Patent Description:
The field of the present invention relates in general to wireless local area networks including wireless access points (WAP) and wireless stations and specifically enhanced multi-radio wireless transceivers therefor.

Home and office networks, a. wireless local area networks (WLAN) are established using a device called a Wireless Access Point (WAP). The WAP may include a router. The WAP wirelessly couples all the wireless stations on the WLAN to one another and to the Internet, through a Cable or Digital subscriber line. Wireless stations include: computers, tablets, cell phones, printers, televisions, digital video (DVD) players and Internet of Things (IoT) clients such as smoke detectors, door locks, etc. Most WAPs implement the IEEE <NUM> standard which is a contention based standard for handling communications among multiple competing stations for a shared wireless communication medium on a selected one of a plurality of communication channels. The frequency range of each communication channel is specified in the corresponding one of the IEEE <NUM> protocols being implemented, e.g. "a", "b", "g", "n", "ac", "ad", "ax". Communications follow a hub and spoke model with a WAP at the hub and the spokes corresponding to the wireless links to each 'client' device, a.

After selection of a communication channel(s) for the associated home network, access to the shared communication channel(s) relies on a multiple access methodology identified as Collision Sense Multiple Access (CSMA). Communications on the single communication medium are identified as "simplex" meaning, one communication stream from a single source node to one or more target nodes at one time, with all remaining nodes capable of "listening" to the subject transmission. CSMA provides a distributed random access methodology for sharing a single communication medium. Stations contend for a communication link to the WAP, and avoid collisions with one another when doing so, by initiating a link only when monitored energy levels indicate the medium is available.

With the adoption in the IEEE <NUM>. 11n standard of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communications the communications throughput capacity on the <NUM> or <NUM> communication bands was greatly enhanced with the introduction of 4x4 MIMO communications. MIMO multiplies the capacity of a wireless communication link using multipath propagation between multiple transmit and receive antennas, a. the MIMO antenna arrays, on the WAP and the station on either end of a communication link.

Starting with the IEEE <NUM>. 11ac standard and specifically 'Wave <NUM>' thereof, discrete communications to more than one target node at the same time may take place using what is called Multi-User (MU) MIMO capability of the WAP with up to <NUM> antennas supporting <NUM> communication streams, a. MU capabilities were added to the standard to enable the WAP to transmit downlink communications to multiple stations concurrently, thereby increasing the time available for discrete MIMO video links to wireless HDTVs, computers tablets and other high throughput wireless devices. The IEEE <NUM>. 11ad standard codified support for communications on the <NUM> band. The IEEE <NUM>. 11ax standard expanded MU MIMO capabilities to include concurrent uplinks from two or more stations to the WAP.

Multi-radio transceivers have recently been introduced which incorporate in a single WAP, multiple wireless radios each supporting a wireless local area network (WLAN) on corresponding channels of one or more wireless communication bands, e.g. <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> bands. Each communication band has its own wireless protocol and channel width and number of channels.

<CIT> discloses a system and method employing resource sharing based on physical resource block utilization evaluation.

It is the object of the invention to provide a wireless transceiver and an operation method thereof exhibiting improved transceiver performance.

This object is accomplished by the features of the independent claims.

A wireless transceiver has the features of claim <NUM>.

The invention may be implemented in hardware, firmware or software.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:.

<FIG> are respectively a system view, a bandplan and a station capabilities table of a representative multi-radio transceiver with a power conservation circuit in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

