Method and apparatus for management of multi-carrier communications in a wireless communication system

• US 20060221894A1
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Casaccia, Lorenzo, Malladi, Durga Prasad
• Granted Patent: US 7,957,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0871 using different reception schemes, at least one of them being a diversity reception scheme

Abstract

A method and apparatus manages resources in a wireless communication system by transmitting a multi-carrier switch command message to an access terminal instructing the access terminal to switch between a diversity mode where each antenna module of a plurality antenna modules receives a single carrier signal transmitted at a single carrier frequency and a multi-carrier mode where a first antenna module of the plurality antenna modules receives a first multi-carrier signal transmitted at a first carrier frequency and a second antenna module receives a second multi-carrier signals transmitted at a second carrier frequency.

Claims

1. A base station comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a message to an access terminal instructing the access terminal to switch between a diversity mode where each antenna module of a plurality antenna modules receives a single carrier signal transmitted at a single carrier frequency and a multi-carrier mode where a first antenna module of the plurality antenna modules receives a first multi-carrier signal transmitted at a first carrier frequency and a second antenna module receives a second multi-carrier signals transmitted at a second carrier frequency.

2. A base station in accordance with claim 1, wherein the message is a multi-carrier switch command message comprising a multi-carrier switch indicator instructing the access terminal to switch to the multi-carrier mode.

3. A base station in accordance with claim 2, wherein the multi-carrier switch command message further comprises a multi-carrier channel indicator assigning channels to the access terminal.

4. A base station in accordance with claim 3, wherein the multi-carrier switch command message is a modified Packet Downlink Assignment message in accordance with a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) Enhanced Data for Global Evolution (EDGE) Radio Access Network (GERAN) standard protocol.

5. A base station in accordance with claim 3, wherein the multi-carrier switch command message is a modified Packet Timeslot Reconfigure message in accordance with a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) Enhanced Data for Global Evolution (EDGE) Radio Access Network (GERAN) standard protocol.

6. A base station in accordance with claim 1, wherein the message is a RXDIV switch command message comprising a RXDIV switch indicator instructing the access terminal to switch to the receive diversity mode.

7. A base station in accordance with claim 6, wherein the RXDIV switch command message further comprises a single carrier channel indicator assigning a single carrier channel to the access terminal.

8. A base station in accordance with claim 7, wherein the RXDIV switch command message is a modified Packet Downlink Assignment message in accordance with a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) Enhanced Data for Global Evolution (EDGE) Radio Access Network (GERAN) standard protocol.

9. A base station in accordance with claim 7, wherein the RXDIV switch command message is a modified Packet Timeslot Reconfigure message in accordance with a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) Enhanced Data for Global Evolution (EDGE) Radio Access Network (GERAN) standard protocol.

10. A base station in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a switch acknowledgment message indicating the access terminal has been successfully configured to operate in the multi-carrier mode.

20. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a switch acknowledgment message indicating the access terminal has been successfully configured to operate in the multi-carrier mode.

11. A method for managing communications in a communication system, the method comprising:

transmitting a message to an access terminal instructing the access terminal to switch between a diversity mode where each antenna module of a plurality antenna modules receives a single carrier signal transmitted at a single carrier frequency and a multi-carrier mode where a first antenna module of the plurality antenna modules receives a first multi-carrier signal transmitted at a first carrier frequency and a second antenna module receives a second multi-carrier signals transmitted at a second carrier frequency.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the message is a multi-carrier switch command message comprising a multi-carrier switch indicator instructing the access terminal to switch to the multi-carrier mode.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the multi-carrier switch command message further comprises a multi-carrier channel indicator assigning channels to the access terminal.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the multi-carrier switch command message is a modified Packet Downlink Assignment message in accordance with a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) Enhanced Data for Global Evolution (EDGE) Radio Access Network (GERAN) standard protocol.

15. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the multi-carrier switch command message is a modified Packet Timeslot Reconfigure message in accordance with a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) Enhanced Data for Global Evolution (EDGE) Radio Access Network (GERAN) standard protocol.

16. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the message is a RXDIV switch command message comprising a RXDIV switch indicator instructing the access terminal to switch to the receive diversity mode.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the RXDIV switch command message further comprises a single carrier channel indicator assigning a single carrier channel to the access terminal.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the RXDIV switch command message is a modified Packet Downlink Assignment message in accordance with a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) Enhanced Data for Global Evolution (EDGE) Radio Access Network (GERAN) standard protocol.

19. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the RXDIV switch command message is a modified Packet Timeslot Reconfigure message in accordance with a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) Enhanced Data for Global Evolution (EDGE) Radio Access Network (GERAN) standard protocol.

21. An access terminal in a wireless communication system, the access terminal configured to respond to a message, the message instructing the access terminal to switch between a diversity mode where each antenna module of a plurality antenna modules receives a single carrier signal transmitted at a single carrier frequency and a multi-carrier mode where a first antenna module of the plurality antenna modules receives a first multi-carrier signal transmitted at a first carrier frequency and a second antenna module receives a second multi-carrier signals transmitted at a second carrier frequency.

22. The access terminal in accordance with claim 21, wherein the message comprises a multi-carrier switch indicator instructing the access terminal to switch to the multi-carrier mode.

23. The access terminal in accordance with claim 22, wherein the message further comprises a multi-carrier channel indicator assigning channels to the access terminal.

24. The access terminal in accordance with claim 23, wherein the message is a modified Packet Downlink Assignment message in accordance with a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) Enhanced Data for Global Evolution (EDGE) Radio Access Network (GERAN) standard protocol.