METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION BY SPATIAL REUSE

• US 20080175198A1
• Filed: 01/15/2008
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Singh, Harkirat, Shao, Huai-Rong, Ngo, Chiu, Qin, Xiangping
• Granted Patent: US 8,179,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

Wireless communication between a first transmitter and a first receiver for a new transmission is established on the same wireless data channel used for ongoing transmission between a second transmitter and a second receiver. This is achieved by determining if the second receiver can receive signals from the first transmitter, and determining if the first receiver can receive signals from the second transmitter. If the second receiver cannot receive signals from the first transmitter, and the first receiver cannot receive signals from the second transmitter, then a new transmission is performed from the first transmitter to the first receiver by spatial reuse of the wireless data channel at least partially concurrently with said ongoing transmission on said data channel.

Claims

1. A method of establishing wireless communication between a first transmitter and a first receiver on the same wireless data channel used for ongoing transmission between a second transmitter and a second receiver, comprising the steps of:

performing interference detection including;

determining if the second receiver can receive signals from the first transmitter, and determining if the first receiver can receive signals from the second transmitter; and

if the second receiver cannot receive signals from the first transmitter, and the first receiver cannot receive signals from the second transmitter, indicating no interference, then establishing a new transmission from the first transmitter to the first receiver by spatial reuse of the wireless data channel,

wherein the new transmission on said data channel is at least partially concurrent with said ongoing transmission on said data channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining if the second receiver can receive signals from the first transmitter includes determining if the second receiver can receive signals from the first transmitter on a wireless control channel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of determining if the first receiver can receive signals from the second transmitter includes determining if the first receiver can receive signals from the second transmitter on a wireless control channel.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the control channel signals have essentially the same range as the data channel signals.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data channel comprises a 60 GHz frequency band wireless channel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of determining if the second receiver can receive signals from the first transmitter includes determining if the second receiver can receive signals from the first transmitter on the data channel; and

the step of determining if the first receiver can receive signals from the second transmitter includes determining if the first receiver can receive signals from the second transmitter on the data channel.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the step of determining if the second receiver can receive signals from the first transmitter on the data channel includes determining if the second receiver can receive directional signals from the first transmitter on the data channel; and

the step of determining if the first receiver can receive signals from the second transmitter on the data channel includes determining if the first receiver can receive directional signals from the second transmitter on the data channel.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the step of determining if the second receiver can receive signals from the first transmitter on the data channel includes determining if the second receiver can receive beamformed signals from the first transmitter on the data channel; and

the step of determining if the first receiver can receive signals from the second transmitter on the data channel includes determining if the first receiver can receive beamformed signals from the second transmitter on the data channel.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the new transmission between the first transmitter and receiver is established in ad hoc mode.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein performing interference detection further includes:

transmitting a control message on a control channel to signal other stations in range that the data channel is in use by the second transmitter and receiver;

upon receiving the control message, the first transmitter and receiver exchanging beamtracking data on a control channel which does not interfere with the control channel being currently occupied by the second transmitter and receiver, for beamforming on said data channel; and

upon the first and second transmitter being beamformed towards each other on the data channel, during a first testing period if the first receiver cannot receive data transmissions from the second transmitter, then signaling the second transmitter and receiver to also perform interference detection during a second testing period.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein performing interference detection further includes:

during the second testing period the second transmitter and receiver exchanging beamtracking data on a control channel which does not interfere with the control channel being currently occupied by the first transmitter and receiver;

such that if during the first testing period the first receiver cannot receive signals from the second transmitter during the first testing period, and if during the second testing period the second receiver cannot receive signals from the first transmitter, indicating no interference, then establishing a new transmission from the first transmitter to the first receiver by spatial reuse of the wireless data channel;

wherein the new transmission on said data channel is at least partially concurrent with said ongoing transmission on said data channel.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein transmissions on the data channel and the control channel overlap.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein exchanging beamtracking data involves using directional antennas.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein exchanging beamtracking data involves using an antenna array to beamform during a testing period allocated for beamsearching or antenna scanning.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the new transmission between the first transmitter and receiver is established in infrastructure mode using a coordination function.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein performing interference detection further includes:

a coordinator allocating test periods during a contention access period or a channel time allocation period;

during a first test period, transmitting first test directional data from the second transmitter to the second receiver on the data channel while determining if the first transmitter and/or receiver can detect the test data;

during a second test period, transmitting second test directional data from the first transmitter to the first receiver on the data channel while determining if the second transmitter and/or receiver can detect the second test data; and

during a beacon period, a beacon from the coordinator provides channel access timing information for the first transmitter and receiver, and the second transmitter and receiver.