<FIG> is the system view of the multi-radio wireless transceiver <NUM> in home <NUM>. In this embodiment of the invention the multi-radio transceiver operates as a wireless access point (WAP) which includes three transceivers, a. radios: <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>. Each radio supports wireless communications with associated ones of the stations <NUM>-<NUM> on a corresponding one of three wireless local area networks (WLAN)s <NUM>-<NUM>. In this embodiment of the invention, Radio <NUM>, compliant with the IEEE <NUM>. 11n standard, operates in the <NUM> band, and has the broadest coverage (<NUM> feet) and lowest throughput (600Mbps) of the three radios. Radio <NUM> provides WLAN <NUM> to associated stations, e.g. stations <NUM>-<NUM>. Radio <NUM>, compliant with the IEEE <NUM>. 11ac standard, has a coverage of <NUM> feet and throughput of <NUM> Gbps in the <NUM> band. Radio <NUM> provides WLAN <NUM> to associated stations, e.g. stations <NUM>-<NUM>. Radio <NUM> is compliant with the IEEE <NUM>. 11ad standard and operates in the <NUM> band with the narrowest coverage of <NUM> feet, and the highest throughput of 7Gbps of the three radios. Radio <NUM> provides WLAN <NUM> to associated stations, e.g. station <NUM>. Each radio may include support for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communications. In the embodiment shown all three radios support MIMO wireless communications. Radio <NUM> has two external antennas <NUM>; radio <NUM> has four external antennas <NUM>, and radio <NUM> has two patch antennas <NUM>. Each radio operates under control of the power conservation circuit <NUM> integral with the WAP. In an alternate embodiment of the invention two or more of the radios may include support for communications in the same band, e.g. the <NUM> band, and provide distinct WLANs to their associated stations in that band.

The power conservation circuit <NUM> determines which if any radios can be subject to a reduction in power during intervals of low demand to reduce overall power consumption of the WAP. The power conservation circuit includes the following: a utilization monitoring circuit 118A, an association targeting circuit 118B, a power backoff circuit 118D, and radio controller circuit 118E. The utilization monitor circuit 118A monitors traffic and or airtime utilization on each of the WLANs. The association targeting circuit 118B utilizes input from the utilization monitor sub-circuit to identify any underutilized radio as a target radio for re-associating stations currently associated with another one of the radios. The association targeting circuit then initiates the re-association, subject in some instances to one or more preconditions. One such precondition, is that the re-associated stations have the capability to support communications with the target radio, specifically the communication band in which that radio operates, e.g. <NUM>, <NUM> or <NUM>. Each radio determines station capabilities during a capabilities exchange which precedes association. The association targeting circuit is coupled to each radio and harvests these capabilities from each radio. <FIG> table <NUM>, shows the capabilities of each radio as harvested by the association targeting circuit. The association targeting circuit stores these capabilities in capabilities records 140B in non-volatile storage <NUM>. In an embodiment of the invention the match between the capabilities of the stations subject to re-association and the target radio is a precondition to re-association. The association targeting circuit conditionally initiates the re-association with the target radio based on a determination that the stations currently associated with the at least one other radio includes capabilities for supporting communications on the target radio.

In another embodiment of the invention a precondition to re-association is the utilization levels of the target radio and the other radio(s) selected for station disassociation. In an embodiment of the invention the association targeting circuit conditionally initiates the re-association with the target radio based on the projection that a resultant utilization metric of the target radio after re-association will not exceed a maximum utilization level. In another embodiment of the invention the association targeting circuit conditionally initiates the re-association with the target radio based on a projection that a resultant aggregate airtime metric of the target radio after re-association will not exceed a maximum airtime level. In still another embodiment of the invention the association targeting circuit conditionally initiates the re-association with the target radio based on a projection that a resultant aggregate traffic metric of the target radio after re-association will not exceed a maximum traffic level. The current utilization, e.g. airtime % or traffic amount, of the target radio must be low enough to take on the extra traffic/airtime without resultant congestion. Utilization is defined as traffic amount, e.g. Mbps, or as Airtime percent. Quantifying the impact of re-association on the target radio's utilization can be determined with varying degrees of precision. Where the current utilization of the radio(s) whose stations will be re-associated is low enough, re-association may be practicable. In another embodiment of the invention the re-association targeting sub-circuit 118B includes a utilization projection sub-circuit 118C. This sub-circuit stores records 104A of each stations traffic, airtime and throughput requirements on any of the communication bands with which the station has previously been associated in non-volatile storage <NUM>. The utilization projection sub-circuit uses these records to accurately project the aggregate traffic or airtime utilization requirements resulting from a prospective re-association, thus avoiding radio re-associations that would result in congested communications on the target band. The re-association may be proactively or reactively triggered. In an embodiment of the invention a transition management indicia, e.g. a bandswitch announcement, is transmitted by the radio(s) whose stations will be re-associated to those stations, identifying the target radio as the radio for re-association. In another embodiment of the invention the power backoff circuit initiates the re-association by reducing power to the radios whose stations will be re-associated.

In still another embodiment of the invention the association targeting circuit identifies an underutilized one of the radios when a utilization metric of the target radio exceeds a maximum utilization level, and re-associates enough stations from the target radio to the identified underutilized one(s) of the radios to reduce a level of the utilization metric for the target radio below the maximum utilization level.

The power backoff sub-circuit 118D implements via its connection to the radio controller sub-circuit 118E the reduction or shutoff of power to the radio(s) whose stations are subject to re-association. In various embodiments of the invention the power reduction may take one or more of the following forms: a shutoff of power on the radio(s) whose stations are re-associated, a termination of communications on the subject ratios or a reduction in the number of antennas and associated transmit and receive chains on those radio(s). These power reductions may be a condition precedent to re-association, in which case the stations in reaction to the power reduction, initiate the re-association with the target radio themselves. Alternately, the power reductions may be a condition subsequent to re-association in which case power is reduced after the stations have re-associated with the target radio.

<FIG> shows a representative set of IEEE <NUM> bandplans <NUM>-<NUM>, one or more of which may be supported by corresponding ones of WAP's radios. Radio <NUM> operates WLAN <NUM> in the <NUM> band <NUM> on one or more of the <NUM> channels associated therewith. The channels are referred to as orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) with each channel including a number of OFDM sub-channels or tones. Radio <NUM> operates WLAN <NUM> in the <NUM> band <NUM> on one or more of the <NUM> OFDM channels associated therewith. Radio <NUM> operates WLAN <NUM> in the <NUM> band <NUM> on one or more of the <NUM> OFDM channels associated therewith. In another embodiment of the invention Radio's <NUM> and <NUM> both operate on distinct channels in the <NUM> band.

<FIG> shows the station capabilities table <NUM> showing support for one or more of the communication bands supported by the WAP of each of the stations in the home <NUM>. All stations support communications on the <NUM> band. Station <NUM> supports communications on any of the <NUM> bands supported by the WAP. Stations <NUM>-<NUM> support communications on either the <NUM> or <NUM> bands. Stations <NUM>-<NUM> only support communications on the <NUM> band.

<FIG> are system view and bandplan graphs of the multi-radio transceiver before and after re-association of stations from corresponding ones of the three radios <NUM>,<NUM>, <NUM> to a single radio <NUM> under control of the power conservation circuit <NUM>.

<FIG> is a system view of the multi-radio transceiver <NUM> in home <NUM> servicing each of stations <NUM>-<NUM> on a corresponding one of the WLANS <NUM>-<NUM> provided by a respective one of radios <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>. The overall power consumption of the WAP <NUM> is at a maximum as a result of the power consumption of the three active radios <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a bandplan graph of airtime vs power for each communication band and corresponding WLAN provided by the corresponding one of the three active radios as shown in <FIG>. Radios <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> are shown consuming <NUM> watts, <NUM> Watts and <NUM> watts respectively. Power consumption will vary further based on traffic. In the example shown each radio is underutilized as reflected in the airtime required to service the corresponding associated stations. Radio <NUM> providing WLAN <NUM> on the <NUM> band <NUM> to stations <NUM>-<NUM> has airtime utilization of <NUM>% of the WLAN's theoretical maximum capacity. Radio <NUM> providing WLAN <NUM> on the <NUM> band <NUM> to stations <NUM>-<NUM> has airtime utilization of <NUM>% of the WLAN's theoretical maximum capacity. Radio <NUM> providing WLAN <NUM> on the <NUM> band <NUM> to station <NUM> has airtime utilization of <NUM>% of the WLAN's theoretical maximum capacity.

<FIG> is the system view of the multi-radio transceiver <NUM> in home <NUM> after re-association of the stations <NUM>-<NUM> from radios <NUM> and <NUM> onto the single WLAN <NUM> provided by radio <NUM>. The overall power consumption of the WAP <NUM> is at a minimum as a result of the shutoff of power to two of the three radios, i.e. radios <NUM>, and <NUM>, by the power conservation circuit <NUM>.

