Channel allocation notifying method, communication method, and communication apparatus

• US 9,277,561 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2014
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Fukui, Noriyuki, Tani, Shigenori, Ishizu, Fumio
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Wesley
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAKRABORTY, RAJARSHI
• Application Number:
  US14/567,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20150092734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 370/329
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

The number of communication channels necessary for communication with a terminal is calculated by using type and volume of data to be transmitted. When calculated number of communication channels is one, a single communication channel is allocated based on quality information of a communication line to the terminal and, when calculated number of communication channels is more than one, then more than one communication channels are allocated based on the quality information. Allocation information used for notifying of allocated communication channels is generated based on virtual channels, which are defined in advance as channel units having a combination of a plurality of consecutive communication channels, and the allocation information is transmitted to the terminal.

Claims

1. A channel allocation notifying method with which a communication apparatus in a communication system allocates a communication channel to a terminal belonging to the communication apparatus and notifies the communication channel to the terminal, the channel allocation notifying method comprising, the steps of:

calculating number of communication channels necessary for a communication with the terminal;

allocating one or more communication channels to the terminal based on the calculated number of communication channels;

generating allocation information for notification of the allocated communication channels to the terminal, the allocation information being represented by a plurality of virtual channels each comprising one or more communication channels; and

transmitting the allocation information to the terminal,

wherein the allocation information includes

a channel unit notifying bit indicating a quantity of communication channels that is contained within each of the virtual channels, and

a plurality of channel bits each indicating an allocation status of one of the virtual channels for the terminal.

3. The channel allocation notifying method according to claim 1, wherein the channel unit notifying bit is a single value providing the indication for each of the virtual channels.

4. The channel allocation notifying method according to claim 1, wherein the channel unit notifying bit is distinct from the plurality of channel bits.

5. The channel allocation notifying method according to claim 1, wherein the quantity of communication channels that is contained within each of the virtual channels includes a plurality as the quantity.

6. The channel allocation notifying method according to claim 1, wherein the channel unit notifying bit is determined based on a number of the allocated communication channels.

7. The channel allocation notifying method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of channel bits and the channel unit notifying bit are generated in accordance with a position of the allocated communication channels.

2. A channel allocation receiving method with which a terminal obtains information about one or more communication channels allocated to the terminal by a communication apparatus, the channel allocation receiving method comprising, the steps of:

receiving allocation information for notification of the allocated communication channels from the communication apparatus, the allocation information being represented by a plurality virtual channels each comprising one or more communication channels; and

extracting the information about the allocated communication channels from the allocation information,

wherein the allocation information includes

a channel unit notifying bit indicating a quantity of communication channels that is contained within each of the virtual channels, and

a plurality of channel bits each indicating an allocation status of one of the virtual channels for the terminal.