Methods and apparatus to perform assignments in wireless communications

• US 8,837,388 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2010
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Hole, David Philip, Snow, Christopher Harris, Abdel-Samad, Ayman Ahmed, Arora, Dinesh Kumar, Almalki, Nazih
• Primary Examiner(s): Mui, Gary
• Application Number:
  US12/841,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20120021752A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: 370/329, 370/330, 370/310, 370/311
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal

Abstract

Example methods and apparatus to perform assignments in wireless communications are disclosed. A disclosed example method to receive resource assignments at a mobile station involves receiving an assignment message from a network and identifying radio block periods assigned to the mobile station. At least one of the assigned radio block periods is separated from a next occurring one of the assigned radio block periods by at least one non-assigned radio block period. The example method also involves processing downlink transmissions from the network based on the assigned radio block periods.

Claims

1. A method to receive resource assignments at a mobile station, comprising:

receiving an assignment message from a network, the assignment message to assign radio block periods including radio blocks to be available for subsequent allocation to the mobile station;

identifying radio block periods assigned to the mobile station, at least one of the assigned radio block periods being separated from a next occurring one of the assigned radio block periods by at least one non-assigned radio block period, wherein the assignment message includes a value representative of a radio block period interval separating the at least one of the assigned radio block periods from the next occurring one of the assigned radio block periods;

processing downlink transmissions from the network based on the assigned radio block periods; and

determining that a radio block in one of the previously assigned radio block periods is allocated for communications with the network.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the processing of the downlink transmissions from the network based on the assigned radio block periods comprises decoding an uplink allocation indicator, and further comprising transmitting an uplink data block during an uplink radio block period in response to the uplink allocation indicator, wherein the uplink radio block period occurs during one of the assigned radio block periods.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the processing of the downlink transmissions from the network based on the assigned radio block periods comprises ignoring an uplink allocation indicator that does not allocate an uplink radio block during one of the assigned radio block periods.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the processing of the downlink transmissions from the network based on the assigned radio block periods comprises ignoring downlink data received during a radio block period that is not assigned to the mobile station.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the assignment message specifies a radio block period position at which a first one of the assigned radio block periods is located.

6. A method to receive resource assignments at a mobile station, comprising:

receiving an assignment message from a network, the assignment message to assign radio block periods including radio blocks to be available for subsequent allocation to the mobile station, wherein the assignment message comprises an assignment bitmap representative of a pattern of assigned radio block periods and non-assigned radio block periods, wherein receiving the assignment message comprises receiving a repeat length specifying a quantity of radio block periods after which the pattern of the assigned and non-assigned radio block periods specified in the assignment bitmap repeats;

identifying radio block periods assigned to the mobile station, at least one of the assigned radio block periods being separated from a next occurring one of the assigned radio block periods by at least one non-assigned radio block period;

processing downlink transmissions from the network based on the assigned radio block periods; and

determining that a radio block in one of the previously assigned radio block periods is allocated for communications with the network.

7. A method as defined in claim 6 further comprising, prior to receiving the assignment message from the network, sending capabilities to the network indicative of resource assignment types compatible with the mobile station.

8. An apparatus to receive resource assignments at a mobile station, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive an assignment message from a network, the assignment message to assign radio block periods including radio blocks to be available for subsequent allocation to the mobile station;

identify radio block periods assigned to the mobile station, at least one of the assigned radio block periods separated from a next occurring one of the assigned radio block periods by at least one non-assigned radio block period, wherein the assignment message includes a value that specifies a quantity of non-assigned radio block periods separating the at least one of the assigned radio block periods from the next occurring one of the assigned radio block periods;

process downlink transmissions from the network based on the assigned radio block periods; and

determine that a radio block in one of the previously assigned radio block periods is allocated for communications with the network.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to process the downlink transmissions from the network based on the assigned radio block periods by decoding an uplink allocation indicator, and wherein the processor is configured to transmit an uplink data block during an uplink radio block period in response to the uplink allocation indicator, the uplink radio block period occurring during one of the assigned radio block periods.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to process the downlink transmissions from the network based on the assigned radio block periods by ignoring an uplink allocation indicator that does not allocate an uplink radio block during one of the assigned radio block periods.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to process the downlink transmissions from the network based on the assigned radio block periods by ignoring downlink data received during a radio block period that is not assigned to the mobile station.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the assignment message specifies a radio block period position at which a first one of the assigned radio block periods is located.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the at least one non-assigned radio block period forms part of the quantity of non-assigned radio block periods.

14. An apparatus to receive resource assignments at a mobile station, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive an assignment message from a network, the assignment message to assign radio block periods including radio blocks to be available for subsequent allocation to the mobile station, wherein the assignment message comprises an assignment bitmap representative of a pattern of assigned radio block periods and non-assigned radio block periods;

a repeat length from the assignment message, the repeat length specifying a quantity of radio block periods after which the pattern of the assigned and non-assigned radio block periods specified in the assignment bitmap repeats;

process downlink transmissions from the network based on the assigned radio block periods; and

determine that a radio block in one of the previously assigned radio block periods is allocated for communications with the network.

15. A network device to send resource assignments to a mobile station, comprising:

a processor configured to;

send an assignment message indicative of radio block periods assigned to the mobile station, the assigned radio block periods including radio blocks to be available for subsequent allocation to the mobile station, at least one of the assigned radio block periods separated from a next occurring one of the assigned radio block periods by at least one non-assigned radio block period, wherein the assignment message includes a value that specifies a quantity of non-assigned radio block periods separating the at least one of the assigned radio block periods from the next occurring one of the assigned radio block periods; and

send downlink transmissions to the mobile station based on the assigned radio block periods to allocate a radio block in one of the previously assigned radio block periods to the mobile station for communications with a network.

16. A network device as defined in claim 15, wherein the assignment message specifies a radio block period position at which a first one of the assigned radio block periods is located.

17. A network device as defined in claim 15, wherein the at least one non-assigned radio block period forms part of the quantity of non-assigned radio block periods.

18. A network device to send resource assignments to a mobile station, comprising:

a processor configured to;

send an assignment message indicative of radio block periods assigned to the mobile station, the assignment message comprising an assignment bitmap representative of a pattern of assigned radio block periods and non-assigned radio block periods, the assigned radio block periods including radio blocks to be available for subsequent allocation to the mobile station, at least one of the assigned radio block periods separated from a next occurring one of the assigned radio block periods by at least one non-assigned radio block period, wherein the assignment message further comprises a repeat length specifying a quantity of radio block periods after which the pattern of the assigned and non-assigned radio block periods specified in the assignment bitmap repeats; and

send downlink transmissions to the mobile station based on the assigned radio block periods to allocate a radio block in one of the previously assigned radio block periods to the mobile station for communications with a network.