Integrated self-optimizing multi-parameter and multi-variable point to multipoint communication system

• US 6,992,986 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monument Bank of Intellectual Property, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Aperto Networks
• Inventors: Varma, Subir, Hakim, Joseph, Reza, Majidi-Ahy
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): JONES, PRENELL P
• Application Number:
  US10/719,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20040136400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 370/469, 370/329, 370/465, 370/235
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0001 Systems modifying transmission characteristics according to link quality, e.g. power backoff adaptive data allocation for multicarrier modulation H04L5/0044; controlling transmission power for radio systems H04W52/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0003 by switching between different modulation schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0007 by modifying the frame length
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0009 by adapting the channel coding H04L1/1812 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0015 characterised by the adaptation strategy
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1816 with retransmission of the same, encoded, message
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1825 Adaptation of specific ARQ protocol parameters according to transmission conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1854 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1867 Arrangements specially adapted for the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1893 Physical mapping arrangements physical resource mapping in general H04L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0093 Point-to-multipoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0252 per individual bearer or channel dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

The invention provides a method and system for adaptive point to multipoint wireless communication. The wireless physical layer and the wireless media-access-control (MAC) layer collectively include a set of parameters, which are adaptively modified by a base station controller for communication with a plurality of customer premises equipment. The base station controller adjusts communication with each customer premises equipment individually and adaptively in response to changes in characteristics of communication, including physical characteristics, amount of communication traffic, and nature of application for the communication traffic.

Claims

1. A method, including steps of

determining current first values for a plurality of first parameters and at least one second parameter for a communication link, said first parameters being associated with a first layer of an OSI model communication system and said second parameter being associated with a second layer of the OSI model communication system;

sending first information using said current first values;

obtaining second information regarding characteristics of said communication link in response to a result of said steps of sending;

determining dynamic exact first values for the plurality of the parameters in response to the characteristics of said communication link; and

adjusting a plurality of first values for the plurality of the parameters in conjunction in response to said second information, said step of adjusting comprising linearly mixing each current first value for the plurality of the parameters with a corresponding dynamic exact first value, whereby further use of said communication link is responsive to said steps of adjusting.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said first layer and said second layer are selected from the group:

a physical layer, a media access layer, a network layer, a transport layer, an application layer.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said first parameters include at least two of:

an antenna selection value, a power level value, a channel selection value, a modulation type value, a symbol rate value, an error code type value, a set of equalization values.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein said second parameters include at least one of:

a payload element size, a message size value, a set of acknowledgment and retransmission values, a TDD duty cycle value.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein said steps of adjusting include steps of dynamically selecting a set of altered first values in response to said second information, said set of altered first values including at least two changes to said first parameters and said second parameters, said set of altered first values having been determined to be superior to altered first values having only one change to said first parameters and said second parameters.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein said communication link is subject to at least one of:

interference effects, multipath effects, both interference effects and multipath effects.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein said communication link includes a wireless communication link.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein said communication link includes a plurality of distinguishable channels, said channels being distinguished using a plurality of:

frequency division, time division, space division, spread spectrum code division.

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein said communication link includes a plurality of distinguishable channels, said channels being distinguished using at least one of:

frequency division, time division, space division, spread spectrum code division.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein said steps of adjusting are responsive to a type of protocol being used by at least one of the group:

a physical layer, a media access layer, a network layer, a transport layer, an application layer.

11. A method as in claim 10, wherein said steps of adjusting are responsive to whether an application layer protocol is for asymmetric transfer of information.

12. A method as in claim 10, wherein said steps of adjusting are responsive to whether an application layer protocol is for sending voice or video information.

13. A base station controller comprising:

a processor that controls sending and receiving information over a communication link responsive to at least first parameters associated with a first layer of OSI model communication system and one or more second parameters associated with a second layer of the OSI model communication system; and

a memory that stores instructions, the memory being coupled to the processor, the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform steps of;

determining current first values for a plurality of the first parameters and the one or more second parameters for the communication link;

sending first information using said current first values;

obtaining second information regarding characteristics of said communication link in response to a result of said step of sending;

determining dynamic exact first values for the parameters in response to the second information; and

adjusting a plurality of first values for the parameters, said step of adjusting comprising linearly mixing each current first value with a corresponding dynamic exact first value, whereby further use of said communication link is responsive to said step of adjusting.

14. A base station controller as in claim 13, wherein said first layer and said second layer are selected from the group of a physical layer, a media access layer, a network layer, a transport layer, and an application layer.

15. A base station controller as in claim 13, wherein said first parameters comprise at least two parameters selected from the group of an antenna selection parameter, a power parameter, a channel selection parameter, a modulation type parameter, a symbol rate parameter, an error code type parameter, and a set of equalization parameters.

16. A base station controller as in claim 13, wherein said one or more second parameters comprise at least one parameter selected from the group of a payload element size parameter, a message size parameter, a set of acknowledgment and retransmission parameters, and a TDD duty cycle parameter.

