Methods and apparatus for uplink macro-diversity in packet-switched cellular networks
First Claim
1. A method of operating a wireless terminal, comprising:
- maintaining a plurality of communications connections between said wireless terminal and at least two different receivers connected to a single network node, wherein the single network node is an Internet Protocol (IP) node, and wherein a communication connection exists between said wireless terminal and each receiver;
monitoring channel conditions on the plurality of communications connections;
dynamically determining a packet size to be used as a function of the monitored channel conditions;
changing the length of at least one packet using IP fragmentation to generate portions of packets of a first application in response to a change in the monitored channel conditions, the portions of packets being transmitted over at least one of the plurality of communications connections;
selecting a first communications connection for transmitting at least some of the portions of packets of the first application, as a function of said monitored channel conditions, from said plurality of communications;
selecting a second communications connection for transmitting at least some of the portions of packets of the first application, as a function of said monitored channel conditions, from said plurality of communications connections;
transmitting a first portion of the at least one packet of the first application using the first selected communications connection; and
transmitting a second portion of the at least one packet of the first application using the second selected communications connection.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing uplink macro-diversity in packet-switched networks that allows packets and/or portions of packets, e.g., frames, to be selectively sent from an end node, e.g., wireless communication device or mobile terminal, over a set of multiple communication connections, e.g., physical-layer or link-layer connections, to one or more access nodes, e.g., base stations. Uplink macro-diversity is achieved in part through intelligent selective forwarding over multiple communication connections, where the forwarding decision is controlled by the end node based on a variety of factors, e.g., physical-layer channel conditions and/or higher layer policy. The forwarding decision is executed on a rapid timescale, e.g., on a per packet basis, to adapt to the dynamically varying conditions of the set of communication connections.
37 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A method of operating a wireless terminal, comprising:
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maintaining a plurality of communications connections between said wireless terminal and at least two different receivers connected to a single network node, wherein the single network node is an Internet Protocol (IP) node, and wherein a communication connection exists between said wireless terminal and each receiver; monitoring channel conditions on the plurality of communications connections; dynamically determining a packet size to be used as a function of the monitored channel conditions; changing the length of at least one packet using IP fragmentation to generate portions of packets of a first application in response to a change in the monitored channel conditions, the portions of packets being transmitted over at least one of the plurality of communications connections; selecting a first communications connection for transmitting at least some of the portions of packets of the first application, as a function of said monitored channel conditions, from said plurality of communications; selecting a second communications connection for transmitting at least some of the portions of packets of the first application, as a function of said monitored channel conditions, from said plurality of communications connections; transmitting a first portion of the at least one packet of the first application using the first selected communications connection; and transmitting a second portion of the at least one packet of the first application using the second selected communications connection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of operating a wireless terminal in a communications network, the method comprising:
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monitoring the quality of a communications connection coupling said wireless terminal to at least one other communications network component; dynamically determining a packet size to be used as a function of the determined quality of the communications connection; and changing the length of packets using IP fragmentation to generate portions of packets transmitted over said communications connection, in response to a change in the dynamically determined packet size, the length of packets being reduced in response to a detected reduction in communications connection quality and being increased in response to detection of an improvement in the quality of the communications connection; selecting, for purposes of transmitting portions of packets corresponding to a first application, between said plurality of communications connections as a function of the detected quality of the individual communications connections; and switching back and forth between said communications connections for purposes of transmitting portions of packets corresponding to said first application as a function of said selecting operation, each transmitted portion of a packet corresponding to said first application being transmitted on a single one of said communications connections, each transmitted portion of a packet being included in a frame, said switching being performed on a frame boundary. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A wireless terminal comprising:
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means for maintaining a plurality of communications connections between the wireless terminal and at least two different receivers connected to a single network node, wherein the single network node is an Internet Protocol (IP) node; means for monitoring channel conditions on the plurality of communications connections; means for dynamically determining a packet size to be used as a function of the monitored channel conditions; means for changing the length of at least one packet using IP fragmentation to generate portions of packets of a first application in response to a change in the monitored channel conditions, the portions of packets being transmitted over at least one of the plurality of communications connection; means for selecting a first communications connection for transmitting at least some of the portions of packets of the first application, as a function of said monitored channel conditions, from the plurality of communications connections; means for selecting a second communications connection for transmitting at least some of the portions of packets of the first application, as a function of said monitored channel conditions, from the plurality of communications connections; means for transmitting a first portion of the at least one packet of the first application using the first selected communications connection; and means for transmitting a second portion of the at least one packet of the first application using the second selected communications connection. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A wireless terminal device comprising a processor having circuitry configured to:
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maintain a plurality of communications connections between said wireless terminal device and at least two different receivers connected to a single network node, wherein the single network node is an Internet Protocol (IP) node, and wherein a communication connection exists between said wireless terminal and each receiver; monitor channel conditions on the plurality of communications connections; dynamically determine a packet size to be used as a function of the monitored channel conditions; change the length of at least one packet using IP fragmentation to generate portions of packets of a first application in response to a change in the monitored channel conditions, the portions of packets being transmitted over at least one of the plurality of communications connections; select a first communications connection for transmitting at least some of the portions of packets of the first application, as a function of said monitored channel conditions, from said plurality of communications connections; select a second communications connection for transmitting at least some of the portions of packets of the first application, as a function of said monitored channel conditions, from said plurality of communications connections; transmit a first portion of the at least one packet of the first application using the first selected communications connection; and transmit a second portion of the at least one packet of the first application using the second selected communications connection. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying computer executable instructions for controlling a wireless terminal, the instructions being executable to:
