Method and apparatus for high rate packet data transmission

• US 7,995,531 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Black, Peter J., Wheatley, Charles E. III, Grob, Matthew S., Bender, Paul E., Padovani, Roberto, Sindhushayana, Nagabhushana T., Hinderling, Jurg K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phunkulh; Bob A
• Application Number:
  US11/529,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20070025319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/330
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/264 for data rate control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1809 Selective-repeat protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1829 Arrangements specially adapted for the receiver end
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

In a data communication system capable of variable rate transmission, high rate packet data transmission improves utilization of the forward link and decreases the transmission delay. Data transmission on the forward link is time multiplexed and the base station transmits at the highest data rate supported by the forward link at each time slot to one mobile station. The data rate is determined by the largest C/I measurement of the forward link signals as measured at the mobile station. Upon determination of a data packet received in error, the mobile station transmits a NACK message back to the base station. The NACK message results in retransmission of the data packet received in error. The data packets can be transmitted out of sequence by the use of sequence number to identify each data unit within the data packets.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a communication system, comprising:

means for receiving a data request message from a mobile station;

means for forwarding data addressed to the mobile station to a plurality of base stations, whereby the data is suitable for being transmitted from any one of the plurality of base stations to the mobile station; and

means for transmitting the data from at least one of the plurality of base stations based on a quality indicator received from the mobile station.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for forwarding is further configured to forward data addressed to the mobile station to the plurality of base stations at each time slot.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein any one of the plurality of base stations is configurable to transmit the data to the mobile station at a given time slot.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of base stations are included in an active set of the mobile station.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data request message includes the quality indicator of a link in the communication system.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the data is transmitted as a function of the quality indicator.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data request message includes a requested data rate corresponding to the quality indicator.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the data is transmitted at a data rate corresponding to the requested data rate.

9. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the apparatus is a non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program configured to increase data throughput and efficiency in the communication system, when coupled to a computing device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data is transmitted from a base station selected based on a quality of a link from the base station to the mobile station.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data is transmitted from a base station indicated by the data request message.

12. A method in a communication system, comprising:

receiving a data request message from a mobile station;

forwarding data addressed to the mobile station to a plurality of base stations, whereby the data is suitable for being transmitted from any one of the plurality of base stations to the mobile station; and

transmitting the data from at least one of the plurality of base stations based on a quality indicator received from the mobile station.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising forwarding data addressed to the mobile station to the plurality of base stations at each time slot.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein any one of the plurality of base stations is configurable to transmit the data to the mobile station at a given time slot.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of base stations are included in an active set of the mobile station.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the data request message includes the quality indicator of a link in the communication system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the data is transmitted as a function of the quality indicator.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the data request message includes a requested data rate corresponding to the quality indicator.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the data is transmitted at a data rate corresponding to the requested data rate.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the data is transmitted from a base station selected based on a quality of a link from the base station to the mobile station.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the data is transmitted from a base station indicated by the data request message.

22. An apparatus for a communication system, comprising:

means for receiving data addressed to a plurality of mobile stations;

means for selecting a first mobile station of the plurality of mobile stations based on a quality indicator received, the quality indicator indicative of a quality of a link to the first mobile station; and

means for transmitting the data addressed to the first mobile station.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising means for determining a data rate for transmission as a function of the quality indicator.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the quality indicator is a data request message containing the indication of the quality of the link.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the indication of the quality of the link includes a Carrier-to-Interference (C/I) measurement of the link.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the indication of the quality of the link includes a bit-error-rate of the link.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the indication of the quality of the link includes a packet-error-rate of the link.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the quality indicator is a data request message containing a requested data rate.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the requested data rate corresponds to a maximum data rate.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the data rate for transmission corresponds to the requested data rate.

31. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the quality indicator maps to an index.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the index corresponds to a transmission data rate.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the index corresponds to a set of traffic channel parameters.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the set of traffic channel parameters includes a packet length, or a packet size, or a number of packets, or a number of time slots per packet, or a modulation format, or a channel coding scheme, or any combination thereof.

35. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for selecting is further configured to determine whether to transmit the data addressed to the first mobile station at each time slot.

36. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising means for receiving the quality indicator periodically.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the quality indicator is received at each time slot.

38. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising means for transmitting the data at a constant transmit power.

39. The apparatus of any of claims 22 to 38, wherein the apparatus is a non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program configured to increase data throughput and efficiency in the communication system, when coupled to a computing device.

