Multi-access communication system and uplink band allocating method

• US 6,704,932 B1
• Filed: 01/13/1999
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Momona, Morihisa, Matsunaga, Yasuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoye, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US09/229,838
• Time in Patent Office: 1,882 Days
• Field of Search: 725/95, 725/96, 725/121, 725/126, 370/322, 370/348, 370/444, 370/449, 370/455, 370/468
• US Class Current: 725/126
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/44 Star or tree networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/72 using reservation actions during connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/788 Autonomous allocation of resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/826 Involving periods of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/828 Allocation of resources per group of connections, e.g. per group of users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

In a multi-access communication system where a center station dynamically allocates the band of an uplink to subscriber stations, the band of an uplink is flexibly and efficiently allocated when the up-service quality is insured. When requesting a service quality assurance, the subscriber station 30 transmits the service quality request information 210 to the center station 10. The center station 10 transmits the identifier allocation information 310 to the subscriber station 30 to allocate an identifier. When the service priority is high, the center station 10 periodically transmits the reservation transmission permission information 410 and 411 to the subscriber station 3 at the reservation permission transmission intervals 910, thus checking for the presence or absence of reservation information. Waste consumption of the up-band can be suppressed by periodically transmitting the reservation transmission permission information even if subscriber stations issue up-data at irregular intervals. The upper limit value of up-delay amount can be insured by adjusting the transmission period of reservation transmission permission information.

Claims

1. A multiple access communication system comprising:

a center station;

subscriber stations;

a broadcast downstream channel linked from said center station to said subscriber stations; and

a multiple access upstream channel linked from said subscriber stations to said center station;

said center station assigning identifiers to one or more of said subscriber stations, each of said identifiers corresponding to a service quality assurance supplied to a particular subscriber station;

said subscriber stations having upstream data to be transmitted transmitting reservation information to the center station within a range of bandwidth permitted by said center station, said reservation information including said identifier and an amount of upstream bandwidth to be reserved;

said center station allocating upstream bandwidth to said subscriber stations based on said reservation information and in order of priority according to the service quality designated by said identifier.

2. The multiple access communication system defined in claim 1, wherein said center station periodically transmits reservation transmission permission information to which the identifier of said service is added, to said subscriber station using a high priority service.

3. The multiple access communication system defined in claim 1, wherein:

said center station allocates a unique identifier to each of said subscriber stations each using a high priority service and allocates a common identifier to a group of a subscriber station group using said high priority service;

said center station periodically transmits reservation transmission permission information to which a common identifier is added, to said subscriber station group using a high priority service; and

said subscriber station having data to be transmitted upstream, said upstream data corresponding to the service designated by said identifier transmits reservation information for upstream bandwidth to the center station.

4. The multiple access communication system defined in claim 1, wherein when said subscriber station starts to use a new service, said subscriber station informs said center station of the quality of said service, and wherein said center station allocates a new unique identifier to said subscriber station and a common identifier to said subscriber station group using the same service.

5. The multiple access communication system defined in claim 2, wherein when said subscriber station starts to use a new service, said subscriber station informs said center station of the quality of said service, and wherein said center station allocates a new unique identifier to said subscriber station and a common identifier to said subscriber station group using the same service.

6. The multiple access communication system defined in claim 3, wherein when said subscriber station starts to use a new service, said subscriber station informs said center station of the quality of said service, and wherein said center station allocates a new unique identifier to said subscriber station and a common identifier to said subscriber station group using the same service.

7. The multiple access communication system defined in claim 1, wherein said center station periodically transmits upstream bandwidth allocation information to said subscriber station according to a service quality informed from said subscriber station, periodically transmits reservation transmission permission information with a unique identifier to said subscriber station, periodically transmits reservation transmission permission information to said subscriber station group, said subscriber station group including said subscriber station and using the same service, or selectively performs a periodic transmission control to a service.

8. The multiple access communication system defined in claim 2, wherein said center station periodically transmits upstream bandwidth allocation information to said subscriber station according to a service quality informed from said subscriber station, periodically transmits reservation transmission permission information with a unique identifier to said subscriber station, periodically transmits reservation transmission permission information to said subscriber station group, said subscriber station group including said subscriber station and using the same service, or selectively performs a periodic transmission control to a service.

9. The multiple access communication system defined in claim 3, wherein said center station periodically transmits upstream bandwidth allocation information to said subscriber station according to a service quality informed from said subscriber station, periodically transmits reservation transmission permission information with a unique identifier to said subscriber station, periodically transmits reservation transmission permission information to said subscriber station group, said subscriber station group including said subscriber station and using the same service, or selectively performs a periodic transmission control to a service.

10. The multiple access communication system defined in claim 4, wherein said center station periodically transmits upstream bandwidth allocation information to said subscriber station according to a service quality informed from said subscriber station, periodically transmits reservation transmission permission information with a unique identifier to said subscriber station, periodically transmits reservation transmission permission information to said subscriber station group, said subscriber station group including said subscriber station and using the same service, or selectively performs a periodic transmission control to a service.

11. The multiple access communication system defined in claim 1, wherein said center station periodically measures an up-load received from said subscriber station;

and wherein said center station periodically transmits up-load allocation information to said subscriber station according to a measured up-load value, periodically transmits reservation transmission permission information to said subscriber station, said reservation transmission permission information having a unique identifier, periodically transmits reservation transmission permission information to said subscriber station group, said subscriber station group including said subscriber station and using the same service, or selectively performs a periodic transmission control to the service.

