CONDITIONAL REQUESTS FOR ASYNCHRONOUS WIRELESS COMMUNICATION

• US 20080031222A1
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sampath, Ashwin, Nanda, Sanjiv
• Granted Patent: US 9,008,002 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/350
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

A wireless media access control supports asynchronous communication and overlapping transmissions. Here, a wireless node may determine whether to request or schedule a transmission based on control messages it receives from neighboring nodes. In some implementations a scheduled transmission may be divided up into several segments so that a transmitting node may receive and transmit control messages between segments. In some implementations a monitoring period is defined after a scheduled transmission period to enable the transmitting node to acquire control information that may otherwise have been transmitted during the scheduled transmission period. In some implementations data and control information are transmitted over different frequency division multiplexed channels to enable concurrent transmission of the data and control information.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

receiving, at a first wireless node, information that indicates a scheduled reception of data for a second wireless node; and

determining, based on the received information, whether to transmit from the first wireless node during a time period associated with the scheduled reception of data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of whether to transmit comprises determining whether to transmit via a control channel.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

defining a transmit constraints state based on the received information; and

determining, based on the transmit constraints state, whether transmission by the first wireless node would interfere with reception at the second wireless node during the time period;

wherein the determination of whether to transmit over the control channel is based on the interference determination.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the transmit constraints state comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

transmission start time, transmission end time, transmission time period, receive margin, and a received signal strength indication associated with a grant message or an acknowledgement message.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the first wireless node transmits data via a data channel;

the control channel and the data channel are frequency division multiplexed within a common frequency band; and

the control channel is associated with a plurality of sub-frequency bands that are interspersed within the common frequency band.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of whether to transmit comprises:

determining, based on the received information, whether transmission by the first wireless node would interfere with reception at the second wireless node during the time period; and

determining, based on the interference determination, whether or how to issue a request to transmit.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the determination of whether or how to issue a request to transmit comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

abstaining from sending a request to transmit, requesting to transmit at a later time, delaying sending of a request to transmit, determining a transmit time period, and requesting to transmit at a reduced power level.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining a transmit constraints state based on the received information;

determining, based on the transmit constraints state, whether transmission by the first wireless node would interfere with reception at the second wireless node during the time period; and

determining, based on the interference determination, whether or how to issue a request to transmit.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmit constraints state comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

transmission start time, transmission end time, transmission time period, receive margin, and a received signal strength indication associated with a grant message or an acknowledgement message.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the determination of whether the transmission would interfere with reception is based on a received signal strength indication associated with a received grant message or a received acknowledgement message.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the received information comprises a grant message generated by the second wireless node in response to a request to transmit by a third wireless node; and

the grant message comprises at least one of the group consisting of;

transmission start time, transmission end time, transmission time period, transmission power, a quantity of redundancy bits to transmit, code rate, expected channel to interference ratio, receive margin, and a pilot signal.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the second wireless node receives data transmitted by a third wireless node during a plurality of time segments defined within a scheduled transmit time period; and

a time interval for transmission or reception of control information is temporally located between the time segments.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the received information comprises at least one acknowledgement message that the second wireless node transmitted during the time interval; and

the acknowledgement message comprises at least one of the group consisting of;

transmission start time for at least one of the time segments, transmission end time for at least one of the time segments, transmission time period for at least one of the time segments, transmission power for at least one of the time segments, a quantity of redundancy bits to transmit for at least one of the time segments, code rate for at least one of the time segments, expected channel to interference ratio for at least one of the time segments, receive margin, and a pilot signal.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring for control information during a defined period of time following the time period; and

defining, based on received control information, at least one of the group consisting of;

transmit constraints state and rate prediction state.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a resource utilization message comprising at least one of the group consisting of;

a level of desired interference reduction, a resource to be cleared, and an indication of a degree to which reception at a receiving wireless node is not meeting a desired level of quality of service; and

determining, based on the resource utilization message, whether to limit transmission by the first wireless node.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the determination of whether to limit transmission comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

abstaining from sending a request to transmit, requesting to transmit at a later time, delaying a request to transmit, determining a transmit time period, and requesting to transmit at a reduced power level.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising performing, in response to a received resource utilization message, at least one of the group consisting of:

changing a rate at which it transmits request messages, abstaining from transmitting request messages until a resource utilization message of an associated receiver indicates a higher degree of disadvantage than the received resource utilization message, changing a length of a scheduled transmit time period, changing a transmit power delta, and modifying a set of rules relating to a degree to which transmission by the first wireless node may interfere with reception at the second wireless node.

18. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive, at a first wireless node, information that indicates a scheduled reception of data for a second wireless node; and

a transmission controller configured to determine, based on the received information, whether to transmit from the first wireless node during a time period associated with the scheduled reception of data.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the determination of whether to transmit comprises determining whether to transmit via a control channel.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a state controller configured to define a transmit constraints state based on the received information; and

an interference determiner configured to determine, based on the transmit constraints state, whether transmission by the first wireless node would interfere with reception at the second wireless node during the time period;

wherein the determination of whether to transmit over the control channel is based on the interference determination.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the transmit constraints state comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

transmission start time, transmission end time, transmission time period, receive margin, and a received signal strength indication associated with a grant message or an acknowledgement message.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the first wireless node transmits data via a data channel;

the control channel and the data channel are frequency division multiplexed within a common frequency band; and

the control channel is associated with a plurality of sub-frequency bands that are interspersed within the common frequency band.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the determination of whether to transmit comprises:

determining, based on the received information, whether transmission by the first wireless node would interfere with reception at the second wireless node during the time period; and

determining, based on the interference determination, whether or how to issue a request to transmit.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the determination of whether or how to issue a request to transmit comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

abstaining from sending a request to transmit, requesting to transmit at a later time, delaying sending of a request to transmit, determining a transmit time period, and requesting to transmit at a reduced power level.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a state controller configured to define a transmit constraints state based on the received information; and

an interference determiner configured to determine, based on the transmit constraints state, whether transmission by the first wireless node would interfere with reception at the second wireless node during the time period;

wherein the transmission controller is further configured to determine, based on the interference determination, whether or how to issue a request to transmit.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the transmit constraints state comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

transmission start time, transmission end time, transmission time period, receive margin, and a received signal strength indication associated with a grant message or an acknowledgement message.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the determination of whether the transmission would interfere with reception is based on a received signal strength indication associated with a received grant message or a received acknowledgement message.

28. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the received information comprises a grant message generated by a third wireless node in response to a request to transmit; and

the grant message comprises at least one of the group consisting of;

transmission start time, transmission end time, transmission time period, transmission power, a quantity of redundancy bits to transmit, code rate, expected channel to interference ratio, receive margin, and a pilot signal.

29. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the second wireless node receives data transmitted by a third wireless node during a plurality of time segments defined within a scheduled transmit time period; and

a time interval for transmission or reception of control information is temporally located between the time segments.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein:

the received information comprises at least one acknowledgement message that the second wireless node transmitted during the time interval; and

the acknowledgement message comprises at least one of the group consisting of;

transmission start time for at least one of the time segments, transmission end time for at least one of the time segments, transmission time period for at least one of the time segments, transmission power for at least one of the time segments, a quantity of redundancy bits to transmit for at least one of the time segments, code rate for at least one of the time segments, expected channel to interference ratio for at least one of the time segments, receive margin, and a pilot signal.

31. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the receiver is further configured to monitor for control information during a defined period of time following the time period; and

the apparatus further comprises a state controller configured to define, based on received control information, at least one of the group consisting of;

transmit constraints state and rate prediction state.

32. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the receiver is further configured to receive a resource utilization message comprising at least one of the group consisting of;

a level of desired interference reduction, a resource to be cleared, and an indication of a degree to which reception at a receiving wireless node is not meeting a desired level of quality of service; and

the apparatus further comprises a resource utilization message processor configured to determine, based on the resource utilization message, whether to limit transmission by the first wireless node.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the determination of whether to limit transmission comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

abstaining from sending a request to transmit, requesting to transmit at a later time, delaying a request to transmit, determining a transmit time period, and requesting to transmit at a reduced power level.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein in response to a received resource utilization message the transmission controller performs at least one of the group consisting of:

changing a rate at which it transmits request messages, abstaining from transmitting request messages until a resource utilization message of an associated receiver indicates a higher degree of disadvantage than the received resource utilization message, changing a length of a scheduled transmit time period, changing a transmit power delta, and modifying a set of rules relating to a degree to which transmission by the first wireless node may interfere with reception at the second wireless node.

35. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for receiving, at a first wireless node, information that indicates a scheduled reception of data for a second wireless node; and

means for determining, based on the received information, whether to transmit from the first wireless node during a time period associated with the scheduled reception of data.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the determination of whether to transmit comprises determining whether to transmit via a control channel.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising:

means for defining a transmit constraints state based on the received information; and

means for determining, based on the transmit constraints state, whether transmission by the first wireless node would interfere with reception at the second wireless node during the time period;

wherein the determination of whether to transmit over the control channel is based on the interference determination.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the transmit constraints state comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

transmission start time, transmission end time, transmission time period, receive margin, and a received signal strength indication associated with a grant message or an acknowledgement message.

39. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein:

the first wireless node transmits data via a data channel;

the control channel and the data channel are frequency division multiplexed within a common frequency band; and

the control channel is associated with a plurality of sub-frequency bands that are interspersed within the common frequency band.

40. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the determination of whether to transmit comprises:

determining, based on the received information, whether transmission by the first wireless node would interfere with reception at the second wireless node during the time period; and

determining, based on the interference determination, whether or how to issue a request to transmit.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the determination of whether or how to issue a request to transmit comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

abstaining from sending a request to transmit, requesting to transmit at a later time, delaying sending of a request to transmit, determining a transmit time period, and requesting to transmit at a reduced power level.

42. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising:

means for defining a transmit constraints state based on the received information; and

means for determining, based on the transmit constraints state, whether transmission by the first wireless node would interfere with reception at the second wireless node during the time period;

wherein the means for determining whether to transmit determines, based on the interference determination, whether or how to issue a request to transmit.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the transmit constraints state comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

transmission start time, transmission end time, transmission time period, receive margin, and a received signal strength indication associated with a grant message or an acknowledgement message.

44. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the determination of whether the transmission would interfere with reception is based on a received signal strength indication associated with a received grant message or a received acknowledgement message.

45. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein:

the received information comprises a grant message generated by a third wireless node in response to a request to transmit; and

the grant message comprises at least one of the group consisting of;

transmission start time, transmission end time, transmission time period, transmission power, a quantity of redundancy bits to transmit, code rate, expected channel to interference ratio, receive margin, and a pilot signal.

46. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein:

the second wireless node receives data transmitted by a third wireless node during a plurality of time segments defined within a scheduled transmit time period; and

a time interval for transmission or reception of control information is temporally located between the time segments.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein:

the received information comprises at least one acknowledgement message that the second wireless node transmitted during the time interval; and

the acknowledgement message comprises at least one of the group consisting of;

transmission start time for at least one of the time segments, transmission end time for at least one of the time segments, transmission time period for at least one of the time segments, transmission power for at least one of the time segments, a quantity of redundancy bits to transmit for at least one of the time segments, code rate for at least one of the time segments, expected channel to interference ratio for at least one of the time segments, receive margin, and a pilot signal.

48. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein:

the means for receiving monitors for control information during a defined period of time following the time period; and

the apparatus further comprises means for defining, based on received control information, at least one of the group consisting of;

transmit constraints state and rate prediction state.

49. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein:

the means for receiving further receives a resource utilization message comprising at least one of the group consisting of;

a level of desired interference reduction, a resource to be cleared, and an indication of a degree to which reception at a receiving wireless node is not meeting a desired level of quality of service; and

the apparatus further comprises means for determining, based on the resource utilization message, whether to limit transmission by the first wireless node.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the determination of whether to limit transmission comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

abstaining from sending a request to transmit, requesting to transmit at a later time, delaying a request to transmit, determining a transmit time period, and requesting to transmit at a reduced power level.

51. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein in response to a received resource utilization message the means for determining whether to transmit performs at least one of the group consisting of:

changing a rate at which it transmits request messages, abstaining from transmitting request messages until a resource utilization message of an associated receiver indicates a higher degree of disadvantage than the received resource utilization message, changing a length of a scheduled transmit time period, changing a transmit power delta, and modifying a set of rules relating to a degree to which transmission by the first wireless node may interfere with reception at the second wireless node.

52. A computer-program product for wireless communication, comprising:

computer-readable medium comprising codes executable by at least one computer to;

receive, at a first wireless node, information that indicates a scheduled reception of data for a second wireless node; and

determine, based on the received information, whether to transmit from the first wireless node during a time period associated with the scheduled reception of data.

53. An access point for wireless communication, comprising:

an antenna;

a receiver configured to receive, at a first wireless node and via the antenna, information that indicates a scheduled reception of data for a second wireless node; and

a transmission determiner configured to determine, based on the received information, whether to transmit from the first wireless node and via the antenna during a time period associated with the scheduled reception of data.

