U.S. patent application number 14/011965 was filed with the patent office on 2014-11-06 for apparatus, system and method of adjusting transmission intervals for discovery frames.
The applicant listed for this patent is Minyoung Park, Emily H. Qi. Invention is credited to Minyoung Park, Emily H. Qi.
Application Number | 20140328168 14/011965 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51841372 |
Filed Date | 2014-11-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140328168 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Park; Minyoung ; et
al. |
November 6, 2014 |
APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ADJUSTING TRANSMISSION INTERVALS
FOR DISCOVERY FRAMES
Abstract
Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems
and/or methods of adjusting transmission intervals for discovery
frames. For example, an apparatus may include a wireless
communication unit to communicate over a wireless communication
medium according to a discovery scheme including a plurality of
contention-based discovery windows, the wireless communication unit
is to select a discovery window according to a transmission
interval, to schedule transmission of a discovery frame for the
discovery window, and to adjust the transmission interval based on
whether or not the wireless communication medium is observed to be
busy during a predefined time period of the discovery window.
Inventors: |
Park; Minyoung; (Portland,
OR) ; Qi; Emily H.; (Portland, OR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Park; Minyoung
Qi; Emily H. |
Portland
Portland |
OR
OR |
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
51841372 |
Appl. No.: |
14/011965 |
Filed: |
August 28, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61819736 |
May 6, 2013 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
370/230 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 74/0808 20130101;
H04W 28/0205 20130101; H04W 28/0247 20130101; H04L 47/27 20130101;
H04W 74/08 20130101; H04W 8/005 20130101; H04L 47/28 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
370/230 |
International
Class: |
H04W 28/02 20060101
H04W028/02; H04W 72/12 20060101 H04W072/12 |
Claims
1. An apparatus comprising: a wireless communication unit to
communicate over a wireless communication medium according to a
discovery scheme including a plurality of contention-based
discovery windows, said wireless communication unit is to select a
discovery window according to a transmission interval, to schedule
transmission of a discovery frame for said discovery window, and to
adjust said transmission interval based on whether or not said
wireless communication medium is observed to be busy during a
predefined time period of said discovery window.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, based on said transmission
interval, said wireless communication unit is to determine a number
of discovery windows between successive attempts to transmit said
discovery frame, and to select said discovery window according to
said number of discovery windows.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said wireless communication
unit is to select said number of discovery windows between a
minimal transmission interval and said transmission interval.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said wireless communication
unit is to select a number, denoted n, between said minimal
transmission interval and said transmission interval, and to
schedule transmission of said discovery frame during an n-th
discovery window, wherein n=0 is a current discovery window.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication
unit is to increase said transmission interval if said medium is
observed to be busy during said predefined time period.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said wireless communication
unit is to increase said transmission interval from a first value,
denoted TW, to a second value, TW+a, wherein a denotes a predefined
value.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication
unit is to decrease said transmission interval if said medium is
observed not to be busy during said predefined time period.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said wireless communication
unit is to decrease said transmission interval from a first value,
denoted TW, to a second value, said second value is a greatest of a
minimal transmission interval, denoted TWmin, and a difference
(TW-b), wherein b denotes a predefined value.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said predefined time period
comprises a time period beginning at a start time of said discovery
window and ending within said discovery window.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said predefined time period
comprises an entirety of said discovery window.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transmission interval
comprises a Service Discovery frame transmission window (TW).
12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication
medium comprises a wireless communication channel over a 2.4
Gigahertz (GHz) frequency band or a 5 GHz frequency band.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication
unit is to perform the functionality of a Neighbor Awareness
Networking (NAN) device to discover other NAN devices according to
said discovery scheme.
14. A system comprising: a wireless communication device including:
at least one antenna to communicate over a wireless communication
medium; and a wireless communication unit to communicate over said
wireless communication medium according to a discovery scheme
including a plurality of contention-based discovery windows, said
wireless communication unit is to select a discovery window within
a transmission interval, to schedule transmission of a discovery
frame within said discovery window, and to adjust said transmission
interval based on whether or not said medium is observed to be busy
during a predefined time period of said discovery window.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein, based on said transmission
interval, said wireless communication unit is to determine a number
of discovery windows between successive attempts to transmit said
discovery frame, and to select said discovery window according to
said number of discovery windows.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein said wireless communication
unit is to select said number of discovery windows between a
minimal transmission interval and said transmission interval.
17. The system of claim 14, wherein said wireless communication
unit is to increase said transmission interval if said medium is
observed to be busy during said predefined time period.
18. The system of claim 14, wherein said wireless communication
unit is to decrease said transmission interval if said medium is
observed not to be busy during said predefined time period.
19. The system of claim 14, wherein said predefined time period
comprises a time period beginning at a start time of said discovery
window and ending within said discovery window.
20. A method comprising: selecting a discovery window from a
plurality of contention-based discovery windows according to a
transmission interval; scheduling for said discovery window
transmission of a discovery frame over a wireless communication
medium; attempting to transmit said discovery frame during said
discovery window; and adjusting said transmission interval based on
whether or not said wireless communication medium is observed to be
busy during a predefined time period of said discovery window.
21. The method of claim 20 comprising, based on said transmission
interval, determining a number of discovery windows between
successive attempts to transmit said discovery frame, and selecting
said discovery window according to said number of discovery
windows.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein said predefined time period
comprises a time period beginning at a start time of said discovery
window and ending within said discovery window.
23. A product including a non-transitory storage medium having
stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a machine,
result in: selecting a discovery window from a plurality of
contention-based discovery windows according to a transmission
interval; scheduling for said discovery window transmission of a
discovery frame over a wireless communication medium; attempting to
transmit said discovery frame during said discovery window; and
adjusting said transmission interval based on whether or not said
wireless communication medium is observed to be busy during a
predefined time period of said discovery window.
24. The product of claim 23, wherein said instructions result in
determining, based on said transmission interval, a number of
discovery windows between successive attempts to transmit said
discovery frame, and selecting said discovery window according to
said number of discovery windows.
25. The product of claim 24, wherein said instructions result in
selecting said number of discovery windows between a minimal
transmission interval and said transmission interval.
26. The product of claim 25, wherein said instructions result in
selecting a number, denoted n, between said minimal transmission
interval and said transmission interval, and scheduling
transmission of said discovery frame during an n-th discovery
window, wherein n=0 is a current discovery window.
27. The product of claim 23, wherein said instructions result in
increasing said transmission interval if said medium is observed to
be busy during said predefined time period.
28. The product of claim 27, wherein said instructions result in
increasing said transmission interval from a first value, denoted
TW, to a second value, TW+a, wherein a denotes a predefined
value.
29. The product of claim 23, wherein said instructions result in
decreasing said transmission interval if said medium is observed
not to be busy during said predefined time period.
