Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described which increase the probability and/or frequency that devices with comparatively faster clocks in a network than other devices in the network will transmit beacon signals are described. As a result, devices with faster clocks will tend to drive system synchronization to convergence faster than if all devices transmitted beacons at the same rate, thus facilitating more reliable maintenance of system synchronization since the devices with faster clocks will tend to transmit more frequently.

Abstract: A communications device synchronizes itself with respect to an external reference signal, e.g., a GPS signal. The communications device detects timing reference signals, e.g., beacon signals, from a communications network. If the communications device determines that the network is not synchronized to the external timing reference signal, the communications device operates as a master timing control device. In various embodiments, when operating as a master timing control device the wireless communications device communicates time stamps, e.g., in beacon signals, which indicate a greater passage of time than the actual passage of time. When operating as a master timing control device the communications device transmits network timing reference signals at a higher rate than is being used by the network to seize control of network timing and become the master timing control device. The communications device drives the network timing to synchronize network timing to the external timing reference.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for communicating short messages from a first device, e.g., a femto cell device or peer to peer device, over communications resources which are being used by an OFDM macro network, e.g., cellular network, are described. The signal goes on top of, e.g., is transmitted on the same communications resource(s), on which a macro signal, e.g. a downlink signal from a cellular base station, is transmitted. Since the signals from the femto cell and/or peer to peer devices are transmitted on the same resources as the signals from the macro base station, they interfere with the macro signal and potentially destroy a portion of the macro signal. However, the signals transmitted by the femto cell devices and/or peer to peer devices are designed so that they cause little interference to the macro base station in terms of overall throughput and/or with the macro base station's ability to communicate control and/or pilot information.

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: Various schemes for reducing effects of interference within communication systems are disclosed. A transmitter transmits a signal in a first time interval and a scrambled version of the signal in a second time interval, which does not overlap with the first time interval. A receiver receives a composite signal including a signal transmitted from the desired transmitter as well as signals from interferers in the first or the second time interval. The receiver determines a dominant interferer and obtains knowledge of signal scrambling done by the interferer as well as the desired transmitter by sensing an identification associated with the interferer or the desired transmitter. This knowledge is employed to determine coefficients for combining the received composite signals received in the first and the second time interval in order to recover the desired signal in a manner that maximizes the SNR associated with the desired signal or completely cancels the dominant interference.

Abstract: A method, a computer program product, and an apparatus are provided in which the apparatus (e.g., a femto cell) receives timing information from a second apparatus (e.g., a macro cell). The apparatus receives a signal from a third apparatus (e.g., a UE) based on the received timing information. The apparatus transmits a broadcast signal based on the received signal. A method, a computer program product, and an apparatus are provided in which the apparatus (e.g., a UE) receives timing information from a second apparatus (e.g., macro cell). The apparatus transmits a signal to a third apparatus (e.g., a femto cell) based on the received timing information. The apparatus receives a broadcast signal from the third apparatus in response to the signal.

Abstract: A protocol is provided that facilitates downlink concurrent peer-to-peer communications (within a time slot or traffic slot) between one device and many terminals as well as uplink concurrent peer-to-peer communications (within a time slot or traffic slot) between a plurality of terminals and one device. The concurrent peer-to-peer communications may take place within an ad hoc network of devices. To facilitate such operation, a time-frequency structure is provided within a control channel that allows the device and terminals to identify the peer-to-peer connections. This time-frequency structure also allows terminals to identify other sibling terminals that have a connection with the same device, thereby allowing to more efficiently performing interference mitigation. That is, sibling peer-to-peer connections with the same device may be treated different from other non-related peer-to-peer connects for purposes of interference mitigation in a wireless network.

Abstract: An apparatus, a method of the apparatus, and a computer program in the apparatus are provided in which the apparatus determines a group to which each of a plurality of wireless devices is associated based on signals received from the plurality of wireless devices. The apparatus selects a group for access to a wireless medium from a plurality of groups based on the group determined for each of the plurality of wireless devices and based on reducing interference with the plurality of wireless devices. Each of the plurality of groups has a different priority. The apparatus communicates using peer-to-peer communication on the wireless medium with a priority based on the selected group.

