Wireless density-based on-the-fly codec and radio frequency link type selection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10742818-B2
Application number	US-201715680043-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2017
Priority date	Aug 17, 2017
Publication date	Aug 11, 2020
Grant date	Aug 11, 2020

Abstract

A method is disclosed for wireless density-based on-the-fly codec and radio frequency link type selection. The method includes storing a link quality value, and scanning a plurality of timeslots across a plurality of wireless carriers. The method also includes calculating, based on the scanning, an average radio frequency density level for a time period. Still yet, the method includes calculating a current density level based on the link quality value and the average radio frequency density level. Further, the method includes selecting, based on the current density level, a codec from a plurality of stored codecs. The selected codec is associated with a link type. Moreover, the method includes receiving a command to open a wireless link, and, in response to the command, opening the wireless link using the selected codec and the associated link type.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
storing a link quality value;
while maintaining an inactive wireless link with a paired device, scanning a plurality of timeslots across a plurality of wireless carriers;
based on the scanning, calculating an average radio frequency density level for a time period spanning the plurality of timeslots, wherein the average radio frequency density level is a level of user density over a predefined radio frequency spectrum, wherein the user density represents a number of active users operating in an area having devices sharing the predefined radio frequency spectrum;
calculating a current density level using the link quality value and the average radio frequency density level;
selecting, based on the current density level, a codec from a plurality of stored codecs, wherein the selected codec is associated with a link type;
receiving a command to convert the inactive wireless link to an active wireless link; and
in response to the command, opening the active wireless link with the paired device using the selected codec and the associated link type.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
based on the scanning, storing, for each timeslot of the plurality of timeslots, a highest received signal strength indication value identified within the timeslot; and
based on the scanning, storing, for each timeslot of the plurality of timeslots, a lowest received signal strength indication value identified within the timeslot,
wherein calculating the average radio frequency density level for the time period includes averaging the highest received signal strength indication values and the lowest received signal strength indication values across the plurality of timeslots.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
during an active call, calculating the link quality value by estimating a link quality of the active call.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
encoding first call audio for transmission over the active wireless link using the selected codec; and
decoding second call audio received over the active wireless link using the selected codec.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
storing the average radio frequency density level in association with one or more other previously computed average radio frequency density levels, wherein each previously computed average radio frequency density level is associated with a different prior time period,
wherein the calculation of the current density level is further based on the one or more other previously computed average radio frequency density levels.

6. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of wireless carriers includes a plurality of DECT channels, and
wherein the active wireless link includes a DECT link on at least one channel of the plurality of DECT channels.

7. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein each codec of the plurality of stored codecs is associated with a corresponding density threshold, and
wherein selecting the codec based on the current density level includes comparing the current density level to one or more of the corresponding density thresholds and identifying at least one codec of the plurality of stored codecs that is associated with a density threshold greater than the current density level.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein selecting the codec includes selecting a highest bandwidth codec from the at least one codec of the plurality of stored codecs that is associated with the density threshold greater than the current density level.

9. A system comprising:
a link quality buffer storing a link quality value;
a user control;
a circular buffer;
a codec library;
at least one processor; and
memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory having stored therein instructions which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a process for wireless density-based on-the-fly codec and radio frequency link type selection, the process including:
while maintaining an inactive wireless link with a paired device, scanning a plurality of timeslots across a plurality of wireless carriers,
based on the scanning, calculating an average radio frequency density level for a time period spanning the plurality of timeslots, wherein the average radio frequency density level is a level of user density over a predefined radio frequency spectrum, wherein the user density represents a number of active users operating in an area having devices sharing the predefined radio frequency spectrum,
storing the average radio frequency density level to the circular buffer, calculating a current density level using the link quality value and contents of the circular buffer,
selecting, based on the current density level, a codec from the codec library, wherein the selected codec is associated with a link type,
based on a manipulation of the user control, receiving a command to convert the inactive wireless link to an active wireless link, and
in response to the command, opening the active wireless link with the paired device using the selected codec and the associated link type.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the process including:
based on the scanning, storing, for each timeslot of the plurality of timeslots, a highest received signal strength indication value identified within the timeslot; and
based on the scanning, storing, for each timeslot of the plurality of timeslots, a lowest received signal strength indication value identified within the timeslot,
wherein calculating the average radio frequency density level for the time period includes averaging the highest received signal strength indication values and the lowest received signal strength indication values across the plurality of timeslots.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the process including: during an active call, calculating the link quality value by estimating a link quality of the active call.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the process including:
storing the average radio frequency density level to the circular buffer in association with one or more other previously computed average radio frequency density levels, wherein each previously computed average radio frequency density level is associated with a different prior time period,
wherein the calculation of the current density level is further based on the one or more other previously computed average radio frequency density levels.

13. The system of claim 9 ,
wherein the plurality of wireless carriers includes a plurality of DECT channels, and
wherein the active wireless link includes a DECT link on at least one channel of the plurality of DECT channels.

14. The system of claim 9 ,
wherein each codec of the codec library is associated with a corresponding density threshold, and
wherein selecting the codec based on the current density level includes comparing the current density level to one or more of the corresponding density thresholds and identifying at least one codec of the codec library that is associated with a density threshold greater than the current density level.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein selecting the codec includes selecting a highest bandwidth codec from the at least one codec of the codec library that is associated with the density threshold greater than the current dens

Assignees

• Plantronics

Inventors

• Clark Mark
• Evans Steve C

Classifications

• H04W72/542

  using measured or perceived quality · CPC title

• H04B17/318

  Received signal strength · CPC title

• H04M1/72505

  Radio link set-up procedures · CPC title

• H04M7/0072 Primary

  Speech codec negotiation (H04L65/1069 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04M3/2227

  Quality of service monitoring · CPC title