KR20060099473A - Qos management in wireless mesh networks - Google Patents

Abstract

The mesh network includes a plurality of mesh points MP, a central database DB and a central controller CC. MPs are configured to broadcast quality of service (QoS) information over the wireless medium. Each MP may request QoS information directly from one or more of the other MPs. MPs store QoS information in a central DB and are configured to query central DB QoS information related to certain MPs. Thus, QoS information is shared throughout the mesh network, and QoS policies are defined and updated, where the MP may coexist with another MP, the MP may coexist with systems outside the mesh network, and the MP May coexist with a mesh access point (MAP).

Description

QoS MANAGEMENT IN WIRELESS MESH NETWORKS

1 illustrates separately implementing QOS information exchange using signaling in a mesh network comprising a plurality of MPs, a central DB, and a CC in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates separate implementation of signaling for mesh QoS adaptation and update operations in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

3 illustrates multiple mesh QoS policy adaptation operations in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

4 illustrates a scenario in which a mesh network may be deployed in a location where an IEEE 802.11e network already exists, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a diagram illustrating an adaptation operation of a mesh QoS policy to external IEEE 802.11e QoS policy information according to another embodiment of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100, 200, 400: mesh network

105, 110, 115, 205, 210, 215,: MP

120, 220: central DB

125, 225: CC

405: AP

410: MP

415: central DB

420: CC

 The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a medium access control (MAC) layer quality of service (QoS) improvement technique for mashing applications that allows sharing of QoS information and defining QoS policies.

Initially, wireless local area network (WLAN) systems are designed to provide the best and most efficient service that guarantees fairness among all users when accessing wireless media. This required providing a means to ensure QoS for the user, even the smallest of problems, and to take into account the differences between the QoS requirements of each user. As the demand for supporting QoS driven applications such as voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) and real-time video applications using WLAN systems grows, standardization implementations such as IEEE 802.11e have become a problem to be solved.

In addition, WLAN networks have evolved to introduce wireless backhaul connections between access points (APs) in a mesh manner. Interest in this mesh architecture is that it provides low cost, rapid deployment and ease of use. Mesh networks are expected to meet the same QoS requirements as other WLAN systems.

The present invention discloses a mesh network comprising a plurality of mesh points (MP), a central database (DB) and a central controller (CC). MPs are configured to broadcast QoS information over the wireless medium. Each MP may directly request QoS information from one or more of the other MPs. The MPs are configured to store QoS information in the central DB and to query the central DB for QoS information related to the MPs. Thus, QoS information is shared throughout the mesh network and QoS policies are defined and updated. Here, the MP may coexist with another MP, the MP may coexist with systems outside the mesh network, and the MP may coexist with a mesh access point (MAP).

For a better understanding of the present invention, preferred embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments are described with reference to the drawings, wherein like elements are designated by like reference numerals throughout the drawings.

In the following, the term “client STA” includes a wireless transmit / receive unit (WTRU), a user device (UE), a mobile station, a fixed or mobile subscriber unit, a pager, or any other type of device capable of operating in a wireless environment. It is not limited to this.

In the following description, the AP includes, but is not limited to, Node-B, base station, site controller, or any other type of interfacing in a wireless environment.

In the following description, the term “backhaul” refers to an air interface between mesh points (MPs), while the term “client access” refers to an interface between an AP and a client STA, which is referred to as a Basic Service Set (BSS). It is well known. Although described with reference to IEEE 802.11e and IEEE 802.11 standards groups and documents, the present invention can be adapted to any mesh architecture that supports QoS policies.

Features of the present invention may be implemented in an integrated circuit (IC) or may consist of a circuit comprising a number of interactive components.

IEEE 802.11e has been standardized into a priority-based QoS mechanism called Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA). This requires the necessary mechanism and signaling to enable the AP and the AP-related client STAs to exchange information about the user's application requirements and the AP's capabilities to allocate the necessary radio resources to the STA.

In a mesh network where a wireless medium can be shared among various MPs, APs and STAs, the current technology can cause two important problems.

