Abstract: Methods and apparatus to provide fairness for wireless local area networks (WLANs) that use long network allocation vector (NAV) mechanisms are disclosed. A disclosed example method comprises receiving an indication from a station of a wireless network that a long NAV is to be terminated, and sending a contention-free end frame in response to the indication.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to provide fairness for wireless local area networks that use extended physical layer (a.k.a. PHY) protection mechanisms are disclosed. A disclosed example method comprises choosing a length field value for a frame header such that, when a transmit operation is ended, a legacy wireless station and a non-legacy wireless station of a wireless local area network are able to start contending for a wireless medium at substantially a same instant, and sending a frame across the wireless medium that includes the frame header.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to perform transmission bandwidth detection in wireless local area networks are disclosed. A disclosed example method comprises receiving a first plurality of samples representative of a first signal transmitted on a first wireless local area network (WLAN) channel, computing a first correlation of a first portion of the first plurality of samples with a second portion of the first plurality of samples, setting a receiver mode to a first bandwidth if the first correlation exceeds a threshold and setting the receiver mode to a second bandwidth if the first correlation is less than the threshold.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to perform dynamic channel management and dynamic bandwidth changes in wireless local area networks are disclosed. A disclosed example method comprises deciding at an access point to initiate at least one of a bandwidth change or a channel assignment change; and sending a frame to initiate the at least one of the bandwidth change or the channel assignment change from the access point to one or more stations of a wireless network, the frame including a first field to identify a first channel and a second field to identify a second channel.

Abstract: A wireless device 148 that performs link adaptation is disclosed. The wireless device 148 comprises at least two antennas 101a, 120a and 101b, 120b, and a network interface logic operable to select transmission parameters based on a packet error rate 154 and on at least one signal to noise ratio 152 of a radio communication channel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a packet prioritizer for use with a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point. In one embodiment, the packet prioritizer includes a priority tagger configured to provide a packet priority for a WLAN packet. Additionally, the packet prioritizer also includes a priority scheduler coupled to the priority tagger and configured to provide a strict priority scheduling of the WLAN packet through the WLAN access point based on the packet priority.

Abstract: The invention includes an apparatus and method for wirelessly transmitting data between a plurality of subscriber units and a base transceiver station. The method includes at least one subscriber unit transmitting a request to send data blocks to the base transceiver station. The request includes a data transmission queue size value. A base user queue size estimate is updated at the base transceiver station. The base user queue size estimate corresponds to the one subscriber unit that transmitted the request to send data. The base user queue size estimate is based upon the data transmission queue size value. The base transceiver station generates a schedule that includes time slots and frequency blocks in which the requested data blocks are to be transmitted from the one subscriber unit to the base transceiver station. The subscriber unit transmits the data blocks the subscriber requested to be sent, according to the schedule.

Abstract: A resource allocation scheduling method for a cellular communication system that can avoid interference between cells. The method includes dividing a frequency band of a system into frames each having preferential allocation blocks and general allocation blocks on a time axis, classifying terminals in each cell into groups of terminals vulnerable to interference and terminals non-vulnerable to interference, and allocating resources by terminal groups according to priority orders given to the terminal groups. The preferential allocation resources designed to have the orthogonality to the interference cells, i.e., sectors, on the time axis are allocated to the terminals vulnerable to the interference, and the remaining resources are allocated to the terminals non-vulnerable to the interference.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of optimizing a transmission mode of wirelessly transmitted data. The method includes selecting a first transmission mode based on a predetermined channel database and a first channel characterization. The first channel characterization can be based upon signals transmitted in an initial mode. An error factor is generated based on a difference between an estimated performance characteristic, and an expected performance characteristic. A subsequent transmission mode is selected based upon the predetermined channel database, the error factor and a subsequent channel characterization. The predetermined channel database can include a predetermined look-up-table that provides transmission mode selections based upon the channel characterizations. The look-up-table generally includes a plurality of quality parameter thresholds that determine the selection of a transmission mode.

