Methods and apparatus for use in peer to peer communications devices and/or systems relating to rate scheduling, traffic scheduling, rate control, and/or power control

• US 8,041,375 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Jovicic, Aleksandar, Richardson, Thomas, Laroia, Rajiv, Wu, Xinzhou, Li, Junyi
• Primary Examiner(s): TRINH, TAN H
• Application Number:
  US11/930,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20090111506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 455/9, 455/69, 455/522, 455/68, 455/517, 455/3.05, 455/425, 455/450, 455/456.6, 455/13.4, 455/41.2, 455/513, 455/67.11, 455/67.16, 455/552.1, 455/114.2, 455/115.3, 455/135, 455/136, 455/150.1, 455/54.2, 455/63.1, 455/456.2, 455/436, 455/434, 455/422.1, 455/424, 455/437, 455/404.2, 455/456.1, 370/230, 370/232, 370/305, 370/252, 370/330, 370/315, 370/331, 370/338, 370/235, 370/345
• US Class Current: 455/517
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/16 Deriving transmission power values from another channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/18 TPC being performed according to specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/267 taking into account the information rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0473 the resource being transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/569 of the traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

Methods and apparatus related to peer to peer communication networks are described. Embodiments directed to methods and apparatus for establishing traffic data transmission rates and/or transmission power levels between wireless terminals is described. Embodiments direct to methods and apparatus of making decisions whether or not to transmit as a function of the received power of the received response signals are also described. Transmission of pilot signals after granting of a transmission request and a decision to transmit traffic data has been made occurs in some embodiments. Rate information to be used in determining a traffic rate may be received in response to the pilot signal from a peer to peer (P2P) device.

Claims

1. A method of operating a first mobile communications device to perform peer to peer communications, the method comprising:

transmitting a pilot signal to a second mobile communications device;

receiving a rate information signal from the second mobile communications device providing information to be used in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate; and

transmitting traffic data to said second mobile communications device at a rate determined based on the received rate information signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said rate information signal includes one of a maximum transmission rate or a signal to noise ratio.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting a pilot signal includes transmitting said pilot signal at a first power level;

and wherein transmitting traffic data includes transmitting the traffic data at predetermined power level relative to the first power level.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, following receipt of said rate information,

selecting a transmission rate from a plurality of supported transmission rates as a function of the information included in said rate indicator signal;

and wherein transmitting traffic data includes transmitting traffic data at the selected rate.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said selecting a transmission rate includes:

determining a maximum permitted transmission rate; and

selecting a transmission rate as a function of the amount of data to be transmitted and said determined maximum transmission rate.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the selected transmission rate is lower than the determined maximum transmission rate when the amount of data to be transmitted is less than the amount of data which can be transmitted in a traffic segment when data is transmitted at the determined maximum permitted transmission data rate.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein transmitting traffic data includes transmitting a rate indicator with said traffic data, said rate indicator indicating the actual transmission rate of said traffic data.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a transmission power level to be used for transmitting said traffic data, said determined transmission power level being in the range of A to Pmax where A is a non-zero power level and Pmax is a power level which is a predetermined function of the pilot transmission power level, A and Pmax being different.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the power level is a function of the amount of data to be transmitted.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the power level is also performed as a function of a maximum transmission rate indicated by information included in said rate information signal.

11. A first mobile communications device supporting peer to peer communications, the communications device comprising:

a pilot signal generation module for generating a peer to peer pilot signal;

a wireless transmitter module for transmitting said generated pilot signal to a second mobile communications device and for transmitting traffic data to said second mobile communications device at a rate determined based on a received rate information signal; and

a wireless receiver module for receiving said rate information signal from the second mobile communications device providing information to be used in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate.

12. The communications device of claim 11, wherein said rate information signal includes one of a maximum transmission rate or a signal to noise ratio.

13. The communications device of claim 11, wherein said rate information signal is from said second mobile communications device.

14. The communications device of claim 11, further comprising:

a transmission power control module for controlling transmission of said pilot signal to be at a first power level and for controlling transmission of traffic data to be at predetermined power level relative to the first power level.

