OFDMA with adaptive subcarrier-cluster configuration and selective loading

• US 8,934,375 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2014
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Adaptix, Inc. (Acacia Research Corporation), Kaon Systems, Inc. (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Adaptix, Inc. (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Li, Xiaodong, Liu, Hui, Li, Kemin, Zhang, Wenzhong
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US14/294,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20140269396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 225 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370328-330, 370/338, 370/341, 370343-345, 370/431, 370436-437, 370464-465, 370/468, 370480-482, 370/537, 455/67.11, 455101-104, 455/420, 455423-425, 455/434, 455450-451, 4554521-4522, 455/453, 455509-510, 455512-514, 455516- 17, 455/522, 455524-525, 455 61- 62, 455/63.1, 455/67.13, 455 68- 69, 455702-703, 455 70- 71, 455/550.1, 455/556.2, 455560-561
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/336 Signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/345 Interference values signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR] H04B17/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/00 Orthogonal multiplex systems, e.g. using WALSH codesH04J13/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/003 at the transmitter transmission to multiple receive units in multiple input multiple output [MIMO] H04B7/0452; transmit antenna weighting H04B7/0615
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/005 of intercell interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0003 by switching between different modulation schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0005 applied to payload information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0009 by adapting the channel coding H04L1/1812 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0011 applied to payload information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0079 Formats for control data H04L1/16 takes precedence; training sequences H04L25/00 and H04L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/04 using frequency diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0226 sounding signals per se
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0228 with direct estimation from sounding signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2601 Multicarrier modulation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2602 Signal structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/125 by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0032 Distributed allocation, i.e. involving a plurality of allocating devices, each making partial allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0035 : Resource allocation in a cooperative multipoint environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0037 : Inter-user or inter-terminal allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0042 : intra-user or intra-terminal allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0046 : Determination of how many bits are transmitted on different sub-channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 : Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/005 : of common pilots, i.e. pilots destined for multiple users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/006 : Quality of the received signal, e.g. BER, SNR, water filling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0064 : Rate requirement of the data, e.g. scalable bandwidth, data priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0073 : Allocation arrangements that take into account other cell interferences for intercell interference mitigation or co-ordination in orthogonal multiplex systems H04J11/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0082 : at predetermined intervals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0094 : Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/023 : Multiplexing of multicarrier modulation signals multicarrier modulation H04L27/2601
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 : Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 : Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 : Control channels or signalling for resource management
• 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 72/542 : using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 : Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02

Abstract

A method and apparatus for allocating subcarriers in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) system is described. In one embodiment, the method comprises allocating at least one diversity cluster of subcarriers to a first subscriber and allocating at least one coherence cluster to a second subscriber.

Claims

1. A method for a wireless system employing orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), the method comprising:

measuring, at a first time by a subscriber unit, a first channel information for a plurality of subcarriers based on a first plurality of pilot symbols received from a base station;

providing, by the subscriber unit, a first feedback information relating to a plurality of feedback clusters based on at least the measuring of the first channel information for the plurality of subcarriers based on the first plurality of pilot symbols, each feedback cluster of the plurality of feedback clusters being at least two subcarriers, the first feedback information relating to the plurality of feedback clusters based on the first plurality of pilot symbols includes an index corresponding to a first modulation and coding rate associated with each feedback cluster of the plurality of feedback clusters;

receiving, by the subscriber unit, a first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers based on at least the providing of the first feedback information selected by the base station for use by the subscriber unit, the first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers including an indication of a modulation and coding rate associated with the first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers;

measuring, at a second time by the subscriber unit, a second channel information for the plurality of subcarriers based on a second plurality of pilot symbols received from the base station;

providing, by the subscriber unit, a second feedback information relating to the plurality of feedback clusters based on at least the measuring of the second channel information for the plurality of subcarriers based on the second plurality of pilot symbols, the second feedback information relating to the plurality of feedback clusters based on the second plurality of pilot symbols includes an index corresponding to a second modulation and coding rate associated with each feedback cluster of the plurality of feedback clusters; and

receiving, by the subscriber unit, a second allocation of OFDMA subcarriers based on at least the providing of the second feedback information selected by the base station for use by the subscriber unit, the second allocation of OFDMA subcarriers including an indication of a modulation and coding rate associated with the second allocation of OFDMA subcarriers, the second allocation of OFDMA subcarriers being different from the first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers, the first and second allocations of OFDMA subcarriers being received by the subscriber unit at two different times.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of feedback clusters at the second time is different than the plurality of feedback clusters at the first time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one subcarrier of the first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers is non-contiguous with other subcarriers of the first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers includes a cluster identifier that identifies a first plurality of subcarriers in a first time slot and a second plurality of subcarriers in a second time slot, at least two subcarriers of the first plurality of subcarriers and of the second plurality of subcarriers being disjoint.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one subcarrier of the first plurality of subcarriers in the first time slot is different than all of the subcarriers of the second plurality of subcarriers in the second time slot.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers is receiving a first allocation of at least one diversity cluster.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one diversity cluster includes two or more subcarriers spread farther apart than a coherence bandwidth of a respective channel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers is receiving a first allocation of at least one coherence cluster.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers includes receiving a first allocation of at least one group of clusters selected by the base station for use by the subscriber unit.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one cluster of the first allocation of the at least one group of clusters is disjoint from at least one other cluster of the first allocation of the at least one group of clusters to obtain frequency diversity.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein disjoint clusters of the first allocation of the at least one group of clusters are spread farther apart than a coherence bandwidth of a respective channel.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving of the first allocation of the at least one group of clusters includes consecutive clusters.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving of the first allocation of the at least one group of clusters includes an indication of space between each cluster of the first allocation of the at least one group of clusters.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving of the first allocation of the at least one group of clusters includes receiving a group identifier that identifies one group of the first allocation of the at least one group of clusters.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring of the first channel information for the plurality of subcarriers based on the first plurality of pilot symbols includes measuring channel information for all available clusters allocable by the base station.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing of the first feedback information includes providing the first feedback information relating to all of the plurality of feedback clusters.

