Abstract:
A method for optimizing clear channel assessment (CCA) parameters in a wireless local area network having an access point (AP) and at least one station begins by receiving a trigger condition. An upper bound and a lower bound for an energy detect threshold (EDT) parameter are determined. A value of the EDT parameter is calculated and is bound by the upper bound and the lower bound. Lastly, the EDT parameter is updated. The method can be performed at each station or at the AP, with the updated CCA parameters being signaled to each station associated with the AP.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/535,021, filed Jan. 8, 2004, which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to wireless local area networks (WLANs), and more particularly, to a method for optimizing clear channel assessment parameters in a WLAN. 
   BACKGROUND 
   In WLAN systems, the Distributed Coordination Function (DCF) is the fundamental access method for asynchronous data transfer on a best effort basis. The WLAN DCF mode is used to support contention services promoting fair access to the channel for all stations. The multiple access scheme used to achieve this is Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Carrier Avoidance (CSMA/CA). One way by which stations detect if the channel is busy is by analyzing all detected packets that are sent from other WLAN users and by detecting activity in the channel via relative signal strength from other sources. The physical carrier sensing that is performed prior to data transmission is referred to as Clear Channel Assessment (CCA). 
   CCA is used for transmission and reception of packets in 802.11 devices. Prior to data transmission, the device must ensure that the wireless medium is free, by using CCA. For data reception, the device only senses packets that meet the CCA criterion for a busy channel. 
   The 802.11 standards define different CCA modes. A commonly used CCA mode requires carrier sense and energy above the Energy Detect Threshold (EDT) before reporting that the medium is busy. More specifically, CCA reports a busy medium upon detection of a WLAN type of signal with energy above the EDT. Other CCA modes require carrier sense only, or energy above the EDT only. 
   A single EDT parameter is typically used to tune CCA for both transmission and reception of packets. CCA is well-tuned for transmission when: 
   1) The access point (AP) always senses the channel as busy when a station (STA) from its basic service set (BSS) is transmitting a packet. 
   2) The AP always senses the channel as busy when the STA to which it has a packet to send also senses the channel as busy due to a packet transmission from a device in a neighboring BSS. By satisfying this condition, the AP defers to external packets that would cause transmission errors. 
   3) The AP always senses the channel as free when the STA to which it has a packet to send senses the channel as free, even if a device from a neighboring BSS is using the channel. By satisfying this condition, unnecessary deferrals are avoided. 
   On the other hand, CCA is well-tuned for reception when: 
   1) The AP is capable of receiving packets from all STAs within the coverage area of its BSS. If the EDT parameter is set too high, the AP might not receive packets that are transmitted by a STA located at the cell edge. 
   2) The AP does not sense packets from devices in neighboring BSSs. If the EDT parameter is set too low, the AP might “carrier lock” onto packets that are transmitted by STAs that are located outside of its BSS or transmitted by other APs. By “locking” on external transmissions, the AP will miss any transmission from a STA in its own BSS. Such a scenario would result in a packet error, as the packet from the STA in its own BSS would collide with the external packet that the AP is receiving. 
   Determining the ideal EDT setting involves a trade-off between optimizing for packet transmission and optimizing for packet reception. Moreover, a dynamic method for adjusting the EDT parameter is required in order to adapt to varying network conditions (e.g., a change in the BSS size). 
   SUMMARY 
   Three methods for optimizing CCA parameters in a WLAN having an access point (AP) and at least one non-AP station (STA) are described. The term “CCA parameters” is used herein to designate collectively the CCA mode and the value of the EDT parameter. 
   The first method does not require any specific signaling between STAs, or between a STA and an AP. In this method, each STA or AP attempts to independently find the optimal setting for its own CCA parameters based on certain statistics. There is no sharing of information between the STAs and AP regarding the setting of the CCA parameters. This method begins by receiving a trigger condition. An upper bound and a lower bound for the EDT parameter are determined. A value of the EDT parameter is calculated and is bound by the upper bound and the lower bound. Lastly, the EDT parameter is updated. The method can be performed at any one STA, all STAs, or at the AP. 
   The second method requires signaling between STAs or between a STA and an AP, to communicate the values of CCA parameters used by the STAs or the AP. In this method, each node (STA or AP) has the possibility of learning about the values of the CCA parameters used by other STAs or the AP, but a node can only modify its own CCA parameters. This second method begins with a STA or the AP requesting from other STAs and/or the AP to report the values of the CCA parameters currently used. The requested STAs and/or the AP report these values to the requesting STA or AP. The requesting STA or AP then computes the optimal values to use for its own CCA parameters. Following this computation, the requesting STA or AP may change the values of its own CCA parameters and, optionally, signal the new values to the other STAs or the AP. 
   The third method requires signaling between STAs or between a STA and an AP, that enables one STA or the AP to modify the values of the CCA parameters used by other STAs or the AP. In this third method, a node may determine the optimum settings of the CCA parameters for itself as well as for other nodes in the system, and may request that the other nodes use their respective optimum CCA parameters as determined by the requesting node. In an infrastructure BSS comprising one AP and one or several STAs, the requesting node should preferably be the AP. This method begins with the AP calculating the optimal CCA parameters for one or multiple STAs associated to the AP. This calculation may (or may not) be the same as the calculation used in the first method. Following the determination of the optimal CCA parameters for each STA, the AP signals the respective values of the optimal CCA parameters to each STA. The STAs determine if the requested change of parameters is possible and indicates the success or failure of the change in a response message to the AP. 
   An access point for optimizing CCA parameters in a wireless local area network having at least one station comprises a receiver, an energy detector, a channel availability determination device, and a CCA calculation device which receives input parameters from the access point and calculates the CCA parameters. 
   A station for optimizing CCA parameters in a wireless local area network having an access point comprises a receiver, an energy detector, a channel availability determination device, and a CCA calculation device which receives input parameters from the station and calculates the CCA parameters. 
   An integrated circuit for optimizing CCA parameters in a wireless local area network comprises a receiver, an energy detector, a channel availability determination device, and a CCA calculation device which receives input parameters and calculates the CCA parameters. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A more detailed understanding of the invention may be had from the following description of a preferred embodiment, given by way of example, and to be understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a flowchart of an energy detection threshold optimization process in accordance with a first method of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an apparatus embodying the process shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram showing the signaling between an AP or STA and another AP or STA to implement a second method in accordance with the present invention; and 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram showing the signaling between an AP and a STA to implement a third method in accordance with the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The present invention describes methods to dynamically optimize the EDT parameter that is used for CCA in WLAN systems. 
   
