Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090016219 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF GENERATING AND MAINTAINING ORTHOGONAL CONNECTION IDENTIFICATIONS (CIDs) FOR WIRELESS NETWORKS - A first device is configured to select and utilize a connection identifier (CID) for a peer-to-peer communication connection between the first device and a second device in a wireless communications network. The CID is selected from a predetermined set of a plurality of CIDs. Prior to selecting the connection identifier, the first device monitors a CID broadcast channel to determine whether the CID is being utilized by other nearby connections. If it is determined that the CID is being utilized by another connection in the proximity, a different (unused) CID is selected. A transmission request is transmitted to the second device using a first transmission resource unit within a traffic management channel slot, the first transmission resource unit being determined as a function of the selected CID. The first device transmits traffic data to the second device in a traffic channel slot corresponding to the traffic management channel slot. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016229 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING INTERFERENCE TO BROADCAST SIGNALING IN A PEER TO PEER NETWORK - Methods and apparatus related to broadcasting data and interference management in a peer to peer wireless communications network are described. Scheduling of traffic air link resources is performed on a slot by slot basis in a decentralized manner. Wireless devices intending to broadcast traffic signals transmit broadcast request signals, sometimes alternatively referred to as broadcast indicator signals. A priority level is associated with each of the broadcast request signals. A receiver device intending to receive broadcast signals detects the broadcast request signals and makes an interference determination as to whether the higher priority broadcast traffic signal can be successfully recovered in the presence of lower priority broadcast traffic signals. If the determination is that the expected interference from the lower priority broadcast traffic is unacceptable, the receiver device generates and transmits an interference control signal communicating to the lower priority device a command or request not to broadcast. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016231 | CONTROL CHANNEL DESIGN TO SUPPORT ONE-TO-ONE, MANY-TO-ONE, AND ONE-TO-MANY PEER-TO-PEER COMMUNICATIONS - A protocol is provided that facilitates downlink concurrent peer-to-peer communications (within a time slot or traffic slot) between one device and many terminals as well as uplink concurrent peer-to-peer communications (within a time slot or traffic slot) between a plurality of terminals and one device. The concurrent peer-to-peer communications may take place within an ad hoc network of devices. To facilitate such operation, a time-frequency structure is provided within a control channel that allows the device and terminals to identify the peer-to-peer connections. This time-frequency structure also allows terminals to identify other sibling terminals that have a connection with the same device, thereby allowing to more efficiently performing interference mitigation. That is, sibling peer-to-peer connections with the same device may be treated different from other non-related peer-to-peer connects for purposes of interference mitigation in a wireless network. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016248 | CODING METHODS OF COMMUNICATING IDENTIFIERS IN PEER DISCOVERY IN A PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK - Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate identifying peers based upon encoded signals during peer discovery in a peer to peer network. For example, direct signaling that partitions a time-frequency resource into a number of segments can be utilized to communicate an identifier within a peer discovery interval; thus, a particular segment selected for transmission can signal a portion of the identifier, while a remainder can be signaled based upon tones communicated within the selected segment. Moreover, a subset of symbols within the resource can be reserved (e.g., unused) to enable identifying and/or correcting timing offset. Further, signaling can be effectuated over a plurality of peer discovery intervals such that partial identifiers communicated during each of the peer discovery intervals can be linked (e.g., based upon overlapping bits and/or bloom filter information). | 01-15-2009 |
20090016249 | CODING METHODS OF COMMUNICATING IDENTIFIERS IN PEER DISCOVERY IN A PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK - Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate identifying peers based upon encoded signals during peer discovery in a peer to peer network. For example, direct signaling that partitions a time-frequency resource into a number of segments can be utilized to communicate an identifier within a peer discovery interval; thus, a particular segment selected for transmission can signal a portion of the identifier, while a remainder can be signaled based upon tones communicated within the selected segment. Moreover, a subset of symbols within the resource can be reserved (e.g., unused) to enable identifying and/or correcting timing offset. Further, signaling can be effectuated over a plurality of peer discovery intervals such that partial identifiers communicated during each of the peer discovery intervals can be linked (e.g., based upon overlapping bits and/or bloom filter information). | 01-15-2009 |
20090016250 | CODING METHODS OF COMMUNICATING IDENTIFIERS IN PEER DISCOVERY IN A PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK - Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate identifying peers based upon encoded signals during peer discovery in a peer to peer network. For example, direct signaling that partitions a time-frequency resource into a number of segments can be utilized to communicate an identifier within a peer discovery interval; thus, a particular segment selected for transmission can signal a portion of the identifier, while a remainder can be signaled based upon tones communicated within the selected segment. Moreover, a subset of symbols within the resource can be reserved (e.g., unused) to enable identifying and/or correcting timing offset. Further, signaling can be effectuated over a plurality of peer discovery intervals such that partial identifiers communicated during each of the peer discovery intervals can be linked (e.g., based upon overlapping bits and/or bloom filter information). | 01-15-2009 |
20090016271 | METHODS FOR SENDING SMALL PACKETS IN A PEER-TO-PEER (P2P) NETWORK - An improved mechanism is provided that facilitates transmission of small packets within an ad hoc peer-to-peer network. A small packet is identified to a receiver within a control channel so that its lower power can be considered in an interference management protocol implemented among local peer devices. In a traffic slot, a transmitter voluntarily backs down on the transmitter power as a smaller packet will require much lower signal-to-noise ratio. This will improve the signal energy per bit per noise power density for the transmission as well as minimize the interference caused to other wireless communications happening in the same spectrum. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016272 | METHODS FOR SENDING SMALL PACKETS IN A PEER-TO-PEER (P2P) NETWORK - An improved mechanism is provided that facilitates transmission of small packets within an ad hoc peer-to-peer network. A small packet is identified to a receiver within a control channel so that its lower power can be considered in an interference management protocol implemented among local peer devices. In a traffic slot, a transmitter voluntarily backs down on the transmitter power as a smaller packet will require much lower signal-to-noise ratio. This will improve the signal energy per bit per noise power density for the transmission as well as minimize the interference caused to other wireless communications happening in the same spectrum. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016284 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF GENERATING AND MAINTAINING ORTHOGONAL CONNECTION IDENTIFICATIONS (CIDs) FOR WIRELESS NETWORKS - A first device is configured to select and utilize a connection identifier (CID) for a peer-to-peer communication connection between the first device and a second device in a wireless communications network. The CID is selected from a predetermined set of a plurality of CIDs. Prior to selecting the connection identifier, the first device monitors a CID broadcast channel to determine whether the CID is being utilized by other nearby connections. If it is determined that the CID is being utilized by another connection in the proximity, a different (unused) CID is selected. A transmission request is transmitted to the second device using a first transmission resource unit within a traffic management channel slot, the first transmission resource unit being determined as a function of the selected CID. The first device transmits traffic data to the second device in a traffic channel slot corresponding to the traffic management channel slot. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016285 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CHANNEL ESTIMATION AND RATE FEEDBACK IN A PEER TO PEER NETWORK - Methods and apparatus for performing channel estimation and reporting back channel information or other information such as a suggested traffic transmission rate are described. A signal including a pilot signal of interest is received. Portions of the signal corresponding to the pilot signal are analyzed to determine if any of the portions, e.g., signal portions corresponding to individual tone symbols used to communicate the pilot signal, were subject to excessive interference, such as might be the result of collisions, rendering the signal portions unreliable. Signal sub-portions determined to be unreliable are excluded from a determination of the amount of pilot signal energy that was received. Signal interference is determined from a portion of the received signal on which the pilot signal was not transmitted. Channel information in the form of information and/or a suggested traffic rate may be reported back to the device which transmitted the pilot signal. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016287 | METHODS FOR SENDING SMALL PACKETS IN A PEER-TO-PEER (P2P) NETWORK - An improved mechanism is provided that facilitates transmission of small packets within an ad hoc peer-to-peer network. A small packet is identified to a receiver within a control channel so that its lower power can be considered in an interference management protocol implemented among local peer devices. In a traffic slot, a transmitter voluntarily backs down on the transmitter power as a smaller packet will require much lower signal-to-noise ratio. This will improve the signal energy per bit per noise power density for the transmission as well as minimize the interference caused to other wireless communications happening in the same spectrum. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016288 | METHODS FOR SENDING SMALL PACKETS IN A PEER-TO-PEER (P2P) NETWORK - An improved mechanism is provided that facilitates transmission of small packets within an ad hoc peer-to-peer network. A small packet is identified to a receiver within a control channel so that its lower power can be considered in an interference management protocol implemented among local peer devices. In a traffic slot, a transmitter voluntarily backs down on the transmitter power as a smaller packet will require much lower signal-to-noise ratio. This will improve the signal energy per bit per noise power density for the transmission as well as minimize the interference caused to other wireless communications happening in the same spectrum. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016289 | METHODS FOR SENDING SMALL PACKETS IN A PEER-TO-PEER (P2P) NETWORK - An improved mechanism is provided that facilitates transmission of small packets within an ad hoc peer-to-peer network. A small packet is identified to a receiver within a control channel so that its lower power can be considered in an interference management protocol implemented among local peer devices. In a traffic slot, a transmitter voluntarily backs down on the transmitter power as a smaller packet will require much lower signal-to-noise ratio. This will improve the signal energy per bit per noise power density for the transmission as well as minimize the interference caused to other wireless communications happening in the same spectrum. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016295 | CONTROL CHANNEL DESIGN TO SUPPORT ONE-TO-ONE, MANY-TO-ONE, AND ONE-TO-MANY PEER-TO-PEER COMMUNICATIONS - A protocol is provided that facilitates downlink concurrent peer-to-peer communications (within a time slot or traffic slot) between one device and many terminals as well as uplink concurrent peer-to-peer communications (within a time slot or traffic slot) between a plurality of terminals and one device. The concurrent peer-to-peer communications may take place within an ad hoc network of devices. To facilitate such operation, a time-frequency structure is provided within a control channel that allows the device and terminals to identify the peer-to-peer connections. This time-frequency structure also allows terminals to identify other sibling terminals that have a connection with the same device, thereby allowing to more efficiently performing interference mitigation. That is, sibling peer-to-peer connections with the same device may be treated different from other non-related peer-to-peer connects for purposes of interference mitigation in a wireless network. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016311 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING GROUP COMMUNICATIONS WITH DATA RE-TRANSMISSION SUPPORT - Methods and apparatus related to group communications in a wireless communications system, e.g., a peer to peer wireless communications system, are described. Methods and apparatus directed to closed groups, e.g., where the number of group members are fixed at a given time and known to one or more members of the group, are described. Various embodiments are well suited to decentralized peer to peer wireless networks including a plurality of individual traffic resources, e.g., traffic slots and/or traffic segments, which may be independently scheduled in a decentralized manner. Some features and/or aspects are directed to the use of individual group member acknowledgement signaling in response to a transmitted group traffic data signal. By monitoring for anticipated individual group member acknowledgment signals and identifying members which have not signaled a positive acknowledgment, re-transmission can be directed and/or tailored to a subset of the group. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016315 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF GENERATING AND MAINTAINING NON-ORTHOGONAL CONNECTION IDENTIFICATIONS (CIDs) FOR WIRELESS PEER-TO-PEER NETWORKS - Apparatus and method are provided for generating transmission connection identifiers (CIDs) in a non-orthogonal or pseudo-random manner identifying peer-to-peer connections in a wireless communication network. When a transmitter terminal intends to transmit to its peer receiver terminal, it just picks a transmission CID in a pseudo-random manner, without trying to avoid a similar transmission CID in a neighborhood. The method of generating this pseudo-random transmission CID may be agreed to between the transmitter and its intended receiver beforehand, for example, during the paging cycle. Also, the mapping between the transmission CID and a set of tone/symbols may not necessarily be orthogonal. In one embodiment, the transmission CID may also change over time in a pseudo-random fashion which is different between different transmitter/receiver pairs. With this property, two transmitter/receiver (Tx/Rx) pairs are not likely to use the same transmission CID for consecutive time intervals. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016317 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING GROUP COMMUNICATIONS UTILIZING DEVICE IDENTIFIERS - Methods and apparatus related to group communications in a wireless communications system, e.g., a peer to peer wireless communications system, are described. Methods and apparatus directed to closed groups, e.g., where the number of group members are fixed at a given time and known to one or more members of the group, are described. Various embodiments are well suited to decentralized peer to peer wireless networks including a plurality of individual traffic resources, e.g., traffic slots and/or traffic segments, which may be independently scheduled in a decentralized manner. Various features and/or aspects are directed to associating group transmission request resources and/or request response resources with device identifiers as opposed to associating such resources with connection identifiers. This approach is well suited for large size groups of N members, where the number of the number of connections between members of the group is approximately N | 01-15-2009 |
20090016320 | Synchronization Of A Peer-To-Peer Communication Network - In an ad hoc peer-to-peer communications network, timing synchronization can be facilitated between two or more nodes based on respective timing adjustments. A sequence of timing synchronization time intervals can be determined based on a first timing reference received from a source. A symbol timing can be determined and included in a first signal transmitted during a dedicated time interval, which can be a chosen fraction of one of the timing synchronization time intervals. In the remaining portion of the time interval, such as a non-chosen fraction, a second signal that includes a second timing reference can be received. Based on the symbol timing and the second timing reference, a timing adjustment can be determined and timing of each node adjusted accordingly. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016353 | CODING METHODS OF COMMUNICATING IDENTIFIERS IN PEER DISCOVERY IN A PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK - Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate identifying peers based upon encoded signals during peer discovery in a peer to peer network. For example, direct signaling that partitions a time-frequency resource into a number of segments can be utilized to communicate an identifier within a peer discovery interval; thus, a particular segment selected for transmission can signal a portion of the identifier, while a remainder can be signaled based upon tones communicated within the selected segment. Moreover, a subset of symbols within the resource can be reserved (e.g., unused) to enable identifying and/or correcting timing offset. Further, signaling can be effectuated over a plurality of peer discovery intervals such that partial identifiers communicated during each of the peer discovery intervals can be linked (e.g., based upon overlapping bits and/or bloom filter information). | 01-15-2009 |
20090017759 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ACTIVE SUCCESSIVE INTERFERENCE CANCELLATION IN PEER-TO-PEER NETWORKS - In an ad hoc peer-to-peer communication network between wireless devices, a high priory first receiver device is configured to perform successive interference cancellation (SIC). The first receiver device sends a first rate report signal and a second rate report signal to a first transmitter device indicating a first and second transmission rates. A connection is established between the first transmitter device and the first receiver device in which the first receiver device is the intended receiver of traffic signals from the first transmitter device. The first receiver device receives a traffic signal in a subsequent traffic channel, the traffic signal including a first traffic signal from the first transmitter device having a first traffic transmission rate not exceeding the first transmission rate. The received traffic signal also includes a second traffic signal transmitted by an interfering second transmitter device having a second traffic transmission rate not exceeding the second transmission rate. | 01-15-2009 |
20090017760 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SUCCESSIVE INTERFERENCE CANCELLATION BASED ON RATE CAPPING IN PEER-TO-PEER NETWORKS - In an ad hoc peer-to-peer communication network between wireless devices, a high priory first receiver device is configured to perform successive interference cancellation (SIC). The first receiver device receives a first transmission request from a first transmitter device indicating that the first transmitter device intends to transmit traffic to the first receiver device. Similarly, the first receiver device receives a second transmission request from an interferer second transmitter device. The first receiver device then determines a transmission rate cap for the interferer second transmitter device based on the signal strengths of the first and second transmission requests and sends it to the interferer second transmitter device. The transmission rate cap is a maximum rate at which the first receiver device can reliably decode traffic signals from the second transmitter device. | 01-15-2009 |
20090017761 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SUCCESSIVE INTERFERENCE CANCELLATION BASED ON TWO RATE FEEDBACK IN PEER-TO-PEER NETWORKS - In an ad hoc peer-to-peer communication network between wireless devices, a high priory first receiver device is configured to perform successive interference cancellation. A first pilot signal is received by the first receiver device from the first transmitter device. Similarly, a second pilot signal is received from a second transmitter device, the second pilot signal indicating that the second transmitter device intends to transmit a second traffic signal. The first receiver device determines a first and a second transmission rates for traffic transmissions from the first transmitter device. A control message is then transmitted by the first receiver device to the first transmitter device including the first and second transmission rates. Subsequently, the first receiver device wirelessly receives a traffic signal including a first traffic signal from the first transmitter device including a first and a second signal components generated from a first and a second codewords, respectively. | 01-15-2009 |
20090017783 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ACTIVE SUCCESSIVE INTERFERENCE CANCELLATION BASED ON ONE RATE FEEDBACK AND PROBABILITY ADAPTATION IN PEER-TO-PEER NETWORKS - A first receiver device receives a first pilot signal from a first transmitter device and a second pilot signal from a second transmitter device. The second pilot signal indicates that the second transmitter device intends to transmit a second traffic signal. The first receiver device determines a transmission rate for the first transmitter device as a function of the received signal strength of the first pilot and a predicted amount of the total interference to be perceived by the first receiver device. The predicted amount of the total interference being determined as a function of a SIC success probability. The transmission rate is sent to the first transmitter device. The first receiver device predicts whether the second traffic signal can be decoded and subtracted before the first receiver device decodes the first traffic signal to be transmitted by the first transmitter device as a function of the SIC success probability. | 01-15-2009 |
