Methods and apparatus for cellular broadcasting and communication system

• US 8,634,375 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2012
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neo Wireless LLC (f/k/a CFIP NCF LLC) (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Neocific Incorporated
• Inventors: Huang, Haiming, Li, Xiaodong, Lo, Titus, Li, Kemin
• Primary Examiner(s): Shen, Qun
• Application Number:
  US13/605,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20120327897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 370/312, 370/335, 370/394, 370/350, 370473-474, 370/498, 370/503, 370/509
• US Class Current: 370/330
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0003 by switching between different modulation schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0061 Error detection codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/18 Automatic repetition systems, e.g. Van Duuren systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1881 with schedule organisation, e.g. priority, sequence management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0093 Point-to-multipoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/10 between terminal device and access point, i.e. wireless air interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In a cellular wireless network, methods and apparatus are disclosed for a signal broadcasting scheme that can be individually augmented for users with poor reception. The network employs a first downlink channel for broadcasting data to all mobile stations, a second downlink channel for sending signals to a specific mobile station in a cell, and an uplink channel for feeding back information to the base station. To achieve a certain user reception quality, the system adjusts its broadcasting parameters based on the statistical analysis of the feedback data. If some users still require better reception, the system individually augments their broadcast signals via the second downlink channels. Methods and apparatus are also disclosed for synchronization of data distribution by base stations, which, in part, allows the receivers to combine the receiving signals and improve their reception quality.

Claims

1. A method for data communication by a control server connected via a packet data network (PDN) to a plurality of base stations in a plurality of cells, the plurality of base stations having synchronized timing of radio transmission frames and capable of transmitting data using a same time-frequency resource in a single frequency network (SFN), the method comprising:

receiving broadcast data to be transmitted by the plurality of base stations via wireless packets contained in radio transmission frames, each radio transmission frame including a plurality of subframes;

forming distribution data packets, each distribution data packet comprising a synchronization protocol header and broadcast data, the synchronization protocol header providing information to the plurality of base stations to identify a radio transmission frame and enable transmission of the broadcast data with the same time-frequency resource in subframes over the SFN, wherein a subframe may contain a plurality of wireless packets, the synchronization protocol headers including;

a time synchronization parameter indicating a start time for the transmission of the broadcast data; and

a packet sequence number that, when interpreted in conjunction with the time synchronization parameter, enables each of the plurality of base stations to restore a sequential order of its received distribution data packets; and

distributing the distribution data packets via the PDN to the plurality of base stations for transmission of the broadcast data by the plurality of base stations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a synchronization protocol header is inserted in the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a data payload containing broadcast data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the time synchronization parameter is set at a time in the future that accounts for the maximum transmission delay in the PDN.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the time synchronization parameter is specified using a time unit related to a transmission time interval.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the transmission time interval is specified with respect to a radio transmission frame.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the transmission time interval is specified as a radio transmission subframe.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the radio transmission frame contains orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) signals.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein a length of the radio transmission frame is 10 ms.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the time synchronization parameter is specified in a bit field in the synchronization protocol header.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the packet sequence number facilitates detection of the loss of a data packet at each of the plurality of base stations.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a value of the packet sequence number is specified in a bit field in the synchronization protocol header.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the bit field has a sufficient width to specify a maximum number of packets in a transmission period.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) or checksum field is added to the distribution data packet.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the data distribution network is either a wired network or a wireless network.

15. A data distribution system for distributing broadcast data via a packet data network (PDN) to a plurality of base stations in a plurality of cells, the plurality of base stations having synchronized timing of radio transmission frames and capable of transmitting data using a same time-frequency resource in a single frequency network (SFN), the data distributing system comprising:

an apparatus configured to receive broadcast data to be transmitted by the plurality of base stations via wireless packets contained in radio transmission frames, each radio transmission frame including a plurality of subframes;

an apparatus configured to form distribution data packets, each distribution data packet comprising a synchronization protocol header and broadcast data, the synchronization protocol header providing information to the plurality of base stations to identify a radio transmission frame and to transmit the broadcast data with the same time-frequency resource in subframes over the SFN, wherein a subframe may contain a plurality of wireless packets, the synchronization protocol headers including;

a time synchronization parameter indicating a start time for the transmission of the broadcast data; and

a packet sequence number that, when interpreted in conjunction with the time synchronization parameter, enables each of the plurality of base stations to restore a sequential order of its received distribution data packets; and

an apparatus configured to distribute the distribution data packets via the PDN to the plurality of base stations for transmission of the broadcast data by the plurality of base stations.