Systems and methods for downlink frequency domain multiplexing transmissions

• US 9,516,634 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2014
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sampath, Hemanth, Tian, Bin, Tandra, Rahul, Barriac, Gwendolyn Denise, Zhou, Yan, Vermani, Sameer, Merlin, Simone
• Primary Examiner(s): Liu, Jung-Jen
• Application Number:
  US14/266,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20140328265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/10 Dynamic resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0816 with collision avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/085 collision avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for transmitting data are described herein. In some aspects, a method comprises generating a first message. The first message may comprise an allocation of a first station to a first frequency channel and a second station to a second frequency channel. The method further comprises transmitting the first message over the first frequency channel and the second frequency channel. The method further comprises transmitting, after transmission of the first message, a second message to the first station using the first frequency channel. The method further comprises transmitting, after transmission of the first message, a third message to the second station using the second frequency channel.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting data, comprising:

operating, by an access point, a random backoff counter associated with a primary frequency channel;

transmitting, by the access point, a first data packet over the primary frequency channel to a first station after the random backoff counter expires;

determining, by the access point after the random backoff counter expires, whether a secondary frequency channel has been idle for a duration of time based on a time interval before a time that the random backoff counter expired;

operating a second random backoff counter associated with the secondary frequency channel;

transmitting, by the access point, a second data packet over the secondary frequency channel to a second station if the secondary frequency channel has been idle for the duration of time based on the time interval before the time that the random backoff counter expired and if the second random backoff counter expires before the random backoff counter;

transmitting the second data packet over the primary frequency channel if the random backoff counter expires before the second random backoff counter;

determining, after the first of the random backoff counter or the second random backoff counter expires, whether a frequency channel associated with a random backoff counter that has not expired has been idle for a duration of time based on a point coordination function inter frame space (PIFS) before a time that the respective random backoff counter expired; and

transmitting a data packet corresponding to a random backoff counter that has not expired if the respective frequency channel has been idle for the duration of time based on the PIFS before the time that the respective random backoff counter expired.

2. The method of claim 1, the time interval comprising a point coordination function inter frame space (PIFS).

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a fourth data packet over a ternary frequency channel if the ternary frequency channel has been idle for a duration of time based on an arbitration inter frame spacing (AIFS) before a time that the second random backoff counter expired.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the second data packet over the secondary frequency channel and a ternary frequency channel, the second data packet comprising a physical layer preamble, and the physical layer preamble comprising an allocation of the second station to the secondary frequency channel and a third station to the ternary frequency channel.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

transmitting, after transmission of the second data packet, a third data packet to the second station over the secondary frequency channel; and

transmitting, after transmission of the second data packet, a fourth data packet to the third station of the ternary frequency channel.

6. The method of claim 4, the primary frequency channel, the secondary frequency channel, and the ternary frequency channel being contiguous in an operating bandwidth.

7. The method of claim 4, the primary frequency channel, the secondary frequency channel, and the ternary frequency channel not being contiguous in an operating bandwidth.

8. The method of claim 4, the first station not configured to communicate over the secondary frequency channel or the ternary frequency channel.

9. The method of claim 1, operating a random backoff counter comprising operating the random backoff counter at a time based on a restricted access window (RAW) timing, the RAW timing being an interval of time during which access to a medium is restricted to a group of stations.

10. The method of claim 1, operating a random backoff counter comprising operating the random backoff counter at a time based on a target wakeup time (TWT), the TWT being a time during which the first station is awake.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first block acknowledgment from the second station over the secondary frequency channel after transmission of the second data packet is complete;

transmitting a block acknowledgment request to the first station over the primary frequency channel in response to reception of the first block acknowledgment; and

receiving a second block acknowledgment from the first station over the primary frequency channel in response to the block acknowledgment request.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first block acknowledgment from the second station over the secondary frequency channel after transmission of the second data packet is complete; and

receiving a second block acknowledgment from the first station over the primary frequency channel after transmission of the first data packet is complete, the first block acknowledgment and the second block acknowledgment received at a same time.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a block acknowledgment request to the first station over the primary frequency channel and the second station over the secondary frequency channel after transmission of the first data packet and the second data packet is complete;

receiving a first block acknowledgment from the second station over the secondary frequency channel in response to the block acknowledgment request; and

receiving a second block acknowledgment from the first station over the primary frequency channel in response to the block acknowledgment request, the first block acknowledgment and the second block acknowledgment being received at a same time.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a block acknowledgment request to the first station and the second station over the primary frequency channel after transmission of the first data packet and the second data packet is complete;

receiving a first block acknowledgment from the second station over the secondary frequency channel in response to the block acknowledgment request; and

receiving a second block acknowledgment from the first station over the primary frequency channel in response to the block acknowledgment request, the first block acknowledgment and the second block acknowledgment being received at a same time.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first block acknowledgment from the second station over the primary frequency channel after transmission of the second data packet is complete; and

receiving a second block acknowledgment from the first station over the primary frequency channel after transmission of the first data packet is complete, the first block acknowledgment and the second block acknowledgment being received at a same time.

