Method and Apparatus for Adjusting EDCA Channel Access Parameters
AssigneeAT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
InventorsLusheng Ji, Robert R. Miller, II, Harry R. Worstell
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Abstract
A contention based communications channel access method emulates scheduled access by dynamically updating Enhanced Distribution Channel Access (EDCA) parameters for groups of member stations in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN).
Claims21
A method of dynamically changing Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) parameters for a Basic Service Set (BSS) in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), the BSS comprised of at least a first group of member stations and a second group of member stations, the method comprising:
- setting one or more EDCA parameters for the first group of member stations so that the first group of member stations has a first level of access priority to a communications channel during a first channel access throttling time period;
- wherein the first level of access priority is different from a default level of access priority for the first group of member stations;
- wherein the second group of member stations has a different level of access priority than the first group of member stations during the first channel access throttling time period;
- and
- wherein each of the first and second groups of member stations have the same level of access priority during a default time period.
An apparatus for dynamically changing Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) parameters for a Basic Service Set (BSS) in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), the BSS comprised of at least a first group of member stations and a second group of member stations, the apparatus comprising
- means for setting one or more EDCA parameters for the first group of member stations so that the first group of member stations has a first level of access priority to a communications channel during a first channel access throttling time period;
- wherein the first level of access priority is different from a default level of access priority for the first group of member stations;
- and
- wherein the second group of member stations has a different level of access priority than the first group of member stations during the first channel access throttling time period;
- and
- and wherein each of the first and second groups of member stations have the same level of access priority during a default time period.
A method of dynamically changing Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) parameters, the method comprising
- using an Access Point (AP) of a first Basic Service Set (BSS) in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) to set one or more EDCA parameters for a first group of member stations outside of the first BSS, the first BSS comprised of at least a second group of member stations, so that the first group of member stations has a first level of access priority to a communications channel during a first channel access throttling time period;
- wherein the first level of access priority is different from a default level of access priority for the first group of member stations;
- wherein the second group of member stations has a lower level of access priority than the first group of member stations during the first channel access throttling time period.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.