Use of supplemental assignments

(12) PATENT

<img file="NO341405B1_D0001.tif" />

(19) NO (11) 341405 (13) B1

NORWAY (51) IntCI.

H04L 29/08 (2006.01) H04L 5/00 (2006.01) H04W 72/04 (2009.01) H04W 72/12 (2009.01) H04W 72/10 (2009.01)

NIPO

<td> (21)</td><td>Appln</td><td> 20075049</td><td> (86)</td><td>lnt.day and</td><td> 2006.03.08</td>

<td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Appln</td><td>PCT / US2006 / 08455</td>

<td> (22)</td><td>Inng.dag</td><td> 2007.10.05</td><td> (85)</td><td>Videreføringsdag</td><td> 2007.10.05</td>

<td> (24)</td><td>Løpedag</td><td> 2006.03.08</td><td> (30)</td><td>Priority</td><td>2005.03.09, US, 60 / 659,971 2005.05.31, US, 11 / 142,121</td>

<td> (41)</td><td>Alm.tilgj</td><td> 2007.12.06</td><td></td><td></td><td></td>

<td> (45)</td><td>communicated</td><td> 2017.10.30</td><td></td><td></td><td></td>

<td> (73)</td><td>proprietor</td><td colspan="4">Qualcomm Incorporated, 5775 Morehouse Drive, US-CA92121-1714 SAN DIEGO, USA</td>

<td> (72)</td><td>Inventor</td><td colspan="4">Edward Harrison Teague, 4614 Bryson Terrace, US-CA92130 SAN DIEGO, USA</td>

<td> (74)</td><td>Fullmektig</td><td colspan="4">Tandberg Innovation AS, PO Box 1570 Vika, 0118 OSLO, Norway</td>

<td> (54)</td><td>Designation</td><td>Use of additional assignment</td><td></td><td></td><td></td>

<td> (56)</td><td>cited publications</td><td>WO 2004023834 A1 WO 9837706 A2 US 5594738 A</td><td></td><td></td><td></td>

<td> (57)</td><td>Summary</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td>

Systems and methods have been described that facilitate dynamic supplementation of resource allocations for mobile devices in a wireless network environment, without requiring the sending of replacement allocations. Additional assignments can be generated based on information related to the needs of mobile device needs and resource availability. In addition, an allocation validity confirmation can be performed to curb the generation of conflicting resource allocations to multiple devices. Resource allocations can further be maintained for a mobile device.

<img file="NO341405B1_D0002.tif" />

The following description generally relates to wireless communications, and more particularly to dynamic management of network resources by providing additional resource allocations that facilitate reduction of the allocation message size.

Wireless networking systems have become a common means of communication worldwide. Wireless communication devices have become smaller and more powerful, to meet consumer needs and to improve portability and usability. The increased processing power of mobile devices such as mobile phones has led to increased requirements for wireless transmission systems. Typically, it will not be as easy to update such systems as the cellular devices that use these to communicate. As the features of the mobile devices expand, it may be difficult to maintain an older wireless network system in a way that will allow for the full utilization of these new and improved features of the wireless devices.

ice It can e.g. be costly (e.g., relative to bits) to be able to accurately describe channel assignments in a wireless network environment. This may be particularly the case when users (eg, mobile devices) are not required to be aware of system resource allocations to other users of the wireless system. In such cases, allocations of system resources, e.g. broadcast channels and the like, requiring an update of virtually any broadcasting cycle, in order to provide each user with adequate bandwidth and / or network power, which can be a burden to the wireless network system and accelerate the realization of network limitations. By requiring such continuous updates and / or sending complete redistribution messages to users so often, such conventional system resource allocation methods may require costly and high-power communications components (e.g., transmitters, processors), only to meet system requirements.

Multi-access communication systems typically employ methods for allocating system resources to individual users of the system. In the event of a rapid change in such allocations over time, the system administration required only to handle the allocations can constitute a significant portion of the total system capacity. When allocations are sent using messages that will limit the allocation of resource blocks to a subset of the total number of possible permutations of blocks, allocation costs may be reduced to some extent, but allocations will by definition be limited. In a system where the assignments are sticky (an allocation can e.g. persist indefinitely rather than having a deterministic expiry time) it can further be difficult to formulate a definitive allocation message that will target immediately available resources.

