Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a device may dynamically select a frequency on which to communicate on a wireless local area network by determining which channels are available and which are unoccupied, for example using a received signal power level measurement. A linear folding algorithm may be used to select an available channel at a midpoint in a larger gap between occupied channels. In the event there are multiple larger gaps of the same size, the larger gap at the higher frequency may be selected.

Abstract: An access point in a wireless network receives link margin values from associated access points. The access point determines sensitivity values for the associated access points and determines a lower access point output power value from the sensitivity values. Beacons are transmitted at full power and remaining frames are transmitted at the lower access output power. A new access output power may be determined periodically, or when a station associates or disassociates.

Abstract: A method includes monitoring a variable-rate data communication channel to determine its signal-to-noise ratio, and adjusting the data transmission rate of the variable rate data communication channel based on its signal-to-noise ratio.

Abstract: A communication station performs closed-loop transmit power control and adjusts its transmit power level based on an access point sensitivity, a path loss and/or a link margin variation. An average received power level of orthogonal frequency-division multiplexed (OFDM) subcarriers of an OFDM channel may be measured at the communication station, and the path loss may be estimated from an access point transmit power level and the measured power level. The communication station may request an access point's transmit power level and link margin from the access point prior to estimating the path loss. The communication station may calculate the access point sensitivity by subtracting the path loss and the access point link margin from the communication station's transmit power level. The link margin variation may be estimated from an access point transmit power variation, an indoor path loss variation, and/or a receiver power measurement error of the communication station.

Abstract: Transmit parameters are adjusted for a wireless device based on link margin. In at least one embodiment, link margin is calculated as a difference between a received power level and receiver sensitivity.

Abstract: Briefly, a method to control data transmission rate and transmission power level of a mobile unit is provided. The method may include varying a data transmission rate value based on a difference between a received signal strength and a receiver sensitivity value and reducing the transmission power level when transmission is at the highest data transmission rate.

Abstract: A mobile station in an 802.11 wireless network dynamically adjusts a number of 802.11 beacon intervals to sleep based on a power savings level and a required wake-up time to receive packets from an access point. The power savings level is based on data traffic activity in a current period. The mobile station wakes up to receive a beacon, and if a beacon is not received, the mobile station sleeps for one additional beacon period.

Abstract: A managing wireless communication device assigns channels of a channel set to associated wireless communication devices. The associated wireless communication devices monitor the assigned channels for in-band signals including radar signals and report detections to the managing wireless communication device. The managing wireless communication device resets a timer associated with a channel when a report is received from one of the associated wireless communication devices. The timer may indicate how long the associated channel has been radar free.

Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a mobile unit may detect and connect to a wireless local area network, contemplating worldwide multiband networks and multiple regulatory domains, with a shorter searching time.

Abstract: A base station that monitors for radar signals may reassign the monitoring operation to one or more wireless mobile devices whenever channel load exceeds a first value. The one or more wireless mobile devices may then report to the base station when a radar signal is detected so that the base station may switch communications to a different channel that does not interfere with the radar. In some embodiments the monitoring function may be assigned back to the base station if the channel load decreases below a second value.

Abstract: A method and/or apparatus to permit non-authorized wireless mobile devices access to public domain services of a local area network. One embodiment of the invention provides a wireless access point device, with a wireless port and a wired network port, with at least two modes of operation to permit authorized mobile devices access to network services and non-authorized mobile devices access to a particular set of network services. A list of free and/or pay-per-use network services is provided to non-authorized mobile devices to select the desired service(s). For pay-per-use services, a mobile device user can provide a form of payment for validation.

Abstract: A managing wireless communication device assigns channels of a channel set to associated wireless communication devices. The associated wireless communication devices monitor the assigned channels for in-band signals including radar signals and report detections to the managing wireless communication device. The managing wireless communication device resets a timer associated with a channel when a report is received from one of the associated wireless communication devices. The timer may indicate how long the associated channel has been radar free.

Abstract: In a wireless network that uses some of the same channels as radars, an operationally separate radar detection device may be used to detect the presence of a radar signal, and notify at leas one network device of that detection so the wireless network devices may switch to a non-interfering channel. In some embodiments the detection device may be physically separate from other network devices, and may notify them via network communication messages. In other embodiments, the detection device may be physically and electrically attached to a network device, and may notify that device via an interrupt or other wired connection.

Abstract: When scanning for available channels, a wireless mobile device may reduce the number of channels it scans, and therefore reduce the amount of time spent in scanning, by using the information from some of the scanned channels to eliminate the need to scan some of the other channels. In some embodiments in which multiple smaller channels may be combined into larger channels, information gained from one of the smaller channels may show that another smaller channel is associated with it, and thereby eliminate the need to scan that other channel.

Abstract: A base station that monitors for radar signals may reassign the monitoring operation to one or more wireless mobile devices whenever channel load exceeds a first value. The one or more wireless mobile devices may then report to the base station when a radar signal is detected so that the base station may switch communications to a different channel that does not interfere with the radar. In some embodiments the monitoring function may be assigned back to the base station if the channel load decreases below a second value.

Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus, comprising at least one access point (AP) in a wireless network; and the access point (AP) capable of channel allocation based on predetermined criteria. The wireless network may be a wireless local area network (WLAN) and the channel allocation may be automatic and the predetermined criteria may be allocating a channel which minimizes the interferences among other APs in the network by selecting a channel in the wireless network which has the lowest signal strength level, and/or has less interferences from neighboring cells and/or has an appropriate allocation with spectrum spreading uniformly over the frequency band.

Abstract: A method includes monitoring a variable-rate data communication channel to determine its signal-to-noise ratio, and adjusting the data transmission rate of the variable rate data communication channel based on its signal-to-noise ratio.

Abstract: A mobile station in a wireless network dynamically adjusts its sleeping time for power saving based on its data traffic activity.

Abstract: A method includes monitoring a variable-rate data communication channel to determine its signal-to-noise ratio, and adjusting the data transmission rate of the variable rate data communication channel based on its signal-to-noise ratio.

Abstract: A central controller provides centralized dynamic frequency selection in a wireless network.