METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATING TRANSMISSION BACKLOG INFORMATION

• US 20130242888A1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Das, Arnab, Laroia, Rajiv, Li, Junyi
• Granted Patent: US 8,830,827 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load

Abstract

An uplink dedicated control channel reporting structure includes a plurality of different bit size reports, e.g. 1 bit, 3 bit and 4 bit reports, for reporting a wireless terminal'"'"'s backlog information of uplink traffic request group queues. Smaller bit size reports are transmitted more frequently than larger reports. A 1 bit request report indicates whether or not there are any MAC frames of information to be communicated in a set of two request group queues. A 3 bit request report indicates an amount of backlog information corresponding to a first set of request group queues and a second set of request group queues. A 4 bit request report indicates an amount of backlog information corresponding to a set of request group queues. The 4 bit request report is capable of reporting information on any of a plurality of uplink traffic channel request group queues being maintained by the wireless terminal.

Claims

1. A method of operating a wireless terminal, the method comprising:

generating at least one backlog information report; and

transmitting backlog information reports of different sizes at different times.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting backlog information reports of different sizes includes transmitting a backlog information report of a first fixed size and backlog information report of a second fixed size, said second fixed size being larger than said first fixed size.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said generating at least one backlog information report includes generating backlog information reports of different predetermined fixed sizes.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the second fixed size report communicates information corresponding to more transmit queues than said first fixed size report.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said transmit queues are transmit buffers.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein one of said transmit queues corresponds to control information and another one of said transmit queues corresponds to voice traffic.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein different transmit queues correspond to data having different priorities.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

controlling when a backlog information report of one of said predetermined fixed sizes is transmitted.

9. A wireless terminal comprising:

means for generating backlog information reports; and

means for transmitting backlog information reports of different sizes at different times.

10. The wireless terminal of claim 9, wherein said means for generating backlog information reports generate backlog information reports including reports of different predetermined fixed sizes.

11. The wireless terminal of claim 10, wherein said different predetermined fixed sizes include a first fixed size and a second fixed size, the second fixed size being larger than said first fixed size.

12. The wireless terminal of claim 10, wherein the second fixed size report communicates information corresponding to more transmit queues than said first fixed size report.

13. The wireless terminal of claim 12, wherein different transmit queues correspond to data having different priorities.

14. The wireless terminal of claim 10, further comprising:

means for controlling when a backlog information report of one of said predetermined fixed sizes is transmitted.

15. A non-transitory machine readable medium for use in a wireless terminal, comprising:

instructions for causing at least one processor in said wireless terminal to generate at least one backlog information report; and

instructions for causing said at least one processor to control said wireless terminal to transmit backlog information reports of different sizes at different times.

16. A wireless terminal comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

generate backlog information reports; and

transmit backlog information reports of different sizes at different times; and

a memory coupled to said at least one processor.

17. The wireless terminal of claim 16, wherein said at least one processor is further configured to generate backlog information reports of different predetermined fixed sizes, as part of being configured to generate backlog information reports.

18. The wireless terminal of claim 17, wherein said different predetermined fixed sizes include a first fixed size and a second fixed size, the second fixed size being larger than said first fixed size.

19. The wireless terminal of claim 17, wherein the second fixed size report communicates information corresponding to more transmit queues than said first fixed size report.

20. The wireless terminal of claim 17, wherein said at least one processor is further configured to control when a backlog information report of one of said predetermined fixed sizes is transmitted.