U.S. patent application number 14/230484 was filed with the patent office on 2014-11-20 for devices, systems, and methods for managing multimedia traffic across a common wireless communication network.
This patent application is currently assigned to DOMANICOM CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is William Bartholomay, Sin-Min Chang, Santanu Das, Arun Sengupta. Invention is credited to William Bartholomay, Sin-Min Chang, Santanu Das, Arun Sengupta.
Application Number | 20140344881 14/230484 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44994433 |
Filed Date | 2014-11-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140344881 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bartholomay; William ; et
al. |
November 20, 2014 |
DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR MANAGING MULTIMEDIA TRAFFIC
ACROSS A COMMON WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORK
Abstract
Systems, devices, and methods are disclosed for managing
multimedia traffic across a common wireless communication network.
Embodiments may include content devices, end point devices, a
network node, and a wireless dongle. The network node and the
wireless dongle may have application functions transmitting and
receiving application data streams including a video application.
The video application may include a conversion engine to compress,
expand, or convert video data. Further, both the network node and
the wireless dongle may transmit downstream video streams and
receive upstream video streams. In addition, the network node may
have a master controller function and a node management function,
and a dongle management function each managing video traffic
streams and application data streams. In addition, the dongle
management function controls admission of a video traffic stream
originating from the wireless dongle to the wireless communication
network.
Inventors: |
Bartholomay; William;
(Orange, CT) ; Chang; Sin-Min; (Shelton, CT)
; Das; Santanu; (Monroe, CT) ; Sengupta; Arun;
(Fairfield, CT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Bartholomay; William
Chang; Sin-Min
Das; Santanu
Sengupta; Arun |
Orange
Shelton
Monroe
Fairfield |
CT
CT
CT
CT |
US
US
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
DOMANICOM CORPORATION
Newton
MA
|
Family ID: |
44994433 |
Appl. No.: |
14/230484 |
Filed: |
March 31, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13244629 |
Sep 25, 2011 |
8689272 |
|
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14230484 |
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|
12984738 |
Jan 5, 2011 |
8069465 |
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13244629 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
725/116 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 7/148 20130101;
H04L 47/14 20130101; H04W 28/02 20130101; H04L 47/20 20130101; H04L
65/80 20130101; H04N 21/43632 20130101; H04N 21/4788 20130101; H04W
28/24 20130101; H04N 7/15 20130101; H04L 47/2416 20130101; H04N
7/18 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
725/116 |
International
Class: |
H04N 7/14 20060101
H04N007/14; H04L 29/06 20060101 H04L029/06; H04L 12/801 20060101
H04L012/801; H04L 12/853 20060101 H04L012/853; H04N 7/15 20060101
H04N007/15; H04N 21/4788 20060101 H04N021/4788 |
Claims
1. A system for managing one or more types of traffic over a
wireless communication network, the system comprising: (a) one or
more content devices; (b) a first wireless terminal and a second
wireless terminal each coupled to the wireless communication
network; (c) a first end point device of one or more end point
devices having an end point communication interface; (d) a network
node having: (i) one or more node communication interfaces wherein
the network node is coupled to the one or more content devices, and
the first wireless terminal through the one or more node
communication interfaces; (ii) one or more node application
functions transmitting and receiving one or more application data
streams including a node video application; (iii) wherein the node
video application includes a conversion engine, the node video
application transmitting one or more downstream video streams and
receiving one or more upstream video streams; (iv) a master
controller function and a node management function each managing
one or more node video traffic streams and the one or more
application data streams, transmitting the one or more downstream
video streams and the one or more application data streams and
receiving one or more upstream video streams and the one or more
application data streams across the wireless communication network;
(v) a common operating system performing resource management and
coupled to the one or more node communication interfaces, one or
more application functions, the node video application, the master
controller function and the node management function; (e) a
wireless dongle having: (i) one or more dongle communication
interfaces wherein the wireless dongle is coupled to the second
wireless terminal and the first end point device through the one or
more dongle communication interfaces; (ii) one or more dongle
application functions transmitting and receiving one or more
application data streams including a dongle video application;
(iii) wherein the dongle video application including a conversion
engine the dongle video application transmitting one or more
upstream video streams to and receiving one or more downstream
video streams from the wireless communication network; (iv) a
dongle management function managing one or more application data
streams and controlling admission of a dongle video traffic stream
originating from the wireless dongle to the wireless communication
network; (v) a dongle common operating system performing resource
management and coupled to the one or more dongle communication
interfaces, the dongle video application and the dongle management
function.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the node management function and
dongle management function are selected from the group consisting
of priority, policing, traffic shaping, scheduling, admission
control, authentication functions and dynamic administration of one
or more service level agreements.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the dongle management function is
dynamically configured to implement quality-of-service requirements
received from the master controller function.
4. The system of claim 2, wherein the master controller and node
management function provision a dongle management function
application in the wireless dongle through the wireless
communication network.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more types of traffic
includes voice traffic corresponding to a first priority, video
traffic corresponding to a second priority, best effort data
traffic corresponding to a third priority, and background data
traffic corresponding to a fourth priority, wherein a priority of
the one or more types of traffic is dynamically configured to
conform to quality-of-service requirements.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the dongle management function
manages a set of video traffic streams that includes one or more
upstream video traffic streams and one or more downstream video
traffic streams, and the dongle management function configures one
or more upstream video traffic streams as first priority based on
one or more management commands received from the node management
function in the network node.
7. The system of claim 5, wherein the node management function
registers the first end point device of the one or more end point
devices into the wireless communication network and allocates a
first peak data rate and a first mean data rate to the first end
point device for transmission of data from the first end point
device based on one or more types of traffic flowing across the
wireless communication network and one or more wireless
communication network requirements.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the node management function
reallocates a second peak data rate and a second mean data rate to
the first end point device for transmission of data from the first
end point device based on a change in characteristics of the one or
more types of traffic flowing across the wireless communication
network and a change in one or more wireless communication network
requirements.
9. The system of claim 5, wherein the dongle management function
implements a strict priority scheme to manage the one or more
application data streams.
10. The system of claim 5, wherein: (a) the network node controls
allocation of application data streams to the available wireless
communication network bandwidth based on traffic type and
characteristics of the application data streams using the master
controller function and the node management function, (b) the node
management function allocates a video traffic bandwidth that is a
subset of the wireless communication network bandwidth for one or
more video traffic streams, (c) the node management function and
the dongle management function implements a time division
multiplexing scheme on the video traffic bandwidth such that each
of the one or more video traffic streams are assigned a time slot
in the time division multiplexing scheme for transmission across
the wireless communication network.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein a time slot allocated to an
inactive video traffic stream is reallocated to one or more active
application data streams.
12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a first terminal
device traffic manager coupled to the network node and a second
terminal device traffic manager coupled to the wireless dongle,
each terminal device traffic manager performing traffic scheduling
and having: (a) a management protocol processor that receives one
or more data packets, traps one or more management protocol
packets, processes the one or more management protocol packets, and
transmits instructions to the wireless dongle to reallocate
wireless communication network bandwidth based on processing the
one or more management protocol packets, and verifies a
quality-of-service for one or more transmission packets; (b) a
traffic policer verifying one or more traffic streams conforming to
a respective service level agreement and performing traffic shaping
on the one or more traffic streams using a queue; (c) a scheduler
engine that provides weighted round robin scheduling on scheduled
traffic stream wherein weighted random early discard is performed
based on excessive queue depth; (d) a management protocol responder
generating one or more control packets for a management function
and responding to one or more trapped management protocol
packets.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein the node management function and
the dongle management function perform a security function using a
pseudo-random code to encrypt an secured traffic stream between the
network node and the wireless dongle over the wireless
communication network wherein a key associated with the
pseudo-random code is dynamically configured.
14. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more end point
devices are selected from the group consisting of a personal
computer, smartphone, electronic reader, television, video camera,
and a wireless enabled appliance.
15. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more application data
streams is selected from the group consisting of voice traffic,
video traffic, best effort data traffic, and background data
traffic.
16. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more content devices
may include a cable modem, a DSL modem, a WiMax access device, a
Passive Optical Networking access device, an Optical Networking
Terminal, an Optical Networking Unit, a Long Term Evolution
wireless access device, a satellite access device, a broadband
access device, a set-top box, a DVR, a DVD player, a BluRay player,
and an antenna tuner.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation patent application
and claims priority under the laws and rules of the United States,
including 35 USC .sctn.120, to U.S. patent application Ser. No.
13/244,629 filed on Sep. 25, 2011, which in turn is a continuation
patent application and claims priority under the laws and rules of
the United States, including 35 USC .sctn.120, to U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/984,738 filed Jan. 5, 2011. The contents of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/244,629 and U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/984,738 are herein incorporated by
reference in their entireties.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Multipoint wireless communication has become a preferred
manner in which to transfer information in current technology
environment. Further, multipoint wireless communication can be
implemented over a variety of different using different protocols
such as cellular technologies using CDMA, TDMA, or GSM
technologies. Alternatively, wireless communication may be
conducted using WiFi or WiMAX protocols.
