Method for dynamically selecting allocation of random access channels in a communication system

Claims

We claim:

1. In a multi-user, frame-formatted communication system in which fixed-length frames are defined, each frame having a random-access portion and a nonrandom access portion, the communication system having at least one mobile terminal that is capable of random access to a selected number of random access channels, defined within the random-access portion of each frame, to communicate data to an access point, an improvement of apparatus for selecting the selected number of the random access channels defined within the random-access portion, thereby to define, in part, how much of the frame is formed of the random-access portion, said apparatus comprising: a determiner coupled to receive indications of a parameters indicative of anticipated communications between each of the at least one mobile terminal and the access point during the frame, said determiner for determining a number of random access channels needed to maintain a collision possibility of collisions between data communicated by the at least one mobile terminal upon a random access channel of the frame beneath a threshold; and a selector in the access point operable responsive to determination made by said determiner, said selector for selecting how many random access channels are defined within the random-access portion of the frame, selection made by said selector being determinative of how much of the frame is comprised of the random access portion and determinative, at least in part, of how much of the frame is comprised of the nonrandom access portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the indications of the parameter indicative of anticipated communication between each of the at least one mobile terminal and the access point which said determiner is coupled to receive comprise indications of how many of the at least one mobile terminal are associated with the access point.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the access point defines a coverage area and wherein each of the at least one mobile terminal is associated with the access point when the mobile terminal is positioned within the coverage area of the access point.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each of the at least one mobile terminal is operable to send a registration message, detection of the registration message at the access point indicating to the access point association of the mobile terminal from which the registration message is sent to the access point.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein selections made by said selector of how many random access channels are to be defined within the random-access portion of the frame are proportional to how many mobile terminals are determined by said determiner to be associated with the access point.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the indications of the parameter indicative of the anticipated communications between the at least one mobile terminal and the access point further comprise indications of how many of the at least one mobile terminal associated with the access point are assigned to communicate during the nonrandom access portion of the frame.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein selections made by said selector of how many random access channels are to be defined within the nonrandom access portion of the frame are proportional to a difference calculated of how many mobile terminals are determined to be associated with the access point less how many of the mobile terminals are assigned to communicate during the nonrandom access portion of the frame.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the selections made by selector select at least one random access channel to form a portion of the frame.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the indications of the parameter indicative of anticipated communications between the at least one mobile terminal and the access point that said determiner is coupled to receive comprise indications of a communication-service type of communications to be effectuated with each of the at least one mobile terminal.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said determiner further assigns a priority level to each communication-service type, of which indications thereof are reserved thereat.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein selection made by said selector of how many random access channels are defined within the random-access portion of the frame is proportional to the priority level assigned to the communication-service type of the communications to be effectuated with the at least one mobile terminal.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mobile terminal is operable in a sleep mode and in a nonsleep mode, wherein the access point is further selectably operable to send a wake-up indication during the frame and wherein the indications of the parameter indicative of anticipated communications between the at least one mobile terminal and the access point that said determiner is coupled to receive comprises an indication of whether the wake-up indication is to be sent during the frame.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein selections made by said selector of how many random access channels are to form a portion of the frame is dependent, at least in part, upon whether a wake-up indication is to be sent during the frame.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein a first number of random access channels is selected by said selector when the wake-up indication is to be sent during the frame and a second number of random access channels is selected by selector when a wake-up indication is not to be sent during the frame, the first number greater than the second number.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the multi-user communication system comprises a wireless LAN (local area network) wherein the access point comprises a portion of the network infrastructure of the wireless LAN, said determiner and said selector forming portions of the network infrastructure.

16. In a method for communicating in a multi-user, frame-formatted communication system in which fixed-length frames are defined, each frame having a random-access portion and a nonrandom access portion, the communication system having at least one mobile terminal that is capable of random access to a selective number of random access channels, defined within the random-access portion of each frame, to communicate data to an access point, an improvement of a method for selecting the selected number of the random access channels defined within the random-access portion, thereby to define how much of the frame is formed of the random-access portion of the frame, said method comprising: determining a number of random access channels needed to maintain a collision possibility of collisions between data communicated by the at least one mobile terminal upon a random access channels of the frame beneath a threshold responsive to indications of parameters indicative of anticipated communications between each of the at least one mobile terminal and the access point; and selecting by the access point, responsive to determinations made during said operation of determining, how many random access channels are defined within the random-access portion of the frame, selection being determinative of what portion of the frame is comprised of the random access channels and determinative, at least in part, of how much of the frame is comprised of the nonrandom access portions.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the initial operation of generating indications of a parameter indicative of anticipated communications between the at least one mobile terminal and the access point.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the indications generated during said operation of generating comprise indications of how many of the at least one mobile terminal are associated with the access point.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the indications generated during said operation of generating further comprise indications of how many of the at least one mobile terminal associated with the access point are assigned to communicate during the nonrandom access portion of the frame.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the indications generated during said operation of generating comprise indications of a communication-service type of communications to be effectuated with the at least one mobile terminal.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the access point is further selectably operable to send a wake-up indication during the frame and wherein the indications generated during said operation of generating comprise an indication of whether the wake-up indication is to be sent during the frame.