Method and computer program product for internet protocol (IP)—flow classification in a wireless point to multi-point (PTMP) transmission system

• US RE46,206 E1
• Filed: 11/10/2010
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jorgensen, Jacob W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Escalante, Ovidio
• Application Number:
  US12/943,796
• Time in Patent Office: 2,197 Days
• Field of Search: 709232-235, 370/231, 370/235
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/20 using signal quality detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 29/06 characterised by a protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/14 in wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/193 at the transport layer, e.g. TCP related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/27 Evaluation or update of window size, e.g. using information derived from acknowledged [ACK] packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1009 H.323
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/608 Streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/165 Combined use of TCP and UDP protocols; selection criteria therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/169 Special adaptations of TCP, UDP or IP for interworking of IP based networks with other networks protocols for interworking, protocol conversion H04L69/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0414 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13096 Digital apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, digital line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 : Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 : Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 : Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 : Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 : Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 : Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 : PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 : Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13296 : Packet switching, X.25, frame relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13348 : Channel/line reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 : Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/20 : Negotiating bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 : Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 : Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1242 : based on precedence or priority of the traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 : Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/06 : Transport layer protocols, e.g. TCP [Transport Control Protocol] over wireless transmission control protocol/Internet protocol [TCP/IP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16

Abstract

A system and method for Internet Protocol (IP) flow classification group IP flows in a packet-centric wireless point to multi-point telecommunications system is disclosed. The method comprises analyzing an IP flow in a packet-centric manner, classifying the IP flow, scheduling the IP flow for transmission over a shared wireless bandwidth between a wireless base station and at least one subscriber customer premises equipment (CPE) station, allocating the shared wireless bandwidth to a communication of the IP flow between the wireless base station and a subscriber CPE station so as to optimize end-user quality of service (QoS) associated with the IP flow.

Claims

1. A method for IP flow classification grouping IP flows in a packet-centric wireless point to multi-point telecommunications system, said method comprising:

analyzing an Internet Protocol (IP) flow in a packet-centric manner;

classifying said IP flow; and

scheduling said IP flow for transmission over a shared wireless bandwidth between a wireless base station and at least one subscriber customer premises equipment (CPE) station, including

allocating said shared wireless bandwidth to communication of said IP flow between said wireless base station and a subscriber CPE station, so as to optimize end-user quality of service (QoS) associated with said IP flow.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

dynamically allocating said shared wireless bandwidth to communication between said wireless base station and said subscriber CPE station.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

allocating said shared wireless bandwidth on a frame basis.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

allocating a frame of said shared wireless bandwidth in an uplink direction from said subscriber CPE station to said wireless base station.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

allocating a frame of said shared wireless bandwidth in a downlink direction from said wireless base station to said subscriber CPE station.

6. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

allocating said shared wireless bandwidth on a subframe within a frame basis.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

allocating a subframe of said shared wireless bandwidth in an uplink direction from said subscriber CPE station to said wireless base station.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

allocating a subframe of said shared wireless bandwidth in a downlink direction from said wireless base station to said subscriber CPE station.

9. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

allocating said shared wireless bandwidth on a slot within a frame basis.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

allocating a slot of said shared wireless bandwidth in an uplink direction from said CPE station to said wireless base station.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

allocating a slot of said shared wireless bandwidth in a downlink direction from said wireless base station to said subscriber CPE station.

12. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

allocating said shared wireless bandwidth on a subslot within a frame basis.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

allocating a subslot of said shared wireless bandwidth in an uplink direction from said subscriber CPE station to said wireless base station.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

allocating a subslot of said shared wireless bandwidth in a downlink direction from said wireless base station to said subscriber CPE station.

15. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

allocating said shared wireless bandwidth to one or more control packets.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising at least one of:

allocating a downstream acknowledgment slot;

allocating a reservation request slot;

allocating an operations data slot;

allocating an upstream acknowledgment slot;

allocating an acknowledgment request slot;

allocating a frame descriptor slot; and

allocating a command and control slot.

17. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

allocating said shared wireless bandwidth to one or more data packets.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising at least one of:

allocating said shared wireless bandwidth in an uplink direction; and

allocating said shared wireless bandwidth in a downlink direction.

19. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

allocating shared wireless bandwidth to said subscriber CPE station so as to optimize end-user internet protocol (IP) quality of service (QoS).

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising at least one of:

identifying said IP flow;

characterizing said IP flow;

storing said IP flow; and

prioritizing said IP flow.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein said identifying step comprises:

analyzing a packet of said IP flow so as to determine whether said packet of said IP flow is associated with a new IP flow or an existing IP flow;

prioritizing said packet of said IP flow after characterizing said IP flow and classifying said IP flow, if said packet is determined to be associated with said new IP flow; and

prioritizing said packet of said IP flow without characterizing said IP flow, and without classifying said IP flow, if said packet is determined to be associated with said existing IP flow.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said analyzing step comprises:

buffering said packet of said IP flow;

extracting information from at least one of a packet header field and a packet payload field of said packet of said IP flow; and

analyzing said information from said packet.

23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

determining whether a version of said packet is Internet Protocol version IPv.4 or IPv.6; and

parsing said packet accordingly.

24. The method according to claim 22, further comprising:

determining a source application type of said packet.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising at least one of:

storing a source application for a source address from a source application packet header table;

retrieving said source application for said source address from said source application packet header table;

determining a source application from a type of service (TOS) packet header field; and

determining a source application from a differentiated services (DiffServ) packet header field.

26. The method according to claim 21, further comprising at least one of:

storing an identifier of said IP flow to an IP flow identification data table; and

retrieving said identifier of said IP flow from said IP flow identification data table.

27. The method according to claim 20, further comprising at least one of:

determining whether an age of a packet is older than a threshold age;

anticipating client application IP flow discards based on said age of said packet exceeding said threshold age;

determining a QoS requirement for said IP flow; and

determining a subscriber identification for said subscriber CPE station associated with said IP flow.

28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising:

analyzing a time to live (TTL) packet header field for determining said age of said packet.

29. The method according to claim 27, further comprising:

determining a QoS requirement for said IP flow.

30. The method according to claim 27, further comprising:

determining a QoS requirement for said IP flow based on at least one of;

a source address;

a destination address; and

a UDP port number.

31. The method according to claim 20, further comprising:

buffering a packet of said IP flow in accordance with an existing IP flow for subsequent prioritizing, if said packet of said IP flow is identified as associated with said existing IP flow.

32. The method according to claim 20, further comprising:

classifying a packet of said LIP flow into a QoS class grouping.

33. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:

determining and taking into account said QoS class groupings when scheduling communication of said IP flow.

34. The method according to claim 33, further comprising:

determining and taking into account any optional differentiated services (DiffServ) field priority marking for said IP flow when scheduling communication of said IP flow.

35. The method according to claim 33, further comprising:

determining and taking into account any optional type of service (TOS) field priority marking for said IP flow when scheduling said IP flow.

36. The method according to claim 20, further comprising:

determining and taking into account hierarchical class based priorities (HCBPs) for said IP flow when scheduling said IP flow.

37. The method according to claim 20, further comprising:

determining and taking into account virtual private network (VPN) priorities for said IP flow when scheduling said IP flow.

38. The method according to claim 20, further comprising:

determining and taking into account service level agreement (SLA) based priorities for said IP flow when scheduling said IP flow.

39. The method according to claim 20, further comprising:

determining and taking into account any type of service (TOS) priorities for said IP flow when scheduling said IP flow.

40. The method according to claim 20, further comprising:

determining and taking into account any differentiated services (DiffServ) priorities for said IP flow when scheduling said IP flow.

41. The method according to claim 38, further comprising the step of:

prioritizing said IP flow based on priorities of a service level agreement (SLA) for SLA subscribers.

42. The method according to claim 41, further comprising the step of:

analyzing said SLA for said IP flow.

43. The method according to claim 42, further comprising the step of:

prioritizing said IP flow based on one or more subscriber-defined parameters.

