Method and apparatus for high rate packet data transmission

• US 20070025321A1
• 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 7,499,427 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/347
• 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 wireless communication system, comprising:

measuring channel quality of a link in the communication system;

transmitting a quality indicator by use of an absolute reference and a relative reference, 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 the absolute reference identifies a transmission data rate.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the relative reference indicates whether the transmission data rate for an upcoming time slot is higher or lower than the transmission data rate of a previous time slot.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein the relative reference indicates whether the transmission data rate for an upcoming time slot is higher or lower than, or the same as the transmission data rate of a previous time slot.

5. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

determining a supported data rate based on the channel quality; and

transmitting the absolute reference to request transmission at the supported data rate.

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

transmitting the relative reference to indicate whether to increase or decrease the supported data rate.

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

transmitting the relative reference to indicate whether to increase, decrease or maintain the supported data rate.

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein the quality indicator is a data rate control index value.

9. The method as in claim 8, wherein the data rate control index value corresponds to a maximum data rate.

10. The method as in claim 8, wherein the data rate control index value specifies a modulation format.

11. The method as in claim 1, wherein the quality indicator corresponds to a bit error rate.

12. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

determining a quality indicator as a function of a desired error rate.

13. The method as in claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting a negative acknowledge message when expected data is missing.

14. The method as in claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting a negative acknowledge message when data is received in error.

15. The method as in claim 14, further comprising:

determining an error rate using knowledge of the negative acknowledge message transmitted.

16. The method as in claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a retransmission in response to the negative acknowledge message.

17. An apparatus for a communication system, comprising:

means for measuring channel quality of a link in the communication system;

means for transmitting a quality indicator by use of an absolute reference and a relative reference, wherein the quality indicator maps to a transmission data rate; and

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

18. The apparatus as in claim 17, wherein the absolute reference identifies a transmission data rate.

19. The apparatus as in claim 17, wherein the relative reference indicates whether the transmission data rate for an upcoming time slot is higher or lower than the transmission data rate of a previous time slot.

20. The apparatus as in claim 17, wherein the relative reference indicates whether the transmission data rate for an upcoming time slot is higher or lower than, or the same as the transmission data rate of a previous time slot.

21. The apparatus as in claim 17, further comprising:

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

means for transmitting the absolute reference to request transmission at the supported data rate.

22. The apparatus as in claim 21, further comprising:

means for transmitting the relative reference to indicate whether to increase or decrease the supported data rate.

23. The apparatus as in claim 22, further comprising:

means for transmitting the relative reference to indicate whether to increase, decrease or maintain the supported data rate.

24. The apparatus as in claim 17, wherein the quality indicator is a data rate control index value.

25. The apparatus as in claim 24, wherein the data rate control index value corresponds to a maximum data rate.

26. The apparatus as in claim 24, wherein the data rate control index value specifies a modulation format.

27. The apparatus as in claim 17, wherein the quality indicator corresponds to a bit error rate.

28. The apparatus as in claim 17, further comprising:

means for determining a quality indicator as a function of desired error rate.

29. The apparatus as in claim 28, further comprising:

means for transmitting a negative acknowledge message when expected data is missing.

30. The apparatus as in claim 28, further comprising:

means for transmitting at least one negative acknowledge message when data is received in error.

31. The apparatus as in claim 30, further comprising:

means for determining an error rate using knowledge of the at least one negative acknowledge message transmitted.

32. The apparatus as in claim 31, further comprising:

means for receiving a retransmission in response to the at least one negative acknowledge message.

33. The apparatus of any of claims 17 to 32, wherein the apparatus is a computer program product to increase data throughput and efficiency when coupled to a computing device.

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

first plurality of instructions for measuring channel quality of a link in the communication system;

second plurality of instructions for transmitting a quality indicator by use of an absolute reference and a relative reference, wherein the quality indicator maps to a transmission data rate; and

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