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

• US 8,437,702 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2012
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Terry, Stephen E., Dick, Stephen G., Miller, James M., Zeira, Eldad M., Zeira, Ariela
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US13/534,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20120263151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 314 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.11, 455/450, 455/452.2, 455/509, 455/62, 455/456.5, 455/512, 370/332, 370/335, 370/348, 370/350, 370/329
• 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 transmitting downlink data, the method comprising:

receiving the downlink data;

transmitting a request to provide channel quality (CQ) measurement reports to user equipments for which the downlink data is to be transmitted based on receiving the downlink data;

receiving the CQ measurement reports in response to the request;

signaling an allocation of radio resources, the allocation of radio resources being based on the received CQ measurement reports; and

transmitting the received 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 particular coding rate, a modulation type and an allocated time slot.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein each request to provide CQ measurement reports is transmitted over a common control channel or a dedicated control channel.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the request to provide CQ measurement reports indicates at least one particular radio resource upon which the CQ measurements are to be performed.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising prioritizing UEs based on the received CQ measurement reports.

6. A base station comprising:

a receiver configured to receive downlink data;

a transmitter configured to transmit a request to provide channel quality (CQ) measurement reports to user equipments for which the downlink data is to be transmitted based on receiving the downlink data;

the receiver being further configured to receive the CQ measurement reports in response to the request; and

the transmitter being further configured to signal an allocation of radio resources, the allocation of resources being based on the CQ measurement reports, and to transmit the received downlink data in accordance with the allocation of radio resources.

7. The base station of claim 6 wherein the allocation of radio resources includes at least one of a particular coding rate, a modulation type and an allocated time slot.

8. The base station of claim 6 wherein each request to provide CQ measurement reports is transmitted over a common control channel or a dedicated control channel.

9. The base station of claim 6 wherein the request to provide CQ measurement reports indicates at least one particular radio resource upon which the CQ measurements are to be performed.

10. The base station of claim 6, being further configured to prioritize UEs based on the received CQ measurement reports.