COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE AND METHODS

• US 20160338103A1
• Filed: 12/24/2014
• Published: 11/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: MARTIN, Brian Alexander, WAKABAYASHI, Hideji
• Granted Patent: US 10,111,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0816 with collision avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

A communications device can identify one or more sections of plural predetermined sections, divided into time-units, of shared communications resources of a wireless access interface for transmitting data signals to one or more other communications device. The communications device detects whether another of the one or more communications devices is transmitting signals in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources in at least one time divided unit, and if signals transmitted by another of the communications devices are not detected, the device transmits signals in the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources for at least one of the time divided units, and then, after a collision avoidance time, detects for at least one subsequent time unit whether another of the one or more communications devices transmits signals in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources.

Claims

1. A method of communicating using a communications device via a wireless access interface to perform device-to-device communications, the method comprising

identifying one or more sections of a plurality of predetermined sections of shared communications resources of the wireless access interface for transmitting signals representing data to one or more other communications device, the plurality of predetermined sections of the shared communications resources of the wireless access interface being divided into time-units,

transmitting signals in the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources for at least one of the time divided units,

after a collision avoidance time, detecting for at least one subsequent time unit whether another of the one or more communications devices transmits signals in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources, and

if signals transmitted by another of the communications devices are not detected for the at least one subsequent time unit, transmitting signals in the one or more identified sections of the shared communications resources, the signals representing the data being communicated to the one or more other communications devices.

2. A method of communicating as claimed in claim 1, comprising

generating the collision avoidance time pseudo-randomly, and the detecting for at least one subsequent time unit whether another of the one or more communications devices transmits signals in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources, includes

after the pseudo-randomly generated collision avoidance time, which corresponds to one or more of the subsequent time units, performing the detecting whether another of the one or more communications devices transmits signals in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources, and transmitting the signals if signals transmitted by another of the communications devices are not detected.

3. A method of communicating as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitting signals in the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources for at least one of the time divided units, includes transmitting the signals in the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources during the collision avoidance time, and

after the collision avoidance time, not transmitting the signals to perform the detecting whether another of the one or more communications devices transmits signals in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources.

4. A method of communicating as claimed in claim 1, wherein if signals transmitted by another of the communications devices in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources in the at least one subsequent time unit are detected, then

identifying one or more other sections of the plurality of predetermined sections of shared communications resources than the identified sections of the communications resources which were first identified to transmit the signals representing data to one or more other communications device, and if one or more other sections of the predetermined sections of the communications resources are identified,

transmitting the signals in the identified one or more other predetermined sections of the shared communications resources for at least one of the time divided units,

after a collision avoidance time, detecting for at least one subsequent time unit whether another of the one or more communications devices transmits signals in one or more of the identified other sections of the shared communications resources, and

if signals transmitted by another of the communications devices are not detected for the at least one subsequent time unit, transmitting the signals in the one or more identified other sections of the shared communications resources, the signals representing the data being communicated to the one or more other communications devices.

5. A method of communicating as claimed in claim 4, wherein if one or more other sections of the predetermined sections of the communications resources cannot be identified, then

waiting for at least one time-unit, and

after waiting, detecting again whether another of the one or more communications devices is transmitting signals in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources in at least one time divided unit, and

if signals transmitted by another of the communications devices are not detected for the at least one time divided unit, transmitting the signals in the one or more identified sections of the shared communications resources, or

performing the identifying the one or more other sections of the plurality of predetermined sections of shared communications resources than the identified sections of the communications resources which were first identified to transmit the signals representing data.

6. A method of communicating as claimed in claim 1, wherein the waiting for at least one time-unit comprises

generating a pseudo-random waiting time of at least one time divided unit, and

waiting for the pseudo-random waiting time, before detecting again whether another of the one or more communications devices is transmitting signals in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources in at least one time divided unit.

7. A method of communicating as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identifying the one or more of the sections of the plurality of predetermined sections of shared communications resources of the wireless access interface for transmitting the signals includes

detecting whether one or more others of the communications devices are transmitting signals in the predetermined sections of the shared communications resources in one or more time divided units, and if signals are not detected in one or more of the predetermined sections of the shared communications resources, which are required for transmitting the data,

identifying the one or more sections of a plurality of predetermined sections of shared communications resources for transmitting the signals representing the data from the one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources in which the other communications devices are not transmitting signals in accordance with the data for transmission.

8. A method of communicating as claimed in claim 1, wherein if signals are being transmitted by one or more other of the communications devices in one or more of the predetermined sections of the shared communications resources which are required by the communications device to transmit the data, then

waiting for at least one time-unit, and

after waiting, detecting again whether one or more others of the communications devices are transmitting signals in the predetermined sections of the shared communications resources in at least one time divided unit, and then performing the identifying the one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources in which the other communications devices are not transmitting signals in accordance with the data for transmission.

