System and method for resource allocation

• US 8,824,359 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2012
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Cai, Zhijun, Womack, James Earl, Yu, Yi
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US13/716,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20130100912A1
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 455 7- 10, 455/11.1, 455 15- 17, 455/24, 455/434, 455/450, 4554521-4522, 455/464, 455/509, 455/513, 455/517, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455560-561, 455/453, 370/226, 370/243, 370/246, 370/274, 370/279, 370/293, 370/315, 370328-329, 370/338, 370340-350, 370431-433, 370461-462, 370/492, 370/501
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15528 Control of operation parameters of a relay station to exploit the physical medium
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

An access node comprising a processor configured to promote allocation of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) resource to a relay node. The PDCCH resource is configured for use by the relay node. The access node is further configured to exclusively control allocation of the PDCCH resource.

Claims

1. A first network node in a wireless network including a first user equipment and a second user equipment, wherein the first network node and a second network node are configured to establish a first link, wherein the second network node and the first user equipment are configured to establish a second link, wherein the first network node and the second user equipment are configured to establish a third link, and wherein the first link and the third link share a same physical downlink control channel, the first network node comprising:

a processor configured such that the first network node services the second network node,

wherein the processor is further configured to allocate a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) resource to the second network node for use by the second network node to schedule the first user equipment so as to overcome signaling interference between the second link and the third link.

2. The first network node of claim 1, wherein the first network node is further configured to allocate the PDCCH resource to the second user equipment to provide scheduling information for the second user equipment.

3. The first network node of claim 1, wherein the first network node is further configured to allocate a second PDCCH resource to a third network node, and wherein the first network node exclusively controls allocation of PDCCH resources to both the second network node and the third network node.

4. The first network node of claim 1, wherein the first network node is further configured to determine the PDCCH resource.

5. The first network node of claim 1, wherein the first network node is further configured to transmit the PDCCH resource using radio resource control (RRC) signaling.

6. A method implemented in a first network node in a wireless network including a first user equipment and a second user equipment, wherein the first network node and a second network node are configured to establish a first link, wherein the second network node and the first user equipment are configured to establish a second link, wherein the first network node and the second user equipment are configured to establish a third link, and wherein the first link and the third link share a same physical downlink control channel, the method comprising:

allocating, by the first network node, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) resource to the second network node serviced by the first network node, wherein the PDCCH resource is allocated for use by the second network node to schedule the first user equipment so as to overcome signaling interference between the second link and the third link.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising allocating, by the first network node, the PDCCH resource to the second user equipment to provide scheduling information for the second user equipment.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

allocating a second PDCCH resource to a third network node; and

controlling, using the first network node exclusively, allocation of the PDCCH resource to the second network node and allocation of the second PDCCH resource to the third network node.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining the PDCCH resource using the first network node.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

transmitting, by the first network node, the PDCCH resource using radio resource control (RRC) signaling.