<FIG> shows the bandplan graph of airtime vs power for each communication band after the consolidation shown in <FIG>. Radios <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> are shown consuming <NUM> watts, <NUM> Watts and <NUM> watts respectively. Power consumption will vary further based on traffic. In the example shown, the power conservation circuit <NUM> has detected the underutilization of all <NUM> bands <NUM>-<NUM> shown in <FIG> and as a result has re-associated STATIONS <NUM>-<NUM> onto the single target radio <NUM> operating in the <NUM> band, and reduced or shutoff the power to radios <NUM>, <NUM> accordingly. Radio <NUM> providing WLAN <NUM> on the <NUM> band <NUM> to stations <NUM>-<NUM> has airtime utilization of <NUM>% of the WLAN's theoretical maximum capacity. Radio <NUM> has been shutoff and thus no longer provides WLAN <NUM> on <NUM> band. In another embodiment of the invention the power reduction on radio <NUM> may not be quite as severe, e.g. maintaining power on <NUM> of the <NUM> communication chains servicing each antenna and shutting off power on the remaining <NUM> chains. Radio <NUM> has been shutoff and thus no longer provides WLAN <NUM> on the <NUM> band. In another embodiment of the invention the power reduction on radio <NUM> may not be quite as severe, e.g. maintaining the WLAN beacon but not accepting station association.

<FIG> is a detailed circuit diagram of the multi-radio transceiver <NUM> operative as a WAP, with multiple radios each supporting communications with associated stations and access to the Internet on a corresponding one of three communication bands, and operating under control of the power conservation circuit, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The WAP <NUM> in this embodiment of the invention contains <NUM> radios <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>, with a representative one of the MIMO radios <NUM> shown in a detail.

Radio <NUM> may be instantiated on one or more VLSI chips, e.g. chip 106A. Radio <NUM> is identified as a 2x2 multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) WAP supporting as many as <NUM> discrete communication streams over its MIMO antenna array <NUM>. The radio couples to the Internet via an Ethernet medium access control (EMAC) interface <NUM> over a cable, fiber, or digital subscriber line (DSL) backbone connection (not shown). A packet bus <NUM> couples the EMAC to the Wi-Fi stage including a plurality of components for forming transmit and receive paths/ chains for wireless uplink and downlink communications. The Wi-Fi stage of radio <NUM> comprises: the MIMO Wi-Fi baseband <NUM> stage, and the analog front end (AFE) and Radio Frequency (RF) stage <NUM>.

In the baseband portion <NUM> wireless communications transmitted to or received from each associated user/client/station are processed. The baseband portion is dynamically configurable to support single or multi-user communications with the associated stations. The AFE and RF portion <NUM> handles the upconversion on each of transmit paths of wireless transmissions initiated in the baseband. The RF portion also handles the downconversion of the signals received on the receive paths and passes them for further processing to the baseband.

TRANSMISSION: The transmit path/chain includes the following discrete and shared components. The Wi-Fi medium access control (WMAC) component <NUM> includes: hardware queues 322A for each downlink and uplink communication stream; encryption and decryption circuits 322B for encrypting and decrypting the downlink and uplink communication streams; medium access circuit 322C for making the clear channel assessment (CCA) and making exponential random backoff and retransmission decisions; and a packet processor circuit 322D for packet processing of the communication streams. The WMAC component has a node table 322E which lists each node/station on the WLAN, the station's capabilities, the corresponding encryption key, and the priority associated with its communication traffic.

Each sounding or data packet for wireless transmission on the transmit path components to one or more stations is framed in the framer <NUM>. Next each stream is encoded and scrambled in the encoder and scrambler <NUM> followed by demultiplexing into up to two streams in demultiplexer <NUM>. Each stream is then subject to interleaving and mapping in a corresponding one of the interleaver mappers <NUM>. Next downlink transmissions are spatially mapped in the spatial mapper <NUM> with a beamforming matrix, a. precoding matrix 'Q' <NUM>. The spatially mapped streams from the spatial mapper are input to Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT) component <NUM> for conversion from the frequency to the time domain and subsequent transmission on a corresponding one of the transmit chains in the AFE and RF stage <NUM>.

The IDFT on each transmit path/chain is coupled to a corresponding one of the transmit path/chain components in the AFE/ RF stage <NUM>. Specifically, each of the IDFTs <NUM> couples to an associated one of the digital-to-analog converters (DAC) <NUM> for converting the digital transmission to analog. Next each transmit chain is filtered in filters <NUM>, e.g. bandpass filters, for controlling the bandwidth of the transmissions. After filtration the transmissions are upconverted in upconverters <NUM> to the center frequency of the selected channel within the <NUM> band supported by this radio <NUM>. Each upconverter is coupled to the voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) <NUM> for upconverting the transmission to the appropriate center frequency of the selected channel(s). Next, one or more stages of amplification are provided on each chain by power amplifiers <NUM>. The power amplifiers on each of the two transmit chains in this radio are coupled to a corresponding one of the two antennas <NUM> for transmitting downlink communications to the associated stations.

RECEPTION: The receive path/chain includes the following discrete and shared components. Received communications on the transceiver's array of MIMO antenna <NUM> are subject to RF processing including downconversion in the AFE-RF stage <NUM>. The station uplink received on the antennas <NUM> is amplified in a corresponding one of the low noise amplifiers <NUM>. Downconverters <NUM> are coupled to the VCO <NUM> for downconverting the received signals on each chain. Each chain's received signal is then filtered in filters <NUM>. Next, the downconverted analog signal on each chain is digitized in a corresponding one of the analog-to-digital converters (ADC) <NUM>. The digital output from each ADC is passed to a corresponding one of the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) components <NUM> in the baseband portion <NUM> of the Wi-Fi stage for conversion from the time to the frequency domain.

Receive processing in the baseband stage includes the following discrete and shared components. An equalizer <NUM> to mitigate channel impairments, is coupled to the output of the DFTs <NUM>. The received streams at the output of the equalizer are subject to demapping and deinterleaving in a corresponding one of the demappers <NUM> and deinterleavers <NUM>. Next the received stream(s) are multiplexed in multiplexer <NUM> and decoded and descrambled in the decoder and descrambler component <NUM>, followed by de-framing in the deframer <NUM>. The received communication is then passed to the WMAC component <NUM> where it is decrypted with the decryption circuit 322B and placed in the appropriate upstream hardware queue 322A for upload to the Internet.

The WAP also includes a radio control processor <NUM> for instantiating radio control functions <NUM> provided by program code 304A in non-volatile memory <NUM>. The radio control functions instantiated on processor <NUM> include responsiveness to requests and instructions from the power conservation circuit <NUM>.

The <NUM> radio <NUM> may be instantiated on one or more VLSI chips, e.g. chip 110A. Radio <NUM> is identified as a 4x4 MIMO WAP supporting as many as <NUM> discrete communication streams over its MIMO antenna array <NUM>. Radio <NUM> instantiated on one or more chips 110A includes components similar to those discussed above in connection with the <NUM> radio <NUM>. The radio control processor of radio <NUM> is also coupled to and responsive to requests and instructions from the power conservation circuit <NUM>.

The <NUM> radio <NUM> may be instantiated on one or more VLSI chips, e.g. chip 114A. Radio <NUM> is identified as a 2x2 MIMO WAP supporting as many as <NUM> discrete communication streams over its MIMO patch antenna array <NUM>. Radio <NUM> instantiated on one or more chips 114A also includes components similar to those discussed above in connection with the <NUM> radio <NUM>. The radio control processor of radio <NUM> is also coupled to and responsive to requests and instructions from the power conservation circuit <NUM>.

The power conservation circuit <NUM> may also be implemented on very large scale integrated circuit as a discrete chip 118A or as part of a chip. The power conservation circuit <NUM> determines which if any radios can be subject to a reduction of power during intervals of low demand to reduce overall power consumption of the WAP. The power conservation circuit includes the following subcircuits: utilization monitor 118A, association targeting 118B, power backoff 118D and radio controller 118E. The utilization monitoring circuit 118A monitors communications between the multi-radio wireless transceiver and associated stations on corresponding ones of the plurality of communication bands. The monitoring may include overall traffic or airtime on the WLANs or on each link of the WLANs. The utilization monitoring circuit obtains the traffic or airtime information via from the radio control circuit <NUM> and specifically the WMAC circuit <NUM> to which it is connected. Traffic amount or airtime requirements may be derived from either or both the hardware queues 322A for the uplink and downlink streams and the packet processor circuit 322D for packet processing the communication streams of each radio.

