Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide signaling mechanisms for wireless networks composed of a large number of stations. An example method embodiment comprises: receiving by a wireless terminal device, a first message from an access point, the first message comprising information indicating a plurality of restricted access windows, each allocated for a different group of terminal devices associated to a wireless network managed by the access point; receiving by the terminal device, a second message from the access point, within a restricted access window of the plurality of restricted access windows, the restricted access window allocated to a group of terminal devices of which the terminal device is a member, the second message comprising information indicating that a communications channel is available; and determining by the terminal device, based on the second message, that the communications channel is not occupied by hidden ones of the terminal devices associated to the network.

Abstract: This document discloses a solution for reducing interference between wireless networks. According to an aspect, a method comprises: acquiring, by an access node of a first wireless network from at least one node of the first wireless network, information on at least one interfering node of a second wireless network; generating, by the access node, mapping information between the node of the first wireless network and said at least one interfering node; and causing, by the access node, transmission of the mapping information to another access node of the second wireless network.

Abstract: There is provided a method, comprising: receiving, by a target node of a wireless access network, a signal from a first source node; determining the angular sector in which the first source node is located with respect to the target node; responding to the signal by both transmitting a first message omni-directionally and transmitting a second message directionally towards the angular sector; and establishing a first resource reservation on a frequency channel at least partly on the basis of transmitting the first message and the second message, wherein the first resource reservation is for performing directional data transfer with the first source node.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing an indication of device to device communication capability may include a processor and a memory storing executable instructions. In response to execution of the instructions by the processor, the apparatus may perform at least receiving an indication with respect to status of an application or a request by the application, determining availability of a device to device connection associated with peer communication, and providing a notification to the application indicative of the availability of the device to device connection to the peer. A corresponding method and computer program product are also provided.

Abstract: According to an example embodiment, a method may include sending, by an apparatus, a probe requesting for nodes with queued data to acknowledge the probe, receiving, by the apparatus, multiple acknowledgments from the nodes, the multiple acknowledgments overlapping at least partially in time and frequency, determining, by the apparatus, which nodes acknowledged the probe by decoding the multiple acknowledgments according to a code division multiple access scheme, sending, by the apparatus, an allocation to the nodes that acknowledged the probe, the allocation allocating spectral resources for the nodes to send the queued data, and receiving, by the apparatus, the queued data from the nodes that acknowledged the probe.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide signaling mechanisms for wireless networks composed of a large number of stations. An example method embodiment comprises: receiving, by an access node of an access network, a frame from an overlapped access network, indicating time restrictions for reserving a wireless medium for the access network; and coordinating, by the access node of the access network, transmissions by members of the access network, to comply with the time restrictions for reserving the wireless medium for the access network.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments of the invention are disclosed for contention-free medium access within assigned access slots employable, for example, in connection with wireless networks. In an example embodiment of the invention, a method comprises: receiving, at an apparatus, one or more access node broadcast frames, wherein said broadcast frames comprise: assignment information on assignment of one or more assigned access slots; and contention indication indicating whether contention is to be performed in order to access said slots; learning at the apparatus, by considering said assignment information, of a slot, of said assigned access slots, assigned to the apparatus; learning, at the apparatus, by considering said contention indication, whether contention is to be performed in order to access the slot assigned to the apparatus; and accessing, at the apparatus, a medium during the slot assigned to the apparatus.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments improve power saving in network environments. An example method embodiment comprises: generating in an access point device, a traffic indication map comprising a page bitmap field, a page control field, one or more block bitmap fields, and one or more sub-block bitmaps indicating wireless client devices having buffered data in the access point device available for them; and periodically broadcasting the traffic indication map in a beacon frame to the wireless client devices.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that includes selecting one or more terminals involved in a device-to-device communication to which interference caused by a transmission to one or more other terminals should be suppressed, and choosing a number of degrees of freedom from a predetermined number of degrees of freedom to be used to suppress interference towards the selected one or more terminals. The method also includes using the remaining degrees of freedom from the predetermined number to increase signal quality to the one or more other terminals and performing precoding based on the chosen number of degrees of freedom and the remaining degrees of freedom. The method further includes, using at least the performed precoding, transmitting information to the one or more other terminals. Apparatus and programs/program products are also disclosed.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments configure channel access windows in overlapping network environments. An example method embodiment comprises: transmitting, by an access node, a measurement request to an associated wireless device, to perform measurements of signals received from other access nodes to which the device is not associated, the device being a member of a group of devices based on transmission by the access node to the device, of a directional beacon frame; receiving from the device, a measurement response comprising information on a directional message with an access node identifier of another access node to which the device is not associated; and determining a time window that may be used by devices that are members of the group, for transferring data between members of the group and the access node, based at least partly on the measurement response.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed for quiet period management in wireless networks to enhance coexistence of wireless networks with other wireless networks. An example embodiment comprises: receiving control information in a wireless message in a communications channel from another device in a wireless network; receiving a packet having a duration in the communications channel in the wireless network; delaying transmission of a packet in the communications channel for an interval determined by the received control information; monitoring an ambient electromagnetic spectrum during the interval; and competing for transmission resources in the communications channel, using a carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance access method, after the interval.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments of the invention are disclosed for multiple mode identifier addressing employable, for example, in connection with wireless networks. In an example embodiment of the invention, a method comprises: receiving, at a device, an addressing mode indication from an access node, wherein the mode indication does not alter an association identifier of the device; determining from the addressing mode indication, at the device, an addressing mode to be employed; and operating, at the device, in accordance with the determined addressing mode, wherein the determined mode defines a hierarchical data structure, wherein the association identifier of the device is a manifestation of the hierarchical data structure, and wherein devices are grouped according to hierarchical elements of the hierarchical data structure.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide signaling mechanisms for wireless networks composed of a large number of stations. An example method embodiment comprises: determining, by a wireless relay device, a first time window allocated for a first network, allowing first maximum transmit power for packet transmissions; and determining, by the wireless relay device, a second time window allocated for a second network, wherein the second time window is allowed for transmissions also within the first network, but only with second maximum transmit power that is lower than the first maximum transmit power.

