Methods and apparatus for generating, reporting and using interference cancellation information

An access point configured to mitigate interference caused by a first wireless terminal that is attached to a network, the access point comprising:

• an interference determination module configured to identify an interfering transmission from a first wireless terminal that is causing interference to the access point;
• an interference cancellation module configured to perform an interference cancellation operation on the interfering transmission;
• a cancellation success evaluation module configured to determine a level of success of the interference cancellation operation;
• a first cancellation results communication module configured to send a message to another access point indicating the level of success of the interference cancellation operation, wherein the message is received by a second cancellation results communication module of the another access point, the another access point having an uplink transmission power control module configured to control an uplink transmission power level of the first wireless terminal as a function of information in the received message indicating the level of success of interference cancellation performed by the access point;
• a priority assignment module for assigning priorities to transmissions between the first wireless terminal and the second access point based upon content of the transmissions;
• and
• a module for mitigating interference within the network based upon the priorities assigned to the transmissions.

A method for mitigating interference caused to a first access point by a first wireless terminal that is attached to a network via a second access point, comprising:

• receiving at the second access point information indicating a level of success of interference cancellation performed at the first access point on an interfering signal generated by the first wireless terminal;
• and
• the second access point controlling an uplink transmission power level used by the first wireless terminal as a function of the received information indicating the level of success of interference cancellation performed by the first access point,
• wherein when the received information indicating a level of success of interference cancellation indicates that the interference caused by the first wireless terminal is at or below a determined threshold, controlling the uplink transmission power level comprises increasing a maximum permitted uplink transmission power level that can be used by the first wireless terminal when transmitting to the second access point.

A method for mitigating interference caused to a first access point by a first wireless terminal that is attached to a network via a second access point, comprising:

• receiving at the second access point information indicating a level of success of interference cancellation performed at the first access point on an interfering signal generated by the first wireless terminal;
• and
• the second access point controlling an uplink transmission power level used by the first wireless terminal as a function of the received information indicating the level of success of interference cancellation performed by the first access point,
• wherein when the received information indicating a level of success of interference cancellation indicates that the interference caused by the first terminal is at or above a determined threshold, controlling the uplink transmission power level comprises decreasing the maximum permitted uplink transmission power that can be used by the first wireless terminal when transmitting to the second access point.

Apparatus for mitigating interference caused to a first access point by a first wireless terminal that is attached to a network via a second access point, comprising:

• means for receiving from the first access point information indicating a level of success of interference cancellation performed at the first access point on an interfering signal generated by the first wireless terminal;
• and
• means for controlling an uplink transmission power level used by the first wireless terminal as a function of the received information indicating the level of success of interference cancellation performed by the first access point,
• wherein when the received information indicating a level of success of interference cancellation indicates that the interference caused by the first wireless terminal is at or below a determined threshold, the means for controlling the uplink transmission power level comprises means for increasing a maximum permitted uplink transmission power level that can be used by the first wireless terminal when transmitting to the second access point.

Apparatus for mitigating interference caused to a first access point by a first wireless terminal that is attached to a network via a second access point, comprising:

• means for receiving from the first access point information indicating a level of success of interference cancellation performed at the first access point on an interfering signal generated by the first wireless terminal;
• and
• means for controlling an uplink transmission power level used by the first wireless terminal as a function of the received information indicating the level of success of interference cancellation performed by the first access point,
• wherein when the received information indicating a level of success of interference cancellation indicates that the interference caused by the first wireless terminal is at or above a determined threshold, the means for controlling the uplink transmission power level comprises means for decreasing the maximum permitted uplink transmission power that can be used by the first wireless terminal when transmitting to the second access point.

Apparatus for mitigating interference caused to a first access point by a first wireless terminal that is attached to a network via a second access point, comprising:

• a receiver module at the said second access point configured to receive information indicating a level of success of interference cancellation performed at the first access point on an interfering signal generated by the first wireless terminal;
• and
• an uplink transmission power control module at the said second access point configured to control an uplink transmission power level used by the first wireless terminal as a function of the received information indicating the level of success of interference cancellation performed by the first access point,
• wherein the uplink transmission power control module is configured to increase a maximum permitted uplink transmission power level that can be used by the first wireless terminal when transmitting to the second access point when the received information indicating a level of success of interference cancellation indicates that the interference caused by the first wireless terminal is at or below a determined threshold.

