Abstract: Methods and apparatus supporting load balancing in a wireless communications system implementing decentralized control are described. Different channels, e.g., unused TV channels, are available in different locations for use for communications. Various communications technologies, e.g., WiFi, 3G Blue-Tooth, etc., may be supported by a communications device and may be allowed to be used on the available channels. A wireless communications device evaluates its current local environment, e.g., estimating potential rates that it may use and/or estimating latency, for each of a plurality of available alternative channel/technology combinations. The wireless communications device selects a channel and technology combination to use as a function of its estimates. The wireless communications device uses its selected channel and technology combination for communications, e.g., for peer to peer communications including direct peer to peer traffic signaling as part of a local peer to peer network.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus well suited for efficiently communicating small amounts of information relatively frequently in a wireless communications system are described. An uplink timing frequency structure for an access point includes a set of dedicated uplink communications resources, e.g., expression advertisement interval air link resources. Different ones of the set of dedicated uplink communications resources correspond to different individual wireless communications devices currently registered with the access point. In the downlink timing frequency structure for the access point there are dedicated downlink broadcast communications resources, e.g., expression broadcast interval air link resources and neighbor expression broadcast interval air link resources. Information received on dedicated uplink air link resources is echoed back or selectively echoed back on the dedicated downlink air link resources.

Abstract: Various embodiments relate to using available spectrum for peer to peer communications and for selecting which of several possibly available channels should be used. Various methods and apparatus are well suited to peer to peer networks in which channel usage decisions are made in a decentralized manner. A wireless terminal generates a list of potential available channels to be used for peer to peer communications, e.g., based on FCC information and/or local sensing. Channels are filled in accordance with a predetermined channel ordering. A wireless terminal migrates between the channels in accordance with changes in the number of peer devices using a channel. The network, in a distributed manner, changes the number of channels in use at a location in response to changes in numbers of active peer devices at a location.

Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to methods and apparatus for mobile device position determination and the efficient communication of mobile device position related information. In different areas different types of reference signals may be available to be used by a mobile device for position determination. Some types of references signal may be well suited for short range in an indoor environment, e.g., audio signals, Bluetooth signals and Wi-Fi signals, while other types of signals may be well suited for an outdoor environment, e.g., GPS signals and cellular base station signals. Different types of signals may facilitate different possible resolution accuracies for a position determination. In various embodiments, in different areas within a geographic coverage region, different sets of reference signals are available to be used by a mobile wireless device to determine its position.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to supporting rapid synchronization between groups of wireless communications devices are described. Described methods and apparatus are well suited for use in peer to peer wireless communications systems in which a plurality of ad hoc peer to peer networks may be formed, each ad hoc network operating with its own notion of time. As two groups of devices, having different notions of time, come within proximity of one another, a wireless communications device of a first group detects the presence of a member of a second group. The wireless device determines that network timing re-synchronization is to be performed by one of the first and second groups and transmits a re-synchronization alert signal on a dedicated resource. Subsequently, the wireless device transmits a timing synchronization signal in accordance with new timing. Intended devices, which detect the alert signal and timing synchronization signal, adjust their internal timing.

Abstract: A set of signal prediction map generation parameters, used to generate a signal prediction map to determine mobile device location, are initially modeled as large variance random variables. A network device, e.g., a server, receives estimated positions of mobiles and corresponding signal measurements, e.g., received signal power measurements, taken at those estimated positions by the mobiles. Received signal measurement information and corresponding estimated position information from a mobile is used to update one or more of the signal prediction map generation parameter distributions. After multiple updates to a distribution of a signal prediction map generation parameter, the network node transmits a prediction parameter update signal communicating the new distribution of the signal prediction parameter to be subsequently used by the mobile devices in the system when generating a signal prediction map and estimating its position.

Abstract: The methods and apparatus described herein are used to operate a wireless device. One method of operating a wireless device includes filtering a first set of digital samples using a first filter at a first time to generate a first signal, transmitting the first signal, filtering a second set of digital samples using a second filter at a second time to generate a second signal, and transmitting the second signal. In one embodiment, an apparatus for operating a wireless device includes a processor configured to filter, at a first wireless device, a first set of digital samples using a first filter at a first time to generate a first signal, transmit, from the first wireless device, the first signal, and filter, at the first wireless device, a second set of digital samples using a second filter at a second time to generate a second signal.

Abstract: In an ad hoc peer-to-peer communication network between wireless devices, a low priory first transmitter device adjusts it transmit power based on a received transmission request response from a higher priority second receiver device. The first transmitter device broadcasts a first transmission request to a corresponding first receiver device and may receive a first transmission request response from a different second receiver device. The second transmission request response is sent by the second receiver device in response to a second transmission request from a second transmitter device. The first transmitter device calculates an interference cost to the second receiver device as a function of the received power of the first transmission request response. A transmission power is obtained as a function of the calculated interference cost and the transmission power of the first transmission request, the transmission power to be used for traffic transmissions corresponding to the first transmission request.

