Noise margin information for power control and link adaptation in IEEE 802.11h WLAN

An apparatus comprising:

• a transmitter that is configured to transmit a signal at a transmit power level and a transmit data rate,
• a receiver that is configured to receive a noise margin corresponding to receipt of the signal at a receiving station, wherein the noise margin is based on a difference between a measure of received signal power and a power measure required for reliable communication at a predetermined data rate of the signal, and
• a processor that is configured to calculate an adjustment to at least one of the transmit power level and transmit data rate based on the noise margin, and to correspondingly adjust the at least one transmit power level and transmit data rate.

A method for transmitting data among stations in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the method comprising acts of:

• determining, at a receiving station, a transmission data rate and a measure of received signal power of a signal received from a transmitting station;
• calculating by the receiving station a noise margin based on a difference between the measure of received signal power and a power measure required for a predetermined threshold of communication for the transmission data rate;
• and transmitting the noise margin from the receiving station to the transmitting station.

An apparatus for determining the transmission power level between a plurality of wireless stations in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the apparatus comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive an incoming signal from a first station;
• a demodulator configured to demodulate the incoming signal;
• and a processor configured to determine a transmission data rate and a measure of received signal power of the incoming signal, calculate a noise margin based on a difference between the measure of received signal power and a power measure required for a predetermined threshold of communication for the transmission data rate, and transmit the noise margin to the first station.

A method for transmitting data among stations in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the method comprising acts of:

• determining, at a receiving station, a measure of received signal power of a signal received from a transmitting station;
• calculating by the receiving station a noise margin based on a difference between the measure of received signal power and a minimum power measure for a transmission data rate;
• and transmitting the noise margin from the receiving station to the transmitting station.

An apparatus comprising:

• a transmitter that is configured to transmit a signal at a transmit power level and a transmit data rate to a receiving station;
• a receiver that is configured to receive a noise margin corresponding to receipt of the signal at the receiving station, wherein the noise margin is based on a difference between a measure of received signal power and a minimum power measure for a transmission data rate;
• and a processor that is configured to calculate an adjustment to at least one of the transmit power level and transmit data rate based on the noise margin, and to correspondingly adjust the at least one transmit power level and transmit data rate.

A station in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the station comprising:

• a processor configured to determine a measure of received signal power of a signal received from a transmitting station;
• calculate a noise margin based on a difference between the measure of received signal power and a minimum power measure for a transmission data rate;
• and transmit the noise margin to the transmitting station.