Multiplexing scheme for unicast and broadcast/multicast traffic

• US 20060039344A1
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Khan, Farooq Ullah
• Application Number:
  US10/923,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20060039344A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/345
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0065 Serial concatenated codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0066 Parallel concatenated codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0083 Formatting with frames or packets; Protocol or part of protocol for error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1816 with retransmission of the same, encoded, message
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

A method is provided for efficiently multiplexing interlaced broadcast traffic over a wireless network. The multiplexing scheme organizes unused slots in at least some base stations so that unicast traffic employing hybrid ARQ may be delivered therein.

Claims

1. A method for coordinating transmissions within a first and second cell using an n-slot interlacing structure, the method comprising:

transforming a first block of broadcast information into first and second subpackets;

transmitting the first subpacket within the first and second cells during a first time slot;

transmitting the second subpacket within the second cell during a second time slot;

transforming a second block of the broadcast information into third and fourth subpackets;

transmitting the third subpacket within the first and second cells during an n+1 time slot; and

transmitting the fourth subpacket within the second cell during an n+2 time slot.

2. A method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting unicast information within the first cell during the second time slot; and

retransmitting the unicast information within the first cell during the n+2 time slot.

3. A method, as set forth in claim 2, wherein retransmitting the unicast information within the first cell during the n+2 time slot occurs in response to receiving a negative acknowledgement signal with respect transmitting unicast information within the first cell during the second time slot.

4. A method, as set forth in claim 2, further comprising terminating retransmission of the unicast information with the first cell during the n+2 slot in response to receiving an acknowledgement signal with respect transmitting unicast information within the first cell during the second time slot.

5. A method for receiving broadcast transmissions from a first and second cell using an n-slot interlacing structure, the method comprising:

receiving a first subpacket from the first and second cells during a first time slot;

receiving a second subpacket from the second cell during a second time slot;

combining the first subpackets received from the first and second cells;

receiving a third subpacket from the first and second cells during an n+1 time slot;

receiving a fourth subpacket from the second cell during an n+2 time slot;

combining the third subpackets received from the first and second cells;

receiving a first subpacket of unicast information from the first cell during the second time slot; and

receiving a retransmission of the first subpacket of unicast information from the first cell during the n+2 time slot.

6. A method for coordinating transmissions within a first and second cell using an n-slot interlacing structure, the method comprising:

forming a plurality of first and second subpackets from a plurality of blocks of broadcast information;

periodically transmitting one of the first subpackets within the first and second cells during a first common time slot in each n-slot interlacing structure;

periodically transmitting one of the second subpackets within the second cell during a second common time slot in each n-slot interlacing structure;

transmitting unicast information in at least a portion of the slots in each n-slot structure that are free from transmissions of the first and second subpackets.

7. A method, as set forth in claim 6, wherein transmitting unicast information in at least a portion of the slots in each n-slot structure that are free from transmissions of the first and second subpackets further comprises:

forming a plurality of subpackets from the unicast information; and

transmitting the unicast subpackets within the first cell during the second common time slot in each n-slot interlacing structure.

8. A method, as set forth in claim 7, wherein transmitting the unicast subpackets within the first cell during the second common time slot in each n-slot interlacing structure is terminated in response to receiving an acknowledgement signal.