Apparatus and method for reducing interference in a wireless communication system

Abstract

In a communication system, an access point in communication with one or more stations identifies a first subset of wireless stations from the set of wireless stations. The first subset of wireless stations is identified based on RSSI values for radio frequency signals received from each of the stations exceeding an RSSI threshold. The first subset of wireless stations is assigned to a first reception window. The access point transmits an identifier of each of the subset of wireless stations and an identifier of the reception window via the radio frequency channel.

1 . A method for communication via a radio frequency channel between a wireless access point and a set of wireless stations, the method comprising:
 identifying a first subset of wireless stations from the set of wireless stations, wherein each of the set of wireless stations is associated with a respective RSSI value and wherein the respective RSSI value associated with each of the wireless stations comprising the first subset exceeds an RSSI threshold;   assigning the first subset of wireless stations to a first reception window; and   causing a transmission of an identifier of each of the subset of wireless stations and an identifier of the reception window wherein the transmission occurs during a first transmission window via the radio frequency channel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprises assigning a second subset of wireless stations to a second reception window wherein the respective RSSI associated with each of wireless stations comprising the second subset is below the RSSI threshold. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the RSSI threshold is determined based on the respective RSSI values associated with each of the set of wireless stations. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein identifying the first subset of wireless stations comprises determining that an RSSI value corresponding to a signal received from a wireless device via the radio frequency channel exceeds a level. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprises determining a change for a receiver characteristic of a receiver of the wireless access point and causing the receiver to apply the change to the receiver characteristic before a start of the first reception window. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein a magnitude of the change is based on the respective RSSI values associated with each of the first subset of wireless stations. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the magnitude of the change is based on the RSSI value corresponding to a signal received from the wireless device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the first transmission window corresponds to an uplink portion of a time division duplex frame and the first reception window corresponds to a downlink portion of the time division duplex frame. 
     
     
         9 . A wireless access point comprising:
 a receiver configured to receive data from each of a set of wireless stations via a radio frequency channel and generate a respective RSSI value for each of the set of wireless stations based on data received from each of the set of wireless stations;   a transmitter configured to transmit data to the set of wireless stations via the radio frequency channel; and   a scheduler, in communication with the receiver and the transmitter, the scheduler configured to (i) identify a first subset of wireless stations from the set of wireless stations, wherein the respective RSSI value for each of the wireless stations of the first subset exceeds an RSSI threshold and (ii) assign the identified first subset of wireless stations to a first reception window.   
     
     
         10 . The wireless access point of  claim 9  wherein the scheduler is configured to cause the transmitter to transmit an identifier of each wireless station of the first subset of wireless stations and an identifier of the reception window wherein the transmission occurs during a first transmission window via the radio frequency channel. 
     
     
         11 . The wireless access point of  claim 10  wherein the scheduler is configured to determine the RSSI threshold based on the respective RSSI values for each of the set of wireless stations. 
     
     
         12 . The wireless access point of  claim 11  wherein the scheduler is adapted to determine a change for a receiver characteristic of the receiver wherein a magnitude of the change is based on the respective RSSI values associated with each of the first subset of wireless stations. 
     
     
         13 . The wireless access point of  claim 12  wherein the scheduler is adapted to configure the receiver characteristic with the change. 
     
     
         14 . A method for configuring a receiver of a wireless station, the method comprising:
 obtaining a first RSSI value corresponding to data received by the receiver via a radio frequency channel from a first wireless device;   obtaining a second RSSI value corresponding to data received by the receiver via the radio frequency channel from a second wireless device; and   updating a configuration value of the receiver based on the respective RSSI values, wherein updating the configuration value causes the receiver to receive data from the first wireless device and not from the second wireless device.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein data received by the receiver before updating the configuration value is at a first data rate and data received by the receiver after updating the configuration value is at second data rate, the second data rate different from the first data rate. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein updating the configuration value comprises raising the minimum discernible signal level of the receiver wherein the the minimum discernible signal is above the second RSSI value and below the first RSSI level.