Method, apparatus, and computer program product for signaling for sectorized beam operation in wireless networks

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:
• receive a measurement request from an associated access node, to perform measurement of at least one signal received from at least one other access node to which the apparatus is not associated, the apparatus being a member of a group of wireless devices based on reception by the wireless device of a directional beacon frame from the associated access node;
• receiving during measurement, a directional message with an access node identifier of another access node to which the apparatus is not associated and determining a reception power of the directional message;
• transmitting to the associated access node, a measurement response comprising information on the directional message;
• and
• receiving from the associated access node, an indication of a time window that may be used by the apparatus for transferring data between members of the group of wireless devices and the associated access node, based at least partly on the measurement response.

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 receiving by a wireless device, a measurement request from an associated access node, to perform measurement of at least one signal received from at least one other access node to which the wireless device is not associated, the wireless device being a member of a group of wireless devices based on reception by the wireless device of a directional beacon frame from the associated access node;
• code for receiving, by the wireless device during measurement, a directional message with an access node identifier of another access node to which the wireless device is not associated and determining a reception power of the directional message;
• code for transmitting, by the wireless device, to the associated access node, a measurement response comprising information on the directional message;
• and
• code for receiving, by the wireless device, from the associated access node, an indication of a time window that may be used by the wireless device for transferring data between members of the group of wireless devices and the associated access node, based at least partly on the measurement response.

A method, comprising:

• transmitting, by an access node, a measurement request to an associated wireless device, to perform measurement of at least one signal received from at least one other access node to which the wireless device is not associated, the wireless device being a member of a group of wireless devices based on transmission by the access node to the wireless device, of a directional beacon frame;
• receiving, by the access node from the wireless device, a measurement response comprising information on a directional message with an access node identifier of another access node to which the wireless device is not associated, the information including a reception power of the another directional beacon;
• and
• determining, by the access node, a time window that may be used by wireless devices that are members of the group of wireless devices, for transferring data between members of the group of wireless devices and the access node, based at least partly on the measurement response.

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:
• transmit a measurement request to an associated wireless device, to perform measurement of at least one signal received from at least one other access node to which the wireless device is not associated, the wireless device being a member of a group of wireless devices based on transmission by the apparatus to the wireless device, of a directional beacon frame;
• receive from the wireless device, a measurement response comprising information on a directional message with an access node identifier of another access node to which the wireless device is not associated, the information including a reception power of the another directional beacon;
• and
• determine a time window that may be used by wireless devices that are members of the group of wireless devices, for transferring data between members of the group of wireless devices and the apparatus, based at least partly on the measurement response.

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 transmitting, by an access node, a measurement request to an associated wireless device, to perform measurement of at least one signal received from at least one other access node to which the wireless device is not associated, the wireless device being a member of a group of wireless devices based on transmission by the access node to the wireless device, of a directional beacon frame;
• code for receiving, by the access node from the wireless device, a measurement response comprising information on a directional message with an access node identifier of another access node to which the wireless device is not associated, the information including a reception power of the another directional beacon;
• and
• code for determining, by the access node, a time window that may be used by wireless devices that are members of the group of wireless devices, for transferring data between members of the group of wireless devices and the access node, based at least partly on the measurement response.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by an access node, in a directional transmission sector of the access node, at least one interfering signal from at least one neighboring access node or from at least one neighboring wireless device associated with the at least one neighboring access node;
• determining, by the access node, a different directional transmission sector of the access node, where transmissions by the access node in the different directional transmission sector will cause minimal interference to the at least one neighboring access node or the at least one neighboring wireless device associated with the at least one neighboring access node;
• and
• transmitting, by the access node, in the different directional transmission sector of the access node, to a group of wireless devices associated with the access node and occupying the different directional transmission sector, an indication of a time window that may be used by the wireless devices that are members of the group of wireless devices, for transferring data between members of the group of wireless devices and the access node, based at least partly on the determination by the access node.

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:
• receive in a directional transmission sector of the apparatus, at least one interfering signal from at least one neighboring access node or from at least one neighboring wireless device associated with the at least one neighboring access node;
• determine a different directional transmission sector of the apparatus, where transmissions by the apparatus in the different directional transmission sector will cause minimal interference to the at least one neighboring access node or the at least one neighboring wireless device associated with the at least one neighboring access node;
• and
• transmit in the different directional transmission sector of the apparatus, to a group of wireless devices associated with the apparatus and occupying the different directional transmission sector, an indication of a time window that may be used by the wireless devices that are members of the group of wireless devices, for transferring data between members of the group of wireless devices and the apparatus, based at least partly on the determination by the apparatus.