Techniques to control power by controlling aggregate traffic in a channel

• US 7,912,492 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Terrace Communications Corporation
• Original Assignee: Terrace Communications Corporation
• Inventors: Hays, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aminzay; Shaima Q
• Application Number:
  US11/833,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20080032733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 455/522, 455/69, 455/13.4, 455/127.1, 455/452.2, 370335-337, 370/230.1, 370231-235
• US Class Current: 455/522
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18543 for adaptation of transmission parameters, e.g. power control for detecting or preventing errors in the information received H04L1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/346 distributing total power among users or channels

Abstract

Particular embodiments provide techniques for controlling power in a channel. The power being consumed in a channel may not always be fully used. For example, bursty or Aloha traffic may limit the power being used to transmit data in a channel. Thus, particular embodiments allow transceivers to increase the power used to transmit data in a channel. For example, many transceivers may be allowed to send data in a channel. If all transceivers were transmitting at once at an increased power level, the aggregate power level may be exceeded for the channel. All the transceivers may be allotted a fixed percentage of the aggregate power so as to guarantee not exceeding the power limit. However, not all transceivers may be using their allotted power at the same time. Thus, when the allotted aggregate power in the channel is not fully utilized, a transceiver may increase its traffic beyond its normal portion. For example, the transceiver may use a power-demanding high order modulation scheme to send data.

Claims

1. A method for controlling power transmitted in a channel for wireless communications, wherein two or more transmitters are transmitting data in the channel at predetermined power levels, the method comprising:

determining a first estimate of a power level used in the channel for wireless communications;

determining a maximum power level for the channel;

determining additional power available in the channel by comparing the estimate with the maximum power level for the channel;

determining that the additional power in the channel can be allotted to one or more of the two or more transmitters that are transmitting data in the channel based on an aggregate allowed power level; and

sending a signal to at least one of the one or more transmitters to cause at least one transmitter to use increased power to transmit data in the channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal indicates a second power level that can be used by the one or more transmitters to transmit data instead of a first power level previously being used.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein if a number of one or more transmitters transmit data at the second power level, the aggregate allowed power level in the channel will be exceeded.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal indicates to the one or more transmitters that transmitting with a high order modulation scheme is acceptable.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimate of the power level is measured based on traffic received at or transmitted by a transmitter in the one or more transmitters.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a second estimate of a power level used in the channel;

determining that the second estimate indicates power in the channel should be lowered based on the second estimate and the aggregate allowed power level; and

sending a second signal to at least one of the one or more transmitters indicating that throttling of traffic being transmitted in the channel should be performed.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein throttling of the traffic comprises transmitting traffic less often.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein power in the channel is distributed with a spread spectrum technique.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein throttling of the traffic comprises using a lower order modulation scheme to transmit the traffic.

10. A method for controlling power transmitted in a channel at a transmitter for wireless communications, wherein two or more transmitters are transmitting data in the channel at predetermined power levels, the method comprising:

determining that additional power may be used to transmit data in the channel based on an estimate of a power level being used in the channel and an aggregate allowed power level, wherein a transmitter is configured to transmit power at a first power level;

receiving data traffic at the transmitter for the wireless communications; and

increasing power used in transmitting the received traffic to a second power level above the first power level, wherein the aggregate allowed power level can be exceeded if a number of additional transmitters transmit at the second power level in the channel simultaneously with the transmitter.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein increasing power comprises transmitting the received data traffic with a high order modulation scheme.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein increasing power comprises changing from a low order modulation scheme to a high order modulation scheme to transmit the received data.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein increasing power comprises increasing the data rate used to transmit the received data.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein determining that additional power may be used comprises receiving a signal indicating additional power can be used.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that power should be lowered based on a second estimate of a power level used in the channel and the aggregate allowed power level; and

throttling traffic being transmitted in the channel.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein throttling of the traffic comprises transmitting traffic less often.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein throttling of the traffic comprises using a lower order modulation scheme to transmit the traffic.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein power in the channel is distributed with a spread spectrum technique.

19. An apparatus configured to control power transmitted in a channel for wireless communications, wherein two or more transmitters are transmitting data in the channel at predetermined power levels, the apparatus comprising:

logic, when executed by a processor, that is operable to;

determine an estimate of a power level being used in the channel for wireless communications;

determine if additional power in the channel can be allotted to one or more transmitters based on the estimate power level and an aggregate allowed power level; and

send a signal to the one or more transmitters indicating that the transmitter may use additional power to transmit data in the channel if more power can be allotted.

20. An apparatus configured to control power transmitted in a channel at a transmitter for wireless communications, wherein two or more transmitters are transmitting data in the channel at predetermined power levels, the apparatus comprising:

logic, when executed by a processor, that is operable to;

determine that additional power may be used to transmit data in the channel based on an estimate of a power level being used in the channel and an aggregate allowed power level, wherein a transmitter is configured to transmit power at a first power level;

receive data traffic at the transmitter for the wireless communications; and

increase power used in transmitting the received traffic to a second power level above the first power level, wherein the aggregate allowed power level can be exceeded if a number of additional transmitters transmit at the second power level in the channel simultaneously with the transmitter.