Method and apparatus for high rate packet data transmission

• US 20070066235A1
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• 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 8,005,042 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.130
• 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. An apparatus for a communication system, comprising:

means for periodically receiving a quality indicator indicative of a quality of a link in the communication system; and

means for determining a transmission format for data transmission as a function of the quality indicator received.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmission format includes a packet length.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the transmission format includes a number of time slots per packet.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for determining a transmission data rate as a function of the quality indicator.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the means for determining a transmission format is further configured to select a packet length based in part on the transmission data rate.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 or 5, wherein the means for determining a transmission format is further configured to select a number of time slots per packet based in part on the transmission data rate.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the means for determining a transmission format is further configured to select a modulation format based in part on the transmission data rate.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the means for determining a transmission format is further configured to select a channel coding scheme based in part on the transmission data rate.

9. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the means for determining a transmission format is further configured to transmit data in a multi-slot packet if the transmission data rate is less than a threshold.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a number of time slots associated with the multi-slot packet is a function of the transmission data rate.

11. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the means for determining a transmission format is further configured to transmit data in a plurality of packets if the transmission data rate is greater than a threshold.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a number of packets associated with the data transmission is a function of the transmission data rate.

13. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the transmission data rate corresponds to a requested data rate contained in the quality indicator.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the quality indicator maps to an index.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the transmission format corresponds to the index.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the transmission format comprises a combination of traffic channel parameters.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for receiving is further configured to receive the quality indicator over a time period less than or equal 2 milliseconds.

18. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 17, wherein the apparatus is a computer program product configured to increase data throughput and efficiency in the communication system, when coupled to a computing device.

19. A method in a communication system, comprising:

receiving, periodically, a quality indicator indicative of a quality of a link in the communication system; and

determining a transmission format for data transmission as a function of the quality indicator received.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the transmission format includes a packet length.

21. The method of claim 19 or 20, wherein the transmission format includes a number of time slots per packet.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising determining a transmission data rate as a function of the quality indicator.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the determining a transmission format further comprises selecting a packet length based in part on the transmission data rate.

24. The method of claim 22 or 23, wherein the determining a transmission format further comprises selecting a number of time slots per packet based in part on the transmission data rate.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the determining a transmission format further comprises selecting a modulation format based in part on the transmission data rate.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the determining a transmission format further comprises selecting a channel coding scheme based in part on the transmission data rate.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the determining a transmission format further comprises transmitting data in a multi-slot packet if the transmission data rate is less than a threshold.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein a number of time slots associated with the multi-slot packet is a function of the transmission data rate.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the determining a transmission format further comprises transmitting data in a plurality of packets if the transmission data rate is greater than a threshold.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein a number of packets associated with the data transmission is a function of the transmission data rate.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein the transmission data rate corresponds to a requested data rate contained in the quality indicator.

32. The method of claim 19, wherein the quality indicator maps to an index.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the transmission format corresponds to the index.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the transmission format comprises a combination of traffic channel parameters.

35. The method of claim 19, further comprising receiving the quality indicator over a time period less than or equal 2 milliseconds.

36. An apparatus for a communication system, comprising:

means for periodically transmitting a quality indicator indicative of a quality of a link in the communication system; and

means for receiving data in a transmission format being a function of the quality indicator.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the transmission format includes a packet length.

38. The apparatus of claim 36 or 37, wherein the transmission format includes a number of time slots per packet.

39. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the means for receiving is further configured to receive the data at a data rate corresponding to the quality indicator.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the data rate corresponds to a requested data rate contained in the quality indicator.

41. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the transmission format corresponds to the data rate.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the data rate is less than a threshold, and wherein the means for receiving is further configured to receive the data in a multi-slot packet.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein a number of time slots associated with the multi-slot packet is a function of the data rate.

44. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the data rate is greater than a threshold, and wherein the means for receiving is further configured to receive the data in a plurality of packets.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein a number of packets associated with the data transmission is a function of the data rate.

46. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising means for mapping the quality indicator to an index.

47. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the transmission format corresponds to the index.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the transmission format comprises a combination of traffic channel parameters.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the combination of traffic channel parameters includes at least one of a packet length, a number of time slots per packet, a modulation format, and a channel coding scheme.

50. The method of claim 36, wherein the means for transmitting is further configured to transmit the quality indicator over a time period less than or equal 2 milliseconds.

51. The apparatus of any of claims 36 to 50, wherein the apparatus is a computer program product configured to increase data throughput and efficiency in the communication system, when coupled to a computing device.

52. A method in a communication system, comprising:

transmitting, periodically, a quality indicator indicative of a quality of a link in the communication system; and

receiving data in a transmission format as a function of the quality indicator.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the transmission format includes a packet length.

54. The method of claim 52 or 53, wherein the transmission format includes a number of time slots per packet.

55. The method of claim 52, further comprising receiving the data at a data rate corresponding to the quality indicator.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the data rate corresponds to a requested data rate contained in the quality indicator.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein the transmission format corresponds to the data rate.

58. The method of claim 57, further comprising receiving the data in a multi-slot packet, wherein the data rate is less than a threshold.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein a number of time slots associated with the multi-slot packet is a function of the data rate.

60. The method of claim 57, further comprising receiving the data in a plurality of packets, wherein the data rate is greater than a threshold.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein a number of packets associated with the data transmission is a function of the data rate.

62. The method of claim 52, further comprising mapping the quality indicator to an index.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the transmission format corresponds to the index.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the transmission format comprises a combination of traffic channel parameters.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the combination of traffic channel parameters includes at least one of a packet length, a number of time slots per packet, a modulation format, and a channel coding scheme.

66. The method of claim 52, further comprising transmitting the quality indicator over a time period less than or equal 2 milliseconds.

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

instructions for periodically receiving a quality indicator indicative of a quality of a link in the communication system; and

instructions for determining a transmission format for data transmission as a function of the quality indicator received.

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

instructions for periodically transmitting a quality indicator indicative of a quality of a link in the communication system; and

instructions for receiving data in a transmission format being a function of the quality indicator.