METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR USE IN PEER TO PEER COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES AND/OR SYSTEMS RELATING TO RATE SCHEDULING, TRAFFIC SCHEDULING, RATE CONTROL, AND/OR POWER CONTROL

• US 20090111506A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Jovicic, Aleksandar, Richardson, Thomas, Laroia, Rajiv, Wu, Xinzhou, Li, Junyi
• Granted Patent: US 8,041,375 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/550.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/16 Deriving transmission power values from another channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/18 TPC being performed according to specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/267 taking into account the information rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0473 the resource being transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/569 of the traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

Methods and apparatus related to peer to peer communication networks are described. Embodiments directed to methods and apparatus for establishing traffic data transmission rates and/or transmission power levels between wireless terminals is described. Embodiments direct to methods and apparatus of making decisions whether or not to transmit as a function of the received power of the received response signals are also described. Transmission of pilot signals after granting of a transmission request and a decision to transmit traffic data has been made occurs in some embodiments. Rate information to be used in determining a traffic rate may be received in response to the pilot signal from a peer to peer (P2P) device.

Claims

1. A method of operating a first mobile communications device to perform peer to peer communications, the method comprising:

transmitting a pilot signal to a second mobile communications device;

receiving a rate information signal from the second mobile communications device providing information to be used in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate; and

transmitting traffic data to said second mobile communications device at a rate determined based on the received rate information signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said rate information signal includes one of a maximum transmission rate and a signal to noise ratio.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting a pilot signal includes transmitting said pilot signal at a first power level;

and wherein transmitting traffic data includes transmitting the traffic data at predetermined power level relative to the first power level.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, following receipt of said rate information,

selecting a transmission rate from a plurality of supported transmission rates as a function of the information included in said rate indicator signal;

and

wherein transmitting traffic data includes transmitting traffic data at the selected rate.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said selecting a transmission rate includes:

determining a maximum permitted transmission rate; and

selecting a transmission rate as a function of the amount of data to be transmitted and said determined maximum transmission rate.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the selected transmission rate is lower than the determined maximum transmission rate when the amount of data to be transmitted is less than the amount of data which can be transmitted in a traffic segment when data is transmitted at the determined maximum permitted transmission data rate.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein transmitting traffic data includes transmitting a rate indicator with said traffic data, said rate indicator indicating the actual transmission rate of said traffic data.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a transmission power level to be used for transmitting said traffic data, said determined transmission power level being in the range of A to Pmax where A is a non-zero power level and Pmax is a power level which is a predetermined function of the pilot transmission power level, A and Pmax being different.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the power level is a function of the amount of data to be transmitted.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the power level is also performed as a function of a maximum transmission rate indicated by information included in said rate information signal.

11. A first mobile communications device supporting peer to peer communications, the communications device comprising:

a pilot signal generation module for generating a peer to peer pilot signal;

a wireless transmitter module for transmitting said generated pilot signal to a second mobile communications device and for transmitting traffic data to said second mobile communications device at a rate determined based on a received rate information signal; and

a wireless receiver module for receiving said a rate information signal from the second mobile communications device providing information to be used in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate.

12. The communications device of claim 11, wherein said rate information signal includes one of a maximum transmission rate and a signal to noise ratio.

13. The communications device of claim 11, wherein said rate information signal is from said second mobile communications device.

14. The communications device of claim 11, further comprising:

a transmission power control module for controlling transmission of said pilot signal to be at a first power level and for controlling transmission of traffic data to be at predetermined power level relative to the first power level.

15. The communications device of claim 11, further comprising:

a traffic data rate selection module for selecting a transmission rate from a plurality of supported transmission rates as a function of the information included in said rate information signal; and

a traffic data encoding module for encoding traffic data to be transmitted in accordance with the selected rate; and

a modulation module for generating modulation symbols conveying encoded traffic data to be transmitted in accordance with the selected rate.

16. The communications device of claim 15, wherein said traffic data rate selection module includes:

a maximum permitted transmission rate determination module for determining a maximum permitted transmission rate; and

a backlog module for tracking the amount of data to be transmitted; and

wherein said traffic data rate selection module selects a transmission rate as a function of the amount of data to be transmitted and said determined maximum transmission rate; and

wherein the selected transmission rate is lower than the determined maximum transmission rate when the amount of data to be transmitted is less than the amount of data which can be transmitted in a traffic segment when data is transmitted at the determined maximum permitted transmission data rate.