1) First, there is a lack of coupling between QoS policies used for the backhaul air interface. Since the AP uses a given priority policy by ordering related STAs, the relationship between the standard AP and the STA can be regarded as one of a master and a slave. By this rule, a mesh network is likely to have multiple MPs sharing the same wireless medium. In such a system, the relationships between the MPs become almost the same. This creates the possibility of contention for radio resources in a destructive manner because different MPs use different priority policies.

2) Next, there is a lack of coupling between the QoS policy used for the backhaul and the client access air interface. The mesh backhaul (where one MP talks to the MPs) and the client access air interface (where one client STA communicates with one AP) may coexist in the same system. The fact that both backhaul and client access can operate over the same channel creates the possibility of contention for radio resources in a destructive manner instead of a constructive one.

In one embodiment, signaling is implemented that enables the exchange of QoS information in the mesh network. QoS information shared using this implementation method may include, but is not limited to the following.

1) QoS configuration parameters used by the MP. For example, in the CSMA scheme, this parameter corresponds to a different set of EDCA parameters, or a set of channel access parameters used by the MP for each QoS class when competing for a shared medium. In a manner similar to the IEEE 802.11e access category (AC), ACs can be defined for the mesh network (eg, Mesh_AC1, Mesh_AC2, Mesh_AC3, Mesh_AC4), and the same type of mapping is used to enable IEEE 802.1d priority tags. It can be estimated that, (user priority (UP)), and mesh AC are mapped. Parameters defining EDCA QoS policies such as minimum idle time delay before contention (number of inter-frame space adjustments (AIFSN)) and minimum and maximum contention windows (CWs; CWmin and CWmax) and transmission opportunity (TXOP) limit parameters are defined in the MP. May vary for each AC. In addition, the information may include, but is not limited to, an acknowledgment policy supported in the mesh network, and certain rules that allow two or more other MPs to synthesize their QoS policies.

Examples of such predetermined rules include: i) in the connection of two MPs, the MP has an EDCA parameter set of MPs with the most differentiated QoS policy (i.e., the set with the most difference in the EDCA parameter set between QoS ACs). Using, ii) the connection of two MPs, the MPs using the EDCA parameters of the MP that has been active for the longest, iii) the connection of two MPs, the MPs having the EDCA parameter set of the MP closest to the portal. Iv) and iv) when connecting two MPs, the MP uses the EDCA parameter set of the MP that supports the highest traffic.

2) Information related to resources allocated by the MP. Examples of countermeasures that may be used to indicate allocated resources may include, but are not limited to, allocated time units, number of packets, number of bytes, number of traffic streams, channel usage, AC buffer occupancy, and the like. It is not. All this information can be provided per AC.

3) Information related to the resources used by the MP. Examples of countermeasures that can be used to indicate the resources used include transmission time, channel occupancy, number of packets transmitted, number of bytes in transmission, number of traffic streams, channel utilization, AC buffer occupancy, and the like. It is possible, but is not limited to this. All this information can be provided per AC.

4) The quality experienced by the MP for each of its forwarding (ie backhaul) links. Examples of countermeasures that can be used to indicate the quality experienced by the MP include, but are not limited to, time jitter, waiting time, packet error rate, throughput, queue time, and the like.

5) QoS policies (eg, EDCA parameter sets) used for IEEE 802.11e client access air interfaces that coexist outside of the mesh network.

6) QoS policy (eg EDCA parameter set) used on the IEEE 802.11e client access air interface of the mesh APs.

Such signaling may be implemented as follows, but is not limited thereto.

1) having the MPs broadcast the above described information over the wireless medium using the best layer messages sent as a payload of a management frame or control frame or data frame.

2) having the MPs directly request each other QoS information. This can be realized using a management frame or a control frame or by using the best layer messages sent as payloads of the data frame.

3) Allow each MP to store QoS information in a central DB located at the server and to query QoS information related to any MP from that central DB.

4) The MPs report this information to the central controller (CC) and the CC relays this information to the MP. Determining which MPs will send information to the CC may require the MPs to request information from the CC; The CC sending the information to all MPs; And, but not limited to transmitting information related to the MPs of the given area only to the MP that the CCs share a wireless medium in the given area. This can be realized by having the MP report to the CC that it can listen to (above the MP's deferring threshold).

1 illustrates various separate signaling in a mesh network 100 including a plurality of mesh points (MP) 105, 110, 115, a central DB 120 and a CC 125, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The implementation is shown as: 1 illustrates how QOS information is shared and exchanged between MPs 105, 110, and 115. This may be done by the MPs 105, 110, 115 transmitting packets to each other, or may be done via the central DB 120 or the CC 125.

In Embodiment 1, one of the MPs, MP 105, broadcasts its QoS information to the other MPs 110, 115 (steps 130, 135), each MP in turn in memory (not shown). Stores QoS information.

In Embodiment 2, one of the MPs MP 105 requests QoS information from the other MPs 110 and 115 (steps 140 and 150), each MP in turn responding to the QoS information.

In Embodiment 3, one or more of the MPs (e.g., MP 105) reports its QoS information to central DB 120 (step 160), which DB 120 stores in memory (not shown). Stores MP QoS information. When the MP, that is, the MP 110, requests QoS information for another MP, that is, the MP 105, the central DB 120 transmits the QoS information of the MP 105 to the MP 110 (step 170). .

In embodiment 4, one or more of the MPs (eg, MP 105) reports MP QoS information 175 associated with the MP to CC 125 (step 175), MP 105, 110, 115. In response to a request from one of the or upon broadcast, each MP in turn reports QoS information to all MPs 105, 110, 115 or a subset of MPs 105, 110, 115 (step 180). , 185).

In one embodiment, the QoS policy is specified and updated in the mesh network, where the MP coexists only with other MPs. The MP may receive QoS information from several MPs that may be sent from the same mesh network or from different mesh networks. The present invention allows the MP to update its mesh QoS policy and QoS information based on the received mesh QoS information.

2 includes a plurality of MPs, namely MPs 205, MPs 210, MPs 215, a central DB 220, and a CC 225, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. It shows that implemented in the mesh network 200.

In Embodiment 1, mesh QoS information 230, 235 is obtained from the MP from each of MPs 205, 210 using either of the signaling exchanges described in FIG. 1 (ie, Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2 of FIG. 1). After being sent to 215, the MP 215 updates (ie, adapts) its mesh QoS policy and QoS information based on the received mesh QoS information (step 240).

In embodiment 2, the MP 215 uses the signaling described in FIG. 1 (ie, embodiments 1, 2 or 3 of FIG. 1) from the MP 205, the MP 210 and the central DB 220. After learning about the QoS information 245, 250, 255, it updates (ie, adjusts) its mesh QoS policy and QoS information based on the received mesh QoS information (step 260). The MP 215 then reports the new QoS information to the central DB 220 (step 265).

In embodiment 3, the MP 215 uses QoS from the MP 205, MP 210, and CC 225 using the signaling described in FIG. 1 (ie, embodiments 1, 2, or 4 of FIG. 1). After learning about the information 270, 275, 280, a mesh QoS update request 285 is sent to the CC 225. MP 215 may attach the QoS information delivered by MP 205 and MP 210 to mesh QoS update request 285. CC 225 updates QoS policy and QoS information (step 290), and then sends MP 215 with mesh QoS update request 295 indicating QoS information and QoS policy that MP 215 should use. Answer. Mesh QoS adaptation operations 240, 260, and 290 design operations that analyze various mesh QoS information to determine what information should follow the MP 215.

The mesh QoS adaptation operation is performed in a distributed manner (as described with Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 of FIG. 2), which does not require additional signaling. The mesh QoS adaptation operation may also be performed in a centralized manner (via CC 225 in Embodiment 3 of FIG. 2).

As shown in FIG. 3, the mesh QoS adaptation operation can be performed in several ways. For example, each AC unique parameter of all mesh QoS information 205, 210 received from the mesh network (i.e., minimum idle delay before contention (AIFSN), minimum contention window and maximum contention window (CWmin and CWmax)). Parameters that define the EDCA operation, and TXOP restriction parameters), rank for various AC priorities, and then select the most suitable parameter to address any required MP QoS.