15. The communications device of claim 11, further comprising:

a traffic data rate selection module for selecting a transmission rate from a plurality of supported transmission rates as a function of the information included in said rate information signal; and

a traffic data encoding module for encoding traffic data to be transmitted in accordance with the selected rate; and

a modulation module for generating modulation symbols conveying encoded traffic data to be transmitted in accordance with the selected rate.

16. The communications device of claim 15, wherein said traffic data rate selection module includes:

a maximum permitted transmission rate determination module for determining a maximum permitted transmission rate; and

a backlog module for tracking the amount of data to be transmitted; and

wherein said traffic data rate selection module selects a transmission rate as a function of the amount of data to be transmitted and said determined maximum transmission rate; and

wherein the selected transmission rate is lower than the determined maximum transmission rate when the amount of data to be transmitted is less than the amount of data which can be transmitted in a traffic segment when data is transmitted at the determined maximum permitted transmission data rate.

17. The communications device of claim 16, further comprising:

a rate indicator module for including a rate indicator with said traffic data, said rate indicator indicating the actual transmission rate of said traffic data.

18. The communications device of claim 11, further comprising:

a traffic transmission power control module for determining a transmission power level to be used for transmitting said traffic data, said determined transmission power level being in the range of A to Pmax where A is a non-zero power level and Pmax is a power level which is a predetermined function of the pilot transmission power level, A and Pmax being different;

a backlog module for tracking the amount of data to be transmitted; and

wherein said traffic transmission power control module determines said power level as a function of the amount of data to be transmitted.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

a maximum permitted transmission rate determination module for determining a maximum permitted transmission rate; and

wherein said traffic transmission power module determines the power level as a function of said determined maximum permitted transmission rate.

20. A first mobile communications device supporting peer to peer communications, the communications device comprising:

pilot signal generation means for generating a peer to peer pilot signal;

wireless transmitter means for transmitting said generated pilot signal to a second mobile communications device and for transmitting traffic data to said second mobile communications device at a rate determined based on a received rate information signal; and

wireless receiver means for receiving said rate information signal from the second mobile communications device providing information to be used in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate.

21. The first mobile communications device of claim 20, wherein said rate information signal includes one of a maximum transmission rate or a signal to noise ratio.

22. A computer readable medium for controlling a first mobile communications device to implement a method of performing peer to peer communications, the method comprising:

transmitting a pilot signal to a second mobile communications device;

receiving a rate information signal from the second mobile communications device providing information to be used in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate; and

transmitting traffic data to said second mobile communications device at a rate determined based on the received rate information signal.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein said rate information signal includes one of a maximum transmission rate or a signal to noise ratio.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a processor used for controlling a first mobile communications device to implement a method of performing peer to peer communications, the processor configured to;

control transmission of a pilot signal to a second mobile communications device;

receive a rate information signal from the second mobile communications device providing information to be used in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate; and

control transmission of traffic data to said second mobile communications device at a rate determined based on the received rate information signal.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said rate information signal includes one of a maximum transmission rate or a signal to noise ratio;

wherein said transmitting a pilot signal includes transmitting said pilot signal at a first power level; and

wherein transmitting traffic data includes transmitting the traffic data at predetermined power level relative to the first power level; and

wherein said processor is further configured to;

select a transmission rate from a plurality of supported transmission rates as a function of the information included in said rate indicator signal, following receipt of said rate information; and

wherein transmitting traffic data includes transmitting traffic data at the selected rate.

26. A method of operating a second mobile communications device to perform peer to peer communications, the method comprising:

receiving a pilot signal from a first mobile communications device;

transmitting a rate information signal to the first mobile communications device providing information to be used by the first mobile communication device in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate; and

receiving traffic data from the first mobile communications device.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

measuring the received power of the pilot signal;

determining a value to be used in a transmission rate determination operation as a function of the measured received pilot signal power and a measured noise value; and

wherein said rate information signal communicates said determined value.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said value is one of a signal to noise ratio or a maximum transmission rate.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

receiving additional pilot signals from additional communications devices; and

wherein said measured noise value is a function of the additional received pilot signals.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

determining from information included with said received traffic data the transmission rate of said received traffic data; and

decoding the received traffic data based on the determined rate.