[0003] WiFi has become a ubiquitous technology connecting various
wireless enabled appliances in an enterprise, residential wireless
environment, or public "hotspots". Further, WiFi bridges the
appliances to the Internet. The users of the appliances or end
point devices may support different traffic types and may access or
exit the WiFi network frequently. In addition, WiFi communication
networks may carry different types of information traffic such as
voice traffic, video traffic, and data traffic. The video traffic
may be separated into two different categories. A first category
may be one-way video traffic such as viewing broadcast television
content, streaming media, or IP TV. A second category may be
two-way video traffic such as video conferencing. Further, the data
traffic may be separated into two categories. A first category may
be best effort data traffic and a second category may be background
data traffic. A residential or enterprise WiFi or other type of
wireless communication network may carry all or a subset of the
different types of information traffic.
[0004] The previous versions of WiFi provide convenience a typical
network environment such that a licensed technician is not required
to install WiFi service, for example. Generally, packet drop and
packet collision are not of concern because such situations are
handled by either WiFi protocols or a higher layer protocol using
retransmission protocols. Having such characteristics, WiFi may be
suitable for data applications of which peak rates are much higher
than corresponding average/mean rates. Conversely, voice traffic
has a peak rate close to its average/mean rate. Alternatively,
video traffic may have traffic pattern that falls in between voice
traffic and data traffic.
SUMMARY
[0005] WiFi and other wireless communication networks may carry
different types of information traffic including voice, video, and
data. WiFi communication protocols such as the family of IEEE
802.11 standards may carry the different types of information
traffic and attempt to optimize delivery based on quality of
service requirements. For example, IEEE 802.11e and IEEE 802.11n
specify access categories corresponding to different types of
voice, video, and data traffic that may be carried on a wireless
communication network such that protocols and communication
mechanisms in the wireless communication network may attempt to
satisfy the quality of service requirements for the different types
of traffic. Further, IEEE 802.11n specifies a 2.4 GHz band as well
as a 5 GHz band resulting in having more capacity than previous
versions IEEE 802.11 networks. However, even with the IEEE 802.11
family of protocols, further management for the different types of
traffic carried on the network may be necessary to optimize network
performance as well as to satisfy service and network requirements.
Further, video media content providers are offering different types
of content across the Internet as well as broadcast television
networks. Thus, the offering of different types of video content
from different content providers and service providers coupled with
the ability of wireless communication network to carry more traffic
may result in more video traffic to flow across WiFi and other
wireless communication networks in both residential and enterprise
environments. For example, commercial and residential "hotspots"
that deploy wireless communication networks providing public access
to Internet and web browsing capabilities have become ubiquitous.
However, current "hotspots" do not provide adequate performance for
simultaneous voice, video, and data services due to lack of traffic
management functions in such wireless communication networks.
[0006] IEEE 802.11e and IEEE 802.11n may specify a priority
mechanism for voice, data and video traffic streams in a wireless
network. However, IEEE 802.11e and IEEE 802.11n may not provide the
ability to satisfy the overall performance requirements when voice,
data and video traffic loads are heavy as the IEEE 802.11e and IEEE
802.11n specify the use of Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision
Avoidance (CSMA/CA) scheme. Video and voice traffic performance is
severely degraded due to collisions inherent in this scheme. Thus
without an improved traffic management scheme, applications such as
multiple high-definition (HD) video streams across a WiFi network
implementing IEEE 802.11e or IEEE 802.11n may create an
unsatisfactory user experience.
[0007] Currently and in the foreseeable future, voice traffic
streams may comprise a small percentage of overall traffic in a
wireless communication network (e.g. WiFi). However, video traffic
streams can be a significant portion of the overall traffic in such
a wireless communication network (e.g. WiFi). In the present
disclosure, a traffic management scheme may be overlaid on top of a
wireless communication network (e.g. WiFi implementing IEEE 802.11e
or IEEE 802.11n) to manage different types of traffic including
voice, video, data as well as management packets across the
wireless communication network. Traffic policing and traffic
shaping may also be used to regulate the data traffic (e.g. best
effort data and background data) by assigning appropriate peak and
mean traffic rates. Further, video packet collisions may be reduced
or avoided by either changing video traffic priority or by
assigning a dedicated time slot in a time division multiplexing
scheme for packet transmission. In addition, a traffic management
scheme may dynamically reallocate bandwidth availability among
network nodes and dongles of various type of traffic transmitted
across a wireless communication network. Also, security may be
enhanced by implementing encryption using a pseudo-random code to
particular traffic streams. Such disclosed features may be
implemented by management functions residing in, as well as
executed and implemented by the networks nodes and dongles. By
implementing the aforementioned schemes, collisions are minimized
or totally eliminated resulting in improving overall wireless
network performance.
[0008] Within the embodiments described below, an exemplary system
for managing one or more types of traffic over a wireless
communication network is disclosed. The system may include one or
more content devices, a first wireless terminal, and a second
wireless terminal each coupled to the wireless communication
network. The system may also include a first end point device of
one or more end point devices having an end point communication
interface. The system may further include a network node having one
or more node communication interfaces wherein the network node is
coupled to the one or more content devices and the first wireless
terminal through the one or more node communication interfaces. The
network node may also have one or more node application functions
transmitting and receiving one or more application data streams
including a node video application. The node video application
includes a conversion engine and the node video application
transmitting one or more downstream video streams and receiving one
or more upstream video streams. The network node may further have a
master controller function and a node management function each
managing one or more node video traffic streams and the one or more
application data streams. Further, the master controller function
and the node management function transmitting the one or more
downstream video streams and the one or more application data
streams and receiving one or more upstream video streams and the
one or more application data streams across the wireless
communication network. In addition, the network node may include a
common operating system performing resource management and coupled
to the one or more node communication interfaces, one or more
application functions, the node video application, the master
controller function and the node management function.
[0009] In addition, the system may include a wireless dongle having
one or more dongle communication interfaces wherein the wireless
dongle is coupled to the second wireless terminal and the first end
point device through the one or more dongle communication
interfaces. The wireless dongle further having one or more dongle
application functions transmitting and receiving one or more
application data streams including a dongle video application. The
dongle video application including a conversion engine the dongle
video application transmitting one or more upstream video streams
to and receiving one or more downstream video streams from the
wireless communication network. In addition, the wireless dongle
includes a dongle management function managing one or more
application data streams and controlling admission of a dongle
video traffic stream originating from the wireless dongle to the
wireless communication network. Also, the wireless dongle may
include a dongle common operating system performing resource
management and coupled to the one or more dongle communication
interfaces, the dongle video application and the dongle management
function.
[0010] Further, the node management function and dongle management
function are selected from the group consisting of priority,
policing, traffic shaping, scheduling, admission control,
authentication functions and dynamic administration of one or more
service level agreements. In addition, the dongle management
function is dynamically configured to implement quality-of-service
requirements received from the master controller function. Also,
the master controller and node management function provision a
dongle management function application in the wireless dongle
through the wireless communication network.
[0011] In addition, the one or more types of traffic includes voice
traffic corresponding to a first priority, video traffic
corresponding to a second priority, best effort data traffic
corresponding to a third priority, and background data traffic
corresponding to a fourth priority, wherein a priority of the one
or more types of traffic is dynamically configured to conform to
quality-of-service requirements. Further, the dongle management
function manages a set of video traffic streams that includes one
or more upstream video traffic streams and one or more downstream
video traffic streams, and the dongle management function
configures one or more upstream video traffic streams as first
priority based on one or more management commands received from the
node management function in the network node.
[0012] Another embodiment may include the node management function
registering the first end point device of the one or more end point
devices into the wireless communication network and allocating a
first peak data rate and a first mean data rate to the first end
point device for transmission of data from the first end point
device based on one or more types of traffic flowing across the
wireless communication network and one or more wireless
communication network requirements. Further, the node management
function reallocates a second peak data rate and a second mean data
rate to the first end point device for transmission of data from
the first end point device based on a change in characteristics of
the one or more types of traffic flowing across the wireless
communication network and a change in one or more wireless
communication network requirements.
[0013] Further embodiments may include the dongle management
function implementing a strict priority scheme to manage the one or
more application data streams. In addition, the network node may
control allocation of application data streams to the available
wireless communication network bandwidth based on traffic type and
characteristics of the application data streams using the master
controller function and the node management function. Also, the
node management function allocates a video traffic bandwidth that
is a subset of the wireless communication network bandwidth for one
or more video traffic streams. Further, the node management
function and the dongle management function implement a time
division multiplexing scheme on the video traffic bandwidth such
that each of the one or more video traffic streams are assigned a
time slot in the time division multiplexing scheme for transmission
across the wireless communication network. Also, a time slot
allocated to an inactive video traffic stream is reallocated to one
or more active application data streams.
[0014] The system may also include a first terminal device traffic
manager coupled to the network node and a second terminal device
traffic manager coupled to the wireless dongle, each terminal
device traffic manager performing traffic scheduling. Each terminal
device traffic manager may include a management protocol processor
that receives one or more data packets, traps one or more
management protocol packets, processes the one or more management
protocol packets, and transmits instructions to the wireless dongle
to reallocate wireless communication network bandwidth based on
processing the one or more management protocol packets, and
verifies a quality-of-service for one or more transmission packets.