9. A method of communicating as claimed in claim 8, wherein the waiting for at least one time-unit comprises

generating a pseudo-random waiting time of at least one time divided unit, and

waiting for the pseudo-random waiting time, before the detecting again whether one or more others of the one or more communications devices is transmitting signals in the sections of the shared communications resources in at least one time divided unit.

10. A method of communicating as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless access interface includes a scheduling region in the time divided units which are separated by at least one time divided unit which includes one or more of the plurality of predetermined sections of the shared communications resources and in combination with the time divided unit which includes the scheduling region provides repeating periodic sections of the wireless access interface, the scheduling region providing a plurality of predetermined sections which correspond to the plurality of the predetermined sections of the shared communications resources so that transmitting a message in one of the predetermined sections of the scheduling region indicates to other communications devices that the corresponding one or more sections of the plurality of the shared communications resource will be used for transmitting signals representing the data by the communications device, and the detecting whether another of the one or more communications devices is transmitting signals in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources in at least one time divided unit comprises

detecting whether another of the one or more communications devices has transmitted a message in one or more predetermined sections of the scheduling region which correspond to the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources, and if the signals transmitted by another of the communications devices are not detected, the transmitting signals in the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources for at least one of the time divided units, comprises

transmitting a message in one or more predetermined sections of the scheduling region corresponding to the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources, and

transmitting the signals in the one or more identified sections of the shared communications resources.

11. A method of communicating as claimed in claim 10, wherein the detecting for at least one subsequent time unit whether another of the one or more communications devices transmits signals in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources, comprises

detecting whether another of the one or more communications devices has transmitted a message in one or more of the predetermined sections of the scheduling region which correspond to the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources.

12. A method of communicating as claimed in claim 10, wherein the detecting for at least one subsequent time unit whether another of the one or more communications devices transmits signals in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources, includes

detecting whether another of the one or more communications devices is transmitting signals in the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources.

16. A communications device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the controller is configured with the transmitter and the receiver

to identify one or more other sections of the plurality of predetermined sections of shared communications resources than the identified sections of the communications resources which were first identified to transmit the signals representing data to one or more other communications device, if signals are transmitted by another of the communications devices in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources in the at least one subsequent time unit are detected, and if one or more other sections of the predetermined sections of the communications resources are identified,

to transmit the signals in the identified one or more other predetermined sections of the shared communications resources for at least one of the time divided units,

after a collision avoidance time, to detect for at least one subsequent time unit whether another of the one or more communications devices transmits signals in one or more of the identified other sections of the shared communications resources, and

if signals transmitted by another of the communications devices are not detected for the at least one subsequent time unit, to transmit the signals in the one or more identified other sections of the shared communications resources.

17. A communications device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the controller is configured with the transmitter and the receiver

if one or more other sections of the predetermined sections of the communications resources cannot be identified, to wait for at least one time-unit, and

after waiting, to detect again whether another of the one or more communications devices is transmitting signals in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources in at least one time divided unit, and

if signals transmitted by another of the communications devices are not detected for the at least one time divided unit, to transmit the signals in the one or more identified sections of the shared communications resources, or

to identify the one or more other sections of the plurality of predetermined sections of shared communications resources than the identified sections of the communications resources which were first identified to transmit the signals representing data.

18. A communications device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the controller is configured with the transmitter and the receiver

to generate a pseudo-random waiting time of at least one time divided unit, and

to wait for the pseudo-random waiting time, before detecting again whether another of the one or more communications devices is transmitting signals in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources in at least one time divided unit.

19. A communications device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the controller is configured with the transmitter and the receiver to identify the one or more of the sections of the plurality of predetermined sections of shared communications resources of the wireless access interface for transmitting the signals representing the data by

detecting whether one or more others of the one or more communications devices are transmitting signals in the predetermined sections of the shared communications resources in one or more time divided units, and if signals are not detected in one or more of the predetermined sections of the shared communications resources, which are required for transmitting the data,

identifying the one or more sections of a plurality of predetermined sections of shared communications resources for transmitting the signals representing the data from the one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources in which the other communications devices are not transmitting signals in accordance with the data for transmission.

20. A communications device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the controller is configured with the transmitter and the receiver

to identify the one or more of the sections of the plurality of predetermined sections of shared communications resources of the wireless access interface for transmitting the signals representing the data by

detecting whether one or more others of the one or more communications devices is transmitting signals in the predetermined sections of the shared communications resources in one or more time divided units, and if signals are detected in one or more of the predetermined sections of the shared communications resources, which are required for transmitting the data, then

waiting for at least one time-unit, and

after waiting, detecting again whether one or more others of the communications devices are transmitting signals in the predetermined sections of the shared communications resources in at least one time divided unit, and then performing the identifying the one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources in which the other communications devices are not transmitting signals in accordance with the data for transmission.

