System and method for full-duplex MAC timing modifications

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable storage media for reducing monopolization of a frequency channel during full-duplex communications. The MAC layer of governing communications can be modified to reduce likelihood of monopolization by (1) in networks which are exclusively filled with full-duplex devices, configuring non-communicating devices to ignore data collisions of communicating devices, requiring the communicating devices to wait for an standard backoff time after the data transmission is complete; and/or (2) in mixed half-duplex/full-duplex networks, requiring a half-duplex nodes and/or a full-duplex node to wait an extended duration after the data transmission is complete, while the non-communicating devices do not wait an extended duration.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 determining, at a first node, that the first node and a second node are in full-duplex communication, wherein the first node uses a distributed channel access protocol for contending with other nodes to communicate with the second node; 
 receiving an input indicating that the use of an extended interframe space should be used rather than a distributed coordination function interframe space, wherein the input is received as part of a clear-to-send signal; and 
 after receiving an acknowledgment of receipt of a successful transmission from the second node, deferring contention in the distributed channel access protocol at the first node for the extended interframe space, wherein the extended interframe space delays the first node from entering, at a start time, a subsequent contention round. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein, after transmitting the acknowledgment of receipt of the successful transmission, the second node defers contention in the distributed channel access protocol for the extended interframe space. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the wireless device is one of a smartphone, a laptop, a router, and a computer. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a duration of the extended interframe space is defined by an 802.11 standard. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first node does not transmit data in a subsequent full-duplex communication round. 
     
     
       6. A system comprising:
 a processor; and 
 a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 determining, at a first node, that the first node and a second node are in full-duplex communication, wherein the first node uses a distributed channel access protocol for contending with other nodes to communicate with the second node; 
 receiving an input indicating that the use of an extended interframe space should be used rather than a distributed coordination function interframe space, wherein the input is received as part of a clear-to-send signal; and 
 after receiving an acknowledgment of receipt of a successful transmission from the second node, deferring contention in the distributed channel access protocol at the first node for the extended interframe space, wherein the extended interframe space delays the first node from entering, at a start time, a subsequent contention round. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , wherein, after sending the acknowledgement of the successful transmission, the second node defers from contention in the distributed channel access protocol for the extended interframe space. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the wireless device is one of a smartphone, a laptop, a router, and a computer. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 7 , wherein a duration of the extended interframe space is defined by an 802.11 standard. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first node does not transmit data in a subsequent full-duplex communication round. 
     
     
       11. A computer-readable storage device having instructions stored which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 determining, at a first node, that the first node and a second node are in full-duplex communication, wherein the first node uses a distributed channel access protocol for contending with other nodes to communicate with the second node; 
 receiving an input indicating that the use of an extended interframe space should be used rather than a distributed coordination function interframe space, wherein the input is received as part of a clear-to-send signal; and 
 after receiving an acknowledgment of receipt of a successful transmission from the second node, deferring contention in the distributed channel access protocol at the first node for the extended interframe space, wherein the extended interframe space delays the first node from entering, at a start time, a subsequent contention round. 
 
     
     
       12. The computer-readable storage device of  claim 11 , wherein the second node, after transmitting the acknowledgment of receipt of the successful transmission, defers from contention in the distributed channel access protocol for the extended interframe space. 
     
     
       13. The computer-readable storage device of  claim 12 , wherein the wireless device is one of a smartphone, a laptop, a router, and a computer. 
     
     
       14. The computer-readable storage device of  claim 12 , wherein a duration of the extended interframe space is defined by an 802.11 standard.