WIRELESS COMMUNICATION METHODS AND APPARATUS SUPPORTING WIRELESS TERMINAL MODE CONTROL SIGNALING

• US 20070274276A1
• Filed: 01/10/2007
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Laroia, Rajiv, Li, Junyi, Richardson, Tom, Lane, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 8,879,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0602 Systems characterised by the synchronising information used
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2601 Multicarrier modulation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/261 Details of reference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0016 Time-frequency-code
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0035 Resource allocation in a cooperative multipoint environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/16 Performing reselection for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/24 Reselection being triggered by specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/244 using a network of reference devices, e.g. beaconing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 : adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 : adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless terminal determines a desired mode of base station operation with regard to whether the base station is to function as a network access node or is to function in a peer to peer mode with regard to a frequency band, and communicates a change signal to the base station. Some change signals are request signals requesting a base station to dynamically reallocate spectrum usage, while other change signals are command signals ordering the base station to reallocate spectrum usage. Information indicating a level of authority corresponding to the change signals, in some embodiments, corresponds to one of a device identifier, a user identifier, and a priority level indicator. An exemplary command signal comes from a device used by a government agent with the authority to override spectrum usage.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile communications device in a system including a base station, the method comprising:

determining a base station mode of operation, the base station mode of operation being one of an access node mode of operation in which said base station operates as a network access node and a peer to peer mode of operation in which devices within a base station coverage area are allowed to communicate directly with one another; and

sending a signal to said base station to signal a wireless terminal desired change in the mode of base station operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said signal indicates a desire for a change from a network access mode of operation to a peer to peer mode of operation.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said signal to the base station includes information indicating a level of authority said mobile communications device has to control base station operation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said information indicating the level of authority is one of a device identifier, user identifier, and priority level indicator.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

monitoring for a broadcast signal from the base station indicating a change in base station mode of operation to the indicated mode desired by said mobile communications device; and

changing the mode of communications device operation to a mode to which the base station changed.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

signaling the base station to switch from the indicated desired mode of operation to the base station'"'"'s previous mode of operation.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said mobile communications device is a device used by a government agent with authority to override use of the spectrum used by said base station.

8. The method of claim 6,

wherein said mobile communications device is a cellular network device;

and

wherein said desired change is a change from a peer to peer mode to a network access mode of operation.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said mobile communications device does not support peer to peer mode operation.

10. The method of claim 3,

wherein said mobile communications device is a peer to peer device;

and

wherein said desired change is a change from a network access mode to a peer to peer mode of operation.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said mobile communications device does not support cellular network mode of operation.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein mobile communications device is a device used by a government agent with authority to override use of the spectrum used by said base station.

13. A mobile communications device for use in a system including a base station, comprising:

a base station mode of operation determination module for determining a base station mode of operation, the base station mode of operation being one of an access node mode of operation in which said base station operates as a network access node and a peer to peer mode of operation in which devices within a base station coverage area are allowed to communicate directly with one another; and

a signal generation module for generating a change signal indicating a wireless terminal desired change in the base station mode of operation; and

a transmitter module for sending the change signal to said base station to communicate the wireless terminal desired change in the base station mode of operation.

14. The mobile communications device of claim 13, wherein said change signal indicates a desire for a change from a network access mode of operation to a peer to peer mode of operation.

15. The mobile communications device of claim 14, further comprising:

memory including stored information indicating a level of authority said mobile communications device has to control base station operation.

16. The mobile communications device of claim 15, wherein said information indicating the level of authority is one of a device identifier, user identifier, and priority level indicator.

17. The mobile communications device of claim 16, further comprising:

a broadcast signal detection module for detecting a broadcast signal which indicates that the base station has changed the base station mode of operation to the indicated mode desired by said mobile communications device; and

a communications mode control module for changing the operational mode of the mobile communications device to match the mode of base station operation to which the base station has transitioned as indicated by a detected broadcast signal.

18. The mobile communications device of claim 15, wherein said signal generation module includes a base station mode restoration module for generating a restoration signal to be communicated to said base station to signal the base station to switch from the indicated desired mode of operation to the base station'"'"'s previous mode of operation.

19. The mobile communications device of claim 18, wherein said mobile communications device is a device used by a government agent with authority to override use of the spectrum used by said base station.

20. The mobile communications device of claim 18,

wherein said mobile communications device is a cellular network device;

and

wherein said desired change is a change from a peer to peer mode to a network access mode of operation.

21. The mobile communications device of claim 20, wherein said mobile communications device does not support peer to peer mode operation.

22. The mobile communications device of claim 15,

wherein said mobile communications device is a peer to peer device;

and

wherein said desired change is a change from a network access mode to a peer to peer mode of operation.

23. The mobile communications device of claim 22, wherein said mobile communications device does not support a cellular network mode of operation.

24. The mobile communications device of claim 23, wherein the mobile communications device is a device used by a government agent with authority to override use of the spectrum used by said base station.

