Scheduling with reverse direction grant in wireless communication systems

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate increased communication channel bandwidth efficiency in association with scheduled time periods that allocate channel access to particular stations. According to various aspects, systems and methods are described that facilitate providing and/or utilizing reverse direction grants in connection with scheduled channel access. Such systems and/or method can mitigate an amount of unused channel access time after a station completes data transmission prior to an end of the allocated period.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus that facilitates utilizing a reverse direction grant in a wireless communication system, comprising:
 a memory that stores information associated with at least one transmission opportunity related to access of a channel; and   a processor, coupled to the memory, that is configured to transmit a reverse direction grant during a transmission opportunity assigned to the apparatus, according to the information, based upon information to be transmitted from the apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to utilize a channel access identifier to determine a time at which the apparatus at least one of receives and transmits data. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to utilize the channel access identifier to synchronize the apparatus to at least one other apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to utilize the channel access identifier to operate in a sleep mode during times in which the apparatus is not identified to be at least one of a receiver and a transmitter. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to utilize a received reverse direction grant and alter the apparatus from receiving data during a current transmission opportunity to transmitting data during the current transmission opportunity. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether to employ the reverse direction grant to alter the apparatus from receiving data to transmitting data based at least in part on one or more of an amount of time remaining in the current transmission opportunity and an amount of data to be transmitted by the apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to provide the reverse direction grant when the apparatus completes a transmission during the transmission opportunity prior to an end of an allocated duration. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether to transmit the reverse direction grant based at least in part on an amount of time remaining in the transmission opportunity. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 storing by a wireless communication device information associated with at least one transmission opportunity related to access of a channel; and   transmitting by the wireless communication device a reverse direction grant during a transmission opportunity assigned to the wireless communication device according to the stored information associated with the at least one transmission opportunity and further based information to be transmitted from the apparatus.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 utilizing a channel access identifier to determine a time at which the wireless communication device at least one of receives and transmits data.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein utilizing the channel access identifier comprises:
 utilizing the channel access identifier to synchronize the wireless communication device to at least one other apparatus.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein utilizing the channel access identifier comprises:
 utilizing the channel access identifier to operate in a sleep mode during times in which the wireless communication device is not identified to be at least one of a receiver and a transmitter.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 utilizing a received reverse direction grant and alter the wireless communication device from receiving data during a current transmission opportunity to transmitting data during the current transmission opportunity.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 determining whether to employ the reverse direction grant to alter the wireless communication device from receiving data to transmitting data based at least in part on one or more of an amount of time remaining in the current transmission opportunity and an amount of data to be transmitted by the wireless communication device.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 providing the reverse direction grant when the wireless communication device completes a transmission during the transmission opportunity prior to an end of an allocated duration.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining whether to transmit the reverse direction grant based at least in part on an amount of time remaining in the transmission opportunity.   
     
     
         17 . An apparatus comprising:
 means for storing information associated with at least one transmission opportunity related to access of a channel; and   means for transmitting a reverse direction grant during a transmission opportunity assigned to the apparatus according to the stored information associated with the at least one transmission opportunity and further based upon information to be transmitted from the apparatus.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 means for utilizing a channel access identifier to determine a time at which the apparatus at least one of receives and transmits data.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the means for utilizing the channel access identifier comprises:
 means for utilizing the channel access identifier to synchronize the apparatus to at least one other apparatus.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the means for utilizing the channel access identifier comprises:
 means for utilizing the channel access identifier to operate in a sleep mode during times in which the apparatus is not identified to be at least one of a receiver and a transmitter.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 means for utilizing a received reverse direction grant and alter the apparatus from receiving data during a current transmission opportunity to transmitting data during the current transmission opportunity.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 means for determining whether to employ the reverse direction grant to alter the apparatus from receiving data to transmitting data based at least in part on one or more of an amount of time remaining in the current transmission opportunity and an amount of data to be transmitted by the apparatus.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 means for providing the reverse direction grant when the apparatus completes a transmission during the transmission opportunity prior to an end of an allocated duration.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 means for determining whether to transmit the reverse direction grant based at least in part on an amount of time remaining in the transmission opportunity.   
     
     
         25 . A computer-readable medium, including instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed on one or more processor-based devices, cause operations comprising:
 storing by a wireless communication device information associated with at least one transmission opportunity related to access of a channel; and   transmitting by the wireless communication device a reverse direction grant during a transmission opportunity assigned to the wireless communication device according to the stored information associated with the at least one transmission opportunity and further based information to be transmitted from the apparatus.   
     
     
         26 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , further comprising instructions that, when executed on the one or more processor-based device, cause further operations comprising:
 utilizing a channel access identifier to determine a time at which the wireless communication device at least one of receives and transmits data.   
     
     
         27 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 26 , wherein utilizing the channel access identifier comprises:
 utilizing the channel access identifier to synchronize the wireless communication device to at least one other apparatus.   
     
     
         28 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 26 , wherein utilizing the channel access identifier comprises:
 utilizing the channel access identifier to operate in a sleep mode during times in which the wireless communication device is not identified to be at least one of a receiver and a transmitter.   
     
     
         29 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 26 , further comprising instructions that, when executed on the one or more processor-based device, cause further operations comprising:
 utilizing a received reverse direction grant and alter the wireless communication device from receiving data during a current transmission opportunity to transmitting data during the current transmission opportunity.   
     
     
         30 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 29 , further comprising instructions that, when executed on the one or more processor-based device, cause further operations comprising:
 determining whether to employ the reverse direction grant to alter the wireless communication device from receiving data to transmitting data based at least in part on one or more of an amount of time remaining in the current transmission opportunity and an amount of data to be transmitted by the wireless communication device.   
     
     
         31 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , further comprising instructions that, when executed on the one or more processor-based device, cause further operations comprising:
 providing the reverse direction grant when the wireless communication device completes a transmission during the transmission opportunity prior to an end of an allocated duration.   
     
     
         32 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 31 , further comprising instructions that, when executed on the one or more processor-based device, cause further operations comprising:
 determining whether to transmit the reverse direction grant based at least in part on an amount of time remaining in the transmission opportunity.