Further, the terminal device traffic manager may include a traffic
policer verifying one or more traffic streams conforming to a
respective service level agreement and performing traffic shaping
on the one or more traffic streams using a queue. Additionally, the
terminal device traffic manager may include a scheduler engine that
provides weighted round robin scheduling on scheduled traffic
stream wherein weighted random early discard is performed based on
excessive queue depth. Also, the terminal device traffic manager
may include a management protocol responder generating one or more
control packets for a management function and responding to one or
more trapped management protocol packets.
[0015] Other embodiments may include the node management function
and the dongle management function performing a security function
using a pseudo-random code to encrypt a secured traffic stream
between the network node and the wireless dongle over the wireless
communication network wherein a key associated with the
pseudo-random code is dynamically configured. Further, the one or
more end point devices are selected from the group consisting of a
personal computer, smartphone, electronic reader, television, video
camera, and a wireless enabled appliance. In addition, the one or
more application data streams is selected from the group consisting
of voice traffic, video traffic, best effort data traffic, and
background data traffic. Also, the one or more content devices may
include a cable modem, a DSL modem, a WiMax access device, a
Passive Optical Networking access device, an Optical Networking
Terminal, an Optical Networking Unit, a Long Term Evolution
wireless access device, a satellite access device, a broadband
access device, a set-top box, a DVR, a DVD player, a BluRay player,
and an antenna tuner.
[0016] Within the embodiments described below, an exemplary device
for managing one or more types of traffic over a wireless
communication network is disclosed. The device may include one or
more node communication interfaces and one or more application
functions transmitting one or more application data streams
including a node video application. The node video application
includes a conversion engine, the node video application
transmitting one or more downstream video streams and receiving one
or more upstream video streams. The device may include a master
controller function and a node management function each managing
one or more node video traffic streams and the one or more
application data streams, transmitting the one or more downstream
video streams and the one or more application data streams and
receiving one or more upstream video streams and the one or more
application data streams across the one or more node communication
interfaces. The device also includes a common operating system
performing resource management and coupled to the one or more node
communication interfaces, one or more application functions, the
node video application, the master controller function and the node
management function.
[0017] In addition, the node management function is selected from
the group consisting of priority, policing, traffic shaping,
scheduling, admission control, authentication functions and dynamic
administration of one or more service level agreements. Further,
the master controller and the node management function transmit
provisioning commands for a dongle management function application
to the one or more node communication interfaces. Also, the one or
more types of traffic includes voice traffic corresponding to a
first priority, video traffic corresponding to a second priority,
best effort data traffic corresponding to a third priority, and
background data traffic corresponding to a fourth priority, wherein
a priority of the one or more types of traffic is dynamically
configured to conform to quality-of-service requirements.
[0018] Further, the node management function transmits registration
information for a first end point device of the one or more end
point devices to the one or more node communication interfaces and
transmits allocation information to the node communication
interface, the allocation information including a first peak data
rate and a first mean data rate for the first end point device for
transmission of data based on one or more types of traffic flowing
across the wireless communication network and one or more wireless
communication network requirements. In addition, the node
management function transmits reallocation information including a
second peak data rate and a second mean data rate to the one or
more node communication interfaces for the first end point device
for transmission of data from the first end point device based on a
change in characteristics of the one or more types of traffic
flowing across the wireless communication network and a change in
one or more wireless communication network requirements.
[0019] Further embodiments may include the network node controlling
allocation of application data streams to available wireless
communication network bandwidth on traffic type and characteristics
of the application data streams using the master controller
function and the node management function. In addition, the node
management function allocates a video traffic bandwidth that is a
subset of the wireless communication network bandwidth for one or
more video traffic streams. Further, the node management function
implements a time division multiplexing scheme on the video traffic
bandwidth such that each of the one or more video traffic streams
are assigned a time slot in the time division multiplexing scheme
for transmission across the wireless communication network. Also, a
time slot allocated to an inactive video traffic stream is
reallocated to one or more active application data streams.
[0020] Additional embodiments may include the node management
function performs a security function using a pseudo-random code to
encrypt a secured traffic stream wherein a key associated with the
pseudo-random code is dynamically configured. In addition, the one
or more end point devices are selected from the group consisting of
a personal computer, smartphone, electronic reader, television,
video camera, and a wireless enabled appliance. Further, the one or
more application data streams is selected from the group consisting
of voice traffic, video traffic, best effort data traffic, and
background data traffic.
[0021] Within the embodiments described below, an exemplary device
for managing one or more types of traffic over a wireless
communication network is disclosed. The device may include one or
more dongle communication interfaces and one or more dongle
application functions transmitting and receiving one or more
application data streams including a dongle video application. The
dongle video application including a conversion engine the dongle
video application transmitting one or more upstream video streams
to and receiving one or more downstream video streams from the one
or more dongle communication interfaces. Further, a dongle
management function managing one or more application data streams
and controlling admission of a dongle video traffic stream
originating from the device to one or more dongle communication
interfaces. The device may also include a dongle common operating
system performing resource management and coupled to the one or
more dongle communication interfaces, the dongle video application
and the dongle management function.
[0022] Further, the dongle management function is selected from the
group consisting of priority, policing, traffic shaping,
scheduling, admission control, authentication functions and dynamic
administration of one or more service level agreements. In
addition, the dongle management function is dynamically configured
to implement quality-of-service requirements. Also, the device
receives a dongle management function application from one of the
one or more dongle communication interfaces and activates the
dongle management function.
[0023] In addition, the one or more types of traffic includes voice
traffic corresponding to a first priority, video traffic
corresponding to a second priority, best effort data traffic
corresponding to a third priority, and background data traffic
corresponding to a fourth priority, wherein a priority of the one
or more types of traffic is dynamically configured to conform to
quality-of-service requirements. Further, the dongle management
function manages a set of video traffic streams that includes one
or more upstream video traffic streams and one or more downstream
video traffic streams, and the dongle management function
configures one or more upstream video traffic streams as first
priority based on one or more management commands received from the
node management function in the network node.
[0024] Other embodiments may include the device receiving
registration data based on the device requesting authentication and
first configuration data including a first peak data rate and a
first mean data rate for a first end point device of one or more
end point devices from the one or more dongle communication
interfaces and allocating the first peak data rate and the first
mean data rate to one or more dongle communication interfaces based
on one or more types of traffic flowing across the wireless
communication network and one or more wireless communication
network requirements. Further, the device receives second
configuration data from one or more communication interfaces
including a second peak data rate and a second mean data rate and
reallocating a second peak data rate and a second mean data rate to
the one or more dongle communication interfaces based on a change
in characteristics of the one or more types of traffic flowing
across the wireless communication network and a change in one or
more wireless communication network requirements.
[0025] Additional embodiments may include the dongle management
function implementing strict priority scheme to manage one or more
dongle application traffic streams. Further, the device may
implement a time division multiplexing scheme on video traffic
bandwidth such that one or more video traffic streams are assigned
a time slot in the time division multiplexing scheme for
transmission through the one or more dongle communication
interfaces. In addition, a time slot allocated to an inactive video
traffic stream is reallocated to one or more application data
streams.
[0026] Further, the dongle management function may perform a
security function using a pseudo-random code to encrypt a secured
traffic stream wherein a key associated with the pseudo-random code
is dynamically configured. Also, the one or more application data
streams is selected from the group consisting of voice traffic,
video traffic, best effort data traffic, and background data
traffic.
[0027] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not
intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative
aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further
aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by
reference to the drawings and the following detailed
description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0028] FIG. 1 is an exemplary network architecture of devices,
systems, and methods for managing different types of traffic across
a wireless communication network;
[0029] FIG. 2 is another exemplary network architecture of devices,
systems, and methods for managing different types of traffic across
a wireless communication network;
[0030] FIG. 3 is an exemplary traffic flow diagram illustrating
contention of different types of traffic in a wireless
communication network;
[0031] FIG. 4 is an exemplary functional block diagram illustrating
an exemplary traffic priority scheme in a wireless communication
network;
[0032] FIG. 5 is an exemplary functional block diagram illustrating
an exemplary strict traffic priority scheme in a wireless
communication network;
[0033] FIG. 6 is an exemplary functional block diagram illustrating
another exemplary traffic priority scheme in a wireless
communication network;
[0034] FIG. 7 is an exemplary transaction diagram illustrating an
exemplary implementation of a traffic priority scheme in a wireless
communication network;
[0035] FIGS. 8 and 9 are exemplary transaction diagrams
illustrating exemplary traffic management mechanisms for a wireless
communication network;
[0036] FIG. 10 is an exemplary transaction diagram illustrating an
exemplary authentication of an end point device in a wireless
communication network;
[0037] FIG. 11 is an exemplary transaction diagram illustrating an
exemplary traffic management mechanism for a wireless communication
network;
[0038] FIG. 12 is an exemplary functional diagram depicting a
device traffic manager implementing an exemplary traffic management
scheme;
[0039] FIG. 13 is an exemplary traffic diagram illustrating an
exemplary time division traffic management scheme;
[0040] FIG. 14 is an exemplary functional block diagram
illustrating encryption of a information traffic scheme; and
[0041] FIGS. 15A-15C are exemplary flowcharts illustrating
exemplary methods for managing different types of traffic across a
wireless communication network.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0042] In the following detailed description, reference is made to
the accompanying drawings, which for a part hereof. In the
drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components,
unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments
described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not
meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other
changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of
the subject matter presented herein. It will be readily understood
that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described
herein, and illustrated in the Figures, can be arranged,
substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a wide variety of
difference configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated
herein. Further, in the following description, numerous details are
set forth to further describe and explain one or more embodiments.
