ADAPTIVE CHANNEL REUSE MECHANISM IN COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

• US 20140169186A1
• Filed: 12/13/2012
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: ZHU, Hao, KATAR, Srinivas, YONGE, Lawrence W. III
• Granted Patent: US 9,025,527 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5495 having measurements and testing channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/00 Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/006 Quality of the received signal, e.g. BER, SNR, water filling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]

Abstract

A feature-capable device that supports channel reuse can execute operations for determining whether to reuse or share a communication channel with a neighbor network when a local network (that comprises the feature-capable device) and/or the neighbor network comprise legacy devices that do not support adaptive channel reuse feature. The feature-capable device can determine channel performance measurements associated with each legacy device in the local network and/or the neighbor network and can compare the channel performance measurements against corresponding performance thresholds. The local network and the neighbor network can reuse the channel if the channel performance measurements associated with all the legacy devices are in accordance with the corresponding performance thresholds. The local network and the neighbor network can share the channel if the channel performance measurements of at least one of the legacy devices is not in accordance with the corresponding performance thresholds.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a neighbor network at a first network device of a plurality of network devices of a local network, wherein the local network and the neighbor network each communicate via a common communication channel, wherein the first network device belongs to a first device type that supports inter-network channel reuse;

determining, at the first network device, an inter-network channel reuse decision that indicates whether to reuse the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network;

determining whether at least one of the local network and the neighbor network comprises a network device that belongs to a second device type, wherein the network device that belongs to the second device type does not support inter-network channel reuse;

if determined that at least one of the local network and the neighbor network comprise a network device that belongs to the second device type and if the inter-network channel reuse decision indicates to reuse the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network,

determining channel performance measurements associated with one or more network devices that belong to the second device type in the local network and the neighbor network based, at least in part, on reusing the communication channel with the one or more network devices that belong to the second device type; and

determining whether to maintain the inter-network channel reuse decision based, at least in part, on comparing the channel performance measurements associated with each network device that belongs to the second device type against corresponding performance measurement thresholds.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the inter-network channel reuse decision that indicates whether to reuse the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network comprises:

determining, at the first network device, a local channel reuse decision that indicates whether the first network device should reuse the communication channel with the neighbor network;

receiving, at the first network device, one or more local channel reuse decisions from corresponding one or more other network devices in one of the local network and the neighbor network, wherein each of the one or more network devices belongs to the first device type; and

combining the local channel reuse decision determined by the first network device and the one or more local channel reuse decisions received from the one or more other network devices to determine the inter-network channel reuse decision that indicates whether to reuse the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said determining the local channel reuse decision that indicates whether the first network device should reuse the communication channel with the neighbor network is based on at least one of:

an intra-network attenuation between each pair of network devices in the local network, and

an inter-network attenuation between the first network device in the local network and a network device in the neighbor network.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said combining the local channel reuse decision determined by the first network device and the one or more local channel reuse decisions received from the one or more other network devices to determine the inter-network channel reuse decision comprises:

determining whether each of the one or more local channel reuse decisions associated with corresponding one or more network devices of the first device type in the local network and the neighbor network indicates to reuse the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network;

if all of the one or more local channel reuse decisions indicate to reuse the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network,

determining the inter-network channel reuse decision that indicates to reuse the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network; and

if at least one of the one or more local channel reuse decisions indicates to share the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network,

determining the inter-network channel reuse decision that indicates to share the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein if determined that at least one of the local network and the neighbor network comprise a network device of the second device type and if the inter-network channel reuse decision indicates to reuse the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network, the method comprises:

identifying one or more network devices of the second device type in the local network;

determining whether the neighbor network comprises at least one network device of the first device type;

in response to determining that the neighbor network does not comprise any network devices of the first device type, identifying one or more network devices of the second device type in the neighbor network;

for each network device of the second device type in at least one of the local network and the neighbor network,

determining data transmission information based on one or more messages transmitted and received by the network device of the second device type; and

said determining the channel performance measurements comprises determining the channel performance measurements associated with the network device of the second device type based, at least in part, on the data transmission information associated with the network device of the second device type.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said determining the data transmission information based on one or more messages transmitted and received by the network device of the second device type comprises:

determining one or more of a data transmission rate and a bit loading estimate based, at least in part, on a start of delimiter (SOF) communicated to the network device; and

determining one or more of a packet error rate, a bit error rate, and a transmission success rate based, at least in part, on data transmission feedback communicated by the network device in a selective acknowledgement (SACK) delimiter.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining whether to maintain the inter-network channel reuse decision comprises:

determining whether the channel performance measurements associated with the network device of the second device type are in accordance with the corresponding performance measurement thresholds;

if it is determined that the channel performance measurements associated with each network device of the second device type are in accordance with the corresponding performance measurement thresholds,

determining to maintain the inter-network channel reuse decision to reuse the communication channel with the neighbor network; and

if it is determined that the channel performance measurements associated with at least the network device of the second device type are not in accordance with the corresponding performance measurement thresholds,

determining to share the communication channel with the neighbor network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said determining to share the communication channel with the neighbor network comprises:

transmitting a notification to other network devices of the first device type in the local network and the neighbor network to indicate that the local network and the neighbor network should share the communication channel.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining whether at least one of the local network and the neighbor network comprises a network device of the second device type comprises:

broadcasting a request message on the common communication channel requesting information about network devices of the first device type in the local network and the neighbor network;

if determined that a response message was not received during a predetermined time interval,

determining that the local network and the neighbor network do not comprise other network devices of the first device type;

if determined that one or more response messages were received during the predetermined time interval,

identifying one or more other network devices of the first device type in the local network and the neighbor network based, at least in part, on the received one or more response messages.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining whether at least one of the local network and the neighbor network comprises a network device of the second device type comprises:

receiving, from a network device of the first device type in the neighbor network, an indication of one or more network devices of the second device type in the neighbor network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein if determined that at least one of the local network and the neighbor network comprise a network device of the second device type, the method comprises:

determining to further evaluate the inter-network channel reuse decision to reuse the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network to determine whether reusing the communication channel will affect performance of the one or more network devices of the second device type.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein if determined that the local network and the neighbor network do not comprise a network device of the second device type, the method further comprises:

determining to operate in accordance with the inter-network channel reuse decision to reuse the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein if the local network does not comprise any network devices of the second device type and if the neighbor network does not comprise any network devices of the first device type, said determining the channel performance measurements further comprises:

detecting, at the first network device, a first transmission in the neighbor network;

determining a time instant at which a response message to the first transmission will be transmitted in the neighbor network;

initiating a second transmission in the local network from the first network device to a second network device of the first device type in the local network, wherein the second transmission in the local network is completed before the time instant at which the response message will be transmitted in the neighbor network;

detecting, at the first network device, the response message in the neighbor network; and

estimating the channel performance measurements associated with at least one network device of the second device type in the neighbor network based, at least in part, on information in the detected response message.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein if the neighbor network does not comprise any network devices of the first device type, said determining the channel performance measurements further comprises:

determining to exchange data communications with a second network device of the second device type in the local network;

detecting, at the first network device, a first transmission in the neighbor network, wherein the first transmission is a data packet burst that comprises a pre-determined number of data packets;

determining a time instant at which transmission of a first data packet of the data packet burst will end, a time instant at which transmission of a second data packet of the data packet burst will begin, and a time instant at which a response message to the data packet burst will be transmitted in the neighbor network;

initiating, from the first network device, the data communications in the local network at the time instant at which transmission of the second data packet begins in the neighbor network, wherein the data communications in the local network are completed before the time instant at which the response message to the data packet burst will be transmitted in the neighbor network;

detecting, at the first network device, the response message in the neighbor network; and

estimating the channel performance measurements associated with at least one network device of the second device type in the neighbor network based, at least in part, on information in the detected response message.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the channel performance measurements further comprises:

dividing an inspection time interval allocated for said determining the channel performance measurements into a channel reuse sub-interval and a channel share sub-interval;

during the channel reuse sub-interval, reusing the common communication channel with the neighbor network to exchange communications in the local network; and

during the channel share sub-interval, sharing the common communication channel with the neighbor network to detect one or more messages transmitted and received by the network device of the second device type and to determine the channel performance measurements associated with the network device of the second device type.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the inter-network channel reuse decision that indicates whether to reuse the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network further comprises:

determining, at the first network device, a local channel reuse decision that indicates whether the first network device should reuse the communication channel with the neighbor network;

determining whether the first network device is a coordinating device of the local network;

if it is determined that the first network device is not the coordinating device of the local network, transmitting the local channel reuse decision associated with the first network device to the coordinating device of the local network;

if it is determined that the first network device is not the coordinating device of the local network

receiving one or more local channel reuse decisions from corresponding one or more other network devices in the local network, wherein each of the one or more network devices belong to the first device type; and

determining an intra-network channel reuse decision for the local network based, at least in part, on the local channel reuse decision associated with the first network device and the one or more local channel reuse decisions received from the one or more other network devices of the first device type in the local network;

broadcasting the intra-network channel reuse decision for the local network to a coordinating device of the neighbor network and receiving an intra-network channel reuse decision for the neighbor network; and

determining the inter-network channel reuse decision that indicates whether to reuse the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network based, at least in part, on the intra-network channel reuse decision for the local network and the intra-network channel reuse decision for the neighbor network.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the channel performance measurements comprise one or more of a data transmission rate, an error rate, a received signal strength indicator, and an attenuation level.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein if determined to reuse the channel between the local network and the neighbor network, the method further comprises:

determining to initiate a data transmission from the first network device in the local network to a second network device of the first device type in the local network;

detecting, at the first network device, a transmission in the neighbor network; and

ignoring the transmission in the neighbor network and initiating the data transmission from the first network device to the second network device in the local network.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein if determined to reuse the channel between the local network and the neighbor network, the method further comprises:

determining to initiate a data transmission from the first network device in the local network to a second network device of the second device type in the local network;

detecting, at the first network device, a transmission in the neighbor network;

determining a time instant at which a response message to the transmission in the neighbor network will be transmitted; and

initiating the data transmission from the first network device to cause the second network device of the second device type in the local network to synchronize with the first network device and become out-of-sync with the neighbor network, wherein the data transmission from the first network device begins at the time instant at which the response message is transmitted in the neighbor network.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein if determined to share the channel between the local network and the neighbor network, the method further comprises:

determining to initiate a data transmission from the first network device in the local network to a second network device in the local network;

detecting, at the first network device, a transmission in the neighbor network; and

deferring the data transmission from the first network device for the duration of the transmission in the neighbor network.

21. A communication device comprising:

a processor; and

a communication unit coupled with the processor, the communication unit operable to;

identify a neighbor network for a local network to which the communication device belongs, wherein the local network and the neighbor network each communicate via a common communication channel, wherein the communication device belongs to a first device type that supports inter-network channel reuse;

determine an inter-network channel reuse decision that indicates whether to reuse the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network;

determine whether at least one of the local network and the neighbor network comprises a network device that belongs to a second device type, wherein the network device that belongs to the second device type does not support inter-network channel reuse;

if determined that at least one of the local network and the neighbor network comprise a network device that belongs to the second device type and if the inter-network channel reuse decision indicates to reuse the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network,

determine channel performance measurements associated with one or more network devices that belong to the second device type in the local network and the neighbor network based, at least in part, on reusing the communication channel with the one or more network devices that belong to the second device type; and

determine whether to maintain the inter-network channel reuse decision based, at least in part, on comparing the channel performance measurements associated with each network device that belongs to the second device type against corresponding performance measurement thresholds.

