Resource allocation in a wireless network

• US 7,227,855 B1
• Filed: 07/31/2001
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: ArrayComm LLC (Ygomi LLC)
• Inventors: Trott, Mitchell D., Uhlik, Christopher R., Barratt, Craig H.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, CHI HO A
• Application Number:
  US09/919,683
• Time in Patent Office: 2,135 Days
• Field of Search: 370/431, 370/449, 370/335, 370/320, 370/343, 370/346, 370/465, 370/479, 370/321, 370/330, 370/336, 370/480, 370/481, 375/132, 375/135, 375/136
• US Class Current: 370/343
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/563 of the wireless resources

Abstract

A data stream is transmitted between a base station and user terminal. A first resource that is available to transmit a page is selected at the base station and the page transmitted from the base station via the first resource. The page is received at the user terminal via the first resource and a second resource that is available to transmit a page response is selected at the user terminal. A page response is transmitted from the user terminal via the second resource in response to the page. A data stream is then transmitted between the base station and user terminal via a third resource. In one embodiment, the first, second and third resources utilize the same sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a hopping sequence among a set of available radio frequency resources. In one embodiment, at least two of the first, second and third resources utilize the same sequence of radio frequency resources. In yet another embodiment, the resources utilize different sequences of radio frequency resources.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting a data stream between a base station and user terminal comprising:

selecting at the base station a first of multiple radio frequency (RF) resources to transmit a page;

transmitting the page from the base station via the first RF resource;

receiving the page at the user terminal via the first RF resource;

selecting at the user terminal one of multiple hopping sequence resources to transmit a page response, including computing a function at the user terminal to determine the hopping sequence resource to select, the selected hopping sequence resource comprising a sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a hopping sequence;

transmitting the page response from the user terminal via the selected hopping sequence resource in response to the page; and

transmitting the data stream between the base station and user terminal via a second RF resource.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first RF resource comprises a first RF resource that is available.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the selected hopping sequence resource comprises a resource that is available.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected hopping sequence resource comprises a sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a hopping sequence among a set of radio frequency channels.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected hopping sequence resource comprises a sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a hopping sequence among a set of time slots.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected hopping sequence resource comprises a sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a hopping sequence among a set of code division multiple access codes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein computing a function at the user terminal for the hopping sequence resource to select comprises searching a look up table at the user terminal for the hopping sequence resource to select.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein computing a function at the user terminal for the hopping sequence resource to select includes searching a look up table using information from the page to perform the search.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein searching a look up table comprises using information from the page to perform the search.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein computing a function at the user terminal for the hopping sequence resource to select includes searching a look up table using information implicit in at least one of the page and the first RF resource.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein searching a look up table comprises using information implicit in at least one of the page and the first resource.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the page from a base station via the first RF resource comprises transmitting the page including page identifier assigned to the user terminal from the base station via the first RF resource.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving the page at the user terminal via the first RF resource further comprises examining whether the page identifier in the page matches the page identifier assigned to the user terminal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein transmitting the page response from the user terminal via the selected hopping sequence resource in response to the page comprises transmitting the page selected hopping sequence response from the user terminal via the resource in response to the page if the page identifier in the page matches the page identifier assigned to the user terminal.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a message from the base station acknowledging the page response.

16. The method of claim 15, the message identifying the second RF resource for transmitting a data stream between the base station and user terminal.

17. A method for transmitting a data stream comprising:

computing a function at a base station to determine a page listening pattern followed by a user terminal;

selecting at the base station one of multiple radio frequency (RF) resources to transmit a page, based at least in part on the computed function;

transmitting the page from the base station via the RF resource;

receiving a page response from the user terminal via a first of multiple hopping sequence resources in response to the page, the first hopping sequence resource comprising a sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a hopping sequence;

transmitting a message from the base station acknowledging the page response.

18. The method of claim 17, the message identifying a second resource for transmitting a data stream between the base station and the user terminal.

19. The method of claim 18, the second resource comprising a sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a hopping sequence.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising transmitting the data stream to the user terminal via the second hopping sequence resource.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the RF resource comprises a RF resource that is available.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the second hopping sequence resource comprises the same sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a hopping sequence as the first hopping sequence resource.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the second hopping sequence resource comprises a sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a different hopping sequence than the first hopping sequence resource.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein transmitting the page from the base station via the RF resource comprises transmitting the page including page identifier assigned to the user terminal from the base station via the RF resource.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the sequence of radio frequency resources follow a hopping sequence among one of a set of radio frequency channels, a set of time slots, and a set of code division multiple access codes.

26. A method for transmitting a data stream comprising:

receiving a page from a base station at a user terminal via a radio frequency resource, the radio frequency resource selected by the base station from among multiple radio frequency resources;

selecting at the user terminal a first hopping sequence resource to transmit a page response, the first hopping sequence resource comprising a sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a hopping sequence, selecting the first hopping sequence resource including computing a function at the user terminal for the first hopping sequence resource to select;

transmitting the page response from the user terminal via the first hopping sequence resource in response to the page; and

receiving a message from the base station acknowledging the page response.

