Configuring subscriber systems in wireless mesh networks

• US 9,167,436 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2014
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Weigand, Gilbert G.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US14/307,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20140293782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/562.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0888 Throughput
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0058 Allocation criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/021 in wireless networks with changing topologies, e.g. ad-hoc networks self-organizing networks H04W84/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/06 based on characteristics of available antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless network may be managed by identifying one or more wireless subscriber systems included in a lobe pool of a wireless network, identifying at least one candidate subscriber system outside of the lobe pool with which to enable communications, and reconfiguring the antenna such that the lobe pool includes the identified candidate subscriber system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining there is congestion associated with transmission of communications over a first network;

responsive to determining there is congestion, determining whether to delay the transmission of communications over the first network;

responsive to determining the transmission of communications cannot be delayed, determining whether additional bandwidth associated with the first network can be acquired through negotiations;

responsive to determining additional bandwidth can be acquired, negotiating the additional bandwidth with one or more nodes associated with the first network;

responsive to determining additional bandwidth cannot be acquired, determining whether the transmission of communications can be redirected through a second network; and

responsive to determining the transmission of the communications can be redirected through the second network, redirecting the transmission of communications through the second network.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining there is congestion further comprises receiving a scheduling message indicating to reduce a bandwidth consumption.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining whether additional bandwidth associated with the first network can be acquired further comprises requesting a larger time block in which to transmit from the one or more nodes associated with the first network.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the transmission of communications can be redirected through a second network further comprises determining whether an associated antenna can be adjusted to participate in the second network.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the transmission of communications can be redirected through a second network and redirecting the transmission of communications through the second network further comprises:

identifying a particular subscriber system as a source of the congestion; and

redirecting the particular subscriber system to utilize the second network.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the congestion is associated with a video-on-demand stream request.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the transmission of communications can be redirected through a second network further comprises:

interfacing with a base station controller; and

receiving information from the base station control associated with directing the transmission of communications through the second network.

8. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

one or more computer-readable storage memories comprising processor-executable instructions which, responsive to execution by the at least one processor, are configured to enable the system to;

determine there is congestion associated with transmission of communications over a first network;

responsive to determining there is congestion, determine whether to delay the transmission of communications over the first network;

responsive to determining the transmission of communications cannot be delayed, determine whether additional bandwidth associated with the first network can be acquired through negotiations;

responsive to determining additional bandwidth can be acquired, negotiate the additional bandwidth with one or more nodes associated with the first network;

responsive to determining additional bandwidth cannot be acquired, determine whether the transmission of communications can be redirected through a second network; and

responsive to determining the transmission of communications can be redirected through the second network, redirect the transmission of communications through the second network.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the system is configured as a relay system.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor-executable instructions to enable the system to determine there is congestion are further configured to enable the system to determine a transmission channel associated with the first network is unavailable due to noise, interference, or a lack of capacity.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor-executable instructions to enable the system to determine whether transmission of communications can be redirected through a second network are further configured to enable the system to determine whether the second network has better communication conditions than the first network.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor-executable instructions to enable the system to determine whether the transmission of communications can be redirected through a second network and redirect transmission of communications through the second network are further configured to enable the system to:

identify a particular subscriber system as a source of the congestion;

maintain the particular subscriber system in the first network; and

redirect at least one other subscriber than the particular subscriber to the second network.

13. The system claim 8, wherein the congestion is associated with a file request.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to enable the system to, responsive to determining transmission of communications cannot be redirected through the second network, cancel transmission of information over the first network.

15. One or more computer-readable storage memory device comprising processor-executable instructions which, responsive to execution by the at least one processor, are configured to:

determine there is congestion associated with transmission of communications over a first network;

responsive to determining there is congestion, determine whether to delay the transmission of communications over the first network;

responsive to determining transmission of communications cannot be delayed, determine whether additional bandwidth associated with the first network can be acquired through negotiations;

responsive to determining additional bandwidth can be acquired, negotiate the additional bandwidth with one or more nodes associated with the first network;

responsive to determining additional bandwidth cannot be acquired, determine whether the transmission of communications can be redirected through a second network; and

responsive to determining the transmission of communications can be redirected through the second network, redirect the transmission of communications through the second network.

16. The one or more computer-readable storage memory device of claim 15, wherein the processor-executable instructions to negotiate the additional bandwidth with one or more nodes are further configured to:

receive information from at least one node of the one or more nodes; and

redirect the transmission of communications associated with the at least one node to another network based, at least in part, on the received information.

17. The one or more computer-readable storage memory device of claim 15, wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to:

interface with a base station controller effective to receive information from the base station control; and

redirect, based, at least in part, on the received information, transmission of communications through;

the second network;

or

a different network from the first and second networks.

18. The one or more computer-readable storage memory device of claim 15, wherein the processor-executable instructions to determine there is congestion associated with transmission of communications over a first network are further configured to:

receive a scheduling message indicating to reduce bandwidth consumption associated with a node;

or

determine a transmission channel associated with the first network is unavailable due to noise, interference, or lack of channel capacity.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage memory device of claim 15, the processor-executable instructions to determine whether transmission of communications can be redirected through a second network and redirect transmission of communications through the second network are further configured to:

identify a particular subscriber system as a source of the congestion; and

redirect the particular subscriber system to utilize the second network.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage memory device of claim 15, wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to request a larger time block in which to transmit from the one or more nodes associated with the first network.