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maintain a plurality of communications connections between said wireless terminal device and at least two different receivers connected to a single network node, wherein the single network node is an Internet Protocol (IP) node, and wherein a communication connection exists between said wireless terminal and each receiver; monitor channel conditions on the plurality of communications connections; dynamically determine a packet size to be used as a function of the monitored channel conditions; change the length of at least one packet using IP fragmentation to generate portions of packets of a first application in response to a change in the monitored channel conditions, the portions of packets being transmitted over at least one of the plurality of communications connections; select a first communications connection for transmitting at least some of the portions of packets of the first application, as a function of said monitored channel conditions, from said plurality of communications connections; select a second communications connection for transmitting at least some of the portions of packets of the first application, as a function of said monitored channel conditions, from said plurality of communications connections; transmit a first portion of the at least one packet of the first application using the first selected communications connection; and transmit a second portion of the at least one packet of the first application using the second selected communications connection. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. A wireless terminal comprising:
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a communications interface configured to maintain a plurality of communications connections between the wireless terminal and at least two different receivers connected to a single network node, wherein the single network node is an Internet Protocol (IP) node; a monitoring module configured to monitor channel conditions on the plurality of communications connections; a packet size control module configured to; dynamically determine a packet size to be used as a function of the monitored channel conditions; and change the length of at least one packet using IP fragmentation to generate portions of packets of a first application in response to a change in the monitored channel conditions, the portions of packets being transmitted over at least one of the plurality of communications connections; a control module configured to; select a first communications connection for transmitting at least some of the portions of packets of the first application, as a function of said monitored channel conditions, from the plurality of communications connections; and select a second communications connection for transmitting at least some of the portions of packets of the first application, as a function of said monitored channel conditions, from the plurality of communications connections; and a transmitter configured to; transmit a first portion the of at least one packet of the first application using the first selected communications connection; and transmit a second portion the of at least one packet of the first application using the second selected communications connection. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. A wireless terminal device including a processor having circuitry configured to:
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monitor the quality of a communications connection coupling said wireless terminal device to at least one other communications network component; dynamically determine a packet size to be used as a function of the determined quality of the communications connection; change the length of packets using IP fragmentation to generate portions of packets transmitted over said communications connection, in response to a change in the dynamically determined packet size, the length of packets being reduced in response to a detected reduction in communications connection quality and being increased in response to detection of an improvement in the quality of the communications connection over which said packets are being transmitted; select, for purposes of transmitting portions of packets corresponding to a first application, between said plurality of communications connections as a function of the detected quality of the individual communications connections; and switch back and forth between said communications connections for purposes of transmitting portions of packets corresponding to said first application as a function of said selecting operation, each transmitted portion of a packet corresponding to said first application being transmitted on a single one of said communications connections, each transmitted portion of a packet being included in a frame, said switching being performed on a frame boundary. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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42. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying computer executable instructions for controlling a wireless terminal in a communications network, the instructions being executable to:
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monitor the quality of a communications connection coupling said wireless terminal to at least one other communications network component; dynamically determine a packet size to be used as a function of the determined quality of the communications connection; change the length of packets using IP fragmentation to generate portions of packets transmitted over said communications connection, in response to a change in the dynamically determined packet size, the length of packets being reduced in response to a detected reduction in communications connection quality and being increased in response to detection of an improvement in the quality of the communications connection over which said packets are being transmitted; select, for purposes of transmitting portions of packets corresponding to a first application, between said plurality of communications connections as a function of the detected quality of the individual communications connections; and switch back and forth between said communications connections for purposes of transmitting portions of packets corresponding to said first application as a function of said selecting operation, each transmitted portion of a packet corresponding to said first application being transmitted on a single one of said communications connections, each transmitted portion of a packet being included in a frame, said switching being performed on a frame boundary. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44)
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45. A wireless terminal in a communications network comprising:
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means for monitoring the quality of a communications connection coupling said wireless terminal to at least one other communications network component; means for dynamically determining a packet size to be used as a function of the determined quality of the communications connection and for changing the length of packets using IP fragmentation to generate portions of packets transmitted over said communications connection, in response to a change in the dynamically determined packet size, the length of packets being reduced in response to a detected reduction in communications connection quality and being increased in response to detection of an improvement in the quality of the communications connection over which said packets are being transmitted; means for selecting, for purposes of transmitting portions of packets corresponding to a first application, between said plurality of communications connections as a function of the detected quality of the individual communications connections; and means for switching back and forth between said communications connections for purposes of transmitting portions of packets corresponding to said first application as a function of said selecting operation, each transmitted portion of a packet corresponding to said first application being transmitted on a single one of said communications connections, each transmitted portion of a packet being included in a frame, said switching being performed on a frame boundary. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
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48. A wireless terminal in a communications network comprising:
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a communications interface coupling said wireless terminal to at least one other communications network component; a monitoring module to monitor the quality of a communications connection coupling said wireless terminal to the at least one other communications network component; a packet size control module to dynamically determine a packet size to be used as a function of the determined quality of the communications connection and for changing the length of packets using IP fragmentation to generate portions of packets transmitted over said communications connection, in response to a change in the dynamically determined packet size, the length of packets being reduced in response to a detected reduction in communications connection quality and being increased in response to detection of an improvement in the quality of the communications connection over which said packets are being transmitted; and an uplink macro-diversity control module to select, for purposes of transmitting portions of packets corresponding to a first application, between said plurality of communications connections as a function of the detected quality of the individual communications connections and to switch back and forth between said communications connections for purposes of transmitting portions of packets corresponding to said first application as a function of said selecting operation, each transmitted portion of a packet corresponding to said first application being transmitted on a single one of said communications connections, each transmitted portion of a packet being included in a frame, said switching being performed on a frame boundary. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
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Specification