Techniques for receiver beamforming and yielding-threshold adjustments in peer-to-peer networks

A second device configured to communicate with a first device within a wireless peer-to-peer communication network, comprising:

• a transmitter and receiver for establishing a wireless peer-to-peer communication connection with the first device;
• a plurality of receive antennas coupled to the receiver;
• and
• a processing circuit coupled to the transmitter and receiver, the processing circuit configured to:
• receive a first pilot signal from the first device over a shared frequency spectrum, the first pilot signal being received in each of the plurality of receive antennas;
• determine a plurality of receive beamforming coefficients as a function of the received first pilot signals in each of the plurality of receive antennas, each of the plurality of receive beamforming coefficients corresponding to one receive antenna;
• calculate a signal-to-interference ratio of the first pilot signal by combining the first pilot signal received from the plurality of receive antennas using the determined plurality of receive beamforming coefficients;
• and
• send a rate report signal to the first device, the rate report including control information determined by the signal-to-interference ratio of the first pilot signal.

A second device equipped with a plurality of receive antennas for facilitating a wireless peer-to-peer connection with a first device, comprising:

• means for receiving a first pilot signal from the first device over a shared frequency spectrum, the first pilot signal being received in each of the plurality of receive antennas;
• means for determining a plurality of receive beamforming coefficients as a function of the received first pilot signals in each of the plurality of receive antennas, each of the plurality of receive beamforming coefficients corresponding to one receive antenna;
• means for calculating a signal-to-interference ratio of the first pilot signal by combining the first pilot signal received from the plurality of receive antennas using the determined plurality of receive beamforming coefficients;
• and
• means for sending a rate report signal to the first device, the rate report including control information determined by the signal-to-interference ratio of the first pilot signal.

A circuit for interference mitigation in a peer-to-peer network, wherein the circuit operates in a second device having a plurality of receive antennas for facilitating a wireless peer-to-peer connection with a first device, wherein the circuit is adapted to:

• receive a first pilot signal from the first device over a shared frequency spectrum, the first pilot signal being received in each of the plurality of receive antennas;
• determine a plurality of receive beamforming coefficients as a function of the received first pilot signals in each of the plurality of receive antennas, each of the plurality of receive beamforming coefficients corresponding to one receive antenna;
• calculate a signal-to-interference ratio of the first pilot signal by combining the first pilot signal received from the plurality of receive antennas using the determined plurality of receive beamforming coefficients;
• and
• send a rate report signal to the first device, the rate report including control information determined by the signal-to-interference ratio of the first pilot signal.

A machine-readable medium comprising instructions for a second device equipped with a plurality of receive antennas to facilitate a wireless peer-to-peer connection with a first device, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

• receive a first pilot signal from the first device over a shared frequency spectrum, the first pilot signal being received in each of the plurality of receive antennas;
• determine a plurality of receive beamforming coefficients as a function of the received first pilot signals in each of the plurality of receive antennas, each of the plurality of receive beamforming coefficients corresponding to one receive antenna;
• calculate a signal-to-interference ratio of the first pilot signal by combining the first pilot signal received from the plurality of receive antennas using the determined plurality of receive beamforming coefficients;
• and
• send a rate report signal to the first device, the rate report including control information determined by the signal-to-interference ratio of the first pilot signal.

A method of operational in a third device in a peer to peer communication network, the third device having a wireless peer-to-peer connection with a fourth device, comprising:

• receiving a control message, the control message including control information indicating that a second device is capable of receive beamforming;
• transmitting a first transmission request signal to the fourth device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the third device intends to transmit a traffic signal to the fourth device;
• monitoring to receive a first request response signal from the fourth device, the first request response signal indicating that the fourth device is ready to receive a traffic signal from the third device;
• monitoring to receive a second request response signal from the second device, the second request response signal indicating that the second device is ready to receive a traffic signal from a first device;
• calculating an interference cost to the second device, the interference cost being a function of the received power of the second request response signal;
• determining whether to transmit a traffic signal to the fourth device by comparing the calculated interference cost with a transmitter yielding threshold;
• transmitting a traffic signal to the fourth device if it is determined to transmit a traffic signal.

