System and method for dynamic allocation of frequency sub-channels for wireless communication

1. A method of dynamic allocation of sub-channels in an OFDMA wireless network having a plurality of cells, for use in a base station controller, the method comprising:

allocating to a plurality of base stations a first plurality of sub-channels according to a static allocation, wherein the number of sub-channels allocated to each base station is less than the number of available sub-channels, thereby resulting in available remaining sub-channels for each base station that are not assigned in the static allocation;

receiving a request from at least one of said base stations for increased throughput in downlink and/or uplink;

allocating at least one additional sub-channel to said requesting base station from among said remaining sub-channels not in use for static allocation according to a dynamic allocation, wherein the allocating comprises:

i) determining an expected forward error correction (FEC) based on an interference matrix,

ii) calculating based on the expected FEC an amount of throughout increase to be obtained based on allocating the additional sub-channel, and

iii) determining whether to allocate said additional sub-channel based on the calculated amount of throughput increase; and

transmitting a message to said requesting base station based on said dynamic allocation.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising after allocating said first plurality of sub-channels, determining available remaining sub-channels for dynamic allocation, wherein dynamically allocating said at least one additional sub-channel is based on idle sub-channels.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein allocating said at least one additional sub-channel according to a dynamic allocation comprises allocating one or more sub-channels from among said remaining sub-channels based on an interference matrix.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said static allocation allocates air interface resources on a first channel and said dynamic allocation allocates air interface resources on a second channel.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said OFDMA wireless network is configured for a plurality of uplink sub-channels and a plurality of downlink sub-channels, wherein said static allocation includes one downlink sub-channel and one uplink sub-channel for each said base station, and wherein dynamically allocating said at least one additional sub-channel comprises allocating additional air interface resources from the sub-channels not assigned in the static allocation.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, at a base station:

receiving said message based on said dynamic allocation; and

transmitting to remote stations in communication with said base station to communicate according to said dynamic allocation.

7. A base station controller configured to manage dynamic allocation of sub-channels for a plurality of base stations in an OFDMA wireless network, the base station controller comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium in data communication with the processor and comprising instructions which when executed cause the processor to:

allocate to said plurality of base stations a first plurality of sub-channels according to a static allocation, wherein the number of sub-channels allocated to each base station is less than the number of available sub-channels, thereby resulting in available remaining sub-channels for each base station that are not assigned in the static allocation;

receive a request from at least one of said base stations for increased downlink and/or uplink throughput;

allocate at least one additional sub-channel to the requesting base station from among said available remaining sub-channels according to a dynamic allocation; and,

transmit a message notifying of allocation of the allocation of said at least one additional sub-channel to the requesting base station; and

wherein the allocating further comprises: i) determining an expected forward error correction (FEC) based on an interference matrix, ii) calculating based on the expected FEC an amount of throughout increase to be obtained based on allocating the additional sub-channel, and iii) determining whether to allocate said additional sub-channel based on the calculated amount of throughput increase.

8. The base station controller of claim 7 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the processor to:

after allocating said first plurality of sub-channels, determine available remaining sub-channels for dynamic allocation, wherein said processor is to allocate said at least one additional sub-channel based on idle sub-channels.

9. The base station controller of claim 7 , wherein said remaining available sub-channels for dynamic allocation include air interface resources used by base stations that substantially do not interfere with other geographically proximate base stations.

10. The base station controller of claim 7 , wherein said processor is to allocate said at least one additional sub-channel according to a dynamic allocation by allocating one or more sub-channels from among said remaining sub-channels based on an interference matrix.

11. An OFDMA wireless communication system including:

a plurality of base stations;

a base station controller in communication with said plurality of base stations, said base station controller for managing dynamic allocation of sub-channels for said plurality of base stations, and configured to:

allocate to said plurality of base stations a first plurality of sub-channels according to a static allocation, wherein the number of sub-channels allocated to each base station is less than the number of available sub-channels, thereby resulting in available remaining sub-channels for each base station that are not assigned in the static allocation,

receive a request from at least one of the said base stations for increased throughput in downlink and/or uplink,

allocate at least one additional sub-channel to said requesting base station from among said remaining sub-channels not in use for static allocation according to a dynamic allocation, wherein the allocating further comprises:

i) determining an expected forward error correction (FEC) based on an interference matrix,

ii) calculating based on the expected FEC an amount of throughout increase to be obtained based on allocating the additional sub-channel, and

iii) determining whether to allocate said additional sub-channel based on the calculated amount of throughput increase; and

transmit a message to said requesting base station on said dynamic allocation, wherein said base stations are configured, upon receiving said message from the base station controller, to transmit to geographically proximate remote stations an uplink and/or downlink map based on said message received from the base station controller.