Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to enabling direct wireless device-to-device communication between sleepy end devices (SEDs) of a mesh (e.g., Thread®) network. A router may forward packets between end devices of the mesh network. However, if the router is not available, SEDs may not be able to communicate with each other using a mesh protocol. Embodiments presented herein enable end devices of the mesh network to communicate directly, without a router. Some embodiments are directed to changing a role of an end device to temporarily act as a router for a particular target end device. The role change may be based on a trigger event and may be temporary until a target action is performed by the target end device. In some embodiments, the end devices continue to operate as SEDs and use coordinated sampled listening techniques to communicate via the mesh protocol.

Abstract: A communications system may include user equipment (UE) device, satellites, and a gateway. The UE and gateway may perform implicit handover in which the UE and gateway independently identify the same serving satellite using ephemeris data, without additional signaling overhead. The UE may also characterize its channel conditions. When insufficient, the UE may transmit an explicit handover message to the gateway via a different satellite visible to the UE. The explicit handover message may include a satellite identifier and a lock bit. The gateway may use the satellite identifier to convey wireless data with the UE via the different satellite during the next cycle. The gateway may use the lock bit to know how to perform handover away from the different cycle during subsequent cycles. In this way, the UE may direct handover, given that the gateway has no knowledge of the channel condition at the UE.

Abstract: User equipment includes one or more antennas, a receiver coupled to the one or more antennas, and processing circuitry coupled to the receiver and configured to cause the user equipment to receive downlink signals at each communication cycle using a predetermined beam in a beam time slot. Based on processed downlink signals and other relevant information the user equipment may determine a desired beam for the next communication cycle. If the desired beam is the same as the predetermined beam, the user equipment may continue using the predetermined beam at the next communication cycle. If the desired beam is different from the predetermined beam, the user equipment may switch to the desired beam at the next communication cycle. In this way, the user equipment may continue tracking a desired beam to maintain reliable data communications with a communication node.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to techniques for localizing devices connected to wireless networks, such as wireless mesh networks. In particular, a device connected to a wireless mesh network may maintain and share information, such as location data and identifiers, regarding the device and other devices connected to the device. The device itself or a computing system to which the device connects may determine locations for the devices in the wireless mesh network and generate a device map that indicates the locations of the devices.

Abstract: Systems and methods for coordinating data sampling among devices include a set of electronic devices that may periodically sample energy data from a smart meter according to sample timing information. The sample timing information may specify a set of times to sample energy data for each electronic device. The set of electronic devices may take turns in sampling energy data from the smart meter so that individual electronic devices may reduce power consumption by sampling less frequently. A server may determine the sample times for the electronic devices and may instruct the electronic devices to sample energy data. Additionally, each individual electronic device may leave and/or join wireless communication networks less frequently than if each individual electronic device performed every sample. Accordingly, the coordinated sampling may decrease the radio resource usage and/or bandwidth usage of any individual electronic device.

Abstract: Frequency spectrum of wireless transmission signals are allocated based on availability and regulatory requirements. To ensure transmission signals are within designated channel boundary, user equipment utilizes processing circuitry coupled to a transceiver to pre-compensate for estimated frequency shift at the time of transmissions. Certain guard bands are provided such that the actual transmission signals with the frequency pre-compensation are within the designated channel boundary. Additionally, or alternatively, the user equipment utilizes the processing circuitry to pre-compensate for estimated time shift based on a crystal drift using temperature measurement.

