Methods and apparatus for efficient providing of scheduling information

• US 8,098,667 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2006
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Julian, David Jonathan, Sutivong, Arak
• Primary Examiner(s): Qureshi, Afsar M.
• Application Number:
  US11/450,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20060285515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,049 Days
• Field of Search: 370230-522, 375316-354, 709201-246, 455 46- 48, 455500-516
• US Class Current: 370/395.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate efficiently providing scheduling information from an access terminal to a base station to enable effectuating scheduling decisions. Access terminals may transmit scheduling information in bifurcated requests. For instance, coarse scheduling information may be transferred utilizing a dedicated out-of-band channel, and fine scheduling information may be transmitted over an in-band channel.

Claims

1. A method that facilitates efficiently providing scheduling information to a central scheduler, comprising:

transmitting coarse scheduling information via an out-of-band channel to a base station; and

transmitting fine scheduling information via an in-band channel to the base station;

wherein transmitting the coarse scheduling information comprises

determining a first number of supportable subcarriers based on a buffer level,

determining a second number of supportable subcarriers based upon a power constraint,

identifying a minimum between the first number and the second number of supportable subcarriers, and

transmitting scheduling information that identifies a range including the identified minimum between the first number and the second number of supportable subcarriers.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an assignment corresponding to the coarse scheduling information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the fine scheduling information via the in-band channel further comprises transmitting the fine scheduling information in accordance with the assignment.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising transmitting the fine scheduling information to dynamically adjust the assignment.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the assignment allocates resources associated with reverse link communication.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the resources include one or more subcarriers.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the resources include one or more timeslots.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the resources include one or more power levels.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the resources include one or more packet formats.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the out-of-band channel is a dedicated channel.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the out-of-band channel is a contention free channel.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the fine scheduling information with a scheduled data transmission.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising appending the fine scheduling information as one or more headers associated with a data packet to be transmitted over the in-band channel.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the coarse scheduling information is transmitted automatically.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the coarse scheduling information is transmitted periodically.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the coarse scheduling information is transmitted in response to a received signal from a base station.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the coarse scheduling information is transmitted in response to data arrival.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the coarse scheduling information includes data related to at least one of a buffer level and a quality of service (QoS) level of an access terminal.

19. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that retains data associated with scheduling information; and

a processor, wherein the processor

transmits coarse scheduling information via an out-of-band channel to a base station, the coarse scheduling information that includes a range associated with a maximum number of supportable subcarriers, and

transmits fine scheduling information via an in-band channel to the base station.

20. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor receives an assignment corresponding to the coarse scheduling information and transmits the fine scheduling information in accordance with the assignment.

21. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 20, wherein the assignment allocates resources associated with reverse link communication, the resources being associated with at least one of one or more subcarriers, one or more timeslots, one or more power levels, and one or more packet formats.

22. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor transmits the fine scheduling information with a scheduled data transmission.

23. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor transmits the coarse scheduling information over a dedicated channel.

24. A wireless communications apparatus for efficiently transferring scheduling information to a centralized scheduler to facilitate allocating in-band resources, comprising:

means for transmitting coarse scheduling information via an out-of-band channel, the coarse scheduling information including a range associated with the maximum number of supportable subcarriers;

means for obtaining an assignment for reverse link communication associated with the coarse scheduling information; and

means for transmitting detailed scheduling information via an in-band channel based upon the assignment.

25. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 24, further comprising means for transmitting the coarse scheduling information over a dedicated channel.

26. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 24, further comprising means for determining a maximum number of supportable subcarriers related to an access terminal.

27. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 24, further comprising means for dynamically adjusting the assignment based upon the detailed scheduling information.

28. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 24, further comprising means for at least one of automatically and periodically transmitting the coarse scheduling information.

29. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 24, further comprising means for appending the detailed scheduling information to disparate data to be transmitted over the in-band channel in accordance with the assignment.

30. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-executable instructions for:

transmitting coarse scheduling information by way of an out-of-band channel to a base station; and

transmitting fine scheduling information by way of an in-band channel to the base station;

wherein transmitting the coarse scheduling information comprises

determining a first number of supportable subcarriers based on a buffer level,

determining a second number of supportable subcarriers based upon a power constraint,

identifying a minimum between the first number and the second number of supportable subcarriers, and

transmitting scheduling information that identifies a range including the identified minimum between the first number and the second number of supportable subcarriers.

31. The machine-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the machine-executable instructions further comprise receiving an assignment in response to the coarse scheduling information and transmitting the fine scheduling information by way of the in-band channel in accordance with the assignment.

32. The machine-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the machine-executable instructions further comprise transmitting the fine scheduling information with a scheduled data transmission.

33. The machine-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the machine-executable instructions further comprise transmitting the coarse scheduling information at least one of automatically, periodically, in response to a received signal from a base station, and in response to data arrival.

34. A processor that executes the following instructions:

transmitting coarse scheduling information over a dedicated, out-of-band channel; and

transmitting fine scheduling information over an assigned, in-band channel;

wherein transmitting the coarse scheduling information comprises

determining a first number of supportable subcarriers based on a buffer level,

determining a second number of supportable subcarriers based upon a power constraint,

identifying a minimum between the first number and the second number of supportable subcarriers, and

transmitting scheduling information that identifies a range including the identified minimum between the first number and the second number of supportable subcarriers.

35. A method that facilitates efficiently obtaining scheduling information, comprising:

receiving an out-of-band transmission including coarse scheduling information wherein the coarse scheduling information that includes at least one of an indication of a highest quality of service (QoS) level of data to be transferred over a reverse link and a range describing a maximum number of subcarriers supported by an access terminal;

transmitting a resources assignment based upon the coarse scheduling information; and

receiving an in-band transmission provided based upon the resources assignment, the in-band transmission comprising fine scheduling information.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising receiving the out-of-band transmission over a dedicated channel.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising receiving the fine scheduling information included as one or more headers associated with one or more data packets communicated over a reverse link.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising dynamically adjusting the resource assignment based upon the received fine scheduling information.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising receiving fine scheduling information that includes data related to at least one of a buffer size of an access terminal, a queue-latency measure for quality of service (QoS) purposes, buffer sizes for multiple QoS, a head of line packet latency, power control parameters, and maximum power constraints of the access terminal.

40. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that retains data related to allocating resources associated with reverse link communication; and

a processor that enables obtaining rough scheduling data, allocates resources based upon the rough scheduling data, receives fine scheduling data, and dynamically adjusts the allocation of resources based upon the fine scheduling data;

wherein the rough scheduling data includes at least one of an indication of a highest quality of service (QoS) level of data to be transferred over a reverse link and a range describing a maximum number of subcarriers supported by an access terminal.

41. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 40, wherein the processor obtains the rough scheduling data over a dedicated channel.

42. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 40, wherein the processor obtains the rough scheduling data via an out-of-band channel.

43. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 40, wherein the processor receives the fine scheduling data included as one or more headers associated with one or more data packets communicated over a reverse link, in-band channel.

44. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 40, wherein the processor analyzes the fine scheduling data to identify a format for disparate data packets to be obtained from an access terminal.

45. A wireless communications apparatus for efficiently receiving scheduling information to enable allocating in-band resources, comprising:

means for obtaining coarse scheduling information via an out-of-band channel wherein the coarse scheduling information that includes at least one of an indication of a highest quality of service (QoS) level of data to be transferred over a reverse link and a range describing a maximum number of subcarriers supported by an access terminal;

means for sending a resource assignment based upon the coarse scheduling information; and

means for obtaining fine scheduling information via an in-band channel effectuated utilizing the resource assignment.

46. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 45, further comprising means for dynamically altering the resource assignment based upon the fine scheduling information.

47. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 45, further comprising means for obtaining the coarse scheduling information that includes data related to a buffer level and a quality of service (QoS) level.

48. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 45, further comprising means for obtaining the fine scheduling data included as one or more headers associated with one or more data packets communicated over a reverse link, in-band channel.

49. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon machine-executable instructions for:

receiving an out-of-band transmission including coarse scheduling information wherein the rough scheduling data includes at least one of an indication of a highest quality of service (QoS) level of data to be transferred over a reverse link and a range describing a maximum number of subcarriers supported by an access terminal;

transmitting a resource assignment based upon the coarse scheduling information; and

receiving an in-band transmission provided based upon the resource assignment including fine scheduling information.

50. The machine-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the machine-executable instructions further comprise dynamically adjusting the resource assignment based upon the fine scheduling information.

51. The machine-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the machine-executable instructions further comprise receiving coarse scheduling information that includes data related to a buffer level and a quality of service (QoS) level.

52. The machine-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the machine-executable instructions further comprise receiving fine scheduling information that includes data related to at least one of a buffer size of an access terminal, a queue-latency measure for quality of service (QoS) purposes, buffer sizes for multiple QoS, a head of line packet latency, power control parameters, and maximum power constraints of the access terminal.

53. The machine-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the machine-executable instructions further comprise transmitting a signal that facilitates obtaining the coarse scheduling information.

54. A processor that executes the following instructions:

receiving coarse scheduling information by way of an out-of-band channel wherein the rough scheduling data includes at least one of an indication of a highest quality of service (QoS) level of data to be transferred over a reverse link and a range describing a maximum number of subcarriers supported by an access terminal;

transmitting a resource assignment based upon the coarse scheduling information; and

receiving fine scheduling information by way of an in-band channel, the fine scheduling information provided based upon the resource assignment.