4 illustrates a scenario in which a mesh network may be placed in a location where an IEEE 802.11e network 400 already exists, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. IEEE 802.11e network 400 includes an IEEE 802.11e AP 405, an MP 410, a central DB 415, and a CC 420. MP 410 coexists with IEEE 802.11e external to the mesh network. This coexistence causes QoS contention between both networks when no coordination is performed. Frequency selection algorithms are implemented to avoid (as much as possible) mesh networks and IEEE 802.11e networks 400 operating on the same channel. However, this situation may arise where all networks must share the same radio channel and the same channel.

In the IEEE 802.11e network 400, the MP 410 receives IEEE 802.11e from the AP 405 (steps 425, 435, 450). The MP may then extract the IEEE 802.11e QoS information sent over the beacon and may also perform local mesh QoS adaptation operations (steps 430 and 440). In a mesh network where QoS information is exchanged using a central DB and shared, the MP 410 updates the central DB with new QoS information (step 445). In a network where QoS is performed centrally, the MP 410 sends a mesh QoS update report 455 to the CC 420, and also appends 802.11e QoS information to the message 445. CC 420 then performs a QoS adaptation operation (step 460) and sends a mesh QoS update report 465 to MP 410. As shown in FIG. 5, mesh QoS adaptation operations need to consider external IEEE 802.11e QoS information within the mesh network.

Rules can be applied to align mesh-related QoS information against an IEEE 802.11e QoS policy, or at least to minimize possible QoS conflicts. Since the IEEE 802.11e AP cannot monitor the MP channel, vice versa (ie, aligning the IEEE 802.11e QoS with respect to mesh QoS) is not possible.

An example of a QoS coordination rule that the MP can follow is the most discriminating QoS policy between the mesh network and the IEEE 802.11e QoS information (e.g., EDCA parameter set) (ie, the largest difference in ECDA parameter set between QoS ACs). Policy); It includes, but is not limited to, preference of mesh or IEEE 802.11e networks and the like by defining mesh EDCA parameters with the best or worst priority for the same AC.

Whenever the MP makes the decision and modifies the mesh EDCA parameter set, as described above, the QoS information is signaled to be exchangeable within the mesh network to propagate the modified parameter set for the remaining meshes as well.

In another embodiment, the MP coexists with IEEE 802.11e MAPs. As discussed above, MPs connect to both mesh backhaul and client access interfaces. MAPs can have one or multiple physical radios. In multiple wireless devices, separate channels can be simply assigned on both sides of the interface to allow frequency separation on both sides of the interface. However, for the single radio case and even sometimes for multiple radios, both interfaces can use the same radio channel. In this case, some coordination of QoS policies is required between both interfaces in order to have a coherent system on the same radio channel.

In coherent systems that can support different QoS policies for both backhaul and client access interfaces, mesh backhaul forms a priori configuration (eg, a default configuration), or sets up the system or operates the system. When dynamically set through the PDP, information is propagated between different nodes, thereby requiring setting of a parameter set for both the backhaul and the client access interface. As a method for this, a signaling scheme for exchanging and distributing information and for exchanging QoS information in a mesh network may be used.

The present invention provides a method of coherently defining and coordinating QoS policies between the backhauls of MAPs and client access interfaces.

In its simplest form, the same parameters can be used on both interfaces to form a traffic channel corresponding to the same packet. This scenario can be described as follows.

The priority mapping of the ACs is shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1

Priority Mesh backhaul ACs Client access ACs One Mesh_ac1 AC1 2 Mesh_ac2 AC2 3 Mesh_ac3 AC3 4 Mesh_ac4 AC4

Here, when setting up the system, or setting it up dynamically during system operation, the client access interface requires copying the same parameter on the interface side, for example by advertising the parameter on the beacon.

In a more sophisticated form, some traffic differentiation may be performed between the hall and the access side. For example, ACs can be differentiated if the traffic traverses the mesh and if the traffic only accesses the client access side.

