System and method for medium access control enabling both full-duplex and half-duplex communications
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for a modified MAC protocol which can facilitate communications with both full-duplex and half-duplex devices. A system configured according to the disclosed method can enable communications between an Access Point (AP) and a client in either full duplex or half duplex. The system can similarly enable peer-to-peer communications in both full duplex and half duplex communication modes.
1. A method comprising:
communicating data on a frequency spectrum at a first rate;
preparing self-interference cancellation while communicating the data;
applying the self-interference cancellation only when receiving additional data on the frequency spectrum while communicating the data; and
communicating the data on the frequency spectrum at a second rate lower than the first rate.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving of the additional data while communicating the data occurs in full duplex.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data is communicated in a first communication format and the additional data is received in a second communication format which is dissimilar to the first communication format.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first communication format comprises a full duplex communication format and the second communication format comprises a half duplex communication format.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising dropping a current frame upon first receiving the additional data.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the current frame is not retransmitted after dropping the current frame.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
upon detecting a collision, stopping communication of the data; and
communicating a jam signal.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the jam signal is received by a plurality of full duplex clients.
9. A system comprising:
a processor; and
a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
communicating data on a frequency spectrum at a first rate;
preparing self-interference cancellation while communicating the data;
applying the self-interference cancellation only when receiving additional data on the frequency spectrum while first communicating the data; and
communicating the data on the frequency spectrum at a second rate lower than the first rate.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the receiving of the additional data while communicating the data occurs in full duplex.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the data is communicated in a first communication format and the additional data is received in a second communication format which is dissimilar to the first communication format.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first communication format comprises a full duplex communication format and the second communication format comprises a half duplex communication format.
13. The system of claim 9 , the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising dropping a current frame upon first receiving the additional data.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the current frame is not retransmitted after dropping the current frame.
15. The system of claim 9 , the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
upon detecting a collision, stopping communication of the data; and
communicating a jam signal.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the jam signal is received by a plurality of full duplex clients.
17. A computer-readable storage device having instructions stored which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
communicating data on a frequency spectrum at a first rate;
preparing self-interference cancellation while communicating the data;
applying the self-interference cancellation only when receiving additional data on the frequency spectrum while communicating the data; and
communicating the data on the frequency spectrum at a second rate lower than the first rate.
18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17 , wherein the receiving of the additional data while communicating the data occurs in full duplex.
19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17 , wherein the data is communicated in a first communication format and the additional data is received in a second communication format which is dissimilar to the first communication format.
20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 19 , wherein the first communication format comprises a full duplex communication format and the second communication format comprises a half duplex communication format.