Dynamic channel sharing using bandwidth metrics

Abstract

In a Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET), each node calculates a bandwidth output value representative of data output requirements for the node relative to the transmit time slots available to the node. This value is shared with other nodes in the MANET and may be employed to more efficiently allocate channel usage among nodes as traffic demands and network topology change.

1 . A device comprising:
 a data queue that stores data;   a data link that packetizes data from the data queue into packets, and that negotiates access to a number of time slots in a mobile ad hoc network;   a radio that provides an air interface to the mobile ad hoc network and transmits the packets during the one or more time slots; and   a signal processor that calculates a bandwidth output metric for the device, the bandwidth output metric representing a size of a number of data output queues of the device relative to the number of time slots, the signal processor further configured to transmit the bandwidth output metric to one or more neighboring nodes during a control time slot, and the signal processor further configured to receive a corresponding bandwidth output metric from each of the one or more neighboring nodes and to determine network scheduling that allocates at least one time slot to each participant in a neighborhood that includes the device and the one or more neighboring nodes, wherein the network scheduling is biased in favor of at least one of the plurality of nodes in the neighborhood based on the bandwidth output metric for the node and the corresponding bandwidth output metric from each of the one or more neighboring nodes.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the signal processor is further configured to adjust the bandwidth output metric according to a change in the size of one or more of the number of data output queues. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the signal processor is further configured to negotiate for one or more channel access rights with the one or more neighboring nodes. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the network scheduling includes one or more channel access rights determined using a fair access technique weighted according to the corresponding bandwidth output metric for the one or more neighboring nodes. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the signal processor is further configured to determine a transmission capacity for the device based upon the one or more channel access rights. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the signal processor is further configured to retransmit the corresponding bandwidth output metric from each of the one or more neighboring nodes to each other one of the one or more neighboring nodes in the neighborhood.