Method and apparatus for determining and managing congestion in a wireless communications system

摘要

An improved method of network management, particularly in the context of standards IEEE802.11 and IEEE802.11k, through two new MAC measurements, with attendant advantages. The two new measurements include WTRU uplink traffic loading measurement, and an AP service loading measurement and is generally applicable at least to layers 1 and 2 as applied to at least 802.11k in the context of OFDM and CDMA 2000 systems, but is applicable to other scenarios as well. A method for determining and advertising congestion is also provided for a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) system. The present invention also introduces a method for managing congestion when congestion is detected. This aspect for the present invention applies primarily to wireless systems that use the Carrier Sense Multiple Access/ Collision advantageously implemented in selectively configured WTRUs of various forms. FROM AP(x) RECEIVE ADVERTISED LOAD (LI) FROM AP(X) S10 TO S12 Si 0 FROM AP(y) 1 RECEIVE ADVERTISED LOAD (L2) FROM AP(y) DETERMINE AREA S1l- , LOAD (L3) COMPARE L3 WITH L2,L1& N ACCEPT L3 ALL HIGH L3 > Li & L2 A WTRU ? 3 Y S15B y S16 S14 DELAY LOAD CONDUCT LOAD SHEDDING SHEDDING RETURN RETURN RETURN