IP Library Granted Patent US 9,648,600
Granted Patent B2
US 9,648,600 · App. 14/738,754 · Granted May 9, 2017

Methods and systems for transmission of multiple modulated signals over wireless networks

Inventors: Kenneth L. Stanwood (Vista, CA); James F. Mollenauer (Waban, MA); Israel Jay Klein (Kefar Sava, IL); Sheldon L. Gilbert (Los Gatos, CA)
Assignee: Wi-LAN, Inc.
H04W72/0413H04L5/0064H04L5/0092H04Q11/0478H04W28/0268H04W28/14H04W56/0005H04W60/00H04W72/042H04W72/044H04W72/0406H04W72/0453H04W72/10H04W74/06H04L2012/561H04L2012/5607H04W4/06H04W8/24H04W28/06H04W72/048
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,648,600
App. No.
14/738,754
Granted
May 9, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and apparatus for requesting and allocating bandwidth in a broadband wireless communication system. The method and apparatus includes a combination of techniques that allow a plurality of CPEs to communicate their bandwidth request messages to respective base stations. One technique includes a “polling” method whereby a base station polls CPEs individually or in groups and allocates bandwidth specifically for the purpose of allowing the CPEs to respond with bandwidth requests. The polling of the CPEs by the base station may be in response to a CPE setting a “poll-me bit” or, alternatively, it may be periodic. Another technique comprises “piggybacking” bandwidth requests on bandwidth already allocated to a CPE. Currently active CPEs request bandwidth using unused portions of uplink bandwidth that is already allocated to the CPE. The CPE is responsible for distributing the allocated uplink bandwidth in a manner that accommodates the services provided by the CPE.

Claims (34)

1. A cellular telephone operable to share an uplink (UL) to a base station with other cellular telephones in a wireless communication system, the cellular telephone comprising:

a transceiver operable to

transmit, within a MAC packet, a message which identifies an amount of data in one or more logical queues awaiting transmission to the base station, and

receive a signal comprising an UL allocation indication with current UL transmission resource allocations for a plurality of cellular telephones, including the cellular telephone; and

one or more processors having a Media Access Controller (MAC) operable to

identify in the UL allocation indication an UL transmission resource grant allocated to the cellular telephone for data transmission in a current frame, and

allocate the UL transmission resource grant among one or more UL connections between the cellular telephone and the base station that have data in the one or more logical queues awaiting UL transmission from the cellular telephone to the base station, based on a quality of service parameter.

2. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is further operable to transmit an explicit message to the base station indicating a requirement to be provided an allocation of an UL transmission resource in which to transmit the message.

3. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the MAC is operable to allocate the UL transmission resource grant among the one or more UL connections between the cellular telephone and the base station also based on the amount of data awaiting UL transmission for the one or more UL connections between the cellular telephone and the base station.

4. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is operable to receive the UL transmission resource grant in the UL allocation indication, without receiving an acknowledgement of receipt by the base station of the message.

5. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is operable to transmit the message within an UL transmission resource already allocated for UL traffic.

6. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is operable to transmit the message within the payload of a packet carrying UL traffic.

7. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is operable to transmit the message which identifies an amount of data in one or more logical queues awaiting transmission to the base station within an UL transmission resource specifically allocated to the cellular telephone for the message.

8. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is further operable to: receive an indication of an opportunity to transmit the message; and transmit the message using the opportunity.

9. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is operable to register the cellular telephone with the base station, achieve uplink synchronization with the base station and establish communication between the cellular telephone and the base station.

10. A cellular telephone operable to share an uplink (UL) to a base station with other cellular telephones in a wireless communication system, the cellular telephone comprising: one or more processors having a Media Access Controller (MAC) operable to provide a message indicating an amount of data in one or more logical queues awaiting transmission to the base station, pertaining to one or more UL connections between the cellular telephone and the base station established at the cellular telephone and to allocate an UL transmission resource grant among one or more of the one or more UL connections between the cellular telephone and the base station that have data in one or more logical queues awaiting UL transmission from the cellular telephone to the base station; and a transceiver operable to transmit to the base station a request for polling, receive from the base station an allocation of an UL transmission resource for transmitting the message, transmit the message within the UL transmission resource, receive the UL transmission resource grant in response to the message, and receive an allocation indication control message from the base station, which identifies the UL grant.

11. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the request for polling is a poll-me message.

12. A cellular telephone operable to share an uplink (UL) to a base station with other cellular telephones in a wireless communication system, the cellular telephone comprising:

a transceiver operable to

transmit a message indicating an amount of data in one or more logical queues awaiting transmission to the base station, pertaining to one or more UL connections between the cellular telephone and the base station established at the cellular telephone, and

receive a control message; and

one or more processors having a Media Access Controller (MAC) operable to

identify in the control message a UL transmission resource grant allocated to the cellular telephone for data transmission in a current frame, and

allocate the UL transmission resource grant among the one or more logical queues, wherein a logical queue of the one or more logical queues accumulates data with similar quality of service associated with one or more UL connections between the cellular telephone and the base station, the data accumulated in the logical queue awaiting transmission from the cellular telephone to the base station.

13. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the data accumulated in the one or more logical queues is scheduled for transmission based on a quality of service parameter.

14. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the UL transmission resource grant is distributed among at least two UL connections between the cellular telephone and the base station that have data pending in the logical queue using one of a fair-weighted queuing and a round-robin queuing technique.

15. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the transceiver is further operable to transmit an explicit message to the base station indicating a requirement to be provided an allocation of an UL transmission resource in which to transmit the message.

16. A cellular telephone as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the data accumulated in the one or more logical queues is scheduled for transmission based on a quality of service parameter.

17. A method of operating a cellular telephone that shares an uplink to a base station with other cellular telephones in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

transmitting, within a MAC packet, a message which identifies an amount of data in one or more logical queues awaiting transmission to the base station,

receiving a signal comprising an uplink allocation indication with current uplink (UL) transmission resource allocations for a plurality of cellular telephones, including the cellular telephone, and

identifying in the UL allocation indication an UL transmission resource grant allocated to the cellular telephone for data transmission in a current frame; and

allocating the UL transmission resource grant among one or more UL connections between the cellular telephone and the base station that have data in the one or more logical queues awaiting UL transmission from the cellular telephone to the base station, based on a quality of service parameter.

18. The method of claim 17 , further transmitting an explicit message to the base station indicating a requirement to be provided an allocation of an UL transmission resource in which to transmit the message.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 12, 2017
From: QUARTERHILL INC.
To: WI-LAN INC.
Reel/Frame 043165/0898 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 20, 2017
From: WI-LAN INC.; QUARTERHILL INC.
To: QUARTERHILL INC.
Reel/Frame 042902/0878 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 15, 2015
From: ENSEMBLE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: WI-LAN, INC.
Reel/Frame 035837/0370 →
Continuity (16)
Continuation 14523573 · Oct 24, 2014
Continuation 14523755 · Oct 24, 2014
Continuation 14338103 · Jul 22, 2014
Continuation 14170271 · Jan 31, 2014
Division 14139159 · Dec 23, 2013
Division 13089075 · Apr 18, 2011
Division 12645937 · Dec 23, 2009
Continuation 11170392 · Jun 29, 2005
Continuation 09859561 · May 16, 2001
Continuation 09316518 · May 21, 1999
Continuation 13649986 · Oct 11, 2012
Continuation 12645937 · Dec 23, 2009
Continuation 11170392 · Jun 29, 2005
Continuation 09859561 · May 16, 2001
Continuation 09316518 · May 21, 1999
Related Publication 20150312898A1 · Oct 29, 2015