IP Library Granted Patent US 10,305,583
Granted Patent B2
US 10,305,583 · App. 15/790,622 · Granted May 28, 2019

Wireless media usage, channel aggregation, and full-duplex communications

Inventors: Hussain Zaheer Syed (Ashburn, VA); Muhib Taiye Oduwaiye (Germantown, MD); Sunmeel Meelind Bhumkar (Rockville, MD)
Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC
H04B7/212H04W72/042H04W72/02H04W72/0413H04W74/0808
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,305,583
App. No.
15/790,622
Granted
May 28, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wireless network includes a channel allocation manager and multiple wireless access points. The wireless channel allocation manager receives a request from a first wireless access point amongst multiple wireless access points for allocation of a wireless channel. In response to receiving the request for allocation of a wireless channel, the channel allocation manager selects a particular wireless channel for allocation to the first wireless access point in the network environment. The channel allocation manager notifies the multiple wireless access points of a particular wireless channel that has been allocated for use by the first wireless access point (or its subordinates) in a specified timeframe. The first wireless access point either uses the allocated channel to communicate data downstream to a respective mobile communication device or notifies the mobile communication device that the particular wireless channel has been allocated to communicate upstream to the first wireless access point.

Claims (57)

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a first wireless access point for allocation of a wireless channel in a network environment, the first wireless access point being one of multiple wireless access points in a wireless network sharing use of multiple wireless channels;

in response to the request, selecting a first wireless channel amongst the multiple wireless channels for allocation in the wireless network, the first wireless channel being supplemental with respect to a second wireless channel allocated to support communications between the first wireless access point and a mobile communication device, the first wireless channel and the second wireless channel allocated for simultaneous use between the first wireless access point and the mobile communication device; and

communicating a notification to the first wireless access point, the notification indicating that the first wireless channel has been allocated for use in a specified timeframe;

the method further comprising: subsequent to the first wireless access point transmitting data over the first wireless channel in the specified timeframe in accordance with a TDMA protocol, submitting the first wireless channel to a pool in which the first wireless channel is acquirable for use in the network environment via CSMA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access) communications.

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring usage of the multiple wireless channels in the wireless network prior to allocation of the first wireless channel to the first wireless access point;

producing report information indicating predicted interference associated with the multiple wireless channels; and

distributing the report information to the multiple wireless access points in the wireless network, each of the multiple wireless access points in communication with at least one mobile communication device;

receiving ratification of the report information; and

utilizing the ratified report information to select the first wireless channel for allocation to the first wireless access point.

3. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the first wireless access point simultaneously utilizes the first wireless channel and the second wireless channel during the time slot as specified by the notification to support full-duplex communications between the first wireless access point and the mobile communication device in the wireless network.

4. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the first wireless access point simultaneously communicates first data over the first wireless channel to the mobile communication device when the mobile communication device communicates second data over the second wireless channel to the first wireless access point in the specified timeframe.

5. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the request received from the first wireless access point indicates the specified timeframe.

6. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

communicating a message to a second wireless access point indicating that the first wireless channel is unavailable for use in the specified timeframe.

7. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the first wireless channel is allocated to support first communications from the mobile communication device to the first wireless access point; and

wherein the second wireless channel is allocated to support second communications from the first wireless access point to the mobile communication device.

8. The method as in claim 7 , wherein the first wireless channel is allocated in accordance with TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access); and

wherein the second wireless channel is allocated in accordance with CSMA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access).

9. The method as in claim 8 , wherein the first wireless channel and the second wireless channel support full-duplex communications.

10. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the first wireless channel is allocated in accordance with TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) from a controller in communication with the first wireless access point; and

wherein the first wireless access point is operable to monitor availability of the second wireless channel in accordance with CSMA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access) to obtain use of the second wireless channel.

11. A system comprising:

a controller;

multiple wireless access points including a first wireless access point and a second wireless access point; and

the controller operable to:

receive a request from the first wireless access point for allocation of a wireless channel in a network environment, the multiple wireless access points sharing use of multiple wireless channels;

select a first wireless channel amongst the multiple wireless channels for allocation, the first wireless channel being a supplemental channel with respect to a second wireless channel already allocated to support communications between the first wireless access point and a mobile communication device; and

communicate a notification to the first wireless access point, the notification indicating that the first wireless channel has been allocated for use in a specified timeframe; and

wherein the controller is further operable to:

subsequent to the first wireless access point transmitting data over the first wireless channel in the specified timeframe in accordance with a TDMA protocol, submit the first wireless channel to a pool in which the first wireless channel is acquirable in the network environment via CSMA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access) communications.