17. A base station controller as in claim 13, wherein said communication link includes a plurality of distinguishable channels, said channels being distinguished using at least two kinds of multiple access selected from the group of frequency division, time division, space division, and spread spectrum code division.

18. A base station controller as in claim 13, wherein said communication link includes a plurality of distinguishable channels, said channels being distinguished using at least one kind of multiple access selected from the group of frequency division, time division, space division, and spread spectrum code division.

19. A base station controller as in claim 13, wherein said step of adjusting is responsive to a type of protocol being used by at least one layer selected from the group of a physical layer, a media access layer, a network layer, a transport layer, and an application layer.

20. A base station controller as in claim 19, wherein said step of adjusting is responsive to whether an application layer protocol is for asymmetric transfer of information.

21. A base station controller as in claim 19, wherein said step of adjusting is responsive to whether an application layer protocol is for sending voice or video information.

22. An article of manufacture comprising a memory storing a set of instructions that, when executed by a processor that controls sending and receiving information over a communication link responsive to at least first parameters associated with a first layer of OSI model communication system and one or more second parameters associated with a second layer of the OSI model communication system, cause the processor to perform steps of:

determining current first values for a plurality of the parameters for the communication link;

sending first information using said current first values;

obtaining second information regarding characteristics of said communication link in response to a result of said step of sending;

determining dynamic exact first values for the plurality of the parameters in response to the second information; and

adjusting the plurality of the parameters, said step of adjusting comprising linearly mixing each current first value with a corresponding dynamic exact first value, whereby further use of said communication link is responsive to said step of adjusting.

23. An article of manufacture according to claim 22, wherein said first layer and said second layer are selected from the group of a physical layer, a media access layer, a network layer, a transport layer, and an application layer.

24. An article of manufacture according to claim 22, wherein said first parameters comprise at least two parameters selected from the group of an antenna selection parameter, a power level parameter, a channel selection parameter, a modulation type parameter, a symbol rate parameter, an error code type parameter, and a set of equalization parameters.

25. An article of manufacture according to claim 22, wherein said one or more second parameters comprise at least one parameter selected from the group of a payload element size parameter, a message size parameter, a set of acknowledgment and retransmission parameters, and a TDD duty cycle parameter.

26. An article of manufacture according to claim 22, wherein said communication link includes a wireless communication link.

27. An article of manufacture according to claim 22, wherein said communication link includes a plurality of distinguishable channels, said channels being distinguished using at least two kinds of multiple access selected from the group of frequency division, time division, space division, and spread spectrum code division.

28. An article of manufacture according to claim 22, wherein said communication link includes a plurality of distinguishable channels, said channels being distinguished using at least one kind of multiple access selected from the group of frequency division, time division, space division, and spread spectrum code division.

29. An article of manufacture according to claim 22, wherein said step of adjusting is responsive to a type of protocol being used by at least one layer selected from the group of a physical layer, a media access layer, a network layer, a transport layer, and an application layer.

30. An article of manufacture according to claim 29, wherein said step of adjusting is responsive to whether an application layer protocol is for asymmetric transfer of information.

31. An article of manufacture according to claim 29, wherein said step of adjusting is responsive to whether an application layer protocol is for sending voice or video information.

32. A method of self-optimizing point to multipoint communication, the method including steps of:

determining current values for a plurality of parameters for a communication link;

determining characteristics of said communication link;

determining exact values corresponding to said characteristics of said communication link; and

determining new values for said plurality of parameters based on differences between said current values and said exact values using hysteresis parameters applied to said differences;

whereby said current values have a persistent effect on said new values.

33. A method as in claim 32, wherein in said step of determining new values, said differences are multiplied by said hysteresis parameters.

34. A method as in claim 32, wherein said parameters are associated with layers of an OSI model communication system.

35. A method as in claim 34, wherein said layers are selected from the group:

a physical layer, a media access layer, a network layer, a transport layer, an application layer.

36. A method as in claim 32, wherein said parameters include at least two of:

an antenna selection value, a power level value, a channel selection value, a modulation type value, a symbol rate value, an error code type value, a set of equalization values.

37. A method as in claim 32, wherein said parameters include at least one of:

a payload element size, a message size value, a set of acknowledgment and retransmission values, a TDD duty cycle value.

38. A method as in claim 32, wherein said communication link is subject to at least one of:

interference effects, multipath effects, both interference effects and multipath effects.

39. A method as in claim 32, wherein said communication link includes a wireless communication link.

40. A method as in claim 32, wherein said communication link includes a plurality of distinguishable channels, said channels being distinguished using a plurality of:

frequency division, time division, space division, spread spectrum code division.

41. A method as in claim 32, wherein said communication link includes a plurality of distinguishable channels, said channels being distinguished using at least one of:

frequency division, time division, space division, spread spectrum code division.

42. A method as in claim 32, wherein said method is responsive to a type of protocol being used by at least one of the group:

a physical layer, a media access layer, a network layer, a transport layer, an application layer.

43. A method as in claim 32, wherein said method is responsive to whether an application layer protocol is for asymmetric transfer of information.

44. A method as in claim 32, wherein said method is responsive to whether an application layer protocol is for sending voice or video information.