Uplink resource allocation to control intercell interference in a wireless communication system

• US 20070042784A1
• Filed: 08/22/2005
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: IPWireless Inc. (NVIDIA Corporation)
• Inventors: Anderson, Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 8,023,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/24 with feedback of measurements to the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/006 Quality of the received signal, e.g. BER, SNR, water filling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0073 Allocation arrangements that take into account other cell interferences for intercell interference mitigation or co-ordination in orthogonal multiplex systems H04J11/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/34 TPC management, i.e. sharing limited amount of power among users or channels or data types, e.g. cell loading
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention exploit the reciprocity of radio channels in TDD, and longer-term correlation between average uplink and downlink path losses in FDD wireless communication systems to enable distributed schedulers in an enhanced uplink system to allocate uplink transmission resources while preemptively managing intercell interference levels. Each cell'"'"'s base station transmits a downlink reference signal at a known transmission power level. A mobile station monitors the received signal strength of the downlink reference signals from multiple base stations. The transmitted and received signal strength levels can be used by the mobile station to estimate the amount of intercell interference that the mobile station'"'"'s uplink transmissions cause, and the mobile station'"'"'s uplink transmission parameters are adjusted accordingly. In further embodiments, the received reference signal power levels, or values derived therefrom, are transmitted by the mobile station to its serving base station, where a scheduling algorithm uses the information to adjust one or more transmission parameters relating to a grant of uplink transmission resources to the UE, thereby controlling the intercell interference generated by the mobile station'"'"'s uplink transmissions.

Claims

1. A method for allocating uplink transmission resources in a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile station, a plurality of reference signal transmissions transmitted at a respective plurality of transmission power levels by a respective plurality of base stations;

measuring, by the mobile station, a respective plurality of received signal power levels corresponding to the plurality of reference signal transmissions;

transmitting, by the mobile station, information based upon the plurality of measured, received signal power levels; and

receiving, by the mobile station, an uplink transmission resource parameter grant, based at least in part on the information transmitted by the mobile station.

2. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for allocating uplink transmission resources in a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile station, a plurality of reference signal transmissions transmitted at a respective plurality of transmission power levels by a respective plurality of base stations;

measuring, by the mobile station, a respective plurality of received signal power levels corresponding to the plurality of reference signal transmissions;

transmitting, by the mobile station, information based upon the plurality of the measured, received signal power levels; and

receiving, by the mobile station, a grant of an uplink transmission resource parameter grant, based at least in part on the information transmitted by the mobile station.

3. A mobile station for a wireless communication system, comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of reference signal transmissions transmitted at a respective plurality of transmission power levels by a respective plurality of base stations;

means for measuring a respective plurality of received signal power levels corresponding to the plurality of reference signal transmissions;

means for transmitting information based upon the plurality of the measured, received signal power levels; and

means for receiving an uplink transmission resource parameter grand, based at least in part on the information transmitted, above.

4. A method for allocating uplink transmission resources in a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile station, a plurality of reference signal transmissions transmitted at a respective plurality of transmission power levels by a respective plurality of base stations;

measuring, by the mobile station, a plurality of received signal power levels for the respective plurality of reference signal transmissions; and

calculating, by the mobile station, a corresponding first plurality of figures of merit based upon a first relationship of each of the plurality of the measured, received signal power levels and a respective each of the plurality of transmission power levels.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising calculating, by the mobile station, a second figure of merit based upon a second relationship of at least two of the first plurality of figures of merit.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising decoding, by the mobile station, the plurality of transmission power levels from the respective plurality of reference signal transmissions.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving, by the mobile station, the plurality of transmission power levels from one of the plurality of base stations.

8. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for allocating uplink transmission resources in a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile station, a plurality of reference signal transmissions transmitted at a respective plurality of transmission power levels by a respective plurality of base stations;

measuring, by the mobile station, a plurality of received signal power levels for the respective plurality of reference signal transmissions; and

calculating, by the mobile station, a corresponding first plurality of figures of merit based upon a first relationship of each of the plurality of the measured, received signal power levels and a respective each of the plurality of transmission power levels.

9. A mobile station for a wireless communication system, comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of reference signal transmissions transmitted at a respective plurality of transmission power levels by a respective plurality of base stations;

means for measuring a plurality of received signal power levels for the respective plurality of signal code power level transmissions; and

means for calculating a corresponding first plurality of figures of merit based upon a first relationship of each of the plurality of the measured, received signal power levels and a respective each of the plurality of transmission power levels.

10. A method for allocating uplink transmission resources in a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving, by a base station, an uplink data transmission from a mobile station, indicating receiving, by the mobile station, a plurality of reference signal transmissions transmitted at a respective plurality of transmission power levels by a respective plurality of base stations;

receiving, by the base station, a plurality of received signal power levels, measured by the mobile station, for the respective plurality of reference signal transmissions received by the mobile station;

calculating, by the mobile station, a corresponding first plurality of figures of merit based upon a first relationship of each of the plurality of the received signal power level measurements and a respective each of a plurality of transmission power levels.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising calculating, by the mobile station, a second figure of merit based upon a second relationship of at least two of the first plurality of figures of merit and granting, by the base station, a parameter for an uplink transmission resource to the mobile station, responsive to the second relationship.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein an uplink transmission parameter comprises at least one of (i) data rate, (ii) uplink transmission power, (iii) degree or nature of forward error correction, (iv) modulation format, or (v) code resource usage.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless communication system is described by a Third Generation partnership project Universal Mobile Telecommunication Standard, the base station is a Node-B, the mobile station is a UE, and the Node-B further comprises an uplink scheduler for granting uplink transmission parameters to the mobile station within a MAC-e.

14. The method of claim 10 in which the uplink scheduler estimates an interfering signal power level to a neighboring cell, of a hypothetical grant of uplink resources before making an uplink resource grant.

15. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for allocating uplink transmission resources in a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving, by a base station, an uplink data transmission from a mobile station, indicating receiving, by the mobile station, a plurality of reference signal transmissions transmitted at a respective plurality of transmission power levels by a respective plurality of base stations;

receiving, by the base station, a plurality of received signal power levels, measured by the mobile station, for the respective plurality of reference signal transmissions received by the mobile station; and

calculating, by the mobile station, a corresponding first plurality of figures of merit based upon a first relationship of each of the plurality of the received signal power level measurements and a respective each of a plurality of transmission power levels.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 having computer-executable instructions for performing a method, further comprising:

calculating, by the mobile station, a second figure of merit based upon a second relationship of at least two of the first plurality of figures of merit and granting, by the base station, a parameter for an uplink transmission resource the mobile station, responsive to the second relationship, wherein an uplink transmission parameter comprises at least one of (i) data rate, (ii) uplink transmission power, (iii) degree or nature of forward error correction, (iv) modulation format, or (v) code resource usage.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication system is described by a Third Generation partnership project Universal Mobile Telecommunication Standard, the base station is a Node-B, the mobile station is a UE, and the Node-B further comprises an uplink scheduler for granting a parameter for an uplink transmission resource to the mobile station within a MAC-e.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, in which the uplink scheduler estimates an interfering signal power level to a neighboring cell, of a hypothetical grant of uplink resources before making an uplink resource grant.

19. A base station for a wireless communication system, comprising:

means for receiving an uplink data transmission from a mobile station, indicating receiving, by the mobile station, a plurality of reference signal transmissions transmitted at a respective plurality of transmission power levels by a respective plurality of base stations;

means for receiving by the base station, a plurality of received signal power levels, measured by the mobile station, for the respective plurality of reference signal transmissions received by the base station; and

means for calculating by the mobile station, a corresponding first plurality of figures of merit based upon a first relationship of each of the plurality of the received signal power level measurements and a respective each of a plurality of transmission power levels.

20. A method for allocating uplink transmission parameters in a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile station, a plurality of reference signal transmissions transmitted at a respective plurality of transmission power levels by a respective plurality of base stations;

measuring, by the mobile station, a respective plurality of received signal power levels corresponding to the plurality of reference signal transmissions;

transmitting, by the mobile station, information based upon the plurality of the measured, received signal power levels associated with the respective plurality of reference signal transmissions;

receiving, by one of the plurality of base stations, an uplink data transmission from the mobile station, indicating a figure of merit derived by the mobile station and based at least in part upon measurements of received signal power levels for a plurality of reference signal transmissions from a respective plurality of base stations, as measured by the mobile station;

granting, by the one of the plurality of base stations, an uplink transmission resource parameter to the mobile station, responsive to the figure of merit; and

receiving, by the mobile station, the uplink transmission resource parameter.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the uplink transmission resource parameter comprises at least one of (i) data rate, (ii) uplink transmission power, (iii) degree or nature of forward error correction, (iv) modulation format, or (v) code resource usage.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the wireless communication system is described by a Third Generation partnership project Universal Mobile Telecommunication Standard, the base station is a Node-B, the mobile station is a UE, and the Node-B further comprises an uplink scheduler for granting the uplink transmission resource parameter to the mobile station within a MAC-e.

23. The method of claim 22 in which the uplink scheduler estimates an interfering signal power level to a neighboring cell, of a hypothetical grant of uplink resources before making an uplink resource grant.

24. A wireless communication system comprising:

means for receiving, by a mobile station, a plurality of reference signal transmissions transmitted at a respective plurality of transmission power levels by a respective plurality of base stations;

means for measuring, by the mobile station, a respective plurality of received signal power levels corresponding to the plurality of reference signal transmissions;

means for transmitting, by the mobile station, information based upon the plurality of received signal power levels associated with the respective plurality of reference signal transmissions;

means for receiving, by a base station, an uplink data transmission from the mobile station, indicating a figure of merit derived by the mobile station and based at least in part upon measurements of received signal power levels for a plurality of reference signal transmissions from a respective plurality of base stations, as measured by the mobile station; and

means for granting, by the base station, an uplink transmission resource parameter to the mobile station, responsive to the figure of merit; and

means for receiving, by the mobile station, the uplink transmission resource parameter grant.

