Method for steering a smart antenna for a WLAN using a periodic re-scan
First Claim
1. A method for operating a client station in a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication system comprising an access point, the client station comprising an antenna steering algorithm and a smart antenna responsive to the antenna steering algorithm for selecting one of a plurality of antenna beams, the method comprising:
- selecting a preferred antenna beam and at least one alternate antenna beam;
exchanging data with the access point using the preferred antenna beam during a sustained use period during which a re-scan of the other antenna beams is not performed;
at an end of the sustained use period and before a next sustained use period, calculating a quality metric of exchanged data for the preferred antenna beam and for each alternate antenna beam, the calculating comprisingdetermining at least one link quality metric (LQM) of the exchanged data for the preferred antenna beam,determining a signal quality metric (SQM) of the exchanged data for the preferred antenna beam, andcombining the at least one LQM and the SQM for calculating the quality metric for the preferred antenna beam, andrepeating the determining and combining for calculating an alternate quality metric for each alternate antenna beam;
comparing the quality metric for the preferred antenna beam to the alternate quality metrics for the alternate antenna beams; and
if the quality metric is less than at least one of the alternate quality metrics, then selecting the alternate antenna beam corresponding to the at least one alternate quality metric having a higher value to continue exchanging data with the access point within the next sustained use period.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A smart antenna steering algorithm performs a periodic re-scan at an end of a sustained use period and before a next sustained use period. During a sustained use period, a re-scan of the other antenna beams is not performed. The periodic re-scan is performed on alternate antenna beams that were selected when the preferred antenna beam was selected. The steering algorithm monitors a quality metric of the alternate antenna beams as well as a quality metric for the preferred antenna beam. If the quality metric of the preferred antenna beam is less than the quality metrics of anyone of the alternate antenna beams, then the alternate antenna beam corresponding to the quality metric having a higher value is selected for the next sustained use period.
201 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for operating a client station in a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication system comprising an access point, the client station comprising an antenna steering algorithm and a smart antenna responsive to the antenna steering algorithm for selecting one of a plurality of antenna beams, the method comprising:
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selecting a preferred antenna beam and at least one alternate antenna beam; exchanging data with the access point using the preferred antenna beam during a sustained use period during which a re-scan of the other antenna beams is not performed; at an end of the sustained use period and before a next sustained use period, calculating a quality metric of exchanged data for the preferred antenna beam and for each alternate antenna beam, the calculating comprising determining at least one link quality metric (LQM) of the exchanged data for the preferred antenna beam, determining a signal quality metric (SQM) of the exchanged data for the preferred antenna beam, and combining the at least one LQM and the SQM for calculating the quality metric for the preferred antenna beam, and repeating the determining and combining for calculating an alternate quality metric for each alternate antenna beam; comparing the quality metric for the preferred antenna beam to the alternate quality metrics for the alternate antenna beams; and if the quality metric is less than at least one of the alternate quality metrics, then selecting the alternate antenna beam corresponding to the at least one alternate quality metric having a higher value to continue exchanging data with the access point within the next sustained use period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A client station for operating in a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication system comprising an access point, the client station comprising:
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a switched beam antenna for generating a plurality of antenna beams; a beam switching unit coupled to said switched beam antenna for selecting a preferred antenna beam and at least one alternate antenna beam; a transceiver coupled to said beam switching unit for exchanging data with the access point via the preferred antenna beam during a sustained use period during which a re-scan of the other antenna beams is not performed; and an antenna steering algorithm module for running an antenna steering algorithm, and at an end of the sustained use period and before a next sustained use period, calculating a quality metric of exchanged data for the preferred antenna beam and for each alternate antenna beam, the calculating comprising determining at least one link quality metric (LQM) of the exchanged data for the preferred antenna beam, determining a signal quality metric (SQM) of the exchanged data for the preferred antenna beam, and combining the at least one LQM and the SQM for calculating the quality metric for the preferred antenna beam, and repeating the determining and combining for calculating an alternate quality metric for each alternate antenna beam; said antenna steering algorithm module comparing the quality metric for the preferred antenna beam to the alternate quality metrics for the alternate antenna beams, and if the quality metric is less than at least one of the alternate quality metrics, then selecting the alternate antenna beam corresponding to the at least one alternate quality metric having a higher value to continue exchanging data with the access point within the next sustained use period. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification