Error correction for a persistent resource allocation

• US 8,423,853 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Inventors: Bourlas, Yair, Asirvatham, Kirupairaj
• Primary Examiner(s): Iqbal, Nadeem
• Application Number:
  US12/204,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20090070650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: 714746-751, 714/753, 714/755, 714/758, 714786-791, 714798-800
• US Class Current: 714/748
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0004 applied to control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/001 applied to control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1861 Physical mapping arrangements for ACK signaling see also H04L5/0053
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1887 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/003 Arrangements for allocating sub-channels of the transmission path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0096 Indication of changes in allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0466 the resource being a scrambling code
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for communicating and utilizing persistent allocation of resources are described herein. A base station can allocate persistent resources to a client station, and can associate the client station or persistent resource allocation with a particular shared NACK channel. The base station can monitor the NACK channel for a NACK indicating a map error. The base station can also monitor the resource allocation to implicitly determine a map error. The base station can resend one or more persistent resource allocation information elements in response to the NACK or implicit error determination. A client station having a persistent resource allocation can monitor persistent resource allocation information elements in map messages and can indicate failure to receive a persistent resource allocation information element in a NACK message on a preassigned share NACK channel.

Claims

1. A client station comprising:

a receiver configured to receive persistent allocation information including a dedicated affirmative acknowledgment (ACK) channel and a shared a negative acknowledgment (NACK) channel;

a mapping module configured to decode the persistent allocation information;

a NACK module configured to selectively create a NACK message; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the NACK message over the shared NACK channel.

3. The client station of claim 1, further comprising:

a transmitter,

the receiver being configured to receive a no-changes-made indication; and

at least one of the transmitter and the receiver being configured to operate based on a previously received persistent resource allocation.

2. A client station comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a resource map;

a mapping module configured to determine whether a persistent allocation information element is within the resource map and configured to attempt to decode the persistent allocation information element; and

a NACK module configured to selectively create a map NACK message for transmission over a shared map NACK channel on a condition that the mapping module is unable to successfully decode the persistent allocation information element.

4. A client station comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a resource map;

a mapping module configured to determine whether a persistent allocation information element is within the resource map and decode the persistent allocation information element; and

a NACK module configured to selectively create a NACK message for transmission over a shared NACK channel on a condition that the mapping module is unable to successfully decode the persistent allocation information element.

5. A method of persistent resource allocation, the method comprising:

scheduling a candidate client station for a persistent resource allocation;

associating the candidate client station with a dedicated affirmative acknowledgment (ACK) channel and a shared negative acknowledgment (NACK) channel;

configuring a persistent allocation information element indicating the persistent resource allocation;

transmitting the persistent allocation information element; and

receiving a NACK message over the shared NACK channel.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising configuring the persistent allocation information element to indicate a pseudo random code which defines the shared NACK channel.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

transmitting an indication of a set of recent changes made to persistent allocations corresponding to a set of client stations associated with the shared NACK channel.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining that no changes have been made to the persistent resource allocation associated with the shared NACK channel; and

transmitting a no-changes-made indication to a set of client stations associated with the shared NACK channel.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

detecting little or no energy from the candidate client station on the persistent resource allocation; and

retransmitting the persistent allocation information element.

10. The method of claim 5,

wherein the persistent resource allocation is configured to carry a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) packet stream, and

wherein the method further comprises:

detecting a series of failed HARQ packet transfers; and

retransmitting the persistent allocation information element.

11. The method claim 5, further comprising:

retransmitting at least a portion of the persistent allocation information element to a group of client stations associated with the shared NACK channel.

12. A base station comprising:

a scheduler configured to schedule a candidate client station for persistent uplink resource allocation;

an information element (IE) generator configured to associate the candidate client station with a dedicated affirmative acknowledgment (ACK) channel and a shared negative acknowledgment (NACK) channel and to configure a persistent allocation information element identifying a persistent uplink resource allocation;

a transmitter configured to transmit the persistent allocation information element; and

a receiver configured to receive a NACK message over the shared NACK channel.

13. The base station of claim 12,

wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit an indication of a set of recent changes made to the persistent uplink resource allocation associated with the shared NACK channel.

14. The base station of claim 12,

wherein the IE generator is configured to determine that no changes have been made to the persistent uplink resource allocation associated with the shared NACK channel, and

wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a no-changes-made indication to a set of client stations associated with the shared NACK channel.

15. The base station of claim 12, further comprising:

an energy detector configured to detect an energy level from the candidate client station;

wherein the transmitter is configured to retransmit the persistent allocation information element on a condition that the energy level detected from the candidate client station is below a predetermined level.

16. The base station of claim 12, wherein the IE generator is configured to determine a set of recent changes made to persistent uplink resource allocations corresponding to a set of client stations associated with the shared NACK channel.