40. A method in a communication system, comprising:

receiving data addressed to a plurality of mobile stations;

selecting a first mobile station of the plurality of mobile stations based on a quality indicator received, the quality indicator indicative of a quality of a link to the first mobile station; and

transmitting data addressed to the first mobile station.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising determining a data rate for transmission as a function of the quality indicator.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the quality indicator is a data request message containing the indication of the quality of the link.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the indication of the quality of the link includes a Carrier-to-Interference (C/I) measurement of the link.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the indication of the quality of the link includes a bit-error-rate of the link.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the indication of the quality of the link includes a packet-error-rate of the link.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein the quality indicator is a data request message containing a requested data rate.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the data rate for transmission corresponds to the requested data rate.

48. The method of claim 40, wherein the quality indicator maps to an index.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the index corresponds to a transmission data rate.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the index corresponds to a set of traffic channel parameters.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the set of traffic channel parameters includes a packet length, or a packet size, or a number of packets, or a number of time slots per packet, or a modulation format, or a channel coding scheme, or any combination thereof.

52. The method of claim 40, further comprising determining whether to transmit the data addressed to the first mobile station at each time slot.

53. The method of claim 40, further comprising receiving the quality indicator periodically.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the quality indicator is received at each time slot.

55. The method of claim 40, further comprising transmitting the data at a constant transmit power.

56. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer program for increasing data throughput and efficiency in a communication system, comprising:

instructions for receiving a data request message from a mobile station;

instructions for forwarding data addressed to the mobile station to a plurality of base stations, whereby the data is suitable for being transmitted from any one of the plurality of base stations to the mobile station; and

instructions for sending the data from at least one of the plurality of base stations based on a quality indicator received from the mobile station.

57. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer program for increasing data throughput and efficiency in a communication system, comprising:

instructions for receiving data addressed to a plurality of mobile stations;

instructions for selecting a first mobile station of the plurality of mobile stations based on a quality indicator received, the quality indicator indicative of a quality of a link to the first mobile station; and

instructions for transmitting data addressed to the first mobile station.

58. An apparatus for a communication system, comprising:

at least one processor configured

to receive a data request message from a mobile station,

to forward data addressed to the mobile station to a plurality of base stations, whereby the data is suitable for being transmitted from any one of the plurality of base stations to the mobile station, and

to send the data from at least one of the plurality of base stations based on a quality indicator received from the mobile station.

59. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the at least one processor is configured to forward data addressed to the mobile station to the plurality of base stations at each time slot.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein any one of the plurality of base stations is configurable to transmit the data to the mobile station at a given time slot.

61. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the plurality of base stations are included in an active set of the mobile station.

62. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the data request message includes the quality indicator of a link in the communication system.

63. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the data is transmitted as a function of the quality indicator.

64. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the data request message includes a requested data rate corresponding to the quality indicator.

65. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein the data is transmitted at a data rate corresponding to the requested data rate.

66. An apparatus for a communication system, comprising:

at least one processor configured

to receive data addressed to a plurality of mobile stations,

to select a first mobile station of the plurality of mobile stations based on a quality indicator received, the quality indicator indicative of a quality of a link to the first mobile station, and

to transmit data addressed to the first mobile station.

67. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a data rate for transmission as a function of the quality indicator.

68. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein the quality indicator is a data request message containing the indication of the quality of the link.

69. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein the indication of the quality of the link includes a Carrier-to-Interference (C/I) measurement of the link.

70. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein the indication of the quality of the link includes a bit-error-rate of the link.

71. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein the indication of the quality of the link includes a packet-error-rate of the link.

72. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein the quality indicator is a data request message containing a requested data rate.

73. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the data rate for transmission corresponds to the requested data rate.

74. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the quality indicator maps to an index.

75. The apparatus of claim 74, wherein the index corresponds to a transmission data rate.

76. The apparatus of claim 74, wherein the index corresponds to a set of traffic channel parameters.

77. The apparatus of claim 76, wherein the set of traffic channel parameters includes a packet length, or a packet size, or a number of packets, or a number of time slots per packet, or a modulation format, or a channel coding scheme, or any combination thereof.

78. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine whether to transmit the data addressed to the first mobile station at each time slot.

79. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive the quality indicator periodically.

80. The apparatus of claim 79, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive the quality indicator at each time slot.

81. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the at least one processor is configured to transmit the data at a constant transmit power.