The association targeting circuit 118B utilizes input from the utilization monitor sub-circuit to identify any underutilized radio as a target radio for re-associating stations currently associated with another one of the radios. The association targeting circuit then initiates the re-association, subject in some instances to one or more preconditions. One such precondition, is that the re-associated stations have the capability to support communications with the target radio, specifically the communication band in which that radio operates, e.g. <NUM>, <NUM> or <NUM>. Each radio determines station capabilities during a capabilities exchange which precedes association. The association targeting circuit is coupled to each radio and harvests these capabilities from each radio. <FIG> table <NUM>, shows the capabilities of each radio as harvested by the association targeting circuit. The association targeting circuit stores these capabilities in capabilities records 140B in non-volatile storage <NUM>. In an embodiment of the invention the match between the capabilities of the stations subject to re-association and the target radio is a precondition to re-association. The association targeting circuit conditionally initiates the re-association with the target radio based on a determination that the stations currently associated with the at least one other radio includes capabilities for supporting communications on the target radio. The association targeting circuit obtains this capabilities information via the radio control circuit <NUM> of each radio and specifically the node table 322E of the WMAC circuit <NUM> of each radio to which it is coupled.

In another embodiment of the invention a precondition to re-association is the utilization levels of the target radio and the other radio(s) selected for station disassociation. In an embodiment of the invention the association targeting circuit conditionally initiates the re-association with the target radio based on the projection that a resultant utilization metric of the target radio after re-association will not exceed a maximum utilization level. In another embodiment of the invention the association targeting circuit conditionally initiates the re-association with the target radio based on a projection that a resultant aggregate airtime metric of the target radio after re-association will not exceed a maximum airtime level. In still another embodiment of the invention the association targeting circuit conditionally initiates the re-association with the target radio based on a projection that a resultant aggregate traffic metric of the target radio after re-association will not exceed a maximum traffic level. The current utilization, e.g. airtime % or traffic amount, of the target radio must be low enough to take on the extra traffic/airtime without resultant congestion. Utilization can be defined as traffic amount, e.g. Mbps, or as Airtime percent. Quantifying the impact of re-association on the target radio's utilization can be determined with varying degrees of precision. Where the current utilization of the radio(s) whose stations will be re-associated is low enough, re-association may be practicable. In another embodiment of the invention the re-association targeting sub-circuit 118B includes a utilization projection sub-circuit 118C. This sub-circuit stores records 104A of each stations traffic, airtime and throughput requirements on any of the communication bands with which the station has previously been associated in non-volatile storage <NUM>. The utilization projection sub-circuit uses these records to accurately project the aggregate traffic or airtime utilization requirements resulting from a prospective re-association, thus avoiding radio re-associations that would result in congested communications on the target band. The re-association may be proactively or reactively triggered. In an embodiment of the invention a transition management indicia, e.g. an <NUM>. 11ac band switch announcement, an <NUM>. 11ad fast session transfer, is transmitted by the radio(s) whose stations will be re-associated to those stations, identifying the band services by the target radio for re-association. In another embodiment of the invention the power backoff circuit initiates the re-association by reducing power to the radios whose stations will be re-associated.

<FIG> is a process flow diagram of processes associated with conserving power on the multi-radio transceiver <NUM>. Processing begins with the interaction of the power conservation circuit with each of the radios on the multi-radio transceiver. In decision process <NUM> each radio in the multi-radio transceiver is queried to determine the capability and identify of each associated station in process <NUM>. In decision process <NUM> each radio is queried to provide information required to monitor overall and per link Traffic or airtime usage percent for the associated stations on the subject radio's communication band. Next in process <NUM> the identity, capability traffic and or airtime usage percent of each associated station on the subject radio's communication band is stored by the power conservation circuit. After all radios have been analyzed control is passed to utilization review decision process <NUM>.

In utilization review decision process <NUM> a determination is made as to the type of multi-radio utilization review to perform, i.e. a consolidation review or a dispersal review. A consolidation review involves determining which if any of the radios on the transceiver are underutilized and thus used as a target radio on which to consolidate stations currently associated with other radios on the transceiver. A dispersal review involves determining which if any of the radios on the transceiver are overutilized and thus require a dispersal of some associated stations to other ones of the transceiver's radios.

Where a determination is made in decision process <NUM> that a consolidation review will take place control is passed to process <NUM>. In process <NUM> an underutilized one of the transceiver's radios is identified as a target radio for re-associating stations currently associated with at least one of the transceiver's other radios. Control is then passed to process <NUM> in which a determination is made as to whether the stations currently associated with the other radio include capabilities for supporting communications with the target radio. If they do not, then in decision process <NUM> control is returned to decision process <NUM>. Alternately, if the stations on the other radio have the capability to support communications with the target radio then in decision process <NUM> control is passed to process <NUM>. In process <NUM> a projection is made as to a resultant utilization metric, e.g. traffic or airtime, of the target radio resulting from the association of all stations currently associated with the at least one other radio. If in subsequent decision process <NUM> a determination is made that the projected utilization of the target radio will exceed a maximum utilization level, then control is returned to decision process <NUM>. The maximum utilization level for each radio may for example be expressed as a maximum airtime utilization required to support communications of all stations associated with the radio, e.g. <NUM>%. The maximum utilization level for each radio may alternately for example be expressed as a maximum amount of traffic required to support communications of all stations associated with the radio, e.g. 500Mbps. Alternately, if in decision process <NUM> a determination is made that the projected utilization of the target radio is less than the maximum utilization level then control is passed to process <NUM>. In process <NUM> the stations currently associated with the at least one other radio, are re-associated with the target radio. Next, in process <NUM> the power to the at least one other radio is reduced, and control is then returned to decision process <NUM>.

Alternately, where a determination is made in decision process <NUM> that a dispersal review will take place control is passed to process <NUM>. In process <NUM> a utilization metric, e.g. traffic or airtime, of the target radio is determined. Next in decision process <NUM> a determination is made as to whether the target radio's utilization exceeds the Maximum Utilization level for that radio. If it does not, then control returns to decision process <NUM>. If alternately, the utilization of the target radio does exceed the maximum utilization level for that radio then control is passed to process <NUM>. In process <NUM> underutilized ones of the other radios are identified. Next, in process <NUM> some of the stations from the target radio are re-associated with the underutilized one of the other radios, to reduce the level of the utilization metric for the target radio below the maximum utilization level. Next in process <NUM> the power consumption of the underutilized one(s) of the radios is increased to support communications with the increased number of stations thereon.

The components and processes disclosed herein may be implemented singly or in combination by: hardware, circuits, firmware, software, or a processor executing computer program code; coupled to the wireless transceiver's transmit and receive path components, without departing from the scope of the Claimed Invention.

Claim 1:
A wireless transceiver comprising:
a plurality of components coupled to one another to form transmit and receive chains of a plurality of radios (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) each of which radios (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) is configured to support wireless communications with associated stations (<NUM> - <NUM>) on a corresponding wireless local area network (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) and is further configured to operate on a different one of multiple frequency bands, the frequency bands including two or more of a <NUM> band, a <NUM> band and a <NUM> band;
a radio utilization monitoring circuit (118A) configured to monitor utilizations of radios by communications between each of the plurality of radios (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) and its associated stations (<NUM> - <NUM>), said utilization being expressed as traffic amount of the respective radios in terms of megabits per second (Mbps), or as an airtime percentage of the respective radios;
an association targeting circuit (118B) configured to identify, from the monitored utilizations of radios by communications, made by the radio utilization monitoring circuit (118A), an underutilized one of the radios (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) as a target radio for re-associating stations (<NUM> - <NUM>) currently associated with at least one other radio among the plurality of radios (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), wherein an underutilized radio is a radio with a current utilization low enough to take on the extra traffic/airtime from the re-associated stations (<NUM> - <NUM>) without resultant congestion, and configured to initiate the re-association with the target radio of the stations (<NUM> - <NUM>) currently associated with the at least one other radio; and
a power backoff circuit (118D) responsive to the association targeting circuit (118B) configured to reduce power to the at least one other radio of the plurality of radios (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>),
wherein the association targeting circuit is further configured to conditionally initiate the re-association with the target radio based on a projection rendered by a utilization projection circuit (118C) that:
a) a resultant utilization metric of the target radio after re-association will not exceed a maximum utilization level,
b) a resultant aggregate airtime metric of the target radio after re-association will not exceed a maximum airtime level, or
c) a resultant aggregate traffic metric of the target radio after re-association will not exceed a maximum traffic level.