METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ALLOCATING COMMUNICATION RESOURCES TO COMMUNICATE DATA IN A RADIO COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20110122793A1
• Filed: 02/03/2011
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Simmons, Sean, Lazaridis, Mihal, Pecen, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,254,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2621 using frequency division multiple access [FDMA] H04B7/2615 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

Apparatus and method for allocating communication resources in a data radio communication system, such as an MAIO (Mobile Allocation Index Offset) communication system, e.g., a communication system that provides for Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution (EDGE) data services. A multi-carrier radio resource control logic element includes an analyzer that analyzes communication resource requirements to carry out a communication service. A resource allocator allocates communication resources to be used by which to communicate the data. The communication resources are allocated across a plurality of radio carriers such that resources are allocated, during a particular time period, upon a single radio carrier of the plurality of radio carriers.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a first communication station operable to communicate data in a communication scheme that provides for mobile allocation index offset, said apparatus comprising:

a radio protocol stack to which the data is applied;

a baseband element, coupled to said radio protocol stack, to provide baseband processing, modulation, and channel coding for the data;

a radio element coupled to said baseband element to transduce the data into electromagnetic form;

an analyzer that receives a characteristic of the data and analyzes communication resource requirements required for communication of the data so that the data can be transmitted in a series of time division multiple access (TDMA) frames and to determine needed resources in a manner that permits dynamic resource allocation; and

a resource allocator coupled to said analyzer to allocate resources defined in terms of mobile allocation index offsets as a function of both resource availability and communication-station compatibility such that, for any time period within a TDMA frame, resources are allocated upon a single one of the mobile allocation index offsets, and to cause generation of at least one control message to be provided to said radio protocol stack and said baseband element to control their operation responsive to said resource allocation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a radio element coupled to said baseband element to transduce the data into electromagnetic form.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said at least one control message further controls operation of said radio element responsive to said resource allocation.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said radio element further comprises a plurality of radio transceivers operable at a plurality of radio carriers across which said resource allocator allocates the resources.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said radio element control message causes individual ones of said radio transceivers to be operable at least during periods corresponding to time periods during which the individual ones of the radio carriers are allocated for communication.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said resource allocator is adapted to receive an indication of selection of single mobile allocation index offset per time period operation by which to communicate the data, the resources allocated by said resource allocator further responsive to the indication of the selection of the single mobile allocation index offset per time period operation.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the first communication station is operable to communicate with a second communication station, and wherein the indication of the selection of the single mobile allocation index offset per time period operation is provided to the first communication station by the second communication station.

8. An apparatus for a mobile communication station operable pursuant to communication of data in a communication scheme that provides for mobile allocation index offset, said apparatus comprising:

a radio element configured to receive an allocation message;

a baseband element coupled to said radio element;

a radio protocol stack coupled to said baseband element;

a detector configured to receive the message from said radio protocol stack and to detect the allocation message, the allocation message identifying communication resources allocated to the mobile communication station pursuant to the communication of the data, the communication resources allocated to the mobile communication station as a consequence of analysis of communication requirements required for communication of the data so that the data can be transmitted in a series of time division multiple access (TDMA) frames and determination of needed resources in a manner that permits dynamic resource allocation and the resources defined in terms of mobile allocation index offsets as a function of both resource availability and mobile communication-station capability such that, for any time period within the time division multiple access (TDMA) frame, resources are allocated upon a single one of the mobile allocation index offsets; and

a controller adapted to receive an indication of detections made by said detector and, in response to said indications of detection, to control the operation of said radio element, said baseband element, and said radio element to ensure that said elements are operable to receive the data.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said radio element further comprises a plurality of radio transceivers operable at a plurality of mobile allocation index offsets across which said resource allocator allocates the resources.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said radio element control message causes individual ones of said radio transceivers to be operable at least during periods corresponding to time periods during which the individual ones of the mobile allocation index offsets are identified in the allocation message detected by said detector.

11. A method for communicating data in a communication scheme that provides for mobile allocation index offset, said method comprising the operations of:

applying the data to a radio protocol stack at a network part;

baseband processing, modulating, and channel coding the data from said radio protocol stack;

analyzing, at said network part, communication requirements required for communication of the data responsive to an indication of a characteristic of the data to transmit data in a series of time division multiple access (TDMA) frames and to determine needed resources in a manner that permits dynamic resource allocation;

allocating, at the network part and responsive to analysis made during said operation of analyzing, resources across a plurality of mobile allocation index offsets as a function of both resource availability and communication station capability such that, for any particular time period within a time division multiple access (TDMA) frame, resources are allocated upon a single one of the mobile allocation index offsets, the allocation of resources being made on a periodic basis; and

causing generation of at least one control message to be provided to said radio protocol stack and said baseband element to control their operation responsive to said resource allocation.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of transducing the data into electromagnetic form via a radio element.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of controlling operation of said radio element responsive to said resource allocation.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein allocations of the resources made during said operation of allocating are further responsive to reaction times required of operation of the radio elements of the radio element.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein resources allocated during said operation of allocating are further responsive to non-communication measurement requirements required of at least one of the first and second communication stations, respectively.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said radio element comprises a plurality of radio transceivers operable at a plurality of mobile allocation index offsets across which said resource allocator allocates the resources, further comprising the step of causing individual ones of said radio transceivers to be operable at least during periods corresponding to time periods during which the individual ones of the mobile allocation index offsets are allocated for communication.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of receiving an indication of selection of single mobile allocation index offset per time period operation by which to communicate the data, the resources allocated further responsive to the indication of the selection of the single mobile allocation index offset per time period operation.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a first communication station is operable to communicate with a second communication station, further comprising the step of providing indication of the selection of the single mobile allocation index offset per time period operation to the first communication station by the second communication station.

19. A method of communicating data by a mobile communication station operable pursuant to communication of data in a communication scheme that provides for mobile allocation index offset, comprising the steps of:

receiving an allocation message at a radio element;

processing said allocation message at a baseband element and a radio protocol stack;

receiving the message from said radio protocol stack and detecting the allocation message, the allocation message identifying communication resources allocated to the mobile communication station pursuant to the communication of the data, the communication resources allocated to the mobile communication station as a consequence of analysis of communication requirements required for communication of the data so that the data can be transmitted in a series of time division multiple access (TDMA) frames and determination of needed resources in a manner that permits dynamic resource allocation and the resources defined in terms of mobile allocation index offsets as a function of both resource availability and mobile communication-station capability such that, for any time period within the time division multiple access (TDMA) frame, resources are allocated upon a single one of the mobile allocation index offsets; and

receiving an indication of said detection of said allocation message and, in response to said indications of detection, controlling the operation of said radio element, said baseband element, and said radio element to ensure that said elements are operable to receive the data.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said radio element comprises a plurality of radio transceivers operable at a plurality of mobile allocation index offsets across which said resource allocator allocates the resources, further comprising the step of causing individual ones of said radio transceivers to be operable at least during periods corresponding to time periods during which the individual ones of the mobile allocation index offsets are allocated for communication.