METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CHANNEL ACCESS IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

• US 20100118835A1
• Filed: 06/12/2009
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Lakkis, Ismail, Bracha, Vered Bar
• Granted Patent: US 8,942,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0619 using feedback from receiving side feedback signaling for adaptive modulation/coding H04L1/0001
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0695 using beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/088 using beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

A method of wireless communications is provided. The method includes transmitting a channel time allocation request from a first device to a second device, wherein the channel time allocation request comprises a list of devices to be trained by the first device; receiving a channel time allocation granted by the second device; and transmitting, from the first device, at least one training packet to at least one device in the list of devices to be trained during the channel time allocation granted by the second device. An apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communications comprising:

transmitting a channel time allocation request from a first device to a second device, wherein the channel time allocation request comprises a list of devices to be trained by the first device;

receiving a channel time allocation granted by the second device; and

transmitting, from the first device, at least one training packet to at least one device in the list of devices to be trained during the channel time allocation granted by the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of devices comprises a device address for each device to be trained by the first device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the channel time allocation request further comprises an allocation duration, wherein the allocation duration is based on at least one of:

(i) a first duration based on a number of devices in the list of devices to be trained, (ii) a second duration based on a training packet of the at least one training packet; and

(iii) a third duration based on a feedback responsive to the training packet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one training packet comprises a preamble based on a pair of complementary Golay codes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is configured to transmit in a plurality of coarse transmit directions, and the at least one training packet transmission comprises transmitting the at least one training packet in each of the plurality of coarse transmit directions.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a feedback to the at least one training packet from a third device, the feedback comprising a preferred coarse transmit direction from the first device to the third device; and

transmitting information from the first device to the third device using the preferred coarse transmit direction.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving the feedback comprises sweeping over a plurality of first device receive directions by the first device to detect and receive the feedback.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein each coarse transmit direction in the plurality of coarse transmit directions comprises at least one of (a) a plurality of sectors, (b) a plurality of patterns of a phased antenna array, and (c) a plurality of patterns of a switched antenna array.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each device to be trained is configured to receive information in a number of coarse receive directions, and the at least one training packet transmission comprises transmitting the at least one training packet a number of times that is at least equal to a largest number of coarse receive directions of all devices to be trained.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a feedback to the at least one training packet from a third device, the feedback comprising a preferred coarse receive direction for the third device from the first device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting information, from the first device to the third device using the preferred coarse receive direction of the third device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein each coarse receive direction in the number of coarse receive directions comprises at least one of (a) a plurality of sectors, (b) a plurality of patterns of a phased antenna array, and (c) a plurality of patterns of a switched antenna array.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the total number of training packets is equal to a number of coarse transmit directions of the first device multiplied by a number of coarse receive directions of a device from the list of devices to be trained with a largest number of coarse receive directions.

14. An apparatus for wireless communications comprising:

means for transmitting a channel time allocation request from the apparatus to a first device, wherein the channel time allocation request comprises a list of devices to be trained by the apparatus;

means for receiving a channel time allocation granted by the first device; and

means for transmitting, from the apparatus, at least one training packet to at least one device in the list of devices to be trained during the channel time allocation granted by the first device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the list of devices comprises a device address for each device to be trained by the apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the channel time allocation request further comprises an allocation duration, wherein the allocation duration is based on at least one of:

(i) a first duration based on a number of devices in the list of devices to be trained, (ii) a second duration based on a training packet of the at least one training packet; and

(iii) a third duration based on a feedback responsive to the training packet.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one training packet comprises a preamble based on a pair of complementary Golay codes.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus is configured to transmit in a plurality of coarse transmit directions, and the at least one training packet transmission comprises transmitting the at least one training packet in each of the plurality of coarse transmit directions.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

means for receiving a feedback to the at least one training packet from a second device, the feedback comprising a preferred coarse transmit direction from the apparatus to the second device; and

,

means for transmitting information from the apparatus to the second device using the preferred coarse transmit direction.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the feedback reception further comprises means for sweeping a plurality of first device receive directions by the apparatus to detect and receive the feedback.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein each coarse transmit direction in the plurality of coarse transmit directions comprises at least one of (a) a plurality of sectors, (b) a plurality of directions, and (c) a plurality of a pattern of a switched antenna array.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each device to be trained is configured to receive information in a respective plurality of coarse receive directions, and the means for transmitting at least one training packet comprises means for transmitting the at least one training packet a number of times that is at least equal to a largest number of coarse receive directions of each devices to be trained.

23. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising means for receiving a feedback to the at least one training packet from a second device, the feedback comprising a preferred coarse receive direction for the second device from the apparatus.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means for transmitting information, from the apparatus to the second device using the preferred coarse receive direction of the second device.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein each coarse receive direction in the respective number of coarse receive directions comprises at least one of (a) a plurality of sectors, (b) a plurality of directions, and (c) a plurality of a pattern of a switched antenna array.

26. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the total number of training packets is equal to a number of coarse transmit directions of the apparatus multiplied by a number of coarse receive directions of a device from the list of devices to be trained with a largest number of coarse receive directions.

27. A computer-program product for wireless communications comprising:

a machine-readable medium comprising instructions executable to;

transmit a channel time allocation request from a first device to a second device, wherein the channel time allocation request comprises a list of devices to be trained by the first device;

receive a channel time allocation granted by the second device; and

transmit, from the first device, at least one training packet to at least one device in the list of devices to be trained during the channel time allocation granted by the second device.

