METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING INTERFERENCE TO BROADCAST SIGNALING IN A PEER TO PEER NETWORK

• US 20090016229A1
• Filed: 07/02/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Tavildar, Saurabh, Park, Vincent D., Laroia, Rajiv, Wu, Xinzhou, Li, Junyi
• Granted Patent: US 7,961,698 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1881 with schedule organisation, e.g. priority, sequence management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0236 radio quality, e.g. interference, losses or delay
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/566 of the information or information source or recipient
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Methods and apparatus related to broadcasting data and interference management in a peer to peer wireless communications network are described. Scheduling of traffic air link resources is performed on a slot by slot basis in a decentralized manner. Wireless devices intending to broadcast traffic signals transmit broadcast request signals, sometimes alternatively referred to as broadcast indicator signals. A priority level is associated with each of the broadcast request signals. A receiver device intending to receive broadcast signals detects the broadcast request signals and makes an interference determination as to whether the higher priority broadcast traffic signal can be successfully recovered in the presence of lower priority broadcast traffic signals. If the determination is that the expected interference from the lower priority broadcast traffic is unacceptable, the receiver device generates and transmits an interference control signal communicating to the lower priority device a command or request not to broadcast.

Claims

1. A broadcast transmission method, comprising:

transmitting a broadcast indicator signal indicating an intent to broadcast data;

monitoring for interference control signals following transmission of said broadcast indicator signal; and

making a decision whether or not to proceed with broadcasting data based on the result of said monitoring.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein said broadcast indicator signal is transmitted at a first priority level;

wherein individual interference control signals detected by said monitoring each have a priority level; and

wherein making a decision whether or not to proceed with broadcasting includes determining if an interference control signal having a higher priority than said first priority level was received.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein making a decision whether or not to proceed with broadcasting includes, when an interference control signal having a higher priority than said first priority level:

making an interference determination based on the power level of at least one received interference control signal having a higher priority than said first priority level.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein making a decision whether or not to proceed with broadcasting includes deciding not to broadcast when said interference determination determines that an interference level above a threshold level will be caused to the device which transmitted said interference control signal having a higher priority than said first priority level if the broadcast proceeds.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

transmitting a second broadcast indicator signal indicating an intent to broadcast data, said second broadcast indicator signal being transmitted at a second priority level which is different from said first priority level.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

prior to transmitting a second broadcast indicator signal, determining the second priority level based on a time varying function.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of determining the second priority level is also based on an identifier corresponding to a communications device implementing the broadcast transmission method.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the broadcast indicator signal is transmitted on a single tone of an OFDM symbol.

5. The method 3, further comprising:

when said decision whether or not to proceed with broadcasting data is a decision to broadcast data, broadcasting data in a traffic slot corresponding to said transmitted broadcast indicator signal.

10. A wireless terminal comprising:

a broadcast indicator signal generation module configured to generate a broadcast indicator signal indicating an intent to broadcast data;

a broadcast indicator signal control module configured to control a wireless transmitter module to broadcast said generated broadcast indicator signal;

a response monitoring module configured to monitor for interference control signals following transmission of said broadcast indicator signal; and

a broadcast decision module configure to make a decision whether or not to proceed with broadcasting data based on the result of said monitoring.

11. The wireless terminal of claim 10,

wherein said broadcast indicator signal is transmitted at a first priority level;

and

wherein individual interference control signals detected by said monitoring each have a priority level;

the wireless terminal further comprising;

a priority comparison module configure to determine if an interference control signal having a higher priority than said first priority level was received; and

wherein said broadcast decision module is configured to make a decision whether or not to proceed with broadcasting data as a function of said priority comparison module determination.

12. The wireless terminal of claim 11, further comprising:

a power measurement module configure to measure the power level of received interference control signals and

wherein said broadcast decision module is configured to make a decision whether or not to proceed with broadcasting data based on the power level of at least one received interference control signal having a higher priority than said first priority level when an interference control signal having a higher priority than said first priority level was detected by said response monitoring module.

