Method and corresponding system for load balancing

Abstract

Method and corresponding system for load balancing based on using direction of arrival to allocate the same channel to nearby stations to ensure that most stations using the same channel are hearing one another, and by that, reducing the amount of collisions.

1 . A method for load-balancing wireless stations comprising: 
 (a) determining direction of arrival of signals received by an access-point,    (b) creating an information table, whereby said information table holds information about said stations, and    (c) allocating the same channel to closely located stations by using the directional information,    whereby, by allocating the same channel to closely located stations, said stations receive one another, and thus, the amount of collisions is reduced.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said load-balancing comprises at least one of the following: changing an RF parameter, moving at least one of said stations from one channel to another channel, moving at least one of said stations from one access-point to another access-point, moving at least one of said stations to another access-point on the same channel, or not accepting at least one of said stations if the station does not match a predefined criterion.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining said direction of arrival of signals received by said access-point further comprises obtaining the location of the station which transmitted the received signals.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining said direction of arrival of signals received by said access-point further comprises determining the distance of the station the which transmitted the received signals.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of creating said information table comprises: 
 (a) receiving transmissions from predefined stations in a predefined area, and    (b) extracting the distance and the direction of the received stations.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of creating said information table comprises receiving location information from the station itself.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising updating said information table when a predefined parameter changes.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said allocating further comprises using said direction of arrival.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising detecting a moving station and load-balancing said moving station before a predefined performance degradation occurs.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said detecting of said moving station is based on said determining of said direction of arrival.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless network uses an IEEE 802.11 type of protocol.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising transmitting a directional Clear To Send signal, whereby said Clear To Send signal enables overcoming a hidden station problem.  
     
     
         13 . A method for load-balancing wireless stations comprising: 
 (a) determining the number of retransmissions of at least one of said stations, and    (b) load-balancing at least one of said stations according to said number of retransmissions.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising determining RSSI as received by another access-point, and load-balancing at least one of said stations according to said number of retransmissions and said RSSI.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising determining DOA as received by another access-point, and load-balancing at least one of said stations according to said number of retransmissions and said DOA.  
     
     
         16 . A wireless network comprising: 
 (a) at least one station,    (b) at least two simultaneously-operated channels, and    (c) at least one access-point which is able to cause said station to move between said channels and to determine a direction of arrival of received signals.    
     
     
         17 . The wireless network of  claim 16 , wherein said access-point is able to determine the distance of said station from said access-point.  
     
     
         18 . The wireless network of  claim 16 , wherein said access-point comprises a smart antenna, whereby using said smart antenna reduces the hidden stations phenomena.  
     
     
         19 . A method for load-balancing wireless stations comprising: 
 (a) distributing said stations between at least two channels according to a predefined parameter,    (b) measuring the performance of at least one predefined station,    (c) as long as at least one of the predefined stations does not have a predefined level of performance on a specific channel, load-balancing at least one station communicating on said specific channel,    Whereby said method ensures a predefined performance level for at least one of the stations for which the performance is measured.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of load-balancing said station communicating on said specific channel comprises using said predefined parameter.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said predefined parameter comprises RSSI.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said predefined parameter comprises direction of arrival.