Cisco Technology, Inc.

Ender Ayanoglu

Ozgur Gurbuz

Bretton Lee Douglas

David J Pignatelli

David Sheldon Stephenson

Robert Charles Meier

Brian Donald Hart

Alon Shlomo Bernstein

Arun G Khanna

Philip J Ryan

Ramesh Radhakrishnan

Kushal A Patel

Milind Paranjpe

Uri Parker

Cindy Chan

An apparatus and method for operating a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO)-capable subscriber node are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a MIMO-capable physical layer transceiver and a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer block that measures a received transmission to determine channel conditions. Upon receiving a transmission wherein said channel conditions meet specified conditions, the MAC layer block transmits a message to an access point indicating that the apparatus wants to switch between a non-MIMO mode and a MIMO mode, and upon receiving an acknowledgement, the MAC layer block switches between the non-MIMO mode and the MIMO mode. An apparatus for operating an access node is also disclosed.

Media access control for MIMO wireless network

Systems and methods for improving throughput in point-to-point wireless communication links are provided. In one particular implementation, a media access control (MAC) layer of the IEEE 802.11 standard is enhanced for use in point-to-point links to take advantage of the limited number of nodes participating in the link. In one embodiment, a master/slave type protocol provides contention free operation between two wireless nodes. Multiple priority levels and voice traffic may be accommodated with guaranteed Quality of Service.

Point-to-point MAC protocol for high speed wireless bridging

An apparatus and method for operating a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO)-capable subscriber node are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a MIMO-capable physical layer transceiver and a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer block that measures a received transmission to determine channel conditions. Upon receiving a transmission wherein said channel conditions meet specified conditions, the MAC layer block requests an access point for permission to switch between a non-MIMO mode and a MIMO mode, and upon receiving permission, the MAC layer block switches between the non-MIMO mode and the MIMO mode. An apparatus for operating an access node is also disclosed.

A method, apparatus, and carrier medium for determining channel state information (CSI) in an OFDM radio receiver. The receiver is for receiving packets of OFDM data as a result of OFDM data being transmitted. The method includes forming an estimate of the channels of the subcarriers for received OFDM data to provide frequency responses of the channels of the subcarriers, and forming a measure of quality ('channel state information,' 'CSI') for the channels of the subcarriers based on the relative strength of the frequency responses. The forming of the CSI does not require estimating the relative amount of noise or interference in each channel. The formed CSI is used in demodulating and decoding received OFDM data.

Decoding method and apparatus using channel state information for use in a wireless network receiver

The MAC layer of a wireless communication standard is modified to facilitate MIMO (multiple input multiple output) processing and thereby increase capacity and/or spectral efficiency. In one implementation, the IEEE 802.11a standard is modified in this way. A contention free period (CFP) is divided between MIMO communications and non-MIMO communications. An access point may maintain a list of nodes operating in MIMO mode and nodes operating in non-MIMO mode.

Systems and methods for retransmitting unsuccessfully transmitted data across a communication link. The retransmission mechanism may be applied to point to multipoint networks including wireless networks. Each packet is encapsulated in an ARQ frame and assigned a sequence number for the purpose of coordinating acknowledgments and retransmissions. Information as to which packets require retransmission is communicated in the form of a bitmap where each bit indicates an acknowledgment status for a given packet. Any missing packets in the received sequence are assumed to require retransmission.

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Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Ender Ayanoglu