Wireless communication methods and apparatus supporting different types of wireless communication approaches
A wireless terminal supports both peer to peer communications and access node based communications. The wireless terminal considers and evaluates communications link alternatives and selects between (i) communication using a peer to peer link and (ii) communications using a link with a base station serving as an access node. Received signals corresponding to each of the link alternatives are used in performing link quality determinations. In one example, a received user beacon signal from a peer wireless terminal is the received signal used for the peer to peer link evaluation and a base station beacon signal is the received signal used for the access node link evaluation. A link is selected as a function of quality determination, predicted data throughput, link maintenance energy requirements, and/or least cost routing determination information.
1. A wireless terminal which supports peer to peer communication and communication via a base station, the wireless terminal comprising:
a receiver module for receiving a first signal from a first communications band, the first signal being from a base station and for receiving a second signal from a second communications band which is different from said first communications band, said second signal being from a peer wireless terminal;
a base station link quality determination module for determining from said first signal link quality of a first link between said base station and said wireless terminal;
a peer to peer link quality determination module for determining from said second signal link quality of a second link between said wireless terminal and said peer wireless terminal; and
a link selection module for selecting between said first and second links for a communication session based on the determined quality of said first and second links;
a beacon burst processing module for recovering link information from a beacon signal burst; and
a user data recovery module for recovering user data from non-beacon signals used to communicate user data as part of a communication session
wherein said first and second signals each include at least one beacon signal.
2. The wireless terminal of claim 1 , further comprising:
a frequency band determination module for determining, prior to receiving said second signal, the frequency band of the second signal from the first signal.
3. The wireless terminal of claim 1 , further comprising:
a monitor interval determination module for determining an interval of time during which said wireless terminal is to monitor for said second signal; and
a peer to peer signal monitoring module for monitoring for a signal from a peer wireless terminal during said interval to receive said second signal.
4. A wireless terminal which supports peer to peer communication and communication via a base station, the wireless terminal comprising:
a receiver module for receiving a first signal from a first communications band, the first signal being from a base station and for receiving a second signal from a second communications band which is different from said first communications band, said second signal being from a peer wireless terminal;
a base station link quality determination module for determining from said first signal link quality of a first link between said base station and said wireless terminal;
a peer to peer link quality determination module for determining from said second signal link quality of a second link between said wireless terminal and said peer wireless terminal; and
a link selection module for selecting between said first and second links for a communication session based on the determined quality of said first and second links;
a first data throughput determination module for predicting a first data throughput to the base station based on said first determined link quality; and
a second data throughput determination module for predicting a second data throughput to the peer wireless communication device based on said second determined link quality;
wherein said link selection module includes a throughput based selection module for selecting the one of the first and second links having the higher throughput.
5. The wireless terminal of claim 4 , further comprising:
a data storage element including stored maximum transmission power information;
wherein said first data throughput prediction module uses said stored maximum transmission power information in predicting the first data throughput.
6. The wireless terminal of claim 5 , wherein said stored maximum transmission power information includes at least one of information on a government restriction on maximum transmission power and device power output capability.
7. A wireless terminal which supports both peer to peer communication and communication via a base station, the wireless terminal comprising:
receiver means for receiving a first signal from a first communications band, the first signal being from a base station and for receiving a second signal from a second communications band which is different from said first communications band, said second signal being from a peer wireless terminal;
base station link quality determination means for determining from said first signal link quality of a first link between said base station and said wireless terminal;
peer to peer link quality determination means for determining from said second signal link quality of a second link between said wireless terminal and said peer wireless terminal; and
link selection means for selecting between said first and second links for a communications session based on the determined quality of said first and second links,
beacon burst processing means for recovering link information from a beacon signal burst; and
user data recovery means for recovering user data from non-beacon signals used to communicate user data as part of a communications session
wherein said first and second signals each include at least one beacon signal burst.
8. The wireless terminal of claim 7 , further comprising:
frequency band determination means for determining, prior to receiving said second signal, the frequency band of the second signal from the first signal.
9. The wireless terminal of claim 7 , further comprising:
monitor interval determination means for determining an interval of time during which said wireless terminal is to monitor for said second signal; and
peer to peer signal monitor means for monitoring for a signal from a peer wireless terminal during said interval to receive said second signal.
10. A method which supports peer to peer communication and communication via a base station, the method comprising:
receiving a first signal from a first communications band, the first signal being from a base station and for receiving a second signal from a second communications band which is different from said first communications band, said second signal being from a peer wireless terminal;
determining from said first signal link quality of a first link between said base station and said wireless terminal;
determining from said second signal link quality of a second link between said wireless terminal and said peer wireless terminal; and
selecting between said first and second links for a communication session based on the determined quality of said first and second links;
recovering link information from a beacon signal burst; and
recovering user data from non-beacon signals used to communicate user data as part of a communication session
wherein said first and second signals each include at least one beacon signal.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining, prior to receiving said second signal, the frequency band of the second signal from the first signal.
