Method and apparatus for intelligent scheduling of network evaluation in wireless LAN networks
An information handling system comprising a wireless interface for transmitting a data frame via a wireless link in a wireless neighborhood having a plurality of wireless base transceiver stations (BTSs), a plurality of antenna systems operating via the wireless interface executing code instructions for a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) media access control protocol employing back-off time periods to avoid packet collision, a radio scanning modem for scanning a plurality of radio channels for the BTSs operating in the wireless neighborhood during a tune out time upon detection of carrier frequency operation by a carrier sense mechanism indicating transmission on the wireless link from another device and ending at a next distributed inter-frame space period of the CSMA protocol, a processor implementing a network evaluation scheduling system for detecting a BTS load for each detected BTS system operating in the wireless neighborhood and determining alternative wireless links with alternative BTSs based on BTS traffic load, and the wireless interface transmitting a data frame upon expiration of a back-off period assigned to the information handling system and detection of no carrier frequency by the carrier sense mechanism.
1. An information handling system comprising:
a wireless interface for transmitting a data frame via a wireless link to a first wireless base transceiver station (BTS) in a wireless neighborhood having a plurality of wireless BTSs within communication range of the wireless interface;
a plurality of antenna systems operating via the wireless interface executing code instructions for a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) media access control protocol employing back-off time periods to avoid packet collision;
the wireless interface detecting carrier frequency operation by a carrier sense mechanism indicating transmission is busy on the wireless link with the first BTS from another device;
a radio scanning modem for scanning a plurality of radio channels for alternative BTSs operating in the wireless neighborhood via the plurality of antenna systems during a tune out time beginning upon the detection of the carrier frequency operation by the carrier sense mechanism indicating transmission is busy on the wireless link from another device and ending at a next distributed inter-frame space period of the CSMA protocol;
a processor implementing a network evaluation scheduling system for detecting alternative BTS key performance indicator (KPI) for each detected, alternative BTS operating in the wireless neighborhood during the tune out time and determining alternative wireless links with the alternative BTSs based on a different KPI; and
the wireless interface transmitting a data frame to the first BTS upon expiration of a back-off period assigned to the information handling system and detection of no carrier frequency by the carrier sense mechanism.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless link operates on a WLAN wireless link protocol and the BTSs are a plurality of WLAN access points (APs) in the wireless neighborhood.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the carrier sense mechanism is a radio listening for wireless signals in the shared frequency band of a wireless network serviced by a BTS.
4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
the radio scanning modem scanning the plurality of radio channels for the alternative BTSs operating in the wireless neighborhood during plural tune out periods for consecutive data frame transmission periods until all alternative BTSs in the wireless neighborhood have been scanned.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the CSMA media access control protocol is a CSMA collision avoidance protocol for use with Wi-Fi network systems managing multiple client access attempts at the first BTS.
6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
the processor executing code instructions of the network evaluation scheduling system to select one alternative BTS in the wireless neighborhood having the different KPI indicating a lower BTS data traffic levels determined from load, throughput, latency, or airtime usage than the wireless link with the first BTS.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the network evaluation scheduling system determines a ranked plurality of the alternative BTS systems and the first BTS system in the wireless neighborhood based on the different KPI indicating BTS data traffic levels determined from load, throughput, latency, or airtime usage.
8. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
wireless interface transmitting a data frame after expiration of the back-off period and upon exchange of a request to send packet and clear to send packets with the first BTS hosting the wireless link.
9. A computer implemented method comprising:
interfacing with a wireless link with a first base transceiver station (BTS) in a wireless neighborhood for transmitting a data frame via a wireless interface, wherein the wireless neighborhood has a plurality of BTSs within communication range of a first antenna system and a second antenna system on an information handling system;
monitoring a current channel of the wireless link with the first BTS using the first antenna system;
executing code instructions for a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) media access control protocol employing back-off time periods to avoid packet collision via the wireless interface;
detecting carrier frequency operation by a carrier sense mechanism indicating transmission is busy on the wireless link with the first BTS from another device;
scanning a plurality of radio channels for alternative BTSs operating in the wireless neighborhood via a radio scanning modem operating on the second antenna system during a second antenna tune out period commencing upon detection of the carrier frequency operation by the carrier sense mechanism indicating transmission is busy on the wireless link with the first BTS from another client device in the wireless neighborhood and ending at a next distributed inter-frame space period of the CSMA protocol;
detecting a BTS key performance indicator (KPI) for each detected, alternative BTS operating in the wireless neighborhood and determining a KPI for alternative wireless links with the alternative BTSs; and
transmitting a data frame to the first BTS upon expiration of a back-off period assigned to the information handling system and detection of no carrier frequency by the carrier sense mechanism operating on the first antenna system and the second antenna system.
