Dynamic channel quality measurement procedure implemented in a wireless digital communication system to prioritize the forwarding of downlink data

• US 8,219,036 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Terry, Stephen E., Dick, Stephen G., Miller, James M., Zeira, Eldad M., Zeira, Ariela
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US13/042,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20110159908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.11, 455/450, 455/452.2, 455/456.2, 455/456.5, 455524-525, 455/512, 455/509, 455/522, 455/69, 370/332, 370/335, 370/350
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/24 with feedback of measurements to the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/382 for resource allocation, admission control or handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0003 by switching between different modulation schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0009 by adapting the channel coding H04L1/1812 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0027 Scheduling of signalling, e.g. occurrence thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/543 based on requested quality, e.g. QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria

Abstract

A wireless digital communication system includes a base station in communication with a plurality of user equipment mobile terminals (UEs). The system prioritizes the forwarding of blocks of downlink data to designated ones of the UEs. The system employs adaptive modulation and coding (AM&C) to achieve improved radio resource utilization and provides optimum data rates for user services. Blocks of downlink (DL) data are received by the base station which requests downlink (DL) channel quality measurements only from those mobile terminals (UEs) with pending downlink transmissions. The UEs respond to the request by measuring and reporting DL channel quality to the base station, which then allocates resources such that the UEs will make best use of radio resources. The base station notifies the UEs of the physical channel allocation indicating the modulation/coding rate and allocated slots followed by transmission of blocks of downlink data which are transmitted to the UEs.

Claims

1. A method of requesting a channel quality measurement report, the method comprising:

transmitting a request to provide a channel quality (CQ) measurement report, wherein the request to provide a CQ measurement report is associated with a specified radio resource upon which the corresponding CQ measurement is to be based, and wherein the request to provide a CQ report is transmitted on a common control channel shared by user equipments (UEs) in a cell;

receiving a CQ measurement report in response to the request;

transmitting, on the common control channel, an allocation of radio resources that is based on the transmitted CQ measurement report; and

transmitting downlink data in accordance with the allocation of radio resources.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the allocation of radio resources includes at least one of a coding rate and a modulation type.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the specified radio resource upon which the corresponding CQ measurement is to be based is a specified time slot.

4. A base station comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a request to provide a channel quality (CQ) measurement report, wherein the request to provide a CQ report is associated with a specified radio resource upon which the corresponding CQ measurement is to be based, and wherein the request to provide a CQ report is transmitted on a common control channel shared by user equipments (UEs) in a cell;

a receiver configured to receive a CQ measurement report in response to the request; and

the transmitter further configured to transmit, on the common control channel, an allocation of radio resources that is based on the transmitted CQ measurement report, and to transmit downlink data in accordance with the allocation of radio resources.

5. The base station of claim 4 wherein the allocation of radio resources includes at least one of a coding rate, and a modulation type.

6. The base station of claim 4 wherein the specified radio resource that is a specified time slot.

7. A method for transmitting downlink control information to at least one user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

transmitting by a base station a request to provide a channel quality (CQ) measurement report, wherein the request to provide a CQ measurement report is associated with a specified radio resource upon which a corresponding CQ measurement is to be based, and wherein the request to provide a CQ report is transmitted on a common control channel shared by user equipments (UEs) in a cell;

receiving by the base station a CQ measurement report in response to the request;

transmitting, on the common control channel, by the base station downlink control information including an allocation of resources, wherein the downlink control information is distinguished by a UE identity (ID) associated with a specific UE; and

transmitting by the base station downlink data in accordance with the allocation of radio resources.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the allocation of radio resources includes at least one of a coding rate and a modulation type.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the specified radio resource that is a specified time slot.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the allocation of radio resources is based on the received CQ measurement report.

11. A base station comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a request to provide a channel quality (CQ) measurement report, wherein the request to provide a CQ measurement report is associated with a specified radio resource upon which a corresponding CQ measurement is to be based, and wherein the request to provide a CQ report is transmitted on a common control channel shared by user equipments (UEs) in a cell;

a receiver configured to receive a CQ measurement report in response to the request; and

the transmitter further configured to transmit, on the common control channel, UE downlink control information to a UE including an allocation of resources, wherein the downlink control information is distinguished by a UE identity (ID) associated with the UE, and to transmit downlink data in accordance with the allocation of radio resources.

12. The base station of claim 11 wherein the allocation of radio resources includes at least one of a coding rate, and a modulation type.

13. The base station of claim 11 wherein the specified radio resource is a specified time slot.

14. The base station of claim 11 wherein the allocation of radio resources is based on the received CQ measurement report.

15. A user equipment mobile terminal (UE) comprising:

a receiver configured to receive, on a common control channel that is shared by UEs in a cell, a request to provide a channel quality (CQ) measurement report;

a transmitter configured to transmit a CQ measurement report in response to the request, wherein the report is associated with a specified radio resource; and

the receiver further configured to receive an allocation of radio resources on the common control channel, the allocation of radio resources being based on the transmitted CQ measurement report, and to receive downlink data in accordance with the allocation of radio resources.