Abstract: In a multiuser Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) radio communication system, a transmitter receives channel quality information transmitted from receivers, schedules resource for the receivers within a corresponding scheduling epoch based on the received channel quality information. Thereafter, the transmitter pre-codes signals to be transmitted to the resource-scheduled receivers in a predetermined coding method before transmission, thereby maximizing system transmission efficiency.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of optimizing a transmission mode of wirelessly transmitted data. The method includes selecting a first transmission mode based on a predetermined channel database and a first channel characterization. The first channel characterization can be based upon signals transmitted in an initial mode. An error factor is generated based on a difference between an estimated performance characteristic, and an expected performance characteristic. A subsequent transmission mode is selected based upon the predetermined channel database, the error factor and a subsequent channel characterization. The predetermined channel database can include a predetermined look-up-table that provides transmission mode selections based upon the channel characterizations. The look-up-table generally includes a plurality of quality parameter thresholds that determine the selection of a transmission mode.

Abstract: The invention includes an apparatus and a method for wirelessly transmitting and re-transmitting sub-protocol data units between a transceiver and a subscriber unit. The method includes the transceiver receiving standard data units and forming sub-protocol data units. The transceiver transmits a plurality of sub-protocol data units to the subscriber unit. A subset of the plurality of sub-protocol data units includes an acknowledge request indicator. The subscriber unit receives the sub-protocol data units. The subscriber unit transmits back to the transceiver a response to the acknowledge request indicator, indicating which sub-protocol data units were successfully received by the subscriber unit.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method and system for wirelessly transmitting data between a plurality of subscriber units and a base transceiver station. The method comprises at least one subscriber unit transmitting a service flow request to the base transceiver station, determining if the service flow request was received by the base transceiver station, utilizing a back-off algorithm to re-transmit the service flow request if the service flow request was not received by the base transceiver station and transmitting data blocks to the base transceiver station based on the service flow request.

Abstract: A first embodiment of the invention includes a method for scheduling information in a multiple antenna wireless cellular network. The wireless cellular network includes a base transceiver station and a plurality of subscriber units wherein each of the plurality of subscriber units belongs to a service class. The method includes receiving a service flow request from a subscriber unit, determining the service class of the subscriber unit and scheduling time slots and frequency blocks for the service flow request based on the service class of the subscriber unit. A second embodiment of the present invention includes a system for scheduling the transmission of data in a multiple antenna wireless network. The system comprises means for receiving a service flow request from a subscriber unit, means for determining the service class of the subscriber unit and means for scheduling time slots and frequency blocks for the service flow request based on the service class of the subscriber unit.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of optimizing a transmission mode of wirelessly transmitted data. The method includes selecting a first transmission mode based on a predetermined channel database and a first channel characterization. The first channel characterization can be based upon signals transmitted in an initial mode. An error factor is generated based on a difference between an estimated performance characteristic, and an expected performance characteristic. A subsequent transmission mode is selected based upon the predetermined channel database, the error factor and a subsequent channel characterization. The predetermined channel database can include a predetermined look-up-table that provides transmission mode selections based upon the channel characterizations. The look-up-table generally includes a plurality of quality parameter thresholds that determine the selection of a transmission mode.

Abstract: The invention includes an apparatus and method for wirelessly transmitting data between a plurality of subscriber units and a base transceiver station. The method includes at least one subscriber unit transmitting a request to send data blocks to the base transceiver station. The request includes a data transmission queue size value. A base user queue size estimate is updated at the base transceiver station. The base user queue size estimate corresponds to the one subscriber unit that transmitted the request to send data. The base user queue size estimate is based upon the data transmission queue size value. The base transceiver station generates a schedule that includes time slots and frequency blocks in which the requested data blocks are to be transmitted from the one subscriber unit to the base transceiver station. The subscriber unit transmits the data blocks the subscriber requested to be sent, according to the schedule.

Abstract: The invention includes an apparatus and method for scheduling wireless transmission of data blocks between at least one antenna of a base transceiver station and multiple subscriber units. The scheduling can be based on the quality of a transmission link between the base station antennas and the subscriber units, the amount of data requested by the subscriber units, and/or the type of data requested by the subscriber units. The scheduling generally includes assigning frequency blocks and time slots to each of the subscriber units for receiving or transmitting data blocks. The invention includes a method for transmitting data streams between a base transceiver station and a plurality of subscribers.