Method and apparatus for de-centralized spatial reuse in wireless communications systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10820328-B2
Application number	US-201715627702-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2017
Priority date	Jun 20, 2016
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

A method for spatial re-use in a first wireless communications assembly of a first service set, comprising: establishing data transfer communications within the first service set; detecting wireless interference generated by a second wireless communications assembly of a second service set distinct from the first service set; responsive to the detecting, sending a notice of interference indicator to the second wireless communications assembly; receiving a response to the notice of interference indicator from the second wireless communications assembly; based on the response, selecting an interference-reducing corrective action to perform within the first service set; and initiating the selected corrective action within the first service set.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for spatial re-use in a first client wireless communications assembly, comprising:
establishing data transfer communications between the first client wireless communications assembly and a first access point, the first client wireless communications assembly and the first access point defining a first service set;
detecting, at the first client wireless communications assembly, wireless interference generated by a second client wireless communications assembly via communication between the second client wireless communications assembly and a second access point, the second client wireless communications assembly and the second access point defining a second service set distinct from the first service set;
responsive to the detecting, sending, from the first client wireless communications assembly to the second client wireless communications assembly, a notice of interference indicator containing a network address of the second client wireless communications assembly;
receiving a response to the notice of interference indicator at the first client wireless communications assembly from the second client wireless communications assembly, the response addressed to the first wireless communications assembly;
based on the response, selecting an interference-reducing corrective action to apply to communications between the first client wireless communications assembly and the first access point within the first service set; and
initiating the selected corrective action within the first service set.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the wireless interference comprises detecting a transmission from the second client wireless communications assembly to the second access point, the transmission being addressed to a member of the second service set.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein sending the notice of interference indicator comprises extracting a network identifier of the second client wireless communications assembly from the transmission.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein sending the notice of interference indicator comprises generating a notice of interference frame including the network identifier of the second client wireless communications assembly.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
responsive to the detecting, and prior to sending the notice of interference indicator, measuring a signal strength of the interference;
comparing the signal strength to a predefined threshold; and
when the signal strength is below the predefined threshold, interrupting the sending.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the notice of interference indicator includes a request to incorporate beamforming training fields to future transmissions from the second client wireless communications assembly.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the notice of interference indicator includes a request to the second client wireless communications assembly to initiate a contention-based access protocol.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the corrective action includes initiating a beamforming refinement procedure between the first client wireless communications assembly and the first access point.

9. A client wireless communications assembly, comprising:
an antenna array; and
a controller interconnected with the antenna array, the controller configured to:
establish data transfer communications between the client wireless communications assembly and a first access point, the client wireless communications assembly and the first access point defining a first service set;
detect wireless interference generated by a second client wireless communications assembly via communication between the second client wireless communications assembly and a second access point, the second client wireless communications assembly and the second access point defining a second service set distinct from the first service set;
responsive to the detecting, send a notice of interference indicator addressed to the second client wireless communications assembly, the indicator containing a network address of the second client wireless communications assembly;
receive a response to the notice of interference indicator from the second client wireless communications assembly, the response addressed to the client wireless communications assembly;
based on the response, select an interference-reducing corrective action to apply to communications between the client wireless communications assembly and the first access point within the first service set; and
initiate the selected corrective action within the first service set.

10. The wireless communications assembly of claim 9 , wherein detecting the wireless interference comprises detecting a transmission from the second client wireless communications assembly to the second access point, the transmission being addressed to a member of the second service set.

11. The wireless communications assembly of claim 10 , wherein sending the notice of interference indicator comprises extracting a network identifier of the second client wireless communications assembly from the transmission.

12. The wireless communications assembly of claim 11 , wherein sending the notice of interference indicator comprises generating a notice of interference frame including the network identifier of the second client wireless communications assembly.

13. The wireless communications assembly of claim 9 , the controller further configured to:
responsive to the detecting, and prior to sending the notice of interference indicator, measure a signal strength of the interference;
compare the signal strength to a predefined threshold; and
when the signal strength is below the predefined threshold, interrupt the sending.

14. The wireless communications assembly of claim 9 , wherein the notice of interference indicator includes a request to incorporate beamforming training fields to future transmissions from the second client wireless communications assembly.

15. The wireless communications assembly of claim 9 , wherein the notice of interference indicator includes a request to the second client wireless communications assembly to initiate a contention-based access protocol.

16. The wireless communications assembly of claim 9 , wherein the corrective action includes initiating a beamforming refinement procedure between the client wireless communications assembly and the first access point.

Assignees

• Peraso Tech Inc

Inventors

• Cheng Gary
• Hansen Christopher James
• Andonieh Joseph
• Lynch Bradley Robert

Classifications

• H04W72/541 Primary

  using the level of interference · CPC title

• H04W72/27 Primary

  between access points · CPC title

• H04W84/18

  Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks · CPC title

• H04W52/346

  distributing total power among users or channels · CPC title

• H04W28/18

  Negotiating wireless communication parameters · CPC title