Methods and apparatus for peer-to-peer communications resource scheduling

A wireless terminal comprising:

• means for requesting assignment of peer-to-peer communications resources for a period of time which is at least N times a time period between resource assignment request intervals, N being a positive integer greater than 2;
• and
• means for receiving a peer-to-peer communications resource assignment indicating assignment of resources for an assigned time period which is at least M times a time period between resource request intervals,
• where M and N are used to indicate at least one of a semi-persistent assignment or a persistent assignment of the peer-to-peer communications resources to the wireless terminal.

A computer program product for use in a wireless terminal, the computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising:
• code for causing at least one computer to request assignment of peer-to-peer communications resources for a period of time which is at least N times a time period between resource assignment request intervals, N being a positive integer greater than 2;
• and
• code for causing said at least one computer to receive a peer-to-peer communications resource assignment indicating assignment of resources for an assigned time period which is at least M times a time period between resource request intervals,
• where M and N are used to indicate at least one of a semi-persistent assignment or a persistent assignment of the peer-to-peer communications resources to the wireless terminal.

A wireless terminal comprising:

• at least one processor configured to:
• request assignment of peer-to-peer communications resources for a period of time which is at least N times a time period between resource assignment request intervals, N being a positive integer greater than 2;
• and
• receive a peer-to-peer communications resource assignment indicating assignment of resources for an assigned time period which is at least M times a time period between resource request intervals, where M and N are used to indicate at least one of a semi-persistent assignment or a persistent assignment of the peer-to-peer communications resources to the wireless terminal;
• and
• memory coupled to said at least one processor.

A method of operating a peer-to-peer communications device, the method comprising:

• transmitting a peer-to-peer resource reservation signal reserving peer-to-peer communications resources for a period of time which is at least N times a time period between resource reservation signaling intervals, N being a positive integer greater than 2;
• refraining from transmitting a resource reservation signal reserving said peer-to-peer resources during said period of time;
• using at least some of the reserved peer-to-peer resources during said period of time;
• and
• during said period of time when said resources are reserved, transmitting a reservation indicator signal at least once every M seconds, where M is greater than the period between two resource reservation intervals and is a maximum amount of time a device is allowed to go without transmitting a signal indicating resources that it has reserved.

A peer-to-peer communications device comprising:

• means for transmitting a peer-to-peer resource reservation signal reserving peer-to-peer communications resources for a period of time which is at least N times a time period between resource reservation signaling intervals, N being a positive integer greater than 2;
• means for refraining from transmitting a resource reservation signal reserving said peer-to-peer resources during said period of time;
• means for using at least some of the reserved peer-to-peer resources during said period of time;
• and
• means for transmitting a reservation indicator signal at least once every M seconds during said period of time when said resources are reserved, where M is greater than the period between two resource reservation intervals and is a maximum amount of time a device is allowed to go without transmitting a signal indicating resources that it has reserved.

A computer program product for use in a peer-to-peer communications device, the computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising:
• code for causing at least one computer to transmit a peer-to-peer resource reservation signal reserving peer-to-peer communications resources for a period of time which is at least N times a time period between resource reservation signaling intervals, N being a positive integer greater than 2;
• code for causing said at least one computer to refrain from transmitting a resource reservation signal reserving said peer-to-peer resources during said period of time;
• code for causing said at least one computer to use at least some of the reserved peer-to-peer resources during said period of time;
• and
• code for causing said at least one computer, during said period of time when said resources are reserved, to transmit a reservation indicator signal at least once every M seconds, where M is greater than the period between two resource reservation intervals and is a maximum amount of time a computer is allowed to go without transmitting a signal indicating resources that it has reserved.

A peer-to-peer communications device comprising:

• at least one processor configured to:
• transmit a peer-to-peer resource reservation signal reserving peer-to-peer communications resources for a period of time which is at least N times a time period between resource reservation signaling intervals, N being a positive integer greater than 2;
• refrain from transmitting a resource reservation signal reserving said peer-to-peer resources during said period of time;
• use at least some of the reserved peer-to-peer resources during said period of time;
• and
• transmit a reservation indicator signal at least once every M seconds during said period of time when said resources are reserved, where M is greater than the period between two resource reservation intervals and is a maximum amount of time a device is allowed to go without transmitting a signal indicating resources that it has reserved;
• and
• memory coupled to said at least one processor.