Exchanging interference values

#The present disclosure is generally related to exchanging interference values.

#In a densely deployed WiFi system, multiple access points (APs) may be deployed in an area. If the WiFi system includes multiple overlapping basic service sets (OBSSs), performance of the WiFi system may be negatively impacted. To illustrate, devices included in the WiFi system may communicate using a media access control (MAC) protocol, such as a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) protocol, in which a device defers using a shared channel if the device detects that the shared channel is being used by another device. If a particular device repeatedly defers use of the shared channel, system throughput and per-link fair bandwidth allocation of the WiFi system may degrade. In some implementations, a WiFi system may be designed such that non-overlapping channels are allocated to OBSSs. However, when non-overlapping channels are used, bandwidth efficiency of the WiFi system may be reduced if one or more OBSSs are idle.

#In a particular aspect, an apparatus includes a processor of a first wireless device of a first basic service set (BSS). The processor is configured to determine an interference value associated with receipt of a signal from a second wireless device of a second BSS. The interference value may correspond to a carrier path loss associated with communication of the signal from the second wireless device to the first wireless device. The processor may be configured determine the interference value based on a received amplitude of a second pulse received from the second wireless device. The apparatus further includes a transmitter configured to transmit a full-amplitude pulse and a coded-amplitude pulse from the first wireless device to a third wireless device of the first BSS. An amplitude of the coded-amplitude pulse is based on the interference value. In a particular example, the interference value corresponds to a carrier path loss associated with communication of the signal from the second wireless device to the first wireless device.

#FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example of a system that supports communication of interference values;

#FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a first stage of interactions of devices exchanging interference values;

#FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a second stage of interactions of devices exchanging interference values;

#Particular aspects of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the drawings. In the description, common features are designated by common reference numbers throughout the drawings. As used herein, various terminology is used for the purpose of describing particular implementations and is not intended to be limiting. For example, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It may be further understood that the terms “comprise,” “comprises,” and “comprising” may be used interchangeably with “include,” “includes,” or “including.” Additionally, it will be understood that the term “wherein” may be used interchangeably with “where.” As used herein, “exemplary” may indicate an example, an implementation, or an aspect, and should not be construed as limiting or as indicating a preference or a preferred implementation. As used herein, an ordinal term, such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., used to modify an element, such as a structure, a component, an operation, etc., does not by itself indicate any priority or order of the element with respect to another element, but rather merely distinguishes the element from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term). As used herein, the term “set” refers to a grouping of one or more elements, and the term “plurality” refers to multiple elements.

#The present disclosure describes systems and methods for determining and sharing interference values between devices in overlapping basic service sets (BSSs) and using such interference values to determine whether or not to perform parallel channel access. According to the present disclosure, when a first device of a first BSS detects that a second device of an overlapping BSS is utilizing a particular channel, the first device may determine whether to communicate in parallel over the particular channel rather than backing off (as would occur using a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) protocol) and waiting for the second device to stop utilizing the particular channel. The first device may make a determination regarding parallel use of the channel based on a first interference value associated with data received from the second device and a second interference value associated with second data received by the second device from the first device. The first interference value may indicate interference at the first device caused by data transmissions from the second device and the second interference value may indicate interference at the second device caused by data transmissions from the first device.

#Wireless devices (e.g., mobile devices, access points, or a combination thereof) may exchange interference values using one or more pulses. The pulses described herein may refer to standalone pulses operating at a designated frequency or to subcarriers embedded in WiFi orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols located at the same frequency. The pulses may include full-amplitude pulses (e.g., pulses transmitted having a reference amplitude) and coded amplitude pulses (e.g., pulses transmitted having a fraction of the reference amplitude, where a value of the fraction indicates an interference value).