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US 7,352,772 B2Granted
Minimization of performance impact in overlying 802.11b and 802.11g networks
AssigneeLenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
InventorsDaryl Carvis Cromer, Philip John Jakes, Howard Jeffrey Locker
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Abstract
A wireless network access point is described which provides the resources of a backbone network to wireless clients. The access point is able to minimize the performance impact on 802.11g clients in the presence of mixed in 802.11g/802.11b traffic by isolating wireless network traffic based on protocol. At least one 802.11g timer is maintained for 802.11g traffic. Request for transfers by 802.11b clients which are blind to 802.11g traffic are delayed until after the expiration of the 802.11g timer. Traffic for 802.11g clients proceeds unimpeded while the 802.11g timer is active. A similar timer is optionally maintained for 802.11b traffic.
Claims15
Apparatus comprising:
- a wireless network interface which supports a plurality of wireless protocols including a physical carrier-sense protocol and a virtual carrier-sense protocol, wherein the virtual carrier-sense protocol is utilized by provided clients which are unable to detect the physical carrier-sense protocol;
- and
- a flow controller which is coupled to said wireless network interface and which maintains a physical timer corresponding to traffic conforming to physical carrier-sense protocol, wherein the flow controller isolates traffic over said wireless network interface based on protocol by delaying virtual-carrier-sense-protocol traffic until after the physical timer elapses;
- wherein the physical timer commences in response to a first instance of physical-carrier-sense-protocol traffic following a first wireless network event and is set to elapse after a first predetermined amount of time, wherein the first wireless network event is selected from the group consisting of an idle network event and a virtual-carrier-sense-protocol traffic event.
1 more element
Apparatus comprising:
- a wireless network interface which supports a carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) protocol and an 802.11b protocol, wherein the 802.11b protocol is utilized by provided clients which are unable to detect the CSMA/CA protocol;
- and
- a flow controller which is coupled to said wireless network interface and which maintains a CSMA/CA timer corresponding to CSMA/CA traffic and an 802.11b timer corresponding to 802.11b traffic, wherein the flow controller isolates traffic over said wireless network interface based on protocol by delaying 802.11b traffic until after the CSMA/CA timer elapses and by delaying CSMA/CA traffic until after the 802.11b timer elapses;
- wherein the CSMA/CA timer commences in response to a first instance of CSMA/CA traffic following a first wireless network event and is set to elapse after a first predetermined amount of time, wherein the first wireless network event is selected from the group consisting of an idle network event and a 802.11b traffic event.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- maintaining a physical timer in relation to a wireless network which supports a plurality of wireless protocols including a physical carrier-sense protocol and a virtual carrier-sense protocol, wherein the virtual carrier-sense protocol is utilized by provided clients which are unable to detect the physical carrier-sense protocol and wherein the maintained physical timer corresponds to traffic which conforms to physical carrier-sense protocol;
- and
- isolating traffic over the wireless network based on protocol by delaying virtual-carrier-sense-protocol traffic until after the physical timer elapses;
- wherein the physical timer commences in response to a first instance of physical-carrier-sense-protocol traffic following a first wireless network event and is set to elapse after a first predetermined amount of time, wherein the first wireless network event is selected from the group consisting of an idle network event and a virtual-carrier-sense-protocol traffic event.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- maintaining a carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) timer in relation to a wireless network which supports CSMA/CA and 802.11b protocols wherein the 802.11b protocol is utilized by provided clients which are unable to detect the CSMA/CA protocol and wherein the maintained CSMA/CA timer corresponds to CSMA/CA traffic on the wireless network;
- maintaining an 802.11b timer which corresponds to 802.11b traffic;
- isolating traffic over the wireless network based on protocol by delaying 802.11b traffic until after the CSMA/CA timer elapses and by delaying CSMA/CA traffic until after the 802.11b timer elapses;
- wherein the CSMA/CA timer commences in response to a first instance of CSMA/CA traffic following a first wireless network event and is set to elapse after a first predetermined amount of time, wherein the first wireless network event is selected from the group consisting of an idle network event and a 802.11b traffic event.
1 more element
A product comprising:
- a computer usable medium having computer readable program code stored therein, the computer readable program code in said product being effective to:
- maintain a physical timer in relation to a wireless network which supports a plurality of wireless protocols including a physical carrier-sense protocol and a virtual carrier-sense protocol, wherein the virtual carrier-sense protocol is utilized by provided clients which are unable to detect the physical carrier-sense protocol and wherein the maintained physical timer corresponds to traffic which conforms to physical carrier-sense protocol;
- and
- isolate traffic over the wireless network based on protocol by delaying virtual-carrier-sense-protocol traffic until after the physical timer elapses;
- wherein the physical timer commences in response to a first instance of physical-carrier-sense-protocol traffic following a first wireless network event and is set to elapse after a first predetermined amount of time, wherein the first wireless network event is selected from the group consisting of an idle network event and a virtual-carrier-sense-protocol traffic event.
2 more elements
A product comprising:
- a computer usable medium having computer readable program code stored therein, the computer readable program code in said product being effective to:
- maintain a carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) timer in relation to a wireless network which supports CSMA/CA and 802.11b protocols wherein the 802.11b protocol is utilized by provided clients which are unable to detect the CSMA/CA protocol and wherein the maintained CSMA/CA timer corresponds to CSMA/CA traffic on the wireless network;
- maintain an 802.11b timer which corresponds to 802.11b traffic;
- and
- isolate traffic over the wireless network based on protocol by delaying 802.11b traffic until after the CSMA/CA timer elapses and by delaying CSMA/CA traffic until after the 802.11b timer elapses;
- wherein the CSMA/CA timer commences in response to a first instance of CSMA/CA traffic following a first wireless network event and is set to elapse after a first predetermined amount of time, wherein the first wireless network event is selected from the group consisting of an idle network event and a 802.11b traffic event.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.