MIMO Mode Switching Scheme for Rate Adaptation in 802.11n Wireless Networks

Multiple MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) modes are the salient characteristics of 802.11n wireless networks. An efficient MIMO mode switching scheme is highly desirable for rate adaptation, which can optimize combination of MIMO mode and MCS (Modulation Coding Scheme) to achieve the maximum system throughput. In this paper, we have proposed and verified three design guidelines for the MIMO mode switching through real experiments. Based on these guidelines, we then present a simple and efficient MImo mode Switching Scheme, called MISS, and implement it into the Atheros-based device driver. MISS uses a crossover step-based searching algorithm to find the appropriate MIMO mode for rate adaptation. The efficiency of MISS has been evaluated through real experiments conducted in the indoor environments.