22. The network device of claim 21, wherein the communication unit operable to determine the inter-network channel reuse decision that indicates whether to reuse the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network comprises the communication unit operable to:

determine a local channel reuse decision that indicates whether the communication device should reuse the communication channel with the neighbor network;

receive one or more local channel reuse decisions from corresponding one or more other network devices in one of the local network and the neighbor network, wherein each of the one or more network devices belongs to the first device type; and

combine the local channel reuse decision determined by the communication unit and the one or more local channel reuse decisions received from the one or more other network devices to determine the inter-network channel reuse decision that indicates whether to reuse the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network.

23. The network device of claim 21, wherein the communication unit operable to determine whether to maintain the inter-network channel reuse decision comprises the communication unit operable to:

determine whether the channel performance measurements associated with the network device of the second device type are in accordance with the corresponding performance measurement thresholds;

if it is determined that the channel performance measurements associated with each network device of the second device type are in accordance with the corresponding performance measurement thresholds, determine to maintain the inter-network channel reuse decision to reuse the communication channel with the neighbor network; and

if it is determined that the channel performance measurements associated with at least the network device of the second device type are not in accordance with the corresponding performance measurement thresholds, determine to share the communication channel with the neighbor network.

24. The communication device of claim 21, wherein if the local network does not comprise any network devices of the second device type and if the neighbor network does not comprise any network devices of the first device type, the communication unit operable to determine the channel performance measurements further comprises the communication unit operable to:

detect a first transmission in the neighbor network;

determine a time instant at which a response message to the first transmission will be transmitted in the neighbor network;

initiate a second transmission in the local network to a destination device of the first device type in the local network, wherein the second transmission in the local network is completed before the time instant at which the response message will be transmitted in the neighbor network;

detect the response message in the neighbor network; and

estimate the channel performance measurements associated with at least one network device of the second device type in the neighbor network based, at least in part, on information in the detected response message.

25. The communication device of claim 21, wherein if the neighbor network does not comprise any network devices of the first device type, the communication unit operable to determine the channel performance measurements further comprises the communication unit operable to:

determine to exchange data communications with a network device of the second device type in the local network;

detect a first transmission in the neighbor network, wherein the first transmission is a data packet burst that comprises a pre-determined number of data packets;

determine a time instant at which transmission of a first data packet of the data packet burst will end, a time instant at which transmission of a second data packet of the data packet burst will begin, and a time instant at which a response message to the data packet burst will be transmitted in the neighbor network;

initiate the data communications in the local network at the time instant at which transmission of the second data packet begins in the neighbor network, wherein the data communications in the local network are completed before the time instant at which the response message to the data packet burst will be transmitted in the neighbor network;

detect the response message in the neighbor network; and

estimate the channel performance measurements associated with at least one network device of the second device type in the neighbor network based, at least in part, on information in the detected response message.

26. The communication device of claim 21, wherein the communication unit operable to determine the channel performance measurements further comprises the communication unit operable to:

divide an inspection time interval allocated for determining the channel performance measurements into a channel reuse sub-interval and a channel share sub-interval;

during the channel reuse sub-interval, reuse the common communication channel with the neighbor network to exchange communications in the local network; and

during the channel share sub-interval, share the common communication channel with the neighbor network to detect one or more messages transmitted and received by the network device of the second device type and to determine the channel performance measurements associated with the network device of the second device type.

27. The communication device of claim 21, wherein if determined to reuse the channel between the local network and the neighbor network, the communication unit is further operable to:

determine to initiate a data transmission from the communication device in the local network to a destination network device of the second device type in the local network;

detect a transmission in the neighbor network;

determine a time instant at which a response message to the transmission in the neighbor network will be transmitted; and

initiate the data transmission at the time instant at which the response message is transmitted in the neighbor network, to cause the destination network device of the second device type in the local network to synchronize with the communication device and become out-of-sync with the neighbor network.

