Apparatus, and associated method, for communicating packet data in a SDMA (Space-Division, Multiple-Access) communication scheme
AssigneeNokia Corporation
InventorAri Alastalo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating SDMA (Space-Division, Multiple-Access) operation of a packet communication system in which packet data sizes are variable. Determinations are made of at least the relative sizes of data to be communicated pursuant to the separate communication sessions and responsive to such determinations selection is made as to the amounts of data to be communicated within a selected time period, and the time period is selected during which the data is to be communicated.
Claims21
In a multi-user, packet communication system at least permitting packet data of selected data sizes to be communicated by a network communication station to a first remote station pursuant to a first communication session and by the network communication station to at least a second remote communication station pursuant to at least a second communication session, an improvement of apparatus for facilitating concurrent communications during a selected time period pursuant to the first and the at least second communication session, respectively, said apparatus comprising:
- a determiner coupled to receive indications of the selected data sizes of the data to be communicated, respectively, during the first and at least second communication sessions, said determiner for determining at least relative sizes of the data to be communicated pursuant to each of the first and at least second communication sessions, and
- a packet data transmitter operable to transmit concurrently and for the selected time period, data pursuant to the first communication session and data pursuant to the second communication session, the selected time period selected responsive to determinations made by said determiner.
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the multi-user, packet communication system comprises a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network), wherein the network station comprises an access point operable in the WLAN, and wherein said determiner and said concatenator are coupled to the access point.
- 10.In the WLAN of claim 9, a further improvement of operating the access point, and the WLAN of which the access point forms a portion, in a SDMA (Space-Division, Multiple-Access) mode.
In a multi-user, packet communication system at least permitting packet data of selected data sizes to be communicated by a network communication station to a first remote station pursuant to a first communication session and by the network communication station to at least a second remote communication station pursuant to at least a second communication session, an improvement of apparatus for facilitating concurrent communications during a selected time period pursuant to the first and the at least second communication sessions, respectively, said apparatus comprising:
- a determiner coupled to receive indications of the selected data sizes of the data to be communicated, respectively, during the first and at least second communication sessions, said determiner for determining at least relative sizes of the data to be communicated pursuant to each of the first and at least second communication sessions;
- and
- a concatenator coupled to said determiner, said concatenator for concatenating additional data to the data to be communicated pursuant to at least one of the first and at least second communication sessions, the additional data concatenated in a manner such that the data to be communicated during the selected time period pursuant to all of the first and at least second communication sessions are of equal sizes.
In a method for communicating in a multi-user, packet communication system at least permitting packet data of selected data sizes to be communicated by a network communication station to a first remote station pursuant to a first communication session and by the network communication station to at least a second remote communication station pursuant to at least a second communication session, an improvement of a method for facilitating concurrent communications during a selected time period pursuant to the first and the at least second communication sessions, respectively, said method comprising:
- determining at least relative sizes of the data to be communicated pursuant to each of the first and at least second communication sessions;
- and
- selectably concatenating, responsive to determinations made during said operation of determining, additional data to be communicated pursuant to at least one of the first and at least second communication sessions, the additional data to be communicated during the selected time period pursuant to all of the first and at least second communication sessions are of equal sizes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.