12. The system as in claim 11 , wherein the controller is further operable to:

monitor usage of the multiple wireless channels in the wireless network prior to allocation of the first wireless channel to the first wireless access point;

produce report information indicating predicted interference associated with the multiple wireless channels;

distribute the report information to the multiple wireless access points in the wireless network, each of the multiple wireless access points in communication with at least one mobile communication device;

receive ratification of the report information; and

utilize the ratified report information to select the first wireless channel for allocation to the first wireless access point.

13. The system as in claim 11 , wherein the first wireless access point is operable to utilize the first wireless channel in combination with a second wireless channel during the time slot as specified by the notification to support full-duplex communications between the first wireless access point and a respective mobile communication device in the wireless network.

14. The system as in claim 11 , wherein the first wireless access point simultaneously communicates first data over the first wireless channel to the mobile communication device when the mobile communication device communicates second data over the second wireless channel to the first wireless access point in the specified timeframe.

15. The system as in claim 11 , wherein the request received from the first wireless access point indicates the specified timeframe.

16. The system as in claim 11 , wherein the controller is further operable to:

communicate a message to a second wireless access point indicating that the first wireless channel is unavailable for use in the specified timeframe.

17. A method comprising:

monitoring usage of wireless channels in a wireless network;

producing report information indicating usage of the wireless channels;

distributing the report information to multiple wireless access points in the network environment, each of the wireless access points in communication with at least one mobile communication device;

receiving feedback from the multiple wireless access points to update an accuracy of the report information;

receiving a request from a first wireless access point, the request requesting allocation of a first wireless channel and timeframe in which to transmit over the wireless network;

allocating the first wireless channel for use by the first wireless access point to communicate with a corresponding mobile communication device in the timeframe, the first wireless channel being a supplemental channel with respect to a second wireless channel, the first wireless channel and the second wireless channel simultaneously allocated to support communications between the first wireless access point and the corresponding mobile communication device;

transmitting a notification to the multiple wireless access points, the notification indicating that the first wireless channel has been allocated for use by the first wireless access point during the timeframe; and

subsequent to the first wireless access point using the first wireless channel for non-CSMA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access) communications, re-allocating the first wireless channel to another wireless access point after the timeframe.

18. Computer-readable storage hardware having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when carried out by computer processor hardware, cause the computer processor hardware to:

receive a request from a first wireless access point for allocation of a wireless channel in a network environment, the first wireless access point being one of multiple wireless access points in a wireless network sharing use of multiple wireless channels;

select a first wireless channel amongst the multiple wireless channels for allocation, the first wireless channel being a supplemental channel with respect to a second wireless channel currently allocated to support communications between the first wireless access point and a mobile communication device;

notify the first wireless access point that the first wireless channel has been allocated for use in a specified timeframe; and

subsequent to the first wireless access point transmitting data over the first wireless channel in the specified timeframe in accordance with a TDMA protocol, submitting the first wireless channel to a pool in which the first wireless channel is acquirable for use in the network environment via CSMA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access) communications.

Assignments (7)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 4, 2019
From: CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS OPERATING, LLC; TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES, LLC; BRIGHT HOUSE NETWORKS, LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 051287/0087 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 4, 2019
From: TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES, LLC; CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS OPERATING, LLC; BRIGHT HOUSE NETWORKS, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 051287/0057 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2018
From: BHUMKAR, SUNMEEL MEELIND
To: NEXIUS INSIGHT INC
Reel/Frame 046858/0094 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Sep 12, 2018
From: TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLC
To: TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLC
Reel/Frame 047525/0156 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2018
From: NEXIUS INSIGHT INC
To: TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLC
Reel/Frame 046858/0098 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2018
From: SYED, HUSSAIN ZAHEER; ODUWAIYE, MUHIB TAIYE
To: TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLC
Reel/Frame 046858/0076 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 25, 2018
From: BRIGHT HOUSE NETWORKS, LLC; CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS OPERATING, LLC; TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLC; TIME WARNER CABLE INTERNET LLC
To: WELLS FARGO TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 046630/0193 →
Continuity (2)
Division 14574498 · Dec 18, 2014
Related Publication 20180048383A1 · Feb 15, 2018