Determining transmission rates when transmitting parallel data streams from a wireless station of a wireless network

Abstract

A wireless station (STA) of a wireless network transmits parallel data streams. The STA maintains transmission profiles, each corresponding to a respective data stream of parallel data streams. A transmission profile contains a set of rules or parameters, which are used for determining various characteristics in relation to transmission of packets in the corresponding data stream. The STA queues packets of each data stream in a corresponding queue. The STA selects a packet from a queue, and determines a transmission rate for the selected packet according to a transmission profile of the queue. The STA transmits the packet at the determined transmission rate. In an embodiment, the wireless network corresponds to an IEEE 802.11 network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of transmitting parallel data streams from a wireless station (STA) of a wireless network, said method being implemented in said STA, said method comprising:
 maintaining a plurality of transmission profiles, each transmission profile in the plurality of transmission profiles corresponding to a respective data stream of said parallel data streams;   queueing packets of each data stream in a corresponding queue;   selecting a first packet from a queue;   determining a transmission rate for said first packet according to a transmission profile of said queue; and   transmitting the packet at the determined transmission rate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first queue contains a first sequence of packets of a first data stream received in a first order, wherein a second queue contains a second sequence of packets of a second data stream received in a second order,
 wherein all of said first sequence of packets and said second sequence of packets are together transmitted in a transmission order, wherein a first packet of said first sequence of packets is transmitted immediately after a second packet of said second sequence of packets in said transmission order,   wherein said determining determines that said first packet is to be transmitted at a first transmission rate based on a first profile associated with said first data stream, and that said second packet is to be transmitted at a second transmission rate based on a second profile associated with said second data stream,   wherein said first packet is transmitted at said first data rate and said second packet is transmitted at said second data rate.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said first profile is a low power profile and said second profile is a high throughput profile. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a first application executing in said STA generates said first sequence of packets and a second application executing in said STA generates said second sequence of packets. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said first sequence of packets represents measurement data from a sensor, and said second sequence of packets represents video data. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein an initial transmission rate corresponding to said low power profile is selected based on a strength of a wireless signal received at said STA, wherein an initial transmission rate corresponding to said high throughput profile is a predetermined minimum required rate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein in the event of an unsuccessful transmission, a first lower transmission rate is set as the new transmission rate for said low power profile if said first lower transmission rate is successful,
 wherein in the event of an unsuccessful transmission, a second lower transmission rate is set as the new transmission rate for said high throughput profile only if said first lower transmission rate is successful and is greater than said predetermined minimum required rate, wherein if said second lower transmission rate is lower than said predetermined minimum required rate, then said predetermined minimum required rate is set as the new transmission rate.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein for packets of said low power profile, a higher transmission rate than a current transmission rate is attempted after a first number of successful transmissions at said current transmission rate,
 wherein for packets of said high throughput profile, a higher transmission rate than a current transmission rate is attempted after a second number of successful transmissions at said current transmission rate, wherein said second number is greater than said first number.   
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory machine readable medium storing one or more sequences of instructions for enabling a wireless station (STA) of a wireless network to transmit parallel data streams, wherein execution of said one or more instructions by one or more processors contained in said STA enables said STA to perform the actions of:
 maintaining a plurality of transmission profiles, each transmission profile in the plurality of transmission profiles corresponding to a respective data stream of said parallel data streams;   queuing packets of each data stream in a corresponding queue;   selecting a first packet from a queue;   determining a transmission rate for said first packet according to a transmission profile of said queue; and   transmitting the packet at the determined transmission rate.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein a first queue contains a first sequence of packets of a first data stream received in a first order, wherein a second queue contains a second sequence of packets of a second data stream received in a second order,
 wherein all of said first sequence of packets and said second sequence of packets are together transmitted in a transmission order, wherein a first packet of said first sequence of packets is transmitted immediately after a second packet of said second sequence of packets in said transmission order, wherein said determining determines that said first packet is to be transmitted at a first transmission rate based on a first profile associated with said first data stream, and that said second packet is to be transmitted at a second transmission rate based on a second profile associated with said second data stream, wherein said first packet is transmitted at said first data rate and said second packet is transmitted at said second data rate.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein said first profile is a low power profile and said second profile is a high throughput profile. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein a first application executing in said STA generates said first sequence of packets and a second application executing in said STA generates said second sequence of packets. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein said first sequence of packets represents measurement data from a sensor, and said second sequence of packets represents video data. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein an initial transmission rate corresponding to said low power profile is selected based on a strength of a wireless signal received at said STA, wherein an initial transmission rate corresponding to said high throughput profile is a predetermined minimum required rate. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein in the event of an unsuccessful transmission, a first lower transmission rate is set as the new transmission rate for said low power profile if said first lower transmission rate is successful,
 wherein in the event of an unsuccessful transmission, a second lower transmission rate is set as the new transmission rate for said high throughput profile only if said first lower transmission rate is successful and is greater than said predetermined minimum required rate, wherein if said second lower transmission rate is lower than said predetermined minimum required rate, then said predetermined minimum required rate is set as the new transmission rate.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein for packets of said low power profile, a higher transmission rate than a current transmission rate is attempted after a first number of successful transmissions at said current transmission rate,
 wherein for packets of said high throughput profile, a higher transmission rate than a current transmission rate is attempted after a second number of successful transmissions at said current transmission rate, wherein said second number is greater than said first number.   
     
     
         17 . A wireless station (STA) of a wireless network, said STA comprising: a processing block, a memory, and a transmitter circuit, said memory to store instructions which when retrieved and executed by said processing block causes said STA to perform the actions of:
 maintaining a plurality of transmission profiles, each transmission profile in the plurality of transmission profiles corresponding to a respective data stream of said parallel data streams;   queuing packets of each data stream in a corresponding queue;   selecting a first packet from a queue;   determining a transmission rate for said first packet according to a transmission profile of said queue; and   transmitting, using said transmitter circuit, the packet at the determined transmission rate.   
     
     
         18 . The STA of  claim 17 , wherein a first queue contains a first sequence of packets of a first data stream received in a first order, wherein a second queue contains a second sequence of packets of a second data stream received in a second order,
 wherein all of said first sequence of packets and said second sequence of packets are together transmitted in a transmission order, wherein a first packet of said first sequence of packets is transmitted immediately after a second packet of said second sequence of packets in said transmission order,   wherein said determining determines that said first packet is to be transmitted at a first transmission rate based on a first profile associated with said first data stream, and that said second packet is to be transmitted at a second transmission rate based on a second profile associated with said second data stream,   wherein said first packet is transmitted at said first data rate and said second packet is transmitted at said second data rate.   
     
     
         19 . The STA of  claim 18 , wherein said first profile is a low power profile and said second profile is a high throughput profile. 
     
     
         20 . The STA of  claim 19 , wherein a first application executing in said STA generates said first sequence of packets and a second application executing in said STA generates said second sequence of packets.