17. The communications device of claim 16, further comprising:

a rate indicator module for including a rate indicator with said traffic data, said rate indicator indicating the actual transmission rate of said traffic data.

18. The communications device of claim 11, further comprising:

a traffic transmission power control module for determining a transmission power level to be used for transmitting said traffic data, said determined transmission power level being in the range of A to Pmax where A is a non-zero power level and Pmax is a power level which is a predetermined function of the pilot transmission power level, A and Pmax being different;

a backlog module for tracking the amount of data to be transmitted; and

wherein said traffic transmission power control module module determines said power level as a function of the amount of data to be transmitted.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

a maximum permitted transmission rate determination module for determining a maximum permitted transmission rate; and

and wherein said traffic transmission power module determines the power level as a function of said determined maximum permitted transmission rate.

20. A first mobile communications device supporting peer to peer communications, the communications device comprising:

pilot signal generation means for generating a peer to peer pilot signal;

wireless transmitter means for transmitting said generated pilot signal to a second mobile communications device and for transmitting traffic data to said second mobile communications device at a rate determined based on a received rate information signal; and

wireless receiver means for receiving said a rate information signal from the second mobile communications device providing information to be used in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate.

21. The first mobile communications device of claim 20, wherein said rate information signal includes one of a maximum transmission rate and a signal to noise ratio.

22. A computer readable medium for controlling a first mobile communications device to implement a method of performing peer to peer communications, the method comprising:

transmitting a pilot signal to a second mobile communications device;

receiving a rate information signal from the second mobile communications device providing information to be used in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate; and

transmitting traffic data to said second mobile communications device at a rate determined based on the received rate information signal.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein said rate information signal includes one of a maximum transmission rate and a signal to noise ratio.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a processor used for controlling a first mobile communications device to implement a method of performing peer to peer communications, the processor configured to;

control transmission of a pilot signal to a second mobile communications device;

receive a rate information signal from the second mobile communications device providing information to be used in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate; and

control transmission of traffic data to said second mobile communications device at a rate determined based on the received rate information signal.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said rate information signal includes one of a maximum transmission rate and a signal to noise ratio;

wherein said transmitting a pilot signal includes transmitting said pilot signal at a first power level;

and wherein transmitting traffic data includes transmitting the traffic data at predetermined power level relative to the first power level; and

wherein said processor is further configured to;

select a transmission rate from a plurality of supported transmission rates as a function of the information included in said rate indicator signal, following receipt of said rate information; and

wherein transmitting traffic data includes transmitting traffic data at the selected rate.

26. A method of operating a second mobile communications device to perform peer to peer communications, the method comprising:

receiving a pilot signal from a first mobile communications device;

transmitting a rate information signal to the first mobile communications device providing information to be used by the first mobile communication device in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate; and

receiving traffic data from the first mobile communications device.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

measuring the received power of the pilot signal;

determining a value to be used in a transmission rate determination operation as a function of the measured received pilot signal power and a measured noise value; and

wherein said rate information signal communicates said determined value.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said value is one of a signal to noise ratio and a maximum transmission rate.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

receiving additional pilot signals from additional communications devices; and

wherein said measured noise value is a function of the additional received pilot signals.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

determining from information included with said received traffic data the transmission rate of said received traffic data; and

decoding the received traffic data based on the determined rate.

31. A second mobile communications device supporting peer to peer communications, the second mobile communications device comprising:

a wireless receiver module for receiving a pilot signal from a first mobile communications device and for receiving traffic data from the first mobile communications device; and

a wireless transmitter module for transmitting a rate information signal to the first mobile communications device providing information to be used by the first mobile communication device in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate.

32. The second mobile communications device of claim 31, further comprising:

a pilot signal measurement module for measuring the received power of the pilot signal;

a rate information determination module for determining a value to be used in a transmission rate determination operation as a function of the measured received pilot signal power and a measured noise value; and

a rate information signal generation module for generating a rate information signal which communicates said determined value.

33. The second mobile communications device of claim 32, wherein said value is one of a signal to noise ratio and a maximum transmission rate.

34. The second mobile communications device of claim 32, wherein said wireless receiver module is also for receiving additional pilot signals from additional communications devices, the second mobile communications device further comprising:

a noise measurement module for determining said measured noise value as a function of the additional received pilot signals.

