Clear channel assessment (CCA) threshold adaptation method

• US 9,807,699 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2014
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Oteri, Oghenekome, Xia, Pengfei, Wang, Xiaofei, Lou, Hanqing, Ghosh, Monisha, Olesen, Robert L., Shah, Nirav B., La Sita, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Sobutka, Philip
• Application Number:
  US15/021,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20160227489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 455522
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/12 Outer and inner loops
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/243 taking into account interferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are described herein for adapting clear channel assessment (CCA) thresholds with or without Transmit Power Control (TPC) are disclosed. An IEEE 802.11 station (STA) may dynamically calculate a STA specific transmit power control (TPC) value and a STA specific clear channel assessment (CCA) value based on a target TPC parameter and a target CCA parameter. The target TPC parameter and the target CCA parameter may be received from an IEEE 802.11 cluster head configured to control TPC and CCA for a plurality of STAs associated with the BSS. The target TPC parameter and the target CCA parameter also may be related. The STA may then determine whether a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) wireless medium of a wireless local area network (WLAN) basic service set (BSS) is occupied or idle based on the STA specific CCA value.

Claims

1. A method for use in an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 station (STA), the method comprising:

receiving a target transmit power control (TPC) parameter and a target clear channel assessment (CCA) parameter from an IEEE 802.11 cluster head configured to control TPC and CCA for a plurality of STAs associated with a basic service set (BSS);

dynamically calculating, at the STA, a STA specific TPC value and a STA specific CCA value based on the target TPC parameter and the target CCA parameter, wherein a product of the target TPC parameter and the target CCA parameter is a constant; and

determining whether a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) wireless medium of a wireless local area network (WLAN) BSS is occupied or idle based on the STA specific CCA value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the IEEE 802.11 cluster head is an access point (AP).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the target TPC parameter and the target CCA parameter are proportional.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the target TPC parameter and the target CCA parameter are inversely proportional.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the target TPC parameter and the target CCA parameter are based on a frame type, wherein the frame type is a control frame or data frame.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a value of the target TPC parameter and a value of the target CCA parameter are both dynamic.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the target TPC parameter and the target CCA parameter from IEEE 802.11 cluster head are based on information received at the IEEE 802.11 cluster head from a neighboring BSS.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the target TPC parameter and the target CCA parameter from the IEEE 802.11 cluster head enable the STA to dynamically calculate the STA specific TPC value and the STA specific CCA value to minimize interference in the neighboring BSS.

9. An Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 station (STA), the STA comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a target transmit power control (TPC) parameter and a target clear channel assessment (CCA) parameter from an IEEE 802.11 cluster head configured to control TPC and CCA for a plurality of STAs associated with a basic service set (BSS);

a processor configured to dynamically calculate, at the STA, a STA specific TPC value and a STA specific CCA value based on the target TPC parameter and the target CCA parameter, wherein a product of the target TPC parameter and the target CCA parameter is a constant; and

the STA configured to determine whether a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) wireless medium of a wireless local area network (WLAN) BSS is occupied or idle based on the STA specific CCA value.

10. The STA of claim 9, wherein the IEEE 802.11 cluster head is an access point (AP).

11. The STA of claim 9, wherein the target TPC parameter and the target CCA parameter are proportional.

12. The STA of claim 9, wherein the target TPC parameter and the target CCA parameter are inversely proportional.

13. The STA of claim 9, wherein the target TPC parameter and the target CCA parameter are based on a frame type, wherein the frame type is a control frame or data frame.

14. The STA of claim 9, wherein a value of the target TPC parameter and a value of the target CCA parameter are both dynamic.

15. The STA of claim 9, wherein the target TPC parameter and the target CCA parameter from the IEEE 802.11 cluster head are based on information received at the IEEE 802.11 cluster head from a neighboring BSS.

16. The STA of claim 15, wherein the target TPC parameter and the target CCA parameter from the IEEE 802.11 cluster head enable the STA to dynamically calculate the STA specific TPC value and the STA specific CCA value to minimize interference in the neighboring BSS.

17. A method for use in a network node, the method comprising:

receiving a target clear channel assessment (CCA) parameter from an IEEE 802.11 cluster head configured to control transmit power control (TPC) and CCA for a plurality of network nodes, wherein a product of the target CCA parameter and a TPC parameter is a constant;

dynamically calculating, at the network node, a network node specific CCA value based on the target CCA parameter and based on a frame type, wherein the frame type is a data frame with one destination or a control frame with a plurality of destinations; and

determining whether a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) wireless medium of a wireless local area network (WLAN) basic service set (BSS) is occupied or idle based on the network node specific CCA value.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the target CCA parameter from the IEEE 802.11 cluster head is based on information received at the IEEE 802.11 cluster head from a neighboring BSS.