Traffic distribution in a wireless communication system

• US 7,768,967 B1
• Filed: 08/19/2004
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Mangal, Manish
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, IV; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Toan D
• Application Number:
  US10/922,178
• Time in Patent Office: 2,175 Days
• Field of Search: 370/280, 370/281, 370/314, 370/329, 370/332, 370/337, 370/349, 375/219, 375/220, 375/221, 375/295, 375/316, 375/346, 455/414, 455/426.1, 455/517
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72502 with one base station connected to a single line
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72511 Searching for available channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/563 of the wireless resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

A wireless communication system using a media access control (MAC) layer comprising a subscriber unit system and a base station system. The base station system is configured to receive a request for a communication service, dynamically select between a first portion of the MAC layer corresponding to a first wireless transmission link using a licensed radio frequency and a second portion of the MAC layer corresponding to a second wireless transmission link using an unlicensed radio frequency, and exchange communications for the communication service over the selected one of the first portion and the second portion of the MAC layer. The subscriber unit system is configured to transmit the request for the communication service to the base station system and exchange the communications for the communication service over the selected one of the first portion and the second portion of the MAC layer.

Claims

1. A method for operating a wireless subscriber unit, the method comprising:

in an interface system, receiving a user request for a communication service from a communication device;

in a control system, in response to receiving the user request, determining a required quality of service for the requested communication service;

in the control system, upon determining the required quality of service, dynamically selecting a one from a licensed wireless transmission link and an unlicensed wireless transmission link based on the required quality of service for the requested communication service; and

in a wireless transceiver, providing the requested communication service over the selected one of the licensed wireless transmission link and the unlicensed wireless transmission link.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the required quality of service for the requested communication service comprises determining the required quality of service based on a delivery requirement of the requested communication service, and wherein the licensed wireless transmission link is selected based on determining that the required quality of service is a high quality of service.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the unlicensed wireless transmission link is selected based on determining that the required quality of service is a low quality of service, and wherein the communication service is one of a plurality of communication services provided to the communication device, and wherein each of the plurality of communication services corresponds to a different one of a plurality of qualities of service, and wherein determining the required quality of service for the requested communication service comprises determining the required quality of service based on the quality of service of the plurality of qualities of service that corresponds to the requested communication service.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the licensed wireless transmission link is a multipoint multichannel distribution service link.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the licensed wireless transmission link is a personal communication service (PCS) link.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the licensed wireless transmission link is a code division multiple access (CDMA) link.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the licensed wireless transmission link is a time division multiple access (TDMA) link.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the requested communication service is an audio communication.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the requested communication service comprises an Internet data session.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the licensed wireless transmission link is between the wireless subscriber unit and a first base station and wherein the unlicensed wireless transmission link is between the wireless subscriber unit and a second base station.

11. A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions comprising:

communication software operational when executed by a processor to direct the processor to receive a user request for a communication service from a communication device, in response to receiving the user request, determine a required quality of service for the requested communication service, upon determining the required quality of service, dynamically select a one from a licensed wireless transmission link and an unlicensed wireless transmission link based on the required quality of service for the requested communication service, and provide the requested communication service over the selected one of the licensed wireless transmission link and the unlicensed wireless transmission link.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein the required quality of service for the requested communication service is determined based on a delivery requirement of the requested communication service, and wherein the licensed wireless transmission link is selected based on determining that the required quality of service is a high quality of service.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein the unlicensed wireless transmission link is selected based on determining that the required quality of service is a low quality of service, and wherein the communication service is one of a plurality of communication services provided to the communication device, and wherein each of the plurality of communication services corresponds to a different one of a plurality of qualities of service, and wherein the required quality of service for the requested communication service is determined based on the quality of service of the plurality of qualities of service that corresponds to the requested communication service.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein the licensed wireless transmission link is a multipoint multichannel distribution service link.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein the licensed wireless transmission link is a personal communication service (PCS) link.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein the licensed wireless transmission link is a code division multiple access (CDMA) link.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein the licensed wireless transmission link is a time division multiple access (TDMA) link.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein the requested communication service is an audio communication.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein the requested communication service comprises an Internet data session.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein the licensed wireless transmission link is between the wireless subscriber unit and a first base station and wherein the unlicensed wireless transmission link is between the wireless subscriber unit and a second base station.

21. A wireless subscriber unit system comprising:

an interface configured to receive a user request for a communication service from a communication device; and

a processing system configured to, in response to the interface receiving the user request, determine a required quality of service for the requested communication service, upon determining the required quality of service, dynamically select a one from a licensed wireless transmission link and an unlicensed wireless transmission link based on the required quality of service for the requested communication service, and provide the requested communication service over the selected one of the licensed wireless transmission link and the unlicensed wireless transmission link.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the required quality of service for the requested communication service is determined based on a delivery requirement of the requested communication service, and wherein the licensed wireless transmission link is selected based on determining that the required quality of service is a high quality of service.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the unlicensed wireless transmission link is selected based on determining that the required quality of service is a low quality of service and wherein the communication service is one of a plurality of communication services provided to the communication device, and wherein each of the plurality of communication services corresponds to a different one of a plurality of qualities of service, and wherein the required quality of service for the requested communication service is determined based on the quality of service of the plurality of qualities of service that corresponds to the requested communication service.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the licensed wireless transmission link is a multipoint multichannel distribution service link.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein the licensed wireless transmission link is a personal communication service (PCS) link.

26. The system of claim 21 wherein the licensed wireless transmission link is a code division multiple access (CDMA) link.

27. The system of claim 21 wherein the licensed wireless transmission link is a time division multiple access (TDMA) link.

28. The system of claim 21 wherein the requested communication service is an audio communication.

29. The system of claim 21 wherein the requested communication service comprises an Internet data session.

30. The system of claim 21 wherein the licensed wireless transmission link is between the wireless subscriber unit and a first base station and wherein the unlicensed wireless transmission link is between the wireless subscriber unit and a second base station.