Abstract: Methods and Apparatus for communicating information, e.g., control information, e.g., in the form of a control value, between communications devices, e.g., peer to peer communications devices, are described. Positional coding is used to encode a value to be communicated and the encoded value it then transmitted on a set of communications resources with the placement of signal energy on individual ones of the resources being used to create a pattern used to convey the value to be communicated. Resources, e.g., tone-symbols, which communicate unreliable signal portions due to interference are identified and not used in the positional decoding operation as either an energy carrying tone-symbol or a non-energy carrying tone-symbol.

Abstract: Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate paging a peer in a peer-to-peer communication network. Paging messages may be communicated directly between a wireless terminal and its peer(s). Further, the wireless terminal may monitor for incoming paging messages during subinterval(s) of a paging interval as a function of an identifier of the wireless terminal. Moreover, the wireless terminal may transmit a paging message to a peer (e.g., detected and/or identified during peer discovery) during subinterval(s) of the paging interval as a function of an identifier of the peer.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to reuse of a wireless resource are described. Various methods and apparatus are well suited to wireless communications systems lacking centralized control, e.g., an ad hoc peer to peer wireless communications system. A wireless device, corresponding to a second connection, evaluates whether or not it can reuse a resource associated with a first connection. The first connection is, e.g., an existing active connection and the second connection is, e.g., a potential connection. The wireless device receives one or more control signals from one or more first connection devices. The wireless device determines, based on the received control signals, one or more estimated SINRs characterizing expected results in the system if the two connections should use the same resource concurrently. The wireless device makes a resource reuse decision based on the determined estimated one or more SINRs and a threshold criteria.

Abstract: A wire installation tool having a handle with a first opening for receiving a wire attached to a tube having a second opening for evacuating the wire. In one embodiment, the handle has a lip with external radius larger than that of the tube allowing the tube to be inserted in the drill hole of a structure with the handle engaging the structure. This configuration allows a technician to easily feed cabling through the drill hole in the inner wall of an existing structure. The tool is particularly useful for safely feeding wiring through a drill created through the first and second wallboards of an inside wall.

Abstract: Techniques for performing automatic gain control (AGC) at a terminal in a wireless communication network are described. In an aspect, the terminal may use different receiver gain settings to receive different types of signals in different time intervals. The terminal may determine a receiver gain setting for each signal type and may use the receiver gain setting to receive signals of that signal type. In another aspect, the terminal may determine a receiver gain setting for a future time interval based on received power levels for peer terminals expected to transmit in that time interval. The terminal may measure received power levels of signals received from a plurality of terminals. The terminal may determine a set of terminals expected to transmit in the future time interval and may determine the receiver gain setting for the future time interval based on the measured received power levels for the set of terminals.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for wireless communications in networks, e.g., regional ad hoc peer to peer networks, are described. A communications node, e.g., a third node monitors for wireless communications between other peer communication nodes, e.g., a first node and a second node, in its local vicinity. The third node determines from the monitored wireless communication an indication of link quality corresponding to a communication link between the communication nodes which are communicating or seeking to establish a communications link. The third node generates an estimate of a link quality for a communications link between itself and the first node. Based on the indication of link quality and generated estimate of link quality, the third node decides whether or not to send a signal indicating availability to relay communication between the first and second nodes. The third node, when acting as an intermediary node after indicating its availability to so act, may receive traffic data e.g.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to scheduling decisions of a peer to peer communications device for transmission into traffic intervals are described. A first peer to peer communications device maintains a set of information which allows it to base a scheduling decision for a current traffic interval upon prior performance in a prior traffic interval in which users of other connections were also operating. In some embodiments, the set of information includes a list of device or connection identifiers which the first peer to peer communications device has previously determined to have corresponded to a prior traffic interval in which the first peer to peer device had a low determined data rate.

Abstract: Successive interference cancellation is performed with improved computational efficiency while offering performance approaching that of full CRC-based successive interference cancellation. In a “blind” interference cancellation technique, reconstructed streams are used for interference cancellation without regard to whether the reconstructed streams were properly decoded. In a “semi-blind” interference cancellation technique, decoder outputs from linear equalization can be used instead of decoder outputs from successive interference cancellation in those cases where linear equalization produces accurate decoding but successive interference cancellation does not.

Abstract: Techniques for transmitting signals using time hopping or time and frequency hopping are described. In one design, a terminal selects different slots to use for transmission in multiple frames with time hopping. Each frame includes multiple slots, and each slot covers a particular time duration. The selected slots are at different time locations in the multiple frames. In another design, a terminal selects different resource units to use for transmission in multiple frames with time and frequency hopping. The selected resource units are at different time and frequency locations in the multiple frames. For both designs, the terminal sends a signal (e.g., a peer discovery signal) in the selected slots or resource units in the multiple frames. The terminal may detect for signals (e.g., peer discovery signals) from other terminals in slots not used for transmission by the terminal.

Abstract: Techniques for performing automatic gain control (AGC) at a receiver are described. The receiver may receive an OFDM-based symbol composed of a cyclic prefix and a useful portion. The receiver may scale the OFDM-based symbol with an initial receiver gain, adjust the initial receiver gain based on the cyclic prefix, apply the adjusted receiver gain prior to the useful portion, and process the useful portion to recover at least one signal sent by at least one transmitter. The receiver may select the initial receiver gain, e.g., based on a predicted received power level for the at least one transmitter, a pattern of different receiver gains, etc. The receiver may apply the initial receiver gain at the start of the OFDM-based symbol. The receiver may measure the power of a set of samples in the cyclic prefix and may adjust the receiver gain based on the measured power and a target power.