35. The second mobile communication device of claim 34, further comprising:

a traffic data rate determination module for determining from information included with said received traffic data the transmission rate of said received traffic data; and

a decoder module for decoding the received traffic data based on the determined rate.

36. A second mobile communications device supporting peer to peer communications, the second mobile communications device comprising:

wireless receiver means for receiving a pilot signal from a first mobile communications device and for receiving traffic data from the first mobile communications device; and

wireless transmitter means for transmitting a rate information signal to the first mobile communications device providing information to be used by the first mobile communication device in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate.

37. The second mobile communications device of claim 36, further comprising:

pilot signal measurement means for measuring the received power of the pilot signal;

rate information determination means for determining a value to be used in a transmission rate determination operation as a function of the measured received pilot signal power and a measured noise value; and

rate information signal generation means for generating a rate information signal which communicates said determined value.

38. The second mobile communications device of claim 37, wherein said value is one of a signal to noise ratio and a maximum transmission rate.

39. The second mobile communications device of claim 37, wherein said wireless receiver means is also for receiving additional pilot signals from additional communications devices, the second mobile communications device further comprising:

noise measurement means for determining said measured noise value as a function of the additional received pilot signals.

40. The second mobile communication device of claim 39, further comprising:

traffic data rate determination means for determining from information included with said received traffic data the transmission rate of said received traffic data; and

decoding means for decoding the received traffic data based on the determined rate.

41. A computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for implementing a method of operating a second mobile communications device to perform peer to peer communications, the method comprising:

receiving a pilot signal from a first mobile communications device;

transmitting a rate information signal to the first mobile communications device providing information to be used by the first mobile communication device in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate; and

receiving traffic data from the first mobile communications device.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 41, further embodying machine executable instructions for:

measuring the received power of the pilot signal;

determining a value to be used in a transmission rate determination operation as a function of the measured received pilot signal power and a measured noise value; and

wherein said rate information signal communicates said determined value.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 42, wherein said value is one of a signal to noise ratio and a maximum transmission rate.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 42, further embodying machine executable instructions for:

receiving additional pilot signals from additional communications devices; and

wherein said measured noise value is a function of the additional received pilot signals.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 44, further embodying machine executable instructions for:

determining from information included with said received traffic data the transmission rate of said received traffic data; and

decoding the received traffic data based on the determined rate.

46. An apparatus comprising:

a processor for use in a second peer to peer communications device, the processor configured to;

receive a pilot signal from a first mobile communications device;

transmit a rate information signal to the first mobile communications device providing information to be used by the first mobile communication device in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate; and

receive traffic data from the first mobile communications device.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein said processor is further configured to:

measure the received power of the pilot signal;

determine a value to be used in a transmission rate determination operation as a function of the measured received pilot signal power and a measured noise value; and

wherein said rate information signal communicates said determined value.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said value is one of a signal to noise ratio and a maximum transmission rate.

49. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said processor is further configured to:

receive additional pilot signals from additional communications devices; and

wherein said measured noise value is a function of the additional received pilot signals.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein said processor is further configured to:

determine from information included with said received traffic data the transmission rate of said received traffic data; and

decode the received traffic data based on the determined rate.

51. A method of operating a first communications device, comprising:

monitoring to receive transmission request responses during a monitoring period;

determining if a response to a transmission request from the first communications device was received;

determining whether a response to a transmission request from a second communications device was received; and

when it is determined that a response to a transmission request from the first communications device was received and it is also determined that a response to a transmission request from the second communications device was received, making a decision whether or not to transmit as a function of the received power of the response to the transmission request from the second communications device.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein said function includes use of an interference based cost threshold.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein said function compares the interference based cost threshold to one of:

(i) a predicated signal to interference ratio value and (ii) a predicated total interference value.

54. The method of claim 52, further comprising:

prior to making said decision whether or not to transmit, calculating an interference cost value as a function of the received power of the response to the transmission request from the second device and a power reference level.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein said power reference level is an expected transmission power level that the first communications device intends to use for transmission in a traffic slot to which the decision corresponds.

56. The method of claim 51, wherein said function includes use of a power level threshold.

57. The method of claim 52, further comprising:

prior to determining whether a response to a transmission request from the first communications device was received, transmitting said transmission request from the first communications device, said transmitted request having a first priority.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the transmission request from the second communications device has a second priority.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein said function used to make said decision is based on whether the second priority is greater than said first priority.

