Method and apparatus for high rate packet data transmission

• US 20070025260A1
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sindhushayana, Nagabhushana, Padovani, Roberto, Hinderling, Jurg, Black, Peter, Wheatley, Charles, Bender, Paul, Grob, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 7,848,285 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/264 for data rate control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1809 Selective-repeat protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1829 Arrangements specially adapted for the receiver end
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

In a data communication system capable of variable rate transmission, high rate packet data transmission improves utilization of the forward link and decreases the transmission delay. Data transmission on the forward link is time multiplexed and the base station transmits at the highest data rate supported by the forward link at each time slot to one mobile station. The data rate is determined by the largest C/I measurement of the forward link signals as measured at the mobile station. Upon determination of a data packet received in error, the mobile station transmits a NACK message back to the base station. The NACK message results in retransmission of the data packet received in error. The data packets can be transmitted out of sequence by the use of sequence number to identify each data unit within the data packets.

Claims

1. A method in a communication system, comprising:

measuring channel quality of multiple links in the communication system;

selecting a link of the multiple links based on the channel quality;

periodically transmitting a quality indicator, wherein the quality indicator maps to a transmission data rate; and

receiving data as a function of the quality indicator.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein periodically transmitting a quality indicator comprises:

identifying a transmitter associated with the selected link.

3. The method as in claim 2, wherein periodically transmitting a quality indicator comprises:

covering the quality indicator to identify the transmitter associated with the selected link.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein a modulation format corresponds to the transmission data rate.

5. The method as in claim 4, wherein the quality indicator is an index, wherein the index specifies a modulation format and a transmission data rate.

6. The method as in claim 5, further comprising:

determining a transmission data rate based on the channel quality;

determining a modulation format as a function of the transmission data rate;

determining a quality indicator as a function of the transmission data rate and the modulation format; and

covering the quality indicator with a cover code to identify the selected link.

7. The method as in claim 6, wherein the cover code is a Walsh code.

8. The method as in claim 6, wherein periodically transmitting the quality indicator comprises:

transmitting the quality indicator to a transmitter associated with the selected link.

9. The method as in claim 6, wherein selecting a link of the multiple links comprises:

periodically selecting a link of the multiple links.

10. The method as in claim 9, wherein the period for selecting the link is equal to the period for transmitting a quality indicator.

11. The method as in claim 1, wherein the selected link is a link having the highest Carrier-to-Interference (C/I).

12. The method as in claim 1, wherein the quality indicator maps to a packet format.

13. The method as in claim 1, wherein measuring channel quality comprises:

measuring Carrier-to-Interference (C/I) of a reference signal for data rate control.

14. The method as in claim 13, wherein measuring channel quality further comprises:

quantizing the Carrier-to-Interference (C/I) measurement.

15. The method as in claim 14, wherein measuring channel quality further comprises:

mapping the Carrier-to-Interference (C/I) measurement to a quality indicator.

16. The method as in claim 1, wherein the selected link is maintained for a predetermined time period.

17. The method as in claim 16, wherein the selected link is maintained for a predetermined number of time slots.

18. The method as in claim 1, wherein the selected link is changed if another link has a channel quality which exceeds the channel quality of the selected link by a hysteresis value.

19. An apparatus for a wireless communication system, comprising:

means for measuring channel quality of multiple links in the communication system;

means for selecting a link of the multiple links based on the channel quality;

means for periodically transmitting a quality indicator, wherein the quality indicator maps to a transmission data rate; and

means for receiving data as a function of the quality indicator.

20. The apparatus as in claim 19, wherein the means for periodically transmitting a quality indicator comprises:

means for identifying a transmitter associated with the selected link.

21. The apparatus as in claim 20, wherein the means for periodically transmitting a quality indicator comprises:

means for covering the quality indicator to identify the transmitter associated with the selected link.

22. The apparatus as in claim 19, wherein a modulation format corresponds to the transmission data rate.

23. The apparatus as in claim 22, wherein the quality indicator is an index, wherein the index specifies a modulation format and a transmission data rate.

24. The apparatus as in claim 23, further comprising:

means for determining a transmission data rate based on the channel quality;

means for determining a modulation format as a function of the transmission data rate;

means for determining a quality indicator as a function of the transmission data rate and modulation format; and

means for covering the quality indicator with a cover code to identify the selected link.

25. The apparatus as in claim 24, wherein the cover code is a Walsh code.

26. The apparatus as in claim 24, wherein the means for periodically transmitting the quality indicator comprises:

means for transmitting the quality indicator to a transmitter associated with the selected link.

27. The apparatus as in claim 24, wherein the means for selecting a link of the multiple links comprises:

means for periodically selecting a link of the multiple links.

28. The apparatus as in claim 27, wherein the period for selecting the link is equal to the period for transmitting a quality indicator.

29. The apparatus as in claim 19, wherein the selected link is the link having the highest Carrier-to-Interference (C/I).

30. The apparatus as in claim 19, wherein the quality indicator maps to a packet format.

31. The apparatus as in claim 19, wherein the means for measuring channel quality comprises:

means for measuring Carrier-to-Interference (C/I) of a reference signal for data rate control.

32. The apparatus as in claim 31, wherein the means for measuring channel quality further comprises:

means for quantizing the Carrier-to-Interference (C/l) measurement.

33. The apparatus as in claim 32, wherein the means for measuring channel quality further comprises:

means for mapping the Carrier-to-Interference (C/I) measurement to a quality indicator.

34. The apparatus as in claim 19, wherein the selected link is maintained for a predetermined number of time slots.

35. The apparatus as in claim 19, wherein the selected link is changed if another link has a channel quality which exceeds the channel quality of the selected link by a hysteresis value.

36. The apparatus of any of claims 19 to 35, wherein the apparatus is a computer program product to increase data throughput and efficiency when coupled to a computing device.

37. A computer program product for a communication system, comprising:

first plurality of instructions for measuring channel quality of multiple links in the communication system;

second plurality of instructions for selecting a link of the multiple links based on the channel quality;

third plurality of instructions for periodically transmitting a quality indicator, wherein the quality indicator maps to a transmission data rate; and

fourth plurality of instructions for receiving data as a function of the quality indicator.