Scheduling data transmissions in a wireless communications network

• US 20060062146A1
• Filed: 09/16/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sisvel International S.A. (Fineur International S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Sebire, Benoist, Henttonen, Tero
• Granted Patent: US 9,019,829 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method of scheduling transmission of data in a wireless communication network comprising: establishing a data channel for transmitting user data from a user equipment to a network entity, establishing a signalling channel for transmitting signalling data from a user equipment to a network entity, transmitting over said signalling channel from the user equipment a first rate request message requesting additional resources from the network for transmission of data at an increased data rate over said data channel, maintaining said signalling channel for a period awaiting a rate grant message, and transmitting a second rate request message over said signalling channel during said period.

Claims

1. A method of scheduling transmission of data in a wireless communication network comprising:

establishing a data channel for transmitting user data from a user equipment to a network entity;

establishing a signalling channel for transmitting signalling data from said user equipment to said network entity;

transmitting over said signalling channel from the user equipment a first rate request message requesting additional resources from the network for transmission of data at an increased data rate over said data channel;

maintaining said signalling channel for a period awaiting a rate grant message; and

transmitting a second rate request message over said signalling channel during said period.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second rate request messages are transmitted in respective transmission time intervals.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of second rate request messages are transmitted during said period.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein there is a fixed number of second rate request messages in said plurality of second rate request messages which are transmitted during said period.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of second rate request messages are transmitted during said period until said rate grant message is received at the user equipment.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of second rate request messages are transmitted in consecutive transmission time intervals.

7. A method according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of second rate request messages are transmitted in a predefined pattern of transmission time intervals.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving the rate grant message at the user equipment and transmitting data at said increased data rate.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of detecting that no rate grant message has been received at the end of said period and transmitting data at an original data rate which is a data rate prior to transmission of the first rate request message.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the increased data rate exceeds an original data rate at which data was previously being transmitted.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of detecting that no rate grant message has been received at the end of said period, and transmitting a new rate request message after an additional predetermined time period.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of detecting that no rate grant message has been received at the end of said period and waiting an additional time period to receive a rate grant message.

13. A user equipment for use in a wireless communications network comprising:

means for establishing a data channel for transmitting user data;

means for establishing a signalling channel for transmitting signalling data from a user equipment to a network entity;

means for transmitting over said signalling channel a first rate request message to a network entity requesting additional resources from the network node for transmission of data at an increased data rate;

means for maintaining said signalling channel for a period awaiting a rate grant message from the network entity; and

means for transmitting a second rate request message to the network entity over said signalling channel during said period.

14. A user equipment according to claim 13, wherein the user equipment comprises a mobile station.

15. A wireless communications system comprising at least first and second network nodes in wireless communication, the first network node comprising:

means for establishing a signalling channel for transmitting signalling data between the first and second network nodes;

means for transmitting over said signalling channel a first rate request message requesting additional resources from the network for transmission of data at an increased data rate;

means for maintaining said signalling channel for a period awaiting a rate grant message; and

means for transmitting a second rate request message over said signalling channel during said period.

16. A communications system according to claim 15, wherein the first network node comprises a user equipment.

17. A communications system according to claim 15, wherein the second network node comprises a node B.

18. A network entity for use in a wireless communications network which comprises a packet scheduler configured to receive a first rate request message from a user equipment in the network and to determine within a predetermined time period whether a rate grant message is issued based on network resources, and to issue said rate grant message if there are adequate network resources, the packet scheduler being configured to ignore a subsequent rate request message received during said predetermined time period.

19. A network entity according to claim 18, which comprises a node B.

20. A network entity according to claim 18, which comprises means for receiving either one of the first rate request message or the subsequent rate request message and issuing a rate grant message over a wireless interface between the network entity and the user equipment.

21. A user equipment for use in a wireless communications network comprising:

a first establishing module for establishing a data channel for transmitting user data;

a second establishing module for establishing a signalling channel for transmitting signalling data from a user equipment to a network entity;

a first transmitting module for transmitting over said signalling channel a first rate request message to a network node requesting additional resources from the network node for transmission of data at an increased data rate;

a channel maintaining module for maintaining said signalling channel for a period awaiting a rate grant message from the network node; and

a second transmitting module for transmitting a second rate request message to the network node over said signalling channel during said period.

22. A base station for use in a wireless communications network, the base station comprising:

a packet scheduler operable to receive a first rate request message from a user equipment in the network and to determine within a predetermined time period whether a rate grant message is to be issued or not based on network resources, and to issue said rate grant messages in the event that there are adequate network resources, the packet scheduler being arranged to ignore subsequent rate request messages received during said predetermined time period.