Providing link quality intelligence from physical layer to higher protocol layers
First Claim
1. A device that operates within a piconet, the device comprising:
- a PHY (physical layer) that includes link quality intelligence gathering functionality;
a MAC (Medium Access Controller) that is communicatively coupled to the PHY;
wherein the link quality intelligence gathering functionality is operable to assess a plurality of operational parameters that corresponds to a PHY link that communicatively couples the PHY of the device to a PHY of at least one additional device; and
wherein the PHY of the device is operable to provide assessed information corresponding to the plurality of operational parameters to the MAC.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Providing link quality intelligence from physical layer to higher protocol layers. The PHY (physical layer) of devices operating within wireless communication systems assess 1 or more operational parameters corresponding to a PHY link that communicatively couples 2 or more devices. These PHYs provide this assessed intelligence to the devices'"'"' higher protocol layers so that these higher protocol layers have greater visibility of the operational parameters of the PHY link. These higher protocol layers may use this assessed intelligence to make decisions about how future communication are governed across the PHY links. For example, based on a change of the operational parameter(s), the higher protocol layers may modify the operational parameter(s) for future communications. The higher protocol layers may direct the PHY to assess a particular set of operational parameters, and the higher protocol layers may assess different operational parameters at different times.
52 Citations
63 Claims
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1. A device that operates within a piconet, the device comprising:
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a PHY (physical layer) that includes link quality intelligence gathering functionality;
a MAC (Medium Access Controller) that is communicatively coupled to the PHY;
wherein the link quality intelligence gathering functionality is operable to assess a plurality of operational parameters that corresponds to a PHY link that communicatively couples the PHY of the device to a PHY of at least one additional device; and
wherein the PHY of the device is operable to provide assessed information corresponding to the plurality of operational parameters to the MAC. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A device that operates within a piconet, the device comprising:
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a PHY (physical layer) that includes link quality intelligence gathering functionality;
a MAC (Medium Access Controller) that is communicatively coupled to the PHY;
wherein the MAC directs the link quality intelligence gathering functionality of the PHY to operable to assess a plurality of operational parameters that corresponds to a PHY link that communicatively couples the PHY of the device to a PHY of at least one additional device;
wherein the PHY of the device is operable to provide assessed information corresponding to the plurality of operational parameters to the MAC;
wherein the MAC processes the assessed information corresponding to the plurality of operational parameters;
wherein based on the processed assessed information, the MAC is operable to modify at least one operational parameter of the plurality of operational parameters. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A device that operates within a piconet, the device comprising:
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a PHY (physical layer) that includes link quality intelligence gathering functionality;
a MAC (Medium Access Controller) that is communicatively coupled to the PHY;
wherein the link quality intelligence gathering functionality is operable to assess a plurality of operational parameters that corresponds to a PHY link that communicatively couples the PHY of the device to a PHY of at least one additional device;
wherein the PHY of the device is operable to provide assessed information corresponding to the plurality of operational parameters to the MAC;
wherein during a first time, the MAC directs the link quality intelligence gathering functionality of the PHY to assess a first plurality of operational parameters that is a subset of the plurality of operational parameters; and
wherein during a second time, the MAC directs the link quality intelligence gathering functionality of the PHY to assess a second plurality of operational parameters that is a subset of the plurality of operational parameters. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for providing link quality intelligence from a PHY (physical layer) to at least one higher protocol layer of a device that operates within a piconet, the method comprising:
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assessing a plurality of operational parameters that corresponds to a PHY link that communicatively couples the PHY of the device to a PHY of at least one additional device;
providing assessed information corresponding to the plurality of operational parameters to a MAC (Medium Access Controller) of the device; and
wherein the MAC (Medium Access Controller) is communicatively coupled to the PHY. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method for providing link quality intelligence from a PHY (physical layer) to at least one higher protocol layer of a device that operates within a piconet, the method comprising:
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assessing a plurality of operational parameters that corresponds to a PHY link that communicatively couples the PHY of the device to a PHY of at least one additional device;
providing assessed information corresponding to the plurality of operational parameters to a MAC (Medium Access Controller) of the device;
wherein the MAC (Medium Access Controller) is communicatively coupled to the PHY;
processing the assessed information corresponding to the plurality of operational parameters; and
based on the processed assessed information, modifying at least one operational parameter of the plurality of operational parameters. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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Specification