Abstract: User equipment includes one or more antennas, a receiver coupled to the one or more antennas, and processing circuitry coupled to the receiver and configured to cause the user equipment to receive downlink signals at each communication cycle using a predetermined beam in a beam time slot. Based on processed downlink signals and other relevant information the user equipment may determine a desired beam for the next communication cycle. If the desired beam is the same as the predetermined beam, the user equipment may continue using the predetermined beam at the next communication cycle. If the desired beam is different from the predetermined beam, the user equipment may switch to the desired beam at the next communication cycle. In this way, the user equipment may continue tracking a desired beam to maintain reliable data communications with a communication node.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to several techniques for reducing the occurrence of data collisions, which can occur when multiple devices simultaneously transmit data in the same (frequency) channel. For example, a turnaround time in which a device switches from a receive mode of operation to a transmit mode of operation may be reduced based on the device and another device indicating that they are capable of operating with a reduced turnaround. As another example, devices may use learning-based turnaround estimation to determine a turnaround time supported by other devices and utilize the determined turnaround time, for instance, instead of a longer turnaround time. As yet another example, multiple clear channel assessments may be performed before transmitting data. For instance, a first clear channel assessment may be performed during a backoff period, and a second clear channel assessment may be performed afterwards before data is transmitted.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a transceiver and processing circuitry communicatively coupled to the transceiver and configured to transmit uplink signals to a secondary communication node in response to determining that an uplink beam of a primary communication node is non-functional while continuing to receive downlink signals from the primary communication node using a downlink beam. Using multi-beam coverage by multiple communication nodes provide more reliable communications for the electronic device when a beam of a communication node is non-functional.

Abstract: User equipment includes a receiver, a first antenna and a second antenna coupled to the receiver, and processing circuitry communicatively coupled to the receiver and configured to cause the receiver to receive a first signal via the first antenna and a second signal via the second antenna, adjust the first signal based on a first time offset and a first frequency offset associated with the first signal to generate a first adjusted signal, adjust the second signal based on a second time offset and a second frequency offset associated with the second signal to generate a second adjusted signal, and decode downlink information based on the first adjusted signal and the second adjusted signal.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and apparatus to adapt operating parameters for satellite signal reception and transmission by a wireless device to mitigate effects of fading due to specular reflections are described herein. The wireless device measures received signal power levels and compares characteristics of the measurements over an observation duration to at least one fading criteria to determine whether to operate in a normal or adaptive mode. While operating in the adaptive mode, the wireless device alternates between high performance mode time periods and low performance mode time periods. The wireless device indicates to a ground station associated with the satellite in which operating mode the wireless device is operating via an uplink data message transmitted during a data cycle at the start of a high or low performance mode time period. The ground station schedules data transmissions accordingly during subsequent data cycles of the high or low performance mode time periods.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and apparatus to adapt operating parameters for satellite signal reception and transmission by a wireless device to mitigate effects of fading due to specular reflections are described herein. The wireless device measures received signal power levels and compares characteristics of the measurements over an observation duration to at least one fading criteria to determine whether to operate in a normal or adaptive mode. While operating in the adaptive mode, the wireless device alternates between high performance mode time periods and low performance mode time periods. The wireless device indicates to a ground station associated with the satellite in which operating mode the wireless device is operating via an uplink data message transmitted during a data cycle at the start of a high or low performance mode time period. The ground station schedules data transmissions accordingly during subsequent data cycles of the high or low performance mode time periods.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to enabling direct wireless device-to-device communication between sleepy end devices (SEDs) of a mesh (e.g., Thread®) network. A router may forward packets between end devices of the mesh network. However, if the router is not available, SEDs may not be able to communicate with each other using a mesh protocol. Embodiments presented herein enable end devices of the mesh network to communicate directly, without a router. Some embodiments are directed to changing a role of an end device to temporarily act as a router for a particular target end device. The role change may be based on a trigger event and may be temporary until a target action is performed by the target end device. In some embodiments, the end devices continue to operate as SEDs and use coordinated sampled listening techniques to communicate via the mesh protocol.

