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

• US 10,356,816 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2016
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• 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): Huq, Obaidul
• Application Number:
  US15/240,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20170055285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 370276, 370277, 370280
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/085 collision avoidance

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;

adjusting one or more uplink transmission parameters associated with a triggering condition for invoking a contention timer, wherein;

the one or more uplink transmission parameters comprise a sub-band scheduling parameter,

the adjusting comprises scheduling an access terminal in a first subset of resources of the second portion of the series of subframes; and

re-contending for access to the communication medium for a third portion of the series of subframes based on the contention timer, wherein the re-contending comprises monitoring signaling on a second subset of resources of the second portion of the series of subframes different from the first subset of resources; and

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

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

transmitting the adjusted one or more uplink transmission parameters to an access terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering condition comprises a backoff threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting is based on a proximity of the access terminal to an access point.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more uplink transmission parameters further comprise a transmission power parameter; and

the adjusting further comprises limiting a signal strength or a number of transmission resources associated with an access terminal to below a level associated with the triggering condition.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more uplink transmission parameters further comprise a multi-user scheduling parameter; and

the adjusting further comprises refraining from scheduling any access terminals having a signal strength above a threshold in a subframe that is adjacent to the third portion of the series of subframes.

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

8. 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;

adjust one or more uplink transmission parameters associated with a triggering condition for invoking a contention timer, wherein the one or more uplink transmission parameters comprise a sub-band scheduling parameter, wherein to perform the adjusting, the at least one processor and the at least one memory are further configured to schedule an access terminal in a first subset of resources of the second portion of the series of subframes; and

the at least one transceiver is further configured to;

re-contend for access to the communication medium for a third portion of the series of subframes based on the contention timer, wherein to perform the re-contending, the at least one transceiver is configured to monitor signaling on a second subset of resources of the second portion of the series of subframes different from the first subset of resources; and

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

9. The apparatus of claim 8,

wherein the at least one transceiver is further configured to

transmit the adjusted one or more uplink transmission parameters to an access terminal.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the triggering condition comprises a backoff threshold.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor and the at least one memory are configured to adjust the one or more uplink transmission parameters based on a proximity of the access terminal to an access point.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the one or more uplink transmission parameters further comprise a transmission power parameter; and

the at least one processor and the at least one memory are further configured to limit a signal strength or a number of transmission resources associated with an access terminal to below a level associated with the triggering condition.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the one or more uplink transmission parameters further comprise a multi-user scheduling parameter; and

the at least one processor and the at least one memory are further configured to refrain from scheduling any access terminals having a signal strength above a threshold in a subframe that is adjacent to the third portion of the series of subframes.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, 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.

15. 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 adjusting one or more uplink transmission parameters associated with a triggering condition for invoking a contention timer, wherein;

the one or more uplink transmission parameters comprise a sub-band scheduling parameter; and

the means for adjusting comprises means for scheduling an access terminal in a first subset of resources of the second portion of the series of subframes; and

means for re-contending for access to the communication medium for a third portion of the series of subframes based on the contention timer, wherein the means for re-contending comprises means for monitoring signaling on a second subset of resources of the second portion of the series of subframes different from the first subset of resources; and

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

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

means for transmitting the adjusted one or more uplink transmission parameters to an access terminal.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the triggering condition comprises a backoff threshold.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the adjusting is based on a proximity of the access terminal to an access point.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the one or more uplink transmission parameters further comprise a transmission power parameter; and

the means for adjusting further comprises means for limiting a signal strength or a number of transmission resources associated with an access terminal to below a level associated with the triggering condition.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the one or more uplink transmission parameters further comprise a multi-user scheduling parameter; and

the means for adjusting further comprises means for refraining from scheduling any access terminals having a signal strength above a threshold in a subframe that is adjacent to the third portion of the series of subframes.

21. 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 adjusting one or more uplink transmission parameters associated with a triggering condition for invoking a contention timer, wherein;

the one or more uplink transmission parameters comprise a sub-band scheduling parameter; and

the code for adjusting comprises code for scheduling an access terminal in a first subset of resources of the second portion of the series of subframes; and

code for re-contending for access to the communication medium for a third portion of the series of subframes based on the contention timer, wherein the code for re-contending comprises code for monitoring signaling on a second subset of resources of the second portion of the series of subframes different from the first subset of resources; and

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

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising

code for transmitting the adjusted one or more uplink transmission parameters to an access terminal.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the triggering condition comprises a backoff threshold.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the adjusting is based on a proximity of the access terminal to an access point.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein:

the one or more uplink transmission parameters further comprise a transmission power parameter; and

the code for adjusting further comprises code for limiting a signal strength or a number of transmission resources associated with an access terminal to below a level associated with the triggering condition.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein:

the one or more uplink transmission parameters further comprise a multi-user scheduling parameter; and

the code for adjusting further comprises code for refraining from scheduling any access terminals having a signal strength above a threshold in a subframe that is adjacent to the third portion of the series of subframes.