16. An access point for transmitting data, comprising:

means for operating a random backoff counter associated with a primary frequency channel;

means for transmitting a first data packet over the primary frequency channel to a first station after the random backoff counter expires;

means for determining, after the random backoff counter expires, whether a secondary frequency channel has been idle for a duration of time based on a time interval before a time that the random backoff counter expired;

means for operating a second random backoff counter associated with the secondary frequency channel,

wherein the means for transmitting further comprises means for transmitting a second data packet over the secondary frequency channel to a second station if the secondary frequency channel has been idle for the duration of time based on the time interval before the time that the random backoff counter expired and if the random backoff counter expires before the second random backoff counter, and

wherein the means for transmitting further comprises means for transmitting the second data packet over the secondary frequency channel if the second random backoff counter expires before the random backoff counter; and

means for determining, after the first of the random backoff counter or the second random backoff counter expires, whether a frequency channel associated with a random backoff counter that has not expired has been idle for a duration of time based on a point coordination function inter frame space (PIFS) before a time that the respective random backoff counter expired,

wherein the means for transmitting further comprises means for transmitting a data packet corresponding to a random backoff counter that has not expired if the respective frequency channel has been idle for the duration of time based on the PIFS before the time that the respective random backoff counter expired.

17. The access point of claim 16, the time interval comprising a point coordination function inter frame space (PIFS).

18. The access point of claim 16, further comprising means for transmitting a fourth data packet over a ternary frequency channel if the ternary frequency channel has been idle for a duration of time based on an arbitration inter frame spacing (AIFS) before a time that the second random backoff counter expired.

19. The access point of claim 16, means for operating a random backoff counter comprising means for operating the random backoff counter at a time based on a restricted access window (RAW) timing, the RAW timing being an interval of time during which access to a medium is restricted to a group of stations.

20. The access point of claim 16, means for operating a random backoff counter comprising means for operating the random backoff counter at a time based on a target wakeup time (TWT), the TWT being a time during which the first station is awake.

21. The access point of claim 16, the means for operating comprising a processor, the means for transmitting the first data packet and the means for transmitting the second data packet comprising a transmitter, and the means for determining comprising a signal detector.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code that, when executed, causes an access point to:

operate a random backoff counter associated with a primary frequency channel;

transmit a first data packet over the primary frequency channel to a first station after the random backoff counter expires;

determine, after the random backoff counter expires, whether a secondary frequency channel has been idle for a duration of time based on a time interval before a time that the random backoff counter expired;

operate a second random backoff counter associated with the secondary frequency channel;

transmit a second data packet over the secondary frequency channel to a second station if the secondary frequency channel has been idle for the duration of time based on the time interval before the time that the random backoff counter expired and if the random backoff counter expires before the second random backoff counter;

transmit the second data packet over the secondary frequency channel if the second random backoff counter expires before the random backoff counter;

determine, after the first of the random backoff counter or the second random backoff counter expires, whether a frequency channel associated with a random backoff counter that has not expired has been idle for a duration of time based on a point coordination function inter frame space (PIFS) before a time that the respective random backoff counter expired; and

transmit a data packet corresponding to a random backoff counter that has not expired if the respective frequency channel has been idle for the duration of time based on the PIFS before the time that the respective random backoff counter expired.

23. The medium of claim 22, the time interval comprising a point coordination function inter frame space (PIFS).

24. The medium of claim 22, comprising code that, when executed, causes an access point to transmit a fourth data packet over a ternary frequency channel if the ternary frequency channel has been idle for a duration of time based on an arbitration inter frame spacing (AIFS) before a time that the second random backoff counter expired.

25. The medium of claim 22, comprising code that, when executed, causes an access point to operate the random backoff counter at a time based on a restricted access window (RAW) timing, the RAW timing being an interval of time during which access to a medium is restricted to a group of stations.

26. The medium of claim 22, comprising code that, when executed, causes an access point to operate the random backoff counter at a time based on a target wakeup time (TWT), the TWT being a time during which the first station is awake.

