Methods and systems for transmission of multiple modulated signals over wireless networks

• US 9,414,368 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2014
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Inventors: Stanwood, Kenneth L., Mollenauer, James F., Klein, Israel Jay, Gilbert, Sheldon L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAMUEL, DEWANDA A
• Application Number:
  US14/523,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20150049724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/477, 370/346
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5607 Radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/561 Star, e.g. cross-connect, concentrator, subscriber group equipment, remote electronics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0064 Rate requirement of the data, e.g. scalable bandwidth, data priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0092 Indication of how the channel is divided
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0005 synchronizing of arrival of multiple uplinks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 based on the type of the allocated resource
• 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 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 : Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 : Transfer of terminal data

Abstract

A method and apparatus for requesting and allocating bandwidth in a broadband wireless communication system. The method and apparatus includes a combination of techniques that allow a plurality of CPEs to communicate their bandwidth request messages to respective base stations. One technique includes a “polling” method whereby a base station polls CPEs individually or in groups and allocates bandwidth specifically for the purpose of allowing the CPEs to respond with bandwidth requests. The polling of the CPEs by the base station may be in response to a CPE setting a “poll-me bit” or, alternatively, it may be periodic. Another technique comprises “piggybacking” bandwidth requests on bandwidth already allocated to a CPE. Currently active CPEs request bandwidth using unused portions of uplink bandwidth that is already allocated to the CPE. The CPE is responsible for distributing the allocated uplink bandwidth in a manner that accommodates the services provided by the CPE.

Claims

1. A method of operating a bandwidth on demand wireless communication network having a base station and a plurality of wireless cellular mobile units communicating over a shared uplink, the method comprising:

a wireless cellular mobile unit of the plurality of wireless cellular mobile units registering and achieving uplink synchronization with the base station and establishing communication between the wireless cellular mobile unit and the base station;

at the wireless cellular mobile unit, queuing data pertaining to one or more applications in at least one logical queue of one or more logical queues, based on priority of the one or more applications;

transmitting from the wireless cellular mobile unit an explicit message to the base station, informing the base station that the wireless cellular mobile unit has data pending transmission to the base station;

providing the wireless cellular mobile unit with a transmission opportunity for the wireless cellular mobile unit to inform the base station of an indication of an amount of uplink data, in the at least one logical queue of one or more logical queues, awaiting transmission to the base station;

sending from the wireless cellular mobile unit to the base station the indication of an amount of uplink data, in the at least one logical queue of one or more logical queues, awaiting transmission to the base station pursuant to receipt of the transmission opportunity; and

in response to the indication of an amount of uplink data, in the at least one logical queue of one or more logical queues, awaiting transmission to the base station, transmitting from the base station to the wireless cellular mobile unit an uplink bandwidth grant to be used at the wireless cellular mobile unit for transmission of uplink data.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising transmitting from the base station control information to the plurality of wireless cellular mobile units.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control information includes information regarding allocation of transmission resources for uplink transmission to a first group of wireless cellular mobile units of the plurality of wireless cellular mobile units, which are scheduled for uplink transmission in a current frame.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control information includes information regarding allocation of transmission resources to a second group of wireless cellular mobile units of the plurality of wireless cellular mobile units, which are scheduled to for downlink reception in a current frame.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising receiving at the base station uplink data in an uplink sub-frame of the current frame, the uplink sub-frame being shared by the wireless cellular mobile units of the first group.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising transmitting from the base station downlink data to the second group of wireless cellular mobile units in a downlink sub-frame of the current frame.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an application from the one or more applications provides a voice service.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an application from the one or more applications provides a voice service, a data service or a video service.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an application from the one or more applications provides a real time service.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless cellular mobile unit is further enabled to allocate the uplink bandwidth grant to all or part of the one or more applications.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the bandwidth grant is allocated between all or part of one or more applications based on the quality of service associated with the one or more applications.

12. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the wireless cellular mobile unit transmits, within the uplink bandwidth grant allocated by the base station, data pertaining to all or part of the one or more applications.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the uplink bandwidth grant is determined based on the indication of an amount of uplink data, in the at least one logical queue of one or more logical queues, awaiting transmission to the base station received from the wireless cellular mobile unit and on one or more communication parameters.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the one or more communication parameters include the quality of the service.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the one or more communication parameters include the modulation scheme used by the wireless cellular mobile unit.

16. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the one or more communication parameters include a bandwidth shared with the wireless cellular mobile units of a first group of the wireless cellular mobile units scheduled for transmission of uplink data to the base station in a current frame.

17. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the explicit message is a poll me bit.

18. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the explicit message is a one bit message.

19. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control information comprises a preamble used for synchronization and equalization purposes.

20. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless cellular mobile unit transmits a preamble to the base station for achieving uplink synchronization, before the wireless cellular mobile unit is allowed to request transmission resources.

21. A method for enabling dynamic allocation of bandwidth in a bandwidth on demand wireless communication network wherein a base station communicates with one or more wireless cellular mobile units using a frame with a control portion and a data portion, the method comprising:

the one or more wireless cellular mobile units registering and achieving uplink synchronization with the base station;

enabling transmission from a first group of wireless cellular mobile units of uplink data in the data portion of the frame, using respective per wireless cellular mobile unit bandwidth grants provided by the base station to wireless cellular mobile units of the first group, a bandwidth grant for a wireless cellular mobile unit of the first group being determined based on an indication of an amount of uplink data awaiting transmission to the base station received at the base station from the wireless cellular mobile unit, and further based on one or more communication parameters; and

enabling transmission from the base station of downlink data to a second group of wireless cellular mobile units from the one or more wireless cellular mobile units.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the wireless cellular mobile unit is further enabled to:

establish service connections to the base station; and

allocate the bandwidth grant between all or part of the service connections.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the bandwidth grant is allocated between all or part of the service connections based on the priority of the service connections.

24. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the service connections that receive an allocation from the bandwidth grant are different from the service connection for which the indication of an amount of uplink data, in at least one logical queue of one or more logical queues, awaiting transmission to the base station was transmitted by the wireless cellular mobile unit.

25. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the wireless cellular mobile unit is enabled to transmit, within the bandwidth grant allocated by the base station, data pertaining to all or part of the service connections.

26. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the one or more communication parameters include the quality of the service of the service connection.

27. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the one or more communication parameters include a modulation scheme used by the wireless cellular mobile unit.

28. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the wireless cellular mobile unit is enabled to transmit the indication of an amount of uplink data, in at least one logical queue of one or more logical queues, awaiting transmission to the base station to the base station in an uplink bandwidth request opportunity provided by the base station to the wireless cellular mobile unit in response to an explicit message received at the base station from the wireless cellular mobile unit.

29. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the control portion includes information regarding allocation of uplink data to the first group of wireless cellular mobile units.

30. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the control portion includes information regarding allocation of downlink data to the second group of wireless cellular mobile units.

31. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein a service connection from service connections includes data for a voice service, a data service or a video service.