12. The multiple access communication system defined in claim 2, wherein said center station periodically measures an up-load received from said subscriber station;

and wherein said center station periodically transmits up-load allocation information to said subscriber station according to a measured up-load value, periodically transmits reservation transmission permission information to said subscriber station, said reservation transmission permission information having a unique identifier, periodically transmits reservation transmission permission information to said subscriber station group, said subscriber station group including said subscriber station and using the same service, or selectively performs a periodic transmission control to the service.

13. The multiple access communication system defined in claim 3, wherein said center station:

periodically measures an up-load received from said subscriber station,

periodically transmits up-load allocation information to said subscriber station according to said measured up-load value,

periodically transmits reservation transmission permission information to said subscriber station, said reservation transmission permission information having a unique identifier, and

periodically transmits reservation transmission permission information to a subscriber station group, said subscriber station group including subscriber stations that either use the same service or selectively perform a periodic transmission control to the service.

14. The multiple access communication system defined in claim 4, wherein said center station:

periodically measures an up-load received from said subscriber station,

periodically transmits up-load allocation information to said subscriber station according to said measured up-load value,

periodically transmits reservation transmission permission information to said subscriber station, said reservation transmission permission information having a unique identifier, and periodically transmits reservation transmission permission information to a subscriber station group, said subscriber station group including subscriber stations that either use the same service or selectively perform a periodic transmission control to the service.

15. A method of allocating upstream bandwidth in a multiple access communication system including a center station, subscriber stations, a broadcast downstream channel linked from said center station to said subscriber stations, and a multiple access upstream channel linked from said subscriber stations to said center station, wherein said center station allocates identifiers to said subscriber stations identifying a service quality assurance required by a particular subscriber station, wherein a particular subscriber station having upstream data to be transmitted transmits reservation information within a band permitted by said center station, said reservation information including said identifier and an amount of upstream bandwidth to be reserved, wherein said center station allocates upstream bandwidth to said subscriber station based on said reservation information, said method comprising the steps of:

issuing requests for service quality assurances from said subscriber stations to said center station;

allocating said identifier for each of said service assurances by means of said center station and then informing said subscriber stations of the allocation;

transmitting, after said center station transmits the reservation transmission permission information to said subscriber stations, the reservation information from said subscriber stations to said center station by adding said identifier according to the service type of the up-data to be transmitted; and

allocating upstream bandwidth from data with higher priority in decreasing order of priority by means of said center station according to the service quality designated by said identifier of the reservation information.

16. The method defined in claim 15, further comprising the step of periodically transmitting reservation transmission permission information to which the identifier of said service is added, from said center station to said subscriber station using a high priority service.

17. The method defined in claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

allocating a unique identifier from said center station to each of said subscriber stations each using a high priority service, and allocating a common identifier to said subscriber stations using said high priority service;

periodically transmitting reservation transmission permission information to which a common identifier is added, from said center station to said subscriber station group using a high priority service; and

transmitting reservation information for upstream bandwidth from said subscriber station having up-data to be transmitted corresponding to service designated by the identifier, to said center station.

18. The method defined in claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

issuing, when said subscriber station starts to use a new service, the quality of said service from said subscriber station to said center station; and

allocating a new unique identifier to said subscriber station and a common identifier to said subscriber station group using the same service by means of said center station.

19. The method defined in claim 15, further comprising the step of:

periodically transmitting upstream bandwidth allocation information from said center station to said subscriber station according to a service quality informed from said subscriber station, or periodically transmitting reservation transmission permission information with a unique identifier from said center station to said subscriber station, or periodically transmitting reservation transmission permission information from said center station to said subscriber station group, said subscriber station group including said subscriber stations using the same service, or selectively performing a periodic transmission control to a service.

20. The method defined in claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

periodically measuring upstream bandwidth allocation information to said subscriber station by means of said center station according to a measured up-load value, or periodically transmitting reservation transmission permission information to said subscriber station, said reservation transmission permission information having a unique identifier, or periodically transmitting reservation transmission permission information to said subscriber station group, said subscriber station group including subscriber stations using the same service, or selectively performing a periodic transmission control to the service.

21. A multiple access communication system comprising:

a broadcast downstream channel between a center station and one or more subscriber stations;

a multiple access upstream channel between said one or more subscriber stations and said center station; and

a center station that;

receives requests for service quality assurance from said one or more subscriber stations;

assigns an identifier to said one or more subscriber stations, said identifier designating the service quality assurance requested by said one or more subscriber stations; and

allocates upstream bandwidth to said one or more subscriber stations based on reservation information sent to said center station by said one or more subscriber stations, said reservation information including said identifier and an amount of upstream bandwidth to be reserved within a range of bandwidth permitted by said center station, and said upstream bandwidth being allocated by said center station in decreasing order of priority according to the service quality designated by said identifier.

22. A method of allocating upstream bandwidth in a multiple access communication system including a center station, subscriber stations, a broadcast downstream channel between said center station and said subscriber stations, and a multiple access up stream channel between said subscriber stations to said center station, said method comprising:

issuing requests from a particular subscriber station to said center station for a service quality assurance required by said subscriber station;

assigning an identifier to said subscriber station that identifies the service quality assurance required by said subscriber station;

transmitting said identifier to said subscriber station;

transmitting reservation transmission permission information from said center station to said subscriber station, said reservation transmission permission information including;

transmitting reservation information from said subscriber station to said center station within a band permitted by said center station, said

reservation information including said identifier and an amount of upstream bandwidth to be reserved; and

allocating upstream bandwidth to said subscriber station based on said reservation information in order of priority according to the service quality designated by said identifier.