Methods for sending small packets in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network

• US 8,199,766 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2008
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Li, Junyi, Laroia, Rajiv, Tavildar, Saurabh, Wu, Xinzhou
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ng, Fan
• Application Number:
  US12/168,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20090016272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,436 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/431
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An improved mechanism is provided that facilitates transmission of small packets within an ad hoc peer-to-peer network. A small packet is identified to a receiver within a control channel so that its lower power can be considered in an interference management protocol implemented among local peer devices. In a traffic slot, a transmitter voluntarily backs down on the transmitter power as a smaller packet will require much lower signal-to-noise ratio. This will improve the signal energy per bit per noise power density for the transmission as well as minimize the interference caused to other wireless communications happening in the same spectrum.

Claims

1. A method of operating a first wireless device having a connection with a second wireless device in a peer to peer communication network, comprising:

selecting a first power ratio value from a plurality of predetermined power ratio values;

sending a first transmission request signal in a first traffic slot;

monitoring to receive a request response signal from the second wireless device, the request response signal indicating that the second wireless device is ready to receive a traffic signal from the first wireless device; and

if the request response signal is received,

determining a transmission power to use for a first traffic signal based on the transmission power of the first transmission request signal and the selected first power ratio value; and

sending the first traffic signal in the first traffic slot with the determined transmission power

wherein a ratio of the transmission power of the first traffic signal and the transmission power of the first transmission request signal is equal to the selected first power ratio value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first transmission request signal includes information indicative of the selected first power ratio value.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first request signal is sent in two tones and the information indicative of the selected first power ratio value is signaled in the phase difference between the two tones.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of predetermined power ratio values include values in a continuous interval between two predetermined values.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first power ratio value is selected from two predetermined power ratio values, the difference between the two predetermined power ratio values is at least 10 dB.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first power ratio value is determined as a function of the amount of data to be sent in the first traffic signal.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

checking the amount of data to be sent to the second wireless device;

selecting a second power ratio value, as a function of the amount of data to be sent, from the plurality of predetermined power ratio values, the second power ratio value being different from the first power ratio value;

sending a second transmission request signal in a second traffic slot;

monitoring to receive a request response signal from the second wireless device, the request response signal indicating that the second wireless device is ready to receive a traffic signal from the first wireless device; and

if the request response signal is received, sending a second traffic signal in the second traffic slot with the transmission power determined as a function of the transmission power of the second transmission request signal and the selected second power ratio value.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the amount of data to be sent in the second traffic slot is at least twice as much as the amount of data sent in the first traffic slot and the second power ratio is at least 10 dB greater than the first power ratio.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the transmission power of the second request signal is the same as the transmission power used in the first request signal.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to sending the first traffic signal, sending a first pilot signal in a first part of a pilot channel associated with the first traffic slot, the transmission power of the first pilot signal being a function of the transmission power of the first transmission request signal; and

sending a second pilot signal in a second part of the pilot channel the transmission power of the first pilot signal being a function of the transmission power of the first traffic signal.

11. A method of operating a first wireless device having a connection with a second wireless device in a peer to peer communication network, comprising:

selecting a first power ratio value from a plurality of predetermined power ratio values;

sending a first transmission request signal in a first traffic slot;

monitoring to receive a request response signal from the second wireless device, the request response signal indicating that the second wireless device is ready to receive a traffic signal from the first wireless device; and

if the request response signal is received,

determining a transmission power to use for a first traffic signal based on the transmission power of the first transmission request signal and the selected first power ratio value; and

sending the first traffic signal in the first traffic slot with the determined transmission power;

monitoring to receive a rate feedback signal in a rate feed back channel associated with the first traffic slot, and wherein the transmission power of the first traffic signal is determined also as a function of the rate feedback signal.

12. A method of operating a second wireless device in a peer to peer communication network, the second wireless device having a connection with a first wireless device, comprising:

receiving a transmission request signal from the first wireless device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the first wireless device intends to send a traffic signal to the second wireless device and including information indicative of a power ratio value;

recovering the power ratio value from the transmission request signal;

measuring the power of the received transmission request signal;

predicting the power of the traffic signal to be received from the first wireless device as a function of the measured power of the received transmission request signal and the recovered power ratio value;

determining whether to receive the traffic signal from the first wireless device as a function of the predicted power; and

sending a request response signal to the first wireless device if it is determined to receive the traffic signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the predicted power is equal to the measured power of the received transmission request signal multiplied by the recovered power ratio value.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmission power of the request response signal is determined as a function of the measured power of the received transmission request signal and is independent of the recovered power ratio value.

26. The third wireless device of claim 13, wherein the predicted power of the interfering traffic signal is equal to the measured power of the received second transmission request signal multiplied by the recovered power ratio value.

27. The third wireless device of claim 13, wherein whether to receive the traffic signal from the fourth wireless device is determined as a function of ratio between the predicted powers of the desired and interfering traffic signals.

