System and method for scheduling users on a wireless network

1. A method of operating a wireless network comprising a first transceiver configured to operate with a plurality of user devices, the method comprising:

determining a first group of slots from a plurality of groups of slots, wherein

each slot comprises a resource block (RB) and a transmission time interval (TTI), and

each of the plurality of groups of slots comprises a first TTI, and a plurality of additional TTIs following the first TTI, wherein the first TTI and the plurality of additional TTIs form a repeating pattern;

coordinating a timing of the first TTI of the first group of slots to occur at a same time as a further first TTI of a further group of slots at a second transceiver for a same RB;

assigning a first user device to the first group of slots;

transmitting the assignment to the first user device; and

after transmitting the assignment to the first user device, changing an assignment of the first group of slots from the first user device to a second user device, changing comprising assigning the second user device to the first group of slots beginning at the first TTI of the first group of slots, wherein changing the assignment at the first transceiver is synchronized with an assignment change at the second transceiver.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first TTI and the plurality of additional TTIs form a repeating pattern for the first group of slots.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a second group of slots from the plurality of groups of slots;

assigning a third user device to the second group of slots; and

transmitting the assignment to the third user device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein, for each of the plurality of groups of slots:

a first of the plurality of additional TTIs occurs at least N TTI cycles after the first TTI; and

the plurality of additional TTIs repeats up to M times.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

measuring a signal to noise and interference level for the first user device after the first TTI in the first group of slots;

determining a modulation and coding selection (MCS) level for the first user device based on measuring the signal to noise and interference level; and

transmitting the determined MCS level to the first user device before a first of the additional TTIs.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining an interference metric for the first user device;

determining an interference metric for an additional user device; and

assigning the first group of slots to the additional user device, if a difference between the interference metrics of the first user device and the additional user device is within a predetermined threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first transceiver and the second transceiver reside in a first and second sector of a base station.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

determining scheduling changes of user devices in adjacent sectors of the base station that interfere with the first user device; and

determining a modulation and coding selection (MCS) level for the first user device based on the determined schedule change.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining groups of synchronously fixed scheduling slots, determining comprising gradually increasing a number of RBs until no more groups of synchronously fixed scheduling slots are available.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first transceiver resides in a base station of a first cell; and

the second transceiver resides in a base station of a second cell.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining an interference vector for the first user device in the first TTI of the first group of slots, the interference vector comprising a measurement of interference to at least one neighboring cell;

determining interference vectors for a plurality of other user devices;

calculating a matching metric between the interference vector of the first user device and interference vectors of each of the plurality of other user devices;

choosing the second user device from the plurality of other user devices based on the matching metric.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:

the at least one neighboring cell comprises a plurality of neighboring cells;

determining the interference vector for the first user device comprises determining an interference amplitudes from the first user device to each of the plurality of neighboring cells; and

determining interference vectors for a plurality of other user devices comprises determining interference amplitudes from each of the plurality of other user devices to each of the plurality of neighboring cells.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

determining the interference vector for the first user device further comprises ordering the interference amplitudes from the first user device to each of the plurality of neighboring cells; and

determining interference vectors for the plurality of other user devices comprises ordering interference amplitudes from each of the plurality of other user devices to each of the plurality of neighboring cells.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein calculating the matching metric between the interference vector of the first user device and interference vectors of each of the plurality of other user devices comprises calculating a mean square error between the interference vector of the first user device and interference vectors of each of the plurality of other user devices.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein choosing the second user device comprises:

comparing matching metrics for each of the plurality of other devices to a first matching threshold; and

considering only a plurality of other devices that meet the first matching threshold.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein choosing the second user device comprises choosing one of the plurality of other devices whose meeting the first matching threshold that has a best matching metric.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising modifying the first matching threshold if none of the plurality of other devices meet the first matching threshold.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the neighboring base station comprises a further sector within a same cell site.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the interference vector comprises using downlink measurements to estimate the interference caused by a user device in an uplink.