27. An access point for transmitting data, comprising:

a processor configured to operate a random backoff counter associated with a primary frequency channel and a second random backoff counter associated with a secondary frequency channel;

a transmitter configured to transmit a first data packet over the primary frequency channel to a first station after the random backoff counter expires; and

a signal detector configured to determine, after the random backoff counter expires, whether the secondary frequency channel has been idle for a duration of time based on a time interval before a time that the random backoff counter expired, the transmitter further configured to transmit a second data packet over the secondary frequency channel to a second station if the secondary frequency channel has been idle for the duration of time based on the time interval before the time that the random backoff counter expired and if the random backoff counter expires before the second random backoff counter,

the transmitter further configured to transmit the second data packet over the secondary frequency channel if the second random backoff counter expires before the random backoff counter, the signal detector further configured to determine, after the first of the random backoff counter or the second random backoff counter expires, whether a frequency channel associated with a random backoff counter that has not expired has been idle for a duration of time based on a point coordination function inter frame space (PIFS) before a time that the respective random backoff counter expired, and the transmitter further configured to transmit a data packet corresponding to a random backoff counter that has not expired if the respective frequency channel has been idle for the duration of time based on the PIFS before the time that the respective random backoff counter expired.

28. The access point of claim 27, the time interval comprising a point coordination function inter frame space (PIFS).

29. The access point of claim 27, the transmitter further configured to transmit a fourth data packet over a ternary frequency channel if the ternary frequency channel has been idle for a duration of time based on an arbitration inter frame spacing (AIFS) before a time that the second random backoff counter expired.

30. The access point of claim 27, the transmitter further configured to transmit the second data packet over the secondary frequency channel and a ternary frequency channel, the second data packet comprising a physical layer preamble, and the physical layer preamble comprising an allocation of the second station to the secondary frequency channel and a third station to the ternary frequency channel.

31. The access point of claim 30, the transmitter further configured to:

transmit, after transmission of the second data packet, a third data packet to the second station over the secondary frequency channel; and

transmit, after transmission of the second data packet, a fourth data packet to the third station of the ternary frequency channel.

32. The access point of claim 30, the primary frequency channel, the secondary frequency channel, and the ternary frequency channel being contiguous in an operating bandwidth.

33. The access point of claim 30, the primary frequency channel, the secondary frequency channel, and the ternary frequency channel not being contiguous in an operating bandwidth.

34. The access point of claim 30, the first station not configured to communicate over the secondary frequency channel or the ternary frequency channel.

35. The access point of claim 27, the processor further configured to operate the random backoff counter at a time based on a restricted access window (RAW) timing, the RAW timing being an interval of time during which access to a medium is restricted to a group of stations.

36. The access point of claim 27, the processor further configured to operate the random backoff counter at a time based on a target wakeup time (TWT), the TWT being a time during which the first station is awake.

37. The access point of claim 27, further comprising a receiver configured to receive a first block acknowledgment from the second station over the secondary frequency channel after transmission of the second data packet is complete, the transmitter further configured to transmit a block acknowledgment request to the first station over the primary frequency channel in response to reception of the first block acknowledgment, and the receiver further configured to receive a second block acknowledgment from the first station over the primary frequency channel in response to the block acknowledgment request.

38. The access point of claim 27, further comprising a receiver configured to receive a first block acknowledgment from the second station over the secondary frequency channel after transmission of the second data packet is complete, the receiver further configured to receive a second block acknowledgment from the first station over the primary frequency channel after transmission of the first data packet is complete, and the first block acknowledgment and the second block acknowledgment being received at a same time.

39. The access point of claim 27, the transmitter further configured to transmit a block acknowledgment request to the first station over the primary frequency channel and the second station over the secondary frequency channel after transmission of the first data packet and the second data packet is complete.

40. The access point of claim 39, further comprising a receiver configured to receive a first block acknowledgment from the second station over the secondary frequency channel in response to the block acknowledgment request, the receiver further configured to receive a second block acknowledgment from the first station over the primary frequency channel in response to the block acknowledgment request, and the first block acknowledgment and the second block acknowledgment being received at a same time.

41. The access point of claim 27, the transmitter further configured to transmit a block acknowledgment request to the first station and the second station over the primary frequency channel after transmission of the first data packet and the second data packet is complete.

42. The access point of claim 41, further comprising a receiver configured to receive a first block acknowledgment from the second station over the secondary frequency channel in response to the block acknowledgment request, the receiver further configured to receive a second block acknowledgment from the first station over the primary frequency channel in response to the block acknowledgment request, and the first block acknowledgment and the second block acknowledgment being received at a same time.

43. The access point of claim 27, further comprising a receiver configured to receive a first block acknowledgment from the second station over the primary frequency channel after transmission of the second data packet is complete, the receiver further configured to receive a second block acknowledgment from the first station over the primary frequency channel after transmission of the first data packet is complete, and the first block acknowledgment and the second block acknowledgment being received at a same time.