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

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

0001This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Applications Ser. No. 60/320,128 filed Jun. 29, 2001, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

0002The present invention relates to communication systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for providing information to the transmitting wireless stations in an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN) regarding the receiving wireless station's receiver capabilities.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

0003In general, there are two variants of wireless local area networks (WLAN): infrastructure-based and ad hoc-type. In the former network, communication typically takes place only between the wireless nodes, called stations (STA_i), and the access point (AP), whereas communication takes place between the wireless nodes in the latter network. The stations and the AP, which are within the same radio coverage, are known as a basic service set (BSS).

0004The IEEE 802.11 standard specifies the medium access control (MAC) and physical layer (PHY) characteristics for a wireless local area network (WLAN). The IEEE 802.11 standard is defined in International Standard ISO/IEC 8802-11, “Information Technology—Telecommunications and information exchange area networks”, 1999 Edition, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

0005Currently, the IEEE 802.11 does not provide a mechanism to enable dynamic transmit power control between wireless stations within a BSS. Typically, each 802.11 STA uses a fixed transmission power level for all the frame transmissions throughout its lifetime. Accordingly, there is a need for a transmit power level and transmission rate adjustment mechanism that can be implemented within the proposed 802.11a PHY/802.11h MAC implementation without much complexity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

0006The present invention is directed to a system and method of estimating receiver capability information by a receiving station, and conveying this information back to the transmitting station. The transmitting station is thereby enabled to determine accurately the transmission power level or to adjust transmission rate in a wireless local area network (WLAN) for future data transmissions to the receiving station. Receiver capability information, hereinafter known as “Noise Margin”, is the receiving wireless station's receiver capabilities, including the local noise/interference level, the channel path loss and the channel conditions. Generally, the noise margin is the ratio of the received signal power to that required for effective communication.

0007According to one illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a method for determining the transmission power level and/or transmission rate between a plurality of stations located within the coverage area of a basic service set (BSS) in a wireless local area network (WLAN) is provided. The method includes the steps of: extracting the data rate of a transmission from an incoming frame; calculating the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the received frame; calculating the noise margin for the extracted data rate based on the difference of the SNR and the minimum acceptable SNR (SNR_MIN); transmitting the noise margin information to the transmitting station and adjusting the transmit power level or the transmission rate for future data transmitted by the transmission station and/or other stations in the BSS according to the received calculated noise margin.

0008The present invention also provides an apparatus with a power measurement circuit for determining the received power level between a plurality of stations located within the coverage area of a basic service set (BSS) in a wireless local area network (WLAN). The apparatus includes a receiver circuit for demodulating an incoming signal; an SNR measurement circuit for measuring the received SNR of the incoming signal received therein; a processor, coupled to the power measurement circuit, for calculating noise margin based on the difference of the SNR and the minimum acceptable SNR ratio for the extracted data rate; a memory, coupled to the processor, for storing the calculated noise margin information for a predetermined time period for a subsequent retrieval; and, a transmitter circuit coupled to the processor

0009The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more detailed description of preferred embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the various views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0010<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is a simplified block diagram illustrating the architecture of a wireless communication system whereto embodiments of the present invention are to be applied;

0011<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> illustrates a simplified block diagram of an access point and each station within a particular basic service set (BSS) according to the embodiment of the present invention;

0012<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> illustrates the format of an 802.11 frame, including the modification of the SERVICE field, that can be used to transmit information between stations according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

0013<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> is a flow chart illustrating the operation steps of selectively adjusting the power level according to an embodiment of the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

0014In the following description, for purposes of explanation rather than limitation, specific details are set forth such as the particular architecture, interfaces, techniques, etc., in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced in other embodiments that depart from these specific details.

0015<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> illustrates a representative network whereto embodiments of the present invention are to be applied. As shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, an access point (AP) <b>2</b> is coupled to a plurality of mobile stations (STA_i), which, through a wireless link, are communicating with each other and to the AP via a plurality of wireless channels. A key principle of the present invention is to provide a mechanism to enable a transmitting station to gain knowledge regarding the receiving stations' local noise/interference, channel path loss and its performance capability. This is accomplished by the receiving station estimating the noise margin, for example, at the time and for the rate at which a frame is received, and conveying this information back to the transmitting station). As noted above, the noise margin is the ratio of the received signal power to that required for a particular level or threshold of communication, (hereinafter known as effective or reliable communication between the stations), the level is based on a number of factors effecting communication, such as error rates, SNRs, as well as any other conventional measure of transmission performance. The noise margin is useful in, but not limited to, minimizing the transmitter power or other types of power control such as saving the battery power, avoiding interference to other systems, adjusting radio coverage and adjusting transmission rate, by transmitting frames at just the right power level and the right transmission rate. IEEE 802.11 Physical Layers (PHYs) define a plurality of transmission rates based different modulations and channel coding schemes so that the transmitter of a frame can choose one of the multiple rates based on the wireless channel condition between the receiver and itself at a particular time. Typically, the lower the transmission rate, the more reliable the transmission. It should be noted that the network shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is small for purposes of illustration. In practice most networks would include a much larger number of mobile stations.

0016The AP and each STA within the WLAN of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> may include a system with an architecture that is illustrated in the block diagram of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>. Referring to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, both the AP and STA may include a receiver <b>12</b>, a demodulator <b>14</b>, a SNR measurement circuit <b>16</b>, a memory <b>18</b>, a control processor <b>20</b>, a timer <b>22</b>, a modulator <b>24</b>, and a transmitter <b>26</b>. The exemplary system <b>10</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> is for descriptive purposes only. Although the description may refer to terms commonly used in describing particular mobile stations, the description and concepts equally apply to other processing systems, including systems having architectures dissimilar to that shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>.

0017In operation, the receiver <b>12</b> and the transmitter <b>26</b> are coupled to an antenna (not shown) to convert received signals and transmit desired data into corresponding digital data via the demodulator <b>14</b> and the modulator <b>24</b>, respectively. The SNR measurement circuit <b>16</b> operates under the control of the processor <b>20</b> to determine the SNR, or similar calculation to estimate noise margin, of a received frame. Processor <b>20</b> thereafter calculates the noise margin based on the difference of the SNR (in dB) and the minimum acceptable SNR (SNR_MIN) for a particular data rate. The minimum acceptable SNR for a particular data rate is determined by any of a number of methods (e.g., an error rate threshold may be used or the receiver may be configured with modulation error estimate parameters). For example, ‘noise margin’ calculated in an 802.11 compliant STA for a received PPDU may be calculated as the additional noise/interference in the PPDU in dB that could be tolerated by this STA without affecting its correct reception. As an example, if a receiver determines that a received PPDU had a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 30 dB and it was transmitted at 24 Mbps rate, then if the receiver could correctly receive the same PPDU at 24 Mbps with signal-to-noise ratio of 24 dB (SNR_MIN), then it would report a noise margin of 6 dB. The noise margin is stored in the memory <b>18</b> that is coupled to the processor <b>20</b> for subsequent retrieval. The timer <b>22</b> is used to eliminate the outdated noise margin information, which is stored in the memory <b>18</b>. In the embodiment, the noise margin is updated as it may change due to the varying nature of the wireless channel as well as the potential mobility of WLAN STAs.

0018<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> represents the format of PHY Protocol Data Unit (PPDU) frame that is used to convey the noise margin information between the stations. As shown in the lowest part of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, the noise margin information (represented by noise margin Present and noise margin) is transmitted in the SERVICE field of the 802.11a/h PPDU frame. The SERVICE field of the 802.11a is slightly modified to include the one-bit noise margin Present field and four-bit noise margin field. The original SERVICE field <b>30</b> format of the PLCP Header <b>28</b> of 802.11a is found in the middle part of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>. The one-bit noise margin Present field <b>32</b> is defined as 0 or 1, where the noise margin field <b>34</b> may be optional in a system and presence of the noise margin information is indicated by setting the ‘Noise Margin Present’ bit. Otherwise, the ‘Noise margin Present’ bit is set to zero. The noise margin field <b>34</b> is defined from 1 to 16, where each value is in decibels (dB), for example, −6 dB to +10 dB, and the field value would be based on calculations on immediate prior frame transmitted from the current destination STA. In addition, the RXVECTOR and TXVECTOR fields, which are passed between MAC and are modified to add noise margin information. In particular, one parameter, NOISE MARGIN, is extracted from or inserted into the SERVICE field <b>30</b> in the PPDU. The most significant bit of the currently reserved bits would be set if a valid value in present in the remaining seven bits. Else, it would be reset with a ‘0’ value. As those skilled in the art will recognize the noise margin information could be sent by other means, for example, in the MAC payload, as well as other portions of the header.

0019The noise margin field <b>34</b> transmitted in a current PPDU would correspond with the noise margin measurements on the immediately prior frame received from the STA that is the current PPDU's destination STA. The noise margin information is transmitted back to the transmitting station and now this station based on the received noise margin of the receiver adjusts the transmission power or the transmission rate. It is noted, however, that a receiver may transmit any noise margin value it may deem appropriate to indicate to the transmitter its performance capability, presence of local interference or desire for power adjustment. After obtaining the noise margin by receiving frame(s), the receiving STA can determine both the PHY rates as well as the transmission power intelligently for its future transmission to that STA. Thus, the transmission power level and rate are determined solely up to the transmitting STA's discretion.

0020Now, the principle of operation steps according to the present invention of determining the noise margin to determine the transmission power level/transmission rate is explained hereafter.

0021Referring to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>, the inventive process includes the following steps: in step <b>100</b>, a station STA<b>2</b> receives a frame from a transmitting station STA<b>1</b>. In step <b>110</b>, the STA<b>2</b> extracts the data rate from the received frame. In step <b>120</b>, the STA<b>2</b> calculates the noise margin, which is the difference between the received SNR and the SNR_MIN, The noise margin information is transmitted to STA<b>1</b> in step <b>130</b>. The noise margin is then used to determine the transmitter power required to obtain the desired carrier-to-noise ratio within the transmitting station and the receiver in BSS. In step <b>140</b>, the STA<b>1</b> adjusts the transmission power level and/or the transmission rate based on the adjustment level that was determined in step <b>120</b>.

0022Although a limited number of STAs is shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> for illustrative purposes, it is to be understood that the WLAN can support communications between a much larger number of STAs. Thus, the number of STAs in the figure should not impose limitations on the scope of the invention. In such event, each STA keeps track of the noise margin between other STAs within the BSS and to the AP, then each transmitting station may use the noise margin to adjust the transmit power level as it transmits a frame to another STA or to the AP. With non-802.11e WLAN, a STA needs to keep track of the noise margin with the AP only as the STA must transmit frames to its AP. Here, each transmitting station may want to keep track of the noise margin with a selected number of STAs to reduce the complexity. In addition, to prevent using outdated and stale noise margin information, the present invention may adopt the noise margin information lifetime. To this end, whenever STA <b>2</b> updates the noise margin with STA <b>1</b> by receiving a frame from STA <b>1</b>, STA <b>2</b> sets a timer for each updated noise margin information using the timer <b>22</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>. Hence, the STA <b>2</b> will compare the most recent updated time of the frame with the current time when it is to transmit a frame.

0023While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made, and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true scope of the present invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt to a particular situation and the teaching of the present invention without departing from the central scope. Therefore, it is intended that the present invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention, but that the present invention include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.