60. The method of claim 58, wherein making a decision whether or not to transmit includes making a decision not to transmit when the second priority is greater than said first priority and the received power of the response to the transmit request from the second device has a received power greater than a threshold power level.

61. The method of claim 60,wherein making a decision whether or not to transmit includes deciding to transmit when it is determined that the first priority is higher than the priority of any transmission request from a device other than the first device for which a response is received during said monitoring period.

62. The method of claim 52, further comprising:

when it is determined that a response to the transmission request is not received during said monitoring period, deciding not to transmit in a traffic interval corresponding to said transmission request from the first communications device.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein there is a predetermined relationship between the monitoring period and the corresponding traffic interval;

and

wherein responses to transmission requests received on a predetermined communications resource during said monitoring period are responses to requests to use a first traffic resource during said traffic interval.

64. A first wireless communications device supporting peer to peer communications comprising:

a monitoring module for monitoring to receive transmission request responses during a monitoring period;

a transmission request response module for determining if a response to a transmission request from the first communications device was received and for determining whether a response to a transmission request from a second communications device was received; and

a transmission decision module for making a decision whether or not to transmit as a function of the received power of the response to the transmission request from the second communications device when it is determined that a response to a transmission request from the first communications device was received and it is also determined that a response to a transmission request from the second communications device was received.

65. The device of claim 64, further comprising:

a power measurement module for measuring the received power level of transmission request response signals.

66. The device of claim 65, further comprising:

an interference cost determination module for calculating the interference cost associated with a received transmission request response signal,

wherein said function includes use of an interference based cost threshold; and

wherein said interference cost determination module calculates an interference cost from a ratio of a measured received power level of a received transmission request response signal and a power reference level.

67. The device of claim 66, further comprising:

a transmission request generation module for generating a transmission request; and

a wireless transmitter module for transmitting said generated transmission request from the first communications device, said transmitted request having a first priority;

said transmitting occurring prior to determining whether a response to a transmission request from the first communications device was received.

68. The device of claim 67, further comprising:

a priority determination module for determining a priority level associated with a received transmission request response signal, and

wherein the transmission request from the second communications device has a second priority.

69. The device of claim 68,

wherein making a decision whether or not to transmit includes making a decision not to transmit when the second priority is greater than said first priority and the received power of the response to the transmit request from the second device has a received power greater than a threshold power level;

wherein making a decision whether or not to transmit includes deciding to transmit when it is determined that the first priority is higher than the priority of any transmission request from a device other than the first device for which a response is received during said monitoring period; and

wherein said decision module decides not to transmit in a traffic interval corresponding to said transmission request from the first communications device when it is determined that a response to the transmission request is not received during said monitoring period.

70. A first wireless communications device supporting peer to peer communications comprising:

monitoring means for monitoring to receive transmission request responses during a monitoring period;

transmission request response means for determining if a response to a transmission request from the first communications device was received and for determining whether a response to a transmission request from a second communications device was received; and

transmission decision means for making a decision whether or not to transmit as a function of the received power of the response to the transmission request from the second communications device when it is determined that a response to a transmission request from the first communications device was received and it is also determined that a response to a transmission request from the second communications device was received.

71. The device of claim 70, further comprising:

power measurement means for measuring the received power level of transmission request response signals.

72. A computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for controlling a first communications device to implement a method, the method comprising:

monitoring to receive transmission request responses during a monitoring period;

determining if a response to a transmission request from the first communications device was received;

determining whether a response to a transmission request from a second communications device was received; and

when it is determined that a response to a transmission request from the first communications device was received and it is also determined that a response to a transmission request from the second communications device was received, making a decision whether or not to transmit as a function of the received power of the response to the transmission request from the second communications device.

73. The computer readable medium of claim 72, wherein said function includes use of an interference based interference cost threshold, the computer readable medium further comprising machine executable instructions for:

calculating an interference cost value as a function of the received power of the response to the transmission request from the second device and a power reference level.

74. An apparatus comprising:

a processor for use in a first communications device, the processor configured to;

monitor to receive transmission request responses during a monitoring period;

determine if a response to a transmission request from the first communications device was received;

determine whether a response to a transmission request from a second communications device was received; and

when it is determined that a response to a transmission request from the first communications device was received and it is also determined that a response to a transmission request from the second communications device was received, make a decision whether or not to transmit as a function of the received power of the response to the transmission request from the second communications device.

