TRANSMISSION CONTROL PROTOCOL/INTERNET PROTOCOL (TCP/IP) PACKET-CENTRIC WIRELESS POINT TO MULTI-POINT (PtMP) TRANSMISSION SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

Abstract

A packet-centric wireless point to multi-point telecommunications system includes: a wireless base station communicating via a packet-centric protocol to a first data network; one or more host workstations communicating via the packet-centric protocol to the first data network; one or more subscriber customer premise equipment (CPE) stations coupled with the wireless base station over a shared bandwidth via the packet-centric protocol over a wireless medium; and one or more subscriber workstations coupled via the packet-centric protocol to each of the subscriber CPE stations over a second network. The packet-centric protocol can be transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP). The packet-centric protocol can be a user datagram protocol/internet protocol (UDP/IP). The system can include a resource allocation means for allocating shared bandwidth among the subscriber CPE stations. The resource allocation is performed to optimize end-user quality of service (QoS). The wireless communication medium can include at least one of: a radio frequency (RF) communications medium; a cable communications medium; and a satellite communications medium. The wireless communication medium can further include a telecommunications access method including at least one of: a time division multiple access (TDMA) access method; a time division multiple access/time division duplex (TDMA/TDD) access method; a code division multiple access (CDMA) access method; and a frequency division multiple access (FDMA) access method. The first data network includes at least one of: a wireline network; a wireless network; a local area network (LAN); and a wide area network (WAN). The second network includes at least one of: a wireline network; a wireless network; a local area network (LAN); and a wide area network (WAN).

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A method for managing an internet protocol (IP) stack, comprising:
 monitoring an application layer of the IP stack to detect quality of service (QoS) requirements for IP streams; and   assigning a packet to a queue of a plurality of queues at a MAC layer of the IP stack responsive to the detected QoS requirements for an IP stream that includes the packet, wherein the plurality of queues have assigned priorities that are used to control transmission of the queued packets on a network.   
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 10  wherein the monitoring comprises reading header data from the packet, wherein the header data is inserted by an application that sources the IP stream. 
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 11  wherein the packet comprises additional header data inserted at one or more intermediate layers of the IP stack between the application layer and the MAC layer. 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 10  further comprising modifying packet attributes of the packet responsive to the detected QoS requirements. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 10  wherein the network is wireless. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 monitoring an application layer of an internet protocol (IP) stack to detect quality of service (QoS) requirements for IP streams; and   controlling packet assignments to a plurality of queues at a MAC layer of the IP stack responsive to the detected QoS requirements for an IP stream that includes the packet, wherein the plurality of queues have assigned priorities that are used to control transmission of the queued packets on a network.   
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 15  wherein the monitoring comprises reading header data from the packet, wherein the header data is inserted by an application that sources the IP stream. 
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 16  wherein the packet comprises additional header data inserted at one or more intermediate layers of the IP stack between the application layer and the MAC layer. 
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 15  further comprising modifying packet attributes of the packet responsive to the detected QoS requirements. 
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 15  wherein the network is wireless. 
     
     
         20 . A computer accessible storage medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed:
 monitor an application layer of an internet protocol (IP) stack to detect quality of service (QoS) requirements for IP streams; and   control packet assignments to a plurality of queues at a MAC layer of the IP stack responsive to the detected QoS requirements for an IP stream that includes the packet, wherein the plurality of queues have assigned priorities that are used to control transmission of the queued packets on a network.   
     
     
         21 . The computer accessible storage medium as recited in  claim 20  wherein the plurality of instructions that monitor comprise instructions that read header data from the packet, wherein the header data is inserted by an application that sources the IP stream. 
     
     
         22 . The computer accessible storage medium as recited in  claim 21  wherein the packet comprises additional header data inserted at one or more intermediate layers of the IP stack between the application layer and the MAC layer. 
     
     
         23 . The computer accessible storage medium as recited in  claim 20  further comprising modifying packet attributes of the packet responsive to the detected QoS requirements. 
     
     
         24 . The computer accessible storage medium as recited in  claim 20  wherein the network is wireless. 
     
     
         25 . A wireless device configured to implement an internet protocol (IP) stack, wherein the wireless device is configured to monitoring an application layer of the IP stack to detect quality of service (QoS) requirements for IP streams, and wherein the wireless device is further configured to assign a packet to a queue of a plurality of queues at a MAC layer of the IP stack responsive to the detected QoS requirements for an IP stream that includes the packet, wherein the plurality of queues have assigned priorities that are used to control transmission of the queued packets on a network. 
     
     
         26 . The wireless device as recited in  claim 25  wherein the wireless device is configured to monitor by reading header data from the packet, wherein the header data is inserted by an application that sources the IP stream. 
     
