ACCOMMODATING WIDEBAND AND NARROWBAND COMMUNICATION DEVICES

• US 20080069060A1
• Filed: 09/17/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Das, Arnab, Anigstein, Pablo Alejandro
• Granted Patent: US 8,335,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/337
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/023 Multiplexing of multicarrier modulation signals multicarrier modulation H04L27/2601
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/06 the signals being represented by different frequencies combined with time-division multiplexing H04L5/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate supporting narrowband and wideband operation within a wideband wireless communication environment. For example, wideband operation can be enhanced by enabling faster communication of information as compared to narrowband operation, transfer of supplemental data available to wideband devices, and the like. Pursuant to another example, timing of information transfer can be scheduled over a plurality of subbands to enable a narrowband device to obtain a set of information over one of the subbands during a set of time intervals, while a wideband device can receive the set of information over the plurality of subbands during a reduced set of time intervals.

Claims

1. A method that facilitates communicating information to narrowband and wideband devices in a wideband wireless environment, comprising:

transmitting a set of information units for a narrowband wireless terminal via a first subband, the set of information units being transmitted during a first set of time intervals; and

transmitting the set of information units for a wideband wireless terminal via a plurality of subbands that includes the first subband, the set of information units being transmitted during a second set of the time intervals that includes fewer time intervals than the first set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of information units transmitted via the first subband enables the narrowband wireless terminal to decode the set of information units.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of information units transmitted via the plurality of subbands enables the wideband wireless terminal to decode the set of information units.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting an information unit from the set of information units over the first subband during a first time interval, wherein the set of information units are transmitted over the first subband during the first set of time intervals; and

transmitting the information unit over a differing second subband during a disparate second time interval, wherein the set of information units are transmitted over the second subband during the first set of time intervals.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising scheduling staggered transmission of the set of information units between subbands so as to mitigate repetition of a particular information unit over differing subbands during a common time interval.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising inhibiting transmission over subbands other than the first subband during time intervals in the first set of time intervals other than the time intervals in the second set.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring supplemental data over subbands other than the first subband during time intervals in the first set of time intervals other than the time intervals in the second set.

8. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that retains instructions related to sending a set of information units over a first subband during a first set of time periods and sending the set of information units over a plurality of subbands that includes the first subband during a second set of the time periods, the second set includes fewer time periods than the first set; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, configured to execute the instructions retained in the memory.

9. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory further retains instructions for sending an information unit from the set of information units over the first subband during a first time period and sending the information unit over a differing second subband during a disparate second time period.

10. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 9, wherein the set of information units are transmitted over the second subband during the first set of time periods.

11. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory further retains instructions for staggering transmission of the set of information units between subbands so as to mitigate repetition of a particular information unit over disparate subbands during a common time period.

12. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory further retains instructions for mitigating interference by scheduling a lack of transmission over subbands other than the first subband during time periods in the first set of time periods other than the time periods in the second set.

13. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory further retains instructions for sending complimentary data over subbands other than the first subband during time periods in the first set of time periods other than the time periods in the second set.

14. A wireless communications apparatus that enables supporting wideband and narrowband wireless communication devices, comprising:

means for transferring a set of information units via a first subband during a first set of time intervals; and

means for transferring the set of information units via a plurality of subbands, which includes the first subband, during a second set of the time intervals that includes fewer time intervals than the first set.

15. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 14, further comprising means for staggering transmission of the set of information units between subbands to mitigate concurrent transfer of a particular information unit over differing subbands.

16. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 14, further comprising means for transferring the set of information units via a second subband during the first set of time intervals, wherein differing information units are transferred via the first subband and the second subband at each time interval.

17. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 14, further comprising means for inhibiting transfer over subbands other than the first subband during time intervals in the first set of time intervals other than those in the second set.

18. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 14, further comprising means for transferring complimentary data over subbands other than the first subband during time intervals in the first set of time intervals other than those in the second set.

19. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-executable instructions for:

transmitting a set of information units via a first subband during a first set of time intervals; and

transmitting the set of information units via a plurality of subbands, which includes the first subband, during a second set of the time intervals that includes a reduced number of time intervals in comparison to the first set.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, the machine-executable instructions further comprise:

transmitting an information unit from the set of information units over the first subband during a first time interval, wherein the set of information units are transmitted over the first subband during the first set of time intervals; and

transmitting the information unit over a differing second subband during a disparate second time interval, wherein the set of information units are transmitted over the second subband during the first set of time intervals.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, the machine-executable instructions further comprise staggering transmission of the set of information units between subbands to mitigate concurrent transmission of a particular information unit over disparate subbands.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, the machine-executable instructions further comprise inhibiting transmission over subbands other than the first subband during time intervals in the first set of time intervals other than the time intervals in the second set.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, the machine-executable instructions further comprise transferring supplemental data over subbands other than the first subband during time intervals in the first set of time intervals other than the time intervals in the second set.

24. In a wireless communication system, an apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

transfer a set of information units for a narrowband wireless terminal via a first subband during a first set of time intervals; and

transfer the set of information units for a wideband wireless terminal via a plurality of subbands, which includes the first subband, the set of information units being transferred during a reduced second set of the time intervals that includes fewer time intervals than the first set.