Managing null packets

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for mitigating interference in a wireless network to facilitate network performance. In an aspect, a method for transmitting wireless data packets is provided. The method includes receiving data packets from a wireless distribution network. The data packets are analyzed to determine if a subset of the data packets are to be suppressed in view of transmitter signal conditions and substituting null packets for the subset of data packets if the subset of data packets are determined to be suppressed.

1 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method for transmitting wireless data packets, comprising:
 receiving data packets from a wireless distribution network;   analyzing the data packets to determine if a subset of the data packets have been corrupted;   determining when N consecutive corrupted data packets have been received, where N is a positive integer greater than one;   generating random data packets after the N consecutive corrupted packets have been received;   substituting the random data for the subset of data packets when N consecutive corrupted data packets have been received, and   transmitting non-corrupted data packets and any substituted random packets.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the data packets are transmitted in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) network. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising employing an initialization routine to determine whether suppression of transmission or substitution of random data packets are to be employed when the subset of data packets is determined to be corrupted. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising switching between suppression of transmission and random data packet substitution according to a specific application. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising employing a suppression of transmission algorithm or a random data packet substitution algorithm at one or more wireless transmitters. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising employing a cyclic redundancy check (CRC), check sum, error correction code or a decryption code to determine a data corruption. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising performing a suppression of transmission or a random data packet substitution at an OFDM physical layer. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising determining at least one of Designated Market Area (DMA), a group of local transmitters, a Physical Layer Packet (PLP), a suppression of transmission, a random data packet, and a group of wide area transmitters. 
     
     
         37 . A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:
 a receiver to received data packets from a wireless distribution network; and   a processor configured to analyze the data packets to determine if a subset of the data packets are corrupted; determine when N consecutive corrupted data packets have been received, where N is a positive integer greater than one; generate random data packets after the N consecutive corrupted data packets have been received, and substitute the random data packets for the subset of data packets when N consecutive data packets have been received.   
     
     
         38 . The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the data packets are transmitted in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) network. 
     
     
         39 . The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the processor is further configured to employ an initialization routine to determine whether suppression of transmission or substitution of random data packets are to be employed when the subset of data packets is determined to be corrupted. 
     
     
         40 . The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the processor is further configured to employ a suppression of transmission algorithm or a random data packet substitution algorithm at one or more wireless transmitters. 
     
     
         41 . The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the processor is further configured to employ a cyclic redundancy check (CRC), check sum, error correction code or a decryption code to determine a data corruption. 
     
     
         42 . The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform a suppression of transmission or a random data packet substitution at an OFDM physical layer. 
     
     
         43 . The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine at least one of Designated Market Area (DMA), a group of local transmitters, a Physical Layer Packet (PLP), a suppression of transmission, a random data packet, and a group of wide area transmitters. 
     
     
         44 . The wireless communication apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the processor is further configured to increase security coverage of a programming blackout by mitigating a potential attack and reducing interference of an adjacent DMA or group of local transmitters of non-blacked out content. 
     
     
         45 . A system for transmitting wireless data packets, comprising:
 means for receiving data packets from a wireless distribution network;   means for analyzing the data packets to determine if a subset of the data packets are corrupted;   means for determining when N consecutive corrupted data packets have been received, where N is a positive integer greater than one;   means for generating random data packets after the N consecutive corrupted data packets have been received; and   means for substituting the random data packets when N consecutive data packets have been received.   
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 45 , further comprising means for employing an initialization routine to determine whether suppression of transmission or substitution of random data packets are to be employed when the subset of data packets is determined to be corrupted. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 45 , further comprising:
 means for switching between suppression of transmission and random data packet substitution according to a specific application.   
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 45 , further comprising:
 means for determining at least one of Designated Market Area (DMA), a group of local transmitters, a Physical Layer Packet (PLP), a suppression of transmission, a random data packet, and a group of wide area transmitters.   
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 48 , further comprising:
 means for increasing security coverage of a programming blackout by mitigating a potential attack and reducing interference of an adjacent DMA or group of local transmitters of non-blacked out content.   
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 49 , further comprising:
 means for determining if an un-blacked out content is available too far into a blacked out group of local transmitters or DMA, then applying a random packet to reduce a coverage area of an adjacent market signal within a blacked out market.   
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 45 , further comprising:
 means for enabling suppression of transmission if K consecutive valid packets have been received at the transmitter after substituting random data packets for the subset of data packets, where K is a positive integer.   
     
     
         52 . A non-transitory machine readable medium having machine executable instructions stored thereon, comprising:
 receiving data packets from a wireless distribution network;   analyzing the data packets to determine if a subset of the data packets have been corrupted;   determining when N consecutive corrupted data packets have been received, where N is a positive integer greater than one;   generating random data packets after the N consecutive corrupted data packets have been received; and   substituting the random data packets for the subset of data packets when N consecutive data packets have been received.   
     
     
         53 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 52 , further comprising generating random data packets for the subset of data packets or suppressing transmission of the subset of data packets if the subset of data packets is determined to be subject to a blackout requirement. 
     
     
         54 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 52 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
 employing an initialization routine to determine whether suppression of transmission or substitution of random data packets are to be employed when the subset of data packets is determined to be corrupted.   
     
     
         55 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 52 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
 switching between suppression of transmission and random data packet substitution according to a specific application.   
     
     
         56 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 52 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
 determining at least one of Designated Market Area (DMA), a group of local transmitters, a Physical Layer Packet (PLP), a suppression of transmission, a random data packet, and a group of wide area transmitters.   
     
     
         57 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 56 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
 increasing security coverage of a programming blackout by mitigating a potential attack and reducing interference of an adjacent DMA or group of local transmitters of non-blacked out content.   
     
     
         58 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 57 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
 determining if an un-blacked out content is available too far into a blacked out group of local transmitters or DMA, then applying a random packet to reduce a coverage area of an adjacent market signal within a blacked out market.