17. A subscriber unit in a wireless system employing orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), the subscriber unit comprising:

a processor configured to;

measure, at a first time, a first channel information for a plurality of subcarriers based on a first plurality of pilot symbols received from a base station;

provide a first feedback information relating to a plurality of feedback clusters based on at least the measurement of the first channel information for the plurality of subcarriers based on the first plurality of pilot symbols, each feedback cluster of the plurality of feedback clusters being at least two subcarriers, the first feedback information relating to the plurality of feedback clusters based on the first plurality of pilot symbols includes an index corresponding to a first modulation and coding rate associated with each feedback cluster of the plurality of feedback clusters;

receive a first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers based on at least the first feedback information and selected by the base station for use by the subscriber unit, the first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers including an indication of a modulation and coding rate associated with the first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers;

measure, at a second time, a second channel information for the plurality of subcarriers based on a second plurality of pilot symbols received from the base station;

provide a second feedback information relating to the plurality of feedback clusters based on at least the measurement of the second channel information for the plurality of subcarriers based on the second plurality of pilot symbols, the second feedback information relating to the plurality of feedback clusters based on the second plurality of pilot symbols includes an index corresponding to a second modulation and coding rate associated with each feedback cluster of the plurality of feedback clusters; and

receive a second allocation of OFDMA subcarriers based on at least the second feedback information and selected by the base station for use by the subscriber unit, the second allocation of OFDMA subcarriers including an indication of a modulation and coding rate associated with the second allocation of OFDMA subcarriers, the second allocation of OFDMA subcarriers being different from the first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers, the first and second allocations of OFDMA subcarriers being received by the subscriber unit at two different times.

18. The subscriber unit of claim 17, wherein the plurality of feedback clusters at the second time is different than the plurality of feedback clusters at the first time.

19. The subscriber unit of claim 17, wherein at least one subcarrier of the first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers is non-contiguous with other subcarriers of the first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers.

20. The subscriber unit of claim 19, wherein the first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers includes a cluster identifier that identifies a first plurality of subcarriers in a first time slot and a second plurality of subcarriers in a second time slot, at least two subcarriers of the first plurality of subcarriers and of the second plurality of subcarriers being disjoint.

21. The subscriber unit of claim 20, wherein at least one subcarrier of the first plurality of subcarriers in the first time slot is different than all of the subcarriers of the second plurality of subcarriers in the second time slot.

22. The subscriber unit of claim 17, wherein receipt of the first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers is receipt of a first allocation of at least one diversity cluster.

23. The subscriber unit of claim 22, wherein the at least one diversity cluster includes two or more subcarriers spread farther apart than a coherence bandwidth of a respective channel.

24. The subscriber unit of claim 17, wherein receipt of the first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers is receipt of a first allocation of at least one coherence cluster.

25. The subscriber unit of claim 17, wherein receipt of the first allocation of OFDMA subcarriers includes receipt of a first allocation of at least one group of clusters selected by the base station for use by the subscriber unit.

26. The subscriber unit of claim 25, wherein at least one cluster of the first allocation of the at least one group of clusters is disjoint from at least one other cluster of the first allocation of the at least one group of clusters to obtain frequency diversity.

27. The subscriber unit of claim 26, wherein disjoint clusters of the first allocation of the at least one group of clusters are spread farther apart than a coherence bandwidth of a respective channel.

28. The subscriber unit of claim 25, wherein receipt of the first allocation of the at least one group of clusters includes consecutive clusters.

29. The subscriber unit of claim 25, wherein receipt of the first allocation of the at least one group of clusters includes an indication of space between each cluster of the first allocation of the at least one group of clusters.

30. The subscriber unit of claim 25, wherein receipt of the first allocation of the at least one group of clusters includes receipt of a group identifier that identifies one group of the first allocation of the at least one group of clusters.

31. The subscriber unit of claim 17, wherein the measurement of the first channel information for the plurality of subcarriers based on the first plurality of pilot symbols includes measurement of channel information for all available clusters allocable by the base station.

32. The subscriber unit of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to provide the first feedback information relating to all of the plurality of feedback clusters.