METHODS FOR SENDING SMALL PACKETS IN A PEER-TO-PEER (P2P) NETWORK

• US 20090016289A1
• Filed: 07/07/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Tavildar, Saurabh, Laroia, Rajiv, Wu, Xinzhou, Li, Junyi
• Granted Patent: US 8,139,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An improved mechanism is provided that facilitates transmission of small packets within an ad hoc peer-to-peer network. A small packet is identified to a receiver within a control channel so that its lower power can be considered in an interference management protocol implemented among local peer devices. In a traffic slot, a transmitter voluntarily backs down on the transmitter power as a smaller packet will require much lower signal-to-noise ratio. This will improve the signal energy per bit per noise power density for the transmission as well as minimize the interference caused to other wireless communications happening in the same spectrum.

Claims

1. A method of operating a second device having a connection with a first device in a peer-to-peer communication network, comprising:

receiving a pilot signal from the first device in a pilot channel associated with a data traffic slot;

determining the data transmission format to be used in the data traffic slot, the data transmission format including at least a small packet format and a normal packet format;

determining a rate feedback format to be used in a rate feedback channel associated with the data traffic slot based on the determined data transmission format; and

sending a rate feedback signal in the rate feedback channel using the rate feedback format.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the rate feedback signal contains information indicative of a rate selected from a plurality of predetermined rates in a rate table, the rate table being a function of the determined data transmission format.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the number of rates in the rate table is smaller when the data transmission format is a small packet format than when the data transmission format is a normal packet format.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein if it is determined that the data transmission format to be used in the data traffic slot is a small packet format, the method further comprising:

determining an amount of power back off based on at least the pilot signals received in the pilot channel, the power back off indicating an amount that the first device can reduce for the transmission power of the data traffic slot; and

signaling the determined amount of power back off in the rate feedback signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data transmission format is determined based on information contained in the pilot signal.

6. A second device having a wireless connection with a first device over a peer-to-peer communication network, comprising:

a transmitter and receiver for establishing a wireless peer-to-peer communication connection with the first device;

a processing circuit coupled to the transmitter and receiver, wherein the processing circuit is adapted to;

receiving a pilot signal from the first device in a pilot channel associated with a data traffic slot;

determining the data transmission format to be used in the data traffic slot, the data transmission format including at least a small packet format and a normal packet format;

determining a rate feedback format to be used in a rate feedback channel associated with the data traffic slot based on the determined data transmission format; and

sending a rate feedback signal in the rate feedback channel using the rate feedback format.

7. The second device of claim 6, wherein the rate feedback signal contains information indicative of a rate selected from a plurality of predetermined rates in a rate table, the rate table being a function of the determined data transmission format.

8. The second device of claim 6, wherein the number of rates in the rate table is smaller when the data transmission format is a small packet format than when the data transmission format is a normal packet format.

9. The second device of claim 8, wherein if it is determined that the data transmission format to be used in the data traffic slot is a small packet format, wherein the processing circuit is further adapted to:

determine an amount of power back off based on at least the pilot signals received in the pilot channel, the power back off indicating an amount that the first device can reduce for the transmission power of the data traffic slot; and

signal the determined amount of power back off in the rate feedback signal.

10. The second device of claim 6, wherein the data transmission format is determined based on information contained in the pilot signal.

11. A second device having a wireless connection with a first device over a peer-to-peer communication network, comprising:

means for receiving a pilot signal from the first device in a pilot channel associated with a data traffic slot;

means for determining the data transmission format to be used in the data traffic slot, the data transmission format including at least a small packet format and a normal packet format;

means for determining a rate feedback format to be used in a rate feedback channel associated with the data traffic slot based on the determined data transmission format; and

means for sending a rate feedback signal in the rate feedback channel using the rate feedback format.

12. The second device of claim 11, wherein the rate feedback signal contains information indicative of a rate selected from a plurality of predetermined rates in a rate table, the rate table being a function of the determined data transmission format.

13. The second device of claim 12, wherein the number of rates in the rate table is smaller when the data transmission format is a small packet format than when the data transmission format is a normal packet format.

14. The second device of claim 13, wherein if it is determined that the data transmission format to be used in the data traffic slot is a small packet format, and further comprising:

means for determining an amount of power back off based on at least the pilot signals received in the pilot channel, the power back off indicating an amount that the first device can reduce for the transmission power of the data traffic slot; and

means for signaling the determined amount of power back off in the rate feedback signal.

15. The second device of claim 11, wherein the data transmission format is determined based on information contained in the pilot signal.

16. A circuit for facilitating communications over a peer-to-peer network, wherein the circuit operates in a second device having a wireless connection with a first device in the peer-to-peer network, wherein the circuit is adapted to:

receive a pilot signal from the first device in a pilot channel associated with a data traffic slot;

determine the data transmission format to be used in the data traffic slot, the data transmission format including at least a small packet format and a normal packet format;

determine a rate feedback format to be used in a rate feedback channel associated with the data traffic slot based on the determined data transmission format; and

send a rate feedback signal in the rate feedback channel using the rate feedback format.

17. The circuit of claim 16, wherein the rate feedback signal contains information indicative of a rate selected from a plurality of predetermined rates in a rate table, the rate table being a function of the determined data transmission format.

18. The circuit of claim 17, wherein the number of rates in the rate table is smaller when the data transmission format is a small packet format than when the data transmission format is a normal packet format.

19. The circuit of claim 18, wherein if it is determined that the data transmission format to be used in the data traffic slot is a small packet format, wherein the circuit is further adapted to:

determine an amount of power back off based on at least the pilot signals received in the pilot channel, the power back off indicating an amount that the first device can reduce for the transmission power of the data traffic slot; and

signal the determined amount of power back off in the rate feedback signal.

20. The circuit of claim 16, wherein the data transmission format is determined based on information contained in the pilot signal.

21. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions for a second device having a wireless connection with a first device in a peer-to-peer network, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

receive a pilot signal from the first device in a pilot channel associated with a data traffic slot;

determine the data transmission format to be used in the data traffic slot, the data transmission format including at least a small packet format and a normal packet format;

determine a rate feedback format to be used in a rate feedback channel associated with the data traffic slot based on the determined data transmission format; and

send a rate feedback signal in the rate feedback channel using the rate feedback format.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the rate feedback signal contains information indicative of a rate selected from a plurality of predetermined rates in a rate table, the rate table being a function of the determined data transmission format.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the number of rates in the rate table is smaller when the data transmission format is a small packet format than when the data transmission format is a normal packet format.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein if it is determined that the data transmission format to be used in the data traffic slot is a small packet format, further comprising instructions to cause the processor to:

determine an amount of power back off based on at least the pilot signals received in the pilot channel, the power back off indicating an amount that the first device can reduce for the transmission power of the data traffic slot; and

signal the determined amount of power back off in the rate feedback signal.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the data transmission format is determined based on information contained in the pilot signal.