20090017801 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF GENERATING AND MAINTAINING ORTHOGONAL CONNECTION IDENTIFICATIONS (CIDs) FOR WIRELESS NETWORKS - A first device is configured to select and utilize a connection identifier (CID) for a peer-to-peer communication connection between the first device and a second device in a wireless communications network. The CID is selected from a predetermined set of a plurality of CIDs. Prior to selecting the connection identifier, the first device monitors a CID broadcast channel to determine whether the CID is being utilized by other nearby connections. If it is determined that the CID is being utilized by another connection in the proximity, a different (unused) CID is selected. A transmission request is transmitted to the second device using a first transmission resource unit within a traffic control channel slot, the first transmission resource unit being determined as a function of the selected CID. The first device transmits traffic data to the second device in a traffic channel slot corresponding to the traffic control channel slot. | 01-15-2009 |
20090017861 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR POWER SCALING IN PEER-TO-PEER COMMUNICATIONS - An ad hoc peer-to-peer network is provided in which a transmitter wireless terminal is configured to establish a peer-to-peer communication link with a receiver wireless terminal over a shared communication channel. The transmitter wireless terminal may scale its transmit power as a function of a channel gain for the communication channel between the transmitter and receiver wireless terminals. The scaled transmit power may be utilized by the transmitter and receiver wireless terminals to perform link scheduling over the communication channel. For instance, the scaled transmit power may be used by the transmitter wireless terminal to perform a transmitter yielding with other neighboring transmitter wireless terminals utilizing the shared communication channel. Similarly, the scaled transmit power may be used by the receiver wireless terminal to perform receiver yielding with other neighboring receiver wireless terminal utilizing the shared communication channel. | 01-15-2009 |
20090019113 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING GROUP COMMUNICATIONS - Methods and apparatus supporting group communications in a peer to peer wireless network are described. Methods and apparatus are directed to implementations with closed groups, e.g., where the number of group members are fixed at a given time and known to one or more members of the group. Various embodiments are well suited to decentralized peer to peer wireless networks including a plurality of individual traffic resources, e.g., traffic slots and/or traffic segments, which may be independently scheduled. Approaches for implementing distributed scheduling for traffic air link resources which may carry group traffic signals and/or peer to peer traffic signals are described. Various aspects are directed to the transmitter side including: group traffic transmission request transmissions, reception of request response signaling, transmitter yielding decisions, group rate determination and/or group traffic data signaling. Other aspects are directed to the receiver side including: reception of group traffic transmission request signals, receiver yielding decisions, transmitting group request responses signals, and/or receiving group traffic signaling. | 01-15-2009 |
20090019165 | METHODS FOR SENDING SMALL PACKETS IN A PEER-TO-PEER (P2P) NETWORK - An improved mechanism is provided that facilitates transmission of small packets within an ad hoc peer-to-peer network. A small packet is identified to a receiver within a control channel so that its lower power can be considered in an interference management protocol implemented among local peer devices. In a traffic slot, a transmitter voluntarily backs down on the transmitter power as a smaller packet will require much lower signal-to-noise ratio. This will improve the signal energy per bit per noise power density for the transmission as well as minimize the interference caused to other wireless communications happening in the same spectrum. | 01-15-2009 |
20090019168 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF GENERATING AND MAINTAINING HYBRID CONNECTION IDENTIFICATIONS (IDs) FOR PEER-TO-PEER WIRELESS NETWORKS - An apparatus and method are disclosed for generating a transmission connection identifier (CID) for a transmitter/receiver pair in a wireless network. The CID may be selected from or mapped to a hybrid CID space comprising a first set of orthogonal CIDs and a second set of non-orthogonal (random or pseudo-random) CIDs. When a transmitter device wants to initiate a peer-to-peer connection with a receiver device, the transmitter and receiver devices attempt to obtain a CID to identify their connection within a traffic channel in a shared frequency space. The first and/or second device attempt to select a CID from the first set of orthogonal CIDs. However, if a CID collision is detected, the first and second devices select their CID from the second set of non-orthogonal CIDs. The selected transmission CID may be used during a time slot or interval to facilitate communications between the first and second devices. | 01-15-2009 |
20090019169 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATING IN A PEER TO PEER SYSTEM WHERE DEVICE COMMUNICATIONS MAY PARTIALLY INTERFERE WITH ONE ANOTHER - Methods and Apparatus for communicating information, e.g., control information, e.g., in the form of a control value, between communications devices, e.g., peer to peer communications devices, are described. Positional coding is used to encode a value to be communicated and the encoded value it then transmitted on a set of communications resources with the placement of signal energy on individual ones of the resources being used to create a pattern used to convey the value to be communicated. Resources, e.g., tone-symbols, which communicate unreliable signal portions due to interference are identified and not used in the positional decoding operation as either an energy carrying tone-symbol or a non-energy carrying tone-symbol. | 01-15-2009 |
20090019173 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING BROADCAST COMMUNICATIONS IN A PEER TO PEER NETWORK - Methods and apparatus related to broadcasting data in a peer to peer wireless communications network are described. A timing structure is utilized employing slots of a first type which support broadcast traffic transmissions and unicast traffic transmissions and slots of a second type which support unicast traffic transmission but do not support broadcast traffic transmissions. In various embodiments, traffic air link resource scheduling is performed in a decentralized manner on a slot by slot basis. In some such embodiments, a wireless device prior to transmitting a broadcast data traffic signal, transmits a broadcast transmission request signal, sometimes alternatively referred to as a broadcast indicator signal; and a wireless device prior to transmitting a peer to peer unicast signal, transmits a peer to peer traffic transmission request signal. In various embodiments, for slots of the first type, broadcast transmission requests have priority over peer to peer unicast transmission requests. | 01-15-2009 |
20090019183 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DATA EXCHANGE IN PEER TO PEER COMMUNICATIONS - An exemplary wireless communications device comprises a processor coupled to a memory and a wireless communications interface. The processor is configured to transmit a first transmission symbol at a first time index from a first set of time indices, and to transmit a second transmission symbol at a second time index different from the first time index from the first set of time indices, a portion of the first transmission symbol and a portion of the second transmission symbol including the same data. The first set of time indices is associated with a first device ID and includes at least one time index not contained in a second set of time indices associated with a second device ID, and the second set includes at least one time index not contained in the first set. | 01-15-2009 |
20090109851 | METHODS AND APPARATUS RELATED TO SCHEDULING TRAFFIC IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM USING SHARED AIR LINK TRAFFIC RESOURCES - Methods and apparatus for use in a wireless communications system in which traffic air link resources may be, and sometimes are, shared are described. Various described methods and apparatus are well suited for use in a peer to peer communications system in which transmission control decisions are made in a decentralized manner. An exemplary peer to peer communications system implements the scheduling of traffic intervals in a distributed manner utilizing connection priority information and interference information. An exemplary peer to peer timing structure includes a user scheduling interval and an associated traffic interval. The user scheduling interval includes a plurality transmission request/request response rounds. By utilizing multiple request/request response rounds, a transmission decision corresponding to a connection to yield in an earlier round can be overridden in a subsequent round, resulting in higher overall traffic throughput in the system. | 04-30-2009 |
20090129488 | METHOD OF REDUCING INTERFERENCE - Various schemes for reducing effects of interference within communication systems are disclosed. A transmitter transmits a signal in a first time interval and a scrambled version of the signal in a second time interval, which does not overlap with the first time interval. A receiver receives a composite signal including a signal transmitted from the desired transmitter as well as signals from interferers in the first or the second time interval. The receiver determines a dominant interferer and obtains knowledge of signal scrambling done by the interferer as well as the desired transmitter by sensing an identification associated with the interferer or the desired transmitter. This knowledge is employed to determine coefficients for combining the received composite signals received in the first and the second time interval in order to recover the desired signal in a manner that maximizes the SNR associated with the desired signal or completely cancels the dominant interference. | 05-21-2009 |
20090224990 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING COMMUNICATIONS USING A FIRST POLARIZATION DIRECTION ELECTRICAL ANTENNA AND A SECOND POLARIZATION DIRECTION MAGNETIC ANTENNA - A communications device, e.g., a mobile wireless terminal, includes a plurality of antennas having different associated polarization directions. The plurality of antennas includes an electrical antenna, e.g., a dipole antenna and a magnetic antenna, e.g., a loop antenna or a slot antenna. In one embodiment the electrical antenna is used for receiving and/or transmitting signals associated with a vertical polarization direction, while the magnetic antenna is used for receiving and/or transmitting signals associated with a horizontal polarization direction in some embodiments different data streams are communicated concurrently via the electrical and magnetic antennas. Methods for operating the communications device to switch between the electrical and magnetic antennas and/or to control reception and/or transmission are described. The novel antenna configuration facilitates the use of the horizontal polarization direction communications between the communications device and a base station without the need for directionally azimuth positioning the magnetic antenna. | 09-10-2009 |