These details include system configurations, block module diagrams,
flowcharts (including transaction diagrams), and accompanying
written description. While these details are helpful to explain one
or more embodiments of the disclosure, those skilled in the art
will understand that these specific details are not required in
order to practice the embodiments.
[0043] FIG. 1 is an exemplary network architecture 100 of devices,
systems, and methods for managing different types of traffic across
a wireless communication network 105. A network node 110, a dongle
1 (115), and a dongle 2 (120) may be coupled to the wireless
communicate network 105. Further, a network node may be a secure
access node that provides different services to different end point
devices on the wireless communication network. In addition, the
dongle 1 (115) and dongle 2 (120) may be coupled to a service
multiplexer that also provides different services to different end
point devices on the wireless communication network. The network
node 110 may be coupled to the one or more content devices such as
a cable modem 125, a set top box 130, or a DVD player 135. The one
or more content devices may be coupled to a network node over a
wireless communication network (e.g. WiFi) or through a wire
connection. The one or more content devices may include a
communication network access device such as the cable modem 125 DSL
modem, WiMax access device, Passive Optical Networking (PON) access
device, Optical Networking Terminal (ONT), Optical Networking Unit
(ONU), Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless access device, satellite
access device, or some other broadband access device. A
communication network access device may receive different types of
traffic that includes voice, video, and data traffic from a
communication network (e.g. Internet). The video traffic may be
from an IP TV source or streaming video. Another type of content
device may be a set-top device coupled to a broadcast television
network (e.g. antenna/RF, cable, satellite, etc.) and receives
streaming or broadcast video. An additional type of content device
may be a DVD or BluRay disc player the generates and provides video
content. A further type of content device may be a Digital Video
Recorder (DVR) that records video content from a broadcast or
streaming source (cable television source, satellite television
source, etc.). The one or more content devices receive different
types of traffic/content and then may provide the traffic/content
to the network node. Such application traffic streams may include
voice traffic, video traffic (e.g. one-way and two-way), and data
traffic (best effort and background).
[0044] Dongle 1 (115) may be coupled to an end point device such as
a television (TV) 140 through an HDMI interface as well as a video
conference node 142. Dongle 1 (115) may receive downstream video
traffic streams from the network node 110 across the wireless
communication network 105 to be displayed on the TV 140.
Alternatively, dongle 1 (115) may be connected to the video
conference node 142 receiving downstream video traffic streams from
the network node 110 across the wireless communication network 105
to be displayed on the video conference node 142. However, the
dongle 1 (115) may also receive upstream video traffic streams from
the video conference node 142 to be sent to the network node 110
across the wireless communication network 105.
[0045] Dongle 2 (120) may be coupled to an end point device such as
a personal computer (PC) 145 through a communication interface (via
a wireless or wire connection). Dongle 2 (120) may receive
application traffic streams from the network node 110 across the
wireless communication network 105 to be transmitted to the PC 145.
Alternatively, dongle 2 (120) may receive application traffic
streams from the PC 145 to be sent to the network node 110 across
the wireless communication network 105.
[0046] Dongle 3 (150) may be coupled to an end point device such as
a printer 155 through a communication interface (via a wireless or
wire connection). Dongle 3 (150) may receive application traffic
streams from different end point devices such as the PC 145 to
forward to printer 155. In such embodiment, the wireless network
105 may behave as infrastructure to a multipoint communication
network whereby other end point devices may communicate with each
other across the wireless communication network 105. Further,
network node may send dongle 3 (150) information from across the
Internet via the cable modem 125. For example, a user may be
outside a premises housing the printer 155. However, though a
laptop computer the user may send information across the Internet
through the cable modem 125, network node 110, and the wireless
communication network 105 . . . to dongle 3 (150) and then to
printer 155.
[0047] Each of the network node 110, a dongle 1 (115), a dongle 2
(120), and dongle 3 (150) are network devices that may have a
wireless access point and traffic management functions that manage
the different types traffic carried by the wireless communication
network 105 details of which are explained in the present
disclosure.
[0048] FIG. 2 is another exemplary network architecture 200 of
devices, systems, and methods for managing different types of
traffic across a wireless communication network 201. A network node
203, a dongle 1 (221), and a dongle 2 (231) may be coupled to the
wireless communicate network 201. The network node 203 may be
coupled to the one or more content devices such as a cable modem
212, a set top box 214, or a DVD player 216. Several different
components and functions may be included in the network node 203
such as a network node operation system (OS) 202 and software
functions such as a master controller function and a management
protocol function (e.g. management function) 208.
[0049] Further, the network node 203 may have software applications
that include a television/video application that includes a
conversion engine 206. The TV application 206 may process
downstream video traffic streams received from the one or more
content devices by the network node 203 and transmit such
downstream video traffic streams across the wireless communication
network 201 to a dongle (221 and 231) coupled to an end point
device. Conversely, the TV application 206 may process upstream
video traffic streams received from one or more end point devices
by the network node 203 from across the wireless network 201 and
transmit such upstream video traffic streams to the one or more
content devices (212, 216). Further, the TV application 206 may
include a conversion engine that may compress, expand, or otherwise
convert TV/video traffic received by the network node 203 into HDMI
or other media formats known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
In addition, the network node 203 may include other applications
for processing other application traffic streams such as voice,
video, and data received by the network node 203 from the wireless
communication network 201 or the one or more content devices (212,
214, 216).
[0050] Also, the network node 203 may be coupled to a wireless
access point (WAP) 210 that may couple the network node 203 to the
wireless communication network 201. The WAP 210 may be a WiFi
access point implementing one or more of the IEEE 802.11 protocols.
The WAP 210 may be configured to be in an infrastructure mode such
that the WAP 210 may serve as a base station for other
communication devices (e.g. dongles, end point devices such as
printers, smartphones, and personal computers, etc.) to be
associated or interconnected to one another across the wireless
communication network 210. The network node 203 may act as a
central traffic management node for the wireless communication
network 201 implementing such functions as priority designation,
policing (e.g. verifying QoS requirements), traffic shaping (on
every traffic stream on a traffic policing mechanism), scheduling,
admission control, and authentication functions and dynamically
administering one or more service level agreements. Such traffic
management functions may be implemented by the master controller
function and the node management function 208 in conjunction with
the WAP 210.
[0051] Dongle 1 (221) may be coupled to an end point device such as
a television (TV) 226 through an HDMI interface (via a wireless or
wire connection). Further, Dongle 1 (221) may receive downstream
video traffic streams from the network node 203 across the wireless
communication network 201 to be displayed on the TV 226.
Alternatively, dongle 1 (221) may be connected to another end point
device (e.g. video conferencing node) and receive upstream video
traffic streams to be sent to the network node 203 across the
wireless communication network 201. Several different components
and functions may be included in dongle 1 (221) such as a dongle
operating system (OS) 220 and software functions such as a
management protocol function (e.g. management function) and shim
layer 222. The dongle management function 222 may incorporate a
subset of the node management function 208 that may include
priority designation, policing (e.g. verifying QoS requirements),
traffic shaping (on every traffic stream on a traffic policing
mechanism), scheduling, admission control, and authentication
functions, and dynamic administration of one or more service level
agreements. Further, the dongle management function 222 may
communicate with the node management function 208 across the
wireless network in a master and slave (command and response)
paradigm to implement such traffic management functions.
[0052] Further, the dongle 1 (221) may have software applications
that include a TV/video application that includes a conversion
engine 224. The TV application 224 may process downstream video
traffic streams received from the network node 203 and transmit
such downstream video traffic streams to an end point device such
as a TV 226, video conferencing node (not shown), or security
camera (not shown). Conversely, the TV application 224 may process
upstream video traffic streams received from one or more end point
devices and dongle 1 (221) may transmit such upstream video traffic
streams to the network node 203. Further, the TV application 224
may include a conversion engine that may compress, expand, or
otherwise convert TV/video traffic received by dongle 1 (221) into
HDMI or other media formats known to those of ordinary skill in the
art. Also, dongle 1 (221) may be coupled to a wireless access point
(WAP) 228 that may couple dongle 1 (221) to the wireless
communication network 201. The WAP 210 may be a WiFi access point
implementing one or more of the IEEE 802.11 protocols.
[0053] Dongle 2 (231) may be coupled to an end point device 236
such as a personal computer (PC) through a communication interface
(via a wireless or wire connection). Dongle 2 (231) may receive
application traffic streams from the network node 203 across the
wireless communication network 201 to be transmitted to the PC 236.