44. The method according to claim 41, further comprising:

prioritizing based on a premium service level;

prioritizing based on a normal service level; and

prioritizing based on a value service level.

45. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises:

assigning future slots of a transmission frame to a data packet in the transmission frame for transmission over said shared wireless medium, further comprising;

applying an advanced reservation algorithm to schedule transmission of said IP flow;

reserving a first slot in a future transmission frame based on said advanced reservation algorithm, for a first data packet of said IP flow; and

reserving a second slot in a subsequent transmission frame subsequent in time to said future transmission frame based on said advanced reservation algorithm, for a second data packet of said IP flow, wherein said second data packet of said IP flow is placed in said second slot of said subsequent transmission frame in an isochronous manner to the placing of said first data packet in said first slot of said future transmission frame.

46. The method according to claim 45, wherein there is a periodic variation between the placing of said first data packet in said first slot and the placing of second data packet in said second slot.

47. The method according to claim 45, wherein there is an aperiodic variation between the placing of said first data packet in said first slot and the placing of said second data packet in said second slot.

48. The method according to claim 45, wherein said advanced reservation algorithm determines whether said IP flow is jitter-sensitive.

49. The method according to claim 6, wherein the method comprises providing isochronous data packets in a telecommunications system, said telecommunications system comprising:

said wireless base station coupled to a first data network;

one or more host workstations coupled to said first data network;

one or more of said subscriber CPE stations in wireless communication with said wireless base station over said shared wireless bandwidth using a packet-centric protocol; and

one or more subscriber workstations coupled to each of said one or more subscriber CPE stations over a second network;

resource allocation means optimizing end-user IP quality of service (QoS) and allocating said shared wireless bandwidth among said one or more subscriber CPE stations, the method comprising;

applying an advanced reservation algorithm to scheduling of an IP flow;

reserving succeeding slots in one or more succeeding future transmission frames of said IP flow in an isochronous manner based on said advanced reservation algorithm.

50. The method according to claim 49, wherein there is a periodic variation between said successive reserving of said succeeding slots.

51. The method according to claim 49, wherein there is no periodic variation between the successive reserving of said succeeding slots.

52. The method according to claim 49, wherein said advanced reservation algorithm determines whether said IP flow is jitter-sensitive.

53. The method according to claim 40, wherein the method comprises:

integrating differentiated services (DiffServ) marked IP-Flows into quality of service (QoS) priorities in a wireless point to multi-point (PtMP) transmission system, said wireless point to multi-point (PtMP) transmission system comprising;

said wireless base station coupled to a first data network,

one or more host workstations coupled to said first data network,

one or more subscriber CPE stations in wireless communication with said wireless base station over said shared wireless bandwidth using a packet-centric protocol,

one or more subscriber workstations coupled to each of said one or more subscriber CPE stations over a second network, and

a resource allocator that allocates said shared wireless bandwidth among said one or more subscriber CPE stations in communication with said wireless base station, the method comprising the steps of;

analyzing said IP flow for a differentiated services (DiffServ) marking; and

scheduling said IP flow taking into account any said DiffServ marking.

54. The method according to claim 53, wherein said IP flow comprises at least one of:

a TCP/IP flow; and

a UDP/IP flow.

55. The method according to claim 53, wherein said analyzing step comprises:

identifying said IP flow having said Diff Serv marking;

characterizing said IP flow having said Diff Serv marking; and

classifying said IP flow having said Diff Serv marking.

56. The method according to claim 53, wherein said scheduling step comprises:

prioritizing said IP flow taking into account any said DiffServ marking and other IP priority header identification information.

57. The method according to claim 56, wherein said prioritizing step comprises a weighted fair priorities (WFP).

58. The method according to claim 57, wherein said prioritizing step comprises at least one of:

prioritizing based on an IP flow hierarchical class based priority;

prioritizing based on a service level agreement (SLA) class priority;

prioritizing based on a virtual private network (VPN) subscription; and

prioritizing based on a virtual private network (VPN) subscription class priority.