Abstract: Example method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed to improve user experience and security in sharing Wi-Fi network credentials. A method embodiment comprises receiving in a wireless device, a wireless message including private credential information to access a wireless network; determining by the wireless device, that the received private credential information is not stored in a cache of known network access points in the wireless device; and storing by the wireless, the received private credential information, in a credential database for network access points.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide signaling mechanisms for wireless networks composed of a large number of stations. An example method embodiment comprises: receiving by a short-range access point in a basic service set, a beacon from a long-range access point in an overlapping basic service set, indicating a beginning and ending of a first quiet interval for short-range stations associated with the short-range access point; and transmitting by the short-range access point, a broadcast control frame, notifying the long-range access point of a second quiet interval for long-range stations associated with the long-range access point, the broadcast control frame further notifying the short-range stations associated with the short-range access point that they may access and transmit data during the second quiet interval.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide signaling mechanisms for wireless networks composed of a large number of stations. An example method embodiment comprises: receiving by a wireless terminal device, a first message from an access point, the first message comprising information indicating a plurality of restricted access windows, each allocated for a different group of terminal devices associated to a wireless network managed by the access point; receiving by the terminal device, a second message from the access point, within a restricted access window of the plurality of restricted access windows, the restricted access window allocated to a group of terminal devices of which the terminal device is a member, the second message comprising information indicating that a communications channel is available; and determining by the terminal device, based on the second message, that the communications channel is not occupied by hidden ones of the terminal devices associated to the network.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments provide signaling mechanisms for wireless networks composed of a large number of stations. An example method embodiment comprises: receiving by a wireless client device, a first message from an access point device, the first message comprising information related to resource allocation that at least partly indicates a resource allocation in time-frequency space for the wireless client device; decoding by the wireless client device, the information related to resource allocation, using a connection identifier that identifies the wireless client device within a wireless network managed by the access point device, to obtain the resource allocation in time-frequency space; and transmitting by the wireless client device to the access point device, a second message using the resource allocation in time-frequency space.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments improve power saving in network environments. An example method embodiment comprises: generating in an access point device, a traffic indication map comprising a page bitmap field, a page control field, one or more block bitmap fields, and one or more sub-block bitmaps indicating wireless client devices having buffered data in the access point device available for them; and periodically broadcasting the traffic indication map in a beacon frame to the wireless client devices.

Abstract: Various apparatuses, methods and computer programs are provided. A first apparatus includes: a controller configured to control transmitter circuitry to transmit, according to a first communication protocol, a first request to a second apparatus, the first request being for assisting a wireless communication link, according to a second communication protocol, to be established between the apparatus and a third apparatus. In response to receiving the first request, the second apparatus transmits a second request to the third apparatus. The third apparatus is configured to transmit signals at a rate, each signal being for enabling a wireless communication link to be established between the third apparatus and another apparatus (such as the first apparatus). In response to receipt of the second request, the third apparatus changes the rate at which the signals are transmitted.

Abstract: A method includes receiving indications of a wake-up interval assigned to a station and a corresponding group to which the station belongs, wherein all stations assigned to the group are assigned the wake-up interval. The method includes waking the station during the wake-up interval and determining, using at least the indication of the group, whether information received by the station during the wake-up interval corresponds to the group. Another method includes assigning stations to one of multiple groups based on wake-up intervals, in which stations assigned to a group all have a same wake-up interval and each group has a different wake-up interval, sending indications of a corresponding wake-up interval and a corresponding group to each of the stations, and during a interval corresponding to the wake-up interval for a selected group, transmitting the indication of the selected group and associated information meant for the group.