WIRELESS COMMUNICATION METHODS AND APPARATUS SUPPORTING PEER TO PEER COMMUNICATIONS
First Claim
1. A method of operating a wireless device, the method comprising:
- determining from a first broadcast signal received from a base station that a frequency band corresponding to said base station is being used for peer to peer communications;
determining from a second broadcast signal received from the base station that said frequency band has been changed to being used as a cellular frequency band; and
in response to determining that the frequency band is being used as a cellular frequency band reducing transmission power.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A first mobile node supports peer to peer communications but not cellular communications. Other mobile modes in the communication system support a cellular mode and may support a peer to peer communications mode. The communications system is such that spectrum may be dynamically reallocated between being designated to be used for peer to peer operations and being used primarily for cellular network based operations. Beacon signals are used to communicate a current mode of frequency spectrum usage designation. The first mobile node, being in an ongoing peer to peer communications session detects that the spectrum is being reallocated for cellular based operations. The first mobile node reduces its transmission power level in response to the detected spectrum reallocation. In some embodiments, the first mobile is allowed to continue its ongoing peer to peer session while the spectrum is primarily allocated for cellular communications, albeit at a lower transmission power level.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of operating a wireless device, the method comprising:
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determining from a first broadcast signal received from a base station that a frequency band corresponding to said base station is being used for peer to peer communications;
determining from a second broadcast signal received from the base station that said frequency band has been changed to being used as a cellular frequency band; and
in response to determining that the frequency band is being used as a cellular frequency band reducing transmission power. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A wireless communications device which supports peer to peer communications, comprising:
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a receiver for receiving signals including broadcast signals;
a transmitter for transmitting user data as part of a peer to peer communications session, a mode determination module for determining based on received broadcast signals a mode of communications band operation, the mode of communications band operation being a mode of operation in which said frequency band is to be used at a point in time, the determined mode of communication band operation being one of a plurality of frequency band modes including at least a cellular communications mode and a first peer to peer communications mode; and
a mode control module for controlling wireless communications device operation as a function of at least one of a mode determination and a change in a determined mode of communications band operation, said mode control module controlling the transmitter to reduce transmission power in response to determining that the frequency band is to be used as a cellular frequency band. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A wireless communications device which supports peer to peer communications, comprising:
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receiver means for receiving signals including broadcast signals;
transmitter means for transmitting user data as part of a peer to peer communications session, mode determination means for determining based on received broadcast signals a mode of communications band operation, the mode of communications band operation being a mode of operation in which said frequency band is to be used at a point in tine, the determined mode of communication band operation being one of a plurality of frequency band modes including at least a cellular communications mode and a first peer to peer communications mode; and
mode control means for controlling wireless communications device operation as a function of at least one of a mode determination and a change in a determined mode of communications band operation, said mode control means controlling the transmitter to reduce transmission power in response to determining that the frequency band is being used as a cellular frequency band. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for controlling a wireless device to implement a method, the method comprising:
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determining from a first broadcast signal received from a base station that a frequency band corresponding to said base station is being used for peer to peer communications;
determining from a second broadcast signal received from the base station that said frequency band has been changed to being used as a cellular frequency band; and
in response to determining that the frequency band is being used as a cellular frequency band reducing transmission power. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An apparatus comprising:
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a wireless communications device processor configured to;
receive signals including broadcast signals;
transmit user data as part of a peer to peer communications session, determine based on received broadcast, signals a mode of communications band operation, the mode of communications band operation being a mode of operation in which said frequency band is to be used at a point in time, the determined mode of communication band operation being one of a plurality of frequency band modes including at least a cellular communications mode and a first peer to peer communications mode; and
control apparatus operation as a function of at least one of a mode determination and a change in a determined mode of communications band operation, said wireless communications device processor controlling the apparatus to reduce transmission power in response to determining that the frequency band is being used as a cellular frequency band. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification