Sharing Resources Between Wireless Networks

Abstract

A wireless communication device configures a first spatial subchannel in a shared frequency channel for communication with a first node in a first wireless network, and a second spatial subchannel in the shared frequency channel for communication with a second node in a second wireless network, the second wireless network different than the first wireless network. The wireless communication device employs the first spatial subchannel and the second spatial subchannel for communicating concurrently in the first wireless network and the second wireless network.

1 . A method of wireless communication by a wireless communication device, the method comprising:
 configuring a first spatial subchannel in a shared frequency channel for communication with a first node in a first wireless network;   configuring a second spatial subchannel in the shared frequency channel for communication with a second node in a second wireless network, the second wireless network different than the first wireless network; and   configuring the wireless communication device to employ the first spatial subchannel and the second spatial subchannel for communicating concurrently in the first wireless network and the second wireless network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein configuring the first spatial subchannel comprises providing for computing a first channel estimate in the first wireless network, and configuring the second spatial subchannel comprises providing for computing a second channel estimate in the second wireless network. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein configuring the wireless communication device to employ the first spatial subchannel and the second spatial subchannel for communicating concurrently in the first wireless network and the second wireless network comprises using multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) or cooperative-MIMO to produce the first spatial subchannel and the second spatial subchannel. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first node is a base station, access point, or client device, and the second node is a base station, access point, or client device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless network is a peer-to-peer network, a cellular network, or an IEEE 802.11 network and the second wireless network is a peer-to-peer network, a cellular network, or an IEEE 802.11 network. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shared frequency channel comprises at least one of a downlink channel and an uplink channel. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless network employs a first radio access technology, and the second wireless network employs a second radio access technology that is different from the first radio access technology. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising configuring the wireless communication device to perform at least one of link setup, channel assignment, time synchronization, or frequency synchronization. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:
 a processor; and   a non-transitory computer-readable memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory including a set of instructions stored thereon and executable by the processor for:   configuring a first spatial subchannel in a shared frequency channel for communication with a first node in a first wireless network;   configuring a second spatial subchannel in the shared frequency channel for communication with a second node in a second wireless network, the second wireless network different than the first wireless network; and   employing the first spatial subchannel and the second spatial subchannel for communicating concurrently in the first wireless network and the second wireless network.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein configuring the first spatial subchannel comprises providing for computing a first channel estimate in the first wireless network, and configuring the second spatial subchannel comprises providing for computing a second channel estimate in the second wireless network. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein employing the first spatial subchannel and the second spatial subchannel for communicating concurrently in the first wireless network and the second wireless network comprises using multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) or cooperative-MIMO to produce the first spatial subchannel and the second spatial subchannel. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein employing the first spatial subchannel and the second spatial subchannel for communicating comprises configuring the apparatus to employ at least one of a downlink channel and an uplink channel. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein employing the first spatial subchannel and the second spatial subchannel for communicating comprises configuring the apparatus to employ a first radio access technology in the first wireless network, and a second radio access technology in the second wireless network, wherein the second radio access technology is different from the first radio access technology. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the memory includes instructions stored thereon and executable by the processor to perform at least one of link setup, channel assignment, time synchronization, or frequency synchronization. 
     
     
         15 . A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable memory having computer readable program code stored therein, said program code containing instructions executable by one or more processors of a computer system for:
 configuring a first spatial subchannel in a shared frequency channel for communication with a first node in a first wireless network;   configuring a second spatial subchannel in the shared frequency channel for communication with a second node in a second wireless network, the second wireless network different than the first wireless network; and   employing the first spatial subchannel and the second spatial subchannel for communicating concurrently in the first wireless network and the second wireless network.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein configuring the first spatial subchannel comprises providing for computing a first channel estimate in the first wireless network, and configuring the second spatial subchannel comprises providing for computing a second channel estimate in the second wireless network. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein employing the first spatial subchannel and the second spatial subchannel for communicating concurrently in the first wireless network and the second wireless network comprises using multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) or cooperative-MIMO to produce the first spatial subchannel and the second spatial subchannel. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein employing the first spatial subchannel and the second spatial subchannel for communicating comprises configuring the apparatus to employ at least one of a downlink channel and an uplink channel. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein employing the first spatial subchannel and the second spatial subchannel for communicating comprises employing at least one of peer-to-peer communications, cellular communications, or an IEEE 802.11 communications. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the memory includes instructions stored thereon and executable by the processor to perform at least one of link setup, channel assignment, time synchronization, or frequency synchronization.