/452.2, 455/452.1, 455/63.4, 455/512, 455/25, 455/434, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/435.3, 455/437, 455/439, 455/450, 455/451, 455/453, 455/507, 455/513, 455/509, 455/517, 455/425, 455/423, 455/424, 370/329, 370/345, 370/328, 370/338, 370/395.2, 370/395.21, 370/395.3, 370/395.31, 370/395.32, 370/395.4, 370/395.41, 370/395.42, 370/395.43
• US Class Current: 455/452.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/382 for resource allocation, admission control or handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria

Abstract

A method, according to the various aspects of the present invention, is performed by a wireless cell for improving communication between the wireless cell and at least one wireless client, the wireless cell having at least two channels. The method includes, in any practical order, the wireless cell receiving a notice of the application executed by each one of at least a portion of the clients; the wireless cell measuring the transmission and reception performance between the wireless cell and each one of the clients for each channel; and the wireless cell selecting one of the channels in accordance with a prioritized list of applications.

Claims

1. A method performed by a wireless cell for improving communication between the wireless cell and at least one wireless client of a plurality of wireless clients, wherein the wireless cell and each wireless client have at least two channels and the wireless cell directly communicates with each wireless client, the method comprising:

receiving indicia of priority from each wireless client of the plurality of wireless clients, the indicia of priority for prioritizing communication between the wireless cell and each wireless client;

assigning one wireless client of the plurality to operate as a control client;

sending to the control client the indicia of priority from each wireless client;

responsive to an instruction from the control client, measuring a communication performance between the wireless cell and each wireless client for each channel;

sending an information of the communication performance of each wireless client to the control client, the information for detecting one channel for each wireless client that provides a higher communication performance; and

responsive to an instruction from the control client, using one of the at least two channels to communicate with each wireless client;

wherein;

the control client selects the one channel.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication performance comprises at least one of throughput, signal strength, signal-to-noise ratio, and error rate.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein measuring comprises detecting a throughput of at least one of a data transmitted from the wireless cell to any one of the wireless clients and a data received by the wireless cell from any one of the wireless clients.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the indicia of priority comprises a notice of the application executed by each wireless client; and

assigning comprises;

ranking each client in accordance with the notice; and

assigning one client having a higher ranking as the control client.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the indicia of priority comprises an application presently executed by each wireless client respectively.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the indicia of priority comprises an identity of a user of each wireless client.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the indicia of priority comprises a recency of communication between each wireless client and the wireless cell.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein assigning comprises randomly selecting one wireless client.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein assigning comprises:

in accordance with the indicia of priority received from each wireless client respectively, ranking each wireless client; and

selecting a higher ranked wireless client as the control client.

3. A method performed by one wireless client of a plurality of wireless clients that operates as a control client, the method for improving communication between a wireless cell and at least one wireless client of the plurality of wireless clients, wherein each wireless client and the wireless cell have at least two channels and the wireless cell directly communicates with each wireless client, the method comprising:

receiving from the wireless cell a notice of an application executed by each wireless client of the plurality of wireless clients;

receiving from the wireless cell an information regarding a communication performance between the wireless cell and each wireless client;

selecting one of the at least two channels in accordance with the information, the application executed by each wireless client, and a prioritized list of applications; and

instructing the wireless cell to use the selected channel to communicate with each wireless client.

18. The method of claim 3 wherein the application comprises at least one of video, VOIP, browsing, and games.

11. A method performed by a first wireless client of a plurality of wireless clients for improving communication between a wireless cell and at least one wireless client of the plurality of wireless clients, wherein each one of the wireless clients and the wireless cell have at least two channels and the wireless cell directly communicates with each wireless client, the method comprising:

sending indicia of priority to the wireless cell;

receiving an assignment from the wireless cell to operate as a control client; and

while operating as the control client;

instructing the wireless cell to measure communication performance between the wireless cell and each one of the wireless clients for each channel;

receiving from the wireless cell an information of the communication performance between the wireless cell and each wireless client, the information for detecting one channel for each wireless client that provides a higher communication performance;

receiving from the wireless cell the indicia of priority from each wireless client, the indicia of priority for prioritizing a communication between the wireless cell and each wireless client;

in accordance with the indicia of priority and the communication performance, selecting one of the at least two channels as a selected channel; and

instructing the wireless cell to communicate with each wireless client using the selected channel.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein selecting further comprises selecting in further accordance with at least one of a minimum throughput, a minimum signal strength, a maximum error rate, and primary direction of data flow.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the indicia of priority comprises an application presently executed by the first wireless client.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the indicia of priority comprises an identity of a user of the first wireless client.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the wireless cell controls the measurement of the communication performance with each wireless cell.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein selecting comprises:

ranking each client in accordance with the indicia of priority;

for each client, ranking each channel in accordance with the communication performance; and

selecting one channel that provides the higher communication performance to a higher ranked client.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein ranking comprises:

translating an application presently executed by each wireless client into a wireless client priority using an information provided by at least one of the wireless cell manufacturer, the client manufacturer, the wireless cell user, the client user, the wireless cell, and the wireless client; and

placing the wireless clients in order in accordance with the client priority.