28. One or more machine-readable storage media having instructions stored therein, which when executed by one or more processor units causes the one or more processor units to perform operations that comprise:

identifying a neighbor network at a first network device of a local network, wherein the local network and the neighbor network each communicate via a common communication channel, wherein the first network device belongs to a first device type that supports inter-network channel reuse;

determining an inter-network channel reuse decision that indicates whether to reuse the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network;

determining whether at least one of the local network and the neighbor network comprises a network device that belongs to a second device type, wherein the network device that belongs to the second device type does not support inter-network channel reuse;

if determined that at least one of the local network and the neighbor network comprise a network device that belongs to the second device type and if the inter-network channel reuse decision indicates to reuse the communication channel between the local network and the neighbor network,

determining channel performance measurements associated with one or more network devices that belong to the second device type in the local network and the neighbor network based, at least in part, on reusing the communication channel with the one or more network devices that belong to the second device type; and

determining whether to maintain the inter-network channel reuse decision based, at least in part, on comparing the channel performance measurements associated with each network device that belongs to the second device type against corresponding performance measurement thresholds.

29. The machine-readable storage media of claim 28 wherein said operation of determining whether to maintain the inter-network channel reuse decision comprises:

determining whether the channel performance measurements associated with the network device of the second device type are in accordance with the corresponding performance measurement thresholds;

if it is determined that the channel performance measurements associated with each network device of the second device type are in accordance with the corresponding performance measurement thresholds,

determining to maintain the inter-network channel reuse decision to reuse the communication channel with the neighbor network; and

if it is determined that the channel performance measurements associated with at least the network device of the second device type are not in accordance with the corresponding performance measurement thresholds,

determining to share the communication channel with the neighbor network.

30. The machine-readable storage media of claim 28, wherein if the local network does not comprise any network devices of the second device type and if the neighbor network does not comprise any network devices of the first device type, said operation of determining the channel performance measurements further comprises:

detecting, at the first network device, a first transmission in the neighbor network;

determining a time instant at which a response message to the first transmission will be transmitted in the neighbor network;

initiating a second transmission in the local network from the first network device to a second network device of the first device type in the local network, wherein the second transmission in the local network is completed before the time instant at which the response message will be transmitted in the neighbor network;

detecting, at the first network device, the response message in the neighbor network; and

estimating the channel performance measurements associated with at least one network device of the second device type in the neighbor network based, at least in part, on information in the detected response message.

31. The machine-readable storage media of claim 28, wherein if the neighbor network does not comprise any network devices of the first device type, said operation of determining the channel performance measurements further comprises:

determining to exchange data communications with a second network device of the second device type in the local network;

detecting, at the first network device, a first transmission in the neighbor network, wherein the first transmission is a data packet burst that comprises a pre-determined number of data packets;

determining a time instant at which transmission of a first data packet of the data packet burst will end, a time instant at which transmission of a second data packet of the data packet burst will begin, and a time instant at which a response message to the data packet burst will be transmitted in the neighbor network;

initiating, from the first network device, the data communications in the local network at the time instant at which transmission of the second data packet begins in the neighbor network, wherein the data communications in the local network are completed before the time instant at which the response message to the data packet burst will be transmitted in the neighbor network;

detecting, at the first network device, the response message in the neighbor network; and

estimating the channel performance measurements associated with at least one network device of the second device type in the neighbor network based, at least in part, on information in the detected response message.

32. The machine-readable storage media of claim 28, wherein if determined to reuse the channel between the local network and the neighbor network, the operations further comprise:

determining to initiate a data transmission from the first network device in the local network to a second network device of the second device type in the local network;

detecting, at the first network device, a transmission in the neighbor network;

determining a time instant at which a response message to the transmission in the neighbor network will be transmitted; and

initiating the data transmission from the first network device to cause the second network device of the second device type in the local network to synchronize with the first network device and become out-of-sync with the neighbor network, wherein the data transmission from the first network device begins at the time instant at which the response message is transmitted in the neighbor network.