75. The apparatus of claim 74, wherein said function includes use of an interference based interference cost threshold, and wherein said processor is further configured to:

calculate an interference cost value as a function of the received power of the response to the transmission request from the second device and a power reference level, prior to making said decision whether or not to transmit.

76. A method of operating a first communications device, comprising:

monitoring to receive transmission requests during a monitoring period;

if a request to transmit to the first device is received during said monitoring period, determining the power of said received request to transmit to the first device; and

if a request to transmit to a second device is received during said monitoring period, determining the power of said received request to transmit to the second device; and

when a request to transmit to the first device and request to transmit to the second device has been received, making a decision whether to accept the request to transmit to the first device as a function of the determined power of the received request to transmit to the first device and the determined power of the received request to transmit to the second device.

77. The method of claim 76, wherein said function includes comparison of a ratio generated from the determined power of the received request to transmit to the first device and the determined power of the received request to transmit to the second device to a power ratio threshold.

78. The method of claim 77, further comprising:

in response to making a decision to accept the request to transmit to the first device, transmitting during a response period a response to the request to transmit to the first device.

79. The method of claim 78, wherein said response period follows said monitoring period and precedes a traffic interval corresponding to the received request to transmit to the first device.

80. The method of claim 79, wherein said response is transmitted at a fixed predetermined power level.

81. The method of claim 79, wherein said response is transmitted a power level which is a function of the determined received power level of the received request to transmit to the first device.

82. The method of claim 81, wherein said transmitted power level of said response is inversely proportional to the determined received power level of the received request to transmit to the first device.

83. The method of claim 81, wherein there is a predetermined relationship between the monitoring period and the corresponding traffic interval.

84. The method of claim 83, wherein requests to transmit received on a predetermined communications resource during said monitoring period are requests to use a first traffic resource during said traffic interval.

85. A first communications device supporting peer to peer communications comprising:

a monitoring module for monitoring to receive transmission requests during a monitoring period;

a power measurement module for determining the power of a received request to transmit to the first device if a request to transmit to the first device is received during said monitoring period and for determining the power of a received request to transmit to the a device if a request to transmit to the second device is received during said monitoring period; and

a transmission decision module for making a decision whether to accept the request to transmit to the first device as a function of the determined power of the received request to transmit to the first device and the determined power of the received request to transmit to the second device when a request to transmit to the first device and a request to transmit to the second device has been received.

86. The device of claim 85, wherein said function includes comparison of a ratio generated from the determined power of the received request to transmit to the first device and the determined power of the received request to transmit to the second device to a power ratio threshold.

87. The device of claim 85, further comprising:

a response generation module for generating a response to the request to transmit to the first communications device in response to making a decision to accept the request to transmit to the first device; and

a wireless transmitter module for transmitting the generated response during a response period.

88. The device of claim 87, wherein said response period follows said monitoring period and precedes a traffic interval corresponding to the received request to transmit to the first device.

89. The device of claim 88, wherein said response is transmitted at a fixed predetermined power level.

90. The device of claim 88, wherein said response is transmitted a power level which is a function of the determined received power level of the received request to transmit to the first device, the device further comprising:

a response signal power level determination module for determining the transmission power level of the response signal as a function of the determined received power level of the received request to transmit to the first device.

91. The device of claim 90, wherein said transmitted power level of said response is inversely proportional to the determined received power level of the received request to transmit to the first device.

92. The device of claim 91, further comprising:

a memory including air link resource structure information identifying a monitoring period and a corresponding traffic interval and wherein there is a predetermined relationship between the monitoring period and the corresponding traffic interval.

93. The device of claim 92, wherein requests to transmit received on a predetermined communications resource during said monitoring period are requests to use a first traffic resource during said traffic interval.

94. A first communications device supporting peer to peer communications comprising:

monitoring means for monitoring to receive transmission requests during a monitoring period;

power measurement means for determining the power of a received request to transmit to the first device if a request to transmit to the first device is received during said monitoring period and for determining the power of a received request to transmit to the a device if a request to transmit to the second device is received during said monitoring period; and

transmission decision means for making a decision whether to accept the request to transmit to the first device as a function of the determined power of the received request to transmit to the first device and the determined power of the received request to transmit to the second device when a request to transmit to the first device and a request to transmit to the second device has been received.

95. The device of claim 94, wherein said function includes comparison of a ratio generated from the determined power of the received request to transmit to the first device and the determined power of the received request to transmit to the second device to a power ratio threshold.

