Abstract: Methods and apparatus for wireless communications in regional networks, e.g., ad hoc peer to peer networks, are described. Wireless communications devices transmit and monitor for presence indicator signals broadcast from other peer communications devices in its local vicinity. A wireless communications device maintains a list of discovered devices in its vicinity. A first wireless communications device transmits a paging signal directly over an airlink to a second communications device, which is on its list and to which it desires to send data units, e.g., user data in a peer to peer traffic segment. In response to a received paging response signal from the second device, the first device transmits data units, intended for the second device, to a third device, which acts as an intermediary node. The power level for the data unit signal is controlled to be lower than the power level used for the paging signal. FIG.

Abstract: A first receiver device receives a first pilot signal from a first transmitter device and a second pilot signal from a second transmitter device. The second pilot signal indicates that the second transmitter device intends to transmit a second traffic signal. The first receiver device determines a transmission rate for the first transmitter device as a function of the received signal strength of the first pilot and a predicted amount of the total interference to be perceived by the first receiver device. The predicted amount of the total interference being determined as a function of a SIC success probability. The transmission rate is sent to the first transmitter device. The first receiver device predicts whether the second traffic signal can be decoded and subtracted before the first receiver device decodes the first traffic signal to be transmitted by the first transmitter device as a function of the SIC success probability.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for communicating short messages from a first device, e.g., a femto cell device or peer to peer device, over communications resources which are being used by an OFDM macro network, e.g., cellular network, are described. The signal goes on top of, e.g., is transmitted on the same communications resource(s), on which a macro signal, e.g. a downlink signal from a cellular base station, is transmitted. Since the signals are transmitted on the same resources as the signals from the macro base station, they interfere with the macro signal. However, the signals transmitted by the femto cell devices and/or peer to peer devices are designed so that they cause little interference to the macro base station in terms of overall throughput and/or with the macro base station's ability to communicate control and/or pilot information.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and computer program products for transmitting and receiving discovery and paging messages are described herein. In one aspect, an apparatus operable in a wireless communication system includes a receiver and transmitter. The receiver receives a registration packet from a first device. The registration packet indicates interest in a service provided by another device in a wireless communications network. The receiver further receives a discovery packet from a second device during a first discovery interval of a plurality of discovery intervals. The discovery packet advertises a service provided by the second device, and the plurality of discovery intervals include recurring time intervals when a plurality of devices are configured to transmit and receive discovery packets in the wireless communications network. The transmitter transmits a notification packet configured to enable the first device and the second device to communicate directly.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for supporting multi-hop peer discovery in peer-to-peer wireless networks are disclosed. One method supports multi-hop peer discovery using a first peer having a first unique identification code. The method includes decoding a second peer discovery signal to obtain a second unique identification code and a second local identification code of a second peer received during a peer-to-peer discovery channel, determining whether to select the second peer based on a predetermined criterion; and transmitting a first peer discovery signal having the first unique identification code, the second local identification code and a hop count when the predetermined criterion is satisfied.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for communicating information, e.g., queries and query responses, in a peer to peer communications network are described. Queries include, e.g., queries for a product, service, activity or activity partner. In some embodiments, a query channel is implemented and utilized. The implemented query channel structure is such that multiple query responses may be communicated corresponding to a single transmitted query. Various embodiments employ randomization in transmission segment selection by an individual communications device within a transmission block to decrease the likelihood of collisions. A communication device's access to the query channel is determined by the communications device itself. A communications device's decision as to whether or not to transmit and/or re-transmit a query is based on one or more of: its query transmission statistics, historical query channel loading information, and priority level information corresponding to the communications device.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided in which information indicating a partitioning between uplink and downlink resources is received, and communication with an access point to determine at least one of whether a downlink resource will be used for uplink or whether an uplink resource will be used for downlink is performed. Accordingly, a synchronous network may be provided where partitioning of uplink-downlink resources may be dynamically selected, which is more efficient than a synchronous network where uplink-downlink resource partitioning is global and semi-static.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and computer program products for transmitting and receiving discovery and paging messages are described herein. In one aspect, an apparatus operable in a wireless communication system includes a transmitter and receiver. The transmitter transmits a discovery packet during a first discovery interval of a plurality of discovery intervals. The discovery packet advertises a service provided in a wireless communications network, and the plurality of discovery intervals include recurring time intervals when a plurality of devices are configured to transmit and receive discovery packets. The receiver receives a paging packet from a first device during a first paging interval of a plurality of paging intervals. The paging packet indicates interest in the service, and the plurality of paging intervals include recurring time intervals when the plurality of devices are configured to transmit and receive paging packets.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided for using power control to reduce potential interference to a macro eNB by a UE engaged in D2D communications. An eNB may be operable to generate a fractional power control parameter based on a macro eNB power saturation value and broadcast the factional power control parameter. A UE may be equipped to receive the factional power control parameter and determine whether the fractional power control parameter plus a path loss value between the UE and the macro eNB is less than a maximum power used for the D2D communications. The UE may reduce the maximum transmit power used for D2D communications when the fractional power control parameter plus a path loss value between the UE and the macro eNB is less than a maximum power used for the D2D communications.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to a peer to peer wireless communications system supporting the association of multiple connection identifiers with a single connection between a pair of wireless terminals are described. A differentiated quality of service is supported by assigning different numbers of connection identifiers to different connections. The number of connection identifiers assigned to a wireless terminal pair for a connection is a function of one of: data rate, priority information, and quality of service information. Being allocated a higher number of connection identifiers results in being allocated a higher number of traffic transmission request resources, thus increasing the likelihood that the connection is permitted to use a traffic transmission segment. The allocation of connection identifiers is performed in a distributed manner in which handshake signaling occurs between a wireless terminal pair seeking to establish a connection, e.g., as part of a multi-step paging scheme.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided in which a first eNB may be operable to determine a set of resources to allocate for D2D communications based on one or more network factors and transmit the set of resources allocated for D2D communications. A first UE may receive the set of resources allocated for D2D communications. A second UE may inform the first UE of a set of resources allocated for D2D communications by a second eNB. The first UE may determine a subset of resources to use for D2D communications with a second UE based on one or more D2D resource determination schemes, and may signal the determined subset to the first eNB. The first eNB may receive the subset of resources and transmit a control signal indicating that the subset of resources has been allocated for D2D communications.

