Methods and apparatus for multiple user uplink access

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016128024-A1
Application number	US-201514920792-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 22, 2015
Priority date	Oct 29, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for multiple user uplink are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving, at a wireless device, a trigger message allocating one or more wireless transmission resources, each resource allocated to a plurality of stations. The method further includes determining whether to transmit over the allocated resources based on a contention procedure. The method further includes selectively transmitting over the allocated resources based on said determining.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of wireless communication, comprising:
receiving, at a wireless device, a trigger message allocating one or more wireless transmission resources, each resource allocated to a plurality of stations; determining whether to transmit over the allocated resources based on a contention procedure; and selectively transmitting over the allocated resources based on said determining.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein allocating one or more wireless transmission resources comprises allocating some of the one or more wireless transmission resources to one station only.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the trigger message specifies the plurality of stations via one or more of: a prior allocation indication, a group identifier associated with one or more wildcard resources, a portion of a media access control (MAC) or association identification (AID) address of the plurality of stations, and/or a time synchronization function (TSF) criteria.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless transmission resources comprise frequency resources, time resources, or a combination thereof.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to transmit comprises:
receiving a pruning threshold value within a range of values; generating a pruning value within the range of values; comparing the pruning value to the pruning threshold value; and determining whether to transmit based on said comparing.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising receiving a revised pruning threshold based on success or failure of past transmissions.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to transmit comprises:
initializing a backoff counter; modifying the backoff counter based on allocated resources; and determining to transmit when the backoff counter reaches a threshold value.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising adjusting a backoff window when a collision occurs in the allocated resources.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to transmit comprises:
listening to the allocated resources for a listening portion of a preamble period after the trigger message; transmitting a padding signal when the allocated resources are idle for a duration of the listening portion, until an end of the preamble period; and determining to not to transmit when the allocated resources are not idle for a duration of the listening portion.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting a length of the listening portion based on a transmission outcome.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of stations includes one or more stations of an overlapping basic service set (OBSS).

12 . An apparatus configured to communicate wirelessly, comprising:
a receiver configured to receive a trigger message allocating one or more wireless transmission resources, each resource allocated to a plurality of stations; a processor configured to determine whether to transmit over the allocated resources based on a contention procedure; and a transmitter configured to selectively transmit over the allocated resources based on said determining.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein allocating one or more wireless transmission resources comprises allocating some of the one or more wireless transmission resources to one station only.

14 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the trigger message specifies the plurality of stations via one or more of: a prior allocation indication, a group identifier associated with one or more wildcard resources, a portion of a media access control (MAC) or association identification (AID) address of the plurality of stations, and/or a time synchronization function (TSF) criteria.

15 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the wireless transmission resources comprise frequency resources, time resources, or a combination thereof.

16 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein determining whether to transmit comprises:
receiving a pruning threshold value within a range of values; generating a pruning value within the range of values; comparing the pruning value to the pruning threshold value; and determining whether to transmit based on said comparing.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a revised pruning threshold based on success or failure of past transmissions.

18 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein determining whether to transmit comprises:
initializing a backoff counter; modifying the backoff counter based on allocated resources; and determining to transmit when the backoff counter reaches a threshold value.

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to adjust a backoff window when a collision occurs in the allocated resources.

20 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein determining whether to transmit comprises:
listening to the allocated resources for a listening portion of a preamble period after the trigger message; transmitting a padding signal when the allocated resources are idle for a duration of the listening portion, until an end of the preamble period; and determining to not to transmit when the allocated resources are not idle for a duration of the listening portion.

21 . The apparatus of claim 20 , further comprising adjusting a length of the listening portion based on a transmission outcome.

22 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of stations includes one or more stations of an overlapping basic service set (OBSS).

23 . An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:
means for receiving a trigger message allocating one or more wireless transmission resources, each resource allocated to a plurality of stations; means for determining whether to transmit over the allocated resources based on a contention procedure; and means for selectively transmitting over the allocated resources based on said determining.

24 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein allocating one or more wireless transmission resources comprises allocating some of the one or more wireless transmission resources to one station only.

25 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the trigger message specifies the plurality of stations via one or more of: a prior allocation indication, a group identifier associated with one or more wildcard resources, a portion of a media access control (MAC) or association identification (AID) address of the plurality of stations, and/or a time synchronization function (TSF) criteria.

26 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the wireless transmission resources comprise frequency resources, time resources, or a combination thereof.

27 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein means for determining whether to transmit comprises:
means for receiving a pruning threshold value within a range of values; means for generating a pruning value within the range of values; means for comparing the pruning value to the pruning threshold value; and means for determining whether to transmit based on said comparing.

28 . The apparatus of claim 27 , further comprising means for receiving a revised pruning threshold based on success or failure of past transmissions.

29 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein means for determining whether to transmit comprises:
means for initializing a backoff count

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Frederiks Guido Robert
• Merlin Simone
• Tian Bin
• Cherian George
• Barriac Gwendolyn Denise

Classifications

• H04L5/0091

  Signalling for the administration of the divided path, e.g. signalling of configuration information · CPC title

• H04L5/0037 Primary

  Inter-user or inter-terminal allocation · CPC title

• H04W72/20

  Control channels or signalling for resource management · CPC title

• H04W74/006 Primary

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

• H04B7/0452

  Multi-user MIMO systems · CPC title