Multicarrier wireless data communication method and apparatus, and transmission frame format therefor

• US 7,352,767 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2002
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jang, Kyung-hun
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo; Ricky Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hailu; Kibrom T
• Application Number:
  US10/234,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20030048799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,035 Days
• Field of Search: 370/431, 370/422, 370/470, 370/299, 370/414, 370/418, 370/508, 370/252, 370/333, 370/328, 370/342, 370/343, 370/345, 370/208, 455/63, 455/464, 455/500, 455/509, 455/524, 455/450, 455/561
• US Class Current: 370/431
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/023 Multiplexing of multicarrier modulation signals multicarrier modulation H04L27/2601
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access

Abstract

Provided are a wireless data communication apparatus and a method using a multicarrier, and a transmission frame format therefore, wherein through the wireless data communication method, a plurality of stations can transmit and receive burst data to and from a net access group switching center wirelessly using a multicarrier. The method includes: (a) allocating a sub-carrier channel set to one of the plurality of stations that requests allocation of the sub-carrier channel set consisting of sub-carriers of a first predetermined number out of a plurality of sub-carriers at a predetermined point of time; (b) activating the sub-carrier channel set allocated to the station which desires to transmit the data; and (c) checking the activation of the sub-carrier channel set, detecting a station that requests the allocation of resources based on the checked results, and allocating resources of a second predetermined number to the detected station.

Claims

1. A wireless data communication method by which a plurality of stations can transmit and receive burst data to and from a net access group switching center wirelessly using a multicarrier, the method comprising:

(a) allocating a sub-carrier channel set to each of the plurality of stations that requests allocation of the sub-carrier channel set consisting of sub-carriers of a first predetermined number out of a plurality of sub-carriers at a predetermined point of time;

(b) activating the sub-carrier channel set allocated to each of the stations desiring to transmit data; and

(c) checking for activation of at least one of the sub-carrier channel sets by determining if at least one sub-carrier in the allocated sub-carrier channel set is varied and, based on the checked activation results, allocating resources of a second predetermined number to the stations having an activated sub-carrier channel set allocated thereto.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein (c) comprises:

checking for the presence of at least one activated sub-carrier;

determining which of the allocated sub-carrier channel sets is an activated sub-carrier channel set that includes at least one activated sub-carrier when it is determined that the activated sub-carrier is present; and

for each of the activated sub-carrier channel sets, allocating the resources of the second predetermined number to the respective station to which the activated sub-carrier channel set is allocated.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein during (a), the second predetermined number is reported to the net access group switching center for requesting the allocation of the sub-carrier channel set.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising after (c), allocating resources of a third predetermined number in a piggyback method to a station to which the resources are allocated and which requires allocation of new resources of the third predetermined number.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resources are time slots.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resources are time slots and a frequency band of the sub-carrier.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first predetermined number is determined according to communication conditions.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sub-carrier channel set comprises non-adjacent sub-carriers having minimal interference therebetween.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method uses a the transmission frame format comprising:

a contention period containing information regarding the request for allocation of the sub-carrier channel set and the receipt of the sub-carrier channel set;

a bandwidth request period containing the sub-carrier channel set;

a downlink period containing data to be transmitted from the net access group switching center to one of the plurality of stations;

an uplink period containing resources to be allocated to one of the plurality of stations; and

a broadcast period containing information regarding beginning points and lengths of the contention period, the bandwidth request period, the downlink period and the uplink period.

10. The transmission frame format of claim 9, wherein the contention period has the second predetermined number to be reported to the net access group switching center.

11. The transmission frame format as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of the resources contained in the uplink period comprises:

a header of a third predetermined number; and

payloads having data.

19. The wireless data communication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resources of the second predetermined number are only allocated to each the sub-carrier channel sets including at least one of sub-carrier channel having an amplitude above the critical value.

20. The wireless data communication method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activation of the sub-carrier channel set is determined if an amplitude of at least one sub-carrier in the allocated sub-carrier channel set is above a critical value.

12. A wireless data communication apparatus through which burst data is received and transmitted wirelessly using a multicarrier, comprising:

a net access group switching center; and

a plurality of stations, wherein each one of the plurality of stations transmits information requesting the allocation of a sub-carrier channel set, which consists of sub-carriers of a first predetermined number out of a plurality of sub-carriers which exist at a predetermined time, to the net access group switching center, and activates the sub-carrier channel set allocated to a corresponding one of the plurality of stations so as to transmit data; and

wherein the net access group switching center allocates the sub-carrier channel set to the corresponding one of the plurality of stations in response to the information transmitted from the one of the plurality of stations, checks the activation of the sub-carrier channel set by determining if at least one sub-carrier in the allocated sub-carrier channel set is varied and, based on the checked activation result, allocates resources of a second predetermined number to the station to which the activated sub-carrier channel set is allocated.

13. The wireless data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the net access group switching center further determines which of the allocated sub-carrier channel sets is an activated sub-carrier channel set that includes at least one activated sub-carrier, and, for each of the activated sub-carrier channel sets, allocates the resources of the second predetermined number to the corresponding station to which the activated sub-carrier channel set is allocated.

14. The wireless data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the access group switching center further allocates resources of a third predetermined number in a piggyback method to a station to which the resources are allocated and requires allocation of new resources of the third predetermined number.

15. The wireless data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the resources are time slots.

16. The wireless data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the resources are time slots and a frequency band of the sub-carrier.

17. The wireless data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first predetermined number is determined according to quality of communication conditions.

18. The wireless data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sub-carrier channel set comprises non-adjacent sub-carries interference therebetween.

21. The wireless data communication system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the activation of the sub-carrier channel set is determined if an amplitude of at least one sub-carrier in the allocated sub-carrier channel set is above a critical value.

22. A station that transmits and receives burst data to and from a net access group switching center wirelessly using a multicarrier, wherein the station transmits information requesting the allocation of a sub-carrier channel set, which consists of sub-carrier of a first predetermined number out of a plurality of sub-carriers that exist at a predetermined time, to the net access group switching center, and activates the sub-carrier channel set allocated by the net access group switching center so as to transmit data, by varying at least one sub-carrier in the allocated sub-carrier channel.

23. The station as claimed in claim 22, wherein the sub-carrier channel set is activated by setting an amplitude of at least one sub-carrier in the allocated sub-carrier channel set above a critical value.

24. A net access group switching center that transmits and receives burst data to and from a plurality of stations wirelessly using a multicarrier, wherein the net access group switching center allocates a sub-carrier channel set to each of the plurality of stations that requests allocation of the sub-carrier channel set consisting of sub-carriers of a first predetermined number out of a plurality of sub-carriers at a predetermined point of time, checks for activation of at least one of the sub-carrier channel sets by determining if at least one sub-carrier in the allocated sub-carrier channel set is varied, and allocates resources of a second predetermined number to the stations having an activated sub-carrier channel set allocated thereto, based on the checked results.

25. The net access group switching center as claimed in claim 24, wherein the activation of the sub-carrier channel set is determined if an amplitude of at least one sub-carrier in the allocated sub-carrier channel set is above a critical value.