Abstract: A first device receives a device-to-device D2D discovery signal which indicates that a second device which sent it does not have a cellular connection and/or is requesting relay to a network broader than a D2D network. In response, the first device engages in a search to find a cellular access node and reports its search results via D2D signalling. In non-limiting embodiments the indication can be explicit or may be implicit in the signal coding; the discovery signals of all devices are sent in periodic discovery signal intervals (204A-F) and any indication in a first discovery signal interval (204C) that a device needs a cellular connection triggers a common search by all the D2D devices in a second common search interval (208D) which is previous to the next discovery signal interval (204D) after the first (204C). The search results are reported in that next discovery signal interval (204D).

Abstract: A fixed or Mode II device enables a Mode I device for license exempt operation by providing to it a list of available license exempt radio channels and a parameter indicating an interval at which contact verification signals CVSs are to be sent. The CVSs verify whether the list remains valid. The fixed/Mode II device then repeatedly sends contact verification signals spaced in time from one another according to the interval. In various embodiments the parameter may be an explicit indication (number of seconds or number of beacons between consecutive CVSs), or it may be implicit (derived from an ID of the fixed/Mode II or Mode I device or a frequency channel, in which the relevant ID is the parameter). A plurality of enabled Mode I devices each gets a device-specific list, and in one embodiment the interval is the same for each of them and the explicit indication is broadcast while in another the parameter is provided to each of them via unicast messages and the interval may differ.

Abstract: There are provided measures for enabling an inter-cell device discovery in device-to-device communication. Such measures may exemplarily include observing, at a device residing in a cell representing a serving cell of said device, a device-to-device discovery signal from another device residing in another cell representing a non-serving cell of said device, and modifying at least one of one or more cell reselection parameters referring to the serving cell of said device and one or more cell selection parameters referring to the non-serving cell of said device on the basis of the observed device-to-device discovery signal.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program for providing scaled coverage. An example method for use in an access point or station may comprise causing operation in a reduced coverage mode, generating a beacon comprising an indication of a reduced coverage mode in a capability field and one or more coverage scaling parameters (CSP) in an information element, and causing the beacon to be provided to one or more stations (STAs).

Abstract: The invention allows fairness provision in wireless mesh networks with respect to the data rate that stations communicate. A fairness metric is obtained during a mesh profile negotiation performed in order for a wireless station to join a wireless mesh network. Predetermined mesh transmission parameters of the wireless station are sent to previously joined wireless stations in a predetermined neighborhood of the wireless station. From the previously joined wireless stations their respective predetermined mesh transmission parameters are received. In response to a first predetermined event, a transmission opportunity window is determined for the wireless station based on the obtained fairness metric, the predetermined mesh transmission parameters of the wireless station, and the predetermined mesh transmission parameters of the previously joined wireless stations.

Abstract: A wireless device operates in a first mode in which the device can send data to and receive data from an access point. The device receives control data from the access point comprising first data indicative of a time period and second data indicative of a control parameter. The device operates in a second mode for the time period specified by the first data and on the basis of the control parameter. In the second mode, at least some circuitry of the device used for sending data and at least some circuitry of the device used for receiving data is placed in a low power state, and data to be sent to the access point is stored in a buffer of the device. After expiry of the time period, the device operates in the first mode to send the data stored in the buffer to the access point.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program for providing a frame based access (FBA). An example method for use in an access point or station may comprise causing capture of a header, for example PLCP or PHY header from an attempted packet transfer and causing transmission of a negative acknowledgement (NACK) frame in response to a transmitter comprising the decoded address in the header, the NACK configured to indicate a failure to receive or decode data from the attempted packet transfer.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program facilitate the assignment of stations to slots of a restricted access window (RAW) to support communications between the stations and an access point. In a method for use in an access point, a broadcast message is caused to be provided to the station(s). The broadcast message includes an indication of a type of stations to access the RAW and one or more of a duration of the slot(s) in the RAW allocated to a first type of station, a duration of the RAW allocated to the first type of station, a duration of the slot(s) in the RAW allocated to a second type of station or a duration of the RAW allocated to the second type of station. The method also provides for access for one or more stations of the type that was indicated within the slots of the RAW.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for communication are provided. The solution includes controlling the communication of a transceiver on shared data channels using a data channel slot including a sensing period and a data period and controlling a transceiver to communicate on common and dedicated control channels on a shared spectrum using control channel slots, each control channel slot including a downlink part and an uplink part, wherein the uplink part occurs at the same time as the sensing period of a data channel slot.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for designating an acknowledgment of data. A method and apparatus may designate a mode of operation, in a signal, for acknowledging receipt of data. The method and apparatus may assign an aggregation period, to the signal, including a time period in which one or more stations are designated to communicate one or more items of data to an intermediate node. The method and apparatus may also transmit the signal to enable the stations to detect the designated mode of operation and the time period of the assigned aggregation period in which to communicate the items of data to the intermediate node.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided in order to provide a technique to trigger downlink traffic with a timing indication. The method, apparatus and computer program product may utilize one or more of a (1) “downlink transmission time” in the synch NDP frame indicating the beginning of downlink data transmission; (2) “downlink transmission restricted access” in the synch NDP frame starting at “downlink transmission time” during which downlink data transmission will take place to one or more STAs; (3) an indication in the NDP frame whether the downlink data transmission is unicast or broadcast; (4) ACK as a response to an NDP frame indicating whether the STA will be available to receive data at downlink transmission time or not; or (5) a new message format for the short NDP frame with timing information.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for scheduling or assigning a transmission opportunity. A method and apparatus may assign a relay transmission opportunity to at least one intermediate node designating a resource, among a plurality of resources, of a scheduled transmission opportunity of a signal. The intermediate node is assigned to communicate with at least one designated station during the designated time period. The method and apparatus may broadcast information of the signal to enable the designated station to detect data of the signal indicating that the station is assigned to communicate with the intermediate node during the designated resource of the scheduled transmission opportunity.