     
         27 . The wireless device as recited in  claim 26  wherein the packet comprises additional header data inserted at one or more intermediate layers of the IP stack between the application layer and the MAC layer. 
     
     
         28 . The wireless device as recited in  claim 25  further configured to modify packet attributes of the packet responsive to the detected QoS requirements. 
     
     
         29 . The wireless device as recited in  claim 25  wherein the network is wireless. 
     
     
         30 . A method comprising:
 monitoring an application layer of an internet protocol (IP) stack to detect quality of service (QoS) requirements for IP streams; and   assigning QoS classes to packets at a MAC layer of the IP stack responsive to the detected QoS requirements.   
     
     
         31 . The method as recited in  claim 30  wherein each of the QoS classes is mapped to a corresponding queue of a plurality of queues. 
     
     
         32 . The method as recited in  claim 31  wherein the plurality of queues are assigned priorities that control transmission of packets in the plurality of queues on a network. 
     
     
         33 . The method as recited in  claim 30  wherein the monitoring comprises reading header data from the packet, wherein the header data is inserted by the application. 
     
     
         34 . The method as recited in  claim 30  wherein the packet comprises additional header data inserted at one or more intermediate layers of the IP stack between the application layer and the MAC layer. 
     
     
         35 . A method comprising:
 determining, at an application layer of a protocol stack that also includes a media access control (MAC) layer and one or more intermediate layers between the application layer and the MAC layer, data corresponding to an Internet protocol (IP) stream, wherein the data is indicative of one or more quality of service (QoS) requirements for the IP stream;   communicating the data directly from the application layer to the MAC layer; and   assigning, at the MAC layer, one of a plurality of QoS classes to one or more packets in the IP stream responsive to the data.   
     
     
         36 . The method as recited in  claim 35  further comprising, at the MAC layer, placing the one or more packets into one of a plurality of queues based on the QoS class assigned to those packets, wherein each of the plurality of queues is associated with one of the plurality of QoS classes. 
     
     
         37 . The method as recited in  claim 35  further comprising, at the MAC layer, scheduling the one or more packets to be transmitted on a wireless network, wherein the scheduling is based on the QoS class assigned to the packets. 
     
     
         38 . The method as recited in  claim 35  wherein assigning one of the plurality of QoS classes to the one or more packets comprises:
 extracting packet header data from each of the one or more packets, the packet header data including application layer header data; and   accessing one or more data structures to identify the one of the plurality of QoS classes to be assigned to the one or more packets using the packet header data.   
     
     
         39 . The method as recited in  claim 38  wherein communicating directly from the application to the MAC layer comprises writing the one or more data structures from the application layer. 
     
     
         40 . The method as recited in  claim 35  wherein the assigning comprises:
 assigning a first QoS class of the plurality of QoS classes to the IP stream responsive to the IP stream including real-time data; and   assigning a second QoS class of the plurality of QoS classes to a second IP stream including non-real-time data;   wherein the first QoS class has a higher priority relative to the second QoS class.   
     
     
         41 . The method as recited in  claim 40  wherein the real-time data comprises video data. 
     
     
         42 . The method as recited in  claim 40  wherein the real-time data comprises audio data. 
     
     
         43 . The method as recited in  claim 35  further comprising constructing wireless transmission frames, at the MAC layer, for transmission on a wireless network, wherein the constructing is based on the plurality of QoS classes and packets to which the plurality of QoS classes are assigned. 
     
     
         44 . The method as recited in  claim 43  wherein the constructing comprises scheduling packets including audio or video data isochronously. 
     
     
         45 . The method as recited in  claim 44  wherein the constructing comprises:
 assigning bandwidth at a first priority level to web page data; and   assigning bandwidth at a second priority level lower than the first priority level to other transmitted data.   
     
     
         46 . The method as recited in  claim 35  further comprising:
 detecting a lost packet of the IP stream at the MAC layer; and   retransmitting the lost packet at the MAC layer.   
     
     
         47 . The method as recited in  claim 46  wherein the one or more intermediate layers comprise a transport layer, and wherein the retransmitting is performed without signalling the transport layer. 
     
     
         48 . The method as recited in  claim 46  wherein the one or more intermediate layers comprise a transport layer, and wherein the retransmitting is performed prior to a time at which the transport layer is configured to detect the lost packet. 
     
     
         49 . A method comprising:
 receiving a packet at a media access control (MAC) layer of a protocol stack;   extracting packet header data from the packet at the MAC layer, the packet header data including application layer header data; and   reading one or more data structures responsive to the packet header data to assign the packet to one of a plurality of quality of service (QoS) classes at the MAC layer.   
     
     
         50 . The method as recited in  claim 49  further comprising:
 determining data indicating one or more QoS requirements for an IP stream that includes the packet at a second layer of the protocol stack, wherein at least one additional layer is included in the protocol stack between the second layer and the MAC layer; and   writing the data to the one or more data structures.   
     
     
         51 . In an apparatus implementing at least a portion of a protocol stack that includes a MAC layer, an application layer, and one or more intermediate layers between the MAC layer and application layer, a method comprising:
 receiving, at the MAC layer, a set of data directly from the application layer, bypassing the one or more intermediate layers, wherein the received set of data is indicative of one or more quality of service (QoS) requirements for an Internet Protocol (IP) stream; and   assigning, at the MAC layer, one of a plurality of QoS classes to packets in the IP stream, wherein the assigning is performed based at least in part upon the received set of data.   
     
     
         52 . A method, comprising:
 determining, at the application layer of a network apparatus, a set of data corresponding to an Internet Protocol (IP) stream, wherein the set of data is indicative of one or more quality of service (QoS) requirements for the IP stream;   the network apparatus communicating the set of data directly from the application layer to the MAC layer; and   wherein the communicating causes one of a plurality of QoS classes to be assigned, at the MAC layer, to packets in the IP stream, and wherein the QoS classes are assigned, based at least in part, upon the set of data received from the application layer.   
     
     
         53 . A computer accessible storage medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed:
 determine, at an application layer of a protocol stack that also includes a media access control (MAC) layer and one or more intermediate layers between the application layer and the MAC layer, data corresponding to an Internet protocol (IP) stream, wherein the data is indicative of one or more quality of service (QoS) requirements for the IP stream;   communicate the data directly from the application layer to the MAC layer; and   assign, at the MAC layer, one of a plurality of QoS classes to one or more packets in the IP stream responsive to the data.   
     
     
         54 . The computer accessible storage medium as recited in  claim 53  wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed, at the MAC layer, place the one or more packets into one of a plurality of queues based on the QoS class assigned to those packets, wherein each of the plurality of queues is associated with one of the plurality of QoS classes. 
     
     
         55 . The computer accessible storage medium as recited in  claim 53  wherein the plurality of instructions which, when executed, assign one of the plurality of QoS classes to the one or more packets comprise a plurality of instruction which, when executed:
 extract packet header data from each of the one or more packets, the packet header data including application layer header data; and   access one or more data structures to identify the one of the plurality of QoS classes to be assigned to the one or more packets using the packet header data.   
     
     
         56 . The computer accessible storage medium as recited in  claim 55  wherein the plurality of instructions which, when executed, communicate directly from the application to the MAC layer comprises a plurality of instruction which, when executed, write the one or more data structures from the application layer. 
     
     
         57 . The computer accessible storage medium as recited in  claim 53  wherein plurality of instructions which, when executed, assign comprise a plurality of instructions which, when executed:
 assign a first QoS class of the plurality of QoS classes to the IP stream responsive to the IP stream including real-time data; and   assign a second QoS class of the plurality of QoS classes to a second IP stream including non-real-time data;   wherein the first QoS class has a higher priority relative to the second QoS class.   
     
     
         58 . The computer accessible storage medium as recited in  claim 53  wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed, construct wireless transmission frames, at the MAC layer, for transmission on a wireless network, wherein the constructing is based on the plurality of QoS classes and packets to which the plurality of QoS classes are assigned. 
     
     
         59 . The computer accessible storage medium as recited in  claim 58  wherein the plurality of instructions which construct the wireless transmission frames comprise a plurality of instructions which, when executed, schedule packets including audio or video data isochronously. 
     
     
         60 . The computer accessible storage medium as recited in  claim 59  wherein the plurality of instructions which construct the wireless transmission frames comprise a plurality of instructions which, when executed:
 assign bandwidth at a first priority level to web page data; and   assign bandwidth at a second priority level lower than the first priority level to other transmitted data.   
     
     
         61 . The computer accessible storage medium as recited in  claim 53  wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed:
 detect a lost packet of the IP stream at the MAC layer; and   retransmit the lost packet at the MAC layer.   
     
     
         62 . The computer accessible storage medium as recited in  claim 61  wherein the one or more intermediate layers comprise a transport layer, and wherein the retransmitting is performed without signalling the transport layer. 
     
     
         63 . The computer accessible storage medium as recited in  claim 61  wherein the one or more intermediate layers comprise a transport layer, and wherein the retransmitting is performed prior to a time at which the transport layer is configured to detect the lost packet.