Methods and systems for frequency and time division access

• US 20050169307A1
• Filed: 03/23/2005
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ayyagari, Deepak, Chan, Wai-Chung
• Granted Patent: US 7,672,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/468
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2843 Mains power line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0039 Frequency-contiguous, i.e. with no allocation of frequencies for one user or terminal between the frequencies allocated to another
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0041 Frequency-non-contiguous
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0046 Determination of how many bits are transmitted on different sub-channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention comprise methods and systems for managing and allocating bandwidth in a communication medium.

Claims

1. A method for allocating bandwidth in a computer network, said method comprising:

a) dividing a range of frequencies into a plurality of tones;

b) estimating the maximum number of bits per symbol that may be transmitted on each of said plurality of tones;

c) allocating at least one of said tones having a higher number of bits per symbol to a bandwidth request.

2. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said allocating is performed by assigning a single contiguous block of tones.

3. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said allocated tones are used for the entire duration of a frame.

4. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said allocated tones are used for the entire duration of a frame.

5. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said plurality of tones is further divided into time slots.

6. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said maximum number is a Bit Loading Estimate (BLE).

7. A method for allocating bandwidth in a computer network, said method comprising:

a) dividing said bandwidth into a plurality of tones;

b) dividing said tones into time slots;

c) estimating the maximum number of bits per symbol that may be transmitted on each of said tones;

d) selecting tones with the highest estimated number of bits per symbol;

e) selecting time slots within said tones that are appropriate for a bandwidth request;

f) allocating said tones and time slots to said bandwidth request.

8. A method for allocating bandwidth in a computer network, said method comprising:

a) receiving a request for bandwidth over a joint-frequency-and-time-divided medium, wherein said medium is divided into tones and time slots;

b) estimating a Bit Loading Estimate for each of said tones;

c) selecting a group of tones with a highest BLE;

d) determining whether said group with said highest BLE has sufficient time slots to fulfill said request;

e) allocating said tones for a sufficient number of time slots when said time slots are sufficient;

f) selecting a group of tones with a next highest BLE when said time slots are insufficient;

g) determining whether said group with said next highest BLE has sufficient time slots to fulfill said request;

h) allocating said tones with said next highest BLE for a sufficient number of time slots when said time slots are sufficient;

i) repeating steps f, g and h until said request is allocated or said tones are exhausted; and

j) denying said request if said tones are exhausted.

9. A method for allocating bandwidth in a computer network, said method comprising:

a) receiving a request for bandwidth over a joint-frequency-and-time-divided medium, wherein said medium is divided into tone groups and time slots;

b) estimating a Bit Loading Estimate (BLE) for each of said tone groups;

c) finding available time slots for said tone groups;

d) selecting the first tone group that has available time slots and the highest BLE;

e) allocating said time slots for said first tone group to said request;

f) determining whether said allocating has fulfilled said request;

g) selecting, if said request has not been fulfilled, a next tone group that has available time slots and the next highest BLE

h) allocating time slots in said next tone group to said request;

i) determining whether said allocating time slots in said next tone group has fulfilled said request;

j) repeating, if said request has not been fulfilled, steps g, h and i until said request is fulfilled or said tone groups are exhausted; and

k) denying said request if said tones groups are exhausted.

10. A method for allocating bandwidth in a computer network, said method comprising:

a) receiving a request for bandwidth over a joint-frequency-and-time-divided medium, wherein said medium is divided into tone groups and time slots;

b) estimating a Bit Loading Estimate (BLE) for each of said tone groups;

c) determining Basic Usage Patterns (BUPs) for said request;

d) finding combinations of said BUPs;

e) calculating the number of tone-slot units required to satisfy said request, for each of said combinations, when the tone groups are allocated in order of highest to lowest BLE;

f) selecting a final combination, from among said combinations, that uses the lowest number of tone-slot units;

g) allocating said final combination to said request.

11. A method for partitioning bandwidth in a communication medium, said method comprising:

a) dividing bandwidth into a plurality of tone groups;

b) dividing said tone groups into time slots;

c) estimating a Bit Loading Estimate (BLE) for each of said tone groups;

d) determining Basic Usage Patterns (BUPs) for a device pair;

e) finding BUP combinations that will provide sufficient bandwidth to fulfill a request for said device pair;

f) calculating the number of tone-slot units required to satisfy said request for each of said combinations, when the tone groups are allocated in order of highest to lowest BLE;

g) selecting a final combination, from among said combinations, that uses the lowest number of tone-slot units;

h) allocating said final combination to said request.

12. A method for partitioning bandwidth in a communication medium, said method comprising:

a) dividing bandwidth into a plurality of tone groups;

b) dividing said tone groups into time slots;

c) estimating a Bit Loading Estimate (BLE) for each of said tone groups;

d) determining Basic Usage Patterns (BUPs) for a device pair;

e) searching for BUP combinations that will provide sufficient bandwidth to fulfill a request for said device pair;

f) if said searching is successful,

i) calculating the number of tone-slot units required to satisfy said request for each of said combinations, when the tone groups are allocated in order of highest to lowest BLE,

ii) selecting a final combination, from among said combinations, that uses the lowest number of tone-slot units, and

iii) allocating said final combination to said request;

g) if said searching for BUP combinations is not successful,

i) determining Derived Usage Patterns (DUPs) for said BUPs;

ii) estimating a Bit Loading Estimate (BLE) for each of said DUPs;

iii) searching for DUP combinations that will provide sufficient bandwidth to fulfill said request for said device pair;

h) if said searching for DUP combinations is successful,

i) calculating the number of tone-slot units required to satisfy said request for each of said combinations, when the tone groups are allocated in order of highest to lowest BLE,

ii) selecting a final DUP combination, from among said DUP combinations, that uses the lowest number of tone-slot units;

iii) allocating said final DUP combination to said request.