     
       
             
           
             
             
             
           
         
             
               TABLE 1 
             
           
           
             
                 
             
             
               Parameter Definitions 
             
           
        
         
             
                 
               Symbol/Name 
               Description 
             
             
                 
                 
             
             
                 
               T Periodic   
               The basic triggering time period 
             
             
                 
               P AP   
               AP transmission power 
             
             
                 
               P STA   
               Station transmission power 
             
             
                 
               RS AP   
               AP receiver sensitivity 
             
             
                 
               RNG base   
               Baseline Range of the AP. The baseline 
             
             
                 
                 
               range specifies the coverage area that is 
             
             
                 
                 
               serviced by the AP. The baseline range can 
             
             
                 
                 
               either be manually configured or 
             
             
                 
                 
               dynamically determined by the AP during 
             
             
                 
                 
               system operation. 
             
             
                 
               N Tx   
               Number of packets over which the 
             
             
                 
                 
               transmitted packet error rate is calculated. 
             
             
                 
               N Rx   
               Number of packets over which the received 
             
             
                 
                 
               packet error rate is calculated. 
             
             
                 
               PER Tx   MAX   
               The target maximum transmitted packet 
             
             
                 
                 
               error rate. 
             
             
                 
               PER Rx   MAX   
               The target maximum received packet error 
             
             
                 
                 
               rate. 
             
             
                 
               DR MAX   
               The target maximum deferral rate 
             
             
                 
               α 
               Weighting factor for received packet error 
             
             
                 
                 
               rate. 
             
             
                 
               β 
               Weighting factor for transmitted packet 
             
             
                 
                 
               error rate. 
             
             
                 
               γ 
               Weighting factor for deferral rate. 
             
             
                 
               Δ 
               EDT basic step size. 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   
     
       
             
           
             
             
             
           
         
             
               TABLE 2 
             
           
           
             
                 
             
             
               Measurement Definitions 
             
           
        
         
             
                 
               Symbol/Name 
               Description 
             
             
                 
                 
             
             
                 
               PER Tx   
               The transmitted packet error rate. This 
             
             
                 
                 
               measurement is calculated using a sliding 
             
             
                 
                 
               window of N Tx  last transmitted packets. 
             
             
                 
               PER Rx   
               The received packet error rate. This 
             
             
                 
                 
               measurement is calculated using a sliding 
             
             
                 
                 
               window of N Rx  last received packets. 
             
             
                 
               DR 
               Deferral rate. This is a measurement that 
             
             
                 
                 
               represents the percentage of time that the 
             
             
                 
                 
               AP is carrier locked by an out-of-BSS 
             
             
                 
                 
               packet and has at least one packet to 
             
             
                 
                 
               transmit. 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   A flowchart of a CCA optimization process  100  using a first method in accordance with the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The process  100  can be applied both at the AP and at individual STAs. This CCA optimization process addresses the determination of the proper level of the EDT. The CCA mode is preferably set so that it indicates busy if the received signal is above EDT and a WLAN signal is sensed. Alternatively, the CCA mode may be set so that it indicates busy if the received signal is above EDT only. 
   Triggering 
   The EDT optimization process  100  is triggered on any of the following conditions: 
   1. PER Tx &gt;PER Tx   MAX  and at least N Tx  packets have been transmitted since the last EDT update. 
   2. PER Rx &gt;PER Rx   MAX  and at least N Rx  packets have been received since the last EDT update. 
   3. Expiration of a periodic triggering timer, i.e., T Elapsed &gt;T Periodic , and at least N Tx  packets have been transmitted and at least N Rx  packets have been received since the last EDT update. T Elapsed  is the elapsed time since the last EDT update. 
   When triggered according to condition  1 , the optimization process  100  attempts to solve the insufficient deferral problem. One cause for excessive packet errors in the downlink (DL) is an overly high EDT setting; the AP does not sense the channel as busy while STAs are carrier-locked on neighboring BSS transmissions. A minimum number of transmitted packets are imposed to ensure that a problem really exists. 
   When triggered according to condition  2 , the optimization process  100  attempts to solve the exceedingly sensitive AP problem. One cause for excessive packet errors in the uplink (UL) is an overly low EDT setting; the AP locks onto neighboring BSS packets, causing it to miss packets from its own STAs. An UL packet error generally occurs when a STA transmits a packet while the AP is already carrier-locked on a neighboring BSS transmission. A minimum number of received packets are imposed to ensure that a problem really exists. 
   Condition  3  is for general optimization purposes. The optimization process  100  is triggered periodically, once enough packets have been transmitted and received to have collected significant statistics. 
   The triggering parameters should be selected so that the optimization process  100  reacts quickly to an excessive packet error situation. For example, the optimization process  100  could trigger periodically once per second, once sufficient statistics have been collected. If a minimum of 100 packets is required for triggering, a 10% error rate results in 10 errors. 
   Determining EDT Bounds 
   The optimization process  100  begins by determining upper and lower bounds for the EDT parameter (step  102 ). An upper bound on the EDT parameter, EDT MAX , is determined as follows:
 
 EDT   MAX   =P   STA −( RNG   base   +RNG   adj )  Equation (1)
 
   where RNG adj  is a range adjustment value determined by the Power Control algorithm. The EDT parameter should be set so that the AP can at least sense all packets originating from its own BSS. EDT MAX  corresponds to the signal level at which a transmission from a STA located at the cell edge is received. 
   The calculated value of EDT MAX  is compared to the maximum value allowed by the 802.11 standards, and the lower of the two values is taken. The maximum EDT value allowed by the standard is based on the AP&#39;s transmission power, P AP . EDT MAX  is dynamically calculated as RNG base , RNG adj , and P STA  can be modified by the Power Control algorithm at any time, and is updated whenever there is a change to RNG base , RNG adj , or P STA . 
   The lower bound on the EDT parameter, EDT MIN , is set to the AP receiver sensitivity level, RS AP . 
   EDT Update 
   Next, the EDT parameter is calculated based on its current value, the received and transmitted packet error rates, and the deferral rate (step  104 ): 
   
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
                     
                       EDT 
                       = 
                         
                       ⁢ 
                       
                         EDT 
                         + 
                         
                           ( 
                           
                             
                               α 
                               ⁢ 
                               
                                   
                               
                               ⁢ 
                               
                                 
                                   PER 
                                   Rx 
                                 
                                 
                                   PER 
                                   Rx 
                                   MAX 
                                 
                               
                             
                             - 
                           
                         
                       
                     
                   
                 
                 
                   
                     
                       
                           
                         ⁢ 
                         
                           
                             β 
                             ⁢ 
                             
                                 
                             
                             ⁢ 
                             
                               
                                 PER 
                                 Tx 
                               
                               
                                 PER 
                                 Tx 
                                 MAX 
                               
                             
                           
                           + 
                           
                             γ 
                             ⁢ 
                             
                                 
                             
                             ⁢ 
                             
                               DR 
                               
                                 DR 
                                 MAX 
                               
                             
                           
                         
                         ) 
                       
                       ⁢ 
                       Δ 
                     
                   
                 
               
             
             
               
                 Equation 
                 ⁢ 
                 
                     
                 
                 ⁢ 
                 
                   ( 
                   2 
                   ) 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
   
   The default values for the weighting factors is 1, and can be optimized based on the deployment of the system (i.e., the layout of the APs and the STAs). 
   The EDT parameter is adjusted between the lower and upper bounds (step  106 ):
 
 EDT =max( EDT   MIN , min( EDT   MAX   , EDT ))  Equation (3)
 
   The EDT value is updated (step  108 ) and the process terminates (step  110 ). It is noted that if a channel change occurred since the last invocation of the EDT optimization process  100 , the EDT parameter is automatically set to EDT MIN . 
   Alternatively, it is possible use different EDT parameter settings for transmission and reception. EDT Tx  is optimized for packet transmission, whereas EDT Rx  is optimized for packet reception. Immediately before sending a packet, the AP sets the CCA EDT parameter to EDT Tx , and sets it back to EDT Rx  once the data transmission is complete. 
   EDT Tx  is determined using a procedure similar to that shown in  FIG. 1 , except using the following equation: 
   
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   EDT 
                   Tx 
                 
                 = 
                 
                   
                     EDT 
                     Tx 
                   
                   + 
                   
                     
                       ( 
                       
                         
                           γ 
                           ⁢ 
                           
                               
                           
                           ⁢ 
                           
                             DR 
                             
                               DR 
                               MAX 
                             
                           
                         
                         - 
                         
                           β 
                           ⁢ 
                           
                               
                           
                           ⁢ 
                           
                             
                               PER 
                               Tx 
                             
                             
                               PER 
                               Tx 
                               MAX 
                             
                           
                         
                       
                       ) 
                     
                     ⁢ 
                     Δ 
                   
                 
               
             
             
               
                 Equation 
                 ⁢ 
                 
                     
                 
                 ⁢ 
                 
                   ( 
                   4 
                   ) 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
   
   EDT Tx  is then adjusted between the upper and lower bounds, as shown in Equation (3). 
   In one embodiment, EDT Rx =RNG base . In another embodiment, EDT Rx  is set according to the following equation: 
   
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   EDT 
                   Rx 
                 
                 = 
                 
                   
                     EDT 
                     MAX 
                   
                   - 
                   
                     α 
                     ⁢ 
                     
                         
                     
                     ⁢ 
                     
                       
                         PER 
                         Rx 
                       
                       
                         PER 
                         Rx 
                         MAX 
                       
                     
                   
                 
               
             
             
               
                 Equation 
                 ⁢ 
                 
                     
                 
                 ⁢ 
                 
                   ( 
                   5 
                   ) 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
   
     FIG. 2  shows an AP or a STA  200  constructed in accordance with the present invention. The AP or STA  200  includes a receiver  202  connected to an energy detector  204 . A channel availability determination device  206  is connected to the energy detector  204  and a CCA calculation device  208  is connected to the channel availability determination device  206 . The CCA calculation device  208  accepts parameters, such as DR and PER, as inputs and outputs an EDT value to the channel availability determination device  206  which uses the EDT value to determine if the channel is busy. The EDT value is also cycled back into the CCA calculation device  208 , and is used as shown in Equations 2 and 3. 
   A diagram of a CCA optimization process  300  using the second method is shown in  FIG. 3 . This method can be used by any STA or AP. The STA or AP using the method is referred to as the “optimizing” station  302 . The optimizing station  302  requests information about the setting of the CCA parameters in other STAs or AP  304  (step  310 ). There are several possibilities for implementing this signaling. 
   The first possibility is for the optimizing station  302  to send separate requests (unicast) to each surrounding STA or AP  304  (“requested stations”) whose addresses are known by the optimizing station  302 . The optimizing station  302  may know these addresses by different means. For example, if the optimizing station  302  is an AP, it necessarily knows the addresses of all STAs associated to it. If the optimizing station  302  is a STA, it can learn about the addresses of other STAs in the same basic service set (BSS) by looking at the MAC addresses of received packets. However, the WLAN protocol may not allow direct communication between STAs in an infrastructure BSS. In that case, this method would be usable by the AP only. 
   The request must contain the addresses of the optimizing station  302  and the requested station  304 . In an 802.11 WLAN, this information would already be in the MAC header. Optionally, the request may contain a time limit for the requested station  304  to respond. The requested station  304  sends back an acknowledgment just after correct reception of the packet containing the request (just as any other packet directed to a specific station). In this way, the optimizing station  302  knows that the requested station  304  has properly received the request, and can retransmit the packet containing the request if it did not receive an acknowledgment within a certain time. 
   A second possibility is for the optimizing station  302  to send one general request directed to all surrounding stations  304 . This can be done by transmitting a broadcast message specifying only the basic service set (BSS) identity, in which case only the STAs belonging to the specified BSS would respond. This can also be done by transmitting a multicast message specifying the addresses of all STAs from which it is desired to have the CCA parameters reported. 
   In a third possibility, a STA (non-AP) may request the AP to which it is associated for the CCA parameters of one or more STA(s) associated to this AP, instead of directly requesting the parameters from the STA. This request would contain the address of the STA(s) from which it is desired to have the CCA parameters reported, or a special flag indicating that the CCA parameters from all STAs in the BSS are requested. Following this request, the AP may respond with the CCA parameters of the requested stations  304 . The AP may already have this information, or it may need to request the information (using one of the mechanisms described above) from the STAs prior to responding to the optimizing station  302 . 
   For any STA that successfully receives a CCA parameters request according to one of the mechanisms described above, that STA reads the values of the CCA parameters it is currently using (step  312 ). These values (CCA mode and EDT) can be normally found in the management information base (MIB) of the requested station  304 . After having read the CCA parameters, the requested station  304  (after gaining access to the medium according to the usual 802.11 protocol) transmits a CCA parameters report (step  314 ). This report may be a broadcast to all STAs in the BSS (in which case no acknowledgment is expected) or, preferably, may be a unicast directed at the optimizing station  302 . In the latter case, an acknowledgment is expected from the optimizing station  302  and the requested station  304  can re-transmit in case of failure. The report contains the values of the CCA parameters. 
   Once the optimizing station  302  has received CCA parameters reports from all requested stations  304  (or after a certain period of time has elapsed since the transmission of the requests, at the discretion of the optimizing station  302 ), the optimizing station  302  calculates the new CCA parameters it will use for itself (step  316 ). 
