Communications throughput with multiple physical data rate transmission determinations

• US 7,787,436 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2007
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly; Nghi H
• Application Number:
  US11/985,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20080137682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 370/349, 370/328, 370/338, 455/424, 455/466
• US Class Current: 370/349
• 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 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 for improving throughput in a communications network, the method comprising:

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

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

determining a lowest common denominator rate, wherein determining the lowest common denominator rate includes determining the lower of the first physical data rate and the second physical data rate;

determining if an effective unicast data rate exceeds the lowest common denominator rate;

determining if the lowest common denominator rate is greater than a minimum available physical data rate when the effective unicast data rate does not exceed the lowest common denominator rate;

transmitting over the communications network the multicast or broadcast packet to the first station and the second station at the lower of the first physical data rate and the second physical data rate when the lowest common denominator rate is greater than the minimum available physical data rate and when the effective unicast data rate does not exceed the lowest common denominator rate;

converting a multicast or broadcast packet into a first unicast packet when the effective unicast data rate exceeds the lowest common denominator rate;

transmitting the first unicast packet to a first receiving node when the effective unicast data rate exceeds the lowest common denominator rate;

converting the multicast or broadcast packet into a second unicast packet when the effective unicast data rate exceeds the lowest common denominator rate; and

transmitting the second unicast packet to a second receiving node when the effective unicast data rate exceeds the lowest common denominator rate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications network comprises a wireless local area network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the multicast or broadcast packet comprises a user datagram protocol networking message.

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