Frame structures supporting voice or streaming communications with high speed data communications in wireless access networks
First Claim
1. A method of operating a base station to wirelessly transmit voice or streaming communications and data communications to a plurality of user terminals on a carrier, the method comprising:
- repeatedly and sequentially wirelessly transmitting time division multiplexed superframes to the plurality of user terminals on the carrier, wherein each time division multiplexed superframe comprises a plurality of frames, wherein at least one of the frames carries voice communications, and wherein at least one of the frames carries data communications;
for each frame carrying voice communications, transmitting a plurality of voice packets contained in the frame;
wherein each voice packet includes voice bits for a respective user; and
wherein each voice packet includes a preamble having a user identifier and an indication of the length of the voice packet.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A frame structure that is ordinarily optimized for providing variable high data rates also includes the flexibility to efficiently carry lower data rate, lower latency frames using sub-framing. Superframes, each comprised of a predetermined number of frames, carry voice and data communications at one or more variable data rates. The size of a superframe is limited, such as by the delay tolerance for voice transmission, typically 20 ms. Each voice customer is allotted one or more frames or portions of frames within the superframe, called sub-frames, as is needed to deliver the lower data rate, low latency voice communication. The allocation for the voice customers is not fixed, but varies as the data rate varies over time. Any bits in a frame that are not needed to carry voice communication are assigned to carry data having compatible data rate requirements. Additionally, the sub-framing concept may be extended to include ATM cells.
29 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of operating a base station to wirelessly transmit voice or streaming communications and data communications to a plurality of user terminals on a carrier, the method comprising:
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repeatedly and sequentially wirelessly transmitting time division multiplexed superframes to the plurality of user terminals on the carrier, wherein each time division multiplexed superframe comprises a plurality of frames, wherein at least one of the frames carries voice communications, and wherein at least one of the frames carries data communications;
for each frame carrying voice communications, transmitting a plurality of voice packets contained in the frame;
wherein each voice packet includes voice bits for a respective user; and
wherein each voice packet includes a preamble having a user identifier and an indication of the length of the voice packet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A superframe embodied on a carrier that carries voice or streaming communications and data communications intended for a plurality of user terminals, the superframe comprising:
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a plurality of frames, wherein at least one of the frames carries voice communications, and wherein at least one of the frames carries data communications;
for each frame carrying voice communications, a plurality of voice packets contained in the frame;
wherein each voice packet includes voice bits for a respective user; and
wherein each voice packet includes a preamble having a user identifier and an indication of the length of the voice packet. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification