Patent ID: 8144613

Claim:
A method for a node achieving quality of service in a wireless local area network (WLAN) via meeting communication channel performance criteria for the WLAN, the method comprising: obtaining the communication channel performance criteria for the WLAN, the communication channel performance criteria including a minimum signal-to-noise plus interference ratio (SNIR) for receiving data via the communication channel and a proportional fairness limit for nodes coupled to the WLAN to use the communication channel; adapting a carrier sense threshold for the node responsive to initiation of a first timing interval, adapting the carrier sense threshold to include: measuring a received signal strength from one or more neighboring nodes coupled to the WLAN; determining a SNIR for the node to receive data via the communication channel based on the received signal strength and comparing the determined SNIR with the minimum SNIR; exchanging with the one or more neighboring nodes information associated with comparing the determined SNIR with the minimum SNIR, the exchanged information including an indication from the one or more neighboring nodes that co-use of the communication channel by the node causes the one or more neighboring nodes to fail to meet the minimum SNIR for receiving data via the co-used communication channel; and adjusting a value for the carrier sense threshold based on the exchanged information; and adapting a minimum contention window responsive to initiation of a second time interval, wherein adapting the minimum contention window includes adapting the minimum contention window based on the proportional fairness limit for nodes coupled to the WLAN to use the communication channel.