Methods and apparatus related to interference management when sharing downlink bandwidth between wide area network usage and peer to peer signaling

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor for use in a first communications device that is configured to use a downlink frequency band for peer to peer communications, the downlink frequency band being used by a base station to communicate with a second communications device, the processor configured to:
• receive a signal transmitted by the second communications device while the second communications device is operating in a cellular network mode of operation;
• measure a received signal power of said signal transmitted by the second communications device;
• determine a peer to peer signal transmission power level for peer to peer communications with a third communications device from the measured received signal power of said signal transmitted by the second communications device, said peer to peer signal transmission power level being determined to control interference to downlink communications from the base station to the second communications device;
• and
• transmit a peer to peer signal to the third communications device using said downlink frequency band.

A non-transitory machine readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for controlling a first communications device to use a downlink frequency band for peer to peer communications, the downlink frequency band being used by a base station to communicate with a second communications device, the non-transitory machine readable medium comprising:

• instructions which, when executed by a processor in the first communications device, control the first communications device to receive a signal transmitted by the second communications device while the second communications device is operating in a cellular network mode of operation;
• instructions which, when executed by the processor in the first communications device, control the first communications device to measure a received signal power of said signal transmitted by the second communications device;
• instructions which, when executed by the processor in the first communications device, control the first communications device to determine a peer to peer signal transmission power level for peer to peer communications with a third communications device from the measured received signal power of said signal transmitted by the second communications device, said peer to peer signal transmission power level being determined to control interference to downlink communications from the base station to the second communications device;
• and
• instructions which, when executed by the processor in the first communications device, control the first communications device to transmit a peer to peer signal to the third communications device using said downlink frequency band.

A first communications device which supports use of a downlink frequency band for peer to peer communications, the downlink frequency band being used by a base station to communicate with a second communications device, the first communications device comprising:

• a wireless receiver module configured to receive a signal transmitted by the second communications device while the second communications device is operating in a cellular network mode of operation;
• a received signal power measurement module configured to measure a received signal power of said signal transmitted by the second communications device;
• a peer to peer signal transmission power level determination module configured to determine a peer to peer signal transmission power level for peer to peer communications with a third communications device from the measured received signal power of said signal transmitted by the second communications device, said peer to peer signal transmission power level being determined to control interference to downlink communications from the base station to the second communications device;
• and
• a wireless transmitter module configured to transmit a peer to peer signal to the third communications device using said downlink frequency band.

A first communications device which supports use of a downlink frequency band for peer to peer communications, the downlink frequency band being used by a base station to communicate with a second communications device, the first communications device comprising:

• memory means for storing a communications routine;
• wireless receiver means for receiving a signal transmitted by the second communications device while the second device is operating in a cellular network mode of operation;
• means for measuring a received signal power of said signal transmitted by the second communications device;
• means for determining a peer to peer signal transmission power level for peer to peer communications with a third communications device from the measured received signal power of said signal transmitted by the second communications device, said peer to peer signal transmission power level being determined to control interference to downlink communications from the base station to the second communications device;
• and
• means for transmitting a peer to peer signal to the third communications device using said downlink frequency band.