Alternatively, dongle 2 (231) may receive application traffic
streams from the PC 236 to be sent to the network node 203 across
the wireless communication network 201. Several different
components and functions may be included in dongle 2 (231) such as
a dongle operating system (OS) 230 and software functions such as a
management protocol function (e.g. management function) and shim
layer 232. The dongle management function 232 may incorporate a
subset of the node management function 208 that may include
priority designation, policing (e.g. verifying QoS requirements),
traffic shaping (on every traffic stream on a traffic policing
mechanism), scheduling, admission control, and authentication
functions and dynamically administering one or more service level
agreements. Further, the dongle management function 232 may
communicate with the node management function 208 across the
wireless network in a command and response paradigm to implement
such traffic management functions. In addition, the dongle 2 (231)
may have an end point application to process application traffic
streams received and transmitted by dongle 2 (231), either to the
PC 236 or the network node 203. The application traffic streams may
be voice, video, or data traffic. For example, a user may implement
a video chat program generating video traffic and send such video
traffic to dongle 2 (231), the end point application 234 on dongle
2 (231) may process the received video traffic and the dongle
management function 232 may manage the video traffic to conform
with quality service requirements and wireless network
requirements.
[0054] FIG. 3 is an exemplary traffic flow diagram 300 illustrating
contention of different types of traffic in a wireless
communication network. A WiFi network may be a wireless
communication network implementing one or more protocols from the
IEEE 802.11 family of protocols. Such protocols may implement a
Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) scheme
to resolve traffic contention issues that may arise in the wireless
communication network. As persons of ordinary skill in the art
would understand, a wireless communication network is a
communication medium that can be shared among more than one
communication device (network node, content device, dongle, end
point device, etc.). Further, two or more communication devices may
transmit information traffic across the wireless communication
network at the same time. That is, each communication device may
contend for the shared wireless medium at the same time. If so,
then information packets from a traffic stream from one
communication device may collide with another because each
communication device shares the wireless medium. As a result of the
traffic collision, the information packets from both traffic
streams are corrupted and each communication device may have to
resend the respective information packets. CSMA/CA is scheme to
resolve such contention issues across the wireless communication
network by having each communication device that transmitted a
collided packet to backoff some random time so that they likelihood
of collision when both communication device retransmits will be
low.
[0055] In FIG. 3, a first communication device may transmit an
information packet from a first traffic stream 314 at a time t1
302. Further, a second communication device may transmit an
information packet from a second traffic stream 316 also at time t1
302. A collision 318 occurs as a result of such a simultaneous
transmission of packets. A CSMA/CA scheme may be implemented to
resolve the contention between traffic stream 1 and traffic stream
2. After detecting the collision 318, each communication device
senses the shared wireless medium to detect whether another
communication device is transmitting information packets. The time
period for this sensing function may be called a sensing interval
(320 and 322) and would last from the time detecting the collision
or transmitting of the information packets (314 and 316) to a time
t2 304. In addition, after the sensing interval (320 and 322) each
communication device waits a respective backoff time period (324
and 326) to transmit the respective information packets.
[0056] The length of the backoff time period may depend on the type
of traffic (voice, video, data). Higher priority traffic may have
shorter backoff time periods resulting in a higher throughput
across the wireless communication network. Conversely, lower
priority traffic may have longer back off time periods resulting in
lower throughput across the wireless communication network. In FIG.
3, information packets for traffic stream 2 (316, 330, 338) may
have a lower priority than the information packets for traffic
stream 1 (314 and 328). Thus, the backoff period tb2 326 is longer
than backoff period tb1 324.
[0057] As a result, the communication device may sense no activity
on the shared wireless medium after waiting a backoff tb1 time
period 324 and at time t3 306 transmits an information packet 328
for traffic stream 1. After waiting a backoff time period tb2 326
at time t4 308, the communication device transmitting traffic
stream 2 may sense that the shared wireless medium may be busy with
the information packet 328 transmitted by the other communication
device. Consequently, the communication device may restrain from
sending an information packet 330 for traffic stream 2. Such an
operation may be called collision avoidance in the CSMA/CA scheme.
After avoiding the collision 332, the communication device waits a
sensing interval 334 starting at time t4' 309 until time t5 310 to
determine whether the shared wireless communication medium is busy.
If not, the communication device waits backoff tb2 time period 336
before transmitting the information packet 338 at a time t6 312, if
the share wireless medium is not busy, for traffic stream 2.
Embodiments of the present disclosure may manage different types of
traffic carried on a wireless communication network by modifying
the priority of a traffic stream or modifying the backoff time
period associated to a traffic stream. Note the backoff times
depicted on FIG. 3 may be random such that the likelihood of
collision during retransmit may be low.
[0058] FIG. 4 is an exemplary functional block diagram 400
illustrating an exemplary traffic priority scheme in a wireless
communication network 401. Such a traffic priority scheme 400 may
be implemented within a communication device (e.g. network node,
secure access node, service multiplexer, dongle, end point device,
etc.) transmitting and receiving different types of traffic across
the wireless communication network 401. In the traffic priority
scheme 400, voice traffic may be designated or determined to be a
first priority or the highest priority. A traffic scheduler 404 may
be implemented in the communication device that receives N number
of voice traffic streams (410, 412, 414) that are buffered in
different queues. Further, video traffic may be designated or
determined to be a second priority or the second highest priority.
A traffic scheduler 405 may be implemented in the communication
device that receives N number of video traffic streams (416, 418
420) that are buffered in different queues. In addition, best
effort data traffic may be designated or determined to be a third
priority or the third highest priority. A traffic scheduler 406 may
be implemented in the communication device that receives N number
of best effort data traffic streams (422, 424 426) that are
buffered in different queues. Also, background data traffic may be
designated or determined to be a fourth priority or the lowest
highest priority. A traffic scheduler 408 may be implemented in the
communication device that receives N number of background data
traffic streams (428, 430 432) that are buffered in different
queues. Persons of ordinary skill in the art would understand that
the number of traffic streams for voice, video, best effort data,
and background data may be different from one another.
[0059] In such a traffic management scheme 400, the communication
device may transmit the voice traffic first, then video traffic,
then best effort data traffic and finally background data traffic
each with a distinct characteristic of deriving a respective
backoff period in a WiFi CSMA/CA scheme. The embodiments may
implement, for each stream of the same priority (e.g. multiplexing
voice traffic streams 410, 412, 414 into voice traffic scheduler
402; multiplexing video traffic streams 416, 418, 420 into video
scheduler 405; multiplexing best effort data streams 422, 424, 426
into best effort data traffic scheduler 406; multiplexing
background data 428, 430, 432 into background data traffic
scheduler 408), in a weighted round robin scheme by each scheduler
(404-408) as known to those skilled in the art such that a subset
of traffic streams with the same priority (e.g. voice) traffic
streams are scheduled to be transmitted in interleaving manner with
a subset of another stream (e.g. voice) traffic streams to conform
to quality of service and network requirements.
[0060] FIG. 5 is an exemplary functional block diagram illustrating
an exemplary strict traffic priority 500 scheme in a wireless
communication network 550 (not shown). In the traffic priority
scheme 500, and similar to the traffic scheme depicted in FIG. 4,
voice traffic may be designated or determined to be a first
priority or the highest priority. A queue voice traffic scheduler
502 may be implemented in the communication device that receives N
number of voice traffic streams (510, 512, 514) that are buffered
in queues. In addition, management packets 509 and telemetry
packets 511 that are transmitted, received and used by the traffic
management function of the communication device may also be
designated as a first priority. Further, video traffic may be
designated or determined to be a second priority or the second
highest priority. A video traffic scheduler 504 may be implemented
in the communication device that receives N number of video traffic
streams (516, 518 520) that are buffered in different queues. In
addition, best effort data traffic may be designated or determined
to be a third priority or the third highest priority. A best effort
data traffic scheduler 506 may be implemented in the communication
device that receives N number of best effort data traffic streams
(522, 524 526) that are buffered in different queues. Also,
background data traffic may be designated or determined to be a
fourth priority or the lowest highest priority. A background data
traffic scheduler 508 may be implemented in the communication
device that receives N number of video traffic streams (528, 530,
552) that are buffered in different queues. Persons of ordinary
skill in the art would understand that the number of traffic
streams for voice, video, best effort data, and background data may
be different from one another.
[0061] Each of the traffic queues (502, 504, 506, 508) may be
coupled to a strict priority mechanism 540 that limits the
communication device to transmit every voice traffic stream first.
After each voice traffic stream has been transmitted, then, only
will a video traffic stream be transmitted. Thus, generally, the
strict priority mechanism allows for all higher priority traffic to
be transmitted before any lower priority traffic may be transmitted
to the wireless communication network 550. For example, there may
be only packets buffered for the voice 1 stream (510) and the voice
2 stream (512). When implementing the strict priority scheme
depicted in FIG. 5, a packet from voice stream 1 (510) may be
transmitted from voice scheduler 502. Thereafter, a packet from
voice stream 2 (512) may be transmitted. Thereafter, another packet
from voice stream 1 (510) and then another packet from voice stream
2 (512) until all the packets buffered for voice stream 1 (510) and
voice stream 2 (512) have been transmitted. Then only shall packets
from the streams (516-520) from video scheduler 504 be transmitted.
As a result, all of the traffic schedulers (502, 504, 506, 508)
shall share the same characteristic of deriving the same backoff
period. Further, such a strict priority scheme may be implemented
in WiFi wireless communication network implementing the IEEE
802.11g standard. Such standard does not have categories of traffic
types. Instead, a dongle implementing the strict priority scheme
500 may determine the type of traffic (e.g. voice, video, best
effort data, background data, etc.) that is transiting the dongle
and implement the strict priority scheme accordingly thereby
satisfying quality-of-service requirements for various traffic
streams traveling across the wireless communication network
(550).
