Wireless communication network with automatic threshold adjustment

A method of operating a wireless communication network, the network comprising a plurality of spatially distributed communication devices, each for transmitting wireless signals carrying frames, each device being arranged to process frames from signals only when a strength of the signals exceeds a carrier detection threshold, each device being arranged to defer an intended transmission upon detection of a wireless signal with a strength greater than a defer threshold prior to the intended transmission, a subset of the devices being access point devices and a remainder of the devices being station devices, each arranged to communicate with an own associated one of the access point devices, the method comprising the steps of:

• first measuring a first signal strength of signals from access point devices
• first adjusting the carrier detection threshold of a first one of the access point devices above the first signal strength,
• second measuring a second signal strength of signals from station devices associated with a first one of the access point devices, said second measuring being performed when said first adjusting has taken effect;
• second adjusting the defer threshold of the first one of the access point devices and/or one or more of the station devices associated with the first one of the access point devices below the second signal strength.

An access point device arranged to operate as an access point device used in a wireless communication network having a plurality of spatially distributed communication devices, each for transmitting wireless signals carrying frames, each device being arranged to process frames from signals only when a strength of the signals exceeds a carrier detection threshold, each device being arranged to defer an intended transmission upon detection of a wireless signal with a strength greater than a defer threshold prior to the intended transmission, a subset of the devices being access point devices and a remainder of the device being station devices, each arranged to communicate with an own associated one of the access point devices, the network further comprising a measuring circuit for performing a first measurement of a first signal strength of signals from access point devices and a second measurement of a second signal strength of signals from station devices associated with a first one of the access point devices and a threshold adjustment circuit for first setting the carrier detection threshold of a first one of the access point devices above the first signal strength, the second measurement being performed when said first setting has taken effect, the threshold adjustment circuit subsequently setting the defer threshold of the first one of the access point devices and/or one or more of the station devices associated with the first one of the access point devices below the second signal strength;

• said access point device being arranged to transmit a result of the second measurement to associated ones of the station devices that are associated with the access point device.

A station device arranged to operate as one of the station devices used in a wireless communication network having a plurality of spatially distributed communication devices, each for transmitting wireless signals carrying frames, each device being arranged to process frames from signals only when a strength of the signals exceeds a carrier detection threshold, each device being arranged to defer an intended transmission upon detection of a wireless signal with a strength greater than a defer threshold prior to the intended transmission, a subset of the devices being access point devices and a remainder of the device being station devices, each arranged to communicate with an own associated one of the access point devices, the network further comprising a measuring circuit for performing a first measurement of a first signal strength of signals from access point devices and a second measurement of a second signal strength of signals from station devices associated with a first one of the access point devices and a threshold adjustment circuit for first setting the carrier detection threshold of a first one of the access point devices above the first signal strength, the second measurement being performed when said first setting has taken effect, the threshold adjustment circuit subsequently setting the defer threshold of the first one of the access point devices and/or one or more of the station devices associated with the first one of the access point devices below the second signal strength;

• said station device being arranged to receive information about a result of the second measurement from the access point device, the station device part of the threshold adjustment circuit for setting the defer threshold according to the received result.