96. The device of claim 94, further comprising:

response generation means for generating a response to the request to transmit to the first communications device in response to making a decision to accept the request to transmit to the first device;

wireless transmitter means for transmitting the generated response during a response period; and

wherein said response period follows said monitoring period and precedes a traffic interval corresponding to the received request to transmit to the first device.

97. A computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for controlling a first communications device to implement a method, the method comprising:

monitoring to receive transmission requests during a monitoring period;

if a request to transmit to the first device is received during said monitoring period, determining the power of said received request to transmit to the first device; and

if a request to transmit to a second device is received during said monitoring period, determining the power of said received request to transmit to the second device; and

when a request to transmit to the first device and request to transmit to the second device has been received, making a decision whether to accept the request to transmit to the first device as a function of the determined power of the received request to transmit to the first device and the determined power of the received request to transmit to the second device.

98. The computer readable medium of claim 97, wherein said function includes comparison of a ratio generated from the determined power of the received request to transmit to the first device and the determined power of the received request to transmit to the second device to a power ratio threshold.

99. An apparatus comprising

a processor configured to:

monitor to receive transmission requests during a monitoring period;

if a request to transmit to the first device is received during said monitoring period, determine the power of said received request to transmit to the first device; and

if a request to transmit to a second device is received during said monitoring period, determine the power of said received request to transmit to the second device; and

when a request to transmit to the first device and request to transmit to the second device has been received, make a decision whether to accept the request to transmit to the first device as a function of the determined power of the received request to transmit to the first device and the determined power of the received request to transmit to the second device.

100. The apparatus of claim 99, wherein said function includes comparison of a ratio generated from the determined power of the received request to transmit to the first device and the determined power of the received request to transmit to the second device to a power ratio threshold;

wherein said processor is further configured to;

in response to making a decision to accept the request to transmit to the first device, transmit during a response period a response to the request to transmit to the first device; and

,

wherein said response period follows said monitoring period and precedes a traffic interval corresponding to the received request to transmit to the first device.

101. A method of operating a communications device, the method comprising:

transmitting a transmission request, said transmission request corresponding to a subsequent traffic transmission interval, said subsequent traffic transmission interval having a fixed time relationship to the transmitted transmission request;

determining whether to transmit data during said subsequent traffic transmission interval; and

when it is determined to transmit traffic data during said subsequent traffic transmission interval, transmitting data.

102. The method of claim 101, wherein said fixed time relationship includes a predetermined offset in time from a point in time during which said transmission request is transmitted and a point in time in said subsequent traffic transmission interval.

103. The method of claim 102, wherein said fixed time relationship is different for different transmission requests.

104. The method of claim 101, wherein said fixed time relationship is communicated in said transmission request.

105. The method of claim 101, further comprising:

when it is determined to transmit traffic during said subsequent traffic transmission interval, and prior to transmitting traffic in said subsequent traffic transmission interval, transmitting a pilot signal;

receiving a signal in response to said pilot signal; and

determining, as a function of the received signal, a data rate to be used when transmitting in said subsequent traffic transmission interval.

106. The method of claim 101, further comprising:

monitoring for a data transmission acknowledgement signal in a time interval having a fixed offset to said subsequent traffic transmission interval.

107. The method of claim 101, wherein determining whether to transmit data during said subsequent traffic transmission interval includes:

receiving a signal from at least one other communications device; and

making a decision whether or not to transmit based on the received signal from said at least one other communications device.

108. The method of claim 107, wherein said transmission request is directed to a first communications device and wherein said at least one other communications device is said first communications device.

109. The method of claim 107, wherein said transmission request is directed to a first communications device and wherein said at least one other communications device is a second communications device which is different from the first communications device.

110. The method of claim 101, wherein said transmission request is transmitted at a first power level and said traffic data is transmitted at a second power level, said first and second power levels having a first predetermined relationship;

and

wherein said first predetermined relationship specifies that the per tone transmission power of the traffic data be less than or equal the per tone transmit power of the transmission request signal.

111. The method of claim 105,

wherein said transmission request is transmitted at a first power level and said pilot is transmitted at a third power level, said first and third power levels having a second predetermined relationship;

and

wherein said second predetermined relationship specifies that the per tone transmission power of the pilot signal be less than or equal the per tone transmit power of the transmission request.

112. The method of claim 103,

wherein said traffic data is transmitted at a second power level, said second power level having a third predetermined relationship with the third power level;

and

wherein said third predetermined relationship specifies that the second power level has a per tone power which is less than or equal the per tone power of the third power level.