30. The product of claim 29, wherein said instructions result in
decreasing said transmission interval from a first value, denoted
TW, to a second value, said second value is a greatest of a minimal
transmission interval, denoted TWmin, and a difference (TW-b),
wherein b denotes a predefined value.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE
[0001] This application claims the benefit of and priority from
U.S. Provisional Patent application No. 61/819, 736 entitled
"Backoff techniques for group addressed frames enabling low power
discovery", filed May 6, 2013, the entire disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Embodiments described herein generally relate to adjusting
transmission intervals for discovery frames.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In some wireless communication networks, communication may
be performed during discovery windows (DWs).
[0004] Stations may be allowed to transmit a discovery frame during
a DW, in order to enable the stations to discover other devices or
services that are running on the other devices.
[0005] Transmissions may be preformed during the DW based on a
contention mechanism.
[0006] A plurality of stations may attempt to transmit discovery
frames during the DWs, which may be relatively short. These
attempts may result in a relatively high level of congestion within
the network. The congestion may result in failure to transmit the
discovery frames.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown
in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For
example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated
relative to other elements for clarity of presentation.
Furthermore, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures
to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. The figures are
listed below.
[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustration of a
system, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a discovery scheme
including a plurality of contention-based discovery windows, in
accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a schematic flow-chart illustration of a method of
adjusting transmission intervals for discovery frames, in
accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a product, in
accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] In the following detailed description, numerous specific
details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding
of some embodiments. However, it will be understood by persons of
ordinary skill in the art that some embodiments may be practiced
without these specific details. In other instances, well-known
methods, procedures, components, units and/or circuits have not
been described in detail so as not to obscure the discussion.
[0013] Discussions herein utilizing terms such as, for example,
"processing", "computing", "calculating", "determining",
"establishing", "analyzing", "checking", or the like, may refer to
operation(s) and/or process(es) of a computer, a computing
platform, a computing system, or other electronic computing device,
that manipulate and/or transform data represented as physical
(e.g., electronic) quantities within the computer's registers
and/or memories into other data similarly represented as physical
quantities within the computer's registers and/or memories or other
information storage medium that may store instructions to perform
operations and/or processes.
[0014] The terms "plurality" and "a plurality", as used herein,
include, for example, "multiple" or "two or more". For example, "a
plurality of items" includes two or more items.
[0015] References to "one embodiment", "an embodiment",
"demonstrative embodiment", "various embodiments" etc., indicate
that the embodiment(s) so described may include a particular
feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment
necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or
characteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase "in one
embodiment" does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment,
although it may.
[0016] As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the
ordinal adjectives "first," "second," "third," etc., to describe a
common object, merely indicate that different instances of like
objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that
the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either
temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.
[0017] Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with various
devices and systems, for example, a Personal Computer (PC), a
desktop computer, a mobile computer, a laptop computer, a notebook
computer, a tablet computer, a server computer, a handheld
computer, a handheld device, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)
device, a handheld PDA device, an on-board device, an off-board
device, a hybrid device, a vehicular device, a non-vehicular
device, a mobile or portable device, a consumer device, a
non-mobile or non-portable device, a wireless communication
station, a wireless communication device, a wireless Access Point
(AP), a wired or wireless router, a wired or wireless modem, a
video device, an audio device, an audio-video (A/V) device, a wired
or wireless network, a wireless area network, a Wireless Video Area
Network (WVAN), a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wireless LAN (WLAN),
a Personal Area Network (PAN), a Wireless PAN (WPAN), and the
like.
[0018] Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with devices
and/or networks operating in accordance with existing
Wireless-Gigabit-Alliance (WGA) specifications (Wireless Gigabit
Alliance, Inc WiGig MAC and PHY Specification Version 1.1, April
2011, Final specification) and/or future versions and/or
derivatives thereof, devices and/or networks operating in
accordance with existing IEEE 802.11 standards (IEEE 802.11-2012,
IEEE Standard for Information technology--Telecommunications and
information exchange between systems Local and metropolitan area
networks--Specific requirements Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access
Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications, Mar. 29,
2012; IEEE802.11 task group ac (TGac) ("IEEE802.11-09/0308r12--TGac
Channel Model Addendum Document"); IEEE 802.11 task group ad (TGad)
(IEEE P802.11ad-2012, IEEE Standard for Information
Technology--Telecommunications and Information Exchange Between
Systems--Local and Metropolitan Area Networks--Specific
Requirements--Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and
Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications--Amendment 3: Enhancements for
Very High Throughput in the 60 GHz Band, 28 December, 2012)) and/or
future versions and/or derivatives thereof, devices and/or networks
operating in accordance with existing WirelessHD.TM.
specifications, and/or future versions and/or derivatives thereof,
devices and/or networks operating in accordance with existing
and/or Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) Alliance (WFA) Peer-to-Peer (P2P)
specifications (WiFi P2P) technical specification, version 1.3,
2012) and/or future versions and/or derivatives thereof, units
and/or devices which are part of the above networks, and the
like.
[0019] Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with one way
and/or two-way radio communication systems, cellular
radio-telephone communication systems, a mobile phone, a cellular
telephone, a wireless telephone, a Personal Communication Systems
(PCS) device, a PDA device which incorporates a wireless
communication device, a mobile or portable Global Positioning
System (GPS) device, a device which incorporates a GPS receiver or
transceiver or chip, a device which incorporates an RFID element or
chip, a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) transceiver or
device, a Single Input Multiple Output (SIMO) transceiver or
device, a Multiple Input Single Output (MISO) transceiver or
device, a device having one or more internal antennas and/or
external antennas, Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) devices or
systems, multi-standard radio devices or systems, a wired or
wireless handheld device, e.g., a Smartphone, a Wireless
Application Protocol (WAP) device, or the like.
[0020] Some embodiments may be used in conjunction with one or more
types of wireless communication signals and/or systems, for
example, Radio Frequency (RF), Infra Red (IR), Frequency-Division
Multiplexing (FDM), Orthogonal FDM (OFDM), Time-Division
Multiplexing (TDM), Time-Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Extended
TDMA (E-TDMA), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), extended GPRS,
Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), CDMA
2000, single-carrier CDMA, multi-carrier CDMA, Multi-Carrier
Modulation (MDM), Discrete Multi-Tone (DMT), Bluetooth.RTM., Global
Positioning System (GPS), Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, ZigBee.TM., Ultra-Wideband
(UWB), Global System for Mobile communication (GSM), 2G, 2.5G, 3G,
3.5G, 4G, Fifth Generation (5G) mobile networks, 3GPP, Long Term
Evolution (LTE), LTE advanced, Enhanced Data rates for GSM
Evolution (EDGE), or the like. Other embodiments may be used in
various other devices, systems and/or networks.
[0021] The term "wireless device", as used herein, includes, for
example, a device capable of wireless communication, a
communication device capable of wireless communication, a
communication station capable of wireless communication, a portable
or non-portable device capable of wireless communication, or the
like. In some demonstrative embodiments, a wireless device may be
or may include a peripheral that is integrated with a computer, or
a peripheral that is attached to a computer. In some demonstrative
embodiments, the term "wireless device" may optionally include a
wireless service.