16. The UE of claim 15 wherein the allocation of radio resources is distinguished by a unique UE identity.

17. The UE of claim 15 wherein the allocation of radio resources includes at least one of a coding rate, and a modulation type.

18. The UE of claim 15 further comprising a processor configured to perform measurements on the specified radio resource and assemble the CQ measurement report.

19. The UE of claim 15 wherein the specified radio resource is specified by the network.

20. The UE of claim 15 wherein the request to provide a CQ measurement report is sent in response to receipt of downlink data at the base station.

21. The UE of claim 15 wherein the specified radio resource is a time slot.

22. A method comprising:

receiving a request to provide a channel quality (CQ) measurement report on a common control channel that is shared by user equipments in a cell;

transmitting a CQ measurement report in response to the request, wherein the report is associated with a specified radio resource;

receiving, on the common control channel, an allocation of radio resources that is based on the transmitted CQ measurement report; and

receiving downlink data in accordance with the allocation of radio resources.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the allocation of radio resources is distinguished by a unique UE identity.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the allocation of radio resources includes at least one of a coding rate, and a modulation type.

25. The method of claim 22 further comprising a processor configured to perform measurements on the specified radio resource and assemble the CQ measurement report.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the specified radio resources is specified by the network.

27. The method of claim 22 wherein the specified radio resource includes a specified time slot.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein the request to provide a CQ measurement report is sent in response to receipt of downlink data at the base station.

29. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

a receiver configured to receive, on a common control channel shared by UEs in a cell, a request to provide a channel quality (CQ) measurement report, wherein the request to provide a CQ measurement report is received on a condition that downlink data is received at a base station;

a transmitter configured to transmit a CQ measurement report in response to the request; and

the receiver further configured to receive, on the common control channel, an allocation of radio resources and to receive downlink data in accordance with the allocation of radio resources.

30. The UE of claim 29 wherein the allocation of radio resources is distinguished by a unique UE identity.

31. The UE of claim 29 wherein the allocation of radio resources includes at least one of a coding rate, and a modulation type.

32. The UE of claim 29 further comprising a processor configured to perform measurements on specified radio resources and assemble the CQ measurement report.

33. The UE of claim 29 wherein the measurement report is associated with a specified radio resource.

34. The UE of claim 33 wherein the specified radio resources are specified by the network.

35. The UE of claim 33 wherein the specified radio resource is a time slot.

36. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a request to provide a channel quality (CQ) measurement report, wherein the request is received on a common control channel shared by UEs in a cell;

a transmitter configured to transmit a CQ measurement report in response to the request; and

the receiver being further configured to receive an allocation of radio resources on the common control channel, and to receive downlink data in accordance with the allocation of radio resources.

37. The UE of claim 36 wherein the allocation of radio resources is distinguished by a unique UE identity.

38. The UE of claim 36 wherein the allocation of radio resources includes at least one of a coding rate, and a modulation type.

39. The UE of claim 36 wherein the CQ measurement report is associated with a specified radio resource.

40. The UE of claim 39 wherein the specified radio resource is specified by the network.

41. The UE of claim 39 wherein the specified radio resource includes a time slot.

42. The UE of claim 36 wherein the allocation of radio resources is based on the CQ measurement report.

43. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

a receiver configured to receive on a control channel shared by UEs in a cell, a request to provide a channel quality (CQ) measurement report wherein the request to provide a CQ measurement report is associated with specified radio resources on which the CQ measurement report should be based;

a transmitter configured to transmit a CQ measurement report in response to the request; and

the receiver further configured to receive an allocation of radio resources on the control channel, and to receive downlink data in accordance with the allocation of radio resources.

44. The UE of claim 43 wherein the allocation of radio resources is distinguished by a unique UE identity.

45. The UE of claim 43 wherein the allocation of radio resources includes at least one of a coding rate, a modulation type, and time slot.

46. The UE of claim 43 further comprising a processor configured to perform measurements on the specified radio resources and assemble the CQ measurement report.

47. The UE of claim 43 wherein the specified radio resources are specified by the network.

48. The UE of claim 43 wherein the allocation of radio resources is for a channel shared by UEs in a cell.

49. The UE of claim 43 wherein the specified radio resources include a time slot.

50. A user equipment mobile terminal (UE) comprising:

a receiver configured to receive, on a control channel that is shared by UEs in a cell, a request to provide a channel quality (CQ) measurement report;

a transmitter configured to transmit a CQ measurement report in response to the request, wherein the report is associated with a specified radio resource; and

the receiver further configured to receive an allocation of radio resources based on the transmitted CQ measurement report, and to receive downlink data in accordance with the allocation of radio resources.

51. The UE of claim 50, wherein the allocation of radio resources is received on the control channel shared by UEs in a cell.

52. The UE of 50 wherein the allocation of radio resources includes at least one of a coding rate, and a modulation type.