MAC channel operation employable for receiving on more than one forward link channel

• US 7,149,190 B1
• Filed: 03/22/2002
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ericsson AB (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Li, Jun, Tong, Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzlo, John
• Application Number:
  US10/104,252
• Time in Patent Office: 1,726 Days
• Field of Search: 370/335, 370/342, 370/338, 370/332, 370/328, 370/329, 370/252, 370/294, 370/278, 370/282, 455/434, 455/562, 375/130, 375/296, 375/260
• US Class Current: 370/278
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/06 the signals being represented by different frequencies combined with time-division multiplexing H04L5/26

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system for broadcasting data packets, perhaps concurrently, over multiple carriers. A carrier is selected for conveying data packets. An employment flag may be transmitted over a forward link MAC channel. QC information for a pilot channel of a given carrier is received over a reverse link MAC channel. The QC pilot channel information is then processed to determine the carrier selection for acceptable data packet transmission for a given time slot.

Claims

1. A first base transceiver station to broadcast data packets, comprising:

at least one receiver, the receiver to receive a QC signal over a reverse link MAC channel, the QC signal indicating forward link pilot channel quality;

at least one digital processor, the digital processor to cooperate with the receiver of the first base transceiver station and a second base transceiver station and to select one of a plurality of forward link carriers based upon one of a plurality of the QC signals associated with the forward link pilot channel; and

at least one transmitter, the transmitter to transmit a data channel assignment indicia to a mobile station over a corresponding forward link MAC channel.

2. The first base transceiver station of claim 1, wherein the QC signal is associated with the quality of a plurality of forward link pilot channels, the QC signal encapsulated in a round-robin format.

3. The first base transceiver station of claim 1, wherein a mobile station is configurable to monitor a plurality of forward link MAC channels simultaneously.

4. The first base transceiver station of claim 1, wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to transmit a plurality of forward link MAC channels simultaneously.

5. The first base transceiver station of claim 1, wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to receive a transmission of the simultaneous comparison of the quality of a plurality of forward link pilot channels over the reverse link MAC channel.

6. The first base transceiver station of claim 1, wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to receive a value representing a statistical average of the quality of a plurality of forward link pilot channels.

7. The first base transceiver station of claim 1, wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to receive a value representing a preferred forward link pilot channel.

8. The first base transceiver station of claim 1, wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to receive simultaneous separate transmissions of information associated with the quality of a plurality of pilot channels.

9. A broadcast system for transmitting data packets, comprising:

a plurality of forward link carriers, wherein each member of the plurality of forward link carriers has a forward link MAC channel employable to convey a data channel assignment indicia, each member of the plurality of forward link carriers further having a forward link pilot channel; and

a receiver for receiving a reverse link carrier having a reverse link MAC channel, wherein the reverse link MAC channel is employable to convey a QC signal associated with the quality of the forward link pilot channels, wherein the QC signal is encapsulated in a round-robin format.

10. The broadcast system of claim 9, wherein a base system controller determines a forward data link carrier based upon the QC signal.

11. The broadcast system of claim 9, wherein the data packets are transmitted by a base transceiver station.

12. The broadcast system of claim 11, wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to transmit a plurality of forward link MAC channels simultaneously.

13. The broadcast system of claim 11, wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to receive a transmission of the simultaneous comparison of the channel quality of a plurality of forward link pilot channels over the reverse link MAC channel.

14. The broadcast system of claim 11, wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to receive an averaged QC signal representing a statistical average of the quality of a plurality of forward link pilot channels.

15. The broadcast system of claim 11, wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to receive a value representing a preferred forward link pilot channel.

16. The broadcast system of claim 11, wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to receive simultaneous separate transmissions of QC signals, each separate QC signal associated with one of a plurality of separate forward link carriers.

17. A method for broadcasting data packets from a first base transceiver station or a second base transceiver station over a plurality of forward link data carriers, the method comprising:

receiving a QC signal over a reverse link MAC channel, the QC signal indicating forward link pilot channel quality;

selecting a forward link carrier based upon the QC signal by cooperating with first base transceiver station and the second base transceiver station; and

transmitting a data channel assignment indicia over the corresponding forward link MAC channel.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the QC signal is associated with the channel quality of a plurality of forward link pilot channels, the QC signal encapsulated in a round-robin format.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising a step of a mobile station monitoring a plurality of forward link MAC channels simultaneously.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of transmitting further comprises the base transceiver station transmitting a plurality of forward link MAC channels simultaneously.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving a simultaneous comparison of the quality of a plurality of forward link pilot channels over the reverse link MAC channel.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving a value representing a statistical average of the quality of a plurality of forward link pilot channels.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving a value representing a preferred forward link pilot channel.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving simultaneous separate transmissions of QC signals, wherein each separate QC signal is associated with one of a plurality of separate forward link pilot channels.

25. A base transceiver station to broadcast data packets, comprising:

a receiver, the receiver to receive a QC signal over a reverse link MAC channel, the QC signal indicating the quality of a plurality of forward link pilot channels, wherein the QC signal is encapsulated in a round-robin format;

a digital processor, the digital processor to select one of a plurality of forward link carriers based upon one of a plurality of the QC signals associated with the forward link pilot channel; and

a transmitter, the transmitter to transmit a data channel assignment indicia to a mobile station over a corresponding forward link MAC channel.