Method and apparatus to support multi-user packets in a wireless communication system

• US 20060176881A1
• Filed: 05/09/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ma, Lin, Rong, Zhigang
• Granted Patent: US 7,924,772 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1877 Measures taken prior to transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1881 with schedule organisation, e.g. priority, sequence management
• 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 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/121 for groups of terminals or users

Abstract

Described is a method of constructing multi-user packets in a communication network utilizing packet-switching, wherein a plurality of user request service from the communication network. According to this method, priorities are allocated to each of the plurality of user. Of the plurality of user, those user are selected who indicate that multi-user packets are supportable. A group of user out of the selected user is formed, where group is defined in that all user who are member of the group allow at least one common transmission format. Finally, a multi-user packet is constructed utilizing one common transmission format.

Claims

1. A method of constructing multi-user packets in a communication network utilizing packet-switching, wherein a plurality of users request service from the communication network, the method comprising:

allocating priorities to each of the plurality of users;

selecting a user from the plurality of users indicating available resources allowing support of the multi-user packets;

forming a group of users with the selected user, wherein the group of users is a group where each member allows at least one common transmission format; and

constructing a multi-user packet utilizing one common transmission format.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of constructing further includes:

determining an entire data amount to be transmitted by the group of users by summing up respective data amounts that each member of the group of users is to transmit;

selecting a common transmission format which fits closest to the entire data amount to be transmitted, wherein a common transmission format with a highest data rate is selected when there is more than one common transmission format fitting closest to the entire data amount to be transmitted; and

constructing the multi-user packet having the selected common transmission format and comprising a fraction of the entire data amount to be transmitted that fits a size of the selected common transmission format, wherein the fraction takes into account the respective data amounts which each member of the group of users is to transmit only as a whole and in an order of respective priority of the user corresponding to the respective data amount to be transmitted.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of allocating priorities takes into account at least one of a group of a subscriber profile, a packet waiting time in a buffer, a requested data rate control channel value, and quality of service requirements.

4. A method of constructing multi-user packets in a communication network utilizing packet-switching, wherein a plurality of users subscribe to the communication network, the method comprising:

calculating priorities for each user and creating a priority-table listing the users in an order of corresponding priorities;

selecting a first user in the priority-table comprising a data rate control channel value that indicates a support of multi-user packets;

storing a multi-user media access control index and transmission formats related to said multi-user media access control index which is supported by the selected first user;

selecting a next user in the priority-table comprising the multi-user media access control index in common with the multi-user media access control index of the selected first user;

selecting the multi-user media access control index with a highest data rate when multiple multi-user media access control indexes are in common;

deciding whether a physical layer packet size, according to one or more of the transmission formats related to the selected multi-user media access control index, accommodates a sum of all payloads and header bits of all of the selected users, wherein the next user is selected when no packet size associated with the related transmission formats accommodates the sum of all of the payloads and the header bits of all of the selected users, and a transmission format with a shortest packet size is selected if more than one of the transmission formats within the selected multi-user media access control index is qualified;

updating the stored multi-user media access control index and transmission format with the selected multi-user media access control index and transmission format;

checking a number of users selected, wherein when the number of the selected users is less than an upper limit and an end of the priority-table is not reached, repeating the steps comprising the selecting of the next user, the selecting of the multi-user media access control index, the deciding, the updating, and the checking; and

constructing a single user packet based on the data rate control channel value, if only one user is selected, and constructing the multi-user packet based on the stored multi-user media access control index and transmission format, if more than one user is selected.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the step of calculating the priorities takes into account at least a subscriber profile, a packet waiting time in a buffer, a requested data rate control channel value, and quality of service requirements.

6. A system for constructing multi-user packets in a communication network utilizing packet-switching, wherein a plurality of users use terminals to subscribe to the communication network and the system comprises network elements, the network elements configured to perform the following steps:

allocating priorities to each of the plurality of users;

selecting a user from the plurality of users indicating available resources allowing support of the multi-user packets;

forming a group of users with the selected user, wherein the group of users is a group where each member allows at least one common transmission format; and

constructing a multi-user packet utilizing one common transmission format.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said constructing of said multi-user packet is further configured to perform the steps of

determining an entire data amount to be transmitted by the group of users by summing up respective data amounts that each member of the group of users is to transmit;

selecting a common transmission format which fits closest to the entire data amount to be transmitted, wherein a common transmission format with a highest data rate is selected when there is more than one common transmission format fitting closest to the entire data amount to be transmitted; and

constructing the multi-user packet having the selected common transmission format and comprising a fraction of the entire data amount to be transmitted that fits a size of the selected common transmission format, wherein the fraction takes into account the respective data amounts which each member of the group of users is to transmit only as a whole and in an order of respective priority of the user corresponding to the respective data amount to be transmitted.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein said allocation of the priorities further comprises the step of taking into account at least one of a group of a subscriber profile, a packet waiting time in a buffer, a requested data rate control channel value, and quality of service requirements.