54. An access terminal for wireless communication, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive, at a first wireless node, information that indicates a scheduled reception of data for a second wireless node; and

a transmission determiner configured to determine, based on the received information, whether to transmit from the first wireless node during a time period associated with the scheduled reception of data; and

a user interface configured to output an indication based on data received by the receiver.

55. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

defining information that indicates a scheduled reception of data for a first wireless node, wherein the information is defined to enable a second wireless node to determine whether to transmit during a time period associated with the scheduled reception of data; and

transmitting the defined information.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the defined information comprises a grant message generated in response to a request to transmit generated by a third wireless node.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the grant message comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

transmission start time, transmission end time, transmission time period, transmission power, a quantity of redundancy bits to transmit, code rate, expected channel to interference ratio, receive margin, and a pilot signal.

58. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

receiving data during a plurality of time segments defined within a scheduled transmit time period;

wherein a time interval for transmission of control information is temporally located between the time segments.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the defined information comprises at least one acknowledgement message that is transmitted during the time interval.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the at least one acknowledgement message comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

transmission start time for at least one of the time segments, transmission end time for at least one of the time segments, transmission time period for at least one of the time segments, transmission power for at least one of the time segments, a quantity of redundancy bits to transmit for at least one of the time segments, code rate for at least one of the time segments, expected channel to interference ratio for at least one of the time segments, receive margin, and a pilot signal.

61. The method of claim 55, wherein:

the first wireless node transmits data via a data channel;

the defined information is transmitted via a control channel;

the control channel and the data channel are frequency division multiplexed within a common frequency band; and

the control channel is associated with a plurality of sub-frequency bands that are interspersed within the common frequency band.

62. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

determining whether the first wireless node will be able to receive data in a sustainable manner when a third wireless node is transmitting; and

determining, based on the sustainable reception determination, whether to transmit the defined information.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the sustainable reception determination is based on a rate prediction state.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the rate prediction state comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

transmission start time, transmission end time, transmission time period, transmit power delta, and a received signal strength indication associated with a confirmation message.

65. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

determining whether the first wireless node will be able to receive data in a sustainable manner when a third wireless node is transmitting; and

based on the sustainable reception determination, defining the information to include at least one of the group consisting of;

a different schedule, a different transmit time period, a different transmit power, a different quantity of redundancy bits to transmit, and a different code rate.

66. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

obtaining information relating to a scheduled transmit time period of the second wireless node; and

scheduling transmission of the defined information based on the obtained information.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein the transmission of the defined information is scheduled to commence after the scheduled transmit time period.

68. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a reception controller configured to define information that indicates a scheduled reception of data for a first wireless node, wherein the information is defined to enable a second wireless node to determine whether to transmit during a time period associated with the scheduled reception of data; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the defined information.

69. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein the defined information comprises a grant message generated in response to a request to transmit generated by a third wireless node.

70. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the grant message comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

transmission start time, transmission end time, transmission time period, transmission power, a quantity of redundancy bits to transmit, code rate, expected channel to interference ratio, receive margin, and a pilot signal.

71. The apparatus of claim 68, further comprising:

a receiver configured to receive data during a plurality of time segments defined within a scheduled transmit time period;

wherein a time interval for transmission of control information is temporally located between the time segments.

72. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the defined information comprises at least one acknowledgement message that is transmitted during the time interval.

73. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the at least one acknowledgement message comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

transmission start time for at least one of the time segments, transmission end time for at least one of the time segments, transmission time period for at least one of the time segments, transmission power for at least one of the time segments, a quantity of redundancy bits to transmit for at least one of the time segments, code rate for at least one of the time segments, expected channel to interference ratio for at least one of the time segments, receive margin, and a pilot signal.

74. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein:

the first wireless node transmits data via a data channel;

the defined information is transmitted via a control channel;

the control channel and the data channel are frequency division multiplexed within a common frequency band; and

the control channel is associated with a plurality of sub-frequency bands that are interspersed within the common frequency band.

75. The apparatus of claim 68, further comprising:

a sustainable reception determiner configured to determine whether the first wireless node will be able to receive data in a sustainable manner when a third wireless node is transmitting; and

a reception controller configured to determine, based on the sustainable reception determination, whether to transmit the defined information.

76. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the sustainable reception determination is based on a rate prediction state.

77. The apparatus of claim 76, wherein the rate prediction state comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

transmission start time, transmission end time, transmission time period, transmit power delta, and a received signal strength indication associated with a confirmation message.

78. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises a sustainable reception determiner configured to determine whether the first wireless node will be able to receive data in a sustainable manner when a third wireless node is transmitting; and

based on the sustainable reception determination, the reception controller is further configured to define the information to include at least one of the group consisting of;

a different schedule, a different transmit time period, a different transmit power, a different quantity of redundancy bits to transmit, and a different code rate.

79. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises a receiver configured to obtain information relating to a scheduled transmit time period of the second wireless node; and

the reception controller is further configured to schedule transmission of the defined information based on the obtained information.

80. The apparatus of claim 79, wherein the transmission of the defined information is scheduled to commence after the scheduled transmit time period.

81. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for defining information that indicates a scheduled reception of data for a first wireless node, wherein the information is defined to enable a second wireless node to determine whether to transmit during a time period associated with the scheduled reception of data; and

means for transmitting the defined information.

82. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein the defined information comprises a grant message generated in response to a request to transmit generated by a third wireless node.

83. The apparatus of claim 82, wherein the grant message comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

transmission start time, transmission end time, transmission time period, transmission power, a quantity of redundancy bits to transmit, code rate, expected channel to interference ratio, receive margin, and a pilot signal.

84. The apparatus of claim 81, further comprising:

means for receiving data during a plurality of time segments defined within a scheduled transmit time period;

wherein a time interval for transmission of control information is temporally located between the time segments.

85. The apparatus of claim 84, wherein the defined information comprises at least one acknowledgement message that is transmitted during the time interval.

86. The apparatus of claim 85, wherein the at least one acknowledgement message comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

transmission start time for at least one of the time segments, transmission end time for at least one of the time segments, transmission time period for at least one of the time segments, transmission power for at least one of the time segments, a quantity of redundancy bits to transmit for at least one of the time segments, code rate for at least one of the time segments, expected channel to interference ratio for at least one of the time segments, receive margin, and a pilot signal.

87. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein:

the first wireless node transmits data via a data channel;

the defined information is transmitted via a control channel;

the control channel and the data channel are frequency division multiplexed within a common frequency band; and

the control channel is associated with a plurality of sub-frequency bands that are interspersed within the common frequency band.

88. The apparatus of claim 81, further comprising:

means for determining whether the first wireless node will be able to receive data in a sustainable manner when a third wireless node is transmitting; and

means for determining, based on the sustainable reception determination, whether to transmit the defined information.

89. The apparatus of claim 88, wherein the sustainable reception determination is based on a rate prediction state.

90. The apparatus of claim 89, wherein the rate prediction state comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

transmission start time, transmission end time, transmission time period, transmit power delta, and a received signal strength indication associated with a confirmation message.

91. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises means for determining whether the first wireless node will be able to receive data in a sustainable manner when a third wireless node is transmitting; and

based on the sustainable reception determination, the means for defining further defines the information to include at least one of the group consisting of;

a different schedule, a different transmit time period, a different transmit power, a different quantity of redundancy bits to transmit, and a different code rate.

92. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises means for obtaining information relating to a scheduled transmit time period of the second wireless node; and

the means for defining schedules transmission of the defined information based on the obtained information.

93. The apparatus of claim 92, wherein the transmission of the defined information is scheduled to commence after the scheduled transmit time period.

94. A computer-program product for wireless communication, comprising:

computer-readable medium comprising codes executable by at least one computer to;

define information that indicates a scheduled reception of data for a first wireless node, wherein the information is defined to enable a second wireless node to determine whether to transmit during a time period associated with the scheduled reception of data; and

transmit the defined information.

95. An access point for wireless communication, comprising:

an antenna;

an information definer configured to define information that indicates a scheduled reception of data for a first wireless node via the antenna, wherein the information is defined to enable a second wireless node to determine whether to transmit during a time period associated with the scheduled reception of data; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the defined information via the antenna.

96. An access terminal for wireless communication, comprising:

an information definer configured to define information that indicates a scheduled reception of data for a first wireless node, wherein the information is defined to enable a second wireless node to determine whether to transmit during a time period associated with the scheduled reception of data;

a transmitter configured to transmit the defined information; and

a user interface configured to output an indication based on the scheduled reception of data.