SYSTEM AND METHOD OF COMMUNICATION USING DISTRIBUTED CHANNEL ACCESS PARAMETERS

• US 20130176902A1
• Filed: 11/08/2012
• Published: 07/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wentink, Maarten Menzo, Merlin, Simone, Asterjadhi, Alfred, Quan, Zhi, Abraham, Santosh Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,191,970 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/255
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A device includes a processor and a memory accessible by the processor. The memory includes access category data specifying one or more access categories. The one or more access categories include a sensor access category specifying distributed channel access parameters to be used by one or more station devices to wirelessly communicate sensor data via a network. The memory further includes instructions executable by the processor to send at least a portion of the access category data to a station device to enable the station device to communicate sensor data.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory accessible by the processor, the memory comprising;

access category data specifying one or more access categories, the one or more access categories including a sensor access category specifying distributed channel access parameters to be used by one or more station devices to wirelessly communicate sensor data via a network; and

instructions executable by the processor to send at least a portion of the access category data to a station device to enable the station device to communicate sensor data.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable by the processor to establish the network with the one or more station devices.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more access categories further include at least one media access category that specifies distributed channel access parameters to be used by the one or more station devices to wirelessly communicate media data via the network.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor access category indicates a first arbitration intra-frame spacing number (AIFSN) value and the access category data includes a second AIFSN value for at least one media access category, wherein the first AIFSN value is lower than the second AIFSN value.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor access category indicates a minimum contention window value of seven (7), a maximum contention window value of thirty-one (31), and an arbitration intra-frame spacing number (AIFSN) value of two (2).

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor access category indicates a minimum contention window value of seven (7), a maximum contention window value of fifteen (15), and an arbitration intra-frame spacing number (AIFSN) value of two (2).

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor access category indicates a transmit opportunity (TXOP) value, wherein the TXOP value is one of zero (0) or approximately fifteen and six tenths (15.6) milliseconds.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more access categories include a single access category for transmission of best efforts data and background data.

9. A device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory accessible by the processor, the memory comprising;

access category data specifying one or more access categories, the one or more access categories including a sensor access category specifying distributed channel access parameters to be used to wirelessly communicate sensor data; and

instructions executable by the processor to wirelessly transmit sensor data using the sensor access category.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the one or more access categories further include at least one media access category that specifies distributed channel access parameters to be used to wirelessly communicate media data.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the access category data specifies a lower priority for the media data than for the sensor data.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the one or more access categories further include at least one voice access category that specifies distributed channel access parameters to be used to wirelessly communicate voice data.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the access category data specifies a lower priority for the voice data than for the sensor data.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the one or more access categories further include at least one video access category that specifies distributed channel access parameters to be used to wirelessly communicate video data.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the access category data specifies a lower priority for the video data than for the sensor data.

16. An apparatus comprising:

means for determining, using access category data, distributed channel access parameters to be used for transmission of first data based on an access category assigned to a data type of the first data, wherein the access category data specifies one or more access categories including a sensor access category specifying sensor data distributed channel access parameters to be used to wirelessly communicate sensor data; and

means for wirelessly transmitting the first data using the determined distributed channel access parameters.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising means for determining a data type of the first data to be transmitted.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising means for receiving at least a portion of access category data from an access point before determining the distributed channel access parameters to be used for transmission of the first data.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the sensor access category indicates a first arbitration intra-frame spacing number (AIFSN), and the access category data includes a second AIFSN for at least one media access category, wherein the first AIFSN is lower than the second AIFSN.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the sensor access category indicates a minimum contention window value of seven (7), a maximum contention window value of thirty-one (31), and an arbitration intra-frame spacing number (AIFSN) value of two (2).

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the access category data specifies a voice access category having a minimum contention window value of fifteen (15), a maximum contention window value of thirty-one (31), and an AIFSN value of four (4).

22. The device of claim 20, wherein the access category data specifies a video access category having a minimum contention window value of fifteen (15), a maximum contention window value of thirty-one (31), and an AIFSN value of five (5).

23. The device of claim 20, wherein the access category data specifies a best efforts access category having a minimum contention window value of thirty-one (31), a maximum contention window value of one thousand twenty-three (1023), and an AIFSN value of seven (7).

24. A method comprising:

determining a data type of first data to be transmitted;

determining, using access category data, distributed channel access parameters to be used for transmission of the first data based on an access category assigned to the data type of the first data, wherein the access category data specifies one or more access categories including a sensor access category specifying sensor data distributed channel access parameters to be used to wirelessly communicate sensor data; and

wirelessly transmitting the first data using the determined distributed channel access parameters.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising receiving at least a portion of the access category data from an access point before determining the distributed channel access parameters to be used for transmission of the first data.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the sensor data distributed channel access parameters include a minimum contention window value of seven (7), a maximum contention window value of fifteen (15), and an arbitration intra-frame spacing number (AIFSN) value of two (2).

