METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTERFERENCE MANAGEMENT IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20100202289A1
• Filed: 02/02/2010
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sampath, Ashwin, Ji, Tingfang, Borran, Jaber M., Khandekar, Aamod D., Madan, Ritesh K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,619,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0228 with direct estimation from sounding signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0023 Time-frequency-space
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0037 Inter-user or inter-terminal allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/006 Quality of the received signal, e.g. BER, SNR, water filling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0062 Avoidance of ingress interference, e.g. ham radio channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0064 Rate requirement of the data, e.g. scalable bandwidth, data priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0067 Allocation algorithms which involve graph matching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0075 Allocation using proportional fairness
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0085 when channel conditions change
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0087 when data requirements change
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0094 Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/243 taking into account interferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/26 using transmission rate or quality of service QoS [Quality of Service]
• 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 72/27 between access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described herein that facilitate interference control and resource management in a wireless communication system. As described herein, a base station, terminal, and/or other entity in a wireless communication system that observes interference from one or more other network entities can construct and communicate resource utilization messages (RUMs) in order to request the interfering network entities to conduct power backoff on designated resources. Parameters constructed as a function of quality of service (QoS) and/or priority metrics (such as head-of-line delays, queue lengths, burst sizes, delay targets, average rates, or the like) can be included within the RUM, such that an entity receiving the RUM can compute QoS changes associated with various power backoff levels in order to select a power backoff level that maximizes overall system QoS performance.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

identifying one or more priority parameters associated with a communication link and a designated set of resources for communication via the communication link;

constructing a resource utilization message (RUM), the RUM comprising a request for reduction of transmit power on the designated set of resources and a function of the one or more priority parameters; and

communicating the RUM to at least one interfering network node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more priority parameters comprise a head-of-line delay corresponding to a packet flow associated with the communication link.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more priority parameters comprise a queue length corresponding to a packet flow associated with the communication link.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more priority parameters comprise a burst size of a packet flow associated with the communication link.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more priority parameters comprise a delay target for a packet flow associated with the communication link.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more priority parameters comprise an average rate at which the communication link has been served.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a RUM request, wherein the constructing and the communicating are performed in response to the receiving.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving pilot signaling from the at least one interfering network node in response to the RUM.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

estimating channel quality associated with the designated set of resources based at least in part on the pilot signaling; and

reporting estimated channel quality associated with the designated set of resources to a serving network node.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the communication link is a communication link with a serving network node; and

the constructing comprises embedding one or more parameters into the RUM that indicate a maximum transmit power of the serving network node multiplied by a channel gain from the serving network node in relation to a nominal interference value.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining the nominal interference value at least in part by predicting a total amount of interference caused by the at least one interfering network node in the event that the RUM is accepted by substantially all interfering network nodes.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the communication link is a communication link with a serving network node; and

the communicating comprises communicating the RUM at a transmit power determined as a function of a maximum transmit power of the serving network node and a channel gain from the serving network node.

13. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that stores data relating to a communication link, one or more priority parameters associated with the communication link, and a designated set of resources for communication via the communication link; and

a processor configured to construct a resource utilization message (RUM), the RUM comprising a request for reduction of transmit power on the designated set of resources and a function of the one or more priority parameters, and to communicate the RUM to at least one interfering network node.

14. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the one or more priority parameters comprise a head-of-line delay corresponding to a packet flow associated with the communication link.

15. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the one or more priority parameters comprise a queue length corresponding to a packet flow associated with the communication link.

16. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the one or more priority parameters comprise at least one of a burst size of a packet flow associated with the communication link, a delay target for a packet flow associated with the communication link, or an average rate at which the communication link has been served.

17. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a RUM request from a serving network node and to construct and communicate the RUM in response to the RUM request.

18. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to receive pilot signaling from the at least one interfering network node in response to the RUM, to estimate channel quality associated with the designated set of resources based at least in part on the pilot signaling, and to report estimated channel quality associated with the designated set of resources to a serving network node.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

means for constructing resource utilization messaging that includes a request for power backoff on a specified set of resources and a function of at least one priority metric associated with the specified set of resources; and

means for communicating the resource utilization messaging to at least one network node from which interference is observed.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one priority metric comprises one or more of a head-of-line delay corresponding to a packet flow associated with a communication link on the specified set of resources, a queue length corresponding to a packet flow associated with a communication link on the specified set of resources, a burst size of a packet flow associated with a communication link on the specified set of resources, a delay target for packet flow associated with a communication link on the specified set of resources, or an average rate at which a communication link has been served on the specified set of resources.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for receiving a request for resource utilization messaging from a serving network node, wherein the means for constructing and the means for communicating are utilized in response to the request for resource utilization messaging.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for receiving pilot signaling from the at least one network node from which interference is observed in response to the resource utilization messaging.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

means for estimating channel quality on the specified set of resources based at least in part on the pilot signaling; and

means for reporting estimated quality associated with the specified set of resources to a serving network node.

24. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

code for causing a computer to construct resource utilization messaging that includes a request for power backoff on a specified set of resources and a function of at least one priority metric associated with the specified set of resources; and

code for causing a computer to communicate the resource utilization messaging to at least one network node from which interference is observed.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the at least one priority metric comprises one or more of a head-of-line delay corresponding to a packet flow associated with a communication link on the specified set of resources, a queue length corresponding to a packet flow associated with a communication link on the specified set of resources, a burst size of a packet flow associated with a communication link on the specified set of resources, a delay target for packet flow associated with a communication link on the specified set of resources, or an average rate at which a communication link has been served on the specified set of resources.

26. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein:

the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing a computer to receive a request for resource utilization messaging from a serving network node; and

the code for causing a computer to construct and the code for causing a computer to communicate are executed in response to the request for resource utilization messaging.

27. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises:

code for causing a computer to receive pilot signaling from the at least one network node from which interference is observed in response to the resource utilization messaging;

code for causing a computer to estimate quality of the specified set of resources based at least in part on the pilot signaling; and

code for causing a computer to report estimated quality of the specified set of resources to a serving network node.

28. A method, comprising:

obtaining respective resource utilization messages (RUMs) requesting power backoff on a specified set of resources, the respective RUMs comprising one or more parameters constructed as a function of at least one priority metric; and

determining an extent of power backoff to be performed on the specified set of resources based on the respective RUMs and the one or more parameters constructed as a function of at least one priority metric within the respective RUMs.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the at least one priority metric comprises head-of-line delays corresponding to respective packet flows associated with respective communication links.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the at least one priority metric comprises queue lengths corresponding to respective packet flows associated with respective communication links.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the at least one priority metric comprises burst sizes of respective packet flows associated with respective communication links.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the at least one priority metric comprises delay targets for respective packet flows associated with respective communication links.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the at least one priority metric comprises respective average rates at which respective communication links have been served.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein:

the determining comprises computing a first quality of service (QoS) change associated with silencing communication on the specified set of resources and a second QoS change associated with performing no power backoff on the specified set of resources; and

the method further comprises;

granting the respective RUMs at least in part by silencing transmission on the specified set of resources upon determining that the first QoS change is greater than the second QoS change; and

denying the respective RUMs at least in part by performing substantially no power backoff on the specified set of resources upon determining that the second QoS change is greater than the first QoS change.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein:

the determining comprises computing quality of service (QoS) changes associated with a plurality of power backoff levels on the specified set of resources; and

the method further comprises backing off power on the specified set of resources according to a power backoff level determined to have a highest QoS change from among the plurality of power backoff levels.

36. The method of claim 28, further comprising signaling the extent of power backoff to be performed on the specified set of resources in a pilot transmission.

37. The method of claim 28, wherein:

the obtaining comprises obtaining the respective RUMs from one or more terminals; and

the respective RUMs further comprise at least one of parameters relating to maximum transmit powers of respective serving network nodes for the one or more terminals, parameters relating to channel gain associated with respective communication links between the one or more terminals and respective serving network nodes for the one or more terminals, or nominal interference parameters.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising identifying at least one of a parameter relating to a maximum transmit power of a serving network node for a terminal or a parameter relating to channel gain associated with a communication link between a terminal and a serving network node for the terminal from a RUM based on a received power of the RUM.

39. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that stores data relating to respective resource utilization messages (RUMs) requesting power backoff on a specified set of resources, the respective RUMs comprising one or more parameters constructed as a function of at least one priority metric; and

a processor configured to determine an extent of power backoff to be performed on the specified set of resources based on the respective RUMs and the one or more parameters constructed as a function of at least one priority metric within the respective RUMs.

40. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 39, wherein the at least one priority metric comprises one or more of head-of-line delays corresponding to respective packet flows associated with respective communication links or queue lengths corresponding to respective packet flows associated with respective communication links.

41. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 39, wherein the at least one priority metric comprises one or more of burst sizes of respective packet flows associated with respective communication links, delay targets for respective packet flows associated with respective communication links, or respective average rates at which respective communication links have been served.

42. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 39, wherein the processor is further configured to compute a first quality of service (QoS) change associated with silencing communication on the specified set of resources and a second QoS change associated with performing no power backoff on the specified set of resources, to grant the respective RUMs at least in part by silencing transmission on the specified set of resources upon determining that the first QoS change is greater than the second QoS change, and to deny the respective RUMs at least in part by performing substantially no power backoff on the specified set of resources upon determining that the second QoS change is greater than the first QoS change.

43. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 39, wherein the processor is further configured to compute quality of service (QoS) changes associated with a plurality of power backoff levels on the specified set of resources and to back off transmit power on the specified set of resources according to a power backoff level determined to have a highest QoS change from among the plurality of power backoff levels.

44. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 39, wherein the processor is further configured to signal the extent of power backoff to be performed on the specified set of resources in a pilot transmission.

45. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving resource utilization messaging that includes a request for transmit power reduction on designated resources and a function of one or more link quality metrics associated with the designated resources; and

means for determining an amount of transmit power reduction to be applied on the designated resources based at least in part on the one or more parameters constructed as a function of at least one priority metric provided in the resource utilization messaging.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the one or more link quality metrics comprise at least one of head-of-line delays corresponding to respective packet flows associated with respective communication links on the designated resources, queue lengths corresponding to respective packet flows associated with respective communication links on the designated resources, burst sizes of respective packet flows associated with respective communication links on the designated resources, delay targets for respective packet flows associated with respective communication links on the designated resources, or respective average rates at which respective communication links have been served on the designated resources.

47. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein:

the means for determining comprises means for computing a first quality of service (QoS) change associated with silencing communication on the designated resources and means for computing a second QoS change associated with performing no power backoff on the designated resources; and

the apparatus further comprises means for granting the resource utilization messaging at least in part by silencing transmission on the designation resources upon determining that the first QoS change is greater than the second QoS change and means for denying the resource utilization messaging at least in part by performing substantially no power backoff on the designated resources upon determining that the second QoS change is greater than the first QoS change.

48. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein:

the means for determining comprises means for computing quality of service (QoS) changes associated with a plurality of power backoff levels on the designated resources; and

the apparatus further comprises means for backing off power on the designated resources according to a power backoff level determined to have a highest QoS change from among the plurality of power backoff levels.

49. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

code for causing a computer to receive resource utilization messaging that includes a request for transmit power reduction on designated resources and a function of one or more link quality metrics associated with the designated resources; and

code for causing a computer to determine an amount of transmit power reduction to be applied on the designated resources based at least in part on the one or more parameters constructed as a function of at least one priority metric provided in the resource utilization messaging.

50. The computer program product of claim 49, wherein the one or more link quality metrics comprise at least one of head-of-line delays corresponding to respective packet flows associated with respective communication links on the designated resources, queue lengths corresponding to respective packet flows associated with respective communication links on the designated resources, burst sizes of respective packet flows associated with respective communication links on the designated resources, delay targets for respective packet flows associated with respective communication links on the designated resources, or respective average rates at which respective communication links have been served on the designated resources.

51. The computer program product of claim 49, wherein:

the code for causing a computer to determine comprises code for causing a computer to compute a first quality of service (QoS) change associated with silencing communication on the designated resources and code for causing a computer to compute a second QoS change associated with performing no power backoff on the designated resources; and

the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing a computer to grant the resource utilization messaging at least in part by silencing transmission on the designation resources upon determining that the first QoS change is greater than the second QoS change and code for causing a computer to deny the resource utilization messaging at least in part by performing substantially no power backoff on the designated resources upon determining that the second QoS change is greater than the first QoS change.

52. The computer program product of claim 49, wherein:

the code for causing a computer to determine comprises code for causing a computer to compute quality of service (QoS) changes associated with a plurality of power backoff levels on the designated resources; and

the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing a computer to back off transmit power on the designated resources according to a power backoff level determined to have a highest QoS change from among the plurality of power backoff levels.