Method and system for management of data transmission in timeslots

• US 8,798,013 B1
• Filed: 03/25/2011
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Shah, Maulik K., Singh, Jasinder P., Rai, Deveshkumar, Vargantwar, Sachin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Chirag
• Assistant Examiner(s): REDDIVALAM, SRINIVASA R
• Application Number:
  US13/072,381
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/566 of the information or information source or recipient

Abstract

A method and system is disclosed for managing transmission of data in upcoming timeslots on an air interface. A radio access network detects that in the upcoming timeslots, less than a threshold portion of currently-contending devices are scheduled to receive transmissions, and the radio access network responsively de-schedules a number of the devices and schedules in their place a greater number of other devices, where the newly scheduled devices have higher forward link data rates than the de-scheduled devices.

Claims

1. A method for a radio access network (RAN) to manage transmission of data in an upcoming series of timeslots on a forward link air interface from the RAN, wherein the RAN currently has data to transmit to a first number, C, of devices, and wherein the RAN has currently allocated the timeslots for use to carry data to just a second number, N, of those C devices (wherein N<

C), thereby defining for the timeslots a total of N scheduled devices and a total of C−

N unscheduled devices, the method comprising;

the RAN determining that N is less than a defined threshold portion of C;

responsive to the determining, (i) the RAN de-scheduling, from the timeslots, a third number, R, of the N scheduled devices, and (ii) newly scheduling, in the timeslots that were allocated to carry data to the R devices, transmissions to the >

R of the C−

N unscheduled devices in place of the de-scheduled R devices; and

the RAN transmitting in the timeslots to at least the >

R newly scheduled devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that N is less than a defined threshold portion of C comprises determining that a ratio N/C is less than a defined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the C devices currently has a respective forward link data rate, the method further comprising:

the RAN selecting the R scheduled devices and the >

R unscheduled devices based on forward link data rates of the R scheduled devices and the >

R unscheduled devices.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein selecting the R scheduled devices and the >

R unscheduled devices based on forward link data rates of the R scheduled devices and the >

R unscheduled devices comprises;

selecting the >

R unscheduled devices such that the forward link data rate respectively of each of the >

R unscheduled devices is greater than the forward link data rate of each of the N scheduled devices.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein selecting the >

R unscheduled devices such that the forward link data rate respectively of each of the >

R unscheduled devices is greater than the forward link data rate of each of the R scheduled devices comprises;

determining a highest forward link data rate of the R scheduled devices; and

selecting the >

R unscheduled devices such that each of the >

R unscheduled devices has a forward link data rate greater than the determined highest forward link data rate.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein selecting the R scheduled devices to de-schedule comprises determining, of the N scheduled devices, which R devices the RAN has allocated a greatest number of timeslots to over time, and selecting those determined devices as the R devices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the method for a next upcoming group of timeslots.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein all C of the devices are currently in an active state awaiting data transmission from the RAN.

9. The method of claim 1, carried out by a base transceiver station (BTS) of the RAN.

13. The RAN of claim 1, wherein each of the C devices currently has a respective forward link data rate, and wherein the scheduling logic is further executable by the RAN to select the R scheduled devices and the >

R unscheduled devices based on forward link data rates of the R scheduled devices and the >

R unscheduled devices.

14. The RAN of claim 13, wherein selecting the R scheduled devices and the >

R unscheduled devices based on forward link data rates of the R scheduled devices and the >

R unscheduled devices comprises;

selecting the >

R unscheduled devices such that the forward link data rate respectively of each of the >

R unscheduled devices is greater than the forward link data rate of each of the R scheduled devices that are being de-scheduled.

15. The RAN of claim 14, wherein selecting the >

R unscheduled devices such that the forward link data rate respectively of each of the >

R unscheduled devices is greater than the forward link data rate of each of the R scheduled devices that are being de-scheduled comprises;

determining a highest forward link data rate of the R scheduled devices that are being de-scheduled; and

selecting the >

R unscheduled devices such that each of the >

R unscheduled devices has a forward link data rate greater than the determined highest forward link data rate.

16. The RAN of claim 13, wherein selecting the R scheduled devices to de-schedule comprises determining, of the N scheduled devices, which R devices the RAN has allocated a greatest number of timeslots to over time, and selecting those determined devices as the R devices.

10. A radio access network (RAN) arranged to manage transmission of data in an upcoming series of timeslots on a forward link air interface from the RAN, the RAN comprising:

an antenna arrangement for radiating to define a wireless coverage area having the forward link air interface for carrying transmissions from the RAN;

a data buffer for holding data that is to be transmitted by the RAN to devices served by the RAN in the wireless coverage area; and

scheduling logic executable by the RAN to schedule data transmission in the upcoming series of timeslots, wherein the scheduling logic causes the RAN to carry out functions comprising;

(a) determining that the data buffer currently holds data to transmit to a first number, C, of devices, (b) determining that the RAN has currently scheduled the timeslots for use to carry data to just a second number, N, of those C devices (wherein N<

C), thereby defining for the timeslots a total of N scheduled devices and C−

N unscheduled devices, (c) determining that N is less than a defined portion of C, and (d) responsive to determining that N is less than the defined portion of C, carrying out a scheduling-adjustment process,

wherein the scheduling-adjustment process comprises (i) de-scheduling, from the timeslots, a third number, R, of the N scheduled devices, and (ii) newly scheduling, in the timeslots that were scheduled to carry data to the R devices, transmissions to >

R of the C−

N unscheduled devices in place of the de-scheduled R devices, and wherein, after carrying out the scheduling-adjustment process, the RAN transmits in the timeslots to at least the >

R newly scheduled devices.

11. The RAN of claim 10, wherein the scheduling logic comprises program instructions stored in non-transitory data storage and executable by a processing unit of the RAN.

12. The RAN of claim 10, wherein determining that N is less than a defined threshold portion of C comprises determining that a ratio N/C is less than a defined threshold.

17. The RAN of claim 10, wherein the scheduling logic is executable to repeat the functions for a next group of timeslots as well.

18. The RAN of claim 10, wherein all C of the devices are currently in an active state awaiting data transmission from the RAN.

19. The RAN of claim 10, further comprising a base transceiver station (BTS), wherein the antenna arrangement, data buffer, and scheduling logic are each part of the BTS.