59. The method according to claim 55, wherein said identifying step comprises at least one of the steps of:

analyzing one or more packet header fields in said IP flow; and

distinguishing between a new and an existing IP flow.

60. The method according to claim 59, wherein said analyzing one or more packet header fields step comprises at least one of:

buffering packets of a plurality of IP flows;

extracting identification information from said packet header fields of each of said packets; and

analyzing said identification information from said packet header fields.

61. The method according to claim 60, wherein said extracting step comprises at least one step of:

determining whether said packets are a packet version IPv.4 or IPv.6; and

parsing said packet header fields of said plurality of IP flows.

62. The method according to claim 61, wherein said analyzing step comprises the step of:

determining a source application type.

63. The method according to claim 61, wherein said analyzing step comprises the step of:

taking into account any said differentiated service (Diff Serv) field priority marking.

64. The method according to claim 63, wherein said DiffServ field priority marking is compatible with Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) RFC 2474.

65. The method according to claim 63, wherein said Diff Serv field priority marking is compatible with IETF RFC 2475.

66. The method according to claim 55, wherein said classifying step comprises the step of:

associating a packet of said IP flow with an existing IP flow.

67. The method according to claim 55, wherein said classifying step comprises the step of:

grouping a packet of a new IP flow into a QoS priority class.

68. The method according to claim 67, wherein said grouping step comprises the step of:

taking into account any said DiffServ marking for said IP flow.

69. The method according to claim 56, wherein said prioritizing step comprises the step of:

taking into account any said DiffServ marking for said IP flow.

70. The method according to claim 37, further comprising a scheduling method for use in a packet-centric wireless point to multi-point telecommunications system, said telecommunications system comprising:

said wireless base station coupled to a first data network;

one or more host workstations coupled to said first data network;

one or more of said subscriber customer premise equipment (CPE) stations in wireless communication with said wireless base station over said shared wireless bandwidth using a packet-centric protocol; and

one or more subscriber workstations coupled to each of said one or more subscriber CPE stations over a second network;

resource allocation means optimizing end-user internet protocol (IP) quality of service (QoS) and allocating shared wireless bandwidth among said subscriber CPE stations;

means for analyzing and scheduling said IP flow over said shared wireless bandwidth, wherein the scheduling method comprises the steps of;

prioritizing said IP flow based on priorities of a virtual private network (VPN).

71. The method according to claim 70, further comprising the step of:

analyzing said priorities of said VPN for said IP flow.

72. The method according to claim 71, further comprising the step of:

prioritizing any VPN IP flows.

73. The method according to claim 71, further comprising the step of:

prioritizing said W flow based on one or more subscriber-defined parameters.

74. The method according to claim 70, wherein said VPN comprises a directory enabled networking (DEN) table management scheme.

75. The method according to claim 74, wherein said VPN DEN is common information model (CIM) 3.0 compatible.

76. The method according to claim 70, wherein said VPN is implemented using a point-to-point tunneling protocol (PPTP).

77. The method according to claim 70, wherein said VPN is implemented using internet protocol security (IPSec) protocol.

78. The method according to claim 10, wherein said allocating step comprises:

allocating said slot of said shared wireless bandwidth in an uplink direction based on reservation requests from said subscriber CPE station to said wireless base station.

79. The method according to claim 19, wherein said allocating said shared wireless bandwidth in an uplink direction step comprises:

allocating said shared wireless bandwidth in an uplink direction based on reservation requests.

80. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of dynamically allocating said shared wireless bandwidth includes a time domain multiple access/time division duplex (TDMA/TDD) media access control (MAC) telecommunications access method, further comprising the steps of:

(a) accessing IP flow control information from one or more dynamically allocatable control slots that provide said IP flow control information over said shared wireless bandwidth between said wireless base station and one or more of said subscriber CPE stations; and

(b) accessing IP flow data information being transmitted in one or more dynamically allocatable data slots that provide said IP flow data information over said shared wireless bandwidth between said wireless base station and said one or more subscriber CPE stations.

