Methods and Apparatuses for Facilitating Communications

• US 20140177517A1
• Filed: 12/19/2013
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: KOSKELA, Timo, PANTELIDOU, Anna, TURTINEN, Samuli, HAKOLA, Sami-Jukka
• Granted Patent: US 9,888,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15507 Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15542 Selecting at relay station its transmit and receive resources selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02; arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path by two-dimensional division of the resources H04L5/0003, or by allocating sub-channels H04L5/003
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for scheduling or assigning a transmission opportunity. A method and apparatus may assign a relay transmission opportunity to at least one intermediate node designating a resource, among a plurality of resources, of a scheduled transmission opportunity of a signal. The intermediate node is assigned to communicate with at least one designated station during the designated time period. The method and apparatus may broadcast information of the signal to enable the designated station to detect data of the signal indicating that the station is assigned to communicate with the intermediate node during the designated resource of the scheduled transmission opportunity.

Claims

1. A method for assigning a transmission opportunity, the method comprising:

assigning a relay transmission opportunity to at least one intermediate node designating a resource, among a plurality of resources, of a scheduled transmission opportunity of a signal, the intermediate node being assigned to communicate with at least one designated station during the designated resource; and

causing broadcasting of information of the signal to enable the designated station to detect data of the signal indicating that the station is assigned to communicate with the intermediate node during the designated resource of the scheduled transmission opportunity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the resource comprises a time slot and the resources comprise a plurality of time slots;

the scheduled transmission opportunity comprises a Restricted Access Window; and

the signal comprises a beacon.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected data comprises a relay association identifier corresponding to the intermediate node.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

assigning a plurality of stations to communicate with the intermediate node during the time slot of the restricted access window.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

designating content in the beacon indicating that the stations belong to a group to communicate with the intermediate node during the time slot to enable the stations to detect the content and communicate with the intermediate node during a time period of the time slot.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the content comprises a group association identifier corresponding to a relay association identifier of the intermediate node and indications of the stations of the group.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

enabling the stations to communicate with the intermediate node during a time period of the time slot in response to the stations accessing a channel according to a Carrier Sense Multiple Access procedure.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein assigning further comprises assigning the relay transmission opportunity to a plurality of intermediate nodes designating the intermediate nodes to share the time slot of the restricted access window to communicate with one or more respective stations.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein assigning the relay transmission opportunity to the intermediate nodes comprises assigning relay association identifiers of the intermediate nodes to the time slot.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein broadcasting the signal further comprises enabling the respective stations to detect corresponding relay association identifiers of the intermediate nodes to enable the respective stations to communicate simultaneously with respective intermediate nodes.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

designating information in the beacon explicitly indicating that the intermediate nodes share the time slot by assigning at least one bit in at least one Restricted Access Window parameter of the beacon.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

implicitly indicating, in the beacon, that the intermediate nodes share the time slot by indicating relay association identifiers of the intermediate nodes and one time slot of the Restricted Access Window.

13. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

designating that a communication during a time period of the time slot comprises a downlink communication in which the station receives data from the intermediate node or the intermediate node receives data from an access point.

14. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

designating that a communication during a time period of the time slot comprises an uplink communication in which the station transmits data to the intermediate node or the intermediate node transmits data to an access point.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a multiuser-aggregated media access control protocol data unit comprising aggregated items of data received from different stations; and

using a higher priority of access to process the media access control protocol data unit with a higher priority relative to at least one other item of data.

16. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

releasing the assigning of the relay transmission opportunity to the intermediate nodes which triggers at least one of the respective stations receiving a frame, indicating that at least one of the intermediate nodes is no longer communicating during the time slot, to reset a network allocation vector denoting that a channel is available for usage.

17. An apparatus for assigning a transmission opportunity, the apparatus comprising:

a processing system arranged to cause the apparatus to at least;

assign a relay transmission opportunity to at least one intermediate node designating a resource, among a plurality of resources, of a scheduled transmission opportunity of a signal, the intermediate node being assigned to communicate with at least one designated station during the designated resource; and

cause broadcast of information of the signal to enable the designated station to detect data of the signal indicating that the station is assigned to communicate with the intermediate node during the designated resource of the scheduled transmission opportunity.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the resource comprises a time slot and the resources comprise a plurality of time slots;

the scheduled transmission opportunity comprises a Restricted Access Window; and

the signal comprises a beacon

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processing system is arranged to cause the apparatus to:

assign a plurality of stations to communicate with the intermediate node during the time slot of the restricted access window.

19. (canceled)

21-34. -34. (canceled)

35. A computer readable medium for assigning a transmission opportunity, the computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions, which, when executed on an apparatus, causes the apparatus to perform the steps of:

assigning a relay transmission opportunity to at least one intermediate node designating a resource, among a plurality of resources, of a scheduled transmission opportunity of a signal, the intermediate node being assigned to communicate with at least one designated station during the designated resource; and

causing broadcasting of information of the signal to enable the designated station to detect data of the signal indicating that the station is assigned to communicate with the intermediate node during the designated resource of the scheduled transmission opportunity.

36-155. -155. (canceled)