17. A wireless communication station, comprising:

a communication module for communication on wireless channels; and

a spatial reuse module configured for establishing wireless communication with a wireless receiving station on the same wireless data channel used for ongoing transmission between a transmitter and a receiver;

such that the spatial reuse module determines if the receiver can receive signals from the communication module of the wireless communication station, wherein if the receiver cannot receive signals from the wireless communication station and if the wireless receiving station cannot receive signals from the transmitter, then the spatial reuse module establishes a new transmission between the wireless communication station and the wireless receiving station by spatial reuse of the data channel via the communication module;

whereby the new transmission on said data channel is at least partially concurrent with said ongoing transmission on said data channel.

18. The wireless communication station of claim 17, wherein the spatial reuse module is configured to determine if the receiver can receive signals from the communication module on a wireless control channel at a specific time period.

19. The wireless communication station of claim 18, wherein the control channel signals have essentially the same range as the data channel signals.

20. The wireless communication station of claim 18, wherein the data channel comprises a 60 GHz frequency band wireless channel.

21. The wireless communication station of claim 17, wherein the spatial reuse module is configured to determine if the receiver can receive directional or beamformed signals from the communication module on the data channel at a specific time period.

22. The wireless communication station of claim 17, wherein the new transmission is established in ad hoc mode.

23. The wireless communication station of claim 17, wherein the new transmission is established in infrastructure mode using a coordination function.

24. A wireless communication station, comprising:

a communication module for communication on wireless channels;

a spatial reuse module configured for establishing wireless communication with a wireless transmitting station on the same wireless data channel used for ongoing transmission between a transmitter and a receiver,

such that the spatial reuse module determines if the communication module of the wireless communication station can receive signals from the transmitter, wherein if the communication module cannot receive signals from the transmitter and if the receiver cannot receive signals from the wireless transmitting station, then the spatial reuse module establishes a new transmission between the wireless communication station and the wireless transmitting station by spatial reuse of the data channel via the communication module,

whereby the new transmission on said data channel is at least partially concurrent with said ongoing transmission on said data channel.

25. The wireless communication station of claim 24, wherein the spatial reuse module is configured to determine if the communication module of the wireless communication station can receive signals from the transmitter on a wireless control channel.

26. The wireless communication station of claim 25, wherein the control channel signals have essentially the same range as the data channel signals.

27. The wireless communication station of claim 26, wherein the data channel comprises a 60 GHz frequency band wireless channel.

28. The wireless communication station of claim 27, wherein the spatial reuse module is configured to determine if the communication module of the wireless communication station can receive directional or beamformed signals from the communication module on the data channel.

29. The wireless communication station of claim 26, wherein the new transmission is established in ad hoc mode.

30. The wireless communication station of claim 26, wherein the new transmission is established in infrastructure mode using a coordination function.

31. A wireless communication system comprising:

a first communication station and a second communication station;

the first wireless communication station comprising;

a first communication module for communication on wireless channels; and

a first spatial reuse module configured for establishing wireless communication with the second communication station on the same wireless data channel used for ongoing transmission between a transmitter and a receiver, such that the first spatial reuse module determines if the receiver can receive signals from the first communication module; and

the second wireless communication station comprising;

a second communication module for communication on wireless channels; and

a second spatial reuse module configured for establishing wireless communication with a wireless transmitting station on the same wireless data channel used for ongoing transmission between a transmitter and a receiver, such that the second spatial reuse module determines if the second communication module can receive signals from the transmitter;

such that if the receiver cannot receive signals from the first communication module and if the second communication module cannot receive signals from the transmitter, the first spatial reuse module establishes a new transmission between the first wireless communication station and the second wireless communication station by spatial reuse of the data channel via the first communication module, and the second spatial reuse module accepts the new transmission between the first wireless communication station and the second wireless communication station by spatial reuse of the data channel via the second communication module,

whereby the new transmission on said data channel is at least partially concurrent with said ongoing transmission on said data channel.