Access point multi-level transmission power and protocol control based on the exchange of characteristics

• US 7,583,625 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2006
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US11/398,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20070238417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 455/522, 455/69, 455/574, 455/343.1, 455/3.01, 455/41.2, 370/335, 370/338, 370/311, 370/347, 370/329
• US Class Current: 370/313
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/24 using SIR [Signal to Interference Ratio] or other wireless path parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/322 Power control of broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/346 distributing total power among users or channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/36 with a discrete range or set of values, e.g. step size, ramping or offsets

Abstract

A wireless access point and multiple wireless terminals exchange utilization, status, mobility and reception characteristics. Each wireless terminal generates reception characteristics based on transmissions received from the wireless access point and from other devices in the network. In one operating mode, the characteristics gathered by the wireless devices are forwarded to the wireless access point, and, based on all received characteristics, the wireless access point selects its own transmission power for different types of the transmission. In another mode, all characteristics are exchanged between every wireless terminal and the access point so that each can independently or cooperatively make transmission power control decisions. In a further mode, the wireless access point adjusts protocol parameters based on an assessment of the characteristics received from the client devices. The utilization, status, mobility, and reception characteristics include received signal strength, error rates, estimated battery life, availability of unlimited power, active versus sleep mode ratios, anticipated bandwidth utilization, coding schemes available, deterministic/non-deterministic requirements, encryption and security requirements, quality of service requirements, position, velocity, stationary status, etc. Gathering of such characteristics involves both retrieval of preset parameters from memory and generating parameters based on received transmissions (including test packets).

Claims

1. A wireless network communicatively coupled to a packet switched backbone network, the wireless network comprising:

an access point having communication interface circuitry that communicatively couples with the packet switched backbone network, access point processing circuitry, and access point transceiver circuitry that manages communication by transmitting at a plurality of power levels;

the access point processing circuitry controls communication flow between the communication interface circuitry and the access point transceiver circuitry, the access point processing circuitry selects a first power level of the plurality of power levels for periodic transmissions by the access point transceiver circuitry;

a first client device having first client processing circuitry and first client transceiver circuitry;

a second client device having second client processing circuitry and second client transceiver circuitry;

the first client transceiver circuitry and the second client transceiver circuitry both communicatively coupling with the packet switched backbone network via the access point transceiver circuitry, the access point processing circuitry, and the communication interface circuitry;

the first client processing circuitry evaluates transmissions from both the access point transceiver circuitry and the second client transceiver circuitry, and transmits to the access point transceiver via the first client transceiver circuitry a first plurality of characteristics relating to the evaluation by the first client processing circuitry;

the second client processing circuitry evaluates transmissions from both the access point transceiver circuitry and the first client transceiver circuitry, and transmits to the access point transceiver via the second client transceiver circuitry a second plurality of characteristics relating to the evaluation by the second client processing circuitry; and

the access point processing circuitry assesses both the first plurality of characteristics and the second plurality of characteristics and, based on the assessment, selects both a second power level of the plurality of power levels for transmissions by the access point transceiver circuitry to the first client transceiver and a third power level of the plurality of power levels for transmissions by the access point transceiver circuitry to the second client transceiver, and the first power level is greater that the second power level, while the second power level is greater than the third power level.

2. The wireless network of claim 1, wherein the transmissions evaluated by the first client processing circuitry comprise at least a portion of an ongoing data exchange.

3. The wireless network of claim 1, wherein the transmissions evaluated by the first client processing circuitry comprise at least one test signal exchange.

4. The wireless network of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of characteristics further include mobility characteristics of the first client device.

5. The wireless network of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of characteristics further include utilization characteristics of the first client device.

6. The wireless network of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of characteristics further include status characteristics of the first client device.

7. The wireless network of claim 1, wherein the access point processing circuitry is further operable to select a first protocol parameter for transmissions by the access point transceiver circuitry to the first client transceiver.

8. A method for use in an access point that wirelessly couples a first client device and a second client device to a packet switched backbone network, the method comprising:

selecting a first power level of the plurality of power levels for periodic transmissions by the access point;

receiving a first plurality of characteristics relating to an evaluation by the first client device of transmissions received by the first client device from both the access point and the second client device;

receiving a second plurality of characteristics relating to an evaluation by the second client device of transmissions received by the second client device from both the access point and the first client device; and

assessing both the first plurality of characteristics and the second plurality of characteristics and, based on the assessment, selecting both a second power level of the plurality of power levels for transmissions by the access point to the first client device and a third power level of the plurality of power levels for transmissions by the access point to the second client device, and the first power level is greater that the second power level, while the second power level is greater than the third power level.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmissions evaluated by the first client device comprise at least a portion of an ongoing data exchange.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmissions evaluated by the first client device comprise at least one test signal exchange.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first plurality of characteristics include mobility characteristics.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first plurality of characteristics include utilization characteristics.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the first plurality of characteristics include status characteristics.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of assessing both the first plurality of characteristics and the second plurality of characteristics further includes selecting a first protocol parameter for transmissions by the access point transceiver circuitry to the first client transceiver.