[0022] The term "communicating" as used herein with respect to a
wireless communication signal includes transmitting the wireless
communication signal and/or receiving the wireless communication
signal. For example, a wireless communication unit, which is
capable of communicating a wireless communication signal, may
include a wireless transmitter to transmit the wireless
communication signal to at least one other wireless communication
unit, and/or a wireless communication receiver to receive the
wireless communication signal from at least one other wireless
communication unit.
[0023] Some demonstrative embodiments may be used in conjunction
with suitable limited-range or short-range wireless communication
networks, for example, a wireless area network, a "piconet", a
WPAN, a WVAN and the like. Other embodiments may be used in
conjunction with any other suitable wireless communication
network.
[0024] Some demonstrative embodiments may be used in conjunction
with a wireless communication network communicating over a
frequency band of 60 GHz. However, other embodiments may be
implemented utilizing any other suitable wireless communication
frequency bands, for example, an Extremely High Frequency (EHF)
band (the millimeter wave (mmWave) frequency band), e.g., a
frequency band within the frequency band of between 20 Ghz and 300
GHZ, a WLAN frequency band, a WPAN frequency band, a frequency band
according to the WGA specification, and the like.
[0025] The term "antenna", as used herein, may include any suitable
configuration, structure and/or arrangement of one or more antenna
elements, components, units, assemblies and/or arrays. In some
embodiments, the antenna may implement transmit and receive
functionalities using separate transmit and receive antenna
elements. In some embodiments, the antenna may implement transmit
and receive functionalities using common and/or integrated
transmit/receive elements. The antenna may include, for example, a
phased array antenna, a single element antenna, a set of switched
beam antennas, and/or the like.
[0026] The term "station" (STA), as used herein, may include any
logical entity that is a singly addressable instance of a medium
access control (MAC) and a physical layer (PHY) interface to a
wireless medium (WM).
[0027] The phrase "access point" (AP), as used herein, may include
an entity that contains one station (STA) and provides access to
distribution services, via the WM for associated STAs.
[0028] The phrase "non-access-point (non-AP) station (STA)", as
used herein, may relate to a STA that is not contained within an
AP.
[0029] The phrase "peer to peer (PTP or P2P) communication", as
used herein, may relate to device-to-device communication over a
wireless link ("peer-to-peer link") between a pair of devices. The
P2P communication may include, for example, wireless communication
over a direct link within a QoS basic service set (BSS), a tunneled
direct-link setup (TDLS) link, a STA-to-STA communication in an
independent basic service set (IBSS), or the like.
[0030] Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which schematically
illustrates a block diagram of a system 100, in accordance with
some demonstrative embodiments.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, in some demonstrative embodiments system
100 may include a wireless communication network including one or
more wireless communication devices, e.g., wireless communication
devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108, capable of communicating content,
data, information and/or signals over a wireless communication
medium 103, for example, a radio channel, an IR channel, a RF
channel, a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) channel, and the like. One or
more elements of system 100 may optionally be capable of
communicating over any suitable wired communication links.
[0032] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
devices 102, 104 106 and/or 108 may include, for example, a PC, a
desktop computer, a mobile computer, a laptop computer, a notebook
computer, a tablet computer, a server computer, a handheld
computer, a handheld device, a PDA device, a handheld PDA device,
an on-board device, an off-board device, a hybrid device (e.g.,
combining cellular phone functionalities with PDA device
functionalities), a consumer device, a vehicular device, a
non-vehicular device, a mobile or portable device, a non-mobile or
non-portable device, a mobile phone, a cellular telephone, a PCS
device, a PDA device which incorporates a wireless communication
device, a mobile or portable GPS device, a DVB device, a relatively
small computing device, a non-desktop computer, a "Carry Small Live
Large" (CSLL) device, an Ultra Mobile Device (UMD), an Ultra Mobile
PC (UMPC), a Mobile Internet Device (MID), an "Origami" device or
computing device, a device that supports Dynamically Composable
Computing (DCC), a context-aware device, a video device, an audio
device, an A/V device, a Set-Top-Box (STB), a Blu-ray disc (BD)
player, a BD recorder, a Digital Video Disc (DVD) player, a High
Definition (HD) DVD player, a DVD recorder, a HD DVD recorder, a
Personal Video Recorder (PVR), a broadcast HD receiver, a video
source, an audio source, a video sink, an audio sink, a stereo
tuner, a broadcast radio receiver, a flat panel display, a Personal
Media Player (PMP), a digital video camera (DVC), a digital audio
player, a speaker, an audio receiver, an audio amplifier, a gaming
device, a data source, a data sink, a Digital Still camera (DSC), a
media player, a Smartphone, a television, a music player, or the
like.
[0033] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 may include wireless communication
units, to perform wireless communication between wireless
communication devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 and/or with one or
more other wireless communication devices. For example, device 102
may include a wireless communication unit 110 and device 104 may
include a wireless communication unit 120, e.g., as described
below.
[0034] Wireless communication devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 may
also include, for example, one or more of a processor 191, an input
unit 192, an output unit 193, a memory unit 194, and a storage unit
195. Wireless communication devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 may
optionally include other suitable hardware components and/or
software components. In some demonstrative embodiments, some or all
of the components of one or more of wireless communication devices
102, 104, 106 and/or 108 may be enclosed in a common housing or
packaging, and may be interconnected or operably associated using
one or more wired or wireless links. In other embodiments,
components of one or more of wireless communication devices 102,
104, 106 and/or 108 may be distributed among multiple or separate
devices.
[0035] Processor 191 includes, for example, a Central Processing
Unit (CPU), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), one or more processor
cores, a single-core processor, a dual-core processor, a
multiple-core processor, a microprocessor, a host processor, a
controller, a plurality of processors or controllers, a chip, a
microchip, one or more circuits, circuitry, a logic unit, an
Integrated Circuit (IC), an Application-Specific IC (ASIC), or any
other suitable multi-purpose or specific processor or controller.
Processor 191 executes instructions, for example, of an Operating
System (OS) of wireless communication devices 102, 104, 106 and/or
108 and/or of one or more suitable applications.
[0036] Input unit 192 includes, for example, a keyboard, a keypad,
a mouse, a touch-screen, a touch-pad, a track-ball, a stylus, a
microphone or, other suitable pointing device or input device.
Output unit 193 includes, for example, a monitor, a screen, a
touch-screen, a flat panel display, a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)
display unit, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) display unit, a plasma
display unit, one or more audio speakers or earphones, or other
suitable output devices.
[0037] Memory unit 194 includes, for example, a Random Access
Memory (RAM), a Read Only Memory (ROM), a Dynamic RAM (DRAM), a
Synchronous DRAM (SD-RAM), a flash memory, a volatile memory, a
non-volatile memory, a cache memory, a buffer, a short term memory
unit, a long term memory unit, or other suitable memory units.
