Systems and methods for indicating quality of wireless connection

1 . A wireless device, comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit data to a network via a wireless connection;

an output queue configured to store data that awaits transmission by the transceiver;

indicator logic configured to estimate a quality of the wireless connection based on an amount of time that the data remains in the output queue; and

an indicator configured to provide information regarding the quality of the wireless connection to a user of the wireless device.

2 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the indicator logic includes:

measurement logic configured to:

read a first time at which data is stored in the output queue,

read a second time at which the data is dequeued by the transceiver, and

determine an amount of time that the data remains in the output queue based on a difference between the first and second times.

3 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the indicator logic includes:

a quality estimator configured to:

generate a statistical measure of an amount of time that data remains in the output queue, and

use the statistical measure to estimate the quality of the wireless connection.

4 . The wireless device of claim 3 , wherein the statistical measure is generated for data stored in the output queue over a predetermined period of time.

5 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the indicator includes a visual mechanism that provides a visual indication of the quality of the wireless connection to the user.

6 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the indicator includes an audible mechanism that provides an audible signal relating to the quality of the wireless connection to the user.

7 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the indicator includes a physical mechanism that provides a physical indication relating to the quality of the wireless connection to the user.

8 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the network is the Internet.

9 . A wireless device, comprising:

means for transmitting packets to a network via a wireless link;

means for temporarily storing packets that await transmission on the wireless link;

means for estimating a quality of the wireless link based on an amount of time that the packets are temporarily stored; and

means for providing information regarding the quality of the wireless link to a user of the wireless device.

10 . A method for providing information regarding a wireless connection to a user of a wireless device, the method comprising:

queuing packets that await transmission via the wireless connection;

estimating a quality of the wireless connection based on an amount of time that the packets are queued; and

providing information regarding the quality of the wireless connection to the user of the wireless device.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the estimating a quality of the wireless connection includes:

reading a first time at which a packet is queued,

reading a second time at which the packet is dequeued, and

determining an amount of time that the packet is queued based on a difference between the first and second times.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the estimating a quality of the wireless connection includes:

generating a statistical measure of an amount of time that the packets are queued, and

using the statistical measure to estimate the quality of the wireless connection.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the statistical measure is generated for packets that are queued over a predetermined period of time.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the providing information regarding the quality of the wireless connection includes:

presenting a visual indication of the quality of the wireless connection to the user.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the providing information regarding the quality of the wireless connection includes:

presenting an audible signal relating to the quality of the wireless connection to the user.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the providing information regarding the quality of the wireless connection includes:

presenting a physical indication relating to the quality of the wireless connection to the user.

17 . A system for providing information relating to a current state of a wireless connection used by a wireless device, comprising:

measurement logic configured to:

read a first time at which a packet that awaits transmission via the wireless connection is stored in a queue,

read a second time at which the packet is dequeued from the queue, and

determine an amount of time that the packet remained in the queue based on a difference between the first and second times;

a quality estimator configured to:

generate a statistical measure of the amount of time that a plurality of packets remained in the queue, and

estimate the current state of the wireless connection based on the statistical measure; and

an indicator configured to present information regarding the current state of the wireless connection to a user of the wireless device.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the statistical measure is generated for packets stored in the queue over a predetermined period of time.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the indicator includes a visual mechanism that provides a visual indication of the current state of the wireless connection to the user.

20 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the indicator includes an audible mechanism that provides an audible signal relating to the current state of the wireless connection to the user.

21 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the indicator includes a physical mechanism that provides a physical indication relating to the current state of the wireless connection to the user.

22 . A wireless device, comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit data to a network via a wireless connection;

indicator logic configured to estimate a quality of the wireless connection based on an amount of time that it takes the transceiver to successfully transmit the data; and

an indicator configured to provide information regarding the quality of the wireless connection to a user of the wireless device.

