Medium or Channel Sensing-Based Scheduling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016014796-A1
Application number	US-201514432551-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 24, 2015
Priority date	Jul 11, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

There is provided a method, performed by a network node associated with at least two wireless communication devices, for scheduling packet transmission over a radio-based medium. The method comprises sensing (S 1 ) the radio-based medium by estimating a received signal level, and evaluating (S 2 ), for each of the at least two wireless communication devices, whether the radio-based medium is accessible or free for transmission based on comparing the received signal level to a respective threshold associated with the considered wireless communication device. The method further comprises scheduling (S 3 ) packet transmission over the radio-based medium based on the evaluating, for each of the at least two wireless communication devices, whether the radio-based medium is accessible or free for transmission.

First claim

1 - 37 . (canceled)

38 . A method, performed by a network node associated with at least two wireless communication devices, for scheduling packet transmission over a radio-based medium, said method comprising:
sensing the radio-based medium by estimating a received signal level; evaluating, for each of the at least two wireless communication devices, whether the radio-based medium is accessible or free for transmission based on comparing the received signal level to a respective threshold associated with the considered wireless communication device; and scheduling packet transmission over the radio-based medium based on the evaluating, for each of the at least two wireless communication devices, whether the radio-based medium is accessible or free for transmission.

39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein each of the at least two wireless communication devices is associated with a respective individual threshold for determining whether the radio-based medium is accessible or free for transmission.

40 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the respective threshold is a per-device threshold that is based on device-specific information.

41 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the radio-based medium is determined to be free for transmission if the received signal level does not exceed the respective threshold.

42 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the respective threshold is a clear channel assessment threshold value.

43 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the network node schedules packet transmission for a wireless communication device for which the medium is determined to be accessible for transmission, or allocates access to the radio-based medium for a wireless device for which the radio-based medium has been determined to be free for transmission.

44 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the radio-based medium is sensed during a sensing period, and access is allowed for a selected one of the wireless communication devices during a transmission period following the sensing period.

45 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the medium access is based on a Listen-Before-Talk (LBT) medium access procedure, and the scheduling is performed based on medium or channel sensing with individual clear channel assessment thresholds (CCATs) for the wireless devices.

46 . The method of claim 45 , wherein the network node provides an individual clear channel assessment threshold (CCAT) for each associated wireless device, a so-called per-device CCAT.

47 . The method of claim 46 , wherein the network node retrieves, for each of the wireless devices, the per device CCAT from a database to effectuate CCAT configuration for the wireless device.

48 . The method of claim 46 , wherein the individual COAT per device is determined or adjusted based on device-specific information.

49 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the network node is a scheduling node, access point or radio base station.

50 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the method is performed in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and/or a cellular communication network.

51 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the method is performed for downlink communication.

52 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the network node retrieves, for each of the wireless devices, the respective threshold by sending a request including information representing the identity of the wireless device to a database holding per-device thresholds and receiving a response including the corresponding threshold.

53 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the evaluating step is performed to determine, for each of the at least two wireless communication devices, whether the radio-based medium is accessible or free for transmission to the wireless communication device.

54 . The method of claim 38 , wherein access to the radio-based medium is allocated for packet transmission to a selected one of the wireless communication devices based on the evaluating, for each of the at least two wireless communication devices, whether the radio-based medium is accessible or free for transmission.

55 . Circuitry associated with at least two wireless communication devices, wherein the circuitry is configured to schedule packet transmission over a radio-based medium, the circuity comprising:
a processor and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processor whereby said circuitry is configured to:
sense the radio-based medium by estimating a received signal level;
evaluate, for each of the at least two wireless communication devices, whether the radio-based medium is accessible or free for transmission based on comparing the received signal level to a respective threshold associated with the considered wireless communication device; and
schedule packet transmission over the radio-based medium based on the evaluation, for each of the at least two wireless communication devices, of whether the radio-based medium is accessible or free for transmission.

56 . The circuitry of claim 55 , wherein each of the at least two wireless communication devices is associated with a respective individual threshold for determining whether the radio-based medium is accessible or free for transmission.

57 . The circuitry of claim 55 , wherein the respective threshold is a per-device threshold that is based on device-specific information.

58 . The circuitry of claim 55 , wherein said memory contains instructions executable by said processor whereby the circuitry is configured to perform medium access based on a Listen-Before-Talk (LBT) medium access procedure, and configured to perform scheduling or access allocation based on medium or channel sensing with individual clear channel assessment thresholds (CCATs) for the wireless devices.

59 . The circuitry of claim 55 , wherein said memory contains instructions executable by said processor whereby the circuitry is configured to operate in connection with a database maintaining an individual clear channel assessment threshold (CCAT) for each associated wireless device, a so-called per-device CCAT.

60 . The circuitry of claim 59 , wherein said memory contains instructions executable by said processor whereby the circuitry is further configured to retrieve, for each of the wireless devices, the per device CCAT from the database to effectuate CCAT configuration for the wireless device.

61 . The circuitry of claim 59 , wherein said memory contains instructions executable by said processor whereby the circuitry is further configured to determine or adjust the individual CCAT per device based on device-specific information.

62 . The circuitry of claim 55 , wherein said memory contains instructions executable by said processor whereby the circuitry is further configured to send, for each of the wireless devices, a corresponding request to a database holding per-device thresholds and receive a response including the respective threshold.

63 . The circuitry of claim 55 , wherein said memory contains instructions executable by said processor whereby the circuitry is configured to determine, for each of the at least two wireless communication devices, whether the radio-based medium is accessible or free for transmission to the wireless communication device.

64 . The circuitry of claim 55 , wherein said memory contains instructions executable by said processor whereby the circuitry is further configured to allocate access to

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Söder Johan
• Mestanov Filip
• Wang Yu
• Wilhelmsson Leif

Classifications

• H04W72/12 Primary

  Wireless traffic scheduling · CPC title

• H04W84/12

  WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] · CPC title

• H04W48/12

  using downlink control channel · CPC title

• H04W24/02

  Arrangements for optimising operational condition · CPC title

• H04W74/006

  in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal · CPC title