WLAN data rate adaption method

Abstract

A method of communication between a transmitter and a receiver over a channel is provided. The transmitter is capable of transmitting packets with multiple data rates, each of which adapts to a respective channel condition with regards to the performance of the communication. The method comprises the steps of at the level of the transmitter: upon detection of a disappearance of deterioration of the channel condition, transmitting packets with a data rate selected from a group of stable data rates that are stably used before the disappearance of the deterioration but larger than the last data rate before disappearance of the deterioration.

The invention claimed is:  
     
       1. A method of communication between a transmitter and a receiver over a channel, the transmitter being configured to transmit packets with multiple data rates, each of which adapts to a respective channel condition with regards to a performance of the communication, the method comprising, at a level of the transmitter:
 detecting a termination of a data transmission interference; 
 identifying a plurality of stable data rates that were in use prior to the data transmission interference, each stable data rate allowing a number of packets greater than or equal to a threshold to be transmitted continuously; 
 selecting a maximum stable data rate from the plurality of stable data rates that were in use prior to the data transmission interference; and 
 setting a current transmission rate of the transmitter to be equal to the maximum stable data rate selected from the plurality of stable data rates that were in use prior to the data transmission interference. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising recording the plurality of stable data rates in a table before the data transmission interference terminates. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein detecting the termination of the data transmission interference is based at least partially on a packet loss rate of a transmission and/or a strength and SNR of signals received by the receiver. 
     
     
       4. A transmitter configured to transmit packets with multiple data rates to a receiver, each data rate corresponding to a respective channel condition with regards to a performance of a WLAN, the transmitter being further configured to:
 detect a termination of a data transmission interference; 
 identify a plurality of stable data rates that were in use prior to the data transmission interference, each stable data rate allowing a number of packets greater than or equal to a threshold to be transmitted continuously; 
 select a maximum stable data rate from the plurality of stable data rates that were in use prior to the data transmission interference; and 
 set a current transmission rate of the transmitter to be equal to the maximum stable data rate selected from the plurality of stable data rates that were in use prior to the data transmission interference. 
 
     
     
       5. The transmitter according to  claim 4 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to record the plurality of stable data rates before the data transmission interference terminates. 
     
     
       6. The transmitter according to  claim 4 , wherein the transmitter is a wireless access point and the receiver is a wireless station. 
     
     
       7. A method comprising:
 detecting a deterioration of a wireless channel used to transmit data to a remote receiver; 
 identifying whether a number of continuous packets are transmitted to the remote receiver over the wireless channel without retry to identify whether the wireless channel has recovered; 
 identifying a stable data rate used to transmit data to the remote receiver over the wireless channel before the deterioration, when the number of continuous packets are transmitted without retry, the stable data rate allowing a number of packets that is greater than or equal to a threshold to be continuously transmitted to the remote receiver; and 
 setting a current transmission rate to be equal to the stable data rate that was used to transmit data to the remote receiver over the wireless channel before the deterioration. 
 
     
     
       8. A transmitter comprising:
 a memory; and 
 at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
 detect a deterioration of a wireless channel used to transmit data to a remote receiver; 
 identify whether a number of continuous packets are transmitted to the remote receiver over the wireless channel without retry to identify whether the wireless channel has recovered; 
 identify a stable data rate used to transmit data to the remote receiver over the wireless channel before the deterioration, when the number of continuous packets are transmitted without retry, the stable data rate allowing a number of packets greater than or equal to a threshold to be transmitted continuously to the remote receiver; and 
 
 set a current transmission rate to be equal to the stable data rate that was used to transmit data to the remote receiver over the wireless channel before the deterioration. 
 
     
     
       9. The transmitter according to  claim 8 , wherein the transmitter is a wireless access point. 
     
     
       10. The transmitter according to  claim 9 , wherein a plurality of stable data rates are recorded before the detection of the deterioration. 
     
     
       11. The transmitter according to  claim 9 , wherein detection of the deterioration is based at least partially on a packet loss rate of a transmission and/or a strength and SNR of signals received by the receiver.