Apparatus for mitigating interference caused to a first access point by a first wireless terminal that is attached to a network via a second access point, comprising:

• a receiver module at the said second access point configured to receive information indicating a level of success of interference cancellation performed at the first access point on an interfering signal generated by the first wireless terminal;
• and
• an uplink transmission power control module at the said second access point configured to control an uplink transmission power level used by the first wireless terminal as a function of the received information indicating the level of success of interference cancellation performed by the first access point,
• wherein the uplink transmission power control module is configured to decrease a maximum permitted uplink transmission power level that can be used by the first wireless terminal when transmitting to the second access point when the received information indicating a level of success of interference cancellation indicates that the interference caused by the first wireless terminal is at or above a determined threshold.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed control a second access point to perform a method of mitigating interference caused to a first access point by a first wireless terminal that is attached to a network via the second access point, the executable instructions comprising instructions to cause the second access point to perform the operation of:

• receiving at the second access point information indicating a level of success of interference cancellation performed at the first access point on an interfering signal generated by the first wireless terminal;
• and
• the second access point controlling an uplink transmission power level used by the first wireless terminal as a function of the received information indicating the level of success of interference cancellation performed by the first access point,
• wherein when the received information indicating a level of success of interference cancellation indicates that the interference caused by the first wireless terminal is at or below a determined threshold, the method comprises controlling the uplink transmission power level comprises increasing a maximum permitted uplink transmission power level that can be used by the first wireless terminal when transmitting to the second access point.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed control a second access point to perform a method of mitigating interference caused to a first access point by a first wireless terminal that is attached to a network via the second access point, the executable instructions comprising instructions to cause the second access point to perform the operation of:

• receiving at the second access point information indicating a level of success of interference cancellation performed at the first access point on an interfering signal generated by the first wireless terminal;
• and
• the second access point controlling an uplink transmission power level used by the first wireless terminal as a function of the received information indicating the level of success of interference cancellation performed by the first access point,
• wherein when the received information indicating a level of success of interference cancellation indicates that the interference caused by the first wireless terminal is at or above a determined threshold, the method comprises controlling the uplink transmission power level comprises decreasing the maximum permitted uplink transmission power that can be used by the first wireless terminal when transmitting to the second access point.

A method of operating a second access point which is subject to interference from signals transmitted by a first wireless terminal to a first access point, the method comprising:

• receiving information about a transmission from the first wireless terminal to the first access point;
• performing an interference cancellation operation on a signal received from the first wireless terminal at the second access point using the received information;
• determining a level of success of the interference cancellation operation;
• sending information to the first wireless terminal indicating the level of success of the interference cancellation operation, wherein the information indicating the level of success of the interference cancellation operation is sent to the first access point so that it can be used in uplink power control of the first wireless terminal by the first access point;
• and
• prior to using the information indicating the level of success of the interference cancellation operation in uplink power control of the first wireless terminal, using information regarding measurements of downlink pilot signals of the first access point in uplink power control of the first wireless terminal, the downlink pilot signals being measured and communicated by the first wireless terminal.

A second access point which is subject to interference from signals transmitted by a first wireless terminal to a first access point, the second access point comprising:

• means for receiving information about a transmission from the first wireless terminal to the first access point;
• means for performing an interference cancellation operation on a signal received from the first wireless terminal at the second access point using the received information;
• means for determining a level of success of the interference cancellation operation;
• means for sending information to the first wireless terminal indicating the level of success of the interference cancellation operation, wherein the information indicating the level of success of the interference cancellation operation is sent to the first access point so that it can be used in uplink power control of the first wireless terminal by the first access point;
• means for, in conjunction with the first access point, obtaining location information of the first wireless terminal and tracking movement of the first wireless terminal based on the location information;
• and
• means for determining an appropriate measure of power control in conjunction with the interference cancellation for the first wireless terminal based on the tracked movement of the first wireless terminal.

A second access point which is subject to interference from signals transmitted by a first wireless terminal to a first access point, the second access point comprising:

• a receiver module configured to receive information about a transmission from the first wireless terminal to the first access point;
• an interference cancellation module configured to perform an interference cancellation operation on a signal received from the first wireless terminal at the second access point using the received information;
• means for determining a level of success of the interference cancellation operation;
• a communication module configured to send information to the first wireless terminal indicating the level of success of the interference cancellation operation, wherein the information indicating the level of success of the interference cancellation operation is sent to the first access point so that it can be used in uplink power control of the first wireless terminal by the first access point;
• and
• a location module configured to, in conjunction with the first access point, obtain location information of the first wireless terminal and track movement of the first wireless terminal based on the location information, the second access point determining an appropriate measure of power control in conjunction with the interference cancellation for the first wireless terminal based on the tracked movement of the first wireless terminal

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed cause a second access point which is subject to interference from signals transmitted by a first wireless terminal to a first access point, to perform an operation to address the interference, the computer executable instructions comprising:

• computer executable instructions configured to receive information about a transmission from the first wireless terminal to the first access point;
• computer executable instructions configured to perform an interference cancellation operation on a signal received from the first wireless terminal at the second access point using the received information;
• computer executable instructions configured to determine a level of success of the interference cancellation operation;
• computer executable instructions configured to send information to the first wireless terminal indicating the level of success of the interference cancellation operation, wherein the information indicating the level of success of the interference cancellation operation is sent to the first access point so that it can be used in uplink power control of the first wireless terminal by the first access point;
• computer executable instructions configured to, in conjunction with the first access point, obtain location information of the first wireless terminal and tracking movement of the first wireless terminal based on the location information;
• and
• computer executable instructions configured to determine an appropriate measure of power control in conjunction with the interference cancellation for the first wireless terminal based on the tracked movement of the first wireless terminal