10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
scanning the plurality of radio channels for the alternative BTSs operating in the wireless neighborhood via the radio scanning modem operating on the first antenna system during a first antenna tune out period commencing upon detection of carrier frequency operation indicating transmission is busy on the wireless link with the first BTS from another client device in the wireless neighborhood and ending at the next distributed inter-frame space period of the CSMA protocol.
11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
selecting an alternative BTS in the wireless neighborhood where the alternative wireless link KPI indicates a lower BTS data traffic levels determined from load, throughput, latency, or airtime usage than the first wireless link with the first BTS.
12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
directing, via a mixer for the second antenna, the second antenna system to interface with the radio scanning modem for scanning the plurality of radio channels for the alternative BTSs operating in the wireless neighborhood during a second antenna tune out period beginning at commencement of a back-off time period assigned to the information handling system and ending at the next distributed inter-frame space period of the CSMA protocol.
13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
redirecting, via a mixer, the second antenna system to interface with the wireless interface to transmit the data frame to the first BTS upon expiration of the back-off period assigned to the information handling system and detection of no carrier frequency by the carrier sense mechanism.
14. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
scanning the plurality of radio channels for the alternative BTSs operating in the wireless neighborhood via the radio scanning modem during plural second antenna tune out periods for consecutive data frame transmission periods until all alternative BTSs in the wireless neighborhood have been scanned.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the wireless link operates on a WLAN wireless link protocol and the BTSs are a plurality of WLAN access points (APs) in the wireless neighborhood.
16. An information handling system comprising:
a wireless interface for transmitting a data frame via a wireless link with a first base transceiver stations (BTS) in a wireless neighborhood having a plurality of BTSs within communication range of the wireless interface;
a first antenna system and a second antenna system operating via the wireless interface executing code instructions for a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) media access control protocol employing back-off time periods to avoid packet collision;
the wireless interface detecting carrier frequency operation by a carrier sense mechanism indicating transmission is busy on the wireless link with the first BTS from another device;
a mixer directing the second antenna system to interface with a radio scanning modem for scanning a plurality of radio channels for alternative BTSs operating in the wireless neighborhood during a second antenna tune out time commencing at a back-off time period assigned to the information handling system and ending at a next distributed inter-frame space period of the CSMA protocol;
a processor executing code of a network evaluation scheduling system for detecting a BTS key performance indicator (KPI) for each detected, alternative BTS system operating in the wireless neighborhood and determining alternative wireless links with the alternative BTSs; and
the wireless interface transmitting a data frame to the first BTS upon expiration of the back-off period assigned to the information handling system and detection of no carrier frequency by the carrier sense mechanism.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the wireless link operates on a WLAN wireless link protocol and the BTSs are a plurality of WLAN access points (APs) in the wireless neighborhood.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the mixer redirects the second antenna to transmit the data frame to the first BTS upon expiration of the back-off period assigned to the information handling system and detection of no carrier frequency by the carrier sense mechanism.
19. The system of claim 16 further comprising:
a second mixer directing the first antenna system to interface with the radio scanning modem for scanning the plurality of radio channels for the alternative BTSs operating in the wireless neighborhood along with the second of antenna systems upon detection of carrier frequency operation indicating transmission is busy on the wireless link with the first BTS from another device and ending at the next distributed inter-frame space period of the CSMA protocol.
20. The system of claim 16 further comprising:
the processor executing code instructions to select one of the alternative BTSs in the wireless neighborhood with the alternative BTS KPI indicating lower BTS data traffic levels determined from load, throughput, latency, or airtime usage than for the first BTS.