Wireless communication methods and apparatus using beacon signals

Abstract

Methods and apparatus supporting peer to peer communications are discussed. A base station, serving as an access node for wireless terminals also communicates information supporting peer to peer communications. A base station transmits a beacon signal conveying information about a peer to peer frequency band and also receives user data from a plurality of wireless terminals, using the base station as a current point of network attachment. In some embodiments, the beacon signal is transmitted into the same frequency band being used for access node based communications and identifies a different frequency band which is to be used as a peer to peer frequency band. Alternatively, or in addition, in support of peer to peer communications, a beacon signal transmission apparatus, a free standing device which doesn't transmit user data, transmits a sequence of beacon signal bursts, each beacon signal burst including at least one high power beacon symbol.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A beacon signal transmission apparatus, comprising:
 a beacon signal transmitter for transmitting a sequence of beacon signal bursts each beacon signal burst including at least one beacon symbol, said beacon transmission signal apparatus being a free standing device not including any transmitter used to transmit data to an individual user device.   
     
     
         2 . The beacon signal transmission apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: a beacon signal transmission control module for controlling transmission of beacon signal bursts. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said control module includes stored control information used to control said beacon signal transmitter to transmit beacon signal bursts into different frequency bands at different times. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising: a multi-sector antenna; and wherein the control module controls the transmitter to transmit beacon signal bursts into different sectors at different times. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the beacon signal transmitter is controlled to transmit into at most one sector at a time. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the apparatus is battery powered. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the apparatus is solar powered. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the apparatus is independently powered. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising: a receiver for receiving a broadcast signal; and wherein said control module controls beacons signal burst transmission timing as a function of the received broadcast signal. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said receiver is one of a GPS, GSM and CDMA receiver. 
     
     
         11 . A method of transmitting beacon signals, comprising:
 operating a beacon signal transmission apparatus comprising a beacon signal transmitter, to transmit a sequence of beacon signal bursts, each beacon signal burst including at least one beacon symbol, wherein said beacon transmission signal apparatus is a free standing device; and wherein said beacon signal transmission apparatus does not include any transmitter used to transmit data to an individual user device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: controlling transmission of beacon signal bursts to occur according to a predetermined transmission schedule. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein controlling transmission of beacon signal bursts includes using stored control information to determine a plurality of frequency bands into which beacon signal bursts are to be transmitted and the time at which said transmissions are to occur. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein controlling transmission includes controlling the transmitter to transmit beacon signal bursts into different frequency bands at different times. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein controlling the transmitter to transmit beacon signal bursts includes controlling the transmitter to use a multi-sector antenna to transmit into different sectors at different times. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein controlling the beacon signal transmitter includes controlling the transmitter to transmit into at most one sector at a time. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein controlling the beacon signal transmitter includes controlling the transmitter to transmit into at most one frequency band at a time. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein controlling the beacon signal transmitter includes controlling the transmitter to control transmission into multiple frequency bands in each of multiple sectors of a cell. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein controlling the beacon signal transmitter to transmit into multiple frequency bands includes controlling the transmitter to transmit into at most one frequency band of one sector at any given time at which a beacon signal burst is transmitted. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: powering said beacon signal transmitter solely from a battery power source during at least a portion of a time period during which beacon signal bursts are transmitted. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: providing at least some power used to transmit beacon signal burst from a solar power source. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: powering said transmitter from a power source which is independent of a commercial power grid. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: receiving a broadcast signal; and determining signal burst transmission timing as a function of the received broadcast signal. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said receiver is one of a GPS, GSM and CDMA receiver. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising: scanning for different types of broadcast signals which can be used as timing reference signals. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said scanning is performed based on a predetermined sequence based on at least some geographic location information. 
     
     
         27 . A beacon signal transmission apparatus, comprising:
 beacon signal transmitter means for transmitting a sequence of beacon signal bursts, each beacon signal burst including at least one beacon symbol, said beacon transmission signal apparatus being a free standing device not including any transmitter used to transmit data to an individual user device.   
     
     
         28 . The beacon signal transmission apparatus of  claim 27 , further comprising: beacon signal transmission control means for controlling transmission of beacon signal bursts. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein said control means includes stored control information used to control said beacon signal transmitter means to transmit beacon signal bursts into different frequency bands at different times. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , further comprising: multi-sector antenna means; and wherein the control means controls the transmitter means to transmit beacon signal bursts into different sectors at different times.