Abstract: A fixed or Mode II device enables a Mode I device for license exempt operation by providing to it a list of available license exempt radio channels and a parameter indicating an interval at which contact verification signals CVSs are to be sent. The CVSs verify whether the list remains valid. The fixed/Mode II device then repeatedly sends contact verification signals spaced in time from one another according to the interval. In various embodiments the parameter may be an explicit indication (number of seconds or number of beacons between consecutive CVSs), or it may be implicit (derived from an ID of the fixed/Mode II or Mode I device or a frequency channel, in which the relevant ID is the parameter). A plurality of enabled Mode I devices each gets a device-specific list, and in one embodiment the interval is the same for each of them and the explicit indication is broadcast while in another the parameter is provided to each of them via unicast messages and the interval may differ.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for enhancing data exchange between an access point (AP) and station (STA) in a wireless network when the exchange must be interrupted for the AP to perform other services while data remains buffered for later exchange. AP downlinks an indicator that more data remains for exchange together with a request for the STA to enter sleep mode for a duration scheduled by the AP. Sleep duration may be sent in the medium access control (MAC) header of a data frame, with the indicator of more data and the indicator of the sleep mode request being contained in the frame control (FC) segment of the MAC header. The STA may uplink an acknowledgement (ACK) of the sleep mode. Alternatively, the AP may downlink an ACK of the STA's indication of more data confirmation together with sleep mode indication and duration.

Abstract: A wireless network communication device comprises a host processor, a network interface coupled to the host processor and comprising a transceiver operable to generate and transmit a control message frame. The control message frame includes: a short training field, a long training field, and a signal field including modulation and coding scheme subfield to hold message type information, transmitter address information, receiver address information, and frame check sequence information.

Abstract: Apparatuses and method for communication are provided. The solution includes determining that user equipment is out of network coverage; switching to out of network coverage operating mode; monitoring properties of out of network coverage operation; and if one or more predetermined conditions related to the properties are fulfilled controlling the transmission of a message using resources reserved to out of network coverage operation, the message comprising indication of the fulfilled conditions.

Abstract: There is provided a mechanism for controlling a transmission of data in a fragmentation transmission mode. When fragments are transmitted in a fragmentation transmission mode, it is determined whether the fragment frame is received successfully or whether an acknowledgment message for confirming a successful transmission of the fragment frame is received. In case the acknowledgment for the successful transmission of the one fragment frame is not received, or the fragment is frame is not successfully received, the fragmentation transmission mode is maintained and a retransmission of the fragment frame is initiated.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure solve problems of throughput reduction due to collisions, busy medium, and deferred transmission due to overlapping wireless networks (e.g. 802.11 OBSS) by allowing devices suffering from overlapping interference to have sufficient chances to transmit and/or receive successfully. Embodiments include methods for a first device (e.g. 802.11 AP) to communicate data via a medium shared with other devices (e.g. 802.11 APs and/or STAs) located in an overlapping service area but not under common control with the first device. Embodiments also include methods for a first device (e.g. 802.11 AP) to negotiate reservation of a shared medium requested by a second device (e.g. 802.11 AP), the two devices being in overlapping service areas but not under common control. Embodiments include wireless communication devices (e.g. 802.11 APs) and computer programs or computer-readable media embodying one or more of the methods.

Abstract: A wireless device operates in a wireless cellular network under control of a network control apparatus. The wireless device transmits a signal to the network control apparatus. The wireless device receives from the network control apparatus a negative acknowledgement of receipt of the signal in accordance with an automatic repeat request process, The negative acknowledgement indicates that the signal was not received or was not received correctly by the network control apparatus. The wireless device either does not retransmit the signal to the network control apparatus or delays the retransmission of the signal to the network control apparatus in order to avoid conflict with a device-to-device discovery signal being sent by another wireless device.

Abstract: A geographic region in which an access point AP lies is divided into sectors, each sector associated with a group; and a station is assigned to a group based on location information of the station relative to the sectors. The station can assign itself to a group autonomously, after determining the number of groups from signalling received from the AP. Or the AP can do the group assignments, such as by assessing distance between adjacent stations. The AP can utilize the station's location information to test whether a first link between the station and a first node of a first group is sufficient. If the test indicates that the first link is sufficient the AP can assign the station to the first group, else it will utilize the location information to test whether a second link between the station and a second node of a second group is sufficient.