20090232034 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS INCLUDING DIRECT PAGING IN COMBINATION WITH HOPPED DATA SIGNALING - Methods and apparatus for wireless communications in regional networks, e.g., ad hoc peer to peer networks, are described. Wireless communications devices transmit and monitor for presence indicator signals broadcast from other peer communications devices in its local vicinity. A wireless communications device maintains a list of discovered devices in its vicinity. A first wireless communications device transmits a paging signal directly over an airlink to a second communications device, which is on its list and to which it desires to send data units, e.g., user data in a peer to peer traffic segment. In response to a received paging response signal from the second device, the first device transmits data units, intended for the second device, to a third device, which acts as an intermediary node. The power level for the data unit signal is controlled to be lower than the power level used for the paging signal. | 09-17-2009 |
20090232086 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ACQUIRING AND USING MULTIPLE CONNECTION IDENTIFIERS - Methods and apparatus related to a peer to peer wireless communications system supporting the association of multiple connection identifiers with a single connection between a pair of wireless terminals are described. A differentiated quality of service is supported by assigning different numbers of connection identifiers to different connections. The number of connection identifiers assigned to a wireless terminal pair for a connection is a function of one of: data rate, priority information, and quality of service information. Being allocated a higher number of connection identifiers results in being allocated a higher number of traffic transmission request resources, thus increasing the likelihood that the connection is permitted to use a traffic transmission segment. The allocation of connection identifiers is performed in a distributed manner in which handshake signaling occurs between a wireless terminal pair seeking to establish a connection, e.g., as part of a multi-step paging scheme. | 09-17-2009 |
20090232142 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR USING CONNECTION IDENTIFIERS HAVING DIFFERENT PRIORITIES AT DIFFERENT TIMES - Methods and apparatus related to scheduling and/or utilization of air link traffic resources are described. A connection identifier is associated with priority with regard to use of an air link resource, e.g., a peer to peer traffic segment which is in contention. A particular connection may acquire and hold one or multiple connection identifiers. In some embodiments, the priority associated with a particular connection identifier is intentionally varied in a set of traffic slots. In some such embodiments, there is priority randomization from slot to slot. In one such implementation there is a statistically uniform average priority between the different connection identifiers over the recurring structure. Such an implementation facilitates access to traffic segments to a wide range of users, yet allows for differentiation with regard to the amount of access as a function of the number of connection identifiers being held by a particular connection. | 09-17-2009 |
20090232143 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR USING MULTIPLE CONNECTION IDENTIFIERS BASED ON TRAFFIC REQUIREMENTS - Methods and apparatus related to scheduling and/or utilization of air link traffic resources are described. A peer to peer connection holds a set of multiple connection identifiers for a plurality of successive traffic slots. Corresponding to a particular traffic slot, each of the connection identifiers in the set of connection identifiers has a different priority. Short term traffic needs are considered in the use of the multiple connection identifiers being held. For example, a communications device, corresponding to a peer to peer connection which is associated with a plurality of connection identifiers having different priorities, considers the amount and/or latency requirements of data to be transmitted at any given time when selecting which connection identifier to use when transmitting a traffic transmission request for a traffic segment which is in contention. | 09-17-2009 |
20090323665 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING QUALITY OF SERVICE IN A PEER TO PEER NETWORK - Methods and apparatus related to scheduling traffic slots in a wireless communications system, e.g., an ad hoc peer to peer communications network are described. An implemented timing structure includes multiple traffic transmission slots and multiple request blocks with different priorities corresponding to a traffic transmission slot. A wireless terminal determines its own block priority level. If a wireless terminal's determined block priority level is the highest block priority level the wireless terminal is allowed to transmit a traffic transmission request in the highest traffic transmission request block; otherwise, the wireless terminal is restricted from transmitting a traffic transmission request in the highest priority request block. A wireless terminal monitors for request and/or request response activity corresponding to other connections high priority block signaling, and uses the collected information to determine its own block priority. | 12-31-2009 |
20100022190 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING MULTI-HOP COMMUNICATIONS IN A PEER TO PEER COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - Methods and apparatus for wireless communications in networks, e.g., regional ad hoc peer to peer networks, are described. A communications node, e.g., a third node monitors for wireless communications between other peer communication nodes, e.g., a first node and a second node, in its local vicinity. The third node determines from the monitored wireless communication an indication of link quality corresponding to a communication link between the communication nodes which are communicating or seeking to establish a communications link. The third node generates an estimate of a link quality for a communications link between itself and the first node. Based on the indication of link quality and generated estimate of link quality, the third node decides whether or not to send a signal indicating availability to relay communication between the first and second nodes. The third node, when acting as an intermediary node after indicating its availability to so act, may receive traffic data e.g., user data communicated in a peer to peer traffic segment, from the first node. The third node communicates the received traffic data to the second node by transmitting the traffic data. | 01-28-2010 |
20100085973 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IDENTIFYING AND/OR SELECTING A CONNECTION IDENTIFIER - Wireless terminals in a peer to peer system, which desire to communicate traffic signals, acquire a connection identifier associated with traffic transmission request air link resources. The air link resources in the system, in some embodiments, are structured so that each connection identifier has a one to one mapping to a request transmission unit, the request transmission units are arranged into a plurality of groups, and each group occurs in a different symbol time interval for the same traffic slot. A wireless terminal identifies locally available connection identifiers from a set of connection identifiers based on power received on individual connection identification transmission units in a set of connection identification transmission units; determines, for each group having an identified locally available connection identifier, an interference estimate; and selects a connection identifier from the identified locally available connection identifiers belonging to a group having an acceptable determined interference estimate. | 04-08-2010 |
20100118701 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING TRANSMITTER AND/OR RECEIVER COMMUNICATIONS DECISIONS - Methods and apparatus for making communications decisions are described. In some embodiments, a method includes recovering a quality of service level from a transmission request response signal and making a decision whether or not to transmit traffic data based on the recovered quality of service level. In other embodiments a method includes recovering a first quality of service level from a first transmission request response signal which is in response to a first traffic transmission request signal, and making a decision, based on the recovered first quality of service level, whether or not to transmit a second transmission request response signal in response to a second traffic transmission request signal. In some embodiments, the phase of the transmission request response signal is used to communicate the quality of service level. The device transmitting the transmission request response may also transmit pilots which can be used as phase reference signals. | 05-13-2010 |
20100118702 | METHODS AND APPARATUS SUPPORTING ADAPTIVE DECENTRALIZED TRAFFIC SCHEDULING INCLUDING A DYNAMIC TRANSMITTER YIELDING THRESHOLD - Methods and apparatus relating to scheduling of air link resources, e.g., traffic segments, in a wireless communications system are described. Various described methods and apparatus are well suited to wireless peer to peer networks in which traffic scheduling is decentralized, e.g. an ad hoc peer to peer network. An individual wireless terminal corresponding to a peer to peer connection which desires to transmit traffic signals make transmitter yielding decisions on a traffic slot by traffic slot basis. The transmitter yielding decision, in some embodiments, includes comparing a link quality estimate corresponding to a higher priority link intending to use the same traffic segment concurrently, to a dynamically generated transmitter yielding threshold. The dynamically generated transmitter yielding threshold is determined based on at least one of: quality of service information corresponding to its own link and historical link quality information corresponding to the higher priority link. | 05-13-2010 |
20100118733 | METHODS AND APPARATUS SUPPORTING ADAPTIVE DECENTRALIZED TRAFFIC SCHEDULING FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS - Methods and apparatus relating to scheduling of air link resources, e.g., traffic segments, in wireless communications are described. Various described methods and apparatus are well suited to wireless peer to peer networks in which traffic scheduling is decentralized, e.g. an ad hoc peer to peer network. A first wireless terminal receives a transmission request and quality of service information from a second wireless terminal corresponding to a connection. The first wireless terminal decides not to receiver yield, determines a request response transmission power level as a function of the received quality of service information, and transmits, at the determined power level, a generated request response signal. By controllably adjusting the transmission power level of a request response, transmitter yielding decisions of lower priority links are impacted, since lower priority links measure and use received power level information corresponding to request responses of higher priority links in their transmitter yielding decisions. | 05-13-2010 |
20100118761 | METHODS AND APPARATUS SUPPORTING ADAPTIVE DECENTRALIZED TRAFFIC SCHEDULING INCLUDING A DYNAMIC RECEIVER YIELDING THRESHOLD - Methods and apparatus relating to scheduling of air link resources, e.g., traffic segments, in a wireless communications system are described. Various described methods and apparatus are well suited to wireless peer to peer networks in which traffic scheduling is decentralized, e.g. an ad hoc peer to peer network. An individual wireless terminal corresponding to a peer to peer connection which desires to communicate traffic signals makes a receiver yielding decision. The receiver yielding decision, in some embodiments, includes comparing a link quality estimate corresponding to its own link, to a dynamically generated receiver yielding threshold. The dynamically generated receiver yielding threshold is determined based on at least one of: quality of service information corresponding to its own link and historical link quality information corresponding to its own link. | 05-13-2010 |
