MAC channel operation employable for receiving on more than one forward link channel
View Patent ↗A method, apparatus and system for broadcasting data packets, perhaps concurrently, over multiple carriers. A carrier is selected for conveying data packets. An employment flag may be transmitted over a forward link MAC channel. QC information for a pilot channel of a given carrier is received over a reverse link MAC channel. The QC pilot channel information is then processed to determine the carrier selection for acceptable data packet transmission for a given time slot.
1. A first base transceiver station to broadcast data packets, comprising:
at least one receiver, the receiver to receive a QC signal over a reverse link MAC channel, the QC signal indicating forward link pilot channel quality;
at least one digital processor, the digital processor to cooperate with the receiver of the first base transceiver station and a second base transceiver station and to select one of a plurality of forward link carriers based upon one of a plurality of the QC signals associated with the forward link pilot channel; and
at least one transmitter, the transmitter to transmit a data channel assignment indicia to a mobile station over a corresponding forward link MAC channel.
2. The first base transceiver station of claim 1 , wherein the QC signal is associated with the quality of a plurality of forward link pilot channels, the QC signal encapsulated in a round-robin format.
3. The first base transceiver station of claim 1 , wherein a mobile station is configurable to monitor a plurality of forward link MAC channels simultaneously.
4. The first base transceiver station of claim 1 , wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to transmit a plurality of forward link MAC channels simultaneously.
5. The first base transceiver station of claim 1 , wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to receive a transmission of the simultaneous comparison of the quality of a plurality of forward link pilot channels over the reverse link MAC channel.
6. The first base transceiver station of claim 1 , wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to receive a value representing a statistical average of the quality of a plurality of forward link pilot channels.
7. The first base transceiver station of claim 1 , wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to receive a value representing a preferred forward link pilot channel.
8. The first base transceiver station of claim 1 , wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to receive simultaneous separate transmissions of information associated with the quality of a plurality of pilot channels.
9. A broadcast system for transmitting data packets, comprising:
a plurality of forward link carriers, wherein each member of the plurality of forward link carriers has a forward link MAC channel employable to convey a data channel assignment indicia, each member of the plurality of forward link carriers further having a forward link pilot channel; and
a receiver for receiving a reverse link carrier having a reverse link MAC channel, wherein the reverse link MAC channel is employable to convey a QC signal associated with the quality of the forward link pilot channels, wherein the QC signal is encapsulated in a round-robin format.
10. The broadcast system of claim 9 , wherein a base system controller determines a forward data link carrier based upon the QC signal.
11. The broadcast system of claim 9 , wherein the data packets are transmitted by a base transceiver station.
12. The broadcast system of claim 11 , wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to transmit a plurality of forward link MAC channels simultaneously.
13. The broadcast system of claim 11 , wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to receive a transmission of the simultaneous comparison of the channel quality of a plurality of forward link pilot channels over the reverse link MAC channel.
14. The broadcast system of claim 11 , wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to receive an averaged QC signal representing a statistical average of the quality of a plurality of forward link pilot channels.
15. The broadcast system of claim 11 , wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to receive a value representing a preferred forward link pilot channel.
16. The broadcast system of claim 11 , wherein the base transceiver station is configurable to receive simultaneous separate transmissions of QC signals, each separate QC signal associated with one of a plurality of separate forward link carriers.
17. A method for broadcasting data packets from a first base transceiver station or a second base transceiver station over a plurality of forward link data carriers, the method comprising:
receiving a QC signal over a reverse link MAC channel, the QC signal indicating forward link pilot channel quality;
selecting a forward link carrier based upon the QC signal by cooperating with first base transceiver station and the second base transceiver station; and
transmitting a data channel assignment indicia over the corresponding forward link MAC channel.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the QC signal is associated with the channel quality of a plurality of forward link pilot channels, the QC signal encapsulated in a round-robin format.
19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising a step of a mobile station monitoring a plurality of forward link MAC channels simultaneously.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of transmitting further comprises the base transceiver station transmitting a plurality of forward link MAC channels simultaneously.
21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving a simultaneous comparison of the quality of a plurality of forward link pilot channels over the reverse link MAC channel.
22. The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving a value representing a statistical average of the quality of a plurality of forward link pilot channels.
23. The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving a value representing a preferred forward link pilot channel.
24. The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving simultaneous separate transmissions of QC signals, wherein each separate QC signal is associated with one of a plurality of separate forward link pilot channels.
25. A base transceiver station to broadcast data packets, comprising:
a receiver, the receiver to receive a QC signal over a reverse link MAC channel, the QC signal indicating the quality of a plurality of forward link pilot channels, wherein the QC signal is encapsulated in a round-robin format;
a digital processor, the digital processor to select one of a plurality of forward link carriers based upon one of a plurality of the QC signals associated with the forward link pilot channel; and
a transmitter, the transmitter to transmit a data channel assignment indicia to a mobile station over a corresponding forward link MAC channel.