Abstract: Some aspects of this disclosure relate to implementing a thread device that can associate with a thread network. The thread device includes a network processor, a first memory, and a host processor communicatively coupled to the network processor and the first memory. The first memory can be a nonvolatile memory with a first level security protection, and configured to store a first dataset including thread network parameters for the network processor to manage network functions for the thread device associated with the thread network. The network processor can be coupled to a second memory to store a second dataset having a same content as the first dataset. The network processor is configured to manage the network functions based on the second dataset. The second memory can be a volatile memory with a second level security protection that is less than the first level security protection.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to several techniques for reducing the occurrence of data collisions, which can occur when multiple devices simultaneously transmit data in the same (frequency) channel. For example, a turnaround time in which a device switches from a receive mode of operation to a transmit mode of operation may be reduced based on the device and another device indicating that they are capable of operating with a reduced turnaround. As another example, devices may use learning-based turnaround estimation to determine a turnaround time supported by other devices and utilize the determined turnaround time, for instance, instead of a longer turnaround time. As yet another example, multiple clear channel assessments may be performed before transmitting data. For instance, a first clear channel assessment may be performed during a backoff period, and a second clear channel assessment may be performed afterwards before data is transmitted.

Abstract: An approach is described for a wireless device comprising a transceiver and a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver. In a thread-based device, a thread radio coexists with a primary radio, such as a Bluetooth or WiFi radio. Because both radio share a common frequency band, the thread radio requests grants from the primary radio for transmission and reception. So as to avoid bogging down the primary radio, the thread radio throttles its requests. Specifically, the thread radio tracks certain variables indicative of the number of requests that have been made within a time window and the types of requests that have been made to the primary radio. By limiting the number of total requests and the number of requests of each type within the time window, the thread radio avoids overburdening the primary radio.

Abstract: An approach is described for a wireless device comprising a transceiver and a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver. In a thread-based mesh network, a transmitting device occasionally transmits various multicast messages to the network for the purpose of maintaining the network. Of these messages, the mesh link establishment (MLE) advertisement message is particularly important as it notifies neighbor routers as to the presence and function of the transmitting device. Therefore, the transmitting device of the present disclosure transmits its MLE advertisement message to the network multiple times within a given time window. Additionally, the message is transmitted each time with a same identifier. A recipient device stores the identifier of each most recent MLE advertisement message. The identifier of each subsequently received MLE advertisement is compared to the stored identifier. This allows the recipient device to determine whether the message has been previously received.

Abstract: Some aspects of this disclosure include apparatuses and methods for implementing transmission power control. Some aspects relate to an electronic device including a transceiver configured to communicate with a second electronic device and a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver. The processor is configured to receive an identification information of the second electronic device and receive, from the second electronic device, at least one of a plurality of feedback signals. The plurality of feedback signals includes a first feedback signal generated based on a link quality query from the electronic device and a second feedback signal including an encoded channel status information embedded within an acknowledgment (ACK) frame from the second electronic device. Based on the received identification information and the at least one of the plurality of feedback signals, the processor is configured to adjust transmission power of a signal to be transmitted to the second electronic device.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to techniques for supporting narrowband device-to-device wireless communication, including possible techniques for performing discovery in an off grid radio system. A wireless device may obtain synchronization with a peer-to-peer communication group. The wireless device may determine the location of the wireless device within the peer-to-peer communication group based at least in part on signal strength of a synchronization signal used to obtain the synchronization. The wireless device may perform peer-to-peer discovery in the peer-to-peer communication group, such that time and frequency resources used by the wireless device to perform the peer-to-peer discovery are determined based at least in part on the location of the first wireless device within the peer-to-peer communication group.

Abstract: An approach is described for a wireless device comprising a transceiver and a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver. The processor is configured to detect a packet for transmission; scan, using the transceiver, a channel during an initial sliding window, the initial sliding window having N symbol durations; determine a power distribution of the initial sliding window based on the channel scan; determine that the channel is occupied during a first time period of the initial sliding window based at least on the power distribution; and determine a second sliding window having a second time period and a third time period. The second time period overlaps with the initial sliding window and a length of the third time period is determined based at least on the power distribution.