Base station and method for resource allocation using localized and distributed resource blocks

• US 8,301,155 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2012
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Ho, Minnie, Li, Qinghua, Lin, Xintian E, Somayazulu, Vallabhajosyula S., Talwar, Shilpa
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUA, QUAN M
• Application Number:
  US13/400,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20120147846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 252 Days
• Field of Search: 455/451, 455/452.1, 455/452.2, 455/453, 455/454, 455/455, 455/425, 455/462, 370/431, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/452.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/02 Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas RAKE receivers H04B1/7115
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/00 Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Embodiments of a base station and method for resource allocation using localized and distributed resource blocks are generally described herein. The base station comprises processing circuitry to allocate localized resources to user stations based on receipt of channel quality information received from the user stations and to allocate distributed resource to user stations based on non-receipt of channel quality information. The base station also comprises physical layer circuitry to transmit control information on a physical channel to indicate the resources that are allocated to each scheduled user station.

Claims

1. A base station configured for resource allocation in orthogonal-frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) subframes, wherein resource comprising virtual resource blocks (VRBs) and physical resource blocks (PRBs), the base station comprising:

processing circuitry to allocate localized resources to user stations based on receipt of channel quality information received from the user stations and to allocate distributed resource to user stations based on non-receipt of channel quality information; and

physical layer circuitry configured to transmit control information on a physical channel to indicate the resources that are allocated to each scheduled user station,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to;

allocate VRBs of a localized type to user stations based on receipt of a channel quality indicator (CQI) received from the user stations; and

allocate VRBs of a distributed type to user stations based on non-receipt of a CQI, and

wherein the physical layer circuitry is configured to transmit downlink control information (DCI) carried on a physical-downlink control channel (PDCCH) using a bitmap to indicate the VRBs that are allocated to each scheduled user station;

and wherein a PRB to which VRB being mapped comprises a number of consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and a number of consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain of an OFDMA downlink subframe;

the base station is further configured to

provide a flag bit carried on the PDCCH to indicate to a scheduled user station whether the VRB allocation is of the localized type or the distributed type;

wherein a size of a resource block group allocated to a user station corresponds to a CQI subband size;

wherein for downlink transmissions using a normal length cyclic prefix, the PRB comprises seven consecutive OFDM symbol in the time domain and twelve consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain, and

wherein for downlink transmissions using an extended cyclic prefix, the PRB comprises six consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and twelve consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain or three consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and twenty-four consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain depending on a subcarrier frequency delta (Af).

2. The base station of claim 1 further configured to receive the CQIs from at least of some the user stations.

3. The base station of claim 2 further configured to:

classify user stations from which a CQI is received as closed loop user stations;

AND

classify user stations from which a CQI is not received as open loop user stations.

4. The base station of claim 1 wherein the base station is an enhanced or an evolved node B (eNB) and the user stations are user equipment.

5. A method for resource allocation, wherein resource comprising virtual resource blocks (VRBs) and physical resource blocks (PRBs), comprising:

allocating VRBs of a localized type to user stations based on receipt of a channel quality indicator (CQI) received from the user stations;

allocating VRBs of a distributed type to user stations based on non-receipt of a CQI; and

transmitting downlink control information (DCI) carried on a physical-downlink control channel (PDCCH) [using a bitmap] to indicate the VRBs that are allocated to each scheduled user station;

wherein a PRB to which the VRBs are mapped comprises a number of consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and a number of consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain of an OFDMA downlink subframe;

providing a flag bit carried on the PDCCH to indicate to a scheduled user station whether the VRB allocation is of the localized type or the distributed type;

wherein a size of a resource block group allocated to a user station corresponds to a CQI subband size;

wherein for downlink transmissions using a normal length cyclic prefix, the PRB comprises seven consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and twelve consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain, and

wherein for downlink transmissions using an extended cyclic prefix, the PRB comprises six consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and twelve consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain or three consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and twenty-four consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain depending on a subcarrier frequency delta (Af).

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving the CQIs from at least some the user stations;

classifying user stations from which a CQI is received as closed loop user stations; and

classifying user stations from which a CQI is not received as open loop user stations.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the method is performed by a base station including an enhanced or an evolved node B (eNB), and

wherein the user stations are user equipment.

8. A base station comprising processing circuitry configured to:

allocate virtual resource blocks (VRBs) of a localized type to user stations based on receipt of a channel quality indicator (CQI) received from the user stations;

allocate VRBs of a distributed type to user stations based on non-receipt of a CQI;

transmit downlink control information (DCI) carried on a physical-downlink control channel (PDCCH) using a bitmap to indicate the VRBs that are allocated to each scheduled user station,

the allocated VRBs being mapped to physical resource block s (PRBs);

a PRB comprises a number of consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and a number of consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain of an OFDMA downlink subframe, and wherein the base station is configured to provide a flag bit carried on the PDCCH to indicate to a scheduled user station whether the VRB allocation is of the localized type or the distributed type

wherein a size of a resource block group allocated to a user station corresponds to a CQI subband size;

wherein for downlink transmissions using a normal length cyclic prefix, the PRB comprises seven consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and twelve consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain, and

wherein for downlink transmissions using an extended cyclic prefix, the PRB comprises six consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and twelve consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain or three consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain and twenty-four consecutive OFDM subcarriers in the frequency domain depending on a subcarrier frequency delta (Af).