81. The method according to claim 80, wherein step (a) comprises the steps of at least one of:

communicating a downstream acknowledgment;

communicating a reservation request;

communicating an operations data slot;

communicating an upstream acknowledgment slot;

communicating an acknowledgment request slot;

communicating a frame descriptor slot; and

communicating a command and control slot.

82. The method according to claim 80, further comprising the steps of:

communicating said IP flow data information in said dynamically allocatable data slots for transmission in an uplink direction from said subscriber CPE station to said wireless base station; and

communicating said IP flow data information in said dynamically allocatable data slots for transmission in a downlink direction from said wireless base station to said subscriber CPE station.

83. The method according to claim 82, further comprising the step of:

dynamically allocating said shared wireless bandwidth between a downlink subframe and an uplink subframe.

84. The method according to claim 83, further comprising the steps of:

scheduling multiple slots in said downlink subframe for said subscriber CPE station for a single internet protocol (IP) flow.

85. The method according to claim 83, further comprising the steps of:

scheduling multiple slots in said downlink subframe for said subscriber CPE station for a plurality of internet protocol (IP) flows.

86. The method according to claim 83, comprising the steps of:

scheduling multiple slots in said uplink subframe for said subscriber CPE station for a single internet protocol (IP) flow.

87. The method according to claim 83, further comprising the steps of:

scheduling multiple slots in said uplink subframe for said subscriber CPE station for a plurality of internet protocol (IP) flows.

88. The method according to claim 83, further comprising the steps of:

dynamically allocating one or more reservation request contention slots for addressing contentions between reservation requests for available uplink subframe slots between said wireless base station and said subscriber CPE station.

89. The method according to claim 88, further comprising the steps of:

dynamically allocating said contention slots according to the frequency of detected collisions between said reservation requests.

90. The method according to claim 83, further comprising:

transmitting one or more reservation slots in said downlink subframe defining where said subscriber CPE station requesting a reservation will place uplink data.

91. The method according to claim 82, wherein said steps of communicating said IP flow information use a time domain multiple access/time division duplex (TDMA/TDD) transmission media access control (MAC) access method.

92. The method according to claim 82, wherein said steps of communicating said IP flow information use a frequency division multiple access (FDMA) access method.

93. The method according to claim 82, wherein said steps of communicating said IP flow information use a code-division multiple access (CDMA) access method.

94. The method according to claim 80, wherein step (a) comprises the steps of at least one of:

communicating a downstream acknowledgment;

communicating an operations data slot;

communicating an upstream acknowledgment slot;

communicating an acknowledgment request slot; and

communicating a frame descriptor slot.

95. The method of claim 83, wherein said step of dynamically allocating a bandwidth further comprises:

analyzing and scheduling said IP flow over said shared wireless bandwidth comprising;

identifying said IP flow;

characterizing said IP flow;

classifying said IP flow; and

prioritizing said IP flow.

96. The method according to claim 1 comprising a step of:

preventing operation of a transmission control protocol (TCP) sliding window algorithm that controls a TCP transmission rate in a wireless point to multi-point (PtMP) transmission system by;

ensuring that transport of a packet over a wireless telecommunications link occurs reliably so as to guarantee enduser quality of service (QoS); and

preventing operation of a TCP sliding window algorithm taking into account application awareness if transport is not occurring reliably over said wireless telecommunications link in order to maintain a TCP transmission rate.

97. The method of claim 96, wherein said ensuring step comprises the steps of:

awaiting acknowledgment of wireless transmission of said packet at a link layer over said wireless telecommunications link; and

retransmitting at said link layer an unacknowledged lost packet.

98. The method according to claim 97, wherein said link layer is a packet-centric QoS aware media access control (MAC) layer.

99. The method of claim 96, wherein said preventing step comprises the step of:

suppressing transmission of a TCP layer communication that would cause said TCP sliding window algorithm to modify said TCP transmission rate.

100. The method of claim 99, wherein said suppressing step comprises the step of:

preventing a source TCP from retransmitting said packet.

101. The method of claim 99, wherein said suppressing step comprises the step of:

avoiding modification of a source TCP layer and a destination TCP layer.