A third device having a wireless peer-to-peer connection with a fourth device, comprising:

• a transmitter and receiver for establishing the wireless peer-to-peer connection with the fourth device;
• and
• a processing circuit adapted to perform transmitter yielding within a peer-to-peer network, the processing circuit configured to:
• receive a control message, the control message including control information indicating that a second device is capable of receive beamforming;
• transmit a first transmission request signal to the fourth device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the third device intends to transmit a traffic signal to the fourth device;
• monitor to receive a first request response signal from the fourth device, the first request response signal indicating that the fourth device is ready to receive a traffic signal from the third device;
• monitor to receive a second request response signal from the second device, the second request response signal indicating that the second device is ready to receive a traffic signal from a first device;
• calculate an interference cost to the second device, the interference cost being a function of the received power of the second request response signal;
• determine whether to transmit a traffic signal to the fourth device by comparing the calculated interference cost with a transmitter yielding threshold;
• and
• transmit a traffic signal to the fourth device if it is determined to transmit a traffic signal.

A third device having a wireless peer-to-peer connection with a fourth device, comprising:

• means for receiving a control message, the control message including control information indicating that a second device is capable of receive beamforming;
• means for transmitting a first transmission request signal to the fourth device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the third device intends to transmit a traffic signal to the fourth device;
• means for monitoring to receive a first request response signal from the fourth device, the first request response signal indicating that the fourth device is ready to receive a traffic signal from the third device;
• means for monitoring to receive a second request response signal from the second device, the second request response signal indicating that the second device is ready to receive a traffic signal from a first device;
• means for calculating an interference cost to the second device, the interference cost being a function of the received power of the second request response signal;
• means for determining whether to transmit a traffic signal to the fourth device by comparing the calculated interference cost with a transmitter yielding threshold;
• and
• means for transmitting a traffic signal to the fourth device if it is determined to transmit a traffic signal.

A circuit for interference mitigation in a peer-to-peer network, wherein the circuit operates in a third device having a wireless peer-to-peer connection with a fourth device, wherein the circuit is adapted to:

• receive a control message, the control message including control information indicating that a second device is capable of receive beamforming;
• transmit a first transmission request signal to the fourth device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the third device intends to transmit a traffic signal to the fourth device;
• monitor to receive a first request response signal from the fourth device, the first request response signal indicating that the fourth device is ready to receive a traffic signal from the third device;
• monitor to receive a second request response signal from the second device, the second request response signal indicating that the second device is ready to receive a traffic signal from a first device;
• calculate an interference cost to the second device, the interference cost being a function of the received power of the second request response signal;
• determine whether to transmit a traffic signal to the fourth device by comparing the calculated interference cost with a transmitter yielding threshold;
• and
• transmit a traffic signal to the fourth device if it is determined to transmit a traffic signal.

A machine-readable medium comprising instructions for a third device to communicate with a fourth device within a wireless peer-to-peer communication network while performing transmitter yielding, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

• receive a control message, the control message including control information indicating that a second device is capable of receive beamforming;
• transmit a first transmission request signal to the fourth device, the first transmission request signal indicating that the third device intends to transmit a traffic signal to the fourth device;
• monitor to receive a first request response signal from the fourth device, the first request response signal indicating that the fourth device is ready to receive a traffic signal from the third device;
• monitor to receive a second request response signal from the second device, the second request response signal indicating that the second device is ready to receive a traffic signal from a first device;
• calculate an interference cost to the second device, the interference cost being a function of the received power of the second request response signal;
• determine whether to transmit a traffic signal to the fourth device by comparing the calculated interference cost with a transmitter yielding threshold;
• and
• transmit a traffic signal to the fourth device if it is determined to transmit a traffic signal.