12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining an interval of time during which said wireless terminal is to monitor for said second signal; and
monitoring for a signal from a peer wireless terminal during said interval to receive said second signal.
13. A method which supports peer to peer communication and communication via a base station, the method comprising:
receiving a first signal from a first communications band, the first signal being from a base station and for receiving a second signal from a second communications band which is different from said first communications band, said second signal being from a peer wireless terminal;
determining from said first signal link quality of a first link between said base station and said wireless terminal;
determining from said second signal link quality of a second link between said wireless terminal and said peer wireless terminal; and
selecting between said first and second links for a communication session based on the determined quality of said first and second links;
predicting a first data throughput to the base station based on said first determined link quality; and
predicting a second data throughput to the peer wireless communication device based on said second determined link quality; and
wherein said link selection module includes a throughput based selection module for selecting the one of the first and second links having the higher throughput.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
storing maximum transmission power information;
wherein in predicting a first data throughput said stored maximum transmission power information is used in predicting the first data throughput.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said stored maximum transmission power information includes at least one of information on a government restriction on maximum transmission power and device power output capability.
16. A wireless terminal which supports peer to peer communication and communication via a base station, the wireless terminal comprising:
receiver means for receiving a first signal from a first communications band, the first signal being from a base station and for receiving a second signal from a second communications band which is different from said first communications band, said second signal being from a peer wireless terminal;
a base station link quality determination means for determining from said first signal link quality of a first link between said base station and said wireless terminal;
a peer to peer link quality determination means for determining from said second signal link quality of a second link between said wireless terminal and said peer wireless terminal; and
a link selection means for selecting between said first and second links for a communication session based on the determined quality of said first and second links;
a first data throughput determination means for predicting a first data throughput to the base station based on said first determined link quality; and
a second data throughput determination means for predicting a second data throughput to the peer wireless communication device based on said second determined link quality;
wherein said link selection means includes a throughput based selection module for selecting the one of the first and second links having the higher throughput.
17. The wireless terminal of claim 16 , further comprising:
a data storage means including stored maximum transmission power information;
wherein said first data throughput prediction means uses said stored maximum transmission power information in predicting the first data throughput.
18. The wireless terminal of claim 17 , wherein said stored maximum transmission power information includes at least one of information on a government restriction on maximum transmission power and device power output capability.
19. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for controlling a wireless terminal comprising:
instructions for receiving a first signal from a first communications band, the first signal being from a base station and for receiving a second signal from a second communications band which is different from said first communications band, said second signal being from a peer wireless terminal;
instructions for determining a first signal link quality of a first link between said base station and said wireless terminal;
instructions for determining a second signal link quality of a second link between said wireless terminal and said peer wireless terminal; and instructions for selecting between said first and second links for a communication session based on the determined quality of said first and second links;
instructions for recovering link information from a beacon signal burst; and
instructions for recovering user data from non-beacon signals used to communicate user data as part of a communication session
wherein said first and second signals each include at least one beacon signal.
20. The computer readable medium of claim 19 , further comprising:
instructions for determining, prior to receiving said second signal, the frequency band of the second signal from the first signal.
21. The computer readable medium of claim 19 , further comprising:
instructions for determining an interval of time during which said wireless terminal is to monitor for said second signal; and
instructions for monitoring for a signal from a peer wireless terminal during said interval to receive said second signal.
22. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions comprising:
instructions for receiving a first signal from a first communications band, the first signal being from a base station and for receiving a second signal from a second communications band which is different from said first communications band, said second signal being from a peer wireless terminal;
instructions for determining a first signal link quality of a first link between said base station and said wireless terminal;
instructions for determining a second signal link quality of a second link between said wireless terminal and said peer wireless terminal; and
instructions for selecting between said first and second links for a communication session based on the determined quality of said first and second links;
instructions for predicting a first data throughput to the base station based on said first determined link quality; and
instructions for predicting a second data throughput to the peer wireless communication device based on said second determined link quality; and
wherein said link selection module includes a throughput based selection module for selecting the one of the first and second links having the higher throughput.
23. The computer readable medium of claim 22 , further comprising:
instructions for storing maximum transmission power information;
wherein in predicting a first data throughput said stored maximum transmission power information is used in predicting the first data throughput.
24. The computer readable medium of claim 23 , wherein said stored maximum transmission power information includes at least one of information on a government restriction on maximum transmission power and device power output capability.