Transmit power control for network devices in a wireless network

• US 6,925,286 B1
• Filed: 06/22/2000
• Issued: 08/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sony International Europe Gmbh (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kraiem, Besma, Enderlein, Janos
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, Brandon J.
• Application Number:
  US09/599,135
• Time in Patent Office: 1,867 Days
• Field of Search: 455/13.4, 455/522, 455/507, 455/517, 455418-420, 455/500, 455 68- 69, 370/311
• US Class Current: 455/13.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/08 Closed loop power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/383 power control in peer-to-peer links
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/50 at the moment of starting communication in a multiple access environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/54 Signalisation aspects of the TPC commands, e.g. frame structure

Abstract

A transmit power control applicable for direct mode in a central controller based wireless network is described whereby direct mode indicates a direct communication of two network terminals (1, 15) without routing the traffic through the central controller (18). According to the present invention the transmit power control is performed by means of exchanging messages (S1, S2, S3) between the peer network devices (1, 15) in which recommendations for power control are carried. After grant of resources (S0) by the central controller (18) for the peer mobile terminals (1, 15) to exchange such messages which neccessarily contain a recommendation to the peer neetwork device to increase/decrease its transmit power level by a certain value, a first message (S1) is send from one network device (1) to the other network device (15) which receives this message and measures its signal strength to determine the needed adjustment to set the transmit power level of the first device so that a desired received power level of the second device is achieved. This adjustment value is then transmitted in a second step (S2) as recommendation value whereafter the first device can similary recommend an adjustment of the transmit power level of the second device on basis of the message received in the second step (S2) in a third step (S3).

Claims

1. A communication device adapted for wireless communication between the communication device and another communication device, comprising:

means for setting up direct communications in-between said communication devices in order to directly exchange messages between said communication devices, wherein said messages contain MAC (Medium Access Control) identifiers for identifying said communication devices respectively;

means for sending a request message to the other communication device in order to receive a transmit power information;

means for receiving a report message from the other communication device created in response to the request message and including an indication of a transmit power information used to transmit the report message; and

means for dynamically adapting the optimal transmit power for communicating with the other communication device in accordance with the indication of the transmit power information so that the transmit power of the communication device is similar to the optimal transmit power.

2. A communication device adapted for wireless communication between the communication device and another communication device, comprising:

means for sending a request message to the other communication device in order to receive a transmit power information, wherein the request message includes identification information uniquely identifying the other communication device;

means for receiving a report message from the other communication device created in response to the request message and including identification information uniquely identifying the other communication device; and

means for controlling the transmit power of the communication device on the basis of the transmit power information so that the communication device can dynamically adapt an optimal transmit power for each of a plurality of uniquely identified other communication devices.

3. A communication device adapted for wireless communication between the communication device and another communication device, comprising:

means for setting up direct communications in-between said communication devices in order to directly exchange messages between said communication devices, wherein said messages contain MAC (Medium Access Control) identifiers for identifying said communication devices respectively;

means for receiving a wireless network link information from an access point including an indication of a maximum transmit power of which the communication device is capable of transmitting in a communication channel;

means for sending a request message to the other communication device using a lower transmit power level than the maximum transmit power;

means for receiving a report message from the other communication device including an indication of a transmit power used to transmit the report message; and

means for adapting the transmit power of the communication device on the basis of the indication of the transmit power.

4. A communication method for wireless communication between a communication device and another communication device, comprising:

setting up direct communications in-between said communication devices in order to directly exchange messages between said communication devices, wherein said messages contain MAC (Medium Access Control) identifiers for identifying said communication devices respectively;

sending a request message from the communication device to the other communication device in order to receive a transmit power information;

receiving at the communication device a report message from the other communication device created in response to the request message and including an indication of a transmit power information used to transmit the report message; and

dynamically adapting the optimal transmit power of the communication device for communicating with the other communication device in accordance with the indication of the transmit power information so that the transmit power of the communication device is similar to the optimal transmit power.

5. A communication method for wireless communication between a communication device and another communication device, comprising:

sending a request message from the communication device to the other communication device in order to receive a transmit power information, wherein the request message includes identification information uniquely identifying the other communication device;

receiving a report message at the communication device from the other communication device created in response to the request message and including identification information uniquely identifying the other communication device; and

controlling the transmit power of the communication device on the basis of the transmit power information so that the communication device can dynamically adapt an optimal transmit power for each of a plurality of uniquely identified other communication devices.

6. A communication method for wireless communication between a communication device and another communication device, comprising:

setting up direct communications in-between said communication devices in order to directly exchange messages between said communication devices, wherein said messages contain MAC (Medium Access Control) identifiers for identifying said communication devices respectively;

receiving at the communication device a wireless network link information from an access point including an indication of a maximum transmit power of which the communication device is capable of transmitting in a communication channel;

sending a request message from the communication device to the other communication device using a lower transmit power level than the maximum transmit power;

receiving at the communication device a report message from the other communication device including an indication of a transmit power used to transmit the report message; and

adapting the transmit power of the communication device on the basis of the indication of the transmit power.