Multiplexing schemes for OFDMA

• US 9,036,515 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Novak, Robert, Zhang, Hang, Vrzic, Sophie, Fong, Mo-Han, Au, Kelvin Kar-Kin, Ma, Jianglei, Zhu, Pelying, Tong, Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): Pasia, Redentor
• Application Number:
  US13/616,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20130022020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 370/473, 370476-478, 370/482
• US Class Current: 370/300
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0013 Rate matching, e.g. puncturing or repetition of code symbols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0067 Rate matching H04L1/0013 and H04L1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/14 in which the signals are sent back to the transmitter to be checked ; echo systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1614 using bitmaps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1867 Arrangements specially adapted for the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0093 Point-to-multipoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• 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 5/0064 Rate requirement of the data, e.g. scalable bandwidth, data priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for allocating resources including VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) and Non-VoIP resources. In some embodiments, multiplexing schemes are provided for use with OFDMA (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing access) systems, for example for use in transmitting VoIP traffic. In some embodiments, various HARQ (Hybrid Automatic request) techniques are provided for use with OFDMA systems. In various embodiments, there are provided methods and systems for dealing with issues such as Handling non-full rate vocoder frames, VoIP packet jitter handling, VoIP capacity increasing schemes, persistent and non-persistent assignment of resources in OFDMA systems.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting full rate vocoder frames using an amount of OFDM time/frequency resource;

for at least one non-full rate vocoder frame, transmitting a first sub-packet transmission of each non-full rate vocoder frame using the same amount of OFDM time/frequency resource as used for the full rate vocoder frames;

matching vocoder frame size for each non-full rate vocoder frame to the amount of OFDMA time/frequency resource by employing an increased coding rate relative to a full rate frame, wherein the matching causes early termination of a HARQ retransmission; and

using resources freed up by the early termination for allocation to other wireless stations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the different coding rate used for full rate, and non-full rate are predetermined and known to a wireless station.

3. The method of claim 1, applied for downlink transmission from a base station to a plurality of wireless stations, the method further comprising:

at least one wireless station using blind rate detection to detect an actual frame rate transmitted by the base station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-full rate comprises rates ½

and ¼

.

5. A system, comprising:

radio circuitry; and

a controller coupled to the radio circuitry, wherein the controller is configured to;

transmit full rate vocoder frames using an amount of OFDM time/frequency resource;

for at least one non-full rate vocoder frame, transmit a first sub-packet transmission of each non-full rate vocoder frame using the same amount of OFDM time/frequency resource as used for the full rate vocoder frames;

match vocoder frame size for each non-full rate vocoder frame to the amount of OFDMA time/frequency resource by employing an increased coding relative to a full rate frame, wherein matching the vocoder frame size causes early termination of a HARQ retransmission; and

use resources freed up by the early termination for allocation to other wireless stations.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the different coding rate used for full rate, and non-full rate are predetermined and known to a wireless station.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein at least one wireless station uses blind rate detection to detect an actual frame rate transmitted by the controller.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one non-full rate comprises rates ½

and ¼

.

9. A non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium storing program instructions executable by one or more processors to:

transmit full rate vocoder frames using an amount of OFDM time/frequency resource;

for at least one non-full rate vocoder frame, transmit a first sub-packet transmission of each non-full rate vocoder frame using the same amount of OFDM time/frequency resource as used for the full rate vocoder frames;

match vocoder frame size for each non-full rate vocoder frame to the amount of OFDMA time/frequency resource by employing an increased coding rate relative to a full rate frame, wherein matching the vocoder frame size causes early termination of a HARQ retransmission; and

use resources freed up by the early termination for allocation to other wireless stations.

10. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 9, wherein the different coding rate used for full rate, and non-full rate are predetermined and known to a wireless station.

11. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 9, wherein the at least one non-full rate comprises rates ½

and ¼

.

12. A method comprising:

a wireless station receiving full rate vocoder frames using an amount of OFDM time/frequency resource;

the wireless station receiving at least one non-full rate vocoder frame, wherein a first sub-packet of each non-full rate vocoder frame uses the same amount of OFDM time/frequency resource as used for the full rate vocoder frames, wherein the vocoder frame size for each non-full rate vocoder frame is matched to the amount of OFDMA time/frequency resource by employing an increased coding rate relative to a full rate frame, wherein matching the vocoder frame size causes early termination of a HARQ retransmission; and

use resources freed up by the early termination for allocation to other wireless stations.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

storing the different coding rate used for full rate, and non-full rate prior to performing said receiving the at least one non-full rate vocoder frame.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one non-full rate comprises rates ½

and ¼

.

15. A wireless station, comprising:

one or more antennas for performing wireless reception; and

processing hardware coupled to the one or more antennas;

wherein the wireless station is configured to;

receive full rate vocoder frames using an amount of OFDM time/frequency resource;

receive at least one non-full rate vocoder frame, wherein a first sub-packet of each non-full rate vocoder frame uses the same amount of OFDM time/frequency resource as used for the full rate vocoder frames, wherein the vocoder frame size for each non-full rate vocoder frame is matched to the amount of OFDMA time/frequency resource by employing an increased coding rate relative to a full rate frame wherein matching the vocoder frame size causes early termination of a HARQ retransmission; and

use resources freed up by the early termination for allocation to other wireless stations.

16. The wireless station of claim 15, wherein the wireless station comprises a memory and wherein the wireless station is further configured to:

store the different coding rate used for full rate, and non-full rate prior to performing said receiving the at least one non-full rate vocoder frame.

17. The wireless station of claim 15, wherein the at least one non-full rate comprises rates ½

and ¼

.