Multiplexing channels by a medium access controller

• US 8,711,692 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2009
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Terry, Stephen E.
• Primary Examiner(s): GHOWRWAL, OMAR J
• Application Number:
  US12/603,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20100040088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• Field of Search: 370229-231, 370/235, 370/238, 370/310, 370/342, 370/431, 370/464, 370/351, 370/389, 370/436, 370441-444, 370/462, 370478-480, 370/498, 370/537
• US Class Current: 370/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5602 Bandwidth control in ATM Networks, e.g. leaky bucket
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2458 Modification of priorities while in transit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0215 based on user or device properties, e.g. MTC-capable devices services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] H04W4/70; wireless resource selection or allocation plan definition based on terminal or device properties H04W72/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0263 involving mapping traffic to individual bearers or channels, e.g. traffic flow template [TFT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0289 Congestion control load shedding arrangements in network planning H04W16/08; performing reselection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1263 Mapping of traffic onto schedule, e.g. scheduled allocation or multiplexing of flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria

Abstract

A code division multiple access (CDMA) communication device comprises a medium access controller (MAC) configured to receive data from a plurality of channels. Each channel is associated with a priority and an identifier. The MAC is further configured to multiplex the data of the plurality of channels for transmission over a CDMA channel based on the priority.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

a medium access controller (MAC) configured to receive data from a plurality of channels;

wherein each channel is associated with a priority, where mandatory data is assigned a higher priority than best effort data, and is provided with a dynamically adjusted parameter which indicates a size limit of an amount of data for multiplexing for that channel to prevent monopolization of a shared channel by one of the plurality of channels;

wherein the MAC is further configured to multiplex the data of the plurality of channels for transmission over the shared channel based on the priority, wherein H-ARQ control information is multiplexed onto the shared channel and the H-ARQ control information is multiplexed regardless of the priority of the plurality of channels.

2. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the priority is based on whether the data is best effort or not best effort.

3. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the medium access controller (MAC) is configured to receive hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) signaling.

4. The communication device of claim 1 wherein each channel is associated with a dedicated traffic channel (DTCH) data flow.

5. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the communication device is a radio network controller.

6. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the medium access controller (MAC) is configured to receive data for the plurality of channels from a dedicated medium access controller (MAC-d).

7. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the medium access controller (MAC) is a common medium access controller (MAC-c) or a shared medium access controller (MAC-sh).

8. A communication device comprising:

at least one component device configured to implement a medium access control (MAC) function;

wherein the MAC function receives data from a plurality of channels;

wherein each channel is associated with a priority, where mandatory data is assigned a higher priority than best effort data, and is provided with a dynamically adjusted parameter which indicates a size limit of an amount of data for multiplexing for that channel to prevent monopolization of a shared channel by one of the plurality of channels;

wherein the MAC function multiplexes the data of the plurality of channels for transmission over the shared channel based on the priority, wherein H-ARQ control information is multiplexed onto the shared channel and the H-ARQ control information is multiplexed regardless of the priority of the plurality of channels.

9. The communication device of claim 8 wherein the priority is based on whether the data is best effort or not best effort.

10. The communication device of claim 8 wherein the medium access controller (MAC) function receives hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) signaling.

11. The communication device of claim 8 wherein each channel is associated with a dedicated traffic channel (DTCH) data flow.

12. The communication device of claim 8 wherein the medium access controller (MAC) function receives data for the plurality of channels from a dedicated medium access controller (MAC-d) function.

13. The communication device of claim 8 wherein the medium access controller (MAC) function is a common medium access controller (MAC-c) function or a shared medium access controller (MAC-sh) function.

14. The communication device of claim 8 wherein the communication device is a radio network controller.

15. A communication device comprising:

receiving data from a plurality of channels by a medium access controller (MAC) of the communication device;

wherein each channel is associated with a priority, where mandatory data is assigned a higher priority than best effort data, and is provided with a dynamically adjusted parameter which indicates a size limit of an amount of data for multiplexing for that channel to prevent monopolization of a shared channel by one of the plurality of channels; and

multiplexing the data of the plurality of channels by the MAC for transmission over the shared channel based on the priority, wherein H-ARQ control information is multiplexed onto the shared channel and the H-ARQ control information is multiplexed regardless of the priority of the plurality of channels.

16. The communication device of claim 15 wherein the priority is based on whether the data is best effort or not best effort.

17. The communication device of claim 15 wherein the medium access controller (MAC) is configured to receive hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) signaling.

18. The communication device of claim 15 wherein each channel is associated with a dedicated traffic channel (DTCH) data flow.

19. The communication device of claim 15 wherein the communication device is a radio network controller.

20. The communication device of claim 15 wherein the medium access controller (MAC) is configured to receive data for the plurality of channels from a dedicated medium access controller (MAC-d).

21. The communication device of claim 15 wherein the medium access controller (MAC) is a common medium access controller (MAC-c) or a shared medium access controller (MAC-sh).