Storage unit 195 includes, for example, a hard disk drive, a floppy
disk drive, a Compact Disk (CD) drive, a CD-ROM drive, a DVD drive,
or other suitable removable or non-removable storage units. Memory
unit 194 and/or storage unit 195, for example, may store data
processed by wireless communication devices 102, 104, 106 and/or
108.
[0038] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless medium 103 may
include, for example, a Radio Frequency (RF) channel, a WiFi
channel, a Bluetooth channel, a cellular channel, a Global
Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Channel, a Near Field
Communication (NFC) channel, a Hybrid Digital Radio (HDR) channel,
a Frequency Modulation (FM) channel, and the like.
[0039] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
medium 103 may include a wireless communication channel over a 2.4
Gigahertz (GHz) frequency band, or a 5 GHz frequency band.
[0040] In other embodiments, wireless communication medium 103 may
include any other channel, e.g., a wireless communication channel
over a 60 Gigahertz (GHz) frequency band, or any other frequency
band.
[0041] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
units 110 and 120 may include, or may be associated with, one or
more antennas 107 and 109, respectively. Antennas 107 and 109 may
include any type of antennas suitable for transmitting and/or
receiving wireless communication signals, blocks, frames,
transmission streams, packets, messages and/or data. For example,
antennas 107 and 109 may include any suitable configuration,
structure and/or arrangement of one or more antenna elements,
components, units, assemblies and/or arrays. Antennas 107 and 109
may include, for example, antennas suitable for directional
communication. For example, antennas 107 and 109 may include a
phased array antenna, a single element antenna, a set of switched
beam antennas, and/or the like. In some embodiments, antennas 107
and 109 may implement transmit and receive functionalities using
separate transmit and receive antenna elements. In some
embodiments, antennas 107 and 109 may implement transmit and
receive functionalities using common and/or integrated
transmit/receive elements.
[0042] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
units 110 and/or 120 include, for example, one or more radios 114,
e.g., including one or more wireless transmitters, receivers and/or
transceivers able to send and/or receive wireless communication
signals, RF signals, frames, blocks, transmission streams, packets,
messages, data items, and/or data. For example, wireless
communication units 110 and/or 120 may include or may be
implemented as part of a wireless Network Interface Card (NIC), and
the like.
[0043] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 may form a wireless local area
network (WLAN).
[0044] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
medium 103 may include a wireless communication link over the
mmWave band, e.g., the DMG band.
[0045] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 104, 106
and/or 108 may perform the functionality of mmWave STAs, e.g., DMG
stations ("DMG STA"). For example, devices 102, 104, 106 and/or may
be configured to communicate over the DMG band.
[0046] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
medium 103 may include a wireless gigabit (WiGig) link. For
example, wireless communication medium 103 may include a wireless
beamformed link over the 60 GHZ frequency band.
[0047] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 may form a WiFi network.
[0048] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
medium 103 may include a direct link, e.g., a P2P link, for
example, to enable direct communication between device 102 and
devices 104, 106 and/or 108.
[0049] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 may perform the functionality of
WFA P2P devices. For example, device 102 may perform the
functionality of a P2P group owner, and devices 104, 106 and/or 108
may perform the functionality of a P2P client device.
[0050] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 may form a WiFi NAN network.
[0051] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 may form a neighbor awareness
networking (NAN) network. For example, devices 102, 104, 106 and/or
108 may include NAN devices, which may share a common set of NAN
parameters, e.g., including a common time period between
consecutive discovery windows (DWs), e.g., as described below.
[0052] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may perform the functionality of a NAN device capable of
discovering other NAN devices according to a discovery scheme.
[0053] In other embodiments, wireless communication devices 102,
104, 106 and/or 108 may form any other network.
[0054] In other embodiments, wireless communication devices 102,
104, 106 and/or 108 may perform the functionality of any other
wireless communication devices.
[0055] In some demonstrative embodiments, one or more of devices
102, 104, 106 and/or 108 may perform a discovery procedure, for
example, to discover each other and/or to establish a directional
and/or high throughput wireless communication link.
[0056] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 104, 106
and/or 108 may transmit discovery frames according to a discovery
scheme including a plurality of discovery windows.
[0057] In some demonstrative embodiments, devices 102, 104, 106
and/or 108 may communicate during a discovery window according to a
contention mechanism. For example, devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108
may check whether or not a channel is unoccupied prior to an
attempt to transmit a discovery frame during the discovery
window.
[0058] In some demonstrative embodiments, a device of devices 102,
104, 106 and/or 108, e.g., device 102, may not transmit the
discovery frame during the DW, e.g., if the channel is
occupied.
[0059] In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 may transmit
the discovery frame during the DW, e.g., if the channel is
unoccupied.
[0060] In some embodiments, the discovery frame may be transmitted
as a group addressed, e.g., broadcast or multicast, discovery
frame. In other embodiments, the discovery frame may be transmitted
as any other frame.
[0061] In some demonstrative embodiments, the discovery frame may
not require an acknowledgement frame. Therefore, a transmitter of
the discovery frame may not backoff a transmission of the discovery
frame.
[0062] In some demonstrative embodiments, the discovery frame
transmitted by device 102 during the DW may enable other devices or
services that are running on other devices to discover the
device.
[0063] In some demonstrative embodiments, the DW may be relatively
short.
[0064] In some demonstrative embodiments, a congestion of wireless
communication medium 103 during a DW may be related to a duration
of the DW and/or a number of devices in the network attempting a
transmission during the DW. For example, the congestion may
increase if the duration of the DW decreases and/or if the number
of devices attempting to transmit discovery frames increases.
[0065] In some demonstrative embodiments, the congestion may result
in failure to transmit the discovery frame.
[0066] In some demonstrative embodiments, an increased level of
congestion over wireless communication medium 103 may result in an
increased power consumption of device 102, e.g., since a number of
attempts by device 102 to transmit the discovery frame may
increase.
[0067] In some demonstrative embodiments, spreading the
transmissions of discovery frames across multiple discovery windows
and/or increasing the size of the discovery windows may mitigate
the congestion in the discovery windows. However, spreading the
transmissions of the discovery frames and/or increasing the size of
the DWs may require estimating the number of devices in the
network.
[0068] In some demonstrative embodiments, estimating the number of
devices in the network may be difficult, e.g., since each device
may see a different number of devices around it.
[0069] In some demonstrative embodiments, collisions between
discovery frames within a DW may be mitigated, for example, even
without estimating the number of devices, e.g., as described in
detail below.
[0070] In some demonstrative embodiments, the success or failure of
device 102 to transmit a discovery frame during a predefined time
period of the discovery window may indicate a level of congestion
of medium 103.
[0071] In some demonstrative embodiments, the ability of device 102
to transmit a discovery frame before the end of the discovery
window may indicate that medium 103 is not highly congested.
