Dual polling media access control protocol for packet data in fixed wireless communication systems

• US 6,829,227 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2000
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Trabelsi, Chokri, Pitt, Randall Evans, Spears, David Warren
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SEFCHECK, GREGORY B
• Application Number:
  US09/698,381
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328-329, 370/336-337, 370/346-349, 370/449, 370/458-459, 370/462, 370/318, 710/109, 710/113, 710/117, 710/241, 710/244, 455/450-455
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1685 the supervisory signal being transmitted in response to a specific request, e.g. to a polling signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling

Abstract

An apparatus, method and system are illustrated which provide a media access control polling protocol, using two types of polls, for packet data transmission in the uplink direction, in fixed wireless communication systems. The preferred system embodiment includes a plurality of subscriber units having transceivers for wireless communication, a base station having a transceiver for wireless communication with the plurality of subscriber units, and a data interface unit (DIU) operatively coupled to the base station through a network access controller. The DIU transmits a first poll, which authorizes transmission of a first predetermined amount of data, referred to as a standard allocation, for prompt throughput of small messages, such as acknowledgements. For subscriber units having additional data for transmission, the DIU transmits a second poll on a distinct or separate subchannel, which authorizes transmission of a second predetermined amount of data, referred to as an extended allocation, for transmission of larger blocks of data which are less delay-sensitive. In addition, power measurement is performed on all poll responses, to allow for transmission power level changes prior to and during data transmission, for greater data throughput.

Claims

1. A method of providing access to a wireless network for packet data transmission, the method comprising:

transmitting a first poll to an identified subscriber unit of the plurality of subscriber units, the first poll authorizing a responsive transmission of a first predetermined amount of data;

receiving a response to the first poll with a first fragment of data and with an indication of remaining data for transmission, the first fragment of data less than or equal to the first predetermined amount of data;

when a responsive transmission to the first poll is received with the indication of remaining data for transmission, transmitting a second poll to the identified subscriber unit, the second poll authorizing a responsive transmission of a second predetermined amount of data, the second predetermined amount of data greater than the first predetermined amount of data;

receiving a response to the second poll with a second fragment of data and with the indication of remaining data for transmission, the second fragment of data less than or equal to the second predetermined amount of data, and transmitting a response to the second poll with the second fragment of data;

wherein the transmission of the first poll occurs on a first subchannel and the transmission of the second poll occurs independently on a second subchannel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises:

receiving the response to the first poll with the data for transmission and with an indication of no remaining data for transmission, when the data is less than or equal to the first predetermined amount of data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the data in the form of a plurality of separate data packets.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises:

receiving the response to the first poll with an indication of no data for transmission, when there is no data for transmission.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sequentially repeating step (a) for each identified subscriber unit of the plurality of subscriber units.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises:

receiving a response to the second poll with the data for transmission and with an indication of no remaining data for transmission.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

(e) repeating steps (a) and (c) until the responsive transmission includes an indication that there is no remaining data for transmission.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sequentially repeating step (c) for each identified subscriber unit, of the plurality of subscriber units, which indicated remaining data for transmission.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the first fragment of data or the second fragment of data further comprises aggregating a plurality of separate data packets.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the response to the first poll and the response to the second poll include a power measurement preamble.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of remaining data for transmission is a predetermined field, set to a predetermined value, in the response to the first poll or the response to the second poll.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined amount of data is a first allocation of 256 bytes and the second predetermined amount of data is a second allocation of 1550 bytes.

13. A method of providing access to a wireless network for packet data, the method comprising:

transmitting a first poll to an identified subscriber unit of the plurality of subscriber units, the first poll authorizing a responsive transmission of a first predetermined amount of data;

receiving a response to the first poll with a first fragment of data and with an indication of remaining data for transmission, the first fragment of data less than or equal to the first predetermined amount of data;

when a responsive transmission to the first poll is received with the indication of remaining data for transmission, transmitting a second poll to the identified subscriber unit, the second poll authorizing a responsive transmission of a second predetermined amount of data, the second predetermined amount of data greater than the first predetermined amount of data;

receiving a response to the second poll with a second fragment of data and with the indication of remaining data for transmission, the second fragment of data less than or equal to the second predetermined amount of data, and transmitting a response to the second poll with the second fragment of data;

sequentially transmitting, on a first downlink channel, the first poll to each identified subscriber unit of the plurality of subscriber units, the first poll authorizing a responsive transmission of a first predetermined amount of data on a first uplink channel; and

sequentially transmitting, on a second downlink channel, the second poll to each subscriber unit which indicated remaining data for transmission, of the plurality of subscriber units, the second poll authorizing a responsive transmission of the second predetermined amount of data on a second uplink channel.