20100118843 | COMMUNICATIONS METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR USE IN COMMUNICATING WITH ACCESS ROUTERS AND/OR OTHER DEVICES ACTING AS COMMUNICATIONS PEERS - Methods and apparatus for performing peer to peer communications with access routers and non-access router peer devices are described. An access terminal generates a channel estimate estimating the channel between the access terminal and an access router. For at least some communication with the access router, a channel compensation operation is performed on a symbol to be transmitted prior to its transmission to the access router. In contrast, symbols transmitted to other access terminals are not subject to a channel compensation operation prior to transmission with the receiving access terminal being responsible for implementing a channel compensation operation on the received signal. | 05-13-2010 |
20100120372 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING DISTRIBUTED SCHEDULING USING QUALITY OF SERVICE INFORMATION IN A PEER TO PEER NETWORK - Methods and apparatus well suited to decentralized traffic scheduling in wireless peer to peer network are described. An individual wireless terminal corresponding to a peer to peer connection makes a transmitter yielding or receiver yielding decision for a traffic slot. Quality of service information is disseminated as part of the scheduling control signaling. A scheduling control signal, e.g., a traffic transmission request signal or a traffic transmission request response signal, includes a pilot portion and a quality of service information portion. The pilot facilitates the recovery of the quality of service information by a plurality of different devices which may have different channel conditions with respect to the transmitter of the scheduling control signal. The different devices may benefit from utilizing the recovered quality of service information in making a yielding decision regarding traffic signaling in a traffic segment. | 05-13-2010 |
20100120445 | COMMUNICATIONS DECISION METHODS AND APPARATUS - Methods and apparatus for making communications decisions are described. In some embodiments, a method includes recovering a first quality of service level from a first transmission request signal directed to a second communications device, and making a decision whether or not to transmit traffic data to a third communications device based on the recovered first quality of service level. In other embodiments a method includes recovering a first quality of service level from a first transmission request signal, and making a decision whether or not to transmit a first transmission request response signal in response to a second transmission request signal based on the recovered first quality of service level. In some embodiments, the phase of the transmission request signal is used to communicate the quality of service level. The device transmitting the transmission request signal may also transmit pilots which can be used as phase reference signals. | 05-13-2010 |
20100142556 | METHOD AND APPARATUS RELATED TO PACKET FRAGMENTATION AND RECONSTRUCTION - Methods and apparatus related to packet fragmentation and reconstruction are described. A sequence of bits is generated including at least one header and at least partial packet payload prior to a determination of the actual data rate to be used in a communications segment. In some embodiments, the generated sequence of bits corresponds to a prepared information bit stream for a best case scenario in which the highest data rate is selected for segment. Various embodiments allow for the selection of the data rate to be used for the communications segment to be delayed until just prior to the transmission. Thus the selection of the data rate for the communications segment, and thus the segment capacity, can be based on more current channel condition information than would otherwise be possible if the communications device needed to know the data rate for the segment before performing header and packet fragmentation operations. | 06-10-2010 |
20100150080 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR REUSE OF A WIRELESS RESOURCE - Methods and apparatus related to reuse of a wireless resource are described. Various methods and apparatus are well suited to wireless communications systems lacking centralized control, e.g., an ad hoc peer to peer wireless communications system. A wireless device, corresponding to a second connection, evaluates whether or not it can reuse a resource associated with a first connection. The first connection is, e.g., an existing active connection and the second connection is, e.g., a potential connection. The wireless device receives one or more control signals from one or more first connection devices. The wireless device determines, based on the received control signals, one or more estimated SINRs characterizing expected results in the system if the two connections should use the same resource concurrently. The wireless device makes a resource reuse decision based on the determined estimated one or more SINRs and a threshold criteria. | 06-17-2010 |
20100151897 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FACILITATING AND/OR MAKING WIRELESS RESOURCE REUSE DECISIONS - Methods and apparatus related to reuse of a wireless resource are described. Various methods and apparatus are well suited to wireless communications systems lacking centralized control, e.g., an ad hoc peer to peer wireless communications system. A first wireless device of a first connection generates and transmits one or more control signals to be used by a wireless device of a second connection to make a resource reuse decision. The first connection is, e.g., an existing active connection and the second connection is, e.g., a potential connection. A transmission power level of a control signal is set based upon a predetermined relationship to at least one other signal previously communicated on the first connection, e.g., a peer discovery or paging signal. In some embodiments, the control signal is a single tone signal. The transmitted control signal facilitates the estimation of an expected SINR by a device of the second connection. | 06-17-2010 |
20100202400 | TRANSMISSION WITH COLLISION DETECTION AND MITIGATION FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION - Techniques for transmitting signals on shared resources in a manner to detect and/or combat collision are described. In an aspect, a terminal may transmit a signal on a subset of resource elements in a resource block, and at least one null resource element with no signal may be used to detect for collision of the signal. In another aspect, different terminals may simultaneously transmit their signals on different subsets of resource elements in a resource block. These different subsets of resource elements may be pseudo-randomly selected to randomize interference. In one design, a terminal may determine a resource block to use for transmission of a signal, select a subset of the resource elements in the resource block, and transmit the signal on the selected resource elements, e.g., to at least one other terminal for peer-to-peer communication. The signal may be a peer discovery signal, a paging signal, etc. | 08-12-2010 |
20100202434 | COMMUNICATIONS METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING COMMUNICATIONS WITH PEERS USING MULTIPLE ANTENNA PATTERNS - Methods and apparatus for communicating information, e.g., peer discovery information, to peer communications devices using multiple antenna patterns at different times are described. One exemplary method includes transmitting first peer discovery information during a first period of time using a first antenna pattern, and transmitting second peer discovery information during a second period of time using a second antenna pattern which is different from the first antenna pattern. In at least some embodiments the first antenna pattern is a beam antenna pattern and the second antenna pattern is an omni-directional antenna pattern. In some embodiments, an omni-directional antenna pattern is used at least 50% of the time. This allows devices near the transmitting device to quickly obtain peer discovery information while devices further away make take longer to obtain the peer discovery information since they may need for a beam pattern facing their direction to be used. | 08-12-2010 |
20100279724 | MITIGATING INTERFERENCE IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK - Aspects relate to mitigating interference in a communication network that does not employ a centralized scheduler. A transmission sent on a subset of resources is evaluated to determine a number of communication pairs that have selected that subset of resources on which to transmit. If there are a large number of communication pairs transmitting on that subset, the transmission is ignored by a receiving device. The number of degrees of freedom that contain energy on the subset is evaluated to determine if an expected number of degrees of freedom that should have energy is met or exceeded. If the expected threshold number is met or exceed, the transmission is decoded by the receiving device, else the transmission is not decoded. | 11-04-2010 |
20100291872 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING COMMUNICATION OVER DIFFERENT RANGES IN A WIRELESS NETWORK - Methods and apparatus well suited for supporting communications over different ranges in, for example, a peer to peer wireless communications system, are described. In the peer to peer network at least some of the types of signals, e.g., peer discovery signals and/or paging signals, are transmitted with no closed loop power control. An exemplary peer to peer timing structure includes air link resources allocated for a particular type of signaling in which the resources are segmented into multiple blocks which do not overlap in time, different ones of the multiple blocks being associated with different ranges. The characteristics of the basic transmission units of the multiple blocks based on range are different, e.g., tone size and symbol width are different. A wireless communications device implements the peer to peer timing structure and uses resources from different range based blocks at different times. Data traffic transmission units may be the same regardless of the range. | 11-18-2010 |
20100309781 | SWITCHING BETWEEN MIMO AND RECEIVER BEAM FORMING IN A PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK - Aspects describe different multiple antenna techniques that can be utilized in a peer-to-peer network based on a network congestion level. A MIMO scheme where a transmitter sends to a receiver multiple spatial streams at substantially the same time in the same traffic segment can be utilized when network congestion level is low. A receiver beam forming scheme where transmitter sends a single stream in a traffic segment and receiver uses multiple receive antennas to maximize signal to noise ratio can be utilized when network congestion level is high. The connection pair (transmitter and receiver) occupy more control resources in the MIMO scheme than the receiver beam forming scheme. The decision related to which technique to utilize can be made at about the same time as a communication is initiated. Further, if network conditions change during a communication, the antenna technique that is utilized can be switched to a different technique during the communication exchange. | 12-09-2010 |
