Access Point Channel Allocation for P2P Infrastructure Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communications systems, peer-to-peer (P2P) and infrastructure communications often compete for channel access, leading to inefficient channel utilization and interference, especially when multiple stations engage in P2P communications, resulting in narrow bandwidth usage and increased contention for medium access.
Innovation Solution
An access point (AP) allocates specific subsets of channels for P2P communications during a transmit opportunity (TXOP), using coordinated-frequency-division multiple access (C-FDMA) or coordinated-orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (C-OFDMA) methods to enable efficient P2P communications while maintaining infrastructure communications, thereby reducing contention and improving channel utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If P2P and infrastructure communications share the same channel access mechanism, then medium access contention increases, but channel utilization efficiency improves
Solution Approach 1:
The available bandwidth is segmented into multiple channels, with a first subset allocated for infrastructure communications and a second subset for P2P communications. This segmentation allows simultaneous operations on different channels, reducing contention while maintaining overall channel utilization efficiency.
2Quantity of substance
If multiple stations engage in P2P communications on the same channel, then bandwidth usage narrows, but interference with infrastructure communications increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bandwidth is divided into distinct channel subsets, allowing P2P communications to use a dedicated second subset without interfering with infrastructure communications on the first subset. This enables wider bandwidth allocation to P2P while preventing harmful interference.
Solution Approach 2:
Different channel subsets are assigned different functional qualities: the first subset is optimized for infrastructure communications while the second subset is dedicated to P2P communications. This local differentiation allows each subset to serve its specific purpose effectively without mutual interference.
3Reliability
If AP switches receive operations to only the first subset of channels, then infrastructure communication reliability improves, but P2P communication monitoring capability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The AP transmits a signal to the STA indicating the allocation of the second subset of channels for P2P communications before switching receive operations. This preliminary notification allows the STA to initiate P2P communications on the designated channels without requiring the AP to monitor them, maintaining reliability while preserving monitoring capability through advance coordination.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments include an apparatus, method, and computer program product for infrastructure and peer-to-peer (P2P) medium access sharing. Some embodiments enable an access point (AP) to assist associated stations (STAs) in accessing a channel. In some embodiments, an AP can receive a request for coordinated transmission for peer-to-peer (P2P) communications, determine a bandwidth available for use during a transmit opportunity (TXOP), and allocate, from the bandwidth, a first subset of one or more channels for infrastructure communications and a second subset of one or more channels for the P2P communications responsive to the request. The AP can transmit to a STA, a first signal corresponding to the second subset of one or more channels for the P2P communications, indicating that the second subset of one or more channels can be used for P2P communications during the TXOP.