Dynamic adaptation for wireless communications with enhanced quality of service
First Claim
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1. A method for controlling communications in a wireless local area network (WLAN) having an access point as a communication portal and a plurality of wireless communication nodes each wirelessly communicating with the access point, comprising:
- operating the access point to receive information about communication flows from the nodes;
assigning (1) selected nodes, based on nature of communication flows with the selected nodes, with contention-free time periods to allow each selected node to communicate with the access point without contention with other nodes in a corresponding contention-free time period, and (2) remaining nodes to contend with each other in a time period outside the contention-free time periods and to communicate with the access point;
after the assigning, monitoring communication delay buildup in each of the nodes during communications in assigned time periods to determine whether additional time is needed;
allocating additional contention-free time to a node needing the additional time when such additional contention-free time is available; and
when the additional contention-free time is not available, directing the selected node to contend with other nodes in communicating with the access point.
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Abstract
Techniques and systems designed to dynamically control communications between wireless devices and an access point in a wireless local area network (WLAN) to enhance the quality of service (QoS). Described techniques and systems may be implemented to further enhance QoS in WLANs under IEEE 802.11e.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for controlling communications in a wireless local area network (WLAN) having an access point as a communication portal and a plurality of wireless communication nodes each wirelessly communicating with the access point, comprising:
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operating the access point to receive information about communication flows from the nodes; assigning (1) selected nodes, based on nature of communication flows with the selected nodes, with contention-free time periods to allow each selected node to communicate with the access point without contention with other nodes in a corresponding contention-free time period, and (2) remaining nodes to contend with each other in a time period outside the contention-free time periods and to communicate with the access point; after the assigning, monitoring communication delay buildup in each of the nodes during communications in assigned time periods to determine whether additional time is needed; allocating additional contention-free time to a node needing the additional time when such additional contention-free time is available; and when the additional contention-free time is not available, directing the selected node to contend with other nodes in communicating with the access point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for controlling communications in a wireless local area network (WLAN) in compliance with IEEE 802.11e to support polling-based contention-free communications with an access point of the WLAN according to Hybrid Coordination Function Controlled Channel Access (HCCA) and prioritized contention-based Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA), comprising:
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dividing each service interval for communicating with the access point into (1) an HCCA period during which a wireless communication node allocated to communicate with the access point is assigned with a contention-free time period to communicate with the access point without contention of other nodes and (2) a separate EDCA period during which a wireless communication node contends with other nodes to communicate with the access point based on assigned access categories; monitoring a communication delay at each node in communication with the access point; monitoring a traffic load at the access point for communications with nodes in the EDCA period; and dynamically controlling access of nodes to the access point according to the monitored communication delays of nodes and the monitored traffic load, wherein the dynamic control comprises at least one of (1) allocating additional time to a selected node which has been previously assigned to communicate with the access point in the HCCA period, (2) assigning a selected node which has been previously assigned to communicate with the access point in the HCCA period and has completed assigned communication with the access point in HCCA, after the HCCA period terminates, to continue communicating with the access point in the EDCA period in contention with other nodes, and (3) allocating a contention-free time period in the HCCA period to a selected node, which has been previously assigned to communicate with the access point in the EDCA period, to communicate with the access point when there is unused time left in the HCCA period after nodes previously assigned to the HCCA period have been served. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for controlling communications between wireless communication nodes and an access point in a wireless local area network under IEEE 802.11e to support polling-based contention-free communications between nodes and the access point according to Hybrid Coordination Function Controlled Channel Access (HCCA) and prioritized contention-based Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA), comprising:
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a monitoring module having an HCCA monitor which monitors HCCA communication flows to produce HCCA measurements and an EDCA monitor which monitors EDCA communication flows to produce EDCA measurements; and an adaptor module, in response to the HCCA measurements and the EDCA measurements, operating to dynamically control communications of nodes with the access point in both HCCA and EDCA to reduce an aggregated communication delay caused by delays of individual nodes. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification