DISJOINT AND COMMON LINK OPERATION IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20070161389A1
• Filed: 01/04/2007
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Khandekar, Aamod
• Granted Patent: US 8,135,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/517
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00 Hand-off or reselection arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel

Abstract

Techniques for supporting communication with disjoint links and common links are described. A sector may broadcast an overhead message and/or send unicast messages to indicate whether the sector supports disjoint links. A terminal may receive at least one message indicating whether disjoint links are supported by at least one sector. When disjoint links are supported, a forward link (FL) serving sector and a reverse link (RL) serving sector may be independently selected for the terminal. When disjoint links are not supported, a single sector may be selected as both the FL and RL serving sectors for the terminal. Handoff of the terminal may be performed independently for the forward and reverse links if disjoint links are supported and may be performed jointly if disjoint links are not supported.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to generate information indicative of whether a sector supports disjoint links for communication and to send a message indicating whether disjoint links are supported by the sector; and

a memory coupled to the processor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the message is a bit sent on an overhead channel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the message is a unicast message sent to a terminal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to instruct serving a terminal for only forward link, or only reverse link, or both the forward and reverse links if disjoint links are supported.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to instruct serving a terminal for both forward and reverse links if disjoint links are not supported.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to instruct performing handoff of a terminal independently for forward and reverse links if disjoint links are supported.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to instruct performing handoff of a terminal jointly for forward and reverse links if disjoint links are not supported.

8. A method comprising:

determining whether a sector supports disjoint links for communication; and

sending a message indicating whether disjoint links are supported by the sector.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sending the message comprises

sending on an overhead channel a bit indicating whether disjoint links are supported by the sector.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

serving a terminal for only forward link, or only reverse link, or both the forward and reverse links if disjoint links are supported; and

serving the terminal for both the forward and reverse links if disjoint links are not supported.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

performing handoff of a terminal independently for forward and reverse links if disjoint links are supported; and

performing handoff of the terminal jointly for the forward and reverse links if disjoint links are not supported.

12. An apparatus comprising:

means for determining whether a sector supports disjoint links for communication; and

means for sending a message indicating whether disjoint links are supported by the sector.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the means for sending the message comprises

means for sending on an overhead channel a bit indicating whether disjoint links are supported by the sector.

14. A computer-readable medium including code stored thereon, comprising:

code for determining whether a sector supports disjoint links for communication; and

code for sending a message indicating whether disjoint links are supported by the sector.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to receive at least one message indicating whether disjoint links are supported and to determine at least one serving sector for a terminal for forward and reverse links based on whether disjoint links are supported; and

a memory coupled to the processor.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to receive the at least one message from at least one sector, each message comprising a bit indicating whether disjoint links are supported by a sector sending the message.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to receive the at least one message from at least one sector, each message being a unicast message sent by a sector to the terminal and indicating whether disjoint links are supported by the sector sending the message.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein at least one message comprises a message to update an active set for the terminal, the message indicating whether each sector in the active set supports disjoint links.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the terminal supports disjoint links.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to independently select a forward link serving sector and a reverse link serving sector for the terminal if disjoint links are supported.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to select a single serving sector for the terminal for both the forward and reverse links if disjoint links are not supported.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to perform handoff of the terminal independently for the forward and reverse links if disjoint links are supported.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to perform handoff of the terminal jointly for the forward and reverse links if disjoint links are not supported.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to obtain an indication of a change in a serving sector for a first link and to change a serving sector for a second link to the serving sector for the first link.

25. A method comprising:

receiving at least one message indicating whether disjoint links are supported; and

determining at least one serving sector for a terminal for forward and reverse links based on whether disjoint links are supported.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the receiving the at least one message comprises receiving, from each of at least one sector, a bit indicating whether disjoint links are supported by the sector sending the bit.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

independently selecting a forward link serving sector and a reverse link serving sector for the terminal if disjoint links are supported; and

selecting a single serving sector for the terminal for both the forward and reverse links if disjoint links are not supported.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

performing handoff of the terminal independently for the forward and reverse links if disjoint links are supported; and

performing handoff of the terminal jointly for the forward and reverse links if disjoint links are not supported.

29. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving at least one message indicating whether disjoint links are supported; and

means for determining at least one serving sector for a terminal for forward and reverse links based on whether disjoint links are supported.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the means for receiving the at least one message comprises means for receiving, from each of at least one sector, a bit indicating whether disjoint links are supported by the sector sending the bit.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

means for independently selecting a forward link serving sector and a reverse link serving sector for the terminal if disjoint links are supported; and

means for selecting a single serving sector for the terminal for both the forward and reverse links if disjoint links are not supported.

32. A computer-readable medium including code stored thereon, comprising:

code for receiving at least one message indicating whether disjoint links are supported; and

code for determining at least one serving sector for a terminal for forward and reverse links based on whether disjoint links are supported.