102. The method of claim 101, wherein said source and destination TCP layers are unaware of operation modification.

103. The method of claim 99, wherein said suppressing step comprises the step of:

intercepting retransmission requests between a destination TCP layer of a subscriber workstation coupled to said subscriber CPE station which is in wireless communication with said wireless base station, and a source TCP layer of a host workstation coupled to said wireless base station.

104. The method of claim 99, further comprising a step of:

detecting real congestion and permitting transmission of a TCP layer communication that would cause said TCP sliding window algorithm to modify said TCP transmission rate if real congestion is detected.

105. The method of claim 104, wherein said detecting step comprises determining from said link layer whether said wireless transmission of said packet was acknowledged.

106. The method of claim 96, wherein said ensuring step comprises the steps of:

awaiting at a TCP adjunct an acknowledgment of wireless transmission of said packet over said wireless telecommunications link; and

retransmitting a lost packet if said acknowledgment is not received at said TCP adjunct before a threshold time period.

107. The method according to claim 106, wherein said TCP adjunct is operative

to deliver end user QoS and is application aware.

108. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium for IP flow classification grouping IP flows in a packet-centric wireless point to multi-point telecommunications system, the computer program product comprising:

means for enabling a processor to analyze an Internet Protocol (IP) flow in a packet-centric manner;

means for enabling the processor to classify said IP flow; and

means for enabling the processor to schedule said IP flow for transmission over a shared wireless bandwidth between a wireless base station and at least one subscriber customer premises equipment (CPE) station, including

means for enabling the processor to allocate said shared wireless bandwidth to communication of said IP flow between said wireless base station and a subscriber CPE station, so as to optimize end-user quality of service (QoS) associated with said IP flow.

109. A method for scheduling packets comprising:

classifying a plurality of packets according to end-user quality of service (QoS) requirements of said plurality of packets; and

scheduling said plurality of packets for communication in at least one of an upstream direction and a downstream direction over a shared wireless bandwidth according to a scheduling algorithm.

110. The method according to claim 109, wherein at least one of said classifying step and said scheduling step is performed at a customer premises equipment device (CPE) station.

111. The method according to claim 109, wherein at least one of said classifying step and said scheduling step is performed at a wireless base station.

112. The method according to claim 109, wherein at least one of said classifying step and said scheduling step is performed by a packet scheduler, wherein said packet scheduler is executed on at least one of a base station and a customer premises equipment (CPE) station.

113. The method according to claim 109, wherein at least one of said classifying step and said scheduling step is performed at an access point (AP) base station.

114. The method according to claim 109, further comprising:

communicating said end-user QoS requirements between a customer premises equipment station (STA) and an access point (AP).

115. The method according to claim 109, further comprising:

controlling packet scheduler behavior according to said end-user QoS requirements as managed by a network management system.

116. The method according to claim 109, further comprising:

constructing a wireless transmission frame from said plurality of packets taking into account said end-user quality of service (QoS) requirements so as to maximize wireless bandwidth utilization.

117. The method according to claim 116, wherein said constructing step comprises:

placement of at least one of a packet, a portion of a packet, an IP flow, and a portion of an IP flow into said wireless transmission frame.

118. The method according to claim 109, further comprising:

communicating said end-user QoS requirements between a station (STA) and an access point (AP).

119. The method according to claim 109, further comprising:

communicating said end-user quality of service (QoS) requirements between a wireless local area network (LAN) station (STA) and an access point (AP).

120. The method according to claim 109, further comprising:

communicating said end-user quality of service (QoS) requirements between a wireless wide area network (WAN) station (STA) and an access point (AP).

121. The method according to claim 109, the step of scheduling further comprising:

allocating resources of said shared wireless bandwidth among a plurality of wireless network stations to optimize end-user quality of service (QoS) for an Internet Protocol (IP) flow.

122. The method according to claim 121, the step of scheduling further comprising:

assigning future slots of a transmission frame to a portion of said IP flow in said transmission frame for transmission over said shared wireless network.