20100309854 | INTERFERENCE MANAGEMENT WITH MIMO IN A PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK - Aspects relate to interference management in a multiple-input-multiple-output peer-to-peer network utilizing connection scheduling. When channel side information is available at both transmitter and receiver, both devices determine transmit/receiver beamforming vectors. Transmitter sends a first transmission request signal with first transmit beamforming vector and a second transmission request signal with second transmit beamforming vector in a transmission request block. Receiver estimates SINRs of the MIMO channels associated with the receive beamforming vectors and determines whether to return request response signals. Based on received request response signals, transmitter decides to transmit streams of data using the corresponding transmit beamforming vectors in the data burst. When channel side information is available only at receiver, transmitter sends one transmission request signal. Receiver estimates the SINRs of the MIMO channels associated with receive beamforming vectors using MMSE and/or successive interference cancellation (SIC), and returns request response signals in the request response block. | 12-09-2010 |
20110019541 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING POWER EFFICIENCY AND LATENCY OF MOBILE DEVICES USING AN OUT OF BAND WIRELESS RESOURCE - Methods and apparatus of using a licensed spectrum to transmit data when an unlicensed spectrum is congested are disclosed. The method includes transmitting a first signal from a first mobile device to a second mobile device using an unlicensed spectrum, determining, at the first mobile device, whether a first response signal has been received by the first mobile device using the unlicensed spectrum, and transmitting a second signal from the first mobile device to the second mobile device using a licensed spectrum when the first response signal has not been received by the first mobile device using the unlicensed spectrum. | 01-27-2011 |
20110019601 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING POWER EFFICIENCY AND LATENCY OF MOBILE DEVICES USING AN EXTERNAL TIMING SOURCE - Methods and apparatus for increasing power efficiency and decreasing latency of communication of a mobile device operating in an unlicensed spectrum using global timing data are disclosed. The method includes receiving, at the mobile device, the global timing data from an external timing source, the mobile device communicating in the unlicensed spectrum, obtaining, at the mobile device, a time from the global timing data, and determining, at the mobile device, a wake time to switch the mobile device from a sleep state to an active state based on the time obtained from the global timing data. | 01-27-2011 |
20110028102 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR USING A LICENSED SPECTRUM TO TRANSMIT A SIGNAL WHEN AN UNLICENSED SPECTRUM IS CONGESTED - Methods and apparatus of using a licensed spectrum to transmit a signal when an unlicensed spectrum is congested are disclosed. One method includes receiving, at a first mobile device, a request signal from a second mobile device, receiving, at the first mobile device, a remote signal from one or more mobile devices using the unlicensed spectrum, and transmitting a control signal from the first mobile device to the second mobile device using the licensed spectrum, the control signal being based on the remote signal. The control signal carries control information that is based on at least one of a time at which the second mobile device sends a signal to the first mobile device or the received powers of the remote signal and the request signal. | 02-03-2011 |
20110085620 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATING INFORMATION USING NON-COHERENT AND COHERENT MODULATION - Non-coherent modulation is used to communicate coding information via pilot signals using a first subset of resources, and coherent modulation is used to generate data signals. This allows for a stronger global code while keeping individual signaling complexity low. First and second communications devices communicate information using a set of communications resources. By performing non-coherent demodulation on pilot signals received on a first subset of said set of communications resources coding information is recovered. First and second channel estimates are generated from the pilot signals received on the first subset of said communications resources. Coherent demodulation is performed on data signals received on a second subset of said set of communications resources using said first and second channel estimates and said coding information to recover information communicated by said first communications device and to recover separate information communicated by said second communications device. | 04-14-2011 |
20110086664 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SCALING TRANSMIT POWER OF SIGNALS IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS - Methods and apparatus of varying transmit power of signals for increasing system throughput and spectral reuse in an unlicensed spectrum are disclosed. One method includes transmitting from a first mobile device to a second mobile device a request to send (RTS) signal having a first transmit data power level based on a channel gain between the first mobile device and the second mobile device, receiving, at the first mobile device, a clear to send (CTS) signal from the second mobile device, and transmitting data at the first transmit data power level from the first mobile device to the second mobile device. | 04-14-2011 |
20110086679 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SCALING TRANSMIT POWER OF SIGNALS IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS - Methods and apparatus of varying transmit power of signals for increasing system throughput and spectral reuse in an unlicensed spectrum are disclosed. One method includes transmitting from a first mobile device to a second mobile device a request to send (RTS) signal having a first transmit data power level based on a channel gain between the first mobile device and the second mobile device, receiving, at the first mobile device, a clear to send (CTS) signal from the second mobile device, and transmitting data at the first transmit data power level from the first mobile device to the second mobile device. | 04-14-2011 |
20110149799 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING MULTI-HOP PEER DISCOVERY IN PEER-TO-PEER WIRELESS NETWORKS - Methods and apparatus for supporting multi-hop peer discovery in peer-to-peer wireless networks are disclosed. One method supports multi-hop peer discovery using a first peer having a first unique identification code. The method includes decoding a second peer discovery signal to obtain a second unique identification code and a second local identification code of a second peer received during a peer-to-peer discovery channel, determining whether to select the second peer based on a predetermined criterion; and transmitting a first peer discovery signal having the first unique identification code, the second local identification code and a hop count when the predetermined criterion is satisfied. | 06-23-2011 |
20110170465 | TIMING SYNCHRONIZATION METHODS AND APPARATUS - Various methods and apparatus are directed to achieving timing synchronization and propagating timing information pertaining to an external, e.g., non Wi-Fi, timing signal source. In some embodiments, a mobile communications device receives and processes a timing signal, e.g., a first Wi-Fi beacon, which is propagating timing information about an external timing signal from a device which directly received the external timing signal. Thus, a mobile wireless communications device achieves timing synchronization with respect to an external timing signal which it is unable to receive directly. In various embodiments, the mobile communications device may, and sometimes does, further propagate the timing information about the external timing signal, e.g., via a second Wi-Fi beacon signal which it generates and transmits. Synchronization with respect to an external signal source facilitates longer sleep states and decreased power consumption. | 07-14-2011 |
20110216657 | METHODS AND APPARATUS RELATED TO SIGNALING REQUEST TO TRANSMIT TRAFFIC IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS - Methods and apparatus related to the communication of traffic in peer to peer communications are described. A peer to peer communications system includes traffic slots, and for a pair of devices (first and second) having a connection a first transmission request resource and a second transmission request resource are associated with a traffic transmission interval of the traffic slot, the first request resource preceding the second request resource. The first device can utilize the first resource to transmit a request to transmit traffic to the second device, and when it does, it also uses the second resource to transmit additional information corresponding to the request and/or traffic. If the second device doesn't detect a request on the first resource, then it can use the second resource to transmit a request to first device to transmit traffic to the first device. | 09-08-2011 |
20110228691 | METHODS AND APPARTUS FOR CONTROLLING INTERFERENCE TO BROADCAST SIGNALING IN A PEER TO PEER NETWORK - Methods and apparatus related to broadcasting data and interference management in a peer to peer wireless communications network are described. Scheduling of traffic air link resources is performed on a slot by slot basis in a decentralized manner. Wireless devices intending to broadcast traffic signals transmit broadcast request signals, sometimes alternatively referred to as broadcast indicator signals. A priority level is associated with each of the broadcast request signals. A receiver device intending to receive broadcast signals detects the broadcast request signals and makes an interference determination as to whether the higher priority broadcast traffic signal can be successfully recovered in the presence of lower priority broadcast traffic signals. If the determination is that the expected interference from the lower priority broadcast traffic is unacceptable, the receiver device generates and transmits an interference control signal communicating to the lower priority device a command or request not to broadcast. | 09-22-2011 |
20110249631 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CHANNEL SELECTION IN A PEER TO PEER NETWORK - Various embodiments relate to using available spectrum for peer to peer communications and for selecting which of several possibly available channels should be used. Various methods and apparatus are well suited to peer to peer networks in which channel usage decisions are made in a decentralized manner. A wireless terminal generates a list of potential available channels to be used for peer to peer communications, e.g., based on FCC information and/or local sensing. Channels are filled in accordance with a predetermined channel ordering. A wireless terminal migrates between the channels in accordance with changes in the number of peer devices using a channel. The network, in a distributed manner, changes the number of channels in use at a location in response to changes in numbers of active peer devices at a location. | 10-13-2011 |
20110250916 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING AND ASSIGNING SPECTRUM FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS - Methods and apparatus for determining band availability and/or allocating one or more frequency bands to a communications device for wireless communications are described. In different locations and/or at different times different frequency bands, e.g., band corresponding to unused TV channels, may be available for allocation. Various described methods and apparatus are well suited for supporting local peer to peer networks in an environment in which a plurality of different technologies are supported. A centralized control device determines and allocates a frequency band to a wireless terminal for use at a given location and at a given time, e.g., for peer to peer communications using a particular technology supported by the wireless terminal. The centralized control device uses database information and information received from a plurality of wireless terminals in making frequency band allocation decisions, performing load balancing, and/or performing interference management. | 10-13-2011 |