[0062] FIG. 6 is an exemplary functional block diagram illustrating
another exemplary traffic priority scheme 600 in a wireless
communication network. The traffic priority scheme 600 may be
described including two traffic management sub-schemes (602 and
632). Traffic management sub-scheme 602 may be implemented by one
communication device such as a service multiplexer and traffic
management sub-scheme 632 may be implemented by another
communication device such as a secure access node. The traffic
management sub-scheme may be similar to the traffic management
scheme shown in FIG. 4 in that it comprises of four traffic
schedulers (633, 635, 637, 639) that may implements a weighted
round robin scheme to transmit buffered packets. Such a traffic
management sub-scheme 632 may be implemented within a secure access
node transmitting and receiving different types of traffic across
the wireless communication network. In the traffic management
sub-scheme 632, voice traffic may be designated or determined to be
a first priority or the highest priority. A scheduler 633 may be
implemented in the secure access node that receives a number of
voice traffic streams one of which is shown in FIG. 6 (636). In
addition to the voice traffic streams 636, the scheduler 633 may
schedule the transmission of management protocol packets 634 from
the node management function to manage traffic on other
communication devices on the wireless network (e.g. service
multiplexer). Also, the scheduler 633 may receive telemetry packets
638. Both management packets 634 and telemetry packets 638 may be
designated or configured as first priority and be scheduled using
the weighted round-robin (WRR) scheme. Further, video traffic may
be designated or determined to be a second priority or the second
highest priority. A scheduler 635 may be implemented in the secure
access node that receives N number of video traffic streams (640,
642, 644). The video traffic may be one-way streaming video traffic
or it may be downstream video traffic that is part of two-way video
conferencing. In addition, best effort data traffic may be
designated or determined to be a third priority or the third
highest priority. A scheduler 637 may be implemented in the secure
access node that receives N number of best effort data traffic
streams (646, 648, 650). Also, background data traffic may be
designated or determined to be a fourth priority or the lowest
highest priority. A queue scheduler may be implemented in the
secure access node that receives N number of background data
traffic streams (652, 654, 656). Persons of ordinary skill in the
art would understand that the number of traffic streams for voice,
video, best effort data, and background data may be different from
one another.
[0063] In such a traffic management sub-scheme 632, the secure
access node may transmit the voice traffic first, then video
traffic, then best effort data traffic and finally background data
traffic. Other embodiments may be implemented in weighted round
robin scheme as known to those skilled in the art such that a
subset of a higher priority (e.g. voice) traffic streams are
transmitted before a subset of lower priority (e.g. video) traffic
streams to conform to quality of service and network
requirements.
[0064] Further, a traffic management sub-scheme 602 may be
implemented within a service multiplexer transmitting and receiving
different types of traffic across the wireless communication
network. The service multiplexer may be coupled to a dongle as
shown in FIG. 2. In the traffic management sub-scheme 602, voice
traffic may be designated or determined to be a first priority or
the highest priority. A traffic scheduler 603 may be implemented in
the service multiplexer that receives a number of voice traffic
streams one of which is shown in FIG. 6 (606). In addition to the
voice traffic streams 606, the traffic scheduler 603 may receive
management protocol packets 604 from the dongle management function
to manage traffic transiting through the service multiplexer. Also,
the traffic scheduler 603 may receive telemetry packets 608. Both
management packets 604 and telemetry packets 608 may be designate
as first priority. In addition, the dongle management function, and
may be in conjunction with the node management function implemented
by the secure access node, may designate certain types of video
traffic such as Video 1 (610), Video 2 (612), and Video N (614) as
first priority. The certain types of vide traffic may be upstream
video traffic streams that are part of a video conferencing
stream.
[0065] Further, other types of video traffic such as streaming
video may be designated or determined to be a second priority or
the second highest priority. A traffic scheduler 605 may be
implemented in the service multiplexer that receives Video N+1
(613) and Video N+2 (615) video traffic streams. In addition, best
effort data traffic may be designated or determined to be a third
priority or the third highest priority. A traffic scheduler 607 may
be implemented in the secure access node that receives N number of
best effort data traffic streams (616, 618, 620). Also, background
data traffic may be designated or determined to be a fourth
priority or the lowest highest priority. A traffic scheduler 609
may be implemented in the secure access node that receives N number
of background data traffic streams (622, 624, 626). Persons of
ordinary skill in the art would understand that the number of
traffic streams for voice, video, best effort data, and background
data may be different from one another.
[0066] The traffic management scheme in FIG. 6 implemented over a
wireless communication network (e.g. WiFi) may provide improved
quality of service compared to a conventional implementation of the
wireless communication network and associated protocols. Such
improvements may be made in carry video conferencing traffic
between the secure access node and service multiplexer because the
upstream video traffic associated with such videoconferencing
traffic is designated first priority and delivered at a higher
priority with a shorter contention window (resulting in all
likelihood shorter backoff times) than conventional traffic
management techniques (e.g. designated as second priority). As a
result, upstream and downstream video streams have lower
probability to collide into each other.
[0067] FIG. 7 is an exemplary transaction diagram 700 illustrating
an exemplary implementation of a traffic priority (management)
scheme in a wireless communication network. A network node (e.g. a
secure access node) 702, service multiplexer 704, personal computer
706, and television 708 may be coupled to each other across a
wireless communication network. Further, the service multiplexer
704 may be coupled to a video conference node 710 and thereby may
receive upstream and downstream video traffic for the video
conference node 710. The network node 702 may have a node
management function and the service multiplexer may be coupled to a
dongle having a dongle management function. The node management
function and the dongle management function may implement traffic
management and priority schemes as described in the present
disclosure.
[0068] Further, the network node may transmit video traffic 712 to
the service multiplexer 704 (destined for the video conference node
710). Such video traffic 712 may be designated as second priority
or video priority based on the traffic management scheme
implemented by the node management function. Alternatively, the
service multiplexer 704 may transmit video traffic 714 to the
network node 702 across the wireless communication network such
that the video traffic 714 is designated as first priority or voice
priority. Further, the service multiplexer 704 may transmit video
traffic 716 to the television 708 at a second priority or video
priority. In return, the television 708 may transmit video traffic
718 to the service multiplexer at a second priority or video
priority, unlike the upstream video conference traffic 714 which is
promoted to voice priority because of real-time nature and large
bandwidth constraints of video conference traffic 714. In addition,
the network node 702 may transmit best effort data traffic 720 to
the personal computer 706 at a third priority or best effort data
traffic priority. Alternatively, the personal computer may transmit
best effort data traffic 722 also at a third priority or best
effort data traffic priority. The traffic management scheme
implemented by the service multiplexer 704 by designating vide
traffic 714 as first priority traffic reduces the possibility of
the video packets of the video traffic stream 714 to collide with
other packet streams transmitted downstream including stream 712
across the wireless communication network.
[0069] FIG. 8 is an exemplary transaction diagram 800 illustrating
exemplary traffic management mechanisms for a wireless
communication network. A network node (e.g. a secure access node)
802, service multiplexer 804, and personal computer 806 may be
coupled to each other across the wireless communication network.
Further, the service multiplexer 804 may be coupled to a video
conference node or a television 810 and thereby may receive
upstream and downstream video traffic for the video conferencing.
The network node 802 may have a node management function and the
service multiplexer 804 may be coupled to a dongle having a dongle
management function. The node management function and the dongle
management function may implement traffic management and priority
schemes as described in the present disclosure.
[0070] Further, the network node 802 may transmit video traffic 812
to the service multiplexer 804 (destined for the video
conference/TV node 810). Such video traffic 812 may be designated
as second priority or video priority based on the traffic
management scheme implemented by the node management function.
Alternatively, the service multiplexer 804 may transmit video
traffic 814 to the network node 802 across the wireless
communication network such that the video traffic 814 is designated
as first priority (voice priority) or as a second priority (video
priority) depending whether the video traffic depending on whether
node 810 is a video conference node (first priority) or an
alternative node like television (second priority) as well as
depending on whether additional traffic management schemes are
employed to reduce the possibility for packet collision.
[0071] During the transmission of video traffic (812 and 814) to
and from the network node 802 and the service multiplexer 804, the
personal computer 806 may want to register and be admitted into the
wireless communication network. To do so, the personal computer 806
may send a registration request 816 to the network node. The
network node 802 may continue to transmit and receive video traffic
(818 and 820) from the service multiplexer 804. Further, the
network node 802 may transmit a registration confirmation command
822 to the personal computer 806 providing the allowed peak and
mean data rate for the personal computer 806 to send best effort
data across the wireless confirmation network. The node management
function on the network node 802 determines such an allowed peak
and mean data rate based on the different types of traffic
transiting through the network node 802 to and from the wireless
communication network as well as conforming to quality of service
and network requirements. In return, the personal computer 806
transmits a registration response packet 824 that confirms the
allowed peak and mean data rate. Thereafter, the personal computer
806 may receive and transmit best effort data traffic 826 and 828
across on the wireless communication network at the allowed peak
and mean data rates.
[0072] FIG. 9 is an exemplary transaction diagram 900 illustrating
exemplary traffic management mechanisms for a wireless
communication network. A network node (e.g. a secure access node)
902, service multiplexer 904, and personal computer 906 may be
coupled to each other across the wireless communication network.