   A simple method for determining CCA parameters is to use those of the most sensitive STA from which CCA parameters were received (i.e., the STA with the lowest setting of the EDT parameter). If path loss information is available, the EDT parameter can be calculated to be as sensitive as the most sensitive reporting STA. For example, an AP could set its EDT parameter such that it is as sensitive to external transmissions as its most sensitive STA is. The AP could achieve this by setting its EDT parameter lower than the sensitive STA&#39;s EDT parameter by an amount equal to the difference in path losses to the most dominant external interferers. 
   After the optimizing station  302  has calculated the new CCA parameters it should use, it can immediately apply the new setting. Optionally, it may send a CCA parameters notification to other requested stations  304  to inform them of the new setting now used by the optimizing station  302  (step  318 ). This message may be directed to specific STAs (unicast) or multiple STAs (multicast or broadcast). 
   A diagram of a CCA optimization process  400  using the third method is shown in  FIG. 4 . This method is preferably used by the AP in an infrastructure BSS, although use by a non-AP station is not precluded (e.g., in an independent BSS). The AP using the method is referred to as “controlling” station  402 . The controlling station  402  computes or estimates the optimal CCA parameters for itself and other STAs in the same BSS (“controlled” stations  404 ; step  410 ). This determination may or may not be performed using the method  100  disclosed above. 
   After having determined the optimal CCA parameters for every STA (these may or may not be different from one controlled station  404  to another depending on the algorithm), the controlling station  402  requests the controlled stations  404  to modify their CCA parameters (“CCA parameters control request”; step  412 ). If the CCA parameters are the same for all controlled stations  404 , the controlling station  402  may transmit a broadcast message containing the BSS identity along with the values of the CCA parameters, and optionally a time limit for responding. It may also transmit a multicast message containing the addresses of all controlled stations  404  along with the values for the CCA parameters. Preferably, the controlling station  402  transmits a unicast message (with acknowledgment) separately to each controlled station  404  with its new CCA parameters. When the new CCA parameters are different from one controlled station  404  to another, multicast or unicast messages are mandatory. 
   Following successful reception of the CCA parameters control request message, a controlled station  404  determines whether it is possible to apply the new CCA parameters requested by the controlling station  402  (step  414 ). Applying the new parameters may not be possible, depending on the capabilities of the controlled station  404  (e.g., radio sensitivity or the availability of the requested CCA mode). If the modification is possible, the controlled station  404  immediately modifies its CCA parameters (step  416 ) and transmits a response (“CCA parameters control response”) as a unicast message to the controlling station  402  (preferred) or as a broadcast message to all STAs in the BSS (step  418 ). This message contains a flag indicating the success or failure of the CCA parameters modification. In case of failure, the message may optionally contain a “cause” field that specifies the reason for the failure (such as unavailable CCA mode or requested EDT value too low or too high). It may also contain the values of the CCA parameters currently in use by the controlled station  404 . 
   After receiving the responses from all controlled stations  404  (or after a certain period of time has elapsed since the transmission of the requests, at the discretion of the controlling station  402 ), the controlling station  402  may decide to do nothing until the next scheduled activation of the optimization algorithm, in a manner similar to that described in the method  100 . The controlling station  402  may also decide to repeat the transmission of requests to the controlling stations  404  in case some of them did not transmit back a response. 
   While the present invention is described herein in connection with a WLAN, the principles of the present invention can be applied to other types of wireless communication systems. In such circumstances, the STA could include, but is not limited to, devices such as a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), a user equipment, a fixed or mobile subscriber unit, a pager, or any other type of device capable of operating in a wireless environment. Similarly, the AP could include, but is not limited to, devices such as a base station, a Node B, a site controller, or any other type of interfacing device in a wireless environment. 
   Although the features and elements of the present invention are described in the preferred embodiments in particular combinations, each feature or element can be used alone (without the other features and elements of the preferred embodiments) or in various combinations with or without other features and elements of the present invention. While specific embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, many modifications and variations could be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. The above description serves to illustrate and not limit the particular invention in any way.