Access point multi-level transmission power and protocol control based on the exchange of characteristics

A method for use in an access point that wirelessly couples a first client device and a second client device to a packet switched backbone network, the method comprising:

• selecting a first power level of the plurality of power levels for periodic transmissions by the access point;
• receiving a first plurality of characteristics relating to an evaluation by the first client device of transmissions received by the first client device from both the access point and the second client device;
• receiving a second plurality of characteristics relating to an evaluation by the second client device of transmissions received by the second client device from both the access point and the first client device;
• and
• assessing both the first plurality of characteristics and the second plurality of characteristics and, based on the assessment, selecting both a second power level of the plurality of power levels for transmissions by the access point to the first client device and a third power level of the plurality of power levels for transmissions by the access point to the second client device, and the first power level is greater that the second power level, while the second power level is greater than the third power level.

A method for use in a first client device that, along with at least a second client device, wirelessly communicates with and a packet switched backbone network via an access point, the method comprising:

• receiving periodic transmissions by the access point at first power level of the plurality of power levels;
• evaluating transmissions received from both the access point and the second client device and transmitting to the access point a first plurality of characteristics relating to the evaluation by the first client device;
• receiving a transmission from the access point at a second power level of the plurality of power levels that is based on an assessment of both the first plurality of characteristics and a second plurality of characteristics from the second client device, the first power level is greater that the second power level, and the transmission contains a selected power level for transmissions by the first client device;
• and
• transmitting at the selected power level.

A wireless network communicatively coupled to a packet switched backbone network, the wireless network comprising:

• an access point having communication interface circuitry that communicatively couples with the packet switched backbone network, access point processing circuitry, and access point transceiver circuitry that transmits at a plurality of power levels;
• the access point processing circuitry managing communication flow between the communication interface circuitry and the access point transceiver circuitry;
• a first client device having first client processing circuitry and first client transceiver circuitry;
• a second client device having second client processing circuitry and second client transceiver circuitry;
• the first client processing circuitry generates a second client reception characteristic based on at least one transmission from the second client transceiver circuitry, and the first client processing circuitry transmits the second client reception characteristic to the access point transceiver circuitry via the first client transceiver circuitry;
• the second client processing circuitry generates a first client reception characteristic based on at least one transmission from the first client transceiver circuitry, and the second client processing circuitry transmits the first client reception characteristic to the access point transceiver circuitry via the second client transceiver circuitry;
• and
• the access point processing circuitry, based on the second client reception characteristic, selects a first power level of the plurality of power levels for transmissions by the access point transceiver circuitry to the first client transceiver, and the access point processing circuitry, based on the first client reception characteristic, selects a second power level of the plurality of power levels for transmissions by the access point transceiver circuitry to the second client transceiver, and the first power level is greater than the second power level.

A communication network comprising:

• a first device having a first wireless transceiver that transmits at a plurality of power levels;
• a second device having a second wireless transceiver;
• a third device having a third wireless transceiver;
• the second device generates a first reception characteristic based on at least one transmission from the third wireless transceiver, and the second device transmits the first reception characteristic to the first wireless transceiver of the first device;
• the third device generates a second reception characteristic based on at least one transmission from the second wireless transceiver, and the third device transmits the second reception characteristic to the first wireless transceiver of the first device;
• the first device, based on the first reception characteristic, selects a first power level of the plurality of power levels for transmissions by the first transceiver circuitry to the third transceiver circuitry;
• and
• the first device, based on the second reception characteristic, selects a second power level of the plurality of power levels for transmissions by the first transceiver circuitry to the second transceiver circuitry, and the first power level is greater than the second power level.

A wireless communication protocol used by an access point to deliver first data packets to a first wireless device and second data packets to a second wireless device, the wireless communication protocol comprising:

• first wireless transmissions by the access point device at a first power targeting both the first wireless device and the second wireless device;
• second wireless transmissions by the access point device at a second power level selected to support both delivery of the first data packets to the first wireless device and detection of the second wireless transmissions by the second wireless device, the first power level being greater than the second power level;
• and
• third wireless transmissions of at least the second data packets by the access point device at a third power level selected to support receipt of the second data packets by the second wireless device, the second power level being greater than the third power level.

A communication network comprising:

• a first device having a first wireless transceiver that transmits at a first selected power level;
• a second device having a second wireless transceiver that transmits at a second selected power level;
• a third device having a third wireless transceiver that transmits at a plurality of power levels;
• the second device generates a first reception characteristic based on at least one transmission from the first wireless transceiver, and the second device transmits the first reception characteristic to the third wireless transceiver of the third device;
• the first device generates a second reception characteristic based on at least one transmission from the second wireless transceiver, and the first device transmits the second reception characteristic to the third wireless transceiver of the third device;
• the third device, based on the first reception characteristic, selects both a first power level of the plurality of power levels for transmissions by the third transceiver circuitry to the first transceiver circuitry, and the first selected power level of the first wireless transceiver circuitry for transmissions by the first wireless transceiver circuitry to the third transceiver circuitry;
• and
• the third device, based on the second reception characteristic, selects both a second power level of the plurality of power levels for transmissions by the third transceiver circuitry to the second transceiver circuitry, and the second selected power level of the second wireless transceiver circuitry for transmissions by the second wireless transceiver circuitry to the third transceiver circuitry.