123. The method according to claim 122, the step of assigning, further comprising:

applying a reservation algorithm;

reserving a slot for a first portion of a first IP flow in a future transmission frame based on said algorithm;

reserving a second slot for a second portion of said first IP flow in a transmission frame subsequent in time to said future transmission frame based on said algorithm;

placing said first portion of said first IP flow in said first slot; and

placing said second portion of said first IP flow in said second slot in an isochronous manner to the placing of said first portion in said first slot.

124. The method according to claim 123, further comprising:

interposing a periodic variation between the placing of said first portion in said first slot and the placing of said second portion in said second slot.

125. The method according to claim 123, further comprising:

interposing an aperiodic variation between the placing of said first portion in said first slot and the placing of said second portion in said second slot.

126. The method according to claim 121, further comprising:

determining whether said IP flow is at least one of a jitter-sensitive IP flow and a latency sensitive IP flow.

127. The method according to claim 121, the step of allocating further comprising:

accounting for hierarchical class based priorities (HCBPs) for said IP flow.

128. The method according to claim 121, the step of allocating further comprising:

accounting for virtual private network (VPN) priorities for said IP flow.

129. The method according to claim 121, the step of allocating further comprising:

accounting for service level agreement (SLA) based priorities for said IP flow.

130. The method according to claim 121, the step of allocating further comprising:

accounting for any type of service (TOS) priorities for said IP flow.

131. The method according to claim 121, the step of allocating further comprising:

accounting for any differentiated services (DiffServ) priorities for said IP flow.

132. The method according to claim 121, further comprising:

associating said IP flow with at least one of a voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) data and a video data application.

133. The method according to claim 109, wherein said shared wireless bandwidth is at least one of a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN).

134. The method according to claim 121, wherein said wireless network stations comprise at least one of a local area network (LAN) wireless network station and a wide area network (WAN) wireless network station.

135. The method according to claim 109, the step of classifying further comprising:

controlling the behavior of a packet scheduler according to said end-user quality of service (QoS) requirements as managed by a service management system.

136. The method according to claim 109, further comprising:

constructing a wireless transmission frame from said plurality of packets including accounting for said end user QoS requirements and maximizing wireless bandwidth utilization.

137. The method according to claim 136, further comprising:

placing at least one of a complete and a partial packet into said wireless transmission frame.

138. The method according to claim 109, further comprising:

controlling a local area network media (LAN) access control (MAC) layer including accounting for said end-user QoS requirements.

139. The method according to claim 109, wherein said scheduling step is performed by a packet scheduler comprising:

an off-the-shelf MAC/PHY network interface card (NIC) adapter including at least one of a PCI form factor, a PCMCIA form factor, a PC Card form factor, a PCI bus, a PCMCIA bus, and a PC Card bus.

140. The method according to claim 109, further comprising:

coordinating, by an access point (AP), access to a radio frequency (RF) wireless resource by one or more wireless network stations comprising

controlling, by said AP, access to said RF wireless resource by said one or more wireless network stations comprising

receiving reservation requests from said one or more wireless network stations at said AP and sending grants from said AP to said one or more wireless network stations.

141. The method according to claim 140, further comprising:

periodically polling said one or more wireless network stations for said reservation requests so as to minimize latency for new IP flows.

142. The method according to claim 140, wherein said coordinating step further comprises:

obviating performance degradation caused by contention-based media access methods.

143. The method according to claim 140, wherein said coordinating step further comprises:

allocating resources to said one or more wireless network stations comprising;

minimizing latency for new IP flows.

144. The method according to claim 140, wherein said coordinating step further comprises:

ensuring high priority packets are provided appropriate bandwidth needed by said high priority packets.

145. The method according to claim 109, wherein said scheduling step comprises:

allocating said shared wireless bandwidth for IP flows requiring special QoS treatment; and

providing application-aware packet discards, while avoiding at least one of uncontrolled packet discards and media access contention resolution.

146. The method according to claim 109, wherein said scheduling step comprises:

allocating said shared wireless bandwidth in oversubscribed environments without consequent degradation of high priority Voice over IP (VoIP) and video applications.