Systems and methods for improved data throughput in communications networks

• US 20060098613A1
• Filed: 09/20/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ruckus IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Ruckus Wireless, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kish, William S., Chanak, John, Gram, Charles Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 7,505,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6408 Unicasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

An access point of a communications network is disclosed configured to receive a multicast or broadcast packet from a source. The access point converts the multicast or broadcast packet into a unicast packet addressed to a station associated with the access point. The access point then transmits the unicast packet over the communications network from the access point to the station. The access point further may determine a minimum data rate by which the access point may transmit the multicast or broadcast packet to the station and determines an effective unicast rate for transmitting the unicast packet to the station. If the effective unicast rate does not exceed the minimum data rate, the access point does not transmit the unicast packet to the station and transmits the multicast or broadcast packet.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving into an access point of a communications network a multicast or broadcast packet from a source;

converting the multicast or broadcast packet into a unicast packet addressed to a station associated with the access point;

transmitting the unicast packet over the communications network from the access point to the station.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications network comprises an 802.11 wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the station from a list of one or more stations associated with the access point.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the multicast or broadcast packet comprises a UDP networking message.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the multicast or broadcast packet comprises a multicast control packet.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a minimum data rate by which the access point may transmit the multicast or broadcast packet to the station;

determining an effective unicast rate for transmitting the unicast packet to the station; and

not transmitting the unicast packet to the station and transmitting the multicast or broadcast packet to the station if the effective unicast rate does not exceed the minimum data rate.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining an antenna configuration on which to transmit to the station;

determining a physical data rate at which to transmit to the station; and

transmitting the unicast packet on the antenna configuration and at the physical data rate over a wireless network from the access point to the station.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that the station acts as the source and not transmitting the unicast packet to the station.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

querying the station to determine an address of the station; and

mapping an address of the multicast or broadcast packet to the address of the station.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting a join request from the station to the source;

associating in the access point the station to an address of the multicast or broadcast packet based on the join request.

11. A method comprising:

receiving into an access point of a communications network a multicast or broadcast packet from a source;

determining a first rate by which the access point may transmit the multicast or broadcast packet to a first station associated with the access point;

determining a second rate by which the access point may transit the multicast or broadcast packet to a second station associated with the access point; and

transmitting over the communications network the multicast or broadcast packet to the first station and the second station at the lower of the first rate and the second rate.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the communications network comprises a wireless local area network.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the multicast or broadcast packet comprises a UDP networking message.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the multicast or broadcast packet comprises a multicast control packet.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

not transmitting the multicast or broadcast packet to the first station and the second station and converting the multicast or broadcast packet into a first unicast packet addressed to the first station;

converting the multicast or broadcast packet into a second unicast packet addressed to the second station;

transmitting the first unicast packet over the communications network from the access point to the first station; and

transmitting the second unicast packet over the communications network from the access point to the second station.

16. An access point of a communications network, the access point configured to:

receive a multicast or broadcast packet from a source;

convert the multicast or broadcast packet into a unicast packet addressed to a station associated with the access point; and

transmit the unicast packet over the communications network from the access point to the station.

17. The access point of claim 16 wherein the communications network comprises an 802.11 wireless network.

18. The access point of claim 16 further configured to determine the station from a list of one or more stations associated with the access point.

19. The access point of claim 16 further configured to:

determine a minimum data rate by which the access point may transmit the multicast or broadcast packet to the station;

determine an effective unicast rate for transmitting the unicast packet to the station; and

not transmit the unicast packet to the station and transmit the multicast or broadcast packet to the station if the effective unicast rate does not exceed the minimum data rate.

20. The access point of claim 16 further configured to:

determine an antenna configuration on which to transmit to the station;

determine a physical data rate at which to transmit to the station; and

transmit the unicast packet on the antenna configuration and at the physical data rate over a wireless network from the access point to the station.

21. The access point of claim 16 further configured to determine that the station acts as the source and not transmit the unicast packet to the station.

22. The access point of claim 16 further configured to:

query the station to determine an address for the station; and

map an address of the multicast or broadcast packet to the address of the station.

23. The access point of claim 16 further configured to associate the station to an address of the multicast or broadcast packet based on a join request transmitted from the station to the source.

24. A first node of a communications network for transmitting to a second node of the communication network, the first node configured to:

determine a first rate for transmitting to the second node a multicast or broadcast packet;

determine a second rate for transmitting to the second node one or more unicast packets resulting from conversion of the multicast or broadcast packet into the one or more unicast packets; and

transmit the one or more unicast packets to the second node if the second data rate exceeds the first data rate and otherwise transmit the multicast or broadcast packet to the second node.

25. The first node of claim 24 wherein the communications network is a wireless local area network.

26. The first node of claim 24 wherein the multicast or broadcast packet comprises a UDP networking message.

27. The first node of claim 24 wherein the multicast or broadcast packet comprises a multicast control protocol packet.

28. The first node of claim 24 wherein the first node comprises a multicast-enabled access point.

29. The first node of claim 24 further configured to:

determine an antenna configuration on which to transmit to the second node;

determine a physical data rate at which to transmit to the second node; and

transmit the one or more unicast packets and the multicast or broadcast packet on the antenna configuration and at the physical data rate to the second node.

30. The first node of claim 24 further configured to:

determine a third rate by which the first node may transit the multicast or broadcast packet to a third node of the communications network; and

transmit over the communications network the multicast or broadcast packet to the second node and the third node at the lower of the first rate and the third rate.