Network architecture using Wi-Fi devices

• US 9,730,108 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Villasenor, Luis
• Primary Examiner(s): Onamuti, Gbemileke J
• Application Number:
  US13/715,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20140169212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• Field of Search: 370252, 455 331, 455522, 343846
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/02 Resource partitioning among network components, e.g. reuse partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for Wi-Fi network operation are disclosed. In one example, a plurality of Wi-Fi bases are discovered, each Wi-Fi base associated with a wireless Wi-Fi device. A Wi-Fi channel associated with a group of Wi-Fi bases is selected and its use evaluated. An operational parameter is configured responsive to the Wi-Fi channel utilization.

Claims

1. A method for operating a network of Wi-Fi bases comprising:

discovering a plurality of Wi-Fi bases, each Wi-Fi base associated with a wireless Wi-Fi device in a one-to-one relationship;

assigning each Wi-Fi base to a group of Wi-Fi bases, the plurality of Wi-Fi bases divided into two or more groups;

selecting an operating Wi-Fi channel for each group of the two or more groups;

evaluating a Wi-Fi channel utilization at a Wi-Fi base; and

configuring an operational parameter at the Wi-Fi base responsive to the Wi-Fi channel utilization.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each Wi-Fi base of the plurality of Wi-Fi bases is a USB device coupled to a USB port of a computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless Wi-Fi device is a telecommunications headset.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting an operating Wi-Fi channel for each group of the two or more groups comprises selecting a non-overlapping channel for a neighboring group.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising linking a Wi-Fi base with the wireless Wi-Fi device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein evaluating a Wi-Fi channel utilization at a Wi-Fi base comprises determining a high channel utilization condition or a low channel utilization condition.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the operational parameter comprises a physical layer transmission power level, a physical layer transmission data rate, a MAC layer QoS parameter, an application layer packet payload size and packet transmission interval, or an application layer audio coding mechanism.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a control message at a Wi-Fi base comprising a start voice session message, a remote configuration message, or a remote troubleshooting message.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising gathering performance metrics at the Wi-Fi base responsive to the remote troubleshooting message, the performance metrics comprising a packet loss rate, a packet retransmission rate, a packet delay, or a packet jitter.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying an operational parameter at the Wi-Fi base responsive to determining a low audio quality between the Wi-Fi base and the wireless Wi-Fi device, the operational parameter modified to improve the low audio quality.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the operational parameter comprises a physical layer transmission power level, a physical layer transmission data rate, a MAC layer QoS parameter, an application layer packet payload size and packet transmission interval, or an application layer audio coding mechanism.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage memory storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for Wi-Fi base operation comprising:

discovering a plurality of Wi-Fi bases, each Wi-Fi base associated with a wireless Wi-Fi device in a one-to-one relationship;

selecting a Wi-Fi channel associated with a group of Wi-Fi bases, wherein the group of Wi-Fi bases is a subset of the plurality of Wi-Fi bases;

evaluating a Wi-Fi channel utilization for the W-Fi channel; and

configuring an operational parameter responsive to the Wi-Fi channel utilization.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage memory of claim 12, wherein the operational parameter comprises a physical layer transmission power level, a physical layer transmission data rate, a MAC layer QoS parameter, an application layer packet payload size and packet transmission interval, or an application layer audio coding mechanism.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage memory of claim 12, the method further comprising connecting to an associated wireless Wi-Fi device.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage memory of claim 14, wherein the associated wireless Wi-Fi device is a telecommunications headset.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage memory of claim 12, wherein evaluating a Wi-Fi channel utilization comprises determining a high channel utilization condition or a low channel utilization condition.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage memory of claim 12, the method further comprising receiving a control message comprising a start voice session message, a remote configuration message, or a remote troubleshooting message.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage memory of claim 17, the method further comprising gathering performance metrics responsive to the remote troubleshooting message, the performance metrics comprising a packet loss rate, a packet retransmission rate, a packet delay, or a packet jitter.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage memory of claim 12, the method further comprising modifying an operational parameter responsive to determining a low audio quality with a wireless Wi-Fi device, the operational parameter modified to improve the low audio quality.