System and Method for Resource Allocation for Sparse Code Multiple Access Transmissions

• US 20160286529A1
• Filed: 03/25/2015
• Published: 09/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ma, Jianglei, Jia, Ming, Zhu, Peiying, Tong, Wen
• Granted Patent: US 10,531,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 13/0003 Code application, i.e. aspects relating to how codes are applied to form multiplexed channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 based on the type of the allocated resource

Abstract

An embodiment method of resource allocation for sparse code multiple access (SCMA) transmissions includes partitioning a resource block into a plurality of resource regions. The method also includes assigning the plurality of resource regions to respective device groups. The resource region assignments are then signaled to devices of the respective device groups. The method also includes receiving SCMA signals from the devices of the respective device groups. The SCMA signals from one group of the respective device groups are asynchronous with respect to the SCMA signals from another group of the respective device groups.

Claims

1. A method of resource allocation for sparse code multiple access (SCMA) signals, comprising:

partitioning a resource block into a plurality of resource regions;

assigning the plurality of resource regions to respective device groups;

signaling resource region assignments to devices of the respective device groups; and

receiving the SCMA signals from the devices of the respective device groups, wherein the SCMA signals from one group of the respective device groups are asynchronous with respect to the SCMA signals from another group of the respective device groups.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising filtering received SCMA signals, wherein the filtering is carried out by respective spectrum shaping filters for the plurality of resource regions.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising grouping the devices into the respective device groups according to respective locations of the devices.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the grouping is carried out by a base station.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the grouping is carried out by the devices of the respective device groups.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising receiving a message from the devices of the respective device groups indicating the grouping.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising grouping the devices into the respective device groups according to respective mobility predictions for the devices.

8. The method of claim 1 furthering comprising synchronizing the devices of the one group of the respective device groups with other devices of the one group.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the resource block is defined by a block of time and frequency resources.

10. A method of receiving asynchronous sparse code multiple access (SCMA) signals, comprising:

partitioning a resource block into a plurality of resource regions;

receiving a first SCMA signal from a first user equipment (UE), wherein the first SCMA signal uses a first resource region of the plurality of resource regions; and

receiving a second SCMA signal from a second UE, wherein the second SCMA signal uses a second resource region of the plurality of resource regions and is asynchronous with respect to the first SCMA signal.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

assigning the first resource region to a first group of devices containing the first UE; and

assigning the second resource region to a second group of devices containing the second UE.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising signaling resource region assignments to the first group of devices and the second group of devices.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising assigning the first UE to the first group of devices according to a proximity of the first UE to the first group of devices.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

passing the first SCMA signal through a first filter having a first pass band corresponding to the first resource region; and

passing the second SCMA signal through a second filter having a second pass band corresponding to the second resource region.

15. A base station comprising:

a processor configured to respectively assign a plurality of resource regions to a plurality of device groups;

an antenna configured to receive asynchronous sparse code multiple access (SCMA) signals from a plurality of devices grouped into the plurality of device groups according to respective locations of the plurality of devices;

a mixer coupled to the antenna and configured to convert the asynchronous SCMA signals from a radio frequency to a baseband frequency; and

a plurality of filters respectively corresponding to the plurality of resource regions, and configured to filter inter-resource region interference from the asynchronous SCMA signals for each of the plurality of resource regions.

16. The base station of claim 15 further comprising a transmit stage coupled to the processor and configured to communicate assignments of the plurality of resource regions to the plurality of devices.

17. The base station of claim 16 wherein the transmit stage is further configured to multicast the assignments to the plurality of plurality of devices.

18. The base station of claim 15 wherein the plurality of devices are grouped according to respective mobility predictions for the plurality of devices.

19. The base station of claim 15 wherein the processor is further configured to group the plurality of devices into the plurality of device groups.

20. The base station of claim 15 wherein the asynchronous SCMA signals comprise orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) waveforms.

21. The base station of claim 15 wherein the processor is further configured to partition a time/frequency resource block into the plurality of resource regions.

22. A method of transmitting a multiple access signal, comprising:

receiving, at an user equipment (UE), a resource region assignment indicating a resource region allocated to a device group of which the UE is a member;

filtering, at the UE, a sparse code multiple access (SCMA) signal using a spectrum shaping filter corresponding to the resource region; and

transmitting the filtered SCMA signal toward a base station using time and frequency resources of the resource region according to the resource region assignment, wherein the transmitting is carried out synchronously with a local timing reference for the device group.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

determining, by the UE, a composition of the device group according to respective locations of a plurality of UEs in the device group; and

communicating the composition of the device group to the base station.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising communicating the composition of the device group to at least one UE of the plurality of UEs in the device group.

25. The method of claim 22 further comprising receiving a message indicating a plurality of UEs belonging to the device group.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the receiving the message comprises receiving the message from the base station.

27. A base station comprising:

a processor configured to;

partition a resource block into a plurality of resource regions;

assign the plurality of resource regions to respective device groups;

a transmitter operatively coupled to the processor and configured to signal resource region assignments to devices of the respective device groups; and

a receiver operatively coupled to the processor and configured to receive sparse code multiple access (SCMA) signals from the devices of the respective device groups, wherein the SCMA signals from one group of the respective device groups are asynchronous with respect to the SCMA signals from another group of the respective device groups.

28. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a resource region assignment indicating a resource region allocated to a device group of which the UE is a member;

filter a sparse code multiple access (SCMA) signal using a spectrum shaping filter corresponding to the resource region; and

transmit the filtered SCMA signal toward a base station using time and frequency resources of the resource region according to the resource region assignment, wherein the transmitting is carried out synchronously with a local timing reference for the device group.