Weighted fair sharing of a wireless channel using resource utilization masks

A method of wireless data communication, comprising:

• determining a number of channels desired for a transmission from a first node to a second node, wherein the determination is a function of a weight associated with the first node and weights associated with a plurality of other nodes requesting channels for data transmission, wherein each weight is a function of a number of flows supported by its respective node;
• selecting one or more channels to achieve the determined number of channels, wherein
• available channels are selected before unavailable channels, and wherein selecting channels comprises partitioning channels into one or more sets of channels;
• receiving a resource utilization message (RUM) from a third node that indicates that a subset of the one or more sets of channels is unavailable;
• and
• sending a request for a set of at least one selected channel.

An apparatus that facilitates wireless data communication, comprising:

• a determining module that determines a number of channels desired for a transmission from the apparatus, wherein the determination is a function of a weight associated with the apparatus and weights associated with a plurality of other nodes requesting channels for data transmission, wherein each weight is a function of a number of flows supported by its respective node;
• a selecting module that selects channels to achieve the determined number of channels, wherein available channels are selected before unavailable channels;
• and
• a transmitting module that sends a request for a set of at least one selected channel.

An apparatus that facilitates wireless data communication, comprising:

• a determining module that determines a number of channels desired for a transmission from the apparatus to a first node, wherein the determination is a function of a weight associated with the first node and weights associated with a plurality of other nodes requesting channels for data transmission, wherein each weight is a function of a number of flows supported by its respective node;
• a selecting module that selects one or more channels to achieve the determined number of channels, wherein available channels are selected before unavailable channels, and wherein the selecting module partitions channels into one or more sets of channels;
• a receiving module that receives a resource utilization message (RUM) from a second node that indicates that a subset of the one or more sets of channels is unavailable;
• and
• a transmitting module that sends a request for a set of at least one selected channel.

An apparatus that facilitates wireless data communication, comprising:

• means for determining a number of channels desired for a transmission from the apparatus, wherein the determination is a function of a weight associated with the apparatus and weights associated with a plurality of other nodes requesting channels for data transmission, wherein each weight is a function of a number of flows supported by its respective node;
• means for selecting channels to achieve the determined number of channels, wherein available channels are selected before unavailable channels;
• and
• means for sending a request for a set of at least one selected channel.

An apparatus that facilitates wireless data communication, comprising:

• means for determining a number of channels desired for a transmission from the apparatus to a first node, wherein the determination is a function of a weight associated with the first node and weights associated with a plurality of other nodes requesting channels for data transmission, wherein each weight is a function of a number of flows supported by its respective node;
• means for selecting one or more channels to achieve the determined number of channels, wherein available channels are selected before unavailable channels, wherein the means for selecting channels partitions channels into one or more sets of channels;
• means for receiving a resource utilization message (RUM) from a second node that indicates that a subset of the one or more sets of channels is unavailable;
• and
• means for sending a request for a set of at least one selected channel.

A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions for data transmission, wherein the instructions upon execution cause a machine to:

• determine a number of channels desired for a transmission from a node, wherein the determination is a function of a weight associated with the node and weights associated with a plurality of other nodes requesting channels for data transmission, wherein each weight is a function of a number of flows supported by its respective node;
• select channels to achieve the determined number of channels, wherein available channels are selected before unavailable channels;
• and
• send a request for a set of at least one selected channel.

A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions for data transmission, wherein the instructions upon execution cause a machine to:

• determine a number of channels desired for a transmission from a first node to a second node, wherein the determination is a function of a weight associated with the first node and weights associated with a plurality of other nodes requesting channels for data transmission, wherein each weight is a function of a number of flows supported by its respective node;
• select one or more channels to achieve the determined number of channels, wherein available channels are selected before unavailable channels, and wherein selecting channels comprises partitioning channels into one or more sets of channels;
• receive a resource utilization message (RUM) from a third node that indicates that a subset of the one or more sets of channels is unavailable;
• and
• send a request for a set of at least one selected channel.

A wireless node, comprising:

• an antenna;
• a determining module that determines a number of channels desired for a transmission from the wireless node, wherein the determination is a function of a weight associated with the wireless node and weights associated with a plurality of other nodes requesting channels for data transmission, wherein each weight is a function of a number of flows supported by its respective node;
• a selecting module that selects channels to achieve the determined number of channels, wherein available channels are selected before unavailable channels;
• and
• a transmitting module that sends a request for a set of at least one selected channel via the antenna.

A wireless node, comprising:

• an antenna;
• a determining module that determines a number of channels desired for a transmission from the wireless node to a first other node, wherein the determination is a function of a weight associated with the first node and weights associated with a plurality of other nodes requesting channels for data transmission, wherein each weight is a function of a number of flows supported by its respective node;
• a selecting module that selects one or more channels to achieve the determined number of channels, wherein available channels are selected before unavailable channels, and wherein the selecting module partitions channels into one or more sets of channels;
• a receiving module that receives a resource utilization message (RUM) from a second other node that indicates that a subset of the one or more sets of channels is unavailable;
• and
• a transmitting module that sends a request for a set of at least one selected channel via the antenna.