15. A method for use in a first client device that, along with at least a second client device, wirelessly communicates with and a packet switched backbone network via an access point, the method comprising:

receiving periodic transmissions by the access point at first power level of the plurality of power levels;

evaluating transmissions received from both the access point and the second client device and transmitting to the access point a first plurality of characteristics relating to the evaluation by the first client device;

receiving a transmission from the access point at a second power level of the plurality of power levels that is based on an assessment of both the first plurality of characteristics and a second plurality of characteristics from the second client device, the first power level is greater that the second power level, and the transmission contains a selected power level for transmissions by the first client device; and

transmitting at the selected power level.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the transmissions evaluated by the first client device comprise at least a portion of an ongoing data exchange.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the transmissions evaluated by the first client device comprise at least one test signal exchange.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first plurality of characteristics include mobility characteristics.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first plurality of characteristics include utilization characteristics.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the first plurality of characteristics include status characteristics.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of receiving a transmission from the access point further includes receiving a first protocol parameter for transmissions received from the access point transceiver circuitry.

22. A wireless network communicatively coupled to a packet switched backbone network, the wireless network comprising:

an access point having communication interface circuitry that communicatively couples with the packet switched backbone network, access point processing circuitry, and access point transceiver circuitry that transmits at a plurality of power levels;

the access point processing circuitry managing communication flow between the communication interface circuitry and the access point transceiver circuitry;

a first client device having first client processing circuitry and first client transceiver circuitry;

a second client device having second client processing circuitry and second client transceiver circuitry;

the first client processing circuitry generates a second client reception characteristic based on at least one transmission from the second client transceiver circuitry, and the first client processing circuitry transmits the second client reception characteristic to the access point transceiver circuitry via the first client transceiver circuitry;

the second client processing circuitry generates a first client reception characteristic based on at least one transmission from the first client transceiver circuitry, and the second client processing circuitry transmits the first client reception characteristic to the access point transceiver circuitry via the second client transceiver circuitry; and

the access point processing circuitry, based on the second client reception characteristic, selects a first power level of the plurality of power levels for transmissions by the access point transceiver circuitry to the first client transceiver, and the access point processing circuitry, based on the first client reception characteristic, selects a second power level of the plurality of power levels for transmissions by the access point transceiver circuitry to the second client transceiver, and the first power level is greater than the second power level.

23. The wireless network of claim 22, wherein the access point processing circuitry is further operable to select a first protocol parameter for transmissions by the access point transceiver circuitry to the first client transceiver.

24. The wireless network of claim 23, wherein the access point processing circuitry is further operable to select a second protocol parameter for transmissions by the access point transceiver circuitry to the second client transceiver.

25. The wireless network of claim 23, wherein the at least one transmission from the first client transceiver circuitry comprises at least a portion of an ongoing data exchange.

26. The wireless network of claim 23, wherein the at least one transmission from the first client transceiver circuitry comprises at least one test signal exchange.

27. The wireless network of claim 23, wherein the first client device transmits first mobility characteristics to the access point, and the access point processing circuitry assesses at least a portion of the first mobility characteristics along with the first client reception characteristic to generate the first power level of the plurality of power levels.

28. The wireless network of claim 23, wherein the first client device transmits first status characteristics to the access point, and the access point processing circuitry assesses at least a portion of the first status characteristics along with the first client reception characteristic to generate the first power level of the plurality of power levels.

29. The wireless network of claim 23, wherein the first client device transmits first utilization characteristics to the access point, and the access point processing circuitry assesses at least a portion of the first utilization characteristics along with the first client reception characteristic to generate the first power level of the plurality of power levels.