At least in light of the above, there is a need in the art for a system and / or methodology for improving allocation referrals and / or updates and reducing allocation message management in wireless network systems.

Document WO 2004/0238341 A 1 describes an apparatus and method for providing a service quality (QoS) service plan and bandwidth allocation message to a wireless station in a wireless network. The apparatus comprises a hybrid coordinator capable of creating a QoS service plan and a bandwidth allocation message for a wireless station and sending the QoS service plan and io bandwidth allocation message to the wireless station. The wireless station can use the scheduling information to perform power management by entering a power save mode at times when the hybrid coordinator has no scheduled transmission options.

WO 9837706 A2 discloses a method and apparatus for effectively communicating complex resource allocations from a central access point or base unit to a service request mobile unit. The base unit allocates these resources among several competing mobile devices (10-12) that perform a variety of applications. As such, it is often desirable to generate a complex schedule to achieve the optimal allocation that provides the highest quality of service to the mobile devices (10-12).

By communicating the complex schedule of uplink resources in a downlink transmission, the mobile unit (10) is free to transmit its data on the uplink without simultaneously receiving the downlink, and significantly reduces the complexity.

US5594738 A describes uplink time slots that can be assigned in a communication system when a communication unit transfers a first packet to a time slot allocator. Upon receipt of the first packet, the time slot allocator determines whether the first packet contains a request for allocation of N uplink time slots. When the first packet contains the request for allocating N uplink time slots, the time slot allocator allocates N-uplink time slots to the communication unit when N uplink time slots are available, where N uplink time slots are assigned consecutively in time.

The time slot allocator then transmits an allocation indication to the communication unit in each of the N downlink time slots corresponding to the assigned uplink time slots to inform the communication unit of the allocation.

In the following, a simplified summary of one or more embodiments will be provided, in order to provide a basic understanding of such embodiments. This summary will not be a comprehensive interpretation of all possible embodiments, and it is not intended to identify key or critical elements for all embodiments, or to limit the scope of some or all of the embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in accordance with one or more embodiments in a simplified manner, as an introduction to the more detailed description which will be given later.

According to the present invention, a method as claimed in claim 1, an apparatus as claimed in claim 15, a mobile device as claimed in claim 22, a method as claimed in claim 29, a computer readable medium as claimed in claim 30 and an integrated circuit comprising according to claim 31 provided. Embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

In accordance with one or more embodiments and the corresponding layouts thereof, the various aspects are described in connection with the management of system resources and the satisfaction of user needs in a wireless network environment. According to one aspect, additional assignments can be used to improve sticky assignments (e.g., assignments that are valid until a new allocation signal is received). Conventional sticky assignments can be limiting (e.g. unable to allocate arbitrary quantities of resource blocks). The additional assignments described may facilitate the allocation of readily available system resources as well as provide a more robust performance with reduced management costs than can be achieved by conventional systems and / or procedures. In accordance with another embodiment, a method for dynamically assigning system resources in a wireless network environment may comprise sending a non-allocation allocation to at least one mobile device connected to a wireless network, to allocate an initial amount of resources to it. at least one mobile device, and determine if the at least one mobile device requires additional resources, and generating an additional resource allocation which allocates at least one additional resource to the at least one mobile device, and to send the additional allocation to the at least one mobile device to increase the amount of resources allocated to the at least one mobile device. The method may further comprise verifying receipt of an allocation in the mobile device prior to sending the additional allocation.

According to another aspect, a device that facilitates resource management in a wireless network may comprise means for generating a sustained, initial resource allocation for allocating resources to a mobile device, and means for detecting whether resources allocated to the mobile device are sufficient at a given time, means for generating an additional resource allocation, to accommodate a detected resource inadequacy in the mobile device, and means for sending resource allocations to the mobile device. The device may additionally comprise means for verifying allocation receipt of the mobile device, to ensure that an additional resource allocation thereto actually complements the intended initial resource allocation.