20110292884 | METHODS AND APPARATUS SUPPORTING LOAD BALANCING IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM - Methods and apparatus supporting load balancing in a wireless communications system implementing decentralized control are described. Different channels, e.g., unused TV channels, are available in different locations for use for communications. Various communications technologies, e.g., WiFi, 3G Blue-Tooth, etc., may be supported by a communications device and may be allowed to be used on the available channels. A wireless communications device evaluates its current local environment, e.g., estimating potential rates that it may use and/or estimating latency, for each of a plurality of available alternative channel/technology combinations. The wireless communications device selects a channel and technology combination to use as a function of its estimates. The wireless communications device uses its selected channel and technology combination for communications, e.g., for peer to peer communications including direct peer to peer traffic signaling as part of a local peer to peer network. | 12-01-2011 |
20110319114 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USING AND/OR IMPLEMENTING CONTROL CHANNELS IN WHITE SPACE - Methods and apparatus related to control channels in a wireless communications system are described. Different white space bands may be available at different locations. A wireless terminal monitors control information from multiple potentially available communications channels. Control time slots corresponding to some different channels are intentionally time offset from one another. Some embodiments implement predetermined control slot timing synchronized with respect to an external timing source. In other embodiments, a wireless terminal selects a control time slot on a new channel as a function of control slot timing on channels already in use. A wireless terminal selects one of a plurality of communications channels for use in communicating information and determines a position of a control time slot to be used on the selected communications channels. The wireless terminal uses the control time slot on the selected communications channel to transmit and receive control information. | 12-29-2011 |
20120008570 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING FREQUENCY DIVISION MULTIPLEXING OR TIME DIVISION MULTIPLEXING IN WIRELESS PEER-TO-PEER NETWORKS - A method of operating a wireless device includes determining a preferred subset of bands of a set of bands for communicating with a first node, communicating a scheduling request with the first node, and determining whether to schedule a data transmission on each band of the set of bands based on the preferred subset of bands and the scheduling request. | 01-12-2012 |
20120014471 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MINIMIZING INTER-SYMBOL INTERFERENCE IN A PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK BACKGROUND - The methods and apparatus described herein are used to operate a wireless device. One method of operating a wireless device includes filtering a first set of digital samples using a first filter at a first time to generate a first signal, transmitting the first signal, filtering a second set of digital samples using a second filter at a second time to generate a second signal, and transmitting the second signal. In one embodiment, an apparatus for operating a wireless device includes a processor configured to filter, at a first wireless device, a first set of digital samples using a first filter at a first time to generate a first signal, transmit, from the first wireless device, the first signal, and filter, at the first wireless device, a second set of digital samples using a second filter at a second time to generate a second signal. | 01-19-2012 |
20120059935 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO SELECT AND TO RESELECT A RESOURCE FOR PEER DISCOVERY IN PEER-TO-PEER NETWORKS - A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product are provided in which signals are received on each of a plurality of resources and an energy of each of the signals of a set of the plurality of resources is determined. In addition, a resource is determined based on a probability for each of the resources in a subset of the set. The probability for selecting a resource with a lower determined energy is less than one and greater than the probability for selecting a resource with a higher determined energy. Furthermore, a signal is transmitted on the selected resource. | 03-08-2012 |
20120088450 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING COMMUNICATION OVER DIFFERENT RANGES IN A WIRELESS NETWORK - Methods and apparatus well suited for supporting communications over different ranges in, for example, a peer to peer wireless communications system, are described. In the peer to peer network at least some of the types of signals, e.g., peer discovery signals and/or paging signals, are transmitted with no closed loop power control. An exemplary peer to peer timing structure includes air link resources allocated for a particular type of signaling in which the resources are segmented into multiple blocks which do not overlap in time, different ones of the multiple blocks being associated with different ranges. The characteristics of the basic transmission units of the multiple blocks based on range are different, e.g., tone size and symbol width are different. A wireless communications device implements the peer to peer timing structure and uses resources from different range based blocks at different times. Data traffic transmission units may be the same regardless of the range. | 04-12-2012 |
20120182890 | ADAPTIVE PEER DISCOVERY BASED ON NON PEER DISCOVERY TRANSMISSIONS AND DEVICE DENSITY FOR WI-FI - A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product are provided in which a number of wireless devices communicating peer discovery information are estimated. In addition, a transmission time period for transmitting peer discovery information is determined based on the estimated number of wireless devices. | 07-19-2012 |
20120269115 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ADAPTIVE RESOURCE MULTIPLEXING IN A PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK - A method of wireless communication includes determining resources available for peer discovery. The resources include first peer discovery resources with a first time interval and second peer discovery resources with a second time interval less than the first time interval. The method further includes communicating peer discovery signals through a first subset of peer discovery resources of the first peer discovery resources and a second subset of peer discovery resources of the second peer discovery resources. The second subset of peer discovery resources includes less resource elements than the first subset of peer discovery resources. | 10-25-2012 |
20120269250 | PEER DISCOVERY IN A WIRELESS WIDE AREA NETWORK SYSTEM - A method of wireless communication of a wireless device includes receiving a signal indicating WWAN resources that can be utilized for communicating peer discovery signals. In addition, the method includes communicating an OFDM peer discovery signal in the WWAN resources. A method of wireless communication of a base station includes transmitting a signal to a wireless device indicating WWAN resources dedicated for a silence interval that can be utilized for communicating peer discovery signals. The WWAN resources dedicated for a silence interval include a first subset of resources and a second subset of resources. The method further includes measuring noise in the first subset of resources and refraining from measuring noise in the second subset of resources. | 10-25-2012 |
20130010661 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR OFDM PEER DISCOVERY - A method of wireless communication includes splitting data into n data sets, where n is greater than or equal to two. In addition, the method includes selecting n different resources associated with a resource identifier based on a hopping pattern for sending each of the data sets within a set of resources of one full set of transmissions. The selected n resources have a hopping pattern such that there is at least one resource of the n resources that is non-overlapping in time with resources associated with resource identifiers other than said resource identifier. Furthermore, the method includes sending m data sets on m selected resources in m transmissions within the one full set of transmissions, where m is less than or equal to n. | 01-10-2013 |
20130059614 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IDENTIFYING AND/OR SELECTING CHANNELS - A decentralized approach to peer discovery channel selection is used in some embodiments. In some such embodiments, a mobile wireless terminal supporting a peer to peer signaling protocol, independently determines what channels to use for peer discovery without a central controller indicating the channel or channels to be used. Assuming channels are of a suitable quality, the channels having the best quality need not be identified, with channel selection being made on a predetermined channel ordering basis from those with suitable quality. Different wireless communications devices in the system use the same peer discovery channel selection process making it likely that the same channel or channels will tend to be picked to be used for peer discovery. Other embodiments are directed to implementing a centralized approach to peer discovery channel selection in which a central controller or base station selects channels to be used for peer discovery signaling. | 03-07-2013 |
20130083699 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTED MEDIUM ACCESS IN WIRELESS PEER-TO-PEER NETWORKS - An apparatus, a method of the apparatus, and a computer program in the apparatus are provided in which the apparatus determines a group to which each of a plurality of wireless devices is associated based on signals received from the plurality of wireless devices. The apparatus selects a group for access to a wireless medium from a plurality of groups based on the group determined for each of the plurality of wireless devices and based on reducing interference with the plurality of wireless devices. Each of the plurality of groups has a different priority. The apparatus communicates using peer-to-peer communication on the wireless medium with a priority based on the selected group. | 04-04-2013 |
20130115944 | EFFICIENT FEMTO DISCOVERY PROTOCOL USING MACRO SYNCHRONIZATION - A method, a computer program product, and an apparatus are provided in which the apparatus (e.g., a femto cell) receives timing information from a second apparatus (e.g., a macro cell). The apparatus receives a signal from a third apparatus (e.g., a UE) based on the received timing information. The apparatus transmits a broadcast signal based on the received signal. A method, a computer program product, and an apparatus are provided in which the apparatus (e.g., a UE) receives timing information from a second apparatus (e.g., macro cell). The apparatus transmits a signal to a third apparatus (e.g., a femto cell) based on the received timing information. The apparatus receives a broadcast signal from the third apparatus in response to the signal. | 05-09-2013 |