27. The method of claim 26, the message identifying a second hopping sequence resource for transmitting a data stream between the base station and a user terminal, the second hopping sequence resource comprising a sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a hopping sequence.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising transmitting the data stream to the base station via the second hopping sequence resource.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the sequence of radio frequency resources follow a hopping sequence among one of a set of radio frequency channels, a set of time slots, and a set of code division multiple access codes.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the first hopping sequence resource comprises a first hopping sequence resource that is available.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the second hopping sequence resource comprises the same sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a hopping sequence as the first hopping sequence resource.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the second hopping sequence resource comprises a sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a different hopping sequence than the first hopping sequence resource.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein computing a function at the user terminal for the first hopping sequence resource to select comprises searching a look up table at the user terminal for the first hopping sequence resource to select.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein computing a function at the user terminal for the first hopping sequence resource to select includes searching a look up table using information from the page to perform the search.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein receiving a page from a base station at a user terminal via a RF resource includes receiving a page identifier.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein receiving the page at the user terminal via the RF resource further comprises examining whether the page identifier in the page matches the page identifier assigned to the user terminal.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein transmitting the page response from the user terminal via the first hopping sequence resource in response to the page comprises transmitting the page response from the user terminal via the first hopping sequence resource in response to the page if the page identifier in the page matches the page identifier assigned to the user terminal.

38. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a computer readable medium providing instructions, that when executed by a machine, cause the machine to;

compute a function to determine a page listening pattern followed by a user terminal;

select a radio frequency resource to transmit a page including a page identifier assigned to a user terminal, the radio frequency resource selected based at least in part on the computed function;

receive a page response via a resource in response to the page;

transmit a message acknowledging the page response, the message identifying a second resource for transmitting a data stream; and

transmit the data stream via the second resource;

wherein one of the first and second resources comprises a sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a hopping sequence.

39. The article of manufacture of claim 38, wherein the one of the first and second resources that comprises a sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a hopping sequence, comprises a sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a hopping sequence among one of a set of radio frequency channels, a set of time slots, and a set of code division multiple access codes.

40. The article of manufacture of claim 38, wherein the instructions, that when executed by a machine, cause the machine to select a first resource to transmit a page, comprise instructions, that when executed by the machine, cause the machine to select a first resource that is available to transmit a page.

41. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a computer readable medium providing instructions, that when executed by a machine, cause the machine to;

receive a page via a radio frequency resource, the radio frequency resource selected by the base station from among multiple radio frequency resources;

select a first resource to transmit a page response, including computing a function to determine the first resource to select, the first resource being one of multiple hopping sequences resources having a sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a hopping sequence;

transmit the page response via the first resource in response to the page;

receive a message acknowledging the page response, the message identifying a second resource for transmitting a data stream; and

transmit the data stream via the second resource.

42. The article of manufacture of claim 41, wherein the first resource having the sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a hopping sequence, comprises a sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a hopping sequence among one of a set of radio frequency channels, a set of time slots, and a set of code division multiple access codes.

43. The article of manufacture of claim 41, wherein the instructions, that when executed by the machine, cause the machine to select a first resource to transmit a page response comprises a first resource that is available to transmit a page response.

44. The article of manufacture of claim 41, wherein the instructions, that when executed by the machine, cause the machine to compute a function for the first resource to select comprises instructions, that when executed by the machine, cause the machine to search a look up table for the first resource to select.

45. The article of manufacture of claim 41, wherein the instructions, that when executed by the machine, cause the machine to compute a function for the first resource to select comprises instructions, that when executed by the machine, cause the machine to search a look up table using information from the page to perform the search.

46. The article of manufacture of claim 45, wherein the instructions, that when executed by the machine, cause the machine to receive the page via the RF resource further comprises instructions, that when executed by the machine, cause the machine to receive a page including a page identifier and examine whether the page identifier in the page matches the page identifier assigned to the machine.

47. The article of manufacture of claim 46, wherein the instructions, that when executed by the machine, cause the machine to transmit the page response via the first resource in response to the page comprises instructions, that when executed by the machine, cause the machine to transmit the page response via the first resource in response to the page if the page identifier in the page matches the page identifier assigned to the machine.

48. A method of communicating with a user terminal, comprising:

computing a function at a base station to determine a page listening pattern followed by a user terminal;

transmitting a page to the user terminal on one of multiple parallel communication resources on the base station, the one parallel communication resource selected based on a result of the function computed;

receiving a page response from the user terminal at the base station, the page response received on one of the multiple parallel communication resources, the communication resource a sequence of radio frequency resource hops; and

initiating a communication stream on an available communication resource.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein transmitting on one of the multiple parallel communication resources comprises transmitting on one of multiple hardware processing resources.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein each hardware processing resource controls a spatial communication channel.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein initiating the communication stream on the available communication resource comprises the base station initiating the communication stream on one of the hardware processing resources.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein initiating the communication stream on the one hardware processing resource comprises a receiving hardware processing resource initiating the communication stream on a communication resource controlled by the hardware processing resource, independent of the other hardware processing resources.

53. The method of claim 48, wherein receiving the page response on the communication resource comprises receiving the page response on one of multiple hopping sequences present on the base station.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein receiving the page response on the one hopping sequence comprises receiving the page response on a hopping sequence indicated by the base station to the user terminal.