21. A communications device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the controller is configured with the transmitter and the receiver

to generate a pseudo-random waiting time of at least one time divided unit, and

to wait for the pseudo-random waiting time, and then to detect again whether one or more others of the one or more communications devices is transmitting signals in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources in at least one time divided unit.

22. A communications device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the wireless access interface includes a scheduling region in the time divided units which are separated by at least one time divided unit, which includes one or more of the plurality of predetermined sections of the shared communications resources and in combination with the time divided unit which includes the scheduling region, provides repeating periodic sections of the wireless access interface, the scheduling region providing a plurality of predetermined sections which correspond to the plurality of the predetermined sections of the shared communications resources so that transmitting a message in one of the predetermined sections of the scheduling region indicates to other communications devices that corresponding one or more predetermined sections of the plurality of the shared communications resource will be used for transmitting signals representing the data by the communications device, and the controller is configured with the transmitter and the receiver

to detect whether another of the one or more communications devices has transmitted a message in one or more predetermined sections of the scheduling region which correspond to the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources, and if the signals transmitted by another of the communications devices are not detected,

to transmit a message in one or more predetermined sections of the scheduling region corresponding to the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources, and

to transmit the signals in the one or more identified sections of the shared communications resources.

23. A communications device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the controller is configured with the receiver to detect for at least one subsequent time unit whether another of the one or more communications devices transmits signals in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources, by detecting whether another of the one or more communications devices has transmitted a message in one or more predetermined sections of the scheduling region which correspond to the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources.

24. A communications device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the controller is configured with the receiver to detect for at least one subsequent time unit whether another of the one or more communications devices transmits signals in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources, by detecting whether another of the one or more communications devices is transmitting signals in the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources.

13. A communications device comprising

a transmitter configured to transmit signals to one or more other communications devices via a wireless access interface to perform device-to-device communications,

a receiver configured to receive signals from the one or more other communications devices via the wireless access interface, and

a controller for controlling the transmitter and the receiver to transmit or to receive the signals via the wireless access interface to transmit or to receive data represented by the signals, the wireless access interface including a plurality of predetermined sections of shared communications resources in time divided units, and the controller is configured

to identify one or more sections of the plurality of the predetermined sections of the shared communications resources for transmitting signals representing data for transmission to one or more other communications device,

to transmit signals in the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources for at least one of the time divided units, and after a collision avoidance time,

to detect for at least one subsequent time unit whether another of the one or more communications devices transmits signals in the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources, and if the receiver does not detect another communications devices transmitting in at least one of the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources for the at least one subsequent time unit, the controller is configured in combination with the transmitter

to transmit signals in the one or more identified sections of the shared communications resources, the signals representing the data being communicated to the one or more other communications devices.

14. A communications device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the controller is configured with the transmitter and the receiver

to generate the collision avoidance time pseudo-randomly, and

after the pseudo-randomly generated collision avoidance time, which corresponds to one or more of the subsequent time units, to detect whether another of the one or more communications devices transmits signals in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources, and

to transmit the signals if signals transmitted by another of the communications devices are not detected.

15. A communications device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the controller is configured with the transmitter and the receiver

to transmit the signals in the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources during the collision avoidance time, and

after the collision avoidance time, not transmitting the signals to perform the detecting whether another of the one or more communications devices transmits signals in one or more of the identified sections of the shared communications resources.

25. A communications device comprising

transmitter circuitry configured to transmit signals to one or more other communications devices via a wireless access interface to perform device-to-device communications,

receiver circuitry configured to receive signals from the one or more other communications devices via the wireless access interface, and

controller circuitry for controlling the transmitter and the receiver to transmit or to receive the signals via the wireless access interface to transmit or to receive data represented by the signals, the wireless access interface including a plurality of predetermined sections of shared communications resources in time divided units, and the controller circuitry is configured

to identify one or more sections of the plurality of the predetermined sections of the shared communications resources for transmitting signals representing data for transmission to one or more other communications device,

to transmit signals in the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources for at least one of the time divided units, and after a collision avoidance time,

to detect for at least one subsequent time unit whether another of the one or more communications devices transmits signals in the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources, and if the receiver does not detect another communications devices transmitting in at least one of the identified one or more predetermined sections of the shared communications resources for the at least one subsequent time unit, the controller circuitry is configured in combination with the transmitter circuitry

to transmit signals in the one or more identified sections of the shared communications resources, the signals representing the data being communicated to the one or more other communications devices.