According to yet another aspect, a mobile device which facilitates communicating over a wireless network comprises means for receiving an initial resource allocation and taking over the control over resources identified in the initial resource allocation; and means for identifying an additional resource allocation and taking over control of one or more resources identified in the supplemental resource allocation to complement a set of resources allocated to the mobile device by the initial resource allocation.

In yet another aspect, a method for securing resources for utilization through a mobile device includes: receiving an initial non-supplemental resource allocation by the mobile device; to take over management of resources identified in the non-supplemental resource allocation; providing an indication of increased resource needs; to receive an additional resource allocation; and to take over the management of io resources identified in the supplementary resource allocation to complement a resource set obtained with the non-supplemental allocation.

In order to achieve the foregoing and related objects, one or more embodiments will comprise the features which will hereafter be more fully described and specifically set forth in the claims. The following description and the accompanying drawings will illustrate in detail certain illustrative aspects of one or more embodiments. However, these aspects are merely indications of a few of the many different ways in which the principles of the various embodiments may be applied, and the embodiments described are intended to encompass all such aspects and their equivalents.

Fig. 1 illustrates a group of N system resource blocks, in order to facilitate an understanding of how the various embodiments presented herein can be operated.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a channel table that can be used in a wireless network system to facilitate an allocation of system resources comprising multiple users (e.g., devices) and their respective resource allocations.

Fig. 3 illustrates a group of resource blocks that can be assigned to multiple users. Fig. 4 is an illustration of a series of non-persistent (e.g., non-sticky) assignments made over time.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a series of sustained, or sticky, assignments made over time that can be used in connection with various embodiments described herein.

Fig. 6 is an illustration of a system that facilitates the use of additional assignments, to allocate system resources in a way that will reduce system administration and / or transmission requirements, by reducing signal size.

Fig. 7 illustrates a system that facilitates the provision of additional resource allocations to users of a communication network, in order to reduce allocation signal management costs.

Fig. 8 is an illustration of a system that facilitates the generation of additional allocations for allocating system resources to users of a communication network, while at the same time dampening resource allocation costs.

Fig. 9 illustrates a system that facilitates the allocation of system resources 5 to a user, with minimal administrative costs.

Fig. 10 illustrates a methodology for generating and providing additional system resource assignments to users of a wireless network.

Fig. 11 illustrates a methodology for generating and transmitting additional assignments to a user in a wireless network environment.

Fig. 12 is an illustration of a methodology for providing additional resource allocations to devices communicating in a wireless network.

Fig. 13 is an illustration of a wireless network environment which can be used in connection with the various systems and methods described herein.

Fig. 14 is an illustration of a methodology for processing additional ice resource allocations to determine whether to allocate resources in a wireless communication device.

Fig. 15 is an illustration of a device for processing additional resource allocations, in order to determine whether resources in a wireless communication device should be allocated.

Various embodiments will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals are used throughout to refer to like elements. For purposes of explanation, many specific details will be construed in the following description, in order to provide a thorough understanding of one or more embodiments. However, it may be obvious that such embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other cases, well-known structures and devices will be shown in the form of block diagrams, to facilitate description of one or more embodiments.

When used in this application, the terms component, system, and the like will refer to a computer-related device, either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software running. A component can e.g. be, but will not be limited to, a process running in a processor, processor, object, downloadable program, execution sequence, program, and / or computer. One or more components may be included in a process and / or execution sequence, and a component may be located in a computer and / or distributed over two or more computers. These components can also be run from different computer-readable media where different data structures are stored. The components can communicate using local and / or remote controlled processes, such as in accordance with a signal comprising one or more data packets (e.g. data from a component that interacts with another component of a local system, a distributed system, and / or over a network such as the Internet with other systems, using this signal).

Furthermore, various embodiments will be described herein in connection with a subscriber station. A subscriber station may also be referred to as a system, a subscriber unit, a mobile station, a mobile, a remote station, an access point, a base station, a remote terminal, an access terminal, a user terminal, a user agent, or user equipment. A subscriber station may be a cellular telephone, a cordless telephone, a session initiation protocol (SlP) telephone, a wireless local transmission line (WLL) station, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a handheld with wireless io connectivity, or other processing device connected with a wireless modem.

Various aspects or features described herein may further be implemented as a method, apparatus, or production object using standard programming and / or construction techniques. As used herein, the term manufacturing object is intended to include a computer program available from any computer-readable device, carrier, or media. Eg. computer readable media may include, but will not be limited to, magnetic storage devices (e.g., a hard disk, a floppy disk, magnetic tape), optical discs (e.g., compact disc (CD); digital versatile disk (DVD)), smart cards, and flash memory devices (e.g., card, stick, key controller).

Referring now to the drawings in which FIG. 1 illustrates a group of N system resource blocks 100, to facilitate an understanding of a way in which the various embodiments presented herein can be operated. Such resource blocks 100 can e.g. be time slots, frequencies, code slots, a combination of the foregoing, etc. A general description of a subset of such blocks may e.g. exist in the form of a block index list, such as a list of blocks assigned to a specific user. Eg. an index list such as {2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13} can be used to indicate that the user is assigned to these blocks. Alternatively, a Boolean array can be used to describe the same assignment, such as a series of N bits {01100000011110}.

Conventional systems employing such allocation mechanisms will create significant costs in doing so, albeit with different characteristics. A block index list can e.g. be significantly more expensive, compared to the number of bits required to send such assignments, as the size of a subset of blocks to be allocated grows. On the other hand, the Boolean series will exhibit a relatively fixed cost, regardless of the number of ones and zeros, but the cost will be relatively large, especially when N is large.

Additionally, in cases where allocations are limited to continuous amounts of blocks, or resources, such allocations can be signaled by specifying an initial block in the allocation and the total number of blocks in the allocation. Eg. a block index assignment such as {11, 12, 13, 14, 15} may be signaled as {11, 5}, where 11 will represent a first block to be assigned to a given user and 5 will represent the total number of continuous blocks to be assigned, there 11 is the first block. If an order is known to the users, an allocation signal can further be sent without user information. Eg. it will only be necessary to signal the number of blocks allocated, as long as all users are aware of the allocations for all other users. For example, if the assignments for users 1-3 are represented by {user 1: 1-5}, {user 2: 6-7}, and {user 3: 8-12}, and if all users are aware of their respective user numbers, such assignment is specified as {5, 2, 5}. However, this arrangement will require that all users in the system be aware of the assignments of all other users, since e.g. user 2 will not be able to know that its allocation begins with block 6, unless it is also aware that user 1 has been assigned to blocks 1-5. Thus, it will be appreciated that systems employing such conventional methods for allocating system resources may be costly to implement and may cause a significant ice load on the system transmission resources in which they are implemented. It will be seen that the systems and methods described herein facilitate the overcoming of such conventional loads.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a channel table 200 that can be used in a wireless network system to facilitate allocation of system resources (e.g.

transmission channels, time slots, code slots, frequencies), which include multiple users (e.g., devices) and their respective resource allocations. Such a table 200 may be known to all users who can use the channel table indices for an interpretation of assignment messages. In accordance with Table 200, e.g. an allocation such as {user 1: index 2} is written, which could reduce the allocation signal cost compared to block index and / or boolean row techniques. The following table summarizes the characteristics of conventional allocation mechanisms, with their relative advantages and consequences.

<td>Method</td><td>restrictive</td><td>Cost</td><td>All users must know all assignments</td>

<td>Block index List</td><td>no</td><td>High</td><td>no</td>

<td>Continuous block</td><td>Yes</td><td>Medium</td><td>no</td>

<td>Boolean array</td><td>no</td><td>High</td><td>no</td>

<td>Known user order</td><td>Yes</td><td>Low</td><td>Yes</td>

<td>channel Table</td><td>Yes</td><td>Medium</td><td>no</td>

Thus, it will be seen that typical assignment mapping schemes do not provide a mechanism that is both inexpensive and non-restrictive, and which will not require that all users in a system know all user assignments.

