Granted Patent B2

US 8,988,992 · App. 13/735,423 · Granted Mar 24, 2015

Abstract

Claims (36)

1. A method, comprising:

initiating a channel access procedure by an apparatus;

performing, by the apparatus, in response to the channel access procedure initiation, a random draw for permission to start contention with other member apparatuses of a group in which the apparatus belongs, the random draw being based on how many member apparatuses of the group are expected to compete for the wireless communications medium;

starting, by the apparatus, contention for access to the wireless communications medium, if the apparatus wins the random draw;

waiting, by the apparatus, until another member apparatus of the group completes its access to the wireless communications medium if the apparatus did not win the random draw;

performing, by the apparatus, a second random draw for permission to start a second contention with other members of the group, for access to the wireless communications medium, the second random draw being based on how many members of the group are expected to compete in the second random draw for permission to start contention for the wireless communications medium; and

starting, by the apparatus, the second contention for access to the wireless communications medium, if the apparatus wins the second random draw.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the channel access procedure initiation is triggered in response to receiving, by the apparatus, a wireless message including timing synchronization of the group of which the apparatus is a member.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the channel access procedure initiation is triggered in response to transmitting, by the apparatus, a wireless message including timing synchronization of the group of which the apparatus is a member.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the channel access procedure initiation is triggered in response to determining by the apparatus that a predetermined amount of time has elapsed from targeted transmission time of a wireless message including timing synchronization of the group of which the apparatus is a member.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contention for access to the wireless communications medium is by carrier sense multiple access.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

initiate a channel access procedure;

perform in response to the channel access procedure initiation, a random draw for permission to start contention with other member apparatuses of a group in which the apparatus belongs, the random draw being based on how many member apparatuses of the group are expected to compete for the wireless communications medium;

start contention for access to the wireless communications medium, if the apparatus wins the random draw;

wait until another member apparatus of the group completes its access to the wireless communications medium if the apparatus did not win the random draw;

perform a second random draw for permission to start a second contention with other members of the group, for access to the wireless communications medium, the second random draw being based on how many members of the group are expected to compete in the second random draw for permission to start contention for the wireless communications medium; and

start the second contention for access to the wireless communications medium, if the apparatus wins the second random draw.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the channel access procedure initiation is triggered in response to receiving, by the apparatus, a wireless message including timing synchronization of the group of which the apparatus is a member.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the channel access procedure initiation is triggered in response to transmitting, by the apparatus, a wireless message including timing synchronization of the group of which the apparatus is a member.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the channel access procedure initiation is triggered in response to determining by the apparatus that a predetermined amount of time has elapsed from targeted transmission time of a wireless message including timing synchronization of the group of which the apparatus is a member.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the contention for access to the wireless communications medium is by carrier sense multiple access.

11. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable non-transitory storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code for initiating a channel access procedure by an apparatus;

code for performing, by the apparatus, in response to the channel access procedure initiation, a random draw for permission to start contention with other member apparatuses of a group in which the apparatus belongs, the random draw being based on how many member apparatuses of the group are expected to compete for the wireless communications medium;

code for starting, by the apparatus, contention for access to the wireless communications medium, if the apparatus wins the random draw;

code for waiting, by the apparatus, until another member apparatus of the group completes its access to the wireless communications medium if the apparatus did not win the random draw;

code for performing, by the apparatus, a second random draw for permission to start a second contention with other members of the group, for access to the wireless communications medium, the second random draw being based on how many members of the group are expected to compete in the second random draw for permission to start contention for the wireless communications medium; and

code for starting, by the apparatus, the second contention for access to the wireless communications medium, if the apparatus wins the second random draw.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the channel access procedure initiation is triggered in response to receiving, by the apparatus, a wireless message including timing synchronization of the group of which the apparatus is a member.

13. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the channel access procedure initiation is triggered in response to transmitting, by the apparatus, a wireless message including timing synchronization of the group of which the apparatus is a member.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the channel access procedure initiation is triggered in response to determining by the apparatus that a predetermined amount of time has elapsed from targeted transmission time of a wireless message including timing synchronization of the group of which the apparatus is a member.

15. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the contention for access to the wireless communications medium is by carrier sense multiple access.

Assignments (9)