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

• US 8,238,836 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2008
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• 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): Dao, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US12/168,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20090019165A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.13, 455/67.11, 455/452.2, 455/69, 455/552.2, 455/63.1, 370/329, 375/264
• US Class Current: 455/67.13
• 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 operational in a fourth device having a peer-to-peer connection with a third device to facilitate interference management for a second peer-to-peer connection between a first device and a second device within a wireless network, comprising:

monitoring to receive a first transmission request signal from the third device and a second transmission request signal from the first device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the third device intends to send a traffic signal to the fourth device in a traffic slot corresponding to the first transmission request signal and the second transmission request signal indicating that the first device intends to send a traffic signal to the second device in the same traffic slot, the second transmission request signal further including information indicative of the signaling format to be used in the traffic signal from the first device to the second device, the signaling format being one of at least a Gaussian signaling format and a flash signaling format;

recovering the information indicative of the signaling format from the second transmission request signal;

calculating an interference power as a function of the signal strength of the received second transmission request; and

determining whether to receive the traffic signal from the third device based on the calculated interference power.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the priority corresponding to the second transmission request is higher than the first transmission request.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a desired signal power as a function of the signal strength of the received first transmission request;

sending a transmission request response signal to the third device if it is determined that the ratio of the calculated desired signal power and the calculated interference power exceeds a threshold; and

receiving the traffic signal in the traffic slot.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the value of the calculated interference power is determined as a function of the recovered signaling format.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the value of the calculated interference power is smaller if the flash signaling format is to be used than if the Gaussian signaling format is to be used.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the traffic signal is to be sent by the first device in a fraction of the traffic channel resource in the traffic slot if the flash signaling format is to be used.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the fraction is less than twenty percent of the traffic channel.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second transmission request signal is sent using a plurality of tones and the information indicative of the signaling format to be used in the traffic signal is sent using the phases of the plurality of tones.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

monitoring transmission request resources to determine the number of devices that intend to use the flash signaling format in the traffic channel of the traffic slot; and

restraining from sending the transmission request response if it is determined that the number of devices that intend to use the flash signaling format in the traffic channel of the traffic slot exceeds a threshold number.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of information bits to be sent in the traffic signal when the Gaussian signaling format is used are at least twice as many as the number of information bits to be sent in the traffic signal when the flash signaling format is used.

11. A fourth device having a peer-to-peer connection with a third device to facilitate interference management for a second peer-to-peer connection between a first device and a second device within a wireless network, comprising:

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

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

monitor to receive a first transmission request signal from the third device and a second transmission request signal from the first device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the third device intends to send a traffic signal to the fourth device in a traffic slot corresponding to the first transmission request signal and the second transmission request signal indicating that the first device intends to send a traffic signal to the second device in the same traffic slot, the second transmission request signal further including information indicative of the signaling format to be used in the traffic signal from the first device to the second device, the signaling format being one of at least a Gaussian signaling format and a flash signaling format;

recover the information indicative of the signaling format from the second transmission request signal;

calculate an interference power as a function of the signal strength of the received second transmission request; and

determine whether to receive the traffic signal from the third device based on the calculated interference power.

12. The fourth device of claim 11, wherein the processing circuit is adapted to:

determine whether the priority corresponding to the second transmission request is higher than the first transmission request.

13. The fourth device of claim 11, wherein the processing circuit is adapted to:

calculate a desired signal power as a function of the signal strength of the received first transmission request;

send a transmission request response signal to the third device if it is determined that the ratio of the calculated desired signal power and the calculated interference power exceeds a threshold; and

receive the traffic signal in the traffic slot.

14. The fourth device of claim 13, wherein the value of the calculated interference power is determined as a function of the recovered signaling format.

15. The fourth device of claim 14, wherein the value of the calculated interference power is smaller if the flash signaling format is to be used than if the Gaussian signaling format is to be used.

16. The fourth device of claim 14, wherein the traffic signal is to be sent by the first device in a fraction of the traffic channel resource in the traffic slot if the flash signaling format is to be used.

17. The fourth device of claim 16, wherein the fraction is less than twenty percent of the traffic channel.

18. The fourth device of claim 17, wherein the second transmission request signal is sent using a plurality of tones and the information indicative of the signaling format to be used in the traffic signal is sent using the phases of the plurality of tones.

19. The fourth device of claim 13, wherein the processing circuit is further adapted to:

monitor transmission request resources to determine the number of devices that intend to use the flash signaling format in the traffic channel of the traffic slot; and

restrain from sending the transmission request response if it is determined that the number of devices that intend to use the flash signaling format in the traffic channel of the traffic slot exceeds a threshold number.

20. The fourth device of claim 13, wherein the value of the calculated interference power is determined as a function of the recovered signaling format.

21. The fourth device of claim 20, wherein the value of the calculated interference power is smaller if the flash signaling format is to be used than if the Gaussian signaling format is to be used.

22. The fourth device of claim 20, wherein the traffic signal is to be sent by the first device in a fraction of the traffic channel resource in the traffic slot if the flash signaling format is to be used.

23. The fourth device of claim 22, wherein the fraction is less than twenty percent of the traffic channel.

24. The fourth device of claim 23, wherein the second transmission request signal is sent using a plurality of tones and the information indicative of the signaling format to be used in the traffic signal is sent using the phases of the plurality of tones.

25. The fourth device of claim 11, wherein the number of information bits to be sent in the traffic signal when the Gaussian signaling format is used are at least twice as many as the number of information bits to be sent in the traffic signal when the flash signaling format is used.

