Dynamic TDMA system for TV white space MIMO wireless

• US 9,456,434 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Gossett, Caroll Philip, Jiang, Xiaofan, Yuan, Yuan, Yu, Kevin C., Koukoumidis, Emmanouil, Gunter, Michial Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Nooristany, Sulaiman
• Application Number:
  US14/215,460
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0006 Assessment of spectral gaps suitable for allocating digitally modulated signals, e.g. for carrier allocation in cognitive radio for spectrum sharing between different networks H04W16/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0037 Inter-user or inter-terminal allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/006 Quality of the received signal, e.g. BER, SNR, water filling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0082 at predetermined intervals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load

Abstract

A method may include identifying a repeating frame structure for communication between a MIMO base station and one or more wireless devices, the frame structure including a plurality of slots, with each slot including an uplink portion and a downlink portion, and each uplink portion and downlink portion comprising a plurality of sub-slots, receiving, at the wireless base station, an identification of a first wireless device of the one or more wireless devices, assigning to the first wireless device, a sub-slot in an uplink portion of a static slot in the frame structure, communicating, to the first wireless device, information from which the first wireless device can identify the sub-slot, and communicating with the one or more wireless devices by associating data in the first sub-slot with the first wireless device.

Claims

1. A method of coordinating communications of a wireless MIMO base station, comprising:

identifying a repeating frame structure including a plurality of slots, wherein the plurality of slots include;

dynamic slots that each include sub-slots allocated in response to bandwidth allocation requests from wireless devices associated with the base station, and

static slots that each include a plurality of uplink sub-slots that (i) are not allocated in response to bandwidth allocation requests from the wireless devices associated with the base station, and (ii) when assigned to a wireless device, permit the wireless device to transmit a bandwidth allocation request to the base station in the assigned uplink sub-slot;

assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, a frequency and at least one of the plurality of uplink sub-slots in at least one of the static slots in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure, each assigned combination of frequency and uplink sub-slot in the static slots being assigned to only a single wireless device in each repetition of the frame structure, and wherein the assignments of the uplink sub-slots in the static slots are changed in each of the successive repetitions of the frame structure such that, for each of the successive repetitions of the frame structure;

groups of the wireless devices are formed by the assignments of the plurality of uplink sub-slots in the static slots, wherein each group comprises multiple wireless devices and the wireless devices in each group are assigned to simultaneously communicate with the wireless MIMO base station during a same one of the plurality of uplink sub-slots in a same static slot of the frame structure using different assigned frequencies; and

at least some of the groups of wireless devices assigned to communicate in a same uplink sub-slot in one of the static slots are different from each of the groups of wireless devices assigned to communicate in a same uplink sub-slot in one of the static slots during the immediately previous repetition of the frame structure; and

communicating with the multiple wireless devices according to the assigned uplink sub-slots of the static slots and the assigned frequencies.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, a static uplink sub-slot in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure comprises:

for a first repetition of the frame structure, assigning a first plurality of the multiple wireless devices to communicate with the wireless MIMO base station during a same uplink sub-slot of a same static slot; and

for a second repetition of the frame structure that immediately follows the first repetition of the frame structure, assigning the uplink sub-slots of the static slots such that each of the wireless devices of the first plurality is each assigned a different uplink sub-slot in the second repetition of the frame structure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, an uplink sub-slot in the static slots in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure comprises:

assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices and in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure, an uplink sub-slot in the static slots, wherein the assigned sub-slots are designated for allocation requests to the wireless MIMO base station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating with the multiple wireless devices according to the assigned uplink sub-slots of the static slots comprises:

simultaneously communicating, during a particular uplink sub-slot of the static slots, with each of a plurality of the wireless devices to which the particular uplink sub-slot is assigned, each of the plurality of the wireless devices communicating with a different antenna of the wireless MIMO base station during the particular uplink sub-slot.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, an uplink sub-slot in the static slots in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure comprises:

assigning the uplink sub-slots of the static slots to the multiple wireless devices based on one or more series of numbers shared by the wireless MIMO base station and each of the multiple wireless devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, an uplink sub-slot in the static slots in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure comprises:

assigning the uplink sub-slots of the static slots to the multiple wireless devices based on multiple different series of numbers shared by the wireless MIMO base station and each of the multiple wireless devices, where each of the multiple different series of numbers corresponds to a different antenna of the wireless MIMO base station.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, an uplink sub-slot in the static slots in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure comprises:

changing the assignments of the uplink sub-slots of the static slots to the multiple wireless devices based on one or more predetermined series of random or pseudo-random numbers stored by the base station.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, an uplink sub-slot in the static slots in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure comprises:

based on a stored array comprising a non-consecutive sequence of numbers, assigning, to a particular wireless device of the multiple wireless devices, a different uplink sub-slot in each of multiple successive repetitions of the frame structure.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, an uplink sub-slot in the static slots in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure comprises:

assigning the uplink sub-slots of the static slots to a set of wireless devices such that, in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure;

(i) each of the wireless devices in the set is assigned at least one uplink sub-slot of a static slot,

(ii) the uplink sub-slots are assigned to multiple groups of the wireless devices in the set such that the wireless devices in each group are assigned to simultaneously communicate with the wireless MIMO base station during to a same uplink sub-slot of a same static slot, and

(iii) each of the multiple groups of the wireless devices in the set is different from the groups of the wireless devices in the set that were assigned to simultaneously communicate with the wireless MIMO base station during to a same uplink sub-slot of a same static slot in an immediately preceding repetition of the frame structure.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, an uplink sub-slot in the static slots in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure comprises assigning the uplink sub-slots such that, during each of the repetitions of the frame structure, each of the groups formed are different from each of the groups of the immediately previous repetition of the frame structure.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, an uplink sub-slot in the static slots in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure comprises:

changing the assignments of the uplink sub-slots for each of the successive repetitions of the frame structure without communicating the changed uplink sub-slot assignments for each repetition of the frame structure.

9. A system comprising:

one or more processors and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more processors, to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

identifying a repeating frame structure including a plurality of slots, wherein the plurality of slots include;

dynamic slots that each include sub-slots allocated in response to bandwidth allocation requests from wireless devices associated with the base station, and

static slots that each include a plurality of uplink sub-slots that (i) are not allocated in response to bandwidth allocation requests from the wireless devices associated with the base station, and (ii) when assigned to a wireless device, permit the wireless device to transmit a bandwidth allocation request to the base station in the assigned uplink sub-slot;

assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, a frequency and at least one of the plurality of uplink sub-slots in at least one of the static slots in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure, each assigned combination of frequency and uplink sub-slot in the static slots being assigned to only a single wireless device in each repetition of the frame structure, and wherein the assignments of the uplink sub-slots in the static slots are changed in each of the successive repetitions of the frame structure such that, for each of the successive repetitions of the frame structure;

groups of the wireless devices are formed by the assignments of the plurality of uplink sub-slots in the static slots, wherein each group comprises multiple wireless devices and the wireless devices in each group are assigned to simultaneously communicate with the wireless MIMO base station during a same one of the plurality of uplink sub-slots in a same static slot of the frame structure using different assigned frequencies; and

at least some of the groups of wireless devices assigned to communicate in a same uplink sub-slot in one of the static slots are different from each of the groups of wireless devices assigned to communicate in a same uplink sub-slot in one of the static slots during the immediately previous repetition of the frame structure; and

communicating with the multiple wireless devices according to the assigned uplink sub-slots of the static slots and the assigned frequencies.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, a static uplink sub-slot in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure comprises:

for a first repetition of the frame structure, assigning a first plurality of the multiple wireless devices to communicate with the wireless MIMO base station during a same uplink sub-slot of a same static slot; and

for a second repetition of the frame structure that immediately follows the first repetition of the frame structure, assigning the uplink sub-slots of the static slots such that each of the wireless devices of the first plurality is each assigned a different uplink sub-slot in the second repetition of the frame structure.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, an uplink sub-slot in the static slots in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure comprises:

assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices and in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure, an uplink sub-slot in the static slots, wherein the assigned uplink sub-slots are designated for allocation requests to the wireless MIMO base station.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein communicating with the multiple wireless devices according to the assigned uplink sub-slots of the static slots comprises:

simultaneously communicating, during a particular uplink sub-slot of the static portions, with each of a plurality of the wireless devices to which the particular uplink sub-slot is assigned, each of the plurality of the wireless devices communicating with a different antenna of the wireless MIMO base station during the particular uplink sub-slot.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, an uplink sub-slot in the static slots in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure comprises:

assigning the uplink sub-slots of the static slots to the multiple wireless devices based on one or more series of numbers shared by the wireless MIMO base station and each of the multiple wireless devices.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, an uplink sub-slot in the static slots in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure comprises:

assigning the uplink sub-slots of the static slots to the multiple wireless devices based on multiple different series of numbers shared by the wireless MIMO base station and each of the multiple wireless devices, where each of the multiple different series of numbers corresponds to a different antenna of the wireless MIMO base station.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, an uplink sub-slot in the static slots in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure comprises:

assigning the uplink sub-slots of the static slots to the multiple wireless devices based on one or more predetermined series of random or pseudo-random numbers.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, an uplink sub-slot in the static slots in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure comprises:

based on a stored array comprising a non-consecutive sequence of numbers, assigning, to a particular wireless device of the multiple wireless devices, a different uplink sub-slot in each of multiple successive repetitions of the frame structure.

17. A machine-readable storage device storing a program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

identifying a repeating frame structure including a plurality of slots, wherein the plurality of slots include;

dynamic slots that each include sub-slots allocated in response to bandwidth allocation requests from wireless devices associated with the base station, and

static slots that each include a plurality of uplink sub-slots that (i) are not allocated in response to bandwidth allocation requests from the wireless devices associated with the base station, and (ii) when assigned to a wireless device, permit the wireless device to transmit a bandwidth allocation request to the base station in the assigned uplink sub-slot;

assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, a frequency and at least one of the plurality of uplink sub-slots in at least one of the static slots in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure, each assigned combination of frequency and uplink sub-slot in the static slots being assigned to only a single wireless device in each repetition of the frame structure, and wherein the assignments of the uplink sub-slots in the static slots are changed in each of the successive repetitions of the frame structure such that, for each of the successive repetitions of the frame structure;

groups of the wireless devices are formed by the assignments of the plurality of uplink sub-slots in the static slots, wherein each group comprises multiple wireless devices and the wireless devices in each group are assigned to simultaneously communicate with the wireless MIMO base station during a same one of the plurality of uplink sub-slots in a same static slot of the frame structure using different assigned frequencies; and

at least some of the groups of wireless devices assigned to communicate in a same uplink sub-slot in one of the static slots are different from each of the groups of wireless devices assigned to communicate in a same uplink sub-slot in one of the static slots during the immediately previous repetition of the frame structure; and

communicating with the multiple wireless devices according to the assigned uplink sub-slots of the static slots and the assigned frequencies.

18. The machine-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, a static uplink sub-slot in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure comprises:

for a first repetition of the frame structure, assigning a first plurality of the multiple wireless devices to communicate with the wireless MIMO base station during a same uplink sub-slot of a same static slot; and

for a second repetition of the frame structure that immediately follows the first repetition of the frame structure, assigning the uplink sub-slots of the static slots such that each of the wireless devices of the first plurality is each assigned a different uplink sub-slot in the second repetition of the frame structure.

19. The machine-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices, an uplink sub-slot in the static slots in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure comprises:

assigning, to each of multiple wireless devices and in each of successive repetitions of the frame structure, an uplink sub-slot in the static slots, wherein the assigned uplink sub-slots are designated for allocation requests to the wireless MIMO base station.