One method of delegate-based group channel access
View Patent ↗A delegate-based group channel access method is disclosed for machine-to-machine (M2M) communication. The delegate-based group channel access method groups M2M devices having common characteristics together, assigns a single delegate or multiple delegates from the group according to some criteria, and uses the assigned delegate to perform channel access. This method avoids unnecessary peer-to-peer communication between M2M devices, reduces the probability of collision on the channel during initial channel access, and reduces the control signaling overhead. The, delegate-based group channel access method also coordinates the number of slots to backoff so that all M2M devices in the group keep pace with the delegate.
1. A method to perform machine-to-machine (M2M) communication in a wireless network, the method comprising:
transmitting, by a delegate M2M mobile station in the wireless network, a ranging code to a base station in the wireless network, wherein the delegate M2M mobile station transmits on behalf of a group of one or more M2M mobile stations, wherein the one or more M2M mobile stations in the group share a common characteristic;
not receiving, by the delegate M2M mobile station, a ranging acknowledgement from the base station;
generating, by one of the one or more M2M mobile stations in the group, a group backoff slot index to be used by each of the one or more M2M mobile stations in the group, wherein the group backoff slot index is derived from a pseudo-random number generator and an identifier of the group, wherein the group backoff slot index is further derived using the following formula:
Backoff_Slot_Index = f (MGID, Backoff_Window, Initial_Offset)
wherein MGID is the identifier, Backoff_Window is a maximum number of backoff slots in a range, wherein the range is related to a number of random access retries allowed for a wireless channel, and Initial_Offset is an initial value for the pseudo-random number generator; and
performing, by each of the one or more M2M mobile stations in the group, a backoff operation of a number of slots, wherein the number is based on the group backoff slot index.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one M2M mobile station is the delegate M2M mobile station.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one M2M mobile station is not the delegate M2M mobile station.