Method and apparatus for transmit power control in wireless networks

1. A method, said method comprising:

setting an adjustment timer;

receiving, by a transmitter, a report from at least one associated client, wherein said report includes data indicating received signal strength, client transmit power level, and at least one of link margin and receiver sensitivity;

setting a downlink transmit power level for each of the at least one associated client responsive to said report;

using said downlink transmit power level for data transmissions to each of the at least one associated client;

upon expiration of said adjustment timer, determining a downlink data loss rate using a number of retransmission requests in a time interval set by said adjustment timer;

if said downlink data loss rate is greater than a threshold,

adjusting said downlink transmit power level responsive to said downlink data loss rate for each of the at least one associated client; and

using a data loss measurement window to maintain status of most recent data transmissions for each of the at least one associated client.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising calculating a downlink margin responsive to said receiver sensitivity.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said downlink data loss rate determination further comprises:

transmitting data to each of the at least one associated client; and

recording said status of said data transmission.

4. A method, said method comprising:

setting an adjustment timer;

receiving, by a receiver, a request for a report, wherein said report includes data indicating received signal strength, client transmit power level, and at least one of link margin and receiver sensitivity;

transmitting the requested report;

receiving an instruction to use an uplink transmit power level;

setting said uplink transmit power level;

using said uplink transmit power level;

upon expiration of said adjustment timer, determining an uplink data loss rate in a time interval set by said adjustment timer;

comparing said uplink data loss rate to a threshold;

if said uplink data loss rate is greater than said threshold,

adjusting said uplink transmit power level responsive to said uplink data loss rate; and

using a data loss measurement window to maintain status of most recent data transmissions.

5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising;

measuring received signal strength; and

determining one of said link margin and receiver sensitivity.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said uplink data loss rate determination further comprises:

transmitting data to an access point; and

recording said status of said data transmission.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

an adjustment timer;

means for receiving, by a transmitter, a report from at least one associated client, wherein said report includes data indicating received signal strength, client transmit power level, and at least one of link margin and receiver sensitivity;

means for setting a downlink transmit power level for each of the at least one associated client responsive to said report;

using said downlink transmit power level for data transmissions to each of the at least one associated client;

means for determining a downlink data loss rate using a number of retransmission requests in a time interval set by said adjustment timer upon expiration of said adjustment timer;

means for adjusting said downlink transmit power level responsive to said downlink data loss rate for each of the at least one associated client if said downlink data loss rate is greater than a threshold; and

means for using a data loss measurement window to maintain status of most recent data transmissions for each of the at least one associated client.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising means for calculating a downlink margin responsive to said receiver sensitivity.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein said downlink data loss rate determination means further comprises:

means for transmitting data to said associated client; and

means for recording said status of said data transmission.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

an adjustment timer;

means for receiving a request for a report, wherein said report includes data indicating received signal strength, client transmit power level, and at least one of link margin and receiver sensitivity;

means for transmitting said report;

means for receiving an instruction to use an uplink transmit power level;

means for setting said uplink transmit power level;

means for using said uplink transmit power level;

means for determining an uplink data loss rate in a time interval set by said adjustment timer upon expiration of said adjustment timer;

means for comparing said uplink data loss rate to a threshold;

means for adjusting said uplink transmit power level responsive to said comparison; and

means for using a data loss measurement window to maintain status of most recent data transmissions.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising;

means for measuring received signal strength; and

means for determining one of said link margin and receiver sensitivity.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein said uplink data loss rate determination means further comprises:

means for transmitting data to an access point; and

means for recording said status of said data transmission.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

an interface for receiving a report from at least one associated client, wherein said report includes data indicating received signal strength, client transmit power level, and at least one of link margin and receiver sensitivity; and

a processing unit, said processing unit

setting a adjustment timer;

setting a downlink transmit power level for each of the at least one associated client responsive to said report;

using said downlink transmit power level for data transmissions to each of the at least one associated client;

upon expiration of said adjustment timer determining a downlink data loss rate using a number of retransmission requests in a time interval set by said adjustment timer;

if said downlink data loss rate is greater than a threshold,

adjusting said downlink transmit power level responsive to said downlink data loss rate for each of the at least one associated client; and

using a data loss measurement window to maintain status of most recent data transmissions for each of the at least one associated client.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein said processing unit further calculates a downlink margin responsive to said receiver sensitivity.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising a memory and said processing unit determines said downlink data loss rate by

transmitting data to each of the at least one associated client; and

recording said status of said data transmission in said memory.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a transmitter/receiver for receiving a request for a report from an access point and transmitting the report, wherein said report includes data indicating received signal strength, client transmit power level, and at least one of link margin and receiver sensitivity; and

a media access control processor, wherein said media access control processor

sets a adjustment timer;

receives an instruction to use an uplink transmit power level;

sets said uplink transmit power level;

uses said uplink transmit power level;

upon expiration of said adjustment timer determines an uplink data loss rate in a time interval set by said adjustment timer;

compares said uplink data loss rate to a threshold;

adjusts said uplink transmit power level responsive to said comparison; and

uses a data loss measurement window to maintain status of most recent data transmissions.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein said media access control processor further

measures received signal strength; and

determines one of said link margin and receiver sensitivity.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein said transmitter/receiver further transmits data to an access point; and

said media access control processor records said status of said data transmission.