Resource allocation in co-existence mode

1. A wireless communications system, comprising:

a first base station for wirelessly communicating with one or more subscribers over a channel, the first base station configured to operate in a normal mode and a co-existence mode, and in response to entering the co-existence mode due to a second base station requesting access to the channel, the first base station is for transmitting a frame including first and second downstream (DS) sub-frames, an upstream (US) sub-frame, and a self-coexistence window; and

the second base station, wherein the second base station is for wirelessly communicating with its subscribers over the channel, and is configured to operate in the normal mode and the co-existence mode, and in response to entering the co-existence mode due to the first base station requesting access to the channel, the second base station is for transmitting a frame including first and second DS sub-frames, an US sub-frame, and a self-coexistence window, wherein during the co-existence mode, the second base station communicates with its subscribers using the second DS sub-frame;

wherein during the co-existence mode, sub-frame creation, sharing and zone formation schemes are implemented that enable an existing underlying frame structure to remain intact and inter-operable with legacy systems and at the same time provide a guaranteed quality of service (QoS), and the first base station communicates with its subscribers using the first DS sub-frame, thereby allowing the second base station to communicate with its subscribers using the second DS sub-frame.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the DS sub-frames includes a preamble, control information, DS and US maps, and data.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first base station defines a cell within which its subscribers are located, and the first base station is further configured for establishing zones within that cell based on geographic location of those subscribers, such that each subscriber is assigned to a zone.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the first base station uses the geographic location of those subscribers to perform time slot and sub-channel allocation so as to divide the working area of the cell into the zones.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein zone formation is used to assist mobility of a subscriber from one cell to another resulting in a hand-over process.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein before sending the second DS sub-frame, the second base station decodes DS and US maps originating from the first base station and sends out its own DS sub-frame including preamble, DS and US maps, control information and zone data, which may or may not coincide with those of the first base station.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein each subscriber associated with the first and second base stations can transmit its US sub-frame at the same time.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the system initially attempts to resolve channel selection issues with neighboring base stations based on spectrum etiquette during the normal mode.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein in response to channel selection not being resolved using spectrum etiquette, then the system enters the co-existence mode of operation.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the co-existence mode is utilized when one or more of interference free scheduling, dynamic resource renting and offering, or contention is required for resource sharing.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein in the co-existence mode, channel bandwidth and frame structure is divided into zones of space, time and sub-channels.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the zones rotate in accordance with a clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation policy, so as to achieve at least one of diversity and control message passing.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising a third base station, wherein the third base station is a legacy base station not configured for transmitting a frame including first and second DS sub-frames.

14. A wireless communications system, comprising:

a first base station for wirelessly communicating with one or more subscribers over a channel, the first base station configured to operate in a normal mode and a co-existence mode;

a second base station for wirelessly communicating with one or more subscribers over the channel, the second base station configured to operate in the normal mode and the co-existence mode;

wherein in response to entering the co-existence mode due to the second base station requesting access to the channel, the first base station is for transmitting a frame including first and second downstream (DS) sub-frames, an upstream (US) sub-frame, and a self-coexistence window, and during the co-existence mode, the first base station communicates with its subscribers using the first DS sub-frame, and the second base station communicates with its subscribers using the second DS sub-frame, and in the co-existence mode, sub-frame creation, sharing and zone formation schemes are implemented that enable an existing underlying frame structure to remain intact and inter-operable with legacy systems and at the same time provide a guaranteed quality of service (QoS); and

wherein the system initially attempts to resolve channel selection issues with neighboring base stations based on spectrum etiquette during the normal mode, and in response to channel selection not being resolved using spectrum etiquette, then the system enters the co-existence mode of operation.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein before sending the second DS sub-frame, the second base station decodes DS and US maps originating from the first base station and sends out its own DS sub-frame including preamble, DS and US maps, control information and zone data, which may or may not coincide with those of the first base station.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein each subscriber associated with the first and second base stations can transmit its US sub-frame at the same time.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the co-existence mode is utilized when one or more of interference free scheduling, dynamic resource renting and offering, or contention is required for resource sharing.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein in the co-existence mode, channel bandwidth and frame structure is divided into zones of space, time and sub-channels, and the zones rotate in accordance with a clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation policy, so as to achieve diversity and/or control message passing.

19. A wireless communications system, comprising:

a first base station for wirelessly communicating with one or more subscribers over a channel, the first base station configured to operate in a normal mode and a co-existence mode, and in response to entering the co-existence mode due to a second base station requesting access to the channel, the first base station is for transmitting a frame including first and second downstream (DS) sub-frames, an upstream (US) sub-frame, and a self-coexistence window;

wherein during the co-existence mode, the first base station communicates with its subscribers using the first DS sub-frame, thereby allowing the second base station to communicate with its subscribers using the second DS sub-frame, and each of the DS sub-frames includes a preamble, control information, DS and US maps, and data, and in the co-existence mode, sub-frame creation, sharing and zone formation schemes are implemented that enable an existing underlying frame structure to remain intact and inter-operable with legacy systems and at the same time provide a guaranteed quality of service (QoS); and

wherein the first base station defines a cell within which its subscribers are located, and the first base station is further configured for establishing zones within that cell based on geographic location of those subscribers, such that each subscriber is assigned to a zone;

wherein the system initially attempts to resolve channel selection issues with neighboring base stations based on spectrum etiquette during the normal mode, and in response to channel selection not being resolved using spectrum etiquette, then the system enters the co-existence mode of operation, and the co-existence mode is utilized when one or more of interference free scheduling, dynamic resource renting and offering, or contention is required for resource sharing.