[0072] In some demonstrative embodiments, the probability that
device 102 may not be able to transmit the discovery frame during
the discovery window may increase, e.g., if medium 103 is observed
to be busy during a predefined time period of the discovery
window.
[0073] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may be configured to schedule transmissions of discovery
frames based on the observation of whether or not the medium is
busy during the DWs, e.g., as described below.
[0074] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may transmit the discovery frame during a selected
discovery window according to a transmission interval (TI), e.g.,
as described below.
[0075] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may schedule the transmission of the discovery frame for
the discovery window, e.g., as described below.
[0076] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may adjust the transmission interval based on whether or
not wireless communication medium 103 is observed to be busy during
a predefined time period of the discovery window, e.g., as
described in detail below.
[0077] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may increase the TI, e.g., if wireless communication
medium 103 is observed to be congested during the predefined time
period of the discovery window.
[0078] In other demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may decrease the TI, e.g., if wireless communication
medium 103 is not observed to be congested during the predefined
time period of the discovery window.
[0079] In some demonstrative embodiments, the predefined time
period may be related to a sensitivity of the TI to congestion. For
example, a first time period may result in an adjustment of the TI,
e.g., when wireless communication medium 103 has at least a first
congestion level; and a second time period, e.g., shorter than the
first time period, may result in an adjustment of the TI, e.g.,
when wireless communication medium 103 has at least a second
congestion level, e.g., lesser than the first congestion level.
[0080] In some demonstrative embodiments, the predefined time
period may include a time period beginning at a start time of a DW,
e.g., an n-th DW, and ending within the DW. For example, the
predefined time period, denoted T, may be defined, e.g., as
follows:
T=n-th DW start time+c.times.length of DW (1)
wherein c denotes a predefined value, for example, 0<c<1,
e.g., c=0.75 or any other value.
[0081] In other embodiments, the predefined time period may include
an entirety of the DW, e.g., if c=1.
[0082] In some demonstrative embodiments, based on the transmission
interval, wireless communication unit 110 may determine a number of
discovery windows between successive attempts to transmit the
discovery frame, and select the discovery window according to the
number of discovery windows, e.g., as described below.
[0083] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may select the number of discovery windows between a
minimal transmission interval and the transmission interval, e.g.,
as described below.
[0084] In some demonstrative embodiments, the transmission interval
may include a Service Discovery frame transmission window (M).
[0085] In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 may maintain
the value of TW and a minimal TW value, denoted TW.sub.min. In one
example, TW.sub.min=1, or any other value.
[0086] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may select, e.g., randomly, a number, denoted n, between
the minimal transmission interval and the transmission interval,
and may schedule transmission of the discovery frame during an n-th
discovery window, wherein n=0 denotes a current discovery window,
e.g., as described below.
[0087] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may adjust the transmission interval based on whether or
not wireless communication medium 103 is observed to be busy during
the predefined time period of the discovery window, e.g., as
described in detail below.
[0088] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may increase the transmission interval, e.g., if the
medium is observed to be busy during the predefined time period.
For example, the TI may be increased, e.g., if device 102 cannot
transmit the discovery frame during the predefined time period in
the n-th DW.
[0089] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may increase the TI, for example, if wireless
communication unit 110 observes medium 103 is busy for more than
the time period T. For example, wireless communication unit 110 may
increase the value of TW, e.g., as follows:
TW=TW+a (2)
wherein a denotes a predefined value. For example, a may include a
constant value, e.g., a=2, or any other value.
[0090] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may decrease the transmission interval, for example if
medium 103 is not observed to be busy for the predefined time
period. For example, the TI may be decreased, e.g., if device 102
can transmit the discovery frame during the predefined time period
of the n-th DW.
[0091] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may decrease the TI, for example, if wireless
communication unit 110 observes medium 103 is not busy for more
than the time period T. For example wireless communication unit 110
may decrease the value of TW, e.g., as follows:
TW=max{TW.sub.min,(TW-b)} (3)
wherein b denotes a predefined value. For example, b may include a
constant value, e.g., b=1, or any other value.
[0092] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may transmit the discovery frame according to any other
discovery scheme, e.g., as described below.
[0093] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may select an i-th TI, denoted TI.sub.i, for the
transmission of the discovery frame. For example, wireless
communication unit 110 may initialize the value of TI to a minimal
predefined value, denoted Nmin, e.g., TI.sub.1=Nmin.
[0094] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may select a DW, for example, a DW separated by TI.sub.i
DWs from a current DW.
[0095] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may attempt to transmit the discovery frame within the
selected DW.
[0096] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may adjust the TI based on whether or not wireless
communication medium 103 is observed to be busy during the
predefined time period of the DW.
[0097] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may decrease the selected transmission interval, e.g., if
device 102 is able to transmit the discovery frame before the end
of the selected DW.
[0098] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may decrease the TI by determining a next TI, denoted
TI.sub.i+1, to be used for selecting a next DW, e.g., as
follows:
TI.sub.i+1=max(Nmin,TI.sub.i-1) (4)
[0099] In another example, the successive TI may be determined by
decreasing the TI according to any other scheme, e.g., follows:
TI.sub.i+1=max(Nmin,TI.sub.i/2) (5)
[0100] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may increase the selected transmission interval, e.g., if
device 102 is not able to transmit the discovery frame before the
end of the discovery window.
[0101] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 may increase the TI by determining the next TI to be used
for selecting the next DW, e.g., as follows:
TI.sub.i+1=min(2TI.sub.i,Nmax) (6)
wherein Nmax denotes a predefined value. For example, Nmax may be a
maximal frequency for the discovery frame transmission.
[0102] In another example, the successive TI may be determined by
increasing the TI according to any other scheme, e.g., follows:
TI.sub.i+1=min(TI.sub.i+1,Nmax) (7)
[0103] Reference in now made to FIG. 2, which schematically
illustrates a discovery scheme including a plurality of discovery
windows 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217 and/or 218, in
accordance with some demonstrative embodiments. For example,
devices 102, 104, 106 and/or 108 (FIG. 1) may be allowed to attempt
transmitting discovery frames during DWs 210, 211, 212, 213, 214,
215, 216, 217 and/or 218.
[0104] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 (FIG. 1) may set a TI 201, for example, including two DWs,
e.g., DW 210 and DW 211.
[0105] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 (FIG. 1) may select a DW within TI 201. For example,
wireless communication unit 110 may select DW 210, e.g., if
n=0.
[0106] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 (FIG. 1) may schedule a transmission of the discovery
frame during the selected DW 210.
[0107] In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 (FIG. 1) may
attempt to transmit the discovery frame within the selected DW
210.
[0108] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 (FIG. 1) may adjust the transmission interval, e.g., based
on whether or not wireless communication medium 103 (FIG. 1) is
observed to be busy during a predefined time period of discovery
window 210.
[0109] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 (FIG. 1) may set a TI 202 successive to TI 201, e.g.,
based on whether or not device 102 (FIG. 1) is able to transmit the
discovery frame during the predefined time period in DW 210.
