Method and apparatus for enabling transmission in a slotted radio data communication system by pausing data reception

• US 10,111,222 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2016
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Wandel, Matthias, Pecen, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): CHO, HONG SOL
• Application Number:
  US15/376,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20170094659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1685 the supervisory signal being transmitted in response to a specific request, e.g. to a polling signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1854 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network

Abstract

Apparatus, and an associated method, that facilitates communication of data in a radio communication system that utilizes a slotted communication scheme. Multiple successive time slots are allocable upon which to communicate data to a receiving communication station. At selected intervals, a controller causes the mode of operation of the receiving communication station to be changed to pause operation in a receive mode and, during the pause, to cause operation of the receiving communication station to transmit data, such as control acknowledgments or other responses.

Claims

1. A method in a wireless network, the method comprising:

transmitting, to a device, an allocation of a plurality of first timeslots for data reception at the device;

transmitting, to the device, an allocation of one or more second timeslots for data transmission at the device, wherein the allocation of one or more second timeslots comprises at least one timeslot such as transmission of data by the device on the at least one timeslot requires the device to pause reception of data on at least one of the plurality of first timeslots for conforming to time requirements to switch between different modes of operation of the device;

transmitting data to the device on one or more of the plurality of first timeslots during a frame or a group of frames; and

receiving data from the device on the at least one timeslot of the one or more second timeslots during the frame or the group of frames.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first timeslots comprises an entire time frame.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting an allocation of the one or more second timeslots includes sending a USF, the USF enabling the device to transmit on one or more designated second timeslots.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication of transmit and receive capabilities of the device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication of capabilities of the device to pause its reception operations and send control acknowledgments or other data to the wireless network for selected time periods.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication of capabilities of the device to perform reception of a plurality of timeslots comprising an entire time frame.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an acknowledgment of the data transmitted on the one or more of the plurality of first timeslots.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein allocating by the wireless network the plurality of first timeslots and the one or more second timeslots enables the device to pause data reception after a first time period independent of the wireless network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein allocating by the wireless network the plurality of first timeslots and the one or more second timeslots enables the device to resume data reception after a second time period independent of the wireless network.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication of capabilities of the device to perform reception on a reduced subset of the plurality of first timeslots allocated by the wireless network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the switching between different modes of operation of the device includes switching between a mode of operation for data reception and a mode of operation for data transmission.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the switching between different modes of operation of the device includes performing cell measurements.

13. A network element, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors and storing programming instructions for execution by the one or more processors, the programming instructions instruct the one or more processors to;

transmit, to a device, an allocation of a plurality of first timeslots for data reception at the device;

transmit, to the device, an allocation of one or more second timeslots for data transmission at the device, wherein the allocation of one or more second timeslots comprises at least one timeslot such as transmission of data by the device on the at least one timeslot requires the device to pause reception of data on at least one of the plurality of first timeslots for conforming to time requirements to switch between different modes of operation of the device,

transmit data to the device on one or more of the plurality of first timeslots during a frame or a group of frames; and

receive data from the device on the at least one timeslot of the one or more second timeslots during the frame or the group of frames.

14. The network element of claim 13, wherein the plurality of first timeslots comprises an entire time frame.

15. The network element of claim 13, wherein transmitting an allocation of the one or more second timeslots includes sending a USF, the USF enabling the device to transmit on one or more designated second timeslots.

16. The network element of claim 13, wherein the programming instructions further instruct the one or more processors to receive an indication of transmit and receive capabilities of the device.

17. The network element of claim 13, wherein the programming instructions further instruct the one or more processors to receive an indication of capabilities of the device to pause its reception operations and send control acknowledgments or other data to the network element for selected time periods.

18. The network element of claim 13, wherein the programming instructions further instruct the one or more processors to receive an indication of capabilities of the device to perform reception of a plurality of timeslots comprising an entire time frame.

19. The network element of claim 13, wherein the programming instructions further instruct the one or more processors to receive an acknowledgment of the data transmitted on the one or more of the plurality of first timeslots.

20. The network element of claim 13, wherein allocating by the network element the plurality of first timeslots and the one or more second timeslots enables the device to pause data reception after a first time period independent of the network element.

21. The network element of claim 13, wherein allocating by the network element the plurality of first timeslots and the one or more second timeslots enables the device to resume data reception after a second time period independent of the network element.

22. The network element of claim 13, the programming instructions further instruct the one or more processors to receive an indication of capabilities of the device to perform reception on a reduced subset of the plurality of first timeslots allocated by the network element.

23. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions to cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

transmitting, to a device, an allocation of a plurality of first timeslots for data reception at the device;

transmitting, to the device, an allocation of one or more second timeslots for data transmission at the device, wherein the allocation of one or more second timeslots comprises at least one timeslot such as transmission of data by the device on the at least one timeslot requires the device to pause reception of data on at least one of the plurality of first timeslots for conforming to time requirements to switch between different modes of operation of the device;

transmitting data to the device on one or more of the plurality of first timeslots during a frame or a group of frames; and

receiving data from the device on the at least one timeslot of the one or more second timeslots during the frame or the group of frames.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the plurality of first timeslots comprises an entire time frame.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein transmitting an allocation of the one or more second timeslots includes sending a USF, the USF enabling the device to transmit on one or more designated second timeslots.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to receive an indication of transmit and receive capabilities of the device.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to receive an indication of capabilities of the device to pause its reception operations and send control acknowledgments or other data to a network for selected time periods.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to receive an indication of capabilities of the device to perform reception of a plurality of timeslots comprising an entire time frame.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to receive an acknowledgment of the data transmitted on the one or more of the plurality of first timeslots.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein allocating by a network the plurality of first timeslots and the one or more second timeslots enables the device to pause data reception after a first time period independent of the network.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein allocating by a network the plurality of first timeslots and the one or more second timeslots enables the device to resume data reception after a second time period independent of the network.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 23, the instructions further cause the one or more processors to receive an indication of capabilities of the device to perform reception on a reduced subset of the plurality of first timeslots allocated by a network.