Abstract: A decentralized approach to peer discovery channel selection is used in some embodiments. In some such embodiments, a mobile wireless terminal supporting a peer to peer signaling protocol, independently determines what channels to use for peer discovery without a central controller indicating the channel or channels to be used. Assuming channels are of a suitable quality, the channels having the best quality need not be identified, with channel selection being made on a predetermined channel ordering basis from those with suitable quality. Different wireless communications devices in the system use the same peer discovery channel selection process making it likely that the same channel or channels will tend to be picked to be used for peer discovery. Other embodiments are directed to implementing a centralized approach to peer discovery channel selection in which a central controller or base station selects channels to be used for peer discovery signaling.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus well suited to decentralized traffic scheduling in wireless peer to peer network are described. An individual wireless terminal corresponding to a peer to peer connection makes a transmitter yielding or receiver yielding decision for a traffic slot. Quality of service information is disseminated as part of the scheduling control signaling. A scheduling control signal, e.g., a traffic transmission request signal or a traffic transmission request response signal, includes a pilot portion and a quality of service information portion. The pilot facilitates the recovery of the quality of service information by a plurality of different devices which may have different channel conditions with respect to the transmitter of the scheduling control signal. The different devices may benefit from utilizing the recovered quality of service information in making a yielding decision regarding traffic signaling in a traffic segment.

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: A method of wireless communication includes splitting data into n data sets, where n is greater than or equal to two. In addition, the method includes selecting n different resources associated with a resource identifier based on a hopping pattern for sending each of the data sets within a set of resources of one full set of transmissions. The selected n resources have a hopping pattern such that there is at least one resource of the n resources that is non-overlapping in time with resources associated with resource identifiers other than said resource identifier. Furthermore, the method includes sending m data sets on m selected resources in m transmissions within the one full set of transmissions, where m is less than or equal to n.

Abstract: A first device is configured to select and utilize a connection identifier (CID) for a peer-to-peer communication connection between the first device and a second device in a wireless communications network. The CID is selected from a predetermined set of a plurality of CIDs. Prior to selecting the connection identifier, the first device monitors a CID broadcast channel to determine whether the CID is being utilized by other nearby connections. If it is determined that the CID is being utilized by another connection in the proximity, a different (unused) CID is selected. A transmission request is transmitted to the second device using a first transmission resource unit within a traffic management channel slot, the first transmission resource unit being determined as a function of the selected CID. The first device transmits traffic data to the second device in a traffic channel slot corresponding to the traffic management channel slot.

Abstract: Non-coherent modulation is used to communicate coding information via pilot signals using a first subset of resources, and coherent modulation is used to generate data signals. This allows for a stronger global code while keeping individual signaling complexity low. First and second communications devices communicate information using a set of communications resources. By performing non-coherent demodulation on pilot signals received on a first subset of the set of communications resources coding information is recovered. First and second channel estimates are generated from the pilot signals received on the first subset of the communications resources. Coherent demodulation is performed on data signals received on a second subset of the set of communications resources using the first and second channel estimates and the coding information to recover information communicated by the first communications device and to recover separate information communicated by the second communications device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus which support the use of differently polarized antennas to schedule two or more users employing multiple antennas with different polarization, on the same communications segment, e.g. a time/frequency slab, in either the uplink or downlink are described. Various embodiments include an access node which classifies and schedules wireless terminals to segments as a function of suitability for single polarization direction communications. Some embodiments are directed to methods and apparatus for operating a communications device supporting the use of multiple antennas having different polarization, to implement a polarization based multiple access scheme. Unlike Spatial Division multiple access schemes, the users sharing a communications segment in the polarization based scheme need not be geographically well separated.

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: Various methods and apparatus are directed to achieving timing synchronization and propagating timing information pertaining to an external, e.g., non Wi-Fi, timing signal source. In some embodiments, a mobile communications device receives and processes a timing signal, e.g., a first Wi-Fi beacon, which is propagating timing information about an external timing signal from a device which directly received the external timing signal. Thus, a mobile wireless communications device achieves timing synchronization with respect to an external timing signal which it is unable to receive directly. In various embodiments, the mobile communications device may, and sometimes does, further propagate the timing information about the external timing signal, e.g., via a second Wi-Fi beacon signal which it generates and transmits. Synchronization with respect to an external signal source facilitates longer sleep states and decreased power consumption.

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 method of wireless communication of a wireless device includes receiving a signal indicating WWAN resources that can be utilized for communicating peer discovery signals. In addition, the method includes communicating an OFDM peer discovery signal in the WWAN resources. A method of wireless communication of a base station includes transmitting a signal to a wireless device indicating WWAN resources dedicated for a silence interval that can be utilized for communicating peer discovery signals. The WWAN resources dedicated for a silence interval include a first subset of resources and a second subset of resources. The method further includes measuring noise in the first subset of resources and refraining from measuring noise in the second subset of resources.

Abstract: A method of wireless communication includes determining resources available for peer discovery. The resources include first peer discovery resources with a first time interval and second peer discovery resources with a second time interval less than the first time interval. The method further includes communicating peer discovery signals through a first subset of peer discovery resources of the first peer discovery resources and a second subset of peer discovery resources of the second peer discovery resources. The second subset of peer discovery resources includes less resource elements than the first subset of peer discovery resources.