Buffer relay management within single user, multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications
View Patent ↗A relay wireless communication device is implemented to perform buffer management and coordination with a source wireless communication device. A relay wireless communication device (generally, a relay) informs a source wireless communication device (source) of the status of memory therein to store messages intended for a destination wireless communication device (destination). For example, the source transmits information to the relay, which buffers information before forwarding it on to the destination. This buffering may be a function of the source having additional information intended for the relay and/or destination. The relay performs appropriate signaling, such as suspend transmission requests and resume transmission requests, to inform other devices in the system of its memory storage status (e.g., such as when having an actual or anticipated overflow). In one implementation, a suspend transmission request may be implemented by setting a particular bit within a communication from the relay to the source.
1. A wireless communication device comprising:
a communication interface configured to:
receive a frame from a source wireless communication device; and
transmit a relayed frame to a destination wireless communication device;
a memory configured to buffer the frame; and
a processor configured to:
generate, based on storage status of the memory, a suspend transmission request for the source wireless communication device to suspend transmission to the wireless communication device for a predetermined period of time that is specified in a suspend duration field of the suspend transmission request; and
generate a resume transmission request to direct the source wireless communication device to resume transmission to the wireless communication device; and wherein:
the communication interface configured to transmit the suspend transmission request that includes the suspend duration field that specifies the predetermined period of time to the source wireless communication device, wherein the source wireless communication device is prohibited to make any transmission to the wireless communication device for the predetermined period of time that is specified in the suspend duration field of the suspend transmission request, and to transmit the resume transmission request to the source wireless communication device before expiration of the predetermined period of time.
2. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the wireless communication device is able to store at least one additional frame received from the source wireless communication device before the expiration of the predetermined period of time.
3. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the storage status of the memory indicates an actual or anticipated storage overflow of the memory.
4. The wireless communication device of claim 1 further comprising:
the processor configured to generate the suspend transmission request by setting at least one bit within a relay flow suspend action frame; and
the communication interface configured to transmit the relay flow suspend action frame to the source wireless communication device.
5. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the source wireless communication device is further configured to transmit at least one additional frame to the wireless communication device after the expiration of the predetermined period of time.
6. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the source wireless communication device is further configured to transmit a clear to send to self to self (CTS2Self) frame after receipt of the suspend transmission request.
7. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein at least one additional wireless communication device associated with the source wireless communication device is further configured to transmit at least one additional frame to the source wireless communication device during the predetermined period of time.
8. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , further comprising:
the source wireless communication device includes at least one of a wireless station (STA) or a smart meter station (SMSTA); and
the destination wireless communication device includes an access point (AP).
9. A wireless communication device comprising:
a communication interface configured to:
receive a frame from a source wireless communication device; and
transmit a relayed frame to a destination wireless communication device;
a memory configured to buffer the frame; and
a processor configured to:
generate, based on storage status of the memory, a suspend transmission request for the source wireless communication device to suspend transmission to the wireless communication device for a predetermined period of time that is specified in a suspend duration field of the suspend transmission request; and
generate a resume transmission request for the source wireless communication device to resume transmission to the wireless communication device; and wherein:
the communication interface configured firstly to transmit the suspend transmission request, wherein the source wireless communication device is prohibited to make any transmission to the wireless communication device for the predeterminedeb riod of time that is specified in the suspend duration field of the suspend transmission request, and secondly to transmit the resume transmission request to the source wireless communication, device before expiration of the predetermined period of time, wherein source wireless communication device is permitted to transmit to the wireless communication device upon receipt of the resume transmission request.
10. The wireless communication device of claim 9 , wherein the storage status of the memory indicates an actual or anticipated storage overflow of the memory.
11. The wireless communication device of claim 9 , wherein at least one additional wireless communication device associated with the source wireless communication device configured to transmit at least one additional frame to the source wireless communication device after transmission of the suspend transmission request and before transmission of the resume transmission request.
12. The wireless communication device of claim 9 , wherein the source wireless communication device is further configured to transmit a clear to send to self to self (CTS2Self) frame after receipt of the suspend transmission request.
13. The wireless communication device of claim 9 , further comprising:
the source wireless communication device includes an access point (AP); and
the destination wireless communication device includes at least one of a wireless station (STA) or a smart meter station (SMSTA).
14. A method for execution by a wireless communication device, the method comprising:
via a communication interface of the wireless communication device device, receiving a frame from a source wireless communication device and to transmit a relayed frame to a destination wireless communication device;
buffering the frame within a memory of the wireless communication device;
generating, based on storage status of the memory, a suspend transmission request for the source wireless communication device to suspend transmission to the wireless communication device for a predetermined period of time that is specified in a suspend duration field of the suspend transmission request; and
via the communication interface of the wireless communication device, transmitting the suspend transmission request that includes the suspend duration field that specifies the predetermined period of time to the source wireless communication device, wherein the source wireless communication device is prohibited to make any transmission to the wireless communication device for the predetermined period of time that is specified in the suspend duration field of the suspend transmission request;
generating a resume transmission request to permit the source wireless communication device to resume transmission to the wireless communication device; and
via the communication interface of the wireless communication device, transmitting the resume transmission request to the source wireless communication device before expiration of the predetermined period of time.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
determining that the wireless communication device is able to store at least one additional frame received from the source wireless communication device before the expiration of the predetermined period of time.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the storage status of the memory indicates an actual or anticipated storage overflow of the memory.
17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
generating the suspend transmission request by setting at least one bit within a relay flow suspend action frame; and
via the communication interface of the wireless communication device, transmitting the relay flow suspend action frame to the source wireless communication device.
18. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
via the communication interface of the wireless communication device, receiving at least one additional frame from the source wireless communication device after the expiration of the predetermined period of time.
19. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
via the communication interface of the wireless communication device, transmitting a clear to send to self to self (CTS2Self) frame after receipt of the suspend transmission request.
20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the source wireless communication device includes at least one of a wireless station (STA) or a smart meter station (SMSTA); and
the destination wireless communication device includes an access point (AP).