Abstract: A wireless terminal detects timing signals from different local timing signal sources. The wireless terminal selects from the plurality of detected timing signal sources two timing signal sources in accordance with a predetermined timing signal source priority ordering. In some embodiments, the wireless terminal intentionally selects two timing signal sources which are not synchronized with respect to one another. The wireless terminal determines a first set of peer communications time intervals corresponding to a first selected timing signal source and a second set of peer communications time intervals corresponding to a second selected timing signal source. The wireless terminal transmits a peer to peer signal, e.g., a peer discovery signal, during at least one of the first set of peer communications time intervals. The wireless terminal transmits a peer to peer signal, e.g., a peer discovery signal, during at least one of the second set of peer communications time intervals.

Abstract: Various methods and apparatus are directed to communicating peer discovery information in an efficient manner. A wireless device which has received peer discovery information from multiple peer devices in its vicinity combines received peer discovery information and transmits a signal communicating the combined information. In some embodiments, the combining includes performing a linear combination. The transmitted signal including the combined peer discovery information corresponding to multiple devices facilitates the recovery of peer discovery information by peer devices which may be out of direct peer to peer communications range to one of the devices whose information was used to produce the combined signal. Different peer devices may be able to recover different peer discovery information from the same combined signal. Thus the wireless device may effectively relay a first peer discovery message to one peer device and a second peer discovery message to another peer device via the same combined signal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to peer to peer communication networks are described. A wireless communications device supports peer to peer communications with multiple peers. The wireless communications device determines its transmit timing synchronization based on a reference signal received from a node such as a base station, a satellite, or a beacon transmitter which does not transmit user data. The wireless communications device determines a plurality of different receive timing adjustments corresponding to different peer communications devices based on signals received from those peer communications devices. The wireless communications device stores the plurality of determined receive timing adjustment information corresponding to the different peer communications devices. The wireless communications device retrieves and applies stored receive timing adjustment information which matches the particular device which transmitted the signal attempting to be recovered.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus well suited for supporting communications over different ranges in, for example, a peer to peer wireless communications system, are described. In the peer to peer network at least some of the types of signals, e.g., peer discovery signals and/or paging signals, are transmitted with no closed loop power control. An exemplary peer to peer timing structure includes air link resources allocated for a particular type of signaling in which the resources are segmented into multiple blocks which do not overlap in time, different ones of the multiple blocks being associated with different ranges. The characteristics of the basic transmission units of the multiple blocks based on range are different, e.g., tone size and symbol width are different. A wireless communications device implements the peer to peer timing structure and uses resources from different range based blocks at different times. Data traffic transmission units may be the same regardless of the range.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to peer to peer communication networks are described. A peer to peer timing structure is implemented which includes a pattern of different types of time intervals including at least a peer discovery time interval and a traffic interval. A wireless communications device, supporting peer to peer operations stores the peer to peer timing structure information, accesses the stored information, and used the accessed information to determine an operation to be performed during a current time period. The operation is, e.g., a peer discovery operation, a peer to peer timing synchronization operation, a peer paging operation, or a peer to peer traffic signaling operation. Various exemplary relationships between the different types of intervals, including relative frequencies, relative durations, and spacing information, are described.

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.

Abstract: One or more bits are used in peer discovery signals to signal a device's ability and/or willingness to participate in a cooperative manner with regard to one or more mobile device location determination related operations. In some embodiments, the one or more bits are located at predetermined locations within a header portion of a peer discovery signal. Different bits, in some embodiments, are associated with different specific cooperative location determination related operations. The peer discovery signal is transmitted, e.g., broadcast, periodically or on some predetermined basis by a mobile wireless communications device. In this manner, a device listening to the peer discovery signals can determine other devices' willingness to perform particular location discovery related operations with very little signaling overhead.

Abstract: To mitigate interference between multiple peer-to-peer devices, transmitter yielding and/or receiver yielding may be performed among devices operating in a peer-to-peer network. Generally, a transmitter device will yield communications on a time slot to a higher priority transmitter device if it will cause unacceptable interference to a higher priority receiver device. Likewise, a receiver device may yield use of the time slot if interference is unacceptably high. Both transmitter and receiver yielding may be improved by use of beamforming at a receiver device. By utilizing beamforming information to make the transmitter and/or receiver yielding decisions, better interference mitigation may be achieved.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus of using a licensed spectrum to transmit a signal when an unlicensed spectrum is congested are disclosed. One method includes receiving, at a first mobile device, a request signal from a second mobile device, receiving, at the first mobile device, a remote signal from one or more mobile devices using the unlicensed spectrum, and transmitting a control signal from the first mobile device to the second mobile device using the licensed spectrum, the control signal being based on the remote signal. The control signal carries control information that is based on at least one of a time at which the second mobile device sends a signal to the first mobile device or the received powers of the remote signal and the request signal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus of using a licensed spectrum to transmit data when an unlicensed spectrum is congested are disclosed. The method includes transmitting a first signal from a first mobile device to a second mobile device using an unlicensed spectrum, determining, at the first mobile device, whether a first response signal has been received by the first mobile device using the unlicensed spectrum, and transmitting a second signal from the first mobile device to the second mobile device using a licensed spectrum when the first response signal has not been received by the first mobile device using the unlicensed spectrum.

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: A method of operating a wireless device includes adjusting at least one duty cycle at which peer discovery signals are sent or received based on environmental information of an environment of the wireless device. In addition, the method includes sending or receiving the peer discovery signals in time based on the at least one duty cycle.