30. A communication network comprising:

a first device having a first wireless transceiver that transmits at a plurality of power levels;

a second device having a second wireless transceiver;

a third device having a third wireless transceiver;

the second device generates a first reception characteristic based on at least one transmission from the third wireless transceiver, and the second device transmits the first reception characteristic to the first wireless transceiver of the first device;

the third device generates a second reception characteristic based on at least one transmission from the second wireless transceiver, and the third device transmits the second reception characteristic to the first wireless transceiver of the first device;

the first device, based on the first reception characteristic, selects a first power level of the plurality of power levels for transmissions by the first transceiver circuitry to the third transceiver circuitry; and

the first device, based on the second reception characteristic, selects a second power level of the plurality of power levels for transmissions by the first transceiver circuitry to the second transceiver circuitry, and the first power level is greater than the second power level.

31. The communication network of claim 30, wherein the first device is further operable to select a first protocol parameter for transmissions by the first wireless transceiver to the second device.

32. The communication network of claim 31, wherein the first device is further operable to select a second protocol parameter for transmissions by the first wireless transceiver to the third device.

33. The communication network of claim 30, wherein the at least one transmission from the third wireless transceiver comprises at least a portion of an ongoing data exchange.

34. The communication network of claim 30, wherein the at least one transmission from the third wireless transceiver comprises at least one test signal exchange.

35. The communication network of claim 30, wherein the second device transmits a first mobility characteristic to the first device, and the first device assesses at least a portion of the first mobility characteristic along with the first reception characteristic to generate the first power level of the plurality of power levels.

36. The communication network of claim 30, wherein the second device transmits a first status characteristic to the first device, and the first device assesses at least a portion of the first status characteristic along with the first reception characteristic to generate the first power level of the plurality of power levels.

37. The communication network of claim 30, wherein the second device transmits a first utilization characteristic to the first device, and the first device assesses at least a portion of the first utilization characteristic along with the first reception characteristic to generate the first power level of the plurality of power levels.

38. A wireless communication protocol used by an access point to deliver first data packets to a first wireless device and second data packets to a second wireless device, the wireless communication protocol comprising:

first wireless transmissions by the access point device at a first power targeting both the first wireless device and the second wireless device;

second wireless transmissions by the access point device at a second power level selected to support both delivery of the first data packets to the first wireless device and detection of the second wireless transmissions by the second wireless device, the first power level being greater than the second power level; and

third wireless transmissions of at least the second data packets by the access point device at a third power level selected to support receipt of the second data packets by the second wireless device, the second power level being greater than the third power level.

39. The wireless communication protocol of claim 38, wherein the second wireless transmissions are in accordance with a first protocol parameter, the third wireless transmissions are in accordance with a second protocol parameter, and the second protocol parameter is different from the first protocol parameter.

40. A communication network comprising:

a first device having a first wireless transceiver that transmits at a first selected power level;

a second device having a second wireless transceiver that transmits at a second selected power level;

a third device having a third wireless transceiver that transmits at a plurality of power levels;

the second device generates a first reception characteristic based on at least one transmission from the first wireless transceiver, and the second device transmits the first reception characteristic to the third wireless transceiver of the third device;

the first device generates a second reception characteristic based on at least one transmission from the second wireless transceiver, and the first device transmits the second reception characteristic to the third wireless transceiver of the third device;

the third device, based on the first reception characteristic, selects both a first power level of the plurality of power levels for transmissions by the third transceiver circuitry to the first transceiver circuitry, and the first selected power level of the first wireless transceiver circuitry for transmissions by the first wireless transceiver circuitry to the third transceiver circuitry; and

the third device, based on the second reception characteristic, selects both a second power level of the plurality of power levels for transmissions by the third transceiver circuitry to the second transceiver circuitry, and the second selected power level of the second wireless transceiver circuitry for transmissions by the second wireless transceiver circuitry to the third transceiver circuitry.

41. The communication network of claim 40, wherein the third device is further operable to select a first protocol parameter for transmissions by the third transceiver circuitry to the first transceiver circuitry.

42. The communication network of claim 41, wherein the third device is further operable to select a second protocol parameter for transmissions by the third transceiver circuitry to the second transceiver circuitry.

43. The communication network of claim 40, wherein the first device transmits a first mobility characteristic to the third device, and the third device assesses at least a portion of the first mobility characteristic along with the first reception characteristic to generate the first power level of the plurality of power levels.

44. The communication network of claim 40, wherein the first device transmits a first status characteristic to the third device, and the third device assesses at least a portion of the first status characteristic along with the first reception characteristic to generate the first power level of the plurality of power levels.

45. The communication network of claim 40, wherein the first device transmits a first utilization characteristic to the third device, and the third device assesses at least a portion of the first utilization characteristic along with the first reception characteristic to generate the first power level of the plurality of power levels.