Adaptive uplink/downlink timeslot assignment in a hybrid wireless time division multiple access/code division multiple access communication system

• US 9,609,650 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2016
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pan, Kyle Jung-Lin, Zeira, Ariela
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jay P
• Application Number:
  US15/161,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20160270077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2618 using hybrid code-time division multiple access [CDMA-TDMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0073 Allocation arrangements that take into account other cell interferences for intercell interference mitigation or co-ordination in orthogonal multiplex systems H04J11/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/143 Downlink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1268 of uplink data flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1273 of downlink data flows
• 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 72/541 using the level of interference

Abstract

A method and apparatus for adaptive uplink/downlink resource assignment may include determining uplink interference associated with each of several uplink resources. A wireless network device may produce an uplink list with values for the uplink resources. The device may compare a downlink power level to at least one threshold for each of the downlink resources, wherein at least two of the downlink resources are each associated with a different portion of a frame. The device may produce a downlink list, which may be a bit stream providing an indication, for each downlink resource, indicating whether each of the downlink resources have a downlink power level which is less than or equal to the at least one threshold. The device may send the uplink and downlink lists and may receive an uplink list and a downlink list from each of several neighboring wireless network devices.

Claims

1. A wireless network device comprising:

a resource assignment processor configured to determine an uplink interference associated with each of a plurality of uplink resources and produce a first uplink list having one of a plurality of values for each of the plurality of uplink resources;

the resource assignment processor further configured to compare a downlink power level to at least one threshold for each of a plurality of downlink resources, wherein at least two of the downlink resources are each associated with a different portion of a frame, and produce a first downlink list, wherein the first downlink list is a bit string providing at least one indication for each of the downlink resources, wherein each indication indicates whether the downlink power level for each downlink resource is less than or equal to the at least one threshold;

a transceiver operatively coupled to the resource assignment processor, the transceiver configured to send the first uplink list and the first downlink list;

the transceiver further configured to receive a second uplink list and a second downlink list from each of a plurality of neighboring wireless network devices; and

the resource assignment processor further configured to schedule uplink resources and downlink resources to a user equipment based on the received second uplink list and the received second downlink list.

2. The wireless network device of claim 1, wherein the uplink resources and downlink resources are time slots.

3. The wireless network device of claim 1, wherein each of the different portions of the frame includes at least one time slot.

4. The wireless network device of claim 1, wherein the scheduling downlink resources includes scheduling a transmission to the user equipment using at least one downlink resource on a condition that an indication, in the received second downlink list, for the at least one downlink resource indicates that a downlink power level for the at least one downlink resource is less than or equal to the at least one threshold.

5. The wireless network device of claim 1, wherein the resource assignment processor is further configured to schedule resources using a decentralized architecture.

6. The wireless network device of claim 1, wherein the wireless network device is a Node B.

7. The wireless network device of claim 1, wherein each one of plurality of values for each of the plurality of uplink resources is determined based on a threshold comparison.

8. A method comprising:

determining, by a wireless network device, an uplink interference associated with each of a plurality of uplink resources;

producing, by the wireless network device, a first uplink list having one of a plurality of values for each of the plurality of uplink resources;

comparing, by the wireless network device, a downlink power level to at least one threshold for each of a plurality of downlink resources, wherein at least two of the downlink resources are each associated with a different portion of a frame;

producing, by the wireless network device, a first downlink list, wherein the first downlink list is a bit string providing at least one indication for each of the downlink resources, wherein each indication indicates whether the downlink power level for each downlink resource is less than or equal to the at least one threshold;

sending, by the wireless network device, the first uplink list and the first downlink list;

receiving, by the wireless network device, a second uplink list and a second downlink list from each of a plurality of neighboring wireless network devices; and

scheduling, by the wireless network device, available uplink resources and downlink resources to a user equipment based on the received second uplink list and the received second downlink list.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the uplink resources and downlink resources are time slots.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the different portions of the frame includes at least one time slot.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the scheduling downlink resources includes scheduling a transmission to the user equipment using at least one downlink resource on a condition that an indication, in the received second downlink list, for the at least one downlink resource indicates that a downlink power level for the at least one downlink resource is less than or equal to the at least one threshold.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising scheduling, by the wireless network device, resources using a decentralized architecture.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the wireless network device is a Node B.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein each one of plurality of values for each of the plurality of uplink resources is determined based on a threshold comparison.