US 2012/0257585 A1 · COGNITIVE WIFI RADIO NETWORK

Abstract

The invention relates to a cognitive radio (CR) WiFi network which includes a plurality of radio environment aware WiFi terminals, which collect local WiFi interference information and send this information to a CR network management system (NMS). The CR NMS includes a database for storing historical records of the interference information obtained from the terminals, and cognitive engines for analyzing the stored historical interference records and determining terminal-specific transmission and reception parameters. In one embodiment the network implements a deterministic NMS-directed networks-wide TDD/TDM scheduling of WiFi communications for optimal channel re-use and interference avoidance, and a novel terminal synchronization mechanism.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method for avoiding interference in a WiFi network comprising a plurality of WiFi terminals, the method comprising:

a) using one or more of the WiFi terminals to collect radio interference information, wherein the radio interference information comprises packet header information for WiFi packets received over a plurality of WiFi channels;
b) communicating the radio interference information from the one or more of the WiFi terminals to a network management system (NMS) for storing in a network radio environment database (NRED);
and,
c) receiving transmission and reception parameters sent by the NMS to the one or more of the WiFi terminals for use thereof in WiFi data communications by said one or more of the WiFi terminals so as to avoid or lessen radio interference in the WiFi network.

1 more element

A WiFi terminal comprising:

one or more WiFi radios configured for:
supporting WiFi data communications over one or more WiFi channels in accordance with channel and transmission time slot assignments received from the NMS, and,
sensing radio signals in other WiFi channels that are not assigned to the respective WiFi terminal for data communications, and detecting WiFi packets therein;
and
one or more processor for collecting interference information related to the WiFi packets detected in the other WiFi channels, wherein the interference information comprises packet header information, for transmitting to a network management system (NMS) using a wired or wireless connection.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cognitive wifi radio network

Life of this patent

Cognitive wifi radio network

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21