15. A second wireless device in a peer to peer communication network, the second wireless device having a connection with a first wireless device, comprising:

a transmitter and receiver for establishing a wireless peer-to-peer communication connection with the first wireless device;

a processing circuit coupled to the transmitter and receiver, wherein the processing circuit is adapted to;

receive a transmission request signal from the first wireless device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the first wireless device intends to send a traffic signal to the second wireless device and including information indicative of a power ratio value;

recover the power ratio value from the transmission request signal;

measure the power of the received transmission request signal;

predict the power of the traffic signal to be received from the first wireless device as a function of the measured power of the received transmission request signal and the recovered power ratio value;

determine whether to receive the traffic signal from the first wireless device as a function of the predicted power; and

send a request response signal to the first wireless device if it is determined to receive the traffic signal.

16. The second wireless of claim 15, wherein the predicted power is equal to the measured power of the received transmission request signal multiplied by the recovered power ratio value.

17. The second wireless of claim 15, wherein the transmission power of the request response signal is determined as a function of the measured power of the received transmission request signal and is independent of the recovered power ratio value.

18. A second wireless device having a connection with a first wireless device in a peer to peer communication network, comprising:

means for receiving a transmission request signal from the first wireless device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the first wireless device intends to send a traffic signal to the second wireless device and including information indicative of a power ratio value;

means for recovering the power ratio value from the transmission request signal;

means for measuring the power of the received transmission request signal monitoring to receive a request response signal from the second wireless device, the request response signal indicating that the second wireless device is ready to receive a traffic signal from the first wireless device; and

means for generating a predicted power by predicting the power of the traffic signal to be received from the first wireless device as a function of the measured power of the received transmission request signal and the power ratio value;

means for determining whether to receive the traffic signal from the first wireless device as a function of the predicted power; and

means for sending a request response signal to the first wireless device if it is determined to receive the traffic signal.

19. The second wireless of claim 18, wherein the predicted power is equal to the measured power of the received transmission request signal multiplied by the power ratio value.

20. The second wireless of claim 18, wherein the transmission power of the request response signal is determined as a function of the measured power of the received transmission request signal and is independent of the power ratio value.

21. A circuit for facilitating communications over a peer-to-peer network, wherein the circuit operates in a second wireless device having a connection with a first wireless device in a peer to peer communication network, wherein the circuit comprising a receiver to:

receive a transmission request signal from the first wireless device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the first wireless device intends to send a traffic signal to the second wireless device and including information indicative of a power ratio value;

recover the power ratio value from the transmission request signal;

measure the power of the received transmission request signal;

predict the power of the traffic signal to be received from the first wireless device as a function of the measured power of the received transmission request signal and the recovered power ratio value;

determine whether to receive the traffic signal from the first wireless device as a function of the predicted power; and

send a request response signal to the first wireless device if it is determined to receive the traffic signal.

22. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions for a second wireless device having a connection with a first wireless device in a peer to peer communication network, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

receive a transmission request signal from the first wireless device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the first wireless device intends to send a traffic signal to the second wireless device and including information indicative of a power ratio value;

recover the power ratio value from the transmission request signal;

measure the power of the received transmission request signal;

predict the power of the traffic signal to be received from the first wireless device as a function of the measured power of the received transmission request signal and the recovered power ratio value;

determine whether to receive the traffic signal from the first wireless device as a function of the predicted power; and

send a request response signal to the first wireless device if it is determined to receive the traffic signal.

23. A method of operating a third wireless device having a connection with a fourth wireless device in a peer-to-peer communication network, comprising:

receiving a first transmission request signal in a traffic slot from the fourth wireless device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the fourth wireless device intends to send a traffic signal to the third wireless device;

receiving a second transmission request signal in the traffic slot from a first wireless device, the second transmission request signal indicating that the first wireless device intends to send another traffic signal to a wireless device different from the third wireless device, the second transmission request signal including information indicative of a power ratio value;

recovering the power ratio value from the second transmission request signal;

measuring the power of the received first and second transmission request signals;

predicting the power of the desired traffic signal to be received from the fourth wireless device as a function of the measured power of the received first transmission request signal;

predicting the power of the interfering traffic signal to be transmitted by the first wireless device as a function of the measured power of the received second transmission request signal and the recovered power ratio value;

determining whether to receive the traffic signal from the fourth wireless device as a function of the predicted powers of the desired and interfering traffic signals; and

sending a request response signal to the fourth wireless device if it is determined to receive the traffic signal from the fourth wireless device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the predicted power of the interfering traffic signal is equal to the measured power of the received second transmission request signal multiplied by the recovered power ratio value.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein whether to receive the traffic signal from the fourth wireless device is determined as a function of ratio between the predicted powers of the desired and interfering traffic signals.

