Control channel for a wireless digital subscriber line system

• US 7,170,943 B1
• Filed: 11/28/2000
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SOMA Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Snelgrove, Martin, van Heeswyk, Frank, Mantha, Ramesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean B.
• Application Number:
  US09/722,499
• Time in Patent Office: 2,254 Days
• Field of Search: 375/259, 375/260, 375/257, 375/377, 370/278, 370/282, 370/294, 370/336, 370/337, 370/347, 370/348, 370/442, 370/322, 370/329, 370/330, 370/335, 370/342, 370/345, 455/450, 455/451, 455/452.1, 455/509, 455/464, 455/511
• US Class Current: 375/259
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0421 Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13039 Asymmetrical two-way transmission, e.g. ADSL, HDSL
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0891 for synchronized access

Abstract

A user control channel for a wireless digital subscriber line systems and the like, or other communications systems which can benefit from a control channel which provides a low data rate connection between stations on an ongoing basis, makes efficient use of transmission capacity in the communications systems. In one embodiment, the user control channel has a structure employing slotted frames, and a user can be assigned multiple slots, a single slot or less than a single slot (sharing slots with other users) to meet the data transmission needs of the user. Also, one or more slots can be designated as random access slots which users can access via an Aloha-like or other random access protocol as needed.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system for communication between a base station and a plurality of subscriber stations comprising a channel structure for the plurality of subscriber stations to communicate with the base station, the channel structure including:

a plurality of bi-directional dedicated channels; and

a bi-directional user control channel,

wherein a first subscriber station, when activated within the communication system, is allocated a dedicated portion of the user control channel, but when a dedicated channel is established between the first subscriber station and the base station, then the dedicated portion of the user control channel is de-allocated from the first subscriber station until the dedicated channel is de-allocated from the first subscriber station.

2. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein the user control channel transmits data in frames divided into time slots and the dedicated portion of the user control channel includes a time slot in the frames transmitted over the user control channel.

3. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein power control information is transmitted via the user control channel.

4. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein firmware upgrades are transmitted via the user control channel.

5. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein the channel structure further includes a broadcast packet data channel and wherein acknowledgements for receipt of a packet from the broadcast packet data channel are transmitted from a receiving subscriber station to the base station via the user control channel.

6. A wireless communication system for communication between a base station and a plurality of subscriber stations, the system comprising a channel structure for the plurality of subscriber stations to communicate with the base station, the channel structure including:

a plurality of bi-directional dedicated channels; and

at least one bi-directional user control channel,

wherein a first subscriber station, when activated within the communication system, is allocated a portion of a user control channel, which portion is dedicated to at least the first subscriber station and less than all of the plurality of subscriber stations, but when a dedicated channel is established between the first subscriber station and the base station, then the portion of the user control channel dedicated to the first subscriber station is de-allocated from the first subscriber station until the dedicated channel is de-allocated from the first subscriber station.

7. The wireless communication system of claim 6, wherein the user control channel transmits data in frames divided into time slots and the portion of the user control channel that is dedicated to the first subscriber station includes a time slot in the frames transmitted over the user control channel.

8. The wireless communication system of claim 7, wherein the subscriber stations to which a time slot is dedicated share use of that time slot by alternately employing it in successive frames.

9. The wireless communication system of claim 7, wherein the time slot is designated as a random access slot for the subscriber stations to which it is dedicated.