[0110] In some demonstrative embodiments, TI 202 may be longer than
TI 201, e.g., if device 102 (FIG. 1) is unable to transmit the
discovery frame during the time period T within DW 210. For
example, TI 202 may include four DWs, e.g., DWs 212, 213, 214
and/or 215. For example, wireless communication unit 110 (FIG. 1)
may determine TI 202 according to Equation 2, e.g., if a=2.
[0111] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 (FIG. 1) may select a DW within TI 202. For example,
wireless communication unit 110 may select DW 215, e.g., if
n=3.
[0112] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 (FIG. 1) may schedule a transmission of the discovery
frame during the selected DW 215.
[0113] In some demonstrative embodiments, device 102 (FIG. 1) may
attempt to transmit the discovery frame within the selected DW
215.
[0114] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 (FIG. 1) may adjust the transmission interval based on
whether or not wireless communication medium 103 (FIG. 1) is
observed to be busy during a predefined time period of discovery
window 215.
[0115] In some demonstrative embodiments, wireless communication
unit 110 (FIG. 1) may set a TI 203 successive to TI 202, e.g.,
based on whether or not device 102 (FIG. 1) is able to transmit the
discovery frame during the predefined time period in DW 215.
[0116] In some demonstrative embodiments, TI 203 may be shorter
than TI 202, e.g., if device 102 (FIG. 1) is able to transmit the
discovery frame during DW 215. For example, TI 203 may include
three DWs, e.g., DWs 216, 217 and/or 218. For example, wireless
communication unit 110 (FIG. 1) may determine TI 203 according to
Equation 3, e.g., if b=1.
[0117] Reference is made to FIG. 3, which schematically illustrates
a method of adjusting transmission intervals for discovery frames,
in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments. For example, one
or more of the operations of the method of FIG. 3 may be performed
by a wireless communication system, e.g., system 100 (FIG. 1); a
wireless communication device, e.g., devices 102, 104, 106 and/or
108 (FIG. 1); and/or a wireless communication unit, e.g., wireless
communication units 110 and/or 120 (FIG. 1).
[0118] As indicated at block 302, the method may include
communicating over a wireless communication medium according to a
discovery scheme including a plurality of discovery windows. For
example, wireless communication unit 110 (FIG. 1) may communicate
over wireless communication medium 103 (FIG. 1) according to
discovery scheme 200 (FIG. 2), e.g., as described above.
[0119] As indicated at block 304, the method may include selecting
a DW according to a TI. For example, wireless communication unit
110 may select DW 210 (FIG. 2), according to TI 201 (FIG. 2), e.g.,
as described above.
[0120] As indicated at block 306, the method may include scheduling
the transmission of the discovery frame for the selected DW. For
example, wireless communication unit 110 (FIG. 1) may schedule the
transmission of the discovery frame for DW 210 (FIG. 2), e.g., as
described above.
[0121] As indicated at block 308, the method may include adjusting
the transmission interval based on whether or not the wireless
communication medium is observed to be busy during the predefined
time period of the DW. For example, wireless communication unit 110
(FIG. 1) may adjust the TI based on whether or not wireless
communication medium 103 (FIG. 1) is busy.
[0122] As indicated at block 310, the method may include increasing
the transmission interval, e.g., if the wireless communication
medium is observed to be busy during the predefined time period of
the DW. For example, wireless communication medium 110 (FIG. 1) may
increase the TI, e.g., according to Equation 2, 6 or 7.
[0123] As indicated at block 312, the method may include decreasing
the transmission interval, e.g., if the wireless communication
medium is observed not to be busy during the predefined time period
of the DW. For example, wireless communication medium 110 (FIG. 1)
may decrease the TI, e.g., according to Equation 3, 4 or 5.
[0124] Reference is made to FIG. 4, which schematically illustrates
a product of manufacture 400, in accordance with some demonstrative
embodiments. Product 400 may include a non-transitory
machine-readable storage medium 402 to store logic 404, which may
be used, for example, to perform at least part of the functionality
of device 102 (FIG. 1), device 104 (FIG. 1), device 106 (FIG. 1),
device 108 (FIG. 1), wireless communication unit 110 (FIG. 1),
wireless communication unit 120 (FIG. 1) and/or to perform one or
more operations of the method of FIG. 3. The phrase "non-transitory
machine-readable medium" is directed to include all
computer-readable media, with the sole exception being a transitory
propagating signal.
[0125] In some demonstrative embodiments, product 400 and/or
machine-readable storage medium 402 may include one or more types
of computer-readable storage media capable of storing data,
including volatile memory, non-volatile memory, removable or
non-removable memory, erasable or non-erasable memory, writeable or
re-writeable memory, and the like. For example, machine-readable
storage medium 402 may include, RAM, DRAM, Double-Data-Rate DRAM
(DDR-DRAM), SDRAM, static RAM (SRAM), ROM, programmable ROM (PROM),
erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable
programmable ROM (EEPROM), Compact Disk ROM (CD-ROM), Compact Disk
Recordable (CD-R), Compact Disk Rewriteable (CD-RW), flash memory
(e.g., NOR or NAND flash memory), content addressable memory (CAM),
polymer memory, phase-change memory, ferroelectric memory,
silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory, a disk, a
floppy disk, a hard drive, an optical disk, a magnetic disk, a
card, a magnetic card, an optical card, a tape, a cassette, and the
like. The computer-readable storage media may include any suitable
media involved with downloading or transferring a computer program
from a remote computer to a requesting computer carried by data
signals embodied in a carrier wave or other propagation medium
through a communication link, e.g., a modem, radio or network
connection.
[0126] In some demonstrative embodiments, logic 404 may include
instructions, data, and/or code, which, if executed by a machine,
may cause the machine to perform a method, process and/or
operations as described herein. The machine may include, for
example, any suitable processing platform, computing platform,
computing device, processing device, computing system, processing
system, computer, processor, or the like, and may be implemented
using any suitable combination of hardware, software, firmware, and
the like.
[0127] In some demonstrative embodiments, logic 404 may include, or
may be implemented as, software, a software module, an application,
a program, a subroutine, instructions, an instruction set,
computing code, words, values, symbols, and the like. The
instructions may include any suitable type of code, such as source
code, compiled code, interpreted code, executable code, static
code, dynamic code, and the like. The instructions may be
implemented according to a predefined computer language, manner or
syntax, for instructing a processor to perform a certain function.
The instructions may be implemented using any suitable high-level,
low-level, object-oriented, visual, compiled and/or interpreted
programming language, such as C, C++, Java, BASIC, Matlab, Pascal,
Visual BASIC, assembly language, machine code, and the like.
EXAMPLES
[0128] The following examples pertain to further embodiments.
[0129] Example 1 includes an apparatus of wireless communication,
the apparatus comprising a wireless communication unit to
communicate over a wireless communication medium according to a
discovery scheme including a plurality of contention-based
discovery windows, the wireless communication unit is to select a
discovery window according to a transmission interval, to schedule
transmission of a discovery frame for the discovery window, and to
adjust the transmission interval based on whether or not the
wireless communication medium is observed to be busy during a
predefined time period of the discovery window.
[0130] Example 2 includes the subject matter of Example 1 and
optionally, wherein based on the transmission interval, the
wireless communication unit is to determine a number of discovery
windows between successive attempts to transmit the discovery
frame, and to select the discovery window according to the number
of discovery windows.
[0131] Example 3 includes the subject matter of Example 2 and
optionally, wherein the wireless communication unit is to select
the number of discovery windows between a minimal transmission
interval and the transmission interval.
[0132] Example 4 includes the subject matter of Example 3 and
optionally, wherein the wireless communication unit is to select a
number, denoted n, between the minimal transmission interval and
the transmission interval, and to schedule transmission of the
discovery frame during an n-th discovery window, wherein n=0 is a
current discovery window.
[0133] Example 5 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples
1-4 and optionally, wherein the wireless communication unit is to
increase the transmission interval if the medium is observed to be
busy during the predefined time period.
[0134] Example 6 includes the subject matter of Example 5 and
optionally, wherein the wireless communication unit is to increase
the transmission interval from a first value, denoted TW, to a
second value, TW+a, wherein a denotes a predefined value.
[0135] Example 7 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples
1-6 and optionally, wherein the wireless communication unit is to
decrease the transmission interval if the medium is observed not to
be busy during the predefined time period.
[0136] Example 8 includes the subject matter of Example 7 and
optionally, wherein the wireless communication unit is to decrease
the transmission interval from a first value, denoted TW, to a
second value, the second value is a greatest of a minimal
transmission interval, denoted TWmin, and a difference (TW-b),
wherein b denotes a predefined value.
[0137] Example 9 includes the subject matter of any one of Examples
1-8 and optionally, wherein the predefined time period comprises a
time period beginning at a start time of the discovery window and
ending within the discovery window.
[0138] Example 10 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 1-8 and optionally, wherein the predefined time period
comprises an entirety of the discovery window.
[0139] Example 11 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 1-10 and optionally, wherein the transmission interval
comprises a Service Discovery frame transmission window (TW).
[0140] Example 12 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 1-11 and optionally, wherein the wireless communication
medium comprises a wireless communication channel over a 2.4
Gigahertz (GHz) frequency band or a 5 GHz frequency band.
[0141] Example 13 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 1-12 and optionally, wherein the wireless communication
unit is to perform the functionality of a Neighbor Awareness
Networking (NAN) device to discover other NAN devices according to
the discovery scheme.
[0142] Example 14 includes a system of wireless communication, the
system comprising a wireless communication device including at
least one antenna to communicate over a wireless communication
medium; and a wireless communication unit to communicate over the
wireless communication medium according to a discovery scheme
including a plurality of contention-based discovery windows, the
wireless communication unit is to select a discovery window within
a transmission interval, to schedule transmission of a discovery
frame within the discovery window, and to adjust the transmission
interval based on whether or not the medium is observed to be busy
during a predefined time period of the discovery window.
[0143] Example 15 includes the subject matter of Example 14 and
optionally, wherein based on the transmission interval, the
wireless communication unit is to determine a number of discovery
windows between successive attempts to transmit the discovery
frame, and to select the discovery window according to the number
of discovery windows.
[0144] Example 16 includes the subject matter of Example 15 and
optionally, wherein the wireless communication unit is to select
the number of discovery windows between a minimal transmission
interval and the transmission interval.
[0145] Example 17 includes the subject matter of Example 16 and
optionally, wherein the wireless communication unit is to select a
number, denoted n, between the minimal transmission interval and
the transmission interval, and to schedule transmission of the
discovery frame during an n-th discovery window, wherein n=0 is a
current discovery window.
[0146] Example 18 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 14-17 and optionally, wherein the wireless communication
unit is to increase the transmission interval if the medium is
observed to be busy during the predefined time period.
[0147] Example 19 includes the subject matter of Example 18 and
optionally, wherein the wireless communication unit is to increase
the transmission interval from a first value, denoted TW, to a
second value, TW+a, wherein a denotes a predefined value.
[0148] Example 20 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 14-19 and optionally, wherein the wireless communication
unit is to decrease the transmission interval if the medium is
observed not to be busy during the predefined time period.
[0149] Example 21 includes the subject matter of Example 20 and
optionally, wherein the wireless communication unit is to decrease
the transmission interval from a first value, denoted TW, to a
second value, the second value is a greatest of a minimal
transmission interval, denoted TWmin, and a difference (TW-b),
wherein b denotes a predefined value.
[0150] Example 22 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 14-21 and optionally, wherein the predefined time period
comprises a time period beginning at a start time of the discovery
window and ending within the discovery window.
[0151] Example 23 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 14-21 and optionally, wherein the predefined time period
comprises an entirety of the discovery window.
[0152] Example 24 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 14-23 and optionally, wherein the transmission interval
comprises a Service Discovery frame transmission window (TW).
[0153] Example 25 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 14-24 and optionally, wherein the wireless communication
medium comprises a wireless communication channel over a 2.4
Gigahertz (GHz) frequency band or a 5 GHz frequency band.
[0154] Example 26 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 14-25 and optionally, wherein the wireless communication
unit is to perform the functionality of a Neighbor Awareness
Networking (NAN) device to discover other NAN devices according to
the discovery scheme.
[0155] Example 27 includes a method of wireless communication, the
method comprising selecting a discovery window from a plurality of
contention-based discovery windows according to a transmission
interval; scheduling for the discovery window transmission of a
discovery frame over a wireless communication medium; attempting to
transmit the discovery frame during the discovery window; and
adjusting the transmission interval based on whether or not the
wireless communication medium is observed to be busy during a
predefined time period of the discovery window.
[0156] Example 28 includes the subject matter of Example 27 and
optionally, comprising, based on the transmission interval,
determining a number of discovery windows between successive
attempts to transmit the discovery frame, and selecting the
discovery window according to the number of discovery windows.
[0157] Example 29 includes the subject matter of Example 28 and
optionally, comprising selecting the number of discovery windows
between a minimal transmission interval and the transmission
interval.
[0158] Example 30 includes the subject matter of Example 29 and
optionally, comprising selecting a number, denoted n, between the
minimal transmission interval and the transmission interval, and
scheduling transmission of the discovery frame during an n-th
discovery window, wherein n=0 is a current discovery window.
[0159] Example 31 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 27-30 and optionally, comprising increasing the
transmission interval if the medium is observed to be busy during
the predefined time period.
[0160] Example 32 includes the subject matter of Example 31 and
optionally, comprising increasing the transmission interval from a
first value, denoted TW, to a second value, TW+a, wherein a denotes
a predefined value.