20130155900 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING DISCOVERY AND PAGING MESSAGES - Methods, devices, and computer program products for transmitting and receiving discovery and paging messages are described herein. In one aspect, an apparatus operable in a wireless communication system includes a transmitter and receiver. The transmitter transmits a discovery packet during a first discovery interval of a plurality of discovery intervals. The discovery packet advertises a service provided in a wireless communications network, and the plurality of discovery intervals include recurring time intervals when a plurality of devices are configured to transmit and receive discovery packets. The receiver receives a paging packet from a first device during a first paging interval of a plurality of paging intervals. The paging packet indicates interest in the service, and the plurality of paging intervals include recurring time intervals when the plurality of devices are configured to transmit and receive paging packets. The plurality of paging intervals do not overlap the plurality of discovery intervals. | 06-20-2013 |
20130155905 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING DISCOVERY AND PAGING MESSAGES - Methods, devices, and computer program products for transmitting and receiving discovery and paging messages are described herein. In one aspect, an apparatus operable in a wireless communication system includes a receiver and transmitter. The receiver receives a registration packet from a first device. The registration packet indicates interest in a service provided by another device in a wireless communications network. The receiver further receives a discovery packet from a second device during a first discovery interval of a plurality of discovery intervals. The discovery packet advertises a service provided by the second device, and the plurality of discovery intervals include recurring time intervals when a plurality of devices are configured to transmit and receive discovery packets in the wireless communications network. The transmitter transmits a notification packet configured to enable the first device and the second device to communicate directly. | 06-20-2013 |
20130170440 | POSITION BASED SIGNALING FOR SHORT PACKETS WITH MINIMAL INTERFERENCE TO THE MACRO - Methods and apparatus for communicating short messages from a first device, e.g., a femto cell device or peer to peer device, over communications resources which are being used by an OFDM macro network, e.g., cellular network, are described. The signal goes on top of, e.g., is transmitted on the same communications resource(s), on which a macro signal, e.g. a downlink signal from a cellular base station, is transmitted. Since the signals from the femto cell and/or peer to peer devices are transmitted on the same resources as the signals from the macro base station, they interfere with the macro signal and potentially destroy a portion of the macro signal. However, the signals transmitted by the femto cell devices and/or peer to peer devices are designed so that they cause little interference to the macro base station in terms of overall throughput and/or with the macro base station's ability to communicate control and/or pilot information. | 07-04-2013 |
20130183905 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SYNCHRONIZING A WIRELESS NETWORK WITH AN EXTERNAL TIMING SOURCE - A communications device synchronizes itself with respect to an external reference signal, e.g., a GPS signal. The communications device detects timing reference signals, e.g., beacon signals, from a communications network. If the communications device determines that the network is not synchronized to the external timing reference signal, the communications device operates as a master timing control device. In various embodiments, when operating as a master timing control device the wireless communications device communicates time stamps, e.g., in beacon signals, which indicate a greater passage of time than the actual passage of time. When operating as a master timing control device the communications device transmits network timing reference signals at a higher rate than is being used by the network to seize control of network timing and become the master timing control device. The communications device drives the network timing to synchronize network timing to the external timing reference. | 07-18-2013 |
20130183906 | ENHANCED DISTRIBUTED SYNCHRONIZATION FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS - Methods and apparatus are described which increase the probability and/or frequency that devices with comparatively faster clocks in a network than other devices in the network will transmit beacon signals are described. As a result, devices with faster clocks will tend to drive system synchronization to convergence faster than if all devices transmitted beacons at the same rate, thus facilitating more reliable maintenance of system synchronization since the devices with faster clocks will tend to transmit more frequently. | 07-18-2013 |
20130184030 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING AND/OR USING A SIGNAL SUPPRESSION UTILITY METRIC - Methods and apparatus are described for efficiently suppressing transmission of signals from devices which are using a first protocol, in order to allow the frequency spectrum being used by devices using the first protocol to be used briefly for communication between devices using an alternative communications protocol. In some embodiments, the first protocol is WiFi and the alternative signaling protocol is a non-WiFi peer to peer communications protocol. A wireless communications device, e.g., a peer to peer wireless communications device, generates a signal suppression utility metric (SSUM). The signal suppression utility metric provides an indication of how useful transmitting a transmission suppression signal, e.g., a S-CTS signal which may be a CTS to self signal, will be at a given point in time. The wireless communications device decides whether or not to transmit a transmission suppression signal as a function of the signal suppression utility metric. | 07-18-2013 |
20130281142 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CHANNEL SELECTION IN A PEER TO PEER NETWORK - Various embodiments relate to using available spectrum for peer to peer communications and for selecting which of several possibly available channels should be used. Various methods and apparatus are well suited to peer to peer networks in which channel usage decisions are made in a decentralized manner. A wireless terminal generates a list of potential available channels to be used for peer to peer communications, e.g., based on FCC information and/or local sensing. Channels are filled in accordance with a predetermined channel ordering. A wireless terminal migrates between the channels in accordance with changes in the number of peer devices using a channel. The network, in a distributed manner, changes the number of channels in use at a location in response to changes in numbers of active peer devices at a location. | 10-24-2013 |
20130303223 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR INDEX BASED PEER DISCOVERY - Base station assisted peer to peer discovery methods are described. A wireless terminal communicates peer discovery expression information to a base station and information identifying a peer discovery resource that it intends to use but which may also be used by other devices. The base station associates the peer discovery expression and peer discovery resource with an index value to be communicated on the peer discovery resource. The base station transmits the peer discovery expression and information associating the peer discovery expression with the peer discovery resource and the index value. The wireless terminal transmits the index value on the peer discovery resource. A wireless terminal receiving the index value determines the peer discovery expression being communicated using information from the base station. Use of different indexes allows multiple devices to use the same discovery resource. | 11-14-2013 |
20130308524 | DISTRIBUTED INTERFERENCE MANAGEMENT ALGORITHM - A method, a computer program product, and an apparatus are provided. In a first configuration, an AP receives a transmission request from a UE in a communication link with the AP. The AP determines whether to yield a transmission request response to the transmission request based on one or more transmission requests received from at least one communication link with at least one other AP, but not from UEs in communication links with the AP. In a second configuration, an AP receives a transmission request response from a UE in a communication link with the AP. The AP determines whether to yield a data transmission to the UE based on one or more transmission requests responses received from at least one communication link with at least one other AP, but not from UEs in communication links with the AP. | 11-21-2013 |
20130308551 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING AVAILABLE RESOURCES FOR D2D COMMUNICATIONS - A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided in which a first eNB may be operable to determine a set of resources to allocate for D2D communications based on one or more network factors and transmit the set of resources allocated for D2D communications. A first UE may receive the set of resources allocated for D2D communications. A second UE may inform the first UE of a set of resources allocated for D2D communications by a second eNB. The first UE may determine a subset of resources to use for D2D communications with a second UE based on one or more D2D resource determination schemes, and may signal the determined subset to the first eNB. The first eNB may receive the subset of resources and transmit a control signal indicating that the subset of resources has been allocated for D2D communications. | 11-21-2013 |
20130310103 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING TRANSMIT POWER CONTROL FOR DEVICES ENGAGED IN D2D COMMUNICATIONS - A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided for using power control to reduce potential interference to a macro eNB by a UE engaged in D2D communications. An eNB may be operable to generate a fractional power control parameter based on a macro eNB power saturation value and broadcast the factional power control parameter. A UE may be equipped to receive the factional power control parameter and determine whether the fractional power control parameter plus a path loss value between the UE and the macro eNB is less than a maximum power used for the D2D communications. The UE may reduce the maximum transmit power used for D2D communications when the fractional power control parameter plus a path loss value between the UE and the macro eNB is less than a maximum power used for the D2D communications. | 11-21-2013 |
20130322351 | UPLINK DOWNLINK RESOURCE PARTITIONS IN ACCESS POINT DESIGN - A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided in which information indicating a partitioning between uplink and downlink resources is received, and communication with an access point to determine at least one of whether a downlink resource will be used for uplink or whether an uplink resource will be used for downlink is performed. Accordingly, a synchronous network may be provided where partitioning of uplink-downlink resources may be dynamically selected, which is more efficient than a synchronous network where uplink-downlink resource partitioning is global and semi-static. | 12-05-2013 |
20140160946 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING CENTRALIZED D2D SCHEDULING - A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided in connection with minimizing D2D overhead resource usage. In one example, a first UE is equipped to measure a first received power value from a second UE with which the first UE has a D2D link, and a received power value from each UE of one or more other UEs, determine whether the received power value from any of the one or more other UEs is greater than a relevant interferer threshold, and transmit the received power value for any of the one or more other UEs for which the received power value is determined to be greater than the relevant interferer threshold. In an aspect, the relevant interferer threshold may be based on a fractional value of the first received power value. | 06-12-2014 |