In order to realize this operation, many approaches can be taken. One approach is to have different EDCA parameter sets or sets of channel access parameters for backhaul and client access to differentiate the packets traversing the mesh networks from packets from the same AC that just accessed the access channel. . The possibility of realizing this traffic differentiation may lead to mapping some of the four existing ACs to the backhaul and some to the client access traffic. Similarly, since ACs were originally defined by IEEE-802.11e for client access traffic, another possibility (ie, the top of the existing four IEEE-802.11e ACs) was in order to handle backhaul traffic more specifically. More ACs can be specified. Another approach is to provide different TXOP parameters for traffic outside and inside the mesh network. Another approach is to provide different maximum contention window and minimum contention window (CWmin and CWmax) for traffic outside and inside the mesh network. Another approach is to provide different interframe spacing (IFS) parameters for traffic outside and inside the mesh network.

For example, having different ACs for backhaul and client access can have different traffic differentiation configurations as follows.

Interleaving of AC priorities is shown in Table 2.

TABLE 2

Priority Mesh backhaul ACs Client access ACs One Mesh_ac1 2 AC1 3 Mesh_ac2 4 AC2 5 Mesh_ac3 6 AC3 7 Mesh_ac4 8 AC4

The integration of mesh ACs and client access ACs is shown in Table 3.

TABLE 3

Priority Mesh backhaul ACs Client access ACs One Mesh_ac1 2 Mesh_ac2 3 AC1 4 AC2 5 AC3 6 AC4 7 Mesh_ac3 8 Mesh_ac4

The replacement of Client Access ACs with Mesh ACs is shown in Table 4.

TABLE 4

Priority Mesh backhaul ACs Client access ACs One Mesh_ac1 2 Mesh_ac2 3 Mesh_ac3 4 Mesh_ac4 5 AC1 6 AC2 7 AC3 8 AC4

The replacement of mesh ACs with client access ACs is shown in Table 5.

TABLE 5

Priority Mesh backhaul ACs Client access ACs One AC1 2 AC2 3 AC3 4 AC4 5 Mesh_ac1 6 Mesh_ac2 7 Mesh_ac3 8 Mesh_ac4

Other combinations are possible.

These examples are based on the assumption that four ACs are implemented on the backhaul side. The selection of four ACs is for example only, and other numbers of ACs may be possible. For example, eight ACs may be implemented on the mesh side, which may have more differentiated traffic, such as having the same category traffic differentiated depending on the number of hops through the network or depending on technical specifications, etc. can do. A single AC may also be used to bundle all traffic types across the backhaul.

While the features and components of the invention have been described in particular combinations through the preferred embodiments, each feature or component may be used alone or in combination without further combination with other features or components of the preferred embodiments, or the present invention. It may be used in combination with or without further features or components of the invention.

While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the scope of the invention is defined by the following claims.

According to the present invention, a mesh architecture can be realized that provides low cost, rapid deployment and ease of use, and may meet QoS requirements such as WLAN systems.

Claims (69)