25. The wireless communication system of claim 24, wherein an uplink transmission resource parameter comprises at least one of (i) data rate, (ii) uplink transmission power, (iii) degree or nature of forward error correction, (iv) modulation format, or (v) code resource usage.

26. The wireless communication system of claim 24, wherein the wireless communication system is described by a Third Generation partnership project Universal Mobile Telecommunication Standard, the base station is a Node-B, the mobile station is a UE, and the Node-B further comprises an uplink scheduler for granting a parameter for an uplink transmission resource to the mobile station within a MAC-e.

27. The wireless communication system of claim 26, further comprising means by which the uplink scheduler estimates an interfering signal power level to a neighboring cell, of a hypothetical grant of uplink resources before making an uplink resource grant.

28. A method for allocating uplink transmission resources in a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile station, a reference signal transmission transmitted at a transmission power level by a base stations;

measuring, by the mobile station, a received signal power level corresponding to the reference signal transmission;

estimating, by the mobile station, an interference power level for the reference signal transmission; and

adjusting, by the mobile station, an uplink transmission resource parameter responsive to a relationship of the received signal power level and the interference power estimate.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the interference power level is estimated by a relationship of serving cell path gain and strongest neighbor cell path gain.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the mobile station measures the received signal power of the reference signal, and estimates an interference power level by using a relationship of the received signal and a signal extracted from the received signal.

29. A mobile station for a wireless communication system, comprising:

means for receiving a reference signal transmission transmitted at a transmission power level by a base stations;

means for measuring a received signal power level corresponding to the reference signal transmission;

means for estimating an interference power level for the reference signal transmission;

means for adjusting an uplink transmission resource parameter responsive to a relationship of the received signal power level and the interference power estimate.

32. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for allocating uplink transmission resources in a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile station, a reference signal transmission transmitted at a transmission power level by a base station;

measuring, by the mobile station, a received signal power level corresponding to the reference signal transmission;

estimating, by the mobile station, an interference power level for the reference signal transmission;

adjusting, by the mobile station, an uplink transmission resource parameter responsive to a relationship of the received signal power level and the interference power estimate.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, further comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the method, wherein the interference power level is estimated by a relationship of serving cell path gain and strongest neighbor cell path gain.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, further comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the method, wherein the mobile station constructs a noise-free version of one of the at least one of the plurality of reference signals, calculates the power of the noise-free version, and estimates interference power level by a relationship of the noise-free version power level and the measured, received power level of the reference signal.

35. A method for allocating uplink transmission resources in a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile station, a reference signal transmission transmitted at a transmission power level by a base station;

measuring, by the mobile station, a received signal power level corresponding to the reference signal transmission;

estimating, by the mobile station, an interference power level for the reference signal transmission;

transmitting, by the mobile station, information based upon the received reference signal power level associated with the reference signal transmission and the interference power level associated with the reference signal transmission; and

receiving, by the mobile station, an uplink transmission resource parameter grant, based on the information that was transmitted by the mobile station.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the interference power level is estimated by a relationship of serving cell path gain and strongest neighbor cell path gain.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the mobile station measures the received signal power of the reference signal, and estimates an interference power level by using a relationship of the received signal and a signal extracted from the received signal.

36. A mobile station for a wireless communication system, comprising:

means for receiving a reference signal transmission transmitted at a transmission power level by a base station;

means for measuring a received signal power level corresponding to the reference signal transmission;

means for estimating an interference power level for the reference signal transmission;

means for transmitting information based upon the received reference signal power level associated with the reference signal transmission and the interference power level associated with the reference signal transmission; and

means for receiving an uplink transmission resource parameter grant, based on the information that was transmitted by the mobile station.

37. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for allocating uplink transmission resources in a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile station, a reference signal transmission transmitted at a transmission power level by a base station;

measuring, by the mobile station, a received signal power level corresponding to the reference signal transmission;

estimating, by the mobile station, an interference power level for the reference signal transmission; and

transmitting, by the mobile station, information based upon the received reference signal power level associated with the reference signal transmission and the interference power level associated with the reference signal transmission;

receiving, by the mobile station, an uplink transmission resource parameter grant, based on the information that was transmitted by the mobile station.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 37 having computer-executable instructions for performing a method, wherein the interference power level is estimated by a relationship of serving cell path gain and strongest neighbor cell path gain.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 37 having computer-executable instructions for performing a method, wherein the mobile station measures the received signal power of the reference signal, and estimates an interference power level by using a relationship of the received signal and a signal extracted from the received signal.