9. A system for constructing multi-user packets in a communication network utilizing packet-switching, wherein a plurality of users use terminals to subscribe to the communication network and the system comprises network elements, the network elements configured to perform the following steps:

calculating priorities for each user and creating a priority-table listing the users in an order of corresponding priorities;

selecting a first user in the priority-table comprising a data rate control channel value that indicates a support of multi-user packets;

storing a multi-user media access control index and transmission formats related to said multi-user media access control index which is supported by the selected first user;

selecting a next user in the priority-table comprising the multi-user media access control index in common with the multi-user media access control index of the selected first user;

selecting the multi-user media access control index with a highest data rate when multiple multi-user media access control indexes are in common;

deciding whether a physical layer packet size, according to one or more transmission formats related to the selected multi-user media access control index, accommodates a sum of all payloads and header bits of all of the selected users, wherein the next user is selected when no packet size associated with the related transmission formats accommodates the sum of all of the payloads and the header bits of all of the selected users, and a transmission format with a shortest packet size is selected if more than one of the transmission formats within the selected multi-user media access control index is qualified;

updating the stored multi-user media access control index and transmission format with the selected multi-user media access control index and transmission format;

checking a number of users selected, wherein when the number of the selected users is less than an upper limit and an end of the priority-table is not reached, repeating the steps comprising the selecting of the next user, the selecting of the multi-user media access control index, the deciding, the updating, and the checking; and

constructing a single user packet based on the data rate control channel value, if only one user is selected, and constructing the multi-user packet based on the stored multi-user media access control index and transmission format, if more than one user is selected.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said calculation of the priorities further comprises taking into account at least a subscriber profile, a packet waiting time in a buffer, a requested data rate control channel value, and quality of service requirements.

11. A network element configured to construct multi-user packets in a communication network utilizing packet-switching, wherein a plurality of users use terminals to subscribe to the communication network, the network element configured to perform the following steps:

allocating priorities to each of the plurality of users;

selecting a user from the plurality of users indicating available resources allowing support of the multi-user packets;

forming a group of users with the selected user, wherein the group of users is a group where each member allows at least one common transmission format; and

constructing a multi-user packet utilizing one common transmission format.

12. The network element according to claim 11, wherein said construction of said multi-user packet further comprises the steps of

determining an entire data amount to be transmitted by the group of users by summing up respective data amounts that each member of the group of users is to transmit;

selecting a common transmission format which fits closest to the entire data amount to be transmitted, wherein a common transmission format with a highest data rate is selected when there is more than one common transmission format fitting closest to the entire data amount to be transmitted; and

constructing the multi-user packet having the selected common transmission format and comprising a fraction of the entire data amount to be transmitted that fits a size of the selected common transmission format, wherein the fraction takes into account the respective data amounts which each member of the group of users is to transmit only as a whole and in an order of respective priority of the user corresponding to the respective data amount to be transmitted.

13. The network element according to claim 11, wherein said allocation of said configuration further comprises the step of taking into account at least one of a group of a subscriber profile, a packet waiting time in a buffer, a requested data rate control channel value, and quality of service requirements.

14. A network element configured to construct multi-user packets in a communication network utilizing packet-switching, wherein a plurality of users use terminals to subscribe to the communication network, the network element being configured to perform the following steps:

calculating priorities for each user and creating a priority-table listing the users in an order of corresponding priorities;

selecting a first user in the priority-table comprising a data rate control channel value that indicates a support of multi-user packets;

storing a multi-user media access control index and transmission formats related to said multi-user media access control index which is supported by the selected first user;

selecting a next user in the priority-table comprising the multi-user media access control index in common with the multi-user media access control index of the selected first user;

selecting the multi-user media access control index with a highest data rate when multiple multi-user media access control indexes are in common;

deciding whether a physical layer packet size, according to one or more of the transmission formats related to the selected multi-user media access control index, accommodates a sum of all payloads and header bits of all of the selected users, wherein the next user is selected when no packet size associated with the related transmission formats accommodates the sum of all of the payloads and the header bits of all of the selected users, and a transmission format with a shortest packet size is selected if more than one of the transmission formats within the selected multi-user media access control index is qualified;

updating the stored multi-user media access control index and transmission format with the selected multi-user media access control index and transmission format;

checking a number of users selected, wherein when the number of the selected users is less than an upper limit and an end of the priority-table is not reached, repeating the steps comprising the selecting of the next user, the selecting of the multi-user media access control index, the deciding, the updating, and the checking; and

constructing a single user packet based on the data rate control channel value, if only one user is selected, and constructing the multi-user packet based on the stored multi-user media access control index and transmission format, if more than one user is selected.

15. The network element according to claim 14, wherein said calculation of the priorities further comprises taking into account at least a subscriber profile, a packet waiting time in a buffer, a requested data rate control channel value, and quality of service requirements.

16. A method of constructing multi-user packets in a communication network utilizing packet-switching, wherein a plurality of users request service from the communication network, the method comprising:

an allocation step for allocating priorities to each of the plurality of users;

a selection step for selecting a user from the plurality of users indicating available resources allowing support of the multi-user packets;

a formation step for forming a group of users with the selected user, wherein the group of users is a group where each member allows at least one common transmission format; and

a construction step for constructing a multi-user packet utilizing one common transmission format.

17. A system for constructing multi-user packets in a communication network utilizing packet-switching, wherein a plurality of users subscribe to the communication network by using terminals, the system comprising

means for allocating priorities to each of the plurality of users;

means for selecting a user from the plurality of users indicating available resources allowing support of the multi-user packets;

means for forming a group of users with the selected user, wherein the group of users is a group where each member allows at least one common transmission format; and

means for constructing a multi-user packet utilizing one common transmission format.

18. A network element configured to construct multi-user packets in a communication network utilizing packet-switching, wherein a plurality of users subscribe to the communication network by using terminals, the network element comprising

means for allocating priorities to each of the plurality of users;

means for selecting a user from the plurality of users indicating available resources allowing support of the multi-user packets;

means for forming a group of users with the selected user, wherein the group of users is a group where each member allows at least one common transmission format; and

means for constructing a multi-user packet utilizing one common transmission format.