Wireless subscriber network registration system for configurable services

Abstract

In a wireless telecommunications network, wireless transmissions are carried via an RF medium between users and a central wireless transceiver, or base station processor. A subscriber access unit connected to a user device such as a user PC is employed to transmit wireless messages to and from the base station processor. Multiple, simultaneous wireless transmissions to the base station from different subscriber access units can have a tendency to interfere with each other. Subscriber access units employing an omnidirectional antenna r which are highly mobile will tend to experience more interference than stationary users or subscriber access units employing a directional antenna. The allocation of wireless transmission resources to retransmit wireless messages over a lossy link can have a detrimental effect on wireless resources available for other users. A system which allows a subscriber access unit to register device capabilities with a base station processor to determine the degree to which a particular subscriber access unit may be prone to interference provides computation and adjustment of transmission constraints for each subscriber access unit accordingly to maximize throughput.

1 . A method for managing transmission constraints based on subscriber device capabilities comprising: 
 determining a set of device capabilities corresponding to a transceiver device;    registering the device capabilities with a central wireless transceiver device;    computing a set of transmission constraints based on the device capabilities; and    applying the transmission constraints corresponding to the transceiver device to transmissions between the transceiver device and the central transceiver device.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transceiver device is a wireless subscriber access unit and the central transceiver device is a base station processor.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the device capabilities are received from a centrally located database in electronic communication with the base station processor.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the centrally located database stores a predetermined sets of data.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the centrally located data base is a wireless Internet facility (WIF).  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the device capabilities are stored at the Subscriber Access Unit and are sent by the subscriber access unit to the base station processor.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transmission constraints include parameters selected from the group consisting of transmission power, forward error correction (FEC) coding rate, and modulation.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device capabilities include parameters selected from the group consisting of fixed, mobile, and pedestrian.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device capabilities further include antenna characteristics.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the device capabilities are indicative of an antenna array.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the antenna array comprises one radiating element.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the antenna array comprises 5 radiating elements.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the antenna characteristics include characteristics selected from the group consisting of omnidirectional, one degree of freedom, and multiple degrees of freedom.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein computing the transmission constraints further comprises computing transmission constraints in response to observed transmission characteristics.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the observed transmission characteristics include characteristics selected from the group consisting of bit error rate (BER), interference level, dropped packets, and received power level.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the transmission constraints limit the power level when the device capabilities indicate mobile.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the transmission constraints include transmitting at an increased power level when the device capabilities indicate fixed.  
   
   
       18 . A system for managing transmission constraints in a wireless network comprising: 
 a plurality of wireless transceiver devices operable to transmit and receive wireless messages, the wireless transceiver devices having device capabilities;    a registration manager operable to compute transmission constraints for the wireless transceiver devices based on the device capabilities; and    a capacity manager operable to apply the transmission constraints to at least one of the wireless transceiver devices.    
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , further comprising a registration database operable to store the device capabilities corresponding to the wireless transceiver devices.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the transceiver devices further comprise wireless subscriber access units and base station processors, wherein the registration manager is in the base station processor.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the transmission constraints include parameters selected from the group consisting of transmission power, forward error correction (FEC) coding rate, and modulation.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the device capabilities are received from a centrally located database in electronic communication with the base station processor.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the centrally located database is a wireless Internet facility (WIF).  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the device capabilities are sent by the subscriber access unit to the base station processor.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the device capabilities include parameters selected from the group consisting of fixed, mobile, and pedestrian.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the device capabilities further include antenna characteristics.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the device capabilities are indicative of an antenna array.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the antenna array comprises one radiating element.  
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the antenna array comprises 5 radiating elements.  
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the antenna characteristics include characteristics selected from the group consisting of omnidirectional, one degree of freedom, and multiple degrees of freedom.  
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the registration manager is further operable to compute the transmission constraints in response to observed transmission characteristics.  
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the observed transmission characteristics include characteristics selected from the group consisting of bit error rate (BER), interference level, dropped packets, and received power level.  
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the transmission constraints limit the power when the device capabilities indicate mobile.  
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the transmission constraints increase the power level when the device capabilities indicate fixed.  
   
   
       35 . A computer program product having computer program code for managing transmission constraints based on subscriber device capabilities comprising: 
 computer program code for determining a set of device capabilities corresponding to a transceiver device;    computer program code for registering the device capabilities with a central wireless transceiver device;    computer program code for computing a set of transmission constraints based on the device capabilities; and    computer program code for applying the transmission constraints corresponding to the transceiver device to transmissions between the transceiver device and the central transceiver device.    
   
   
       36 . A computer data signal for managing transmission constraints based on subscriber device capabilities comprising: 
 program code for determining a set of device capabilities corresponding to a transceiver device;    program code for registering the device capabilities with a central wireless transceiver device;    program code for computing a set of transmission constraints based on the device capabilities; and    program code for applying the transmission constraints corresponding to the transceiver device to transmissions between the transceiver device and the central transceiver device.    
   
   
       37 . A system for managing transmission constraints in a wireless network comprising: 
 means for determining a set of device capabilities corresponding to a transceiver device;    means for registering the device capabilities with a central wireless transceiver device;    means for computing a set of transmission constraints based on the device capabilities; and means for applying the transmission constraints corresponding to the transceiver device to transmissions between the transceiver device and the central transceiver device.