Air interface scheduler for wireless communication networks
First Claim
1. A method of scheduling a plurality of users sharing use of an air interface in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
- calculating a scheduling metric for each user, said scheduling metric being dependent on a minimum data rate defined for the user;
defining the scheduling metrics such that assigning a higher minimum data rate value to a given user preferentially biases scheduling of that user;
defining the scheduling metrics such that a magnitude of the scheduling metric for each user depends on a differential value between an average served data rate of the user and the minimum data rate defined for the user, wherein users having smaller differential values are preferentially scheduled; and
scheduling users based on the scheduling metrics.
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Abstract
A scheduler permits efficient and flexible scheduling between simultaneous users of an air interface in a wireless communication networks in consideration of desired QoS parameters and class-based preferential scheduling. By appropriately defining the utility functions used by the scheduler in user scheduling, scheduling may, among other goals, be biased toward satisfaction of average or minimum throughput constraints, be biased toward meeting QoS delay constraints, or be biased based on combined considerations of these goals. Where QoS delay constraints are considered, the scheduler might adopt a dynamic approach to updating delay terms in the utility functions, such that users are not over-served or underserved relative to a desired quality of service.
32 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A method of scheduling a plurality of users sharing use of an air interface in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
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calculating a scheduling metric for each user, said scheduling metric being dependent on a minimum data rate defined for the user;
defining the scheduling metrics such that assigning a higher minimum data rate value to a given user preferentially biases scheduling of that user;
defining the scheduling metrics such that a magnitude of the scheduling metric for each user depends on a differential value between an average served data rate of the user and the minimum data rate defined for the user, wherein users having smaller differential values are preferentially scheduled; and
scheduling users based on the scheduling metrics. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12)
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- 8. The method of claim 8, wherein calculating the scheduling metric for each user comprises differentiating a utility function that depends on the minimum data rate defined far the user.
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13. A method of scheduling use of an air interface shared by users of a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
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assigning a utility function to each user that is dependent on an average served rate and a desired minimum data rate associated with the user, wherein the utility function assigned to each user is dependent an a differential value between the average served rate and the desired minimum data rate associated with the user;
evaluating the utility function for each user to determine a scheduling metric for the user, wherein a magnitude of the scheduling metric varies proportionately to the minimum data rate; and
scheduling the user having the greatest scheduling metric magnitude. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A wireless communication network comprising:
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at least one radio base station to serve a plurality of users over a shared air interface; and
a scheduler to schedule use of the air interface by the plurality of users, the scheduler comprising;
a metric calculator to calculate a scheduling metric for each user, wherein said scheduling metric is calculated based on a minimum data rate defined for the user, and further wherein the metric calculator calculates the scheduling metric for each user based on a differential value between an average served rate of the user (Ri) and the minimum data rate of the user (Ri,min), such that the scheduling metric becomes more favorable as Ri approaches Ri,min; and
a comparator to compare the scheduling metrics to identify the user having the most favorable scheduling metric, such that the identified user is scheduled for service via the air interface. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A scheduler to schedule use of a wireless communication network air interface that is shared by a plurality of users, the scheduler comprising:
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a metric calculator to calculate a scheduling metric for each user, wherein said scheduling metric is calculated based on a minimum data rate defined for the user, wherein the metric calculator calculates the scheduling metric for each user based on a differential value between an average served rate of the user (Ri) and the minimum data rate of the user (Ri,min), such that the scheduling metric becomes more favorable as Ri approaches Ri,min; and
)a comparator to compare the scheduling metrics to identify the user having the most favorable scheduling metric, such that the identified user is scheduled for service via the air interface. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification