Re-contention-based co-existence on a shared communication medium

• US 10,091,789 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2016
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Valliappan, Nachiappan, Sadek, Ahmed Kamel, Gaal, Peter, Kadous, Tamer Adel, Radulescu, Andrei Dragos
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Anh Ngoc
• Application Number:
  US15/240,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20170055259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/00 Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/005 of common pilots, i.e. pilots destined for multiple users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0051 of dedicated pilots, i.e. pilots destined for a single user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0091 Signaling for the administration of the divided path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1469 using time-sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access

Abstract

Techniques for managing re-contention on a shared communication medium are disclosed. In order to facilitate re-contending for access to the communication medium, an access point may adjust one or more uplink transmission parameters associated with a triggering condition for invoking a contention timer. In addition or as an alternative, the access point may mute transmission on the communication medium during one or more symbol periods designated for transmission. In addition or as an alternative, the access point may configure a timing advance to create a re-contention gap.

Claims

1. A communication method, comprising:

contending for access to a communication medium for a series of subframes associated with a Time Division Duplexing (TDD) frame structure;

transmitting on the communication medium during a first portion of the series of subframes;

refraining from transmitting on the communication medium during a second portion of the series of subframes;

muting transmission on the communication medium during one or more symbol periods designated for transmission during the series of subframes;

re-contending, during the one or more symbol periods, for access to the communication medium for a third portion of the series of subframes; and

transmitting on the communication medium during the third portion of the series of subframes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more symbol periods comprise a last symbol period of a last uplink subframe in the second portion of the series of subframes; and

the muting comprises refraining from configuring any access terminals for transmission during the last symbol period of the last uplink subframe.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more symbol periods are designated for transmission of a Sounding Reference Signal (SRS).

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising broadcasting an indication of an SRS gap during the one or more symbol periods.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more symbol periods comprise a first symbol period of a first downlink subframe in the third portion of the series of subframes; and

the muting comprises refraining from transmitting by an access point during the first symbol period of the first downlink subframe.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more symbol periods are designated for transmission of a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising sending control signaling designated for the PDCCH via another channel or another carrier.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a channel reservation message to reserve the communication medium for the series of subframes.

9. A communication apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one processor and the at least one memory being configured to contend for access to a communication medium for a series of subframes associated with a Time Division Duplexing (TDD) frame structure; and

at least one transceiver configured to transmit on the communication medium during a first portion of the series of subframes and to refrain from transmitting on the communication medium during a second portion of the series of subframes,

wherein the at least one processor and the at least one memory are further configured to mute transmission on the communication medium during one or more symbol periods designated for transmission during the series of subframes and to re-contend, during the one or more symbol periods, for access to the communication medium for a third portion of the series of subframes, and

wherein the at least one transceiver is further configured to transmit on the communication medium during the third portion of the series of subframes.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the one or more symbol periods comprise a last symbol period of a last uplink subframe in the second portion of the series of subframes; and

the at least one processor and the at least one memory are further configured to refrain from configuring any access terminals for transmission during the last symbol period of the last uplink subframe.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more symbol periods are designated for transmission of a Sounding Reference Signal (SRS).

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one transceiver is further configured to broadcast an indication of an SRS gap during the one or more symbol periods.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the one or more symbol periods comprise a first symbol period of a first downlink subframe in the third portion of the series of subframes; and

the at least one processor and the at least one memory are further configured to refrain from transmitting by an access point during the first symbol period of the first downlink subframe.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the one or more symbol periods are designated for transmission of a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one transceiver is further configured to send control signaling designated for the PDCCH via another channel or another carrier.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one transceiver is further configured to transmit a channel reservation message to reserve the communication medium for the series of subframes.

17. A communication apparatus, comprising:

means for contending for access to a communication medium for a series of subframes associated with a Time Division Duplexing (TDD) frame structure;

means for transmitting on the communication medium during a first portion of the series of subframes;

means for refraining from transmitting on the communication medium during a second portion of the series of subframes;

means for muting transmission on the communication medium during one or more symbol periods designated for transmission during the series of subframes;

means for re-contending, during the one or more symbol periods, for access to the communication medium for a third portion of the series of subframes; and

means for transmitting on the communication medium during the third portion of the series of subframes.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the one or more symbol periods comprise a last symbol period of a last uplink subframe in the second portion of the series of subframes; and

the means for muting comprises means for refraining from configuring any access terminals for transmission during the last symbol period of the last uplink subframe.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the one or more symbol periods are designated for transmission of a Sounding Reference Signal (SRS).

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for broadcasting an indication of an SRS gap during the one or more symbol periods.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the one or more symbol periods comprise a first symbol period of a first downlink subframe in the third portion of the series of subframes; and

the means for muting comprises means for refraining from transmitting by an access point during the first symbol period of the first downlink subframe.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the one or more symbol periods are designated for transmission of a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising means for sending control signaling designated for the PDCCH via another channel or another carrier.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations for communication, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

code for contending for access to a communication medium for a series of subframes associated with a Time Division Duplexing (TDD) frame structure;

code for transmitting on the communication medium during a first portion of the series of subframes;

code for refraining from transmitting on the communication medium during a second portion of the series of subframes;

code for muting transmission on the communication medium during one or more symbol periods designated for transmission during the series of subframes;

code for re-contending, during the one or more symbol periods, for access to the communication medium for a third portion of the series of subframes; and

code for transmitting on the communication medium during the third portion of the series of subframes.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein:

the one or more symbol periods comprise a last symbol period of a last uplink subframe in the second portion of the series of subframes; and

the code for muting comprises code for refraining from configuring any access terminals for transmission during the last symbol period of the last uplink subframe.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the one or more symbol periods are designated for transmission of a Sounding Reference Signal (SRS).

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26, further comprising code for broadcasting an indication of an SRS gap during the one or more symbol periods.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein:

the one or more symbol periods comprise a first symbol period of a first downlink subframe in the third portion of the series of subframes; and

the code for muting comprises code for refraining from transmitting by an access point during the first symbol period of the first downlink subframe.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the one or more symbol periods are designated for transmission of a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, further comprising code for sending control signaling designated for the PDCCH via another channel or another carrier.