DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD OF SCHEDULING COMMUNICATIONS WITH A GROUP OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATION UNITS

• US 20110149731A1
• Filed: 12/17/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Inventors: Stacey, Robert J., Gong, Michelle X.
• Application Number:
  US12/640,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20110149731A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/02 Power saving arrangements in wired systems H04L12/12; signaling of mobile application services, e.g. low battery notifications H04W4/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/121 for groups of terminals or users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1273 of downlink data flows
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of scheduling communications with a group of wireless communication devices. For example, a wireless communication unit may transmit at least one scheduling frame including an indication of a downlink period allocated for simultaneous transmission from the wireless communication unit to at least one group of a plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the wireless communication unit is to simultaneously transmit a plurality of different wireless communication transmissions to the plurality of wireless communication devices of the group during the downlink period. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A device including:

a wireless communication unit is to transmit at least one scheduling frame including an indication of a downlink period allocated for simultaneous transmission from the wireless communication unit to at least one group of a plurality of wireless communication devices,

wherein the wireless communication unit is to simultaneously transmit a plurality of different wireless communication transmissions to the plurality of wireless communication devices of the group during the downlink period.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the scheduling frame includes an indication of at least one uplink period allocated for transmissions from the group of wireless communication devices to the wireless communication unit.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication unit is to simultaneously receive a plurality of different uplink transmissions from the plurality of wireless communication devices of the group during the uplink period.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit is to transmit the scheduling frame having an address field including a group address assigned to the group.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein, prior to transmitting the scheduling frame the wireless communication unit is to reserve a wireless communication medium for a duration period including at least a duration of the scheduling frame and the downlink period.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit is to assign the plurality of wireless communication devices to the at least one group based on traffic-specification (TSPEC) information corresponding to the plurality of wireless communication devices.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the TSPEC information corresponding to a wireless communication device includes at least one of a traffic pattern of traffic flow between the wireless communication device and the wireless communication unit, and quality of service of the traffic flow, and wherein the wireless communication unit is to assign the wireless communication device to the group based on at least one of the required traffic pattern and the required quality of service.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the wireless communication unit is to transmit group allocation information to the plurality of wireless communication devices assigned to the group, wherein the group allocation information includes a group address assigned to the group, and wherein the wireless communication unit is to transmit the scheduling frame having an address filed including the group address.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the scheduling frame comprises a power save multi-poll (PSMP) frame.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit is to transmit the plurality of transmissions in the form of a space-division-multiple-access transmission.

11. A method comprising:

transmitting at least one scheduling frame including an indication of a downlink period allocated for simultaneous transmission from a wireless communication device to at least one group of a plurality of other wireless communication devices; and

simultaneously transmitting a plurality of different wireless communication transmissions from the wireless communication device to the group of other wireless communication devices during the downlink period.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the scheduling frame includes an indication of at least one uplink period allocated for transmissions from the group of wireless communication devices to the wireless communication unit, and wherein the method includes simultaneously receiving a plurality of different uplink transmissions from the plurality of wireless communication devices of the group during the uplink period.

13. The method of claim 11 including transmitting the scheduling frame having an address field including a group address assigned to the group.

14. The method of claim 11 including, prior to transmitting the scheduling frame, reserving a wireless communication medium for a duration period including at least a duration of the scheduling frame and the downlink period.

15. The method of claim 11 including assigning the plurality of wireless communication devices to the at least one group based on traffic-specification (TSPEC) information corresponding to the plurality of wireless communication devices.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the scheduling frame comprises a power save multi-poll (PSMP) frame.

17. A system comprising:

at least one wireless communication device including;

one or more antennas; and

a wireless communication unit to transmit at least one scheduling frame including an indication of a downlink period allocated for simultaneous transmission from the wireless communication unit to at least one group of a plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the wireless communication unit is to simultaneously transmit a plurality of different wireless communication transmissions to the plurality of wireless communication devices of the group during the downlink period

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the scheduling frame includes an indication of at least one uplink period allocated for transmissions from the group of wireless communication devices to the wireless communication unit.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the wireless communication unit is to transmit the scheduling frame having an address field including a group address assigned to the group.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein, prior to transmitting the scheduling frame the wireless communication unit is to reserve a wireless communication medium for a duration period including at least a duration of the scheduling frame and the downlink period.