113. The method of claim 101, comprising:

transmitting a second transmission request, said second transmission request corresponding to a second subsequent traffic transmission interval, said second subsequent traffic transmission interval having a fixed time relationship to the second transmitted transmission request;

determining whether to transmit data during said second subsequent traffic transmission interval; and

when it is determined not to transmit traffic data during said second subsequent traffic transmission interval, not transmitting a pilot signal corresponding to said second subsequent traffic interval.

114. A communications device comprising:

a transmission request generation module for generating a transmission request, said transmission request corresponding to a subsequent traffic transmission interval, said subsequent traffic transmission interval having a fixed time relationship to the transmitted transmission request;

a transmission decision module for determining whether to transmit data during said subsequent traffic transmission interval; and

a wireless transmitter module for transmitting said generated transmission request and for transmitting data when said transmission decision module determines to transmit traffic data during said subsequent traffic transmission interval.

115. The communications device of claim 114, wherein said fixed time relationship includes a predetermined offset in time from a point in time during which said transmission request is transmitted and a point in time in said subsequent traffic transmission interval.

116. The communications device of claim 115, wherein said fixed time relationship is different for different transmission requests.

117. The communications device of claim 114, further comprising:

a pilot signal generation module for generating a pilot signal when it is it is determined to transmit traffic during said subsequent traffic transmission interval;

a transmission control module for controlling said transmitter module to transmit said generated pilot signal prior to transmitting traffic in said subsequent transmission traffic interval;

a wireless receiver module for receiving a signal in response to said pilot signal; and

a traffic data rate determination module for determining, as a function of the received signal, a data rate to be used when transmitting in said subsequent traffic transmission interval.

118. The communications device of claim 114, further comprising:

a traffic acknowledgment monitoring module for monitoring for a data transmission acknowledgement signal in a time interval having a fixed offset to said subsequent traffic transmission interval.

119. The communications device of claim 114, further comprising:

a wireless receiver module for receiving a signal from at least one other communications device;

wherein said transmission decision module makes a decision whether or not to transmit based on the received signal from said at least one other communications device; and

wherein said transmission request is directed to a first communications device and wherein said at least one other communications device is said first communications device.

120. A communications device comprising:

transmission request generation means for generating a transmission request, said transmission request corresponding to a subsequent traffic transmission interval, said subsequent traffic transmission interval having a fixed time relationship to the transmitted transmission request;

transmission decision means for determining whether to transmit data during said subsequent traffic transmission interval; and

wireless transmitter means for transmitting said generated transmission request and for transmitting data when said transmission decision means determines to transmit traffic data during said subsequent traffic transmission interval.

121. The communications device of claim 120, wherein said fixed time relationship includes a predetermined offset in time from a point in time during which said transmission request is transmitted and a point in time in said subsequent traffic transmission interval;

wherein said fixed time relationship is different for different transmission requests; and

wherein said fixed time relationship is communicated in said transmission request, and wherein said transmission request generation means includes time relationship means for encoding time relationship information in said generated transmission request.

122. A computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for implementing a method of operating a communications device, the method comprising:

transmitting a transmission request, said transmission request corresponding to a subsequent traffic transmission interval, said subsequent traffic transmission interval having a fixed time relationship to the transmitted transmission request;

determining whether to transmit data during said subsequent traffic transmission interval; and

when it is determined to transmit traffic data during said subsequent traffic transmission interval, transmitting data.

123. The computer readable medium of claim 122, wherein said fixed time relationship includes a predetermined offset in time from a point in time during which said transmission request is transmitted and a point in time in said subsequent traffic transmission interval;

wherein said fixed time relationship is different for different transmission requests; and

wherein said fixed time relationship is communicated in said transmission request.

124. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

transmit a transmission request, said transmission request corresponding to a subsequent traffic transmission interval, said subsequent traffic transmission interval having a fixed time relationship to the transmitted transmission request;

determine whether to transmit data during said subsequent traffic transmission interval; and

when it is determined to transmit traffic data during said subsequent traffic transmission interval, transmit data.

125. The apparatus of claim 124, wherein said fixed time relationship includes a predetermined offset in time from a point in time during which said transmission request is transmitted and a point in time in said subsequent traffic transmission interval;

wherein said fixed time relationship is different for different transmission requests; and

wherein said fixed time relationship is communicated in said transmission request.