System and method for clustering wireless devices in a wireless network

• US 7,961,673 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2009
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Extreme Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Jain, Amit
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu; Jinsong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Figueroa; Marisol
• Application Number:
  US12/360,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20090129321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/519, 370/328, 370/311
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

Described are a system and method for clustering wireless devices in a wireless network. The system comprises a wireless access point and a plurality of wireless computing units grouped into a cluster as a function of a predetermined parameter. The cluster includes a cluster head unit and at least one cluster member unit. The at least one cluster member unit utilizes a first power level when wirelessly communicating with the cluster head unit, and the cluster head unit utilizes a second power level when communicating with the AP.

Claims

1. A method of operating wireless computing units in a wireless network system having a wireless access point (AP), the method comprising:

grouping a plurality of wireless computing units into a cluster, the plurality of wireless computing units including a first wireless computing unit having the largest amount of data to transmit relative to the plurality of wireless computing units, and a second wireless computing unit having the second-largest amount of data to transmit relative to the plurality of wireless computing units;

designating the first wireless computing unit as a cluster head unit;

designating the second wireless computing unit and any remaining ones of the plurality of wireless computing units as cluster member units;

transmitting data from the first wireless computing unit to the AP for a first predetermined time proportional to the amount of data to be transmitted by the first wireless computing unit;

thereafter, re-designating the second wireless computing unit as the cluster head unit;

re-designating the first wireless computing unit and any remaining ones of the plurality of wireless computing units as cluster member units; and

transmitting data from the second wireless computing unit to the AP for a second predetermined time proportional to the amount of data to be transmitted by the second wireless computing unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of wireless computing units includes a third wireless computing unit having the third-largest amount of data to transmit relative to the plurality of wireless computing units; and

the method further comprises;

after transmitting data from the second wireless computing unit to the AP for the second predetermined time, re-designating the third wireless computing unit as the cluster head unit;

re-designating the second wireless computing unit and any remaining ones of the plurality of wireless computing units as cluster member units; and

transmitting data from the third wireless computing unit to the AP for a third predetermined time proportional to the amount of data to be transmitted by the third wireless computing unit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

cluster member units send high priority data directly to the AP using a first power level; and

cluster member units send low priority data to the cluster head unit using a second power level.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first power level is a maximum transmit power level.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the high priority data is sensitive to latency, relative to the low priority data.