14. A system for providing access to a wireless network for packet data transmission, the system operably couplable to a base station having a transceiver, the system comprising:

a data interface unit operatively couplable to the base station for wireless communication with a plurality of subscriber units, wherein the data interface unit when operative is configured to transmit a first poll to an identified subscriber unit of the plurality of subscriber units, the first poll authorizing a responsive transmission of a first predetermined amount of data; and

when a responsive transmission to the first poll is received with an indication of remaining data for transmission, to transmit a second poll to the identified subscriber unit, the second poll authorizing a responsive transmission of a second predetermined amount of data, the second predetermined amount of data greater than the first predetermined amount of data;

wherein, the data interface unit when operative is configured to receive a response to the first poll with a first fragment of data and with the indication of remaining data for transmission; and

further configured to receive a response to the second poll with a second fragment of data and with the indication of remaining data for transmission;

wherein the data interface unit is further configured to transmit the first poll on a first subchannel and independently transmit the second poll on a second subchannel.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the data interface unit is further configured to receive the response to the first poll with the data for transmission and with an indication of no remaining data for transmission.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the data interface unit is further configured to receive a plurality of separate data packets forming the data for transmission.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the data interface unit is further configured to receive the response to the first poll with an indication of no data for transmission, when there is no data for transmission.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the data interface unit is further configured to transmit the first poll sequentially to each identified subscriber unit of the plurality of subscriber units.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the data interface unit is further configured to receive a response to the second poll with the data for transmission and with an indication of no remaining data for transmission.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the data interface unit is further configured to transmit the first poll and the second poll to the identified subscriber unit it receives an indication that there is no remaining data for transmission.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the data interface unit is further configured to transmit the second poll sequentially to each identified subscriber unit upon receiving a indication that there is remaining data for transmission.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the data interface unit is further configured to receive the first fragment of data or the second fragment of data in the form of a plurality of separate data packets.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the data interface unit is further configured to receive a power measurement preamble in the response to the first poll and in the response to the second poll.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the data interface unit is further configured to receive an indication of remaining data for transmission as a predetermined field, set to a predetermined value, in the response to the first poll or the response to the second poll.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the first predetermined amount of data is a first allocation of 256 bytes and the second predetermined amount of data is a second allocation of 1550 bytes.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein the data interface unit is further configured to maintain a database in a memory, the database identifying a first subset of the plurality of subscriber units for transmission of the first poll and a second subset of subscriber units for transmission of the second poll.

27. A system for providing access to a wireless network for packet data transmission, the system operably couplable to a base station having a transceiver, the system comprising:

a data interface unit operatively couplable to the base station for wireless communication with a plurality of subscriber units, wherein the data interface unit when operative is configured to transmit a first poll to an identified subscriber unit of the plurality of subscriber units, the first poll authorizing a responsive transmission of a first predetermined amount of data; and

when a responsive transmission to the first poll is received with an indication of remaining data for transmission, to transmit a second poll to the identified subscriber unit, the second poll authorizing a responsive transmission of a second predetermined amount of data, the second predetermined amount of data greater than the first predetermined amount of data;

wherein, the data interface unit when operative is configured to receive a response to the first poll with a first fragment of data and with the indication of remaining data for transmission; and

further configured to receive a response to the second poll with a second fragment of data and with the indication of remaining data for transmission;

wherein the data interface unit is further configured to transmit sequentially, on a first downlink channel of the base station, the first poll to each identified subscriber unit of the plurality of subscriber units, the first-poll authorizing a responsive transmission of a first predetermined amount of data on a first uplink channel; and

to transmit sequentially, on a second downlink channel of the base station, the second poll to each subscriber unit which indicated remaining data for transmission, of the plurality of subscriber units, the second poll authorizing a responsive transmission of the second predetermined amount of data on a second uplink channel.

28. An apparatus for providing access to a wireless network for packet data transmission, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface operably couplable to a base station;

a memory, the memory storing a database having an identification of a first subset of subscriber units of a plurality of subscriber units for transmission of a first poll and having an identification of a second subset of subscriber units of the plurality of subscriber units for transmission of a second poll;

a processor operatively coupled to the network interface and to the memory, wherein the processor when operative is configured to transmit the first poll to an identified subscriber unit of the first subset of subscriber units, the first poll authorizing a responsive transmission of a first predetermined amount of data; and

when a responsive transmission to the first poll is received with an indication of remaining data for transmission, to add the identified subscriber unit to the second subset of subscriber units in the database and to transmit the second poll to the identified subscriber unit, the second poll authorizing a responsive transmission of a second predetermined amount of data, the second predetermined amount of data greater than the first predetermined amount of data

wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the first poll on a first subchannel and independently transmit the second poll on a second subchannel.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the first poll sequentially to each identified subscriber unit of the first subset of subscriber units.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the first poll and the second poll to an identified subscriber unit of the second subset of subscriber units, until the identified subscriber unit has indicated no remaining data for transmission, and when the identified subscriber unit has indicated no remaining data for transmission, to remove the identified subscriber unit from the second subset of subscriber units.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the second poll sequentially to each identified subscriber unit of the second subset of subscriber units.

32. An apparatus for providing access to a wireless network for packet data transmission by a plurality of subscriber units, the wireless network including a base station having a transceiver for wireless communication with the plurality of subscriber units, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface operably couplable to the base station;

a memory, the memory storing a database having an identification of a first subset of subscriber units of the plurality of subscriber units for transmission of a first poll and having an identification of a second subset of subscriber units of the plurality of subscriber units for transmission of a second poll;

a processor operatively coupled to the network interface and to the memory, wherein the processor when operative is configured to transmit the first poll to an identified subscriber unit of the first subset of subscriber units, the first poll authorizing a responsive transmission of a first predetermined amount of data; and

when a responsive transmission to the first poll is received with an indication of remaining data for transmission, to add the identified subscriber unit to the second subset of subscriber units in the database and to transmit the second poll to the identified subscriber unit, the second poll authorizing a responsive transmission of a second predetermined amount of data, the second predetermined amount of data greater than the first predetermined amount of data

wherein the processor is further configured to transmit sequentially, on a first downlink channel of the base station, the first poll to each identified subscriber unit of the first subset of subscriber units, the first poll authorizing a responsive transmission of a first predetermined amount of data on a first uplink channel; and

to transmit sequentially, on a second downlink channel of the base station, the second poll to each subscriber unit of the second subset of subscriber units, the second poll authorizing a responsive transmission of the second predetermined amount of data on a second uplink channel.

33. A method for providing access to a wireless network for packet data transmission by a subscriber unit, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a first poll, the first poll on a first subchannel authorizing a responsive transmission of a first predetermined amount of data;

(b) when the subscriber unit has data for transmission in excess of the first predetermined amount of data, dividing the data for transmission to form a first fragment of data, the first fragment of data less than or equal to the first predetermined amount of data, and transmitting a response to the first poll with the first fragment of data and with an indication of remaining data for transmission;

(c) when the subscriber unit has data for transmission in excess of the first predetermined amount of data, receiving a second poll, on a second subchannel the second poll authorizing a responsive transmission of a second predetermined amount of data, the second predetermined amount of data greater than the first predetermined amount of data; and

(d) when the subscriber unit has data for transmission in excess of the second predetermined amount of data, dividing the data for transmission to form a second fragment of data, the second fragment of data less than or equal to the second predetermined amount of data, and transmitting a response to the second poll with the second fragment of data and with the indication of remaining data for transmission.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein step (b) further comprises:

when the subscriber unit has data for transmission which is not in excess of the first predetermined amount of data, transmitting the response to the first poll with the data for transmission and with an indication of no remaining data for transmission.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein step (b) further comprises:

when the identified subscriber unit has no data for transmission, transmitting the response to the first poll with an indication of no data for transmission.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein step (d) further comprises:

when the subscriber unit has data for transmission which is not in excess of the second predetermined amount of data, transmitting a response to the second poll with the data for transmission and with an indication of no remaining data for transmission.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein steps (b) and (d) further comprise:

when the subscriber unit has data for transmission, including a power measurement preamble in the response to the first poll or in the response to the second poll; and

when a power control message is received, adjusting transmission power.