25. A mobile communications device for use in a system including a base station, comprising:

base station mode of operation determination means for determining a base station mode of operation, the base station mode of operation being one of an access node mode of operation in which said base station operates as a network access node and a peer to peer mode of operation in which device within a base station coverage area are allowed to communicate directly with one another; and

signal generation means for generating a change signal indicating a wireless terminal desired change in the base station mode of operation; and

transmitter means for sending the change signal to said base station to communicate the wireless terminal desired change in the base station mode of operation.

26. The mobile communications device of claim 25, wherein said change signal indicates a desire for a change from a network access mode of operation to a peer to peer mode of operation.

27. The mobile communications device of claim 26, further comprising:

memory means including stored information indicating a level of authority said mobile communications device has to control base station operation.

28. The mobile communications device of claim 27, wherein said information indicating the level of authority is one of a device identifier, user identifier, and priority level indicator.

29. The mobile communications device of claim 27, wherein said signal generation means includes base station mode restoration means for generating a restoration signal to be communicated to said base station to signal the base station to switch from the indicated desired mode of operation to the base station'"'"'s previous mode of operation.

30. The mobile communications device of claim 27,

wherein said mobile communications device is a peer to peer device;

and

wherein said desired change is a change from a network access mode to a peer to peer mode of operation.

31. A computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for controlling a mobile communications device in a system including a base station, to implement a method, the method comprising:

determining a base station mode of operation, the base station mode of operation being one of an access node mode of operation in which said base station operates as a network access node and a peer to peer mode of operation in which device within a base station coverage area are allowed to communicate directly with one another; and

sending a signal to said base station to signal a wireless terminal desired change in the mode of base station operation.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein said signal indicates a desire for a change from a network access mode of operation to a peer to peer mode of operation.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein said signal to the base station includes information indicating a level of authority said mobile communications device has to control base station operation.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein said information indicating the level of authority is one of a device identifier, user identifier, and priority level indicator.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 34, further embodying machine executable instructions for:

monitoring for a broadcast signal from the base station indicating a change in base station mode of operation to the indicated mode desired by said mobile communications device; and

changing the mode of communications device operation to a mode to which the base station changed.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 33,

wherein said mobile communications device is a peer to peer device;

and

wherein said desired change is a change from a network access mode to a peer to peer mode of operation.

37. An apparatus for use in a system including a base station, the apparatus comprising:

a mobile communications device processor configured to;

determine a base station mode of operation, the base station mode of operation being one of an access node mode of operation in which said base station operates as a network access node and a peer to peer mode of operation in which devices within a base station coverage area are allowed to communicate directly with one another; and

generate a change signal indicating a wireless terminal desired change in the base station mode of operation; and

send the change signal to said base station to communicate the wireless terminal desired change in the base station mode of operation.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein said change signal indicates a desire for a change from a network access mode of operation to a peer to peer mode of operation.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein said mobile communications device processor is further configured to:

include information in said generated signal indicating a level of authority said apparatus has to control base station operation.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein said information indicating the level of authority is one of a device identifier, user identifier, and priority level indicator.

41. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein said mobile communications device processor is further configured to:

generate a restoration signal to be communicated to said base station to signal the base station to switch from the indicated desired mode of operation to the base station'"'"'s previous mode of operation.

42. The apparatus of claim 39,

wherein said apparatus is a peer to peer device;

and

wherein said desired change is a change from a network access mode to a peer to peer mode of operation.

43. A set of communications devices for use in a communications system which supports both peer to peer communications and cellular communications, the set of communications devices comprising:

a first wireless terminal including;

a beacon signal processing module;

a peer to peer communications module; and

a cellular network communications module.

44. The set of communications device of claim 43, further comprising:

a second wireless terminal including;

a bacon signal processing module; and

a peer to peer communications module but not a cellular network communications module.

45. The set of communications device of claim 43, the peer to peer communications modules of said first and second device are OFDM communications modules.

46. The set of communications devices of claim 45, wherein said cellular network communications module is a OFDM communications module.

47. The set of communications device of claim 45, wherein said cellular network communications module is a CDMA communications module.

48. The set of communications device of claim 44, further comprising:

a third wireless terminal including;

a beacon signal processing module; and

a cellular communications module but not a peer to peer communications module.

49. The set of communications devices of claim 43, further comprising:

a third wireless terminal including;

a beacon signal processing module; and

a cellular communications module but not a peer to peer communications module.

50. The set of communications devices of claim 43, wherein the first communications device further includes:

a mode control module for switch between peer to peer and cellular modes of operation, said first communication device supporting at most one of said peer to peer and cellular mode of operation at a given time.

51. The set of communications devices of claim 43, wherein the first communications device further includes:

a mode control module for switch between peer to peer and cellular modes of operation, said first communication device supporting at most one of said peer to per and cellular modes of operation at a given time.

52. The set of communications devices of claim 43, wherein the first communications device further includes:

a communications control module for controlling said wireless terminal to maintain peer to peer and cellular network communications sessions at the same time.

53. The set of communications devices of claim 43, wherein said set of communications devices corresponds to a communications service subscriber who subscribes to a family plan which supports multiple communications devices at least some of which have different device capabilities.