23 . The wireless device of claim 22 , wherein the indicator logic includes:

measurement logic configured to measure a time interval from a time when the transceiver begins to transmit the data until a time when the transceiver receives confirmation of a successful transmission of the data.

24 . The wireless device of claim 22 , wherein the indicator logic includes:

a quality estimator configured to:

generate a statistical measure of an amount of time that it takes the transceiver to successfully transmit data, and

use the statistical measure to estimate the quality of the wireless connection.

25 . The wireless device of claim 24 , wherein the statistical measure is generated for data transmitted over a predetermined period of time.

26 . The wireless device of claim 22 , wherein the indicator includes a visual mechanism that provides a visual indication of the quality of the wireless connection to the user.

27 . The wireless device of claim 22 , wherein the indicator includes an audible mechanism that provides an audible signal relating to the quality of the wireless connection to the user.

28 . The wireless device of claim 22 , wherein the indicator includes a physical mechanism that provides a physical indication relating to the quality of the wireless connection to the user.

29 . The wireless device of claim 22 , wherein the network is the Internet.

30 . A wireless device, comprising:

means for transmitting packets to a network via a wireless link;

means for estimating a quality of the wireless link based on an amount of time that it takes to successfully transmit the packets; and

means for providing information regarding the quality of the wireless link to a user of the wireless device.

31 . A method for providing information regarding a wireless connection to a user of a wireless device, the method comprising:

transmitting packets via the wireless connection;

estimating a quality of the wireless connection based on an amount of time that it takes to successfully transmit the packets; and

providing information regarding the quality of the wireless connection to the user of the wireless device.

32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the estimating a quality of the wireless connection includes:

measuring a time interval from a time when transmission of the packets begins until a time when confirmation of a successful transmission of the packets is received.

33 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the estimating a quality of the wireless connection includes:

generating a statistical measure of an amount of time that it takes to successfully transmit packets, and

using the statistical measure to estimate the quality of the wireless connection.

34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the statistical measure is generated for packets that are transmitted over a predetermined period of time.

35 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the providing information regarding the quality of the wireless connection includes:

presenting a visual indication of the quality of the wireless connection to the user.

36 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the providing information regarding the quality of the wireless connection includes:

presenting an audible signal relating to the quality of the wireless connection to the user.

37 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the providing information regarding the quality of the wireless connection includes:

presenting a physical indication relating to the quality of the wireless connection to the user.

38 . A system for providing information relating to a current state of a wireless connection used by a wireless device, comprising:

measurement logic configured to measure a time interval from a time when transmission of packets begins until a time when confirmation of successful transmission of the packets is received;

a quality estimator configured to:

generate a statistical measure of an amount of time that it takes to successfully transmit the packets, and

estimate the current state of the wireless connection based on the statistical measure; and

an indicator configured to present information regarding the current state of the wireless connection to a user of the wireless device.

39 . The system of claim 38 , wherein the statistical measure is generated for packets transmitted over a predetermined period of time.

40 . The system of claim 38 , wherein the indicator includes a visual mechanism that provides a visual indication of the current state of the wireless connection to the user.

41 . The system of claim 38 , wherein the indicator includes an audible mechanism that provides an audible signal relating to the current state of the wireless connection to the user.

42 . The system of claim 38 , wherein the indicator includes a physical mechanism that provides a physical indication relating to the current state of the wireless connection to the user.

43 . A wireless device, comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit data to a network via a wireless connection;

an output queue configured to store data that awaits transmission by the transceiver;

indicator logic configured to estimate a quality of the wireless connection based on at least one of queuing behavior of the data and transceiver behavior relating to the data; and

an indicator configured to provide information regarding the quality of the wireless connection to a user of the wireless device.

44 . The wireless device of claim 43 , wherein the queuing behavior relates to an amount of time that the data remains in the output queue before being dequeued by the transceiver.

45 . The wireless device of claim 43 , wherein the transceiver behavior relates to an amount of time that it takes for the transceiver to successfully transmit the data.