In a mesh network comprising a plurality of mesh points (MP), a central database (DB) and a central controller (CC), a) at least one of the MPs broadcasting quality of service (QoS) information over a wireless medium; (b) one or more of the MPs requesting QoS information directly from the other one or more of the MPs; (c) one or more MPs of the MPs storing QoS information in the central DB; (d) one or more MPs of the MPs querying the central DB for QoS information associated with any of the MPs. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises broadcasting QoS information using a management frame. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises broadcasting the QoS information using a control frame. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises broadcasting the QoS information using top layer messages sent as a payload of a data frame. The method of claim 1, (e) the MPs reporting QoS information to the CC; (f) the CC sending the reported QoS information to all the MPs. The method of claim 1, (e) the MPs reporting QoS information to the CC; (f) the CC further transmitting a portion of the reported QoS information for the subset of MPs. In a mesh network that includes multiple mesh points (MPs), (a) receiving, by a first MP of the MPs, quality of service (QoS) information from at least one of the other MPs; (b) the first MP updating its QoS information based on the received QoS information. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the QoS information includes configuration parameters that the first MP uses. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the QoS information includes enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) parameter sets. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the mesh network further comprises a plurality of mesh access points (MAPs) connected to mesh backhaul and client access interfaces, (c) coherently coordinating a QoS policy between the backhaul and the client access interfaces; (d) prioritizing an access category (AC) for the backhaul and the client access interfaces. (a) a plurality of mesh points (MP); (b) a central database (DB); (c) a central controller (CC), At least one of the MPs broadcasts quality of service (QoS) information over a wireless medium, at least one of the MPs requests QoS information directly from the other at least one of the MPs, and the MP One or more MPs store QoS information in the central DB, and the one or more MPs inquires of the central DB for QoS information related to any of the MPs. 12. The mesh network of claim 11 wherein the QoS information is broadcast using a management frame. 12. The mesh network of claim 11 wherein the QoS information is broadcast using a control frame. 12. The mesh network of claim 11 wherein the QoS information is broadcast using best layer messages sent as payloads of data frames. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein each MP is A transmitter for reporting QoS information to the CC; And a receiver for receiving the reported QoS information from the CC. 12. The mesh network of claim 11 wherein the CC comprises a transmitter for broadcasting a portion of QoS information received from one or more of the MPs for the subset of MPs. (a) a plurality of mesh points (MP); (b) includes a plurality of mesh networks, At least one of the MPs receives a Quality of Service (QoS) from the plurality of mesh networks, and at least one of the MPs updates its QoS information based on the received QoS information. . 18. The mesh network of claim 17 wherein the QoS information includes configuration parameters used by one or more of the MPs. 18. The mesh network of claim 17 wherein the QoS information comprises enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) parameter sets. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the mesh network further comprises a plurality of mesh access points (MAPs) connected to mesh backhaul and client access interfaces, The MAs, Means for coherently coordinating a QoS policy between the backhaul and the client access interfaces; And means for prioritizing an access category (AC) for the backhaul and the client access interfaces. As a way of differentiating packets in a mesh network, (a) receiving the packet; (b) differentiating the type of packet; (c) mapping the packet to a selected set of the plurality of sets of channel access parameters based on the type of the packet; (d) transmitting the packet according to parameters associated with the selected set of channel access parameters. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the channel access parameters are an access category (AC). 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the set of parameters is unique to mesh backhaul and stored in a table of mesh points. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the parameters specify an interframe space (IFS) time for accessing a medium. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the parameters specify minimum and maximum contention windows. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the parameters specify transmission opportunity (TXOP) constraints. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the parameters are quality of service (QoS) parameters. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein each QoS parameter specifies an Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) QoS policy. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein each channel access parameter is associated with a particular priority level. A wireless communication system for transmitting a packet, A mesh network comprising one or more mesh points (MP); A mesh access point (MAP) for controlling packet transmission outside and inside the mesh network, Each packet is mapped to a selected set of a plurality of sets of channel access parameters based on the type of the packet, wherein the packet is transmitted in accordance with parameters associated with the selected set of channel access parameters. system. 31. The system of claim 30 wherein the channel access parameters are an access category (AC). 33. The system of claim 30 wherein the set of parameters is unique to mesh backhaul and stored in a table of mesh points. 31. The system of claim 30 wherein the parameters specify minimum and maximum contention windows. 31. The system of claim 30 wherein the parameters specify an interframe space (IFS) time for accessing a medium. 31. The system of claim 30 wherein the parameters specify transmission opportunity (TXOP) constraints. 