28. An apparatus for wireless communications comprising:

a processing system configured to;

transmit a channel time allocation request from the apparatus to a first device, wherein the channel time allocation request comprises a list of devices to be trained by the apparatus;

receive a channel time allocation granted by the first device; and

transmit, from the apparatus, at least one training packet to at least one device in the list of devices to be trained during the channel time allocation granted by the first device.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the list of devices comprises a device address for each device to be trained by the apparatus.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the channel time allocation request further comprises an allocation duration, wherein the allocation duration is based on at least one of:

(i) a first duration based on a number of devices in the list of devices to be trained, (ii) a second duration based on a training packet of the at least one training packet; and

(iii) a third duration based on a feedback responsive to the training packet.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the at least one training packet comprises a preamble based on a pair of complementary Golay codes.

32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the apparatus is configured to transmit in a plurality of coarse transmit directions, and the at least one training packet transmission comprises transmitting the at least one training packet in each of the plurality of coarse transmit directions.

33. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

receive a feedback to the at least one training packet from a second device, the feedback comprising a preferred coarse transmit direction from the apparatus to the second device; and

,

transmit information from the apparatus to the second device using the preferred coarse transmit direction.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the feedback further comprises a preferred coarse receive direction of the second device for receiving information from the apparatus.

35. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the feedback further comprises sweeping a plurality of apparatus receive directions by the apparatus to detect and receive the feedback.

36. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein each coarse transmit direction in the plurality of coarse transmit directions comprises at least one of (a) a plurality of sectors, (b) a plurality of directions, and (c) a plurality of a pattern of a switched antenna array.

37. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein each device to be trained is configured to receive information in a respective plurality of coarse receive directions, and the at least one training packet transmission comprises transmitting the at least one training packet a number of times that is at least equal to a largest number of coarse receive directions of each devices to be trained.

38. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the processing system is further configured to receive a feedback to the at least one training packet from a second device, the feedback comprising a preferred coarse receive direction for the second device from the apparatus.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the processing system is further configured to transmit information, from the apparatus to the second device using the preferred coarse receive direction of the second device.

40. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein each coarse receive direction in the respective number of coarse receive directions comprises at least one of (a) a plurality of sectors, (b) a plurality of directions, and (c) a plurality of a pattern of a switched antenna array.

41. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the total number of training packets is equal to a number of coarse transmit directions of the apparatus multiplied by a number of coarse receive directions of a device from the list of devices to be trained with a largest number of coarse receive directions.

42. An access terminal comprising:

an antenna; and

a processing system configured to;

transmit, via the antenna, a channel time allocation request to a wireless node, wherein the channel time allocation request comprises a list of devices to be trained by the access terminal;

receive a channel time allocation granted by the wireless node; and

transmit at least one training packet to at least one device in the list of devices to be trained during the channel time allocation granted by the wireless node.

43. A method for wireless communications comprising:

receiving a channel allocation request from a device, wherein the request comprises a list of other devices to be trained by the device; and

transmitting a beacon to the device, the beacon comprising a channel allocation for the device based on the channel allocation request.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising allocating time for the device to allocate to each device in the list of other devices for training.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the beacon is a Q-omni beacon.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein the beacon is a directional beacon.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein the list of other devices comprises a device address for each device to be trained by the device.

48. The method of claim 43, wherein the channel allocation request further comprises an allocation duration, wherein the allocation duration is based on at least one of:

(i) a first duration based on a number of devices in the list of devices to be trained, (ii) a second duration based on a training packet of the at least one training packet; and

(iii) a third duration based on a feedback responsive to the training packet.

49. An apparatus for wireless communications comprising:

means for receiving a channel allocation request from a device, wherein the request comprises a list of other devices to be trained by the device; and

means for transmitting a beacon to the device, the beacon comprising a channel allocation for the device based on the channel allocation request.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, further comprising allocating time for the device to allocate to each device in the list of other devices for training

51. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the beacon is a Q-omni beacon.

52. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the beacon is a directional beacon.

53. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the list of other devices comprises a device address for each device to be trained by the device.

54. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the channel allocation request further comprises an allocation duration, wherein the allocation duration is based on at least one of:

(i) a first duration based on a number of devices in the list of devices to be trained, (ii) a second duration based on a training packet of the at least one training packet; and

(iii) a third duration based on a feedback responsive to the training packet

55. A computer-program product for wireless communications comprising:

a machine-readable medium comprising instructions executable to;

receive a channel allocation request from a device, wherein the request comprises a list of other devices to be trained by the device; and

transmit a beacon to the device, the beacon comprising a channel allocation for the device based on the channel allocation request.

56. An apparatus for wireless communications comprising:

a processing system configured to;

receive a channel allocation request from a device, wherein the request comprises a list of other devices to be trained by the device; and

transmit a beacon to the device, the beacon comprising a channel allocation for the device based on the channel allocation request.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, further comprising allocating time for the device to allocate to each device in the list of other devices for training

58. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the beacon is a Q-omni beacon.

59. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the beacon is a directional beacon.

60. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the list of other devices comprises a device address for each device to be trained by the device.

61. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the channel allocation request further comprises an allocation duration, wherein the allocation duration is based on at least one of:

(i) a first duration based on a number of devices in the list of devices to be trained, (ii) a second duration based on a training packet of the at least one training packet; and

(iii) a third duration based on a feedback responsive to the training packet.

62. A wireless node comprising:

an antenna; and

a processing system configured to;

receive, via the antenna, a channel allocation request from a device, wherein the request comprises a list of other devices to be trained by the device; and

transmit a beacon to the device, the beacon comprising a channel allocation for the device based on the channel allocation request.