13. The wireless terminal of claim 12, further comprising:

an interference determination module configure to determine interference to other device if the wireless terminal should proceed with a broadcast, and

wherein said broadcast decision module is configured to make a decision not to broadcast when said interference determination module determines that an interference level above a threshold level will be caused to the device which transmitted said interference control signal having a higher priority than said first priority level if the broadcast proceeds.

17. The wireless terminal of claim 11, wherein the broadcast indicator signal is transmitted on a single tone of an OFDM symbol.

14. The wireless terminal 12, further comprising

a broadcast traffic signaling control module configure to control said wireless transmitter module to broadcast data in a traffic slot corresponding to said transmitted broadcast indicator signal when said decision whether or not to proceed with broadcasting data is a decision to broadcast data.

15. The wireless terminal of claim 14, further comprising:

a broadcast indicator signal priority level determination module configure to determine a priority level associated with a broadcast indicator signal to be transmitted by said wireless terminal, and wherein said broadcast indicator signal priority level determination module determines said priority level based on a time varying function.

16. The wireless terminal of claim 15, wherein said broadcast indicator signal priority level determination module is configured to determine the priority level based on an identifier corresponding to said wireless terminal intending to transmit the broadcast indicator signal.

18. A wireless terminal comprising:

broadcast indicator signal generation means for generating a broadcast indicator signal indicating an intent to broadcast data;

broadcast indicator signal control means for controlling wireless transmitter means to broadcast said generated broadcast indicator signal;

response monitoring means for monitoring for interference control signals following transmission of said broadcast indicator signal; and

broadcast decision means for making a decision whether or not to proceed with broadcasting data based on the result of said monitoring.

19. The wireless terminal of claim 18,

wherein said broadcast indicator signal is transmitted at a first priority level;

and

wherein individual interference control signals detected by said monitoring each have a priority level;

the wireless terminal further comprising;

priority comparison means for determining if an interference control signal having a higher priority than said first priority level was received; and

wherein said broadcast decision means makes a decision whether or not to proceed with broadcasting data as a function of said priority comparison means determination.

20. The wireless terminal of claim 19, further comprising:

power measurement means for measuring the power level of received interference control signals and

wherein said broadcast decision means makes a decision whether or not to proceed with broadcasting data based on the power level of at least one received interference control signal having a higher priority than said first priority level when an interference control signal having a higher priority than said first priority level was detected by said response monitoring means.

21. The wireless terminal of claim 20, further comprising:

interference determination means for determining interference to other device if the wireless terminal should proceed with a broadcast, and

wherein said broadcast decision means makes a decision not to broadcast when said interference determination means determines that an interference level above a threshold level will be caused to the device which transmitted said interference control signal having a higher priority than said first priority level if the broadcast proceeds.

22. The wireless terminal 20, further comprising

broadcast control means for controlling said wireless transmitter means to broadcasting data in a traffic slot corresponding to said transmitted broadcast indicator signal when said decision whether or not to proceed with broadcasting data is a decision to broadcast data.

23. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium comprising;

code for causing a computer to control transmitting a broadcast indicator signal indicating an intent to broadcast data;

code for causing a computer to monitor for interference control signals following transmission of said broadcast indicator signal; and

code for causing a computer to make a decision whether or not to proceed with broadcasting data based on the result of said monitoring.

24. A method of operating a first device, comprising:

receiving, from a second device a first broadcast indicator signal having a first priority corresponding to said second device indicating an intent by the second device to broadcast data;

receiving from a third device a second broadcast indicator signal having a second priority corresponding to said third device indicating an intent by the third device to broadcast data; and

making a decision as to whether or not to transmit an interference control signal as a function of the relative priority of the first and second broadcast indicator signals.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein making a decision as to whether or not to transmit an interference control signal includes:

determining if broadcast by the lower priority one of the second and third devices will produce an unacceptable level of interference to the higher priority one of the second and third devices; and

when it is determined that the level of interference is unacceptable, transmitting an interference control signal.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said interference control signal is transmitted at a priority level corresponding to the priority level of the higher priority one of the second and third devices.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein transmitting an interference control signal includes selecting an interference signal resource from a plurality of interference signal transmission resources having the priority level of the higher priority one of the second and third devices.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the interference signal transmission resources are individual OFDM tone-symbols.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the priority of the first and second devices changes with time.

