Methods and apparatus for wireless optimization based on platform configuration and use cases

• US 8,995,929 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2011
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Camille, Zimmermann, Christopher B., Chen, Hsin-Yao, Li, Lei, Giles, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US13/312,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20130143494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 455/452.1, 455/452.2, 455/502, 455/507, 455/509, 455/513, 455/67.11, 455/67.13, 455 68- 71, 455/522, 455/41.2, 370/252, 370/341, 370/437, 370/328, 370/329, 370/465, 370/350
• US Class Current: 455/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0691 using subgroups of transmit antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0874 using subgroups of receive antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0003 by switching between different modulation schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0009 by adapting the channel coding H04L1/1812 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0023 characterised by the signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for optimizing wireless network performance by incorporating platform configuration and use case information. In one exemplary scheme, a client device provides the wireless network with an indications of impacted operations based on the client device'"'"'s platform configuration. The wireless network can adjust the radio link to the client device so as to best accommodate the impacted operation. In one embodiment, a client device that includes a 3×3 Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) (or 4×4, 2×2, etc.) and Bluetooth (BT) module identifies a subset of modulation and coding schemes (MCS) that are preferred for operation. The client device provides the identified subset to the WLAN access point (AP). Responsively, the WLAN AP selects a MCS, such that the client device'"'"'s overall performance remains at an acceptable level. In another embodiment, the server/client can adjust MCS and/or active antenna chains based on the noise floor (NF) level.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing wireless network performance, the method comprising:

identifying a platform configuration that impacts one or more operations of a client device comprising a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) interface and a Bluetooth (BT) interface, the WLAN interface and BT interface having at least one shared antenna, the platform configuration configured to enable concurrent operation of the WLAN and BT interfaces;

notifying a serving device of the platform configuration, where responsive to notification the serving device selects an appropriate setting, the notifying the serving device of the platform configuration further comprises indicating one or more modulation and coding schemes (MCS) which exclude the at least one shared antenna; and

configuring the client device according to the selected appropriate setting.

2. The method of claim 1, where the notifying the serving device of the platform configuration further comprises transmitting a message, the message comprising a listing of one or more preferred settings.

3. The method of claim 2, where the listing of one or more preferred settings comprises a listing of the one or more MCS.

4. The method of claim 1, where the notifying the serving device of the platform configuration further comprises transmitting a message, the message comprising a listing of one or more settings that are not preferred.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the notifying of the serving device is in response to a request from the serving device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the BT interface has an active connection with a Synchronous Connection-Oriented (SCO) device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more MCS is determined based on the active SCO connection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying further comprises monitoring a received signal strength index (RSSI) and a noise floor of one or more antennas of the client device.

9. A client device configured to assist in optimizing wireless network perfounance, the client device comprising:

a first interface configured to operate within a first wireless network according to a setting, the first wireless network comprising a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN);

a second interface configured to operate within a second wireless network according to a second setting, the second wireless network comprising a Bluetooth (BT) network, the first interface and the second interface having at least one shared antenna;

a processor; and

a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by the processor, causes the client device to;

identify a platform configuration that impacts one or more operations of the client device, where the platform configuration comprises concurrent operation of the first interface and the second interface;

notify a serving device of the platform configuration, where responsive to a notification, the serving device selects an appropriate setting, the notification comprising an indication of one or more modulation and coding schemes (MCS) which exclude the at least one shared antenna; and

configure the first interface according to the selected appropriate setting.

10. The client device of claim 9, where concurrent operation of the first and second wireless interface affect operation of at least the first wireless interface.

11. The client device of claim 9, where the first interface comprises a plurality of antennas, at least one of the antennas being shared with the second interface.

12. The client device of claim 9, further comprising instructions which when executed by the processor:

monitor one or more platform configurations; and

determine one or more preferred settings based at least in part on the one or more impacted operations.

13. The client device of claim 12, wherein the one or more preferred settings comprises at least a modulation scheme.

14. The client device of claim 12, wherein the one or more preferred settings comprises at least a coding scheme.

15. The client device of claim 9, further comprising instructions which when executed by the processor re-associate the client device with the serving device.

16. The client device of claim 15, wherein the client device and the serving device re-associate without interruption of ongoing connections.

17. A server device configured to optimize wireless network performance based on client device platform information, the server device comprising:

a first interface configured to serve a first wireless network, where the first interface comprises a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) interface;

a processor; and

a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by the processor, cause the server device to;

receive a platform configuration information from at least one client device, the at least one client device configured with the WLAN interface and a Bluetooth (BT) interface, the WLAN and BT interfaces having at least one shared antenna, the platform configuration information configured to indicate one or more modulation and coding schemes (MCS) which the at least one client device can support without concurrent operation of the at least one shared antenna;

select an appropriate setting based at least in part on the received platform configuration information; and

configure the first wireless network according to the selected appropriate setting.

18. The server device of claim 17, further comprising instructions which when executed by the processor update an internal database with the platform configuration information, where the internal database comprises platform configuration information associated with a plurality of client devices.

19. The server device of claim 17, wherein the selection of the appropriate setting comprises evaluation of each of the one or more MCS based on historical performance data.

20. The server device of claim 18, where the one or more MCS comprise a listing of preferred MCS from the at least one client device.