Configuring simultaneous transmissions in wireless network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9622266-B2
Application number	US-201514627051-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2015
Priority date	Feb 20, 2015
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

This document discloses some embodiments for configuring simultaneous transmissions in a wireless network. According to an aspect, a method including: detecting, by a first apparatus of a first wireless network on the basis of a first criterion, that transmissions performed simultaneously with a second apparatus of a second wireless network are allowed; determining, on the basis of a second criterion different from the first criterion, to prohibit frame transmissions simultaneous with frame transmissions of the second apparatus; upon the determining, causing transmission of a control message in the first wireless network, wherein the control message includes an instruction to refrain from transmissions simultaneously with the second apparatus.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
detecting, by a first apparatus of a first wireless network on the basis of a first criterion, that transmissions performed simultaneously with a second apparatus of a second wireless network are allowed, wherein the first criterion is detection of a frame from the second apparatus, the frame comprising an information element explicitly indicating that the second apparatus allows simultaneous frame transmissions;
determining, on the basis of a second criterion different from the first criterion, to prohibit frame transmissions simultaneous with frame transmissions of the second apparatus;
upon said determining, causing transmission of a control message in the first wireless network, wherein the control message comprises an instruction to refrain from transmissions simultaneously with the second apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control message comprises an identifier of the second apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
acquiring, in the first apparatus, a response to the control message from a third apparatus of the first wireless network, wherein the response comprises an indication of whether or not the third apparatus is able to detect transmissions of the second apparatus;
upon determining, by the first apparatus on the basis of the response, that the third apparatus is able to detect the transmissions of the second apparatus, enabling a power-save mode during the transmissions of the second apparatus.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first apparatus is an access node of the first wireless network.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first apparatus is a terminal device of the first wireless network, wherein the control message is transmitted to another terminal device of the first wireless network, and wherein the method further comprises
in the first apparatus: acquiring a response to the control message from the other terminal device, wherein the response comprises an indication of whether or not the other terminal device is able to detect transmissions of the second apparatus.

6. A method comprising:
detecting, by a first apparatus of a first wireless network on the basis of a first criterion, that transmissions performed simultaneously with a second apparatus of a second wireless network are allowed, wherein the first criterion is detection of a frame from the second apparatus, the frame comprising an information element explicitly indicating that the second apparatus allows simultaneous frame transmissions;
determining, in the first apparatus on the basis of a set of rules comprising at least one rule, that a frame transmission, simultaneous with a frame transmission of the second apparatus, to a third apparatus of the first wireless network is prohibited;
in response to said determining, refraining the transmission to the third apparatus at least for the duration of the frame transmission of the second apparatus.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein at least one rule in the set of rules is received in a control message from an access node of the first wireless network.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the control message comprises an instruction to refrain from frame transmissions simultaneous with the second apparatus, the method further comprising:
causing transmission of a response to the control message, wherein the response comprises an indication of whether or not the first apparatus is able to detect frame transmissions of the second apparatus.

9. The method of claims 6 , further comprising:
determining, in the first apparatus on the basis of the set of rules, that a frame transmission, simultaneous with a frame transmission of the second apparatus, to a fourth apparatus is allowed; and causing said frame transmission to the fourth apparatus simultaneously with the frame transmission of the second apparatus.

10. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory including a computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:
detect, on the basis of a first criterion, that transmissions performed in a first wireless network simultaneously with a second apparatus of a second wireless network are allowed, wherein the first criterion is detection of a frame from the second apparatus, the frame comprising an information element explicitly indicating that the second apparatus allows simultaneous frame transmissions;
determine, on the basis of a second criterion different from the first criterion, to prohibit frame transmissions simultaneous with frame transmissions of the second apparatus;
upon said determining, cause transmission of a control message in the first wireless network, wherein the control message comprises an instruction to refrain from transmissions simultaneously with the second apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the control message comprises an identifier of the second apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claims 10 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:
acquire a response to the control message from a third apparatus of the first wireless network, wherein the response comprises an indication of whether or not the third apparatus is able to detect transmissions of the second apparatus;
upon determining, on the basis of the response, that the third apparatus is able to detect the transmissions of the second apparatus, enable the apparatus to enter a power-save mode during the transmissions of the second apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claims 10 , wherein the apparatus is an access node of the first wireless network.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is a terminal device of the first wireless network, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:
transmit the control message to another terminal device of the first wireless network; acquire a response to the control message from the other terminal device, wherein the response comprises an indication of whether or not the other terminal device is able to detect transmissions of the second apparatus.

15. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory including a computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:
detect on the basis of a first criterion that transmissions performed in a first wireless network simultaneously with a second apparatus of a second wireless network are allowed, wherein the first criterion is detection of a frame from the second apparatus, the frame comprising an information element explicitly indicating that the second apparatus allows simultaneous frame transmissions;
determine, on the basis of a set of rules comprising at least one rule, that a frame transmission, simultaneous with a frame transmission of the second apparatus, to a third apparatus of the first wireless network is prohibited;
in response to said determining, refrain the transmission to the third apparatus at least for the duration of the frame transmission of the second apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein at least one rule in the set of rules is received in a control message from an access node of the first wireless network.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the control message comprises an

Assignees

• Nokia Technologies Oy

Inventors

• Kneckt Jarkko
• Alanen Olli
• Kasslin Mika
• Marin Janne
• Rantala Enrico Henrik

Classifications

• H04W16/14

  Spectrum sharing arrangements {between different networks} · CPC title

• H04W74/0816 Primary

  with collision avoidance · CPC title