30. A wireless communications device, comprising:

wireless receiver module configured to receive signals;

a broadcast indicator signal monitoring module configured to;

(i) detect in said received signals a first broadcast indicator signal from a second device, said first broadcast indicator signal having a first priority corresponding to said second device, said first broadcast indicator signal indicating an intent by the second device to broadcast data;

(ii) detect in said received signals a second broadcast indicator signal from a third device, said second broadcast indicator signal having a second priority corresponding to said third device, said second broadcast indicator signal indicating an intent by the third device to broadcast data; and

an interference control signaling decision module configured to make a decision as to whether or not to transmit an interference control signal as a function of the relative priority of the first and second broadcast indicator signals.

31. The wireless communications device of claim 30, wherein said interference decision signaling decision module includes:

an interference tolerance determination sub-module configured to determine if broadcast by the lower priority one of the second and third devices will produce an unacceptable level of interference to the higher priority one of the second and third devices; and

an interference control signal generation module configure to generate an interference control signal; and

an interference control signal control module configured to control a wireless transmitter module to transmit the generated interference control signal when the interference control signaling decision module decides to transmit an interference control signal.

32. The wireless communications device of claim 31, wherein said interference control signaling decision module decides to transmit an interference control signal when the interference tolerance determination sub-module determines that the level of interference is unacceptable.

33. The wireless communications device of claim 31, wherein said interference control signal control module is configured to control the wireless transmitter module to transmit the generated control interference signal at a priority level corresponding to the priority level of the higher priority one of the second and third devices.

34. The wireless communications device of claim 33, wherein said interference control signal control module further includes:

a response resource selection module configured to select an interference signal resource from a plurality of interference signal transmission resources having the priority level of the higher priority one of the second and third devices.

35. The wireless communications device of claim 33, wherein the interference signal transmission resources are individual OFDM tone-symbols.

36. The wireless communications device of claim 33, wherein the priority of the first and second devices changes with time, the wireless communications device further comprising:

stored information used to associate a device identifier with a priority level for each of a plurality of slots in a recurring timing structure.

37. A wireless communications device, comprising:

wireless receiver means for receiving signals;

broadcast signal monitoring means for;

(i) detecting in said received signals a first broadcast indicator signal from a second device, said first broadcast indicator signal having a first priority corresponding to said second device, said first broadcast indicator signal indicating an intent by the second device to broadcast data; and

(ii) detecting in said received signals a second broadcast indicator signal from a third device, said second broadcast indicator signal having a second priority corresponding to said third device, said second broadcast indicator signal indicating an intent by the third device to broadcast data; and

interference control signaling decision means for making a decision as to whether or not to transmit an interference control signal as a function of the relative priority of the first and second broadcast indicator signals.

38. The wireless communications device of claim 37, wherein said interference decision signaling decision means includes:

interference tolerance determination means for determining if broadcast by the lower priority one of the second and third devices will produce an unacceptable level of interference to the higher priority one of the second and third devices; and

interference control signal generation means for generating an interference control signal; and

interference control signal control means for controlling a wireless transmitter module to transmit the generated interference control signal when the interference control signaling decision means decides to transmit an interference control signal.

39. The wireless communications device of claim 38, wherein said interference control signaling decision means decides to transmit an interference control signal when the interference tolerance determination means determines that the level of interference is unacceptable.

40. A computer program product for use in a communications device, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium comprising;

code for causing a computer to receive, from a second device a first broadcast indicator signal having a first priority corresponding to said second device indicating an intent by the second device to broadcast data;

code for causing a computer to receive from a third device a second broadcast indicator signal having a second priority corresponding to said third device indicating an intent by the third device to broadcast data; and

code for causing a computer to make a decision as to whether or not to transmit an interference control signal as a function of the relative priority of the first and second broadcast indicator signals.