System and method of enhancing WiFi real-time communications

• US 9,225,486 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2013
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VTech Telecommunications Limited (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: VTech Telecommunications Limited (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hundal, Sukhdeep S., Roodnick, Daniel, Cheng, Bennett
• Primary Examiner(s): PHUNKULH, BOB A
• Application Number:
  US14/038,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20140105188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0072 Error control for data other than payload data, e.g. control data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0083 Formatting with frames or packets; Protocol or part of protocol for error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0037 Inter-user or inter-terminal allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0044 allocation of payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Systems and methods of enhanced real-time communications between WiFi devices. In one embodiment of the present invention a method for enhanced payload protection in a WiFi system includes transmitting multiple copies of data packets in successive frame body transmissions. In another embodiment, a method for enhanced communications over a WiFi link includes examining a unit ID packet to determine a destination of a data payload when errors are detected in IP and/or MAC headers. If a destination is determined, the packet is corrected and forwarded to the device based on the unit ID determination. In another embodiment, a method for enhanced real-time communications in a WiFi network includes establishing a communications frame that includes an active timeslot, preferably based on U-APSD, for a WiFi device to use for transmission of successive audio data packets transmitted between the WiFi handset and AP.

Claims

1. A telephone communications system, comprising:

a plurality of cordless telephone handsets configured to wirelessly conduct telephone calls; and

a wireless access point configured to assign a first handset of the plurality of telephone handsets a timeslot for a telephone call;

wherein the first handset is configured to buffer a first voice packet and a subsequent second voice packet of the telephone call, transmit to the wireless access point via a first timeslot, a first payload packet that includes the first voice packet and the second voice packet, and transmit, to the wireless access point after the first payload packet, a second payload packet via a second timeslot that includes the second voice packet;

wherein the wireless access point is further configured to;

assess the second voice packets received via the first payload packet and the second payload packet for errors;

select, based on the assessment of the second voice packets, one of the second voice packets to transmit to a receiver; and

transmit the selected second voice packet to the receiver;

wherein the wireless access point is further configured to;

assess the second voice packet of the first payload packet for errors based on a first frame check sequence packet of the first payload packet; and

assess the second voice packet of the second payload packet for errors based on a second frame check sequence packet of the second payload packet.

2. The telephone communications system of claim 1, wherein the cordless telephone handset is further configured to:

buffer third voice packet subsequent to the second voice packet;

place the third voice packet in the second payload packet prior to transmitting the second payload packet to the wireless access point; and

transmit, to the wireless access point after the second payload packet, a third payload packet that includes the third voice packet.

3. The telephone communications system of claim 2, wherein the wireless access point is further configured to:

assess the third voice packets received via the second payload packet and the third payload packet for errors;

select, based on the assessment of the third voice packets, one of the third voice packets to transmit to the receiver; and

transmit the selected third voice packet to the receiver.

4. The telephone communications system of claim 3, wherein the wireless access point is further configured to:

assess the third voice packet of the second payload packet for errors based on a first frame check sequence packet of the second payload packet; and

assess the third voice packet of the third payload packet for errors based on a second frame check sequence packet of the third payload packet.

5. The telephone communications system of claim 1, wherein the cordless telephone handset is further configured to:

buffer a third voice packet and a subsequent fourth voice packet;

place the third voice packet in the first payload packet prior to transmitting the first payload packet to the wireless access point; and

place the third voice packet and the fourth voice packet in the second payload packet prior to transmitting the second payload packet to the wireless access point.

6. The telephone communications system of claim 5, wherein the wireless access point is further configured to:

assess the third voice packets received via the first payload packet and the second payload packet for errors;

select, based on the assessment of the third voice packets, one of the third voice packets to transmit to the receiver; and

transmit the selected third voice packet to the receiver.

7. The telephone communications system of claim 6, wherein the wireless access point is further configured to:

assess the third voice packet of the first payload packet for errors based on a first frame check sequence packet of the first payload packet; and

assess the third voice packet of the second payload packet for errors based on a second frame check sequence packet of the second payload packet.

8. A method for a telephone communications system having a plurality of cordless telephone handsets and a wireless access point, the method comprising:

buffering, in the first handset, a first voice packet and a subsequent second voice packet;

transmitting, from the first handset to a wireless access point, a first payload packet that includes the first voice packet, the second voice packet, and a first frame check sequence packet that provides error coverage for the first payload packet;

after said transmitting a first payload packet, transmitting, from the first handset to the wireless access point, a second payload packet that includes the second voice packet and a second frame check sequence that provides error coverage for the second payload packet;

assessing, with the wireless access point, the second voice packet of the first payload packet for errors based on the first frame check sequence packet;

assessing, with the wireless access point, the second voice packet of the second payload packet for errors based on a second frame check sequence packet;

selecting, based on said assessing of the second voice packets, one of the second voice packets to transmit to a receiver; and

transmitting, from the wireless access point to the receiver, the selected second voice packet.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

buffering, in the first handset, a third voice packet that follows the second voice packet;

placing the third voice packet in the second payload packet prior to said transmitting the second payload packet; and

after said transmitting the second payload packet, transmitting, from the first handset to the wireless access point, a third payload packet that includes the third voice packet and a third frame check sequence packet that provides error coverage for the third payload packet.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

assessing, with the wireless access point, the second voice packet of the first payload packet for errors based on the first frame check sequence packet;

assessing, with the wireless access point, the second voice packet of the second payload packet for errors based on the second frame check sequence packet;

selecting, based on said assessing of the second voice packets, one of the second voice packets to transmit to a receiver; and

transmitting, from the wireless access point to the receiver, the selected second voice packet.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

assessing, with the wireless access point, the third voice packet of the second payload packet for errors based on the second frame check sequence packet;

assessing, with the wireless access point, the third voice packet of the third payload packet for errors based on the third frame check sequence packet;

selecting, based on said assessing of the third voice packets, one of the third voice packets to transmit to the receiver; and

transmitting, from the wireless access point to the receiver, the selected third voice packet.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

buffering a third voice packet and a subsequent fourth voice packet that follow the second voice packet;

placing the third voice packet in the first payload packet prior to said transmitting the first payload packet; and

placing the third voice packet and the fourth voice packet in the second payload packet prior to said transmitting the second payload packet.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

assessing, with the wireless access point, the second voice packet of the first payload packet for errors based on the first frame check sequence packet;

assessing, with the wireless access point, the second voice packet of the second payload packet for errors based on a second frame check sequence packet;

selecting, based on said assessing of the second voice packets, one of the second voice packets to transmit to a receiver; and

transmitting, from the wireless access point to the receiver, the selected second voice packet.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

assessing, with the wireless access point, the third voice packet of the first payload packet for errors based on the first frame check sequence packet;

assessing, with the wireless access point, the third voice packet of the second payload packet for errors based on the second frame check sequence packet;

selecting, based on said assessing of the third voice packets, one of the third voice packets to transmit to the receiver; and

transmitting, from the wireless access point to the receiver, the selected third voice packet.