Techniques to manage communication rates in a wireless network

• US 7,986,676 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2004
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Waxman, Shai
• Primary Examiner(s): Moe; Aung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haile; Awet
• Application Number:
  US11/026,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20060146705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,398 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/230.1, 370/235, 370/236, 370/470, 370/476, 370/338, 370/336, 370/349, 370/231, 455/452.1, 455/501, 455/522
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

System, apparatus, and method to manage data communication rates in a wireless network are described. In an embodiment, a system may include multiple antennas, multiple transceivers to connect to the multiple antennas; and a media access controller to connect to the transceivers. The media access controller may send a first physical protocol data unit having a first number of media access control protocol data units using the transceivers. The media access controller may receive an acknowledgement message to indicate a second number of media access control protocol data units received from the first physical protocol data unit. The media access controller may select a third number of media access control protocol data units for a second physical protocol data unit using the second number.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a transceiver; and

a media access controller to connect to said transceiver, said media access controller to send a first physical protocol data unit having a first number of media access control protocol data units using said transceiver, said first number comprises a maximum number of media access control protocol data units for a given packet error rate, receive a first acknowledgement message to indicate a second number of media access control protocol data units received from said first physical protocol data unit, estimate a coherence time using the first acknowledgement message, select a data communication rate based on the estimated coherence time, adjust a length of a second physical protocol data unit by selecting a third number of media access control protocol data units for the second physical protocol data unit using said second number and said data communication rate and receive a second acknowledgement message to confirm acceptance of the data communication rate of the second physical protocol data unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first physical protocol data unit is sent using said data communication rate, and said second physical protocol data unit is sent using said transceiver at said data communication rate.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first physical protocol data unit is sent using a first data communication rate, and said second physical protocol data unit is sent using said transceiver at a second data communication rate.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a length for each media access control protocol data unit is defined.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each media access control protocol data unit includes orthogonal frequency division multiplexing symbols.

6. A system, comprising:

multiple antennas;

multiple transceivers to connect to said multiple antennas; and

a media access controller to connect to said transceivers, said media access controller to send a first physical protocol data unit having a first number of media access control protocol data units using said transceivers, said first number comprises a maximum number of media access control protocol data units for a given packet error rate, receive a first acknowledgement message to indicate a second number of media access control protocol data units received from said first physical protocol data unit, estimate a coherence time using the first acknowledgement message, select a data communication rate based on the estimated coherence time, adjust a length of a second physical protocol data unit by selecting a third number of media access control protocol data units for the second physical protocol data unit using said second number and said data communication rate and receive a second acknowledgement message to confirm acceptance of the data communication rate of the second physical protocol data unit.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said first physical protocol data unit is sent using said data communication rate, and said second physical protocol data unit is sent using said transceiver at said data communication rate.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said first physical protocol data unit is sent using a first data communication rate, and said second physical protocol data unit is sent using said transceiver at a second data communication rate.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein a length for each media access control protocol data unit is defined.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein each media access control protocol data unit includes orthogonal frequency division multiplexing symbols.

11. A method, comprising:

sending a first physical protocol data unit having a first number of media access control protocol data units, said first number comprises a maximum number of media access control protocol data units for a given packet error rate;

receiving a first acknowledgement message to indicate a second number of media access control protocol data units received from said first physical protocol data unit;

estimating a coherence time using the first acknowledgement message;

selecting a data communication rate based on the estimated coherence time; and

adjusting a length of a second physical protocol data unit by selecting a third number of media access control protocol data units for the second physical protocol data unit using said second number and said data communication rate; and

receiving a second acknowledgement message to confirm acceptance of the data communication rate of the second physical protocol data unit.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising sending said second physical protocol data unit using a data communication rate approximately matching a data communication rate used for said first physical protocol data unit.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein a length for each media access control protocol data unit is defined.

14. An article comprising a non transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that if executed enable a system to send a first physical protocol data unit having a first number of media access control protocol data units, said first number comprises a maximum number of media access control protocol data units for a given packet error rate, receive a first acknowledgement message to indicate a second number of media access control protocol data units received from said first physical protocol data unit, estimate a coherence time using the first acknowledgement message;

select a data communication rate based on the estimated coherence time;

adjust a length of a second physical protocol data unit by selecting a third number of media access control protocol data units for the second physical protocol data unit using said second number and said data communication rate and receive a second acknowledgement message to confirm acceptance of the data communication rate of the second physical protocol data unit.

15. The article of claim 14, further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to send said second physical protocol data unit using said data communication rate approximately matching a data communication rate used for said first physical protocol data unit.

16. The article of claim 14, wherein a length for each media access control protocol data unit is defined.