31. The system of claim 30 wherein the parameters are quality of service (QoS) parameters. 37. The system of claim 36 wherein each QoS parameter specifies an Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) QoS policy. 37. The system of claim 36 wherein each channel access parameter is associated with a particular priority level. In a mesh network that includes multiple mesh points (MPs) and a central database (DB), (a) receiving, by a first MP of the MPs, quality of service (QoS) information from the other one or more of the MPs and the central DB; (b) the first MP updating its QoS information based on the received QoS information. 40. The method of claim 39 wherein the QoS information includes configuration parameters that the first MP uses. 40. The method of claim 39, wherein the QoS information comprises enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) parameter sets. In a mesh network comprising a plurality of mesh points (MP) and a central controller (CC), (a) receiving, by a first MP of the MPs, quality of service (QoS) information from the other CC with the other one or more of the MPs; (b) the first MP updating its QoS information based on the received QoS information. 43. The method of claim 42 wherein the QoS information includes configuration parameters that the first MP uses. 43. The method of claim 42, wherein the QoS information includes enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) parameter sets. (a) a plurality of mesh points (MP); (b) a central database (DB); (c) a central controller (CC), A first MP of the MPs includes a first transmitter that broadcasts quality of service (QoS) information over a wireless medium, wherein a second MP of the MPs is QoS information directly from the other one or more of the MPs. A second transmitter for requesting a third transmitter, wherein a third MP of the MPs includes a third transmitter for transmitting QoS information to the central DB for storage, and a fourth MP of the MPs is any of the MPs. And a fourth transmitter for querying the central DB for QoS information related to the MP. 46. The mesh network of claim 45 wherein the QoS information is broadcast using a management frame. 46. The mesh network of claim 45 wherein the QoS information is broadcast using a control frame. 46. The mesh network of claim 45 wherein the QoS information is broadcast using best layer messages sent as payloads of data frames. 46. The method of claim 45, wherein each MP is A transmitter for reporting QoS information to the CC; And a receiver for receiving the reported QoS information from the CC. 46. The mesh network of claim 45 wherein the CC comprises a transmitter for broadcasting a portion of QoS information received from one or more of the MPs, for the subset of MPs. (a) a plurality of mesh points (MP); (b) includes a plurality of mesh networks, At least one of the MPs includes a receiver for receiving a Quality of Service (QoS) from the plurality of mesh networks, wherein at least one of the MPs updates its QoS information based on the received QoS information. A mesh network comprising a processor. 53. The mesh network of claim 51 wherein the QoS information includes configuration parameters used by one or more of the MPs. 53. The mesh network of claim 51 wherein the QoS information comprises enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) parameter sets. 52. The network of claim 51 wherein the mesh network further comprises a plurality of mesh access points (MAPs) connected to mesh backhaul and client access interfaces, The MAs, Means for coherently coordinating a QoS policy between the backhaul and the client access interfaces; And means for prioritizing an access category (AC) for the backhaul and the client access interfaces. A device for transmitting a packet, A mesh network comprising one or more mesh points (MP); A mesh access point (MAP) for controlling packet transmission outside and inside the mesh network, The MAP is a table for mapping each packet to a selected set of a plurality of sets of channel access parameters based on the type of the packet, and a transmitter for transmitting the packet in accordance with parameters associated with the selected set of channel access parameters. Packet transmission apparatus comprising a. 56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the channel access parameters are an access category (AC). 56. The apparatus of claim 55 wherein the set of parameters is unique to mesh backhaul and stored in a table of mesh points. 56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the parameters specify a minimum and maximum contention window. 56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the parameters specify an interframe space (IFS) time for accessing a medium. 56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the parameters specify transmission opportunity (TXOP) constraints. 56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the parameters are quality of service (QoS) parameters. 64. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein each QoS parameter specifies an Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) QoS policy. 62. The apparatus of claim 61 wherein each channel access parameter is associated with a particular priority level. (a) a plurality of mesh points (MP); (b) includes a central database; A first MP of the MPs includes a receiver for receiving quality of service (QoS) information from the other one or more MPs of the MPs and the DB And the first MP updates its QoS information based on the received QoS information. 65. The mesh network of claim 64 wherein the QoS information includes configuration parameters that the first MP uses. 65. The mesh network of claim 64 wherein the QoS information comprises enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) parameter sets. (a) a plurality of mesh points (MP); (b) includes a central controller (CC), A first MP of the MPs includes a receiver to receive quality of service (QoS) information from the other one or more of the other MPs and the CC, And the first MP updates its QoS information based on the received QoS information. 68. The mesh network of claim 67 wherein the QoS information includes configuration parameters that the first MP uses. 68. The mesh network of claim 67 wherein the QoS information includes enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) parameter sets.

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