Method and Apparatus for Hashing Over Multiple Frequency Bands in a Communication System

• US 20100144361A1
• Filed: 02/17/2010
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gholmieh, Aziz, Sinnarajah, Ragulan, Gaal, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,095,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA

Abstract

Method and apparatus for hashing mobile stations to frequencies in a communication system. The method uses two-level hashing to assign a mobile station first to a frequency band and then to a specific frequency within the frequency band. Embodiments allow for weights to be assigned to frequencies and mobiles hashed to the weighted frequencies. Weighting allows for a non-uniform distribution of mobile stations among frequencies to optimize system operating parameters.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

hashing a mobile station to a frequency band; and

hashing the mobile station to a specific frequency within the frequency band.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing a different length registration period for different classes of mobile stations.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

placing mobile stations into classes, wherein the classes comprise regular and limited mobility classes; and

allowing a longer registration period for mobile stations in the limited mobility class.

4. A method comprising:

hashing a mobile station to a frequency band using inter-band hashing, wherein the inter-band hashing is based on a message.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

wherein the message includes a list of frequencies.

6. A method comprising:

sending a message from a first device to a second device;

receiving information in the message at the first device;

hashing the first device to a frequency band based on the information in the message.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

wherein the message contains information about protocol revisions supported by the first device.

8. A method comprising:

assigning a weight to each frequency within a frequency band;

hashing a mobile station to a frequency based on the weight assigned to the frequency; and

distributing mobile stations across frequencies based on the weights assigned to the frequencies, resulting in a non-uniform distribution of mobile stations across the frequencies within the frequency band.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

sending a message to the mobile station containing a list of frequencies, wherein each frequency is assigned a frequency weight.

10. A method comprising:

assigning a weight to each frequency within more than one frequency band,

sending a message to a mobile station containing a list of frequency bands and a list of frequencies within those frequency bands with assigned frequency weights;

reviewing by the mobile station of the frequency bands and frequencies contained within the message;

eliminating the frequencies not supported by the mobile station;

sorting of the bands and frequencies;

hashing a mobile station to a frequency band; and

hashing a mobile station to a frequency within the frequency band based on the assigned frequency weights.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

signaling the mobile station the frequency band of interest.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

signaling the mobile station the frequency of interest.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

querying the mobile station to indicate any change of hardware capability during registration.

14. A computer-readable medium including computer-executable instructions, comprising:

hashing a mobile station to a frequency band; and

hashing the mobile station to a specific frequency within the frequency band.

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

allowing a different length registration period for different classes of mobile stations.

16. The computer program of claim 15, further comprising:

instructions for placing mobile stations into classes, wherein the classes comprise regular and limited mobility classes; and

allowing a longer registration period for mobile stations in the limited mobility class.

17. A computer program comprising computer-executable instructions for:

hashing a mobile station to a frequency band using inter-band hashing, wherein the inter-band hashing is based on a message.

18. The computer program of claim 17, further comprising:

wherein the message includes a list of frequencies.

19. A computer program comprising computer-executable instructions for:

sending a message from a first device to a second device;

receiving information in the message at the first device;

hashing to first device to a frequency band based on the information in the message.

20. The computer program of claim 19, further comprising:

wherein the message contains information about protocol revisions supported by the first device.

21. A computer program comprising computer executable instructions for:

assigning a weight to each frequency within a frequency band;

hashing a mobile station to a frequency based on the weight assigned to the frequency; and

distributing mobile stations across frequencies based on the weights assigned to the frequencies, resulting in a non-uniform distribution of mobile stations across the frequencies within the frequency band.

22. The computer program of claim 21, further comprising instructions for:

sending a message to the mobile station containing a list of frequencies, wherein each frequency is assigned a frequency weight.

23. A computer program comprising computer-executable instructions for:

assigning a weight to each frequency within more than one frequency band,

sending a message to a mobile station containing a list of frequency bands and a list of frequencies within those frequency bands with assigned frequency weights;

reviewing by the mobile station of the frequency bands and frequencies contained within the message;

eliminating the frequencies not supported by the mobile station;

sorting the bands and frequencies;

hashing a mobile station to a frequency band where a weight of a frequency band is an aggregate of weights assigned to frequencies in the band; and

hashing a mobile station to a frequency within the frequency band based on the assigned frequency weights.

24. The computer program of claim 23, further comprising instructions for:

signaling the mobile station the frequency band of interest.

25. The computer program of claim 24, further comprising instructions for:

signaling the mobile station the frequency of interest.

26. The computer program of claim 23, further comprising instructions for:

querying the mobile station to indicate any change of hardware capability during registration.

27. In a wireless communication system, a network, comprising:

means for hashing a mobile station to a frequency band;

means for determining frequency band assignments for each mobile station;

means for hashing the mobile station to a specific frequency within the frequency band; and

means for repeating the hashing process for each mobile station within the network.

28. An apparatus in a wireless communication system, comprising:

means for hashing a mobile station to a frequency band; and

means hashing the mobile station to a specific frequency within the frequency band.

29. An apparatus in a wireless communication system, comprising:

means for hashing a mobile station to a frequency band using inter-band hashing, wherein the inter-band hashing is based on a message.

30. An apparatus in a wireless communication system, comprising:

means for assigning a weight to each frequency within more than one frequency band,

means for sending a message to a mobile station containing a list of frequency bands and a list of frequencies within those frequency bands with assigned frequency weights;

means for reviewing by the mobile station of the frequency bands and frequencies contained within the message;

means for eliminating the frequencies not supported by the mobile station;

means for hashing a mobile station to a frequency band; and

means for hashing a mobile station to a frequency within the frequency band based on the assigned frequency weights.