Abstract: A first wireless communications device includes a wide area network (WAN) interface and a peer to peer interface. The first device discovers the presence of a second wireless communications device via a peer discovery signal, received via its peer to peer interface. The second device has been transmitting, e.g., periodically, certain information, e.g., its location and/or shopping preferences, to a node within the WAN. The detected first signal triggers an application alert in the first device. The first device recovers past information about the second device through a second signal received via its WAN interface. The first device uses information communicated in the first signal, e.g., device identifier information, and information communicated in the second signal, e.g., past location and/or shopping information, to generate a targeted message for the second device. The first device communicates the targeted message via its peer to peer interface in a peer to peer traffic channel.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to peer to peer communication networks are described. Embodiments directed to methods and apparatus for establishing traffic data transmission rates and/or transmission power levels between wireless terminals is described. Embodiments direct to methods and apparatus of making decisions whether or not to transmit as a function of the received power of the received response signals are also described. Transmission of pilot signals after granting of a transmission request and a decision to transmit traffic data has been made occurs in some embodiments. Rate information to be used in determining a traffic rate may be received in response to the pilot signal from a peer to peer (P2P) device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus implementing communications using different types of symbols, e.g. different characteristic OFDM symbols, at different times for different purposes are described. A first type of symbol is used for control signaling including conveying transmission request signals and/or transmission request response signals. A second type of symbol is used for conveying user data, e.g., traffic signals. The symbol period for a first type symbol is larger than the symbol period for a second type symbol. The tone spacing for a first type symbol is larger than the tone spacing for a second type symbol. The methods and apparatus are well suited for peer to peer communications systems in which a peer to peer communications device operates in a half-duplex mode of operation.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to scheduling and/or utilization of air link traffic resources are described. A connection identifier is associated with priority with regard to use of an air link resource, e.g., a peer to peer traffic segment which is in contention. A particular connection may acquire and hold one or multiple connection identifiers. In some embodiments, the priority associated with a particular connection identifier is intentionally varied in a set of traffic slots. In some such embodiments, there is priority randomization from slot to slot. In one such implementation there is a statistically uniform average priority between the different connection identifiers over the recurring structure. Such an implementation facilitates access to traffic segments to a wide range of users, yet allows for differentiation with regard to the amount of access as a function of the number of connection identifiers being held by a particular connection.

Abstract: In an ad hoc peer-to-peer communications network, timing synchronization is facilitated between two or more nodes. A node can establish an original symbol timing and receive a first timing synchronization symbol from a peer node. A timing adjustment can be calculated based in part on the first timing synchronization symbol. An adjusted symbol timing can be established by adjusting the first symbol timing by the calculated timing adjustment amount. The adjusted symbol timing can be conveyed to one or more peer nodes, in order to facilitate timing synchronization among the nodes.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for use in a wireless communications system in which traffic air link resources may be, and sometimes are, shared are described. Various described methods and apparatus are well suited for use in a peer to peer communications system in which transmission control decisions are made in a decentralized manner. An exemplary peer to peer communications system implements the scheduling of traffic intervals in a distributed manner utilizing connection priority information and interference information. An exemplary peer to peer timing structure includes a user scheduling interval and an associated traffic interval. The user scheduling interval includes a plurality transmission request/request response rounds. By utilizing multiple request/request response rounds, a transmission decision corresponding to a connection to yield in an earlier round can be overridden in a subsequent round, resulting in higher overall traffic throughput in the system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to broadcasting data and interference management in a peer to peer wireless communications network are described. Scheduling of traffic air link resources is performed on a slot by slot basis in a decentralized manner. Wireless devices intending to broadcast traffic signals transmit broadcast request signals, sometimes alternatively referred to as broadcast indicator signals. A priority level is associated with each of the broadcast request signals. A receiver device intending to receive broadcast signals detects the broadcast request signals and makes an interference determination as to whether the higher priority broadcast traffic signal can be successfully recovered in the presence of lower priority broadcast traffic signals.

Abstract: Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate identifying peers based upon encoded signals during peer discovery in a peer to peer network. For example, direct signaling that partitions a time-frequency resource into a number of segments can be utilized to communicate an identifier within a peer discovery interval; thus, a particular segment selected for transmission can signal a portion of the identifier, while a remainder can be signaled based upon tones communicated within the selected segment. Moreover, a subset of symbols within the resource can be reserved (e.g., unused) to enable identifying and/or correcting timing offset. Further, signaling can be effectuated over a plurality of peer discovery intervals such that partial identifiers communicated during each of the peer discovery intervals can be linked (e.g., based upon overlapping bits and/or bloom filter information).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for supporting peer to peer communications are described. A plurality of wide area network communications bands in a wireless communications system are also available for use to communicate peer to peer signals. Some WAN bands may be, and sometimes are unused by a base station for WAN communications at a particular location. A peer to peer communications device monitors one or more WAN communications bands. Received signals in the monitored band or bands are compared to threshold criteria. In one embodiment, if the peer to peer communications device finds that no signal is detected in the monitored band or that the received evaluated signal from the monitored band is below a specified threshold level, then the peer to peer wireless terminal is allowed to use a band which is either the monitored band or a band corresponding to the monitored band for peer to peer signaling.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to peer to peer communication networks are described. An active connection list is maintained by a wireless communications device supporting peer to peer communications. In various embodiments, the active connection identifier list being maintained is in addition to a list of discovered peers in the local vicinity. Paging signaling, e.g., peer to peer paging signaling, is used to establish active connections. Air link peer to peer traffic resources include traffic control resources and traffic data resources. A wireless communications device seeking to transmit on a traffic data resource transmits a traffic request signal on a traffic control resource. An active connection identifier is, in some embodiments, associated with a particular subset of traffic control resources. Thus, a wireless communications device monitors the portion or portions of the traffic control resource corresponding to its active connections for traffic request signals, but need not monitor other portions.