Further, the service multiplexer 904 may be coupled to a video
conference node or a television 910 and thereby may receive
upstream and downstream video traffic for the video conferencing.
The network node 902 may have a node management function and the
service multiplexer 904 may be coupled to a dongle having a dongle
management function. The node management function and the dongle
management function may implement traffic management and priority
schemes as described in the present disclosure.
[0073] Further, the personal computer 906 may receive and transmit
best effort data traffic (912 and 914) across on the wireless
communication network at certain peak and mean data rates.
Thereafter, the service multiplexer 904 may want register the video
conference/TV node 910 into the wireless network, thereby sending a
registration request 916 to the network node 902. The node
management function on the network node 902 may analyze the
different types of traffic transiting the network node to the
wireless communication network. Based on the different types of
traffic and the traffic management scheme as well as the quality
service and network requirements, the network node may send the
personal computer 906 a command 918 to reduce the peak and mean
data rate of the best effort data received and transmitted from the
personal computer 906. In return, the personal computer 906 may
provide a response 920 confirming the reduction of the peak and
mean data rates for best effort data traffic.
[0074] Subsequently, the network node 902 may send the service
multiplexer a registration confirmation 922 for admitting video
traffic from the video conference/TV node 910 into the wireless
network. In return, the service multiplexer 904 may provide a
registration response 924 to the network node 902. Thereafter, the
network node 902 may transmit and receive video traffic streams
(926 and 928) for the video conference/TV node 910 to the service
multiplexer 904.
[0075] FIG. 10 is an exemplary transaction diagram 100 illustrating
an exemplary authentication of an end point device such as a
personal computer 1006 in a wireless communication network. The
personal computer may be coupled to a dongle device. Such an
authentication process may involve the personal computer 1006
attempting to gain web access 1010 through the wireless
communication network and network node 1002. Before allowing the
personal computer access to the Web or Internet, the network node
1002 may send the personal computer an authentication request 1012
using a node management function to install software on the
personal computer 1006 (e.g. "push install" as known to those of
ordinary skill in the art). The installed software would perform
all the required dongle management protocol and features. The
personal computer 1006 may respond to the authentication request
1012 by accepting the installation of the software and by sending a
registration command as well as a passcode 1014. The network node
902 may send a registration confirmation 1016 to the personal
computer 1006. In return, the personal computer may provide a
registration response 1018 to the network node 1002 to complete the
registration process.
[0076] FIG. 11 is an exemplary transaction diagram 1100
illustrating an exemplary traffic management mechanism for a
wireless communication network. A network node (e.g. a secure
access node) 1102, service multiplexer 1104, and personal computer
1106 may be coupled to each other across the wireless communication
network. Further, the service multiplexer 1104 may be coupled to a
video conference node or a television 1110 and thereby may receive
upstream and downstream video traffic for the video conferencing.
The network node 1102 may have a node management function and the
service multiplexer 1104 may be coupled to a dongle having a dongle
management function. The node management function and the dongle
management function may implement traffic management and priority
schemes as described in the present disclosure.
[0077] Further, the personal computer 1106 may receive and transmit
best effort data traffic (1112 and 1114) across on the wireless
communication network at certain peak and mean data rates.
Thereafter, the service multiplexer 1104 may want to de-register
the video conference/TV node 1110 from the wireless network,
thereby sending a de-registration request 1116 to the network node
1102. Subsequently, the network node 1102 may send the service
multiplexer 1104 a de-registration confirmation 1118. In return,
the service multiplexer 1104 may provide a de-registration response
1120 to the network node 1102. Further, the personal computer 1106
may continue to receive and transmit best effort data traffic (1122
and 1124) across on the wireless communication network.
[0078] In addition, the node management function on the network
node 1102 may analyze the different types of traffic transiting the
network node to the wireless communication network. Based on the
different types of traffic and the traffic management scheme as
well as the quality service and network requirements, the network
node may send the personal computer 1106 a command 1126 to increase
the peak and mean data rate of the best effort data received and
transmitted from the personal computer 1106. In return, the
personal computer 1106 may provide a response 1128 confirming the
increase of the peak and mean data rates for best effort data
traffic.
[0079] In an embodiment associating a dongle with a video terminal
node (video dongle), and such a vide dongle becomes inactive
without properly de-registering, a node management function may
periodically send a command packet to query status of a video
dongle to identify a level of activeness. If a video dongle is no
longer active according to such a query/discovery process, the
video dongle may be forced to shut down and the bandwidth
associated with the video dongle application may be re-allocated to
other applications.
[0080] FIG. 12 is an exemplary functional diagram depicting a
device traffic manager 1200 implementing an exemplary traffic
management scheme. A node management function on a network node or
a dongle management function coupled to another communication
device may include the device traffic manager 1200. One of the
function of the device traffic manager 1200 may be traffic
scheduling. Further, the device traffic manager 1200 may have
several different components that include management protocol
processor 1205, a traffic policer 1210, a weighted random round
robin early discard engine 1215, a traffic scheduler 1220, and a
management protocol responder 1225. The weighted random round robin
early discard engine 1215 and a traffic scheduler 1220 may be
called collectively a discard and scheduler engine. Additional
components of the device traffic manager 1200 may include a node
logic circuit and a WiFi transceiver 1235. In addition, persons of
ordinary skill in the art would understand data and commands
exchanged between the different functional components (1205-1235)
shown in FIG. 12 (e.g. drop report, command request, queue and
scheduler control, etc.).
[0081] The management protocol processor 1205 receives one or more
data packets from the WiFi transceiver 1235, traps one or more
management protocol packets, processes the one or more management
protocol packets, and transmits instructions to reallocate wireless
communication network bandwidth based on processing the one or more
management protocol packets. Further, the management protocol
processor 1205 verifies a quality-of-service for one or more
transmission packets. The traffic policer 1210 verifies one or more
traffic streams received from node logic circuit 1230 (from the
node logic circuit from either network node or the dongle) to
conform to the respective service level agreement and perform
traffic shaping on the one or more traffic streams using a queue.
In addition, the discard and scheduler engine (1215 and 1220)
performs weighted random early discard based on queue depth and
weighted round robin scheduling. Weighted round robin scheduling
may be performed for each class of traffic. Additional intelligence
could be applied to the WRED dropping mechanism so that packets may
be dropped such that they would not cause severe retransmit of a
session or cause any other unnecessary delays. Also, the management
protocol responder 1225 generates one or more control packets for
management protocol function according to the Management Protocol
Processor's instruction to respond to a master controller's request
including commands like a status query with a command response from
the master controller function if it is located in a dongle. The
management protocol responder 1225 may also generate response
protocol packets and other protocol packets facilitating
registration and de-registration processes according to the
Management Protocol Processor's requests. If the management
protocol responder 1225 is located in a Network Node, it would send
out management protocol packet according to the Management Protocol
Processor's requests including command and registration
confirmation packets.
[0082] FIG. 13 shows exemplary traffic diagrams (1300 and 1341)
illustrating an exemplary time division traffic management scheme
to be implemented on traffic carried by a wireless communication
network such as WiFi. A traffic diagram 1300 illustrates a time
division management scheme, as a result, there may be a possibility
of packet collision being reduced. The node management function
and/or the dongle manage function may implement the time division
scheme to satisfy quality of service requirements and network
requirements. The time division management traffic management
scheme transmits video traffic in a time division manner and the
other types of traffic (e.g. best effort data, background data) are
contending for the remaining time in a time period using CSMA/CA
techniques. In the exemplary traffic diagram 1300, two time periods
are shown. The wireless communication network may carry four video
traffic streams. Therefore, a time division multiplexing scheme is
implemented with four time slots, t1 (1302 and 1322), t2 (1304 and
1324), t3 (1306 and 1326), and t4 (1308 and 1328) in a given time
period. A video traffic stream is transmitted during each time slot
1341 (1302-1328). The remaining time in the time period 1343 is for
other types of traffic (voice, best effort data, and background
data). The traffic diagram 1341 shows that one of the four video
traffic streams shown in traffic diagram 1300 has been terminated
or no longer active. Consequently, the traffic management scheme
allocates the time slot that was previously allocated to the
terminate video traffic to the other types of traffic (voice, best
effort data, background data). Thus, remaining three video traffic
streams are transmitted during time slots t1 (1342), t2 (1344), and
t3 (1346), respectively 1381. Other types of traffic (voice, best
effort data, and background data) are transmitted during the
remaining time 1383 in the time period. This includes time slot t4
(1348) that was previously allocated to the terminated or inactive
video traffic stream.
[0083] Further embodiments of the time division multiplexing scheme
may be configured such that voice traffic streams can be
transmitted in the time period (1343, 1383) with the data traffic
streams or transmitted in one of the time slots assigned to one of
the video traffic streams (1302-1308, 1342-1346) whenever possible
(likelihood of collision may be small between voice stream and
video stream) because voice traffic has higher priority than video
and data. The time division multiplexing scheme shown in FIG. 13
may implemented by the management protocol processor 1205 by
turning on and off the traffic scheduler 1220. The management
protocol processors are synchronized to each other among the
network node and the dongles by using Network Timing Protocol
(NTP). One vehicle to implement the distribution of the NTP
information using the management protocol is to institute a
synchronization command which contains required NTP timing
information. As a result, timing to identify the time slot can be
synchronized among the network node and dongles.