Abstract: Base station assisted peer to peer discovery methods are described. A wireless terminal communicates peer discovery expression information to a base station and information identifying a peer discovery resource that it intends to use but which may also be used by other devices. The base station associates the peer discovery expression and peer discovery resource with an index value to be communicated on the peer discovery resource. The base station transmits the peer discovery expression and information associating the peer discovery expression with the peer discovery resource and the index value. The wireless terminal transmits the index value on the peer discovery resource. A wireless terminal receiving the index value determines the peer discovery expression being communicated using information from the base station. Use of different indexes allows multiple devices to use the same discovery resource.

Abstract: A decentralized approach to peer discovery channel selection is used in some embodiments. In some such embodiments, a mobile wireless terminal supporting a peer to peer signaling protocol, independently determines what channels to use for peer discovery without a central controller indicating the channel or channels to be used. Assuming channels are of a suitable quality, the channels having the best quality need not be identified, with channel selection being made on a predetermined channel ordering basis from those with suitable quality. Different wireless communications devices in the system use the same peer discovery channel selection process making it likely that the same channel or channels will tend to be picked to be used for peer discovery. Other embodiments are directed to implementing a centralized approach to peer discovery channel selection in which a central controller or base station selects channels to be used for peer discovery signaling.

Abstract: An apparatus, a method of the apparatus, and a computer program in the apparatus are provided in which the apparatus determines a group to which each of a plurality of wireless devices is associated based on signals received from the plurality of wireless devices. The apparatus selects a group for access to a wireless medium from a plurality of groups based on the group determined for each of the plurality of wireless devices and based on reducing interference with the plurality of wireless devices. Each of the plurality of groups has a different priority. The apparatus communicates using peer-to-peer communication on the wireless medium with a priority based on the selected group.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product are provided in which a number of wireless devices communicating peer discovery information are estimated. In addition, a transmission time period for transmitting peer discovery information is determined based on the estimated number of wireless devices.

Abstract: An exemplary wireless communications device comprises a processor coupled to a memory and a wireless communications interface. The processor is configured to transmit a first transmission symbol at a first time index from a first set of time indices, and to transmit a second transmission symbol at a second time index different from the first time index from the first set of time indices, a portion of the first transmission symbol and a portion of the second transmission symbol including the same data. The first set of time indices is associated with a first device ID and includes at least one time index not contained in a second set of time indices associated with a second device ID, and the second set includes at least one time index not contained in the first set.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus of varying transmit power of signals for increasing system throughput and spectral reuse in an unlicensed spectrum are disclosed. One method includes transmitting from a first mobile device to a second mobile device a request to send (RTS) signal having a first transmit data power level based on a channel gain between the first mobile device and the second mobile device, receiving, at the first mobile device, a clear to send (CTS) signal from the second mobile device, and transmitting data at the first transmit data power level from the first mobile device to the second mobile device.

Abstract: In an ad hoc peer-to-peer communication network between wireless devices, a high priory first receiver device is configured to perform successive interference cancellation (SIC). The first receiver device receives a first transmission request from a first transmitter device indicating that the first transmitter device intends to transmit traffic to the first receiver device. Similarly, the first receiver device receives a second transmission request from an interferer second transmitter device. The first receiver device then determines a transmission rate cap for the interferer second transmitter device based on the signal strengths of the first and second transmission requests and sends it to the interferer second transmitter device. The transmission rate cap is a maximum rate at which the first receiver device can reliably decode traffic signals from the second transmitter device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to group communications in a wireless communications system, e.g., a peer to peer wireless communications system, are described. Methods and apparatus directed to closed groups, e.g., where the number of group members are fixed at a given time and known to one or more members of the group, are described. Various embodiments are well suited to decentralized peer to peer wireless networks including a plurality of individual traffic resources, e.g., traffic slots and/or traffic segments, which may be independently scheduled in a decentralized manner. Some features and/or aspects are directed to the use of individual group member acknowledgement signaling in response to a transmitted group traffic data signal. By monitoring for anticipated individual group member acknowledgment signals and identifying members which have not signaled a positive acknowledgment, re-transmission can be directed and/or tailored to a subset of the group.

Abstract: In an ad hoc peer-to-peer communication network between wireless devices, a high priory first receiver device is configured to perform successive interference cancellation. A first pilot signal is received by the first receiver device from the first transmitter device. Similarly, a second pilot signal is received from a second transmitter device, the second pilot signal indicating that the second transmitter device intends to transmit a second traffic signal. The first receiver device determines a first and a second transmission rates for traffic transmissions from the first transmitter device. A control message is then transmitted by the first receiver device to the first transmitter device including the first and second transmission rates. Subsequently, the first receiver device wirelessly receives a traffic signal including a first traffic signal from the first transmitter device including a first and a second signal components generated from a first and a second codewords, respectively.