GOALI: Intelligent Channel Management in 802.11n Networks

University Of California-Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara CA

Investigators

Abstract

The newly ratified IEEE 802.11n standard brings a number of new possibilities in the quest for attaining wire-like transmission speeds. The number of subchannels, the option for channel bonding, and the use of multiple antennas and MIMO technologies result in a vast variety of potential transmission strategies. Because of the number of variables, selecting the 'right combination' given the offered load, interference patterns and environmental noise is a complex undertaking. A naïve channel assignment strategy will result in sub-optimal performance due to unnecessary channel contention. This work addresses a number of open questions in the quest to develop a channel assignment strategy for 802.11n that maximizes spatial reuse. In particular, the work seeks to answer to the following questions: (i) how should MIMO transmission schemes, channel bonding, and DFS considerations best be integrated into a channel management solution to maximize performance?; (ii) how can the gains achieved by MIMO systems best be utilized to influence the channel management system?; and (iii) how should metrics that influence these decisions be obtained and redefined for 802.11n systems? The project will be facilitated through a partnership between UC Santa Barbara and HP Laboratories. Outcomes of the work will include a set of solutions for dynamically monitoring current channel state, and an integrated channel management solution that utilizes monitoring output to achieve high-speed, long transmission range communication in 802.11n systems.