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the one or more access categories includes a video access category specifying video data distributed channel access parameters including a minimum contention window value of fifteen (7), a maximum contention window value of thirty-one (31), and an AIFSN value of four (4).

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the sensor data distributed channel access parameters indicate a transmission opportunity (TXOP) value of zero (0).

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the sensor data distributed channel access parameters indicate a transmission opportunity (TXOP) value of approximately fifteen and six tenths (15.6) milliseconds.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the one or more access categories include a single access category for transmission of best efforts data and background data.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein the data type is associated with an access category.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the data type comprises one of best efforts, video, voice, or sensor.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein the one or more access categories include the sensor access category, a best efforts access category, a video access category, a voice access category, or a combination thereof.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the one or more access categories include a single access category for best efforts data and background data.

35. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one channel access parameter comprises a minimum contention window value, a maximum contention window value, an arbitration intra-frame spacing number value, or a combination thereof.

36. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one channel access parameter is associated with an enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) parameter.

37. A non-transitory storage medium comprising processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

determine a data type of first data to be transmitted; and

determine, using access category data, distributed channel access parameters to be used for transmission of the first data based on an access category assigned to the data type of the first data, wherein the access category data specifies one or more access categories including a sensor access category specifying sensor data distributed channel access parameters to be used to wirelessly communicate sensor data.

38. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 37, wherein at least one channel access parameter is determined based at least in part on a device type.

39. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 37, wherein at least one channel access parameter is determined based at least in part on device membership in a particular group.

40. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 37, wherein at least one channel access parameter is determined based at least in part on a traffic type.

41. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 37, further comprising processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine at least one channel access parameter based on an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11ah standard.

42. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 37, further comprising processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine a first value of at least one distributed channel access parameter based on a base value and a delta value.

43. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 42, further comprising processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

receive a second base value; and

determine a second value of the at least one distributed channel access parameter based on the second base value and the delta value.

44. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 42, further comprising receiving the base value in a beacon.

45. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 42, wherein the delta value comprises a device specific delta value or a group specific delta value.

46. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 42, further comprising processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to initiate a wireless transmission of the first data using the determined distributed channel access parameters.

47. A method comprising:

determining a device type associated with a device to transmit data; and

determining, using access category data, at least one distributed channel access parameter to be used for a transmission of the data based on the device type, wherein the access category data specifies one or more access categories including a sensor access category, and wherein the sensor access category specifies sensor data distributed channel access parameters to be used to wirelessly communicate sensor data.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the at least one channel access parameter comprises one of a minimum contention window value, a maximum contention window value, an arbitration intra-frame spacing number value, or a combination thereof.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the at least one channel access parameter is associated with an enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) parameter.

50. The method of claim 47, wherein the at least one channel access parameter is associated with a transmission opportunity (TXOP) value.

51. The method of claim 47, wherein the device type is determined based on a membership of the device in a particular group.

52. The method of claim 47, wherein the device type is determined based on a traffic type of data generated by the device.

53. The method of claim 47, wherein the device type comprises a sensor, non-sensor, battery operated, mains operated, or a combination thereof.

54. The method of claim 47, wherein the one or more access categories comprise the sensor access category, a best efforts access category, a video access category, a voice access category, or a combination thereof.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the one or more access categories comprise a single access category for best efforts data and background data.

56. The method of claim 47, further comprising determining the at least one channel access parameter based on an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11ah standard.

57. A method comprising:

identifying a device to transmit data; and

determining, using access category data, at least one distributed channel access parameter to be used for a transmission of the data based on the identified device, wherein the access category data specifies one or more access categories including a sensor access category, and wherein the sensor access category specifies sensor data distributed channel access parameters to be used to wirelessly communicate sensor data.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the device is identified based on a device identifier, a network address associated with the device, a local identifier associated with the device, a network identifier associated with the device, or a combination thereof.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the device identifier comprises an international mobile subscriber identity, an international mobile equipment identity, a subscriber identity module identifier, a media access control address, an electronic serial number, or a combination thereof.

60. The method of claim 57, wherein the one or more access categories comprise the sensor access category, a best efforts access category, a video access category, a voice access category, or a combination thereof.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the one or more access categories comprise a single access category for best efforts data and background data.

62. The method of claim 57, wherein the at least one channel access parameter comprises a minimum contention window value, a maximum contention window value, an arbitration intra-frame spacing number value, or a combination thereof.

63. The method of claim 57, wherein the at least one channel access parameter is associated with an enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) parameter.