28. A third wireless device having a connection with a fourth wireless device in a peer-to-peer communication network, comprising:

a transmitter and receiver for establishing a wireless peer-to-peer communication connection with the fourth wireless device;

a processing circuit coupled to the transmitter and receiver, wherein the processing circuit is adapted to;

receive a first transmission request signal in a traffic slot from the fourth wireless device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the fourth wireless device intends to send a traffic signal to the third wireless device;

receive a second transmission request signal in the traffic slot from a first wireless device, the second transmission request signal indicating that the first wireless device intends to send another traffic signal to a wireless device different from the third wireless device, the second transmission request signal including information indicative of a power ratio value;

recover the power ratio value from the second transmission request signal;

measure the power of the received first and second transmission request signals;

predict the power of the desired traffic signal to be received from the fourth wireless device as a function of the measured power of the received first transmission request signal;

predict the power of the interfering traffic signal to be transmitted by the first wireless device as a function of the measured power of the received second transmission request signal and the recovered power ratio value;

determine whether to receive the traffic signal from the fourth wireless device as a function of the predicted powers of the desired and interfering traffic signals; and

send a request response signal to the fourth wireless device if it is determined to receive the traffic signal from the fourth wireless device.

29. The third wireless device of claim 28, wherein the predicted power of the interfering traffic signal is equal to the measured power of the received second transmission request signal multiplied by the recovered power ratio value.

30. The third wireless device of claim 28, wherein whether to receive the traffic signal from the fourth wireless device is determined as a function of ratio between the predicted powers of the desired and interfering traffic signals.

31. A third wireless device having a connection with a fourth wireless device in a peer-to-peer communication network, comprising:

means for receiving a first transmission request signal in a traffic slot from the fourth wireless device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the fourth wireless device intends to send a traffic signal to the third wireless device;

means for receiving a second transmission request signal in the traffic slot from a first wireless device, the second transmission request signal indicating that the first wireless device intends to send another traffic signal to a wireless device different from the third wireless device, the second transmission request signal including information indicative of a power ratio value;

means for recovering the power ratio value from the second transmission request signal;

means for measuring the power of the received first and second transmission request signals;

means for predicting the power of the desired traffic signal to be received from the fourth wireless device as a function of the measured power of the received first transmission request signal;

means for predicting the power of the interfering traffic signal to be transmitted by the first wireless device as a function of the measured power of the received second transmission request signal and the recovered power ratio value;

means for determining whether to receive the traffic signal from the fourth wireless device as a function of the predicted powers of the desired and interfering traffic signals; and

means for sending a request response signal to the fourth wireless device if it is determined to receive the traffic signal from the fourth wireless device.

32. A circuit for facilitating communications over a peer-to-peer network, wherein the circuit operates in a third wireless device having a connection with a fourth wireless device in a peer-to-peer communication network, wherein the circuit comprising a receiver to:

receive a first transmission request signal in a traffic slot from the fourth wireless device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the fourth wireless device intends to send a traffic signal to the third wireless device;

receive a second transmission request signal in the traffic slot from a first wireless device, the second transmission request signal indicating that the first wireless device intends to send another traffic signal to a wireless device different from the third wireless device, the second transmission request signal including information indicative of a power ratio value;

recover the power ratio value from the second transmission request signal;

measure the power of the received first and second transmission request signals;

predict the power of the desired traffic signal to be received from the fourth wireless device as a function of the measured power of the received first transmission request signal;

predict the power of the interfering traffic signal to be transmitted by the first wireless device as a function of the measured power of the received second transmission request signal and the recovered power ratio value;

determine whether to receive the traffic signal from the fourth wireless device as a function of the predicted powers of the desired and interfering traffic signals; and

send a request response signal to the fourth wireless device if it is determined to receive the traffic signal from the fourth wireless device.

33. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions for a third wireless device having a connection with a fourth wireless device in a peer- to-peer communication network, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

receive a first transmission request signal in a traffic slot from the fourth wireless device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the fourth wireless device intends to send a traffic signal to the third wireless device;

receive a second transmission request signal in the traffic slot from a first wireless device, the second transmission request signal indicating that the first wireless device intends to send another traffic signal to a wireless device different from the third wireless device, the second transmission request signal including information indicative of a power ratio value;

recover the power ratio value from the second transmission request signal;

measure the power of the received first and second transmission request signals;

predict the power of the desired traffic signal to be received from the fourth wireless device as a function of the measured power of the received first transmission request signal;

predict the power of the interfering traffic signal to be transmitted by the first wireless device as a function of the measured power of the received second transmission request signal and the recovered power ratio value;

determine whether to receive the traffic signal from the fourth wireless device as a function of the predicted powers of the desired and interfering traffic signals; and

send a request response signal to the fourth wireless device if it is determined to receive the traffic signal from the fourth wireless device.