Method and apparatus for bandwidth request/grant protocols in a wireless communication system

• US 9,603,145 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2016
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• 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: Zimmerman, Ofer, Stanwood, Kenneth L., Spinar, Brian, Bourlas, Yair, Serok, Amir
• Primary Examiner(s): MARCELO, MELVIN C
• Application Number:
  US15/160,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20160270076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• 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: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/02 Resource partitioning among network components, e.g. reuse partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• 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 72/52 based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus for allocating bandwidth in a broadband wireless communication system is disclosed. One embodiment uses a self-correcting bandwidth request/grant protocol. The self-correcting bandwidth request/grant protocol utilizes a combination of incremental and aggregate bandwidth requests. CPEs primarily transmit incremental bandwidth requests to their associated base stations, followed by periodic transmissions of aggregate bandwidth requests. The use of periodic aggregate bandwidth requests (that express the current state of their respective connection queues) allows the bandwidth allocation method and apparatus to be “self-correcting”. Another embodiment utilizes an abridged bandwidth request/grant protocol to allocate bandwidth. The abridged bandwidth request/grant protocol system utilizes padding packets to request a reduction in bandwidth allocation to a CPE. A base station modem alerts a base station CPU when the BS modem receives a padding packet from a CPE. After alerting the BS CPU the method can reduce the associated CPE'"'"'s bandwidth allocation.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile cellular system where a base station communicates with cellular telephones, the method comprising:

enabling the base station to;

set up a downlink frame for wireless transmission over a communication link shared between the base station and the cellular telephones based on communication resources allocated to downlink transmissions in the frame;

set up an uplink frame for wireless transmission over a communication link shared between the base station and the cellular telephones based on communication resources allocated to uplink transmissions in the frame;

establish uplink grants based on messages received from the cellular telephones, the messages indicative of a number of bytes awaiting transmission from the cellular telephones to the base station;

establish downlink allocations based on an amount of downlink data awaiting downlink transmission at the base station; and

transmit to the cellular telephones an allocation indication with the uplink grants and downlink allocations; and

enabling a first cellular telephone of the cellular telephones to;

associate data of a plurality of services with a queue;

transmit a first message to the base station;

set an initial value of a timer in association with the transmitting of the first message;

on condition that a first uplink grant is received from the base station in response to the first message;

transmit, to the base station, at least a portion of the data within a resource specified by the first uplink grant;

upon expiration of the initial value of the timer and on condition that there is a remaining portion of the data pending for transmission to the base station;

transmit a second message to the base station,

receive a second uplink grant from the base station in response to the second message, and

transmit, to the base station, at least a portion of the remaining data within a resource specified by the second uplink grant;

receive a downlink allocation provided to the first wireless mobile station; and

receive a first downlink data block in a resource specified by the downlink allocation.