20. A wireless base station comprising:

a transmitter; and

a receiver, wherein the base station is configured to

determine a first group of slots from a plurality of groups of slots, wherein each slot comprises a resource block (RB) and a transmission time interval (TTI), and each of the plurality of groups of slots comprises a first TTI, and a plurality of additional TTIs following the first TTI, wherein the first TTI and the plurality of additional TTIs form a repeating pattern,

coordinate a timing of the first TTI of the first group of slots to occur at a same time as a further first TTI of a further group of slots at a second transceiver for a same RB,

assign a first user device to the first group of slots,

assign a second user device to a second group of slots,

transmit an assignment to the first and second user devices via the transmitter, and

after the assignment to the first and second user devices is transmitted, change an assignment of the first group of slots from the first user device to a third user device, wherein the third user device is assigned to the first group of slots beginning at the first TTI of the first group of slots, and wherein the assignment change at the base station is synchronized with an assignment change at the second transceiver.

21. The wireless base station of claim 20 , wherein the receiver is further configured to coordinate the first group and second group of slots with at least one neighboring base station.

22. The wireless base station of claim 20 , wherein the first TTI and the plurality of additional TTIs form a repeating pattern for the first group of slots.

23. The wireless base station of claim 20 , wherein, for each of the plurality of groups of slots:

a first of the plurality of additional TTIs occurs at least N TTI cycles after the first TTI; and

the plurality of additional TTIs repeats up to M times.

24. The wireless base station of claim 20 , wherein the base station is further configured to:

measure a signal to noise and interference level for the first user after the first TTI in the first group of slots;

determine a modulation and coding selection (MCS) level for the first user device based on measuring the signal to noise and interference level; and

transmit the determined MCS level to the first user device before a first of the additional TTIs.

25. The wireless base station of claim 20 , wherein the base station is further configured to:

determine an interference metric for the first user device;

determine an interference metric for the second user device; and

assign the first group of slots to an additional user device, if a difference between the interference metrics of the first user device and the additional user device is within a predetermined threshold.

26. The wireless base station of claim 20 , wherein the transmitter and the second transceiver reside in a first and second sector of a base station.

27. The wireless base station of claim 26 , wherein the base station is further configured to:

determine scheduling changes of user devices in adjacent sectors of the base station that interfere with the first user device; and

determine a modulation and coding selection (MCS) level for the first user device based on the determined schedule change.

28. The wireless base station of claim 20 wherein:

the transmitter resides in a base station of a first cell; and

the second transceiver resides in a base station of a second cell.

29. A method of operating a wireless network comprising a first transceiver configured to operate with a plurality of user devices, the method comprising:

determining a first group of slots from a plurality of groups of slots, wherein

each slot comprises a resource block (RB) and a transmission time interval (TTI), and

each of the plurality of groups of slots comprises an RB, a first TTI, and a plurality of additional TTIs;

assigning a first user device to the first group of slots;

assign a second user device to a second group of slots;

coordinating the first group of slots with a second transceiver;

determining schedule changes of user devices communicating with the second transceiver that interfere with the first user device;

determining a modulation and coding selection (MCS) level for the first user device based on the determined schedule change; and

transmitting an assignment to the first and second user devices.

30. A wireless base station comprising:

a transmitter; and

a receiver, wherein the base station is configured to

determine a first group of slots from a plurality of groups of slots, wherein each slot comprises a resource block (RB) and a transmission time interval (TTI), and each of the plurality of groups of slots comprises a further RB, a first TTI, and a plurality of additional TTIs,

assign a first user device to the first group of slots,

assign a second user device to a second group of slots,

coordinate the first group of slots with a second transceiver,

determine scheduling changes of user devices communicating with the second transceiver that interfere with the first user device, and

determine a modulation and coding selection (MCS) level for the first user device based on the determined schedule change, and

transmit an assignment to the first and second user devices via the transmitter.