[0084] WiFi security schemes using such security protocols as
WPAv1/2 or WEP are considered the weak point for WiFi security
concerns. FIG. 14 is an exemplary functional block diagram 1400
illustrating encryption of a information traffic scheme. The
transmission side of the encryption scheme 1401 includes the
payload to be transmitted 1402 and the pseudo-random code 1404. The
payload of the traffic scheme may be encrypted by inputting the
payload 1402 and the pseudo-random code 1404 in to an exclusive-or
function. The output of the exclusive-or function 1406 is the
encrypted or scrambled traffic 1408. This scrambled traffic 1408
can be transported via a WiFi Network including the one with
traffic management schemes described in the present disclosure.
Alternatively, the reception side of the encryption scheme 1400
includes an exclusive-or function 1410 and a pseudo-random code
1414. The pseudo-random code 1404 and 1414 shall be synchronized.
One method to synchronize application of 1404 and 1414 is to use
the packet header information to identify the start and ending
point for applying the codes 1404 and 1414. The output of the
exclusive-or function is the received payload 1412. As a results,
the security and privacy of the WiFi traffic schemes is further
enhanced. Unlike WAP, WEP or other security protocols, only a key
for the pseudo-random code is provided to both network node and
dongle performing the encryption shown in FIG. 14. The encryption
embodiment shown in FIG. 14 may encrypt only the payload or only
the header of a traffic stream or both a header and the
payload.
[0085] FIGS. 15A-15C are exemplary flowcharts illustrating
exemplary methods for managing different types of traffic across a
wireless communication network. In FIG. 15A, a step in the
exemplary method 1500 may be transmitting and receiving one or more
application data streams including a node video application, as
shown in block 1502. The node video application includes a
conversion engine. An additional step in the method may be the node
video application transmitting one or more downstream video
streams, as shown in block 1504. A further step in the method may
be receiving one or more upstream video streams, as shown in block
1506. Another step in the method may be managing one or more node
video traffic stream and the one or more application data streams
using a master controller function and a node management function,
as shown in block 1508. An additional step may be transmitting and
receiving one or more application data streams using a dongle
management function, as shown in block 1510. The application data
streams may include a dongle video application wherein the dongle
video application including a conversion engine. A further step may
be the dongle video application transmitting one or more upstream
video streams, as shown in block 1514. Another method may be
receiving one or more downstream video streams from the wireless
communication network, as shown in block 1516. A further step may
be controlling admission of a dongle video traffic stream to the
wireless communication network using a dongle management function,
as shown in block 1518.
[0086] Referring to FIG. 15B, another step in the example method
may be provisioning a dongle management function application to the
wireless dongle across the wireless communication network using the
master controller and node management function, as shown in block
1520. A further step may be dynamically configuring the dongle
management function to implement quality-of-service requirements
received by the master controller function by the dongle management
function, as shown in block 1522. An additional step method may be
managing a set of video traffic streams that includes a first
subset of video traffic streams and a second subset of video
traffic streams using the node management function, as shown in
block 1523. Another step may be designating or configuring a first
subset (upstream) of video traffic streams as first priority based
on analyzing the one or more types of traffic received and sent
from the network node, as shown in block 1524. A further step may
be registering a first end point device of the one or more end
point devices into the wireless communication network, as shown in
block 1526. An additional step may be allocating a first peak data
rate and a first mean data rate to the first end point device for
transmission of data based on one or more types of traffic flowing
across the wireless communication network and one or more wireless
communication network requirements, as shown in block 1528. Another
method may be reallocating a second peak data rate and a second
mean data rate to the first end point device for transmission of
data based on a change in characteristics of the one or more types
of traffic flowing across the wireless communication and a change
in one or more wireless communication network requirements, as
shown in block 1530. A further step may be implementing strict
priority scheme to manage one or more dongle application traffic
streams and the dongle video traffic stream, as shown in block
1532.
[0087] Referring to FIG. 15C, another step in the method may be
implementing a time division multiplexing scheme on the video
traffic bandwidth using the node management function and the dongle
management function such that each of the one or more video traffic
streams are assigned a time slot in the time division multiplexing
scheme, as shown in block 1534. An additional step may be
reallocating a time slot for an inactive video stream to one or
more application data streams, as shown in block 1536. A further
step may be performing a security function using a pseudo-random
code to encrypt a secured traffic stream between the network node
and the wireless dongle over the wireless communication network
using the node management function and the dongle management
function, as shown in block 1538. A key associated with the
pseudo-random code is dynamically configured.
[0088] The traffic management schemes described in the present
disclosure may be implemented, for example, in a wireless
communication network environment and may be generally implemented
in a multiple transmitter and multiple receiver communication
environment such that the multiple transmitters and multiple
receivers share a communication medium.
[0089] Persons of ordinary skill in the art would understand that
the examples described in the present disclosure are illustrative
and not limiting and that the concepts illustrated in the examples
may be applied to other examples and embodiments.
[0090] Note that the functional blocks, methods, devices and
systems described in the present disclosure may be integrated or
divided into different combination of systems, devices, and
functional blocks as would be known to those skilled in the
art.
[0091] In general, it should be understood that the circuits or
functions described herein may be implemented in hardware using
integrated circuit development technologies, or yet via some other
methods, or the combination of hardware and software objects that
could be ordered, parameterized, and connected in a software
environment to implement different functions described herein. For
example, the present application may be implemented using a general
purpose or dedicated processor running a software application
through volatile or non-volatile memory. Also, the hardware objects
could communicate using electrical signals, with states of the
signals representing different data.
[0092] It should be further understood that this and other
arrangements described herein are for purposes of example only. As
such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other
arrangements and other elements (e.g. machines, interfaces,
functions, orders, and groupings of functions, etc.) can be used
instead, and some elements may be omitted altogether according to
the desired results. Further, many of the elements that are
described are functional entities that may be implemented as
discrete or distributed components or in conjunction with other
components, in any suitable combination and location.
[0093] The present disclosure is not to be limited in terms of the
particular embodiments described in this application, which are
intended as illustrations of various aspects. Many modifications
and variations can be made without departing from its spirit and
scope, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Functionally equivalent methods and apparatuses within the scope of
the disclosure, in addition to those enumerated herein, will be
apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing
descriptions. Such modifications and variations are intended to
fall within the scope of the appended claims. The present
disclosure is to be limited only by the terms of the appended
claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such
claims are entitled. It is to be understood that this disclosure is
not limited to particular methods, reagents, compounds
compositions, or biological systems, which can, of course, vary. It
is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for
the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not
intended to be limiting.
[0094] With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or
singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate
from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the
plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The
various singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth
herein for sake of clarity.
[0095] It will be understood by those within the art that, in
general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims
(e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as
"open" terms (e.g., the term "including" should be interpreted as
"including but not limited to," the term "having" should be
interpreted as "having at least," the term "includes" should be
interpreted as "includes but is not limited to," etc.). It will be
further understood by those within the art that if a specific
number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an
intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence
of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an
aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain
usage of the introductory phrases "at least one and one or more to
introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases
should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim
recitation by the indefinite articles "a" or an limits any
particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to
embodiments containing only one such recitation, even when the same
claim includes the introductory phrases one or more" or "at least
one" and indefinite articles such as "a" or an (e.g., "a" and/or
"an" should be interpreted to mean "at least one" or "one or
more"); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used
to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific
number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited,
those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should
be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare
recitation of "two recitations," without other modifiers, means at
least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in
those instances where a convention analogous to "at least one of A,
B, and C, etc." is used, in general such a construction is intended
in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the
convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, and C"
would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B
alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C
together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances
where a convention analogous to "at least one of A, B, or C, etc."
is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense
one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g.,
"a system having at least one of A, B, or C" would include but not
be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B
together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C
together, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the
art that virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting
two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims,
or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities
of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms.
For example, the phrase "A or B" will be understood to include the
possibilities of "A" or "B" or "A and B."
[0096] In addition, where features or aspects of the disclosure are
described in terms of Markush groups, those skilled in the art will
recognize that the disclosure is also thereby described in terms of
any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush
group.
[0097] As will be understood by one skilled in the art, for any and
all purposes, such as in terms of providing a written description,
all ranges disclosed herein also encompass any and all possible
subranges and combinations of subranges thereof. Any listed range
can be easily recognized as sufficiently describing and enabling
the same range being broken down into at least equal halves,
thirds, quarters, fifths, tenths, etc. As a non-limiting example,
each range discussed herein can be readily broken down into a lower
third, middle third and upper third, etc. As will also be
understood by one skilled in the art all language such as "up to,"
"at least," "greater than," "less than," and the like include the
number recited and refer to ranges which can be subsequently broken
down into subranges as discussed above. Finally, as will be
understood by one skilled in the art, a range includes each
individual member. Thus, for example, a group having 1-3 cells
refers to groups having 1, 2, or 3 cells. Similarly, a group having
1-5 cells refers to groups having 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 cells, and so
forth.
[0098] While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed
herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those
skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed
herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be
limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the
following claims.
* * * * *