System and method for distance-dependent data exchange between wireless communication devices

• US 9,008,114 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2013
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maguire, Yael
• Primary Examiner(s): Faroul, Farah
• Application Number:
  US13/735,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20130182641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 370464-465
• US Class Current: 370/464
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/247 where the output power of a terminal is based on a path parameter sent by another terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/281 taking into account user or data type priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/00 Network data management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes identifying a plurality of data types; identifying a plurality of communication ranges for data transmission, wherein a first communication range of the plurality of communication ranges is less than a second communication range of the plurality of communication ranges, and wherein the first communication range corresponds to a first data type of the plurality of data types and the second communication range corresponds to a second data type of the plurality of data types; transmitting data in the first data type to a first wireless communication device located within the first communication range; and transmitting data in the second data type to a second wireless communication device located within the second communication range.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

by a primary communication device, identifying a plurality of data types;

by the primary communication device, identifying a plurality of communication ranges for data transmission, wherein a first communication range of the plurality of communication ranges is less than a second communication range of the plurality of communication ranges, and wherein the first communication range corresponds to a first data type of the plurality of data types and the second communication range corresponds to a second data type of the plurality of data types;

by the primary communication device, transmitting data in the first data type to a first wireless communication device located within the first communication range, wherein the data in the first data type is transmitted using a first bandwidth based on the first communication range; and

by the primary communication device, transmitting data in the second data type to a second wireless communication device located within the second communication range, wherein the data in the second data type is transmitted using a second bandwidth based on the second communication range, the second bandwidth being lower than the first bandwidth, and wherein the data in the first data type is undecodable by the second wireless communication device at the second communication range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the data in the first data type and the data in the second data type are transmitted simultaneously;

the data in the first data type are transmitted at a first power level; and

the data in the second data type are transmitted at a second power level greater than the first power level.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

by the primary communication device, receiving first feedback information from the first wireless communication device;

by the primary communication device, receiving second feedback information from the second wireless communication device;

by the primary communication device, adjusting the first power level based on the first feedback information; and

by the primary communication device, adjusting the second power level based on the second feedback information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

by the primary communication device, encoding the data in the first data type using a first encoding format; and

by the primary communication device, encoding the data in the second data type using a second encoding format.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the data in the first data type and the data in the second data type are encoded by an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) encoder configured to convert a bit stream of data to a set of orthogonal signals.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising transmitting the set of orthogonal signals simultaneously.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the data in the first data type is only decodable by the first wireless communication device; and

the data in the second data type is only decodable by the first and second wireless communication devices.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

by the primary communication device, transmitting data in a third data type, wherein the data in the third data type is only decodable by the first and second wireless communication devices and a third wireless communication device located within a third communication range, wherein the third communication range is greater than the second communication range.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the data in the first, second, and third data types are transmitted simultaneously by the primary communication device;

the data in the first data type is undecodable by the third wireless communication device; and

the data in the second data type is undecodable by the third wireless communication device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the data in the third data type is transmitted using a third bandwidth, the third bandwidth being lower than the second bandwidth.

11. A wireless communications device comprising:

a transmitter configured to;

transmit data in a first data type to a first wireless communication device located within a first communication range, wherein the data in the first data type is transmitted using a first bandwidth based on the first communication range; and

transmit data in a second data type to a second wireless communication device located within a second communication range, wherein the data in the second data type is transmitted using a second bandwidth based on the second communication range, the second bandwidth being lower than the first bandwidth, and wherein the data in the first data type is undecodable by the second wireless communication device at the second communication range; and

a receiver configured to receive data transmitted from the first communication device and the second communication device.

12. The wireless communications device of claim 11, further comprising an encoder configured to encode the data in the first data type and the data in the second data type.

13. The wireless communications device of claim 12, wherein the encoder is an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) encoder configured to convert a bit stream of data to a set of orthogonal signals.

14. The wireless communications device of claim 13, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the set of orthogonal signals simultaneously.

15. The wireless communications device of claim 11, wherein:

the data in the first data type and the data in the second data type are transmitted simultaneously;

the data in the first data type are transmitted at a first power level; and

the data in the second data type are transmitted at a second power level greater than the first power level.

16. The wireless communications device of claim 15, wherein:

the receiver is further configured to;

receive first feedback information from the first wireless communication device; and

receive second feedback information from the second wireless communication device; and

the transmitter is further configured to;

adjust the first power level based on the first feedback information; and

adjust the second power level based on the second feedback information.

17. The wireless communications device of claim 11, wherein:

the data in the first data type is only decodable by the first wireless communication device; and

the data in the second data type is only decodable by the first and second wireless communication devices.

18. The wireless communications device of claim 11, wherein the transmitter is further configured to:

transmit data in a third data type, wherein the data in the third data type is only decodable by the first and second wireless communication devices and a third wireless communication device located within a third communication range, wherein the third communication range is greater than the second communication range.

19. The wireless communications device of claim 18, wherein:

the data in the first, second, and third data types are transmitted simultaneously by the transmitter;

the data in the first data type is undecodable by the third wireless communication device; and

the data in the second data type is undecodable by the third wireless communication device.

20. The wireless communications device of claim 18, wherein the data in the third data type is transmitted using a third bandwidth, the third bandwidth being lower than the second bandwidth.

21. A method comprising:

sending, by a first wireless device, first data, wherein the first data are only decodable by one or more second wireless devices within a first distance from the first wireless device, and the first data are sent using a first bandwidth based on the first distance; and

sending, by the first wireless device, second data, wherein the second data are only decodable by the one or more second wireless devices and one or more third wireless devices within a second distance from the first wireless device, the second distance being greater than the first distance, and the second data are sent using a second bandwidth based on the second distance, the second bandwidth being lower than the first bandwidth.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first data are undecodable by the one or more third wireless devices outside of the first distance.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the first data and the second data are sent simultaneously by the first wireless device;

the first data are sent at a first power level; and

the second data are sent at a second power level greater than the first power level.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

by the first wireless device, receiving first feedback information from one of the second wireless devices;

by the first wireless device, receiving second feedback information from one of the third wireless devices;

by the first wireless device, adjusting the first power level based on the first feedback information; and

by the first wireless device, adjusting the second power level based on the second feedback information.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

encoding, by the first wireless device, the first data using a first encoding format; and

encoding, by the first wireless device, the second data using a second encoding format.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first data and the second data are encoded by an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) encoder configured to convert a bit stream of data to a set of orthogonal signals.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising transmitting the set of orthogonal signals simultaneously.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

by the first wireless device, associating a first data type with the first distance, wherein any data of the first data type sent by the first wireless device are only decodable by the one or more second wireless devices within the first distance from the first wireless device; and

by the first wireless device, associating a second data type with the second distance, wherein any data of the second data type sent by the first wireless device are only decodable by the one or more second wireless devices and the one or more third wireless devices within the second distance from the first wireless device.

29. The method of claim 21, further comprising sending, by the first wireless device, third data, wherein the third data are only decodable by the one or more second wireless devices, the one or more third wireless devices, and one or more fourth wireless devices within a third distance from the first wireless device, the third distance being greater than the second distance.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein:

the first data, the second data, and the third data are sent simultaneously by the first wireless device;

the first data are undecodable by the one or more fourth wireless devices outside of the first distance; and

the second data are undecodable by the one or more fourth wireless devices outside of the second distance.

31. The method of claim 29,

wherein the third data are sent using a third bandwidth lower than the second bandwidth.