[0161] Example 33 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 27-32 and optionally, comprising decreasing the
transmission interval if the medium is observed not to be busy
during the predefined time period.
[0162] Example 34 includes the subject matter of Example 33 and
optionally, comprising decreasing the transmission interval from a
first value, denoted TW, to a second value, the second value is a
greatest of a minimal transmission interval, denoted TWmin, and a
difference (TW-b), wherein b denotes a predefined value.
[0163] Example 35 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 27-34 and optionally, wherein the predefined time period
comprises a time period beginning at a start time of the discovery
window and ending within the discovery window.
[0164] Example 36 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 27-34 and optionally, wherein the predefined time period
comprises an entirety of the discovery window.
[0165] Example 37 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 27-36 and optionally, wherein the transmission interval
comprises a Service Discovery frame transmission window (TW).
[0166] Example 38 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 27-37 and optionally, wherein the wireless communication
medium comprises a wireless communication channel over a 2.4
Gigahertz (GHz) frequency band or a 5 GHz frequency band.
[0167] Example 39 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 27-38 and optionally, comprising performing the
functionality of a Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN) device to
discover other NAN devices according to the discovery scheme.
[0168] Example 40 includes a product including a non-transitory
storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when
executed by a machine, result in selecting a discovery window from
a plurality of contention-based discovery windows according to a
transmission interval; scheduling for the discovery window
transmission of a discovery frame over a wireless communication
medium; attempting to transmit the discovery frame during the
discovery window; and adjusting the transmission interval based on
whether or not the wireless communication medium is observed to be
busy during a predefined time period of the discovery window.
[0169] Example 41 includes the subject matter of Example 40 and
optionally, wherein the instructions result in determining, based
on the transmission interval, a number of discovery windows between
successive attempts to transmit the discovery frame, and selecting
the discovery window according to the number of discovery
windows.
[0170] Example 42 includes the subject matter of Example 41 and
optionally, wherein the instructions result in selecting the number
of discovery windows between a minimal transmission interval and
the transmission interval.
[0171] Example 43 includes the subject matter of Example 42 and
optionally, wherein the instructions result in selecting a number,
denoted n, between the minimal transmission interval and the
transmission interval, and scheduling transmission of the discovery
frame during an n-th discovery window, wherein n=0 is a current
discovery window.
[0172] Example 44 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 40-43 and optionally, wherein the instructions result in
increasing the transmission interval if the medium is observed to
be busy during the predefined time period.
[0173] Example 45 includes the subject matter of Example 44 and
optionally, wherein the instructions result in increasing the
transmission interval from a first value, denoted TW, to a second
value, TW+a, wherein a denotes a predefined value.
[0174] Example 46 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 40-45 and optionally, wherein the instructions result in
decreasing the transmission interval if the medium is observed not
to be busy during the predefined time period.
[0175] Example 47 includes the subject matter of Example 46 and
optionally, wherein the instructions result in decreasing the
transmission interval from a first value, denoted TW, to a second
value, the second value is a greatest of a minimal transmission
interval, denoted TWmin, and a difference (TW-b), wherein b denotes
a predefined value.
[0176] Example 48 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 40-47 and optionally, wherein the predefined time period
comprises a time period beginning at a start time of the discovery
window and ending within the discovery window.
[0177] Example 49 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 40-47 and optionally, wherein the predefined time period
comprises an entirety of the discovery window.
[0178] Example 50 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 40-49 and optionally, wherein the transmission interval
comprises a Service Discovery frame transmission window (TW).
[0179] Example 51 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 40-50 and optionally, wherein the wireless communication
medium comprises a wireless communication channel over a 2.4
Gigahertz (GHz) frequency band or a 5 GHz frequency band.
[0180] Example 52 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 40-51 and optionally, wherein the instructions result in
performing the functionality of a Neighbor Awareness Networking
(NAN) device to discover other NAN devices according to the
discovery scheme.
[0181] Example 53 includes an apparatus of wireless communication,
the apparatus comprising means for selecting a discovery window
from a plurality of contention-based discovery windows according to
a transmission interval; means for scheduling for the discovery
window transmission of a discovery frame over a wireless
communication medium; means for attempting to transmit the
discovery frame during the discovery window; and means for
adjusting the transmission interval based on whether or not the
wireless communication medium is observed to be busy during a
predefined time period of the discovery window.
[0182] Example 54 includes the subject matter of Example 53 and
optionally, comprising means for determining, based on the
transmission interval, a number of discovery windows between
successive attempts to transmit the discovery frame, and selecting
the discovery window according to the number of discovery
windows.
[0183] Example 55 includes the subject matter of Example 54 and
optionally, comprising means for selecting the number of discovery
windows between a minimal transmission interval and the
transmission interval.
[0184] Example 56 includes the subject matter of Example 55 and
optionally, comprising means for selecting a number, denoted n,
between the minimal transmission interval and the transmission
interval, and scheduling transmission of the discovery frame during
an n-th discovery window, wherein n=0 is a current discovery
window.
[0185] Example 57 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 53-56 and optionally, comprising means for increasing the
transmission interval if the medium is observed to be busy during
the predefined time period.
[0186] Example 58 includes the subject matter of Example 57 and
optionally, comprising means for increasing the transmission
interval from a first value, denoted TW, to a second value, TW+a,
wherein a denotes a predefined value.
[0187] Example 59 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 53-58 and optionally, comprising means for decreasing the
transmission interval if the medium is observed not to be busy
during the predefined time period.
[0188] Example 60 includes the subject matter of Example 59 and
optionally, comprising means for decreasing the transmission
interval from a first value, denoted TW, to a second value, the
second value is a greatest of a minimal transmission interval,
denoted TWmin, and a difference (TW-b), wherein b denotes a
predefined value.
[0189] Example 61 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 53-60 and optionally, wherein the predefined time period
comprises a time period beginning at a start time of the discovery
window and ending within the discovery window.
[0190] Example 62 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 53-60 and optionally, wherein the predefined time period
comprises an entirety of the discovery window.
[0191] Example 63 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 53-62 and optionally, wherein the transmission interval
comprises a Service Discovery frame transmission window (TW).
[0192] Example 64 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 53-63 and optionally, wherein the wireless communication
medium comprises a wireless communication channel over a 2.4
Gigahertz (GHz) frequency band or a 5 GHz frequency band.
[0193] Example 65 includes the subject matter of any one of
Examples 53-64 and optionally, comprising means for performing the
functionality of a Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN) device to
discover other NAN devices according to the discovery scheme.
[0194] Functions, operations, components and/or features described
herein with reference to one or more embodiments, may be combined
with, or may be utilized in combination with, one or more other
functions, operations, components and/or features described herein
with reference to one or more other embodiments, or vice versa.
[0195] While certain features of the invention have been
illustrated and described herein, many modifications,
substitutions, changes, and equivalents may occur to those skilled
in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended
claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as
fall within the true spirit of the invention.
* * * * *