Dynamic shared forward link channel for a wireless communication system

• US 20050208959A1
• Filed: 07/12/2004
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Tiedemann, Edward G. Jr., Wei, Yongbin, Chen, Tao, Blessent, Luca, Zhang, Haitao, Butler, Brian K., Achour, Baaziz, Saints, Keith W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,734,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/515
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/08 Closed loop power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/322 Power control of broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/327 Power control of multicast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/54 Signalisation aspects of the TPC commands, e.g. frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

A dynamic shared forward link channel (or “data” channel) is used to send multicast data to a group of wireless devices, e.g., using a common long code mask for the data channel. Reference power control (PC) bits are also sent on the data channel and used for signal quality estimation. A shared forward link control channel is used to send user-specific signaling to individual wireless devices, e.g., using time division multiplexing (TDM) and a unique long code mask for each wireless device. A shared forward link indicator channel is used to send reverse link (RL) PC bits to the wireless devices, e.g., using TDM. The data channel is jointly power controlled by all wireless devices receiving the data channel. The control and indicator channels are individually power controlled by each wireless device such that the signaling and RL PC bits sent on these channels for the wireless device are reliably received.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting data to a plurality of wireless devices in a wireless communication system, comprising:

transmitting traffic data to the plurality of wireless devices via a shared data channel;

transmitting user-specific signaling to each of the plurality of wireless devices via a shared control channel used for the plurality of wireless devices or a dedicated control channel used for the wireless device, wherein the traffic data and the user-specific signaling are for a multicast service; and

transmitting reference bits on the shared data channel, the reference bits having a known value and being used for signal quality estimation of the shared data channel.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting power control information to each of the plurality of wireless devices via a shared indicator channel used for the plurality of wireless devices or the dedicated control channel used for the wireless device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the shared data channel is a forward fundamental channel (F-FCH), the shared control channel is a forward dedicated control channel (F-DCCH), and the shared indicator channel is a forward common power control channel (F-CPCCH) in IS-2000.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the shared data channel is a forward fundamental channel (F-FCH), the shared control channel is also the F-FCH, and the shared indicator channel is a forward common power control channel (F-CPCCH) in IS-2000.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the shared data channel is a forward fundamental channel (F-FCH) and the dedicated control channel is a forward dedicated control channel (F-DCCH) in IS-2000.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the shared data channel is a forward supplemental channel (F-SCH) and the shared control channel is a forward common control channel (F-CCCH) in IS-2000.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the shared data channel is a forward fundamental channel (F-FCH), the shared control channel is a forward packet data channel (F-PDCH), and the shared indicator channel is a forward common power control channel (F-CPCCH) in IS-2000.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a reverse link connection for each of the plurality of wireless devices.

9. A method of transmitting data to a plurality of wireless devices in a wireless communication system, comprising:

transmitting traffic data to the plurality of wireless devices via a forward fundamental channel (F-FCH);

transmitting user-specific signaling to each of the plurality of wireless devices via a forward dedicated control channel (F-DCCH); and

transmitting reference power control (PC) bits on the F-FCH, the reference PC bits having a known value and being used for signal quality estimation of the F-FCH.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the user-specific signaling for the plurality of wireless devices are transmitted on the F-DCCH using time division multiplexing (TDM).

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

scrambling the traffic data for the F-FCH with a long code generated using a common long code mask for the F-FCH.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

scrambling the user-specific signaling for each wireless device with a long code generated using a unique long code mask for the wireless device.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting reverse link (RL) PC information to each of the plurality of wireless devices via a forward common power control channel (F-CPCCH).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the RL PC information for each wireless device is sent on a respective forward power control subchannel assigned to the wireless device, and wherein a plurality of forward power control subchannels for the plurality of wireless devices are time division multiplexed on the F-CPCCH.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

multiplexing the RL PC information for the plurality of wireless devices onto the F-CPCCH based on a long code generated using a common long code mask.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving forward link (FL) PC bits for the F-FCH from the plurality of wireless devices; and

adjusting transmit power of the F-FCH based on the FL PC bits received for the F-FCH.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the FL PC bits for the F-FCH are generated by each wireless device based on the reference PC bits transmitted on the F-FCH.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining a PC decision for each time interval based on FL PC bits received from the plurality of wireless devices for the time interval and using an OR-of-the-UP rule, and wherein the transmit power of the F-FCH is adjusted based on the PC decision.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

disabling adjustment of the transmit,power for the F-FCH if a predetermined number of wireless devices or more are receiving the traffic data on the F-FCH.

20. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving forward link (FL) PC bits for the F-DCCH from each of the plurality of wireless devices; and

adjusting transmit power of the user-specific signaling sent on the F-DCCH to each wireless device based on the FL PC bits received from the wireless device for the F-DCCH.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving forward link (FL) PC bits for the F-DCCH from each of the plurality of wireless devices; and

adjusting transmit power of the RL PC bits sent on the F-CPCCH to each wireless device based on the FL PC bits received from the wireless device for the F-DCCH.

22. The method of claim 9, wherein the traffic data is sent to each of the plurality of wireless devices as the wireless device moves about the system.

23. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving pilot and forward link (FL) PC information from each of the plurality of wireless devices via a reverse pilot channel (R-PICH).

24. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving reverse link signaling from a wireless device via a reverse fundamental channel (R-FCH).

25. An apparatus in a wireless communication system, comprising:

a first data processor operative to process traffic data for transmission on a forward fundamental channel (F-FCH) to a plurality of wireless devices and to process reference power control (PC) bits for transmission on the F-FCH, the reference PC bits having a known value and being used for signal quality estimation of the F-FCH; and

a second data processor operative to process user-specific signaling for each of the plurality of wireless devices for transmission on a forward dedicated control channel (F-DCCH).

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a third data processor operative to process reverse link (RL) PC information for each of the plurality of wireless devices for transmission on a forward common power control channel (F-CPCCH).

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first data processor is operative to scramble the traffic data for the F-FCH with a long code generated using a common long code mask for the F-FCH.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the second data processor is operative to scramble the user-specific signaling for each wireless device with a long code generated using a unique long code mask for the wireless device.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a controller operative to receive forward link (FL) PC bits for the F-FCH from the plurality of wireless devices and to adjust transmit power of the F-FCH based on the FL PC bits received for the F-FCH.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a controller operative to receive forward link (FL) PC bits for the F-DCCH from each of the plurality of wireless devices and to adjust transmit power of the user-specific signaling sent on the F-DCCH to each wireless device based on the FL PC bits received from the wireless device for the F-DCCH.

31. An apparatus in a wireless communication system, comprising:

means for transmitting traffic data to a plurality of wireless devices via a forward fundamental channel (F-FCH);

means for transmitting user-specific signaling to each of the plurality of wireless devices via a forward dedicated control channel (F-DCCH); and

means for transmitting reference power control (PC) bits on the F-FCH, the reference PC bits having a known value and being used for signal quality estimation of the F-FCH.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

means for scrambling the traffic data for the F-FCH with a long code generated using a common long code mask for the F-FCH.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

means for scrambling the user-specific signaling for each wireless device with a long code generated using a unique long code mask for the wireless device.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

means for receiving forward link (FL) PC bits for the F-FCH from the plurality of wireless devices; and

means for adjusting transmit power of the F-FCH based on the FL PC bits received for the F-FCH.

35. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

means for receiving forward link (FL) PC bits for the F-DCCH from each of the plurality of wireless devices; and

means for adjusting transmit power of the user-specific signaling sent on the F-DCCH to each wireless device based on the FL PC bits received from the wireless device for the F-DCCH.

36. A method of receiving data in a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving traffic data via a shared data channel sent to a plurality of wireless devices;

receiving user-specific signaling via a shared control channel or a dedicated control channel, wherein the traffic data and the user-specific signaling are for a multicast service; and

receiving reference bits on the shared data channel, the reference bits having a known value and being used to estimate received signal quality of the shared data channel.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

receiving power control information via a shared indicator channel or the dedicated control channel; and

adjusting transmit power of a transmission sent on a reverse link based on the power control information.

38. A method of receiving data at a wireless device in a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving traffic data via a forward fundamental channel (F-FCH);

receiving user-specific signaling for the wireless device via a forward dedicated control channel (F-DCCH); and

receiving reference power control (PC) bits on the F-FCH, the reference PC bits having a known value and being used for signal quality estimation of the F-FCH.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

descrambling the traffic data with a long code generated using a common long code mask for the F-FCH.

40. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

descrambling the user-specific signaling for the wireless device with a long code generated using a unique long code mask for the wireless device.

41. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

receiving reverse link (RL) PC information for the wireless device via a forward common power control channel (F-CPCCH).

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

demultiplexing the RL PC information for the wireless device from the F-CPCCH based on a long code generated using a common long code mask.

43. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

estimating received signal quality of the F-FCH based on the reference PC bits received on the F-FCH;

generating forward link (FL) PC bits for the F-FCH based on the estimated received signal quality of the F-FCH; and

transmitting the FL PC bits for the F-FCH via a reverse pilot channel (R-PICH).

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the generating the FL PC bits for the F-FCH comprises

comparing the estimated received signal quality of the F-FCH for each time interval against a setpoint for the F-FCH, and

generating an FL PC bit for the F-FCH for the time interval based on result of the comparison.

45. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

estimating received signal quality of the F-DCCH;

generating FL PC bits for the F-DCCH based on the estimated received signal quality of the F-DCCH; and

transmitting the FL PC bits for the F-DCCH via a reverse pilot channel (R-PICH).

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the generating the FL PC bits for the F-DCCH comprises

comparing the estimated received signal quality of the F-DCCH for each time interval against a setpoint for the F-DCCH, and

generating an FL PC bit for the F-DCCH for the time interval based on result of the comparison.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the generating the FL PC bits for the F-DCCH further comprises

adjusting the setpoint for the F-DCCH based on the user-specific signaling received on the F-DCCH.

48. The method of claim 41, wherein received signal quality of the F-DCCH is estimated based on the RL PC information for the wireless device received via the F-CPCCH.

49. The method of claim 38, wherein the traffic data is received via the F-FCH from multiple sectors served by at least one base station and the user-specific signal is received via the F-DCCH from the multiple sectors.

50. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

transmitting a pilot and forward link (FL) PC information via a reverse pilot channel (R-PICH).

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising:

adjusting transmit power for the R-PICH based on reverse link (RL) PC information received for the wireless device.

52. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

transmitting reverse link signaling via a reverse fundamental channel (R-FCH).

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the reverse fundamental channel (R-FCH) is inactive unless there is reverse link signaling to transmit.

54. An apparatus for a wireless device in a wireless communication system, comprising:

a receive data processor operative to

perform processing for a forward fundamental channel (F-FCH) to receive traffic data sent on the F-FCH,

perform processing for a forward dedicated control channel (F-DCCH) to receive user-specific signaling sent on the F-DCCH to the wireless device, and

perform processing for the F-FCH to receive reference power control (PC) bits sent on the F-FCH, the reference PC bits having a known value and being used for signal quality estimation of the F-FCH.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the data processor is further operative to

perform descrambling for the traffic data with a long code generated using a common long code mask for the F-FCH.

56. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the data processor is further operative to

perform descrambling for the user-specific signaling for the wireless device with a long code generated using a unique long code mask for the wireless device.

57. The apparatus of claim 54, further comprising:

a controller operative to estimate received signal quality of the F-FCH based on the reference PC bits received on the F-FCH and to generate forward link (FL) PC bits for the F-FCH based on the estimated received signal quality of the F-FCH; and

a transmit data processor operative to process the FL PC bits for the F-FCH for transmission on a reverse pilot channel (R-PICH).

58. The apparatus of claim 54, further comprising:

a controller operative to estimate received signal quality of the F-DCCH and to generate FL PC bits for the F-DCCH based on the estimated received signal quality of the F-DCCH; and

a transmit data processor operative to process the FL PC bits for the F-DCCH for transmission on a reverse pilot channel (R-PICH).

59. An apparatus in a wireless communication system, comprising:

means for receiving traffic data via a forward fundamental channel (F-FCH);

means for receiving user-specific signaling for a wireless device via a forward dedicated control channel (F-DCCH); and

means for receiving reference power control (PC) bits on the F-FCH, the reference PC bits having a known value and being used for signal quality estimation of the F-FCH.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, further comprising:

means for descrambling the traffic data with a long code generated using a common long code mask for the F-FCH.

61. The apparatus of claim 59, further comprising:

means for descrambling the user-specific signaling for the wireless device with a long code generated using a unique long code mask for the wireless device.

62. The apparatus of claim 59, further comprising:

means for estimating received signal quality of the F-FCH based on the reference PC bits received on the F-FCH;

means for generating forward link (FL) PC bits for the F-FCH based on the estimated received signal quality of the F-FCH; and

means for transmitting the FL PC bits for the F-FCH via a reverse pilot channel (R-PICH).

63. The apparatus of claim 59, further comprising:

means for estimating received signal quality of the F-DCCH;

means for generating FL PC bits for the F-DCCH based on the estimated received signal quality of the F-DCCH; and

means for transmitting the FL PC bits for the F-DCCH via a reverse pilot channel (R-PICH).