31. A second mobile communications device supporting peer to peer communications, the second mobile communications device comprising:

a wireless receiver module for receiving a pilot signal from a first mobile communications device and for receiving traffic data from the first mobile communications device; and

a wireless transmitter module for transmitting a rate information signal to the first mobile communications device providing information to be used by the first mobile communication device in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate.

32. The second mobile communications device of claim 31, further comprising:

a pilot signal measurement module for measuring the received power of the pilot signal;

a rate information determination module for determining a value to be used in a transmission rate determination operation as a function of the measured received pilot signal power and a measured noise value; and

a rate information signal generation module for generating a rate information signal which communicates said determined value.

33. The second mobile communications device of claim 32, wherein said value is one of a signal to noise ratio or a maximum transmission rate.

34. The second mobile communications device of claim 32, wherein said wireless receiver module is also for receiving additional pilot signals from additional communications devices, the second mobile communications device further comprising:

a noise measurement module for determining said measured noise value as a function of the additional received pilot signals.

35. The second mobile communication device of claim 34, further comprising:

a traffic data rate determination module for determining from information included with said received traffic data the transmission rate of said received traffic data; and

a decoder module for decoding the received traffic data based on the determined rate.

36. A second mobile communications device supporting peer to peer communications, the second mobile communications device comprising:

wireless receiver means for receiving a pilot signal from a first mobile communications device and for receiving traffic data from the first mobile communications device; and

wireless transmitter means for transmitting a rate information signal to the first mobile communications device providing information to be used by the first mobile communication device in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate.

37. The second mobile communications device of claim 36, further comprising:

pilot signal measurement means for measuring the received power of the pilot signal;

rate information determination means for determining a value to be used in a transmission rate determination operation as a function of the measured received pilot signal power and a measured noise value; and

rate information signal generation means for generating a rate information signal which communicates said determined value.

38. The second mobile communications device of claim 37, wherein said value is one of a signal to noise ratio or a maximum transmission rate.

39. The second mobile communications device of claim 37, wherein said wireless receiver means is also for receiving additional pilot signals from additional communications devices, the second mobile communications device further comprising:

noise measurement means for determining said measured noise value as a function of the additional received pilot signals.

40. The second mobile communication device of claim 39, further comprising:

traffic data rate determination means for determining from information included with said received traffic data the transmission rate of said received traffic data; and

decoding means for decoding the received traffic data based on the determined rate.

41. A computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for implementing a method of operating a second mobile communications device to perform peer to peer communications, the method comprising:

receiving a pilot signal from a first mobile communications device;

transmitting a rate information signal to the first mobile communications device providing information to be used by the first mobile communication device in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate; and

receiving traffic data from the first mobile communications device.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 41, further embodying machine executable instructions for:

measuring the received power of the pilot signal;

determining a value to be used in a transmission rate determination operation as a function of the measured received pilot signal power and a measured noise value; and

wherein said rate information signal communicates said determined value.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 42, wherein said value is one of a signal to noise ratio or a maximum transmission rate.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 42, further embodying machine executable instructions for:

receiving additional pilot signals from additional communications devices; and

wherein said measured noise value is a function of the additional received pilot signals.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 44, further embodying machine executable instructions for:

determining from information included with said received traffic data the transmission rate of said received traffic data; and

decoding the received traffic data based on the determined rate.

46. An apparatus comprising:

a processor for use in a second peer to peer communications device, the processor configured to;

receive a pilot signal from a first mobile communications device;

transmit a rate information signal to the first mobile communications device providing information to be used by the first mobile communication device in determining a maximum permitted data traffic transmission data rate; and

receive traffic data from the first mobile communications device.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein said processor is further configured to measure the received power of the pilot signal;

determine a value to be used in a transmission rate determination operation as a function of the measured received pilot signal power and a measured noise value; and

wherein said rate information signal communicates said determined value.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said value is one of a signal to noise ratio or a maximum transmission rate.

49. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said processor is further configured to:

receive additional pilot signals from additional communications devices; and

wherein said measured noise value is a function of the additional received pilot signals.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein said processor is further configured to:

determine from information included with said received traffic data the transmission rate of said received traffic data; and

decode the received traffic data based on the determined rate.