26. The fourth device of claim 11, further comprising:

means for determining whether the priority corresponding to the second transmission request is higher than the first transmission request.

27. The fourth device of claim 11, further comprising:

means for calculating a desired signal power as a function of the signal strength of the received first transmission request;

means for sending a transmission request response signal to the third device if it is determined that the ratio of the calculated desired signal power and the calculated interference power exceeds a threshold; and

means for receiving the traffic signal in the traffic slot.

28. The fourth device of claim 27, further comprising:

means for monitoring transmission request resources to determine the number of devices that intend to use the flash signaling format in the traffic channel of the traffic slot; and

means for restraining from sending the transmission request response if it is determined that the number of devices that intend to use the flash signaling format in the traffic channel of the traffic slot exceeds a threshold number.

29. A fourth device having a peer-to-peer connection with a third device to facilitate interference management for a second peer-to-peer connection between a first device and a second device within a wireless network, comprising:

means for monitoring to receive a first transmission request signal from the third device and a second transmission request signal from the first device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the third device intends to send a traffic signal to the fourth device in a traffic slot corresponding to the first transmission request signal and the second transmission request signal indicating that the first device intends to send a traffic signal to the second device in the same traffic slot, the second transmission request signal further including information indicative of the signaling format to be used in the traffic signal from the first device to the second device, the signaling format being one of at least a Gaussian signaling format and a flash signaling format;

means for recovering the information indicative of the signaling format from the second transmission request signal;

means for calculating an interference power as a function of the signal strength of the received second transmission request; and

means for determining whether to receive the traffic signal from the third device based on the calculated interference power.

30. The fourth device of claim 29, wherein the number of information bits to be sent in the traffic signal when the Gaussian signaling format is used are at least twice as many as the number of information bits to be sent in the traffic signal when the flash signaling format is used.

31. A circuit for facilitating communications over a peer-to-peer network, wherein the circuit operates in a fourth device having a peer-to-peer connection with a third device to facilitate interference management for a second peer-to-peer connection between a first device and a second device within a wireless network, wherein the circuit is adapted to:

monitor to receive a first transmission request signal from the third device and a second transmission request signal from the first device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the third device intends to send a traffic signal to the fourth device in a traffic slot corresponding to the first transmission request signal and the second transmission request signal indicating that the first device intends to send a traffic signal to the second device in the same traffic slot, the second transmission request signal further including information indicative of the signaling format to be used in the traffic signal from the first device to the second device, the signaling format being one of at least a Gaussian signaling format and a flash signaling format;

recover the information indicative of the signaling format from the second transmission request signal;

calculate an interference power as a function of the signal strength of the received second transmission request; and

determine whether to receive the traffic signal from the third device based on the calculated interference power.

32. The circuit of claim 31, wherein the circuit is further adapted to:

determine whether the priority corresponding to the second transmission request is higher than the first transmission request.

33. The circuit of claim 31, wherein the circuit is further adapted to:

calculate a desired signal power as a function of the signal strength of the received first transmission request;

send a transmission request response signal to the third device if it is determined that the ratio of the calculated desired signal power and the calculated interference power exceeds a threshold; and

receive the traffic signal in the traffic slot.

34. The circuit of claim 33, wherein the value of the calculated interference power is determined as a function of the recovered signaling format, wherein the value of the calculated interference power is smaller if the flash signaling format is to be used than if the Gaussian signaling format is to be used.

35. The circuit of claim 33, wherein the circuit is further adapted to:

monitor transmission request resources to determine the number of devices that intend to use the flash signaling format in the traffic channel of the traffic slot; and

restrain from sending the transmission request response if it is determined that the number of devices that intend to use the flash signaling format in the traffic channel of the traffic slot exceeds a threshold number.

36. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions for a fourth device having a peer-to-peer connection with a third device to facilitate interference management for a second peer-to-peer connection between a first device and a second device within a wireless network, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

monitor to receive a first transmission request signal from the third device and a second transmission request signal from the first device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the third device intends to send a traffic signal to the fourth device in a traffic slot corresponding to the first transmission request signal and the second transmission request signal indicating that the first device intends to send a traffic signal to the second device in the same traffic slot, the second transmission request signal further including information indicative of the signaling format to be used in the traffic signal from the first device to the second device, the signaling format being one of at least a Gaussian signaling format and a flash signaling format;

recover the information indicative of the signaling format from the second transmission request signal;

calculate an interference power as a function of the signal strength of the received second transmission request; and

determine whether to receive the traffic signal from the third device based on the calculated interference power.

37. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 36, further comprising instructions to cause the processor to:

determine whether the priority corresponding to the second transmission request is higher than the first transmission request.

38. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 36, further comprising instructions to cause the processor to:

calculate a desired signal power as a function of the signal strength of the received first transmission request;

send a transmission request response signal to the third device if it is determined that the ratio of the calculated desired signal power and the calculated interference power exceeds a threshold; and

receive the traffic signal in the traffic slot.

39. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 36, wherein the value of the calculated interference power is determined as a function of the recovered signaling format, wherein the value of the calculated interference power is smaller if the flash signaling format is to be used than if the Gaussian signaling format is to be used.

40. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 36, further comprising instructions to cause the processor to:

monitor transmission request resources to determine the number of devices that intend to use the flash signaling format in the traffic channel of the traffic slot; and

restrain from sending the transmission request response if it is determined that the number of devices that intend to use the flash signaling format in the traffic channel of the traffic slot exceeds a threshold number.