Fig. 3 illustrates a group of resource blocks 300 that can be assigned to multiple users. Such resources can e.g. include system channels, time slots, frequencies, code slots, and the like. In accordance with one embodiment, sticky allocations (e.g., assignments that will be valid until a new allocation signal is received) can be used to allocate system resources in e.g. wireless communication networks (eg OFDM, OFDMA, CDMA, TDMA, GSM). Such allocations can also be restrictive, so that the signal cost will be reduced at the expense of a limited opportunity for arbitrary allocation of quantities of resource blocks. To overcome such restrictions, and at the same time minimize allocation signal costs, additional allocations can be used to manage system resources and meet user needs for resources. The resource block 300 may e.g. include a first block quantity 302 containing blocks 1-4 assigned to user 1. User 2 may be assigned a second block amount 304 comprising blocks 5 and 6. Finally, blocks 7-9 may comprise a block amount 306 consisting of unused blocks. It can then be determined that the requirements of user 1 have increased to a point where ice user 1 will require additional blocks of resources. According to the present aspect, an additional allocation can be generated that can extend the current allocation for user 1, rather than being completely replaced. For example, a declaration bit can is incorporated into the auxiliary allocation to indicate that the allocation is an auxiliary allocation so that a receiving device will be able to recognize it as such. If this 20-bit indication is added, a channel or resource specified in the message can be added to the user's previous allocation. If this bit is not added, the message can be interpreted to replace the previous allocation. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other methods of message allocation in relation to add-on add-on assignments can be used, and that embodiments described herein will not be limited to the use of a declaration bit, and that they may rather use any preferably a suitable declaration mechanism, either when implicit or explicit.

User 1's initial sticky assignment can e.g. is represented as {1, 2, 3, 4: 0}, where 0 will indicate a non-allocation and channels 1-4 are assigned. In addition, in order to facilitate signal transmission costs in cases where the assigned channels are continuous, such a non-additional allocation can be represented as [1,4: 0], where the first number 1 represents a first allocated channel and the second number 4 represents the length of assigned channels. If additional channels e.g. due to increased user needs and the like should be assigned to user 1, an additional allocation can be generated and sent to user 1. For example. can {7,

8, 9: 1} specify that channels 7, 8 and 9 are additionally assigned to user 1.1 this example is set declaration bit equal to 1 to indicate that the allocation is an additional allocation and that user 1's previous allocation of channels 1 -4 should not is replaced, but that this allocation should rather be extended. Additionally, since the auxiliary channels 7-9 are continuous, the auxiliary allocation can be expressed as [7, 3: 1], where 7 is the first auxiliary channel allocation, and the length of continuous auxiliary channels to be allocated is equal to 3.1 in accordance with this last aspect, the allocation signal administration can be further reduced compared to conventional systems (for example, having to send a bulky second signal, such as {1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9: 0}).

According to other aspects, an additional allocation can act as a decremental allocation, one that will reduce allocated resources, and this can be done by sending an allocation with the additional flag set, but which will identify an existing resource or resources already assigned to the user. In this way, the user will receive the additional allocation and reduce its resources. This approach allows the use of the same message format for additional allocations to increase and decrease resource allocations. This will save administration for new allocations, while not requiring implicit waiver processing by the user.

For example, a user can receive an initial sticky allocation that can be represented as {1, 2, 3, 4: 0}, where 0 indicates a non-additional allocation and channels 1-4 are assigned, is User 1 then receives an additional allocation, e.g. {3: 1}, which can indicate that channels 3 and 4 are retained by user 1 as assigned, and that other channels 1 and 2 are removed from user 1. In this example, the declaration bit is set to 1 to indicate that the assignment is an additional assignment and that user 1's previous assignment of channels 1 -4 is not merely to be replaced. Alternatively, the additional assignment {3: 1} may represent that channels 1-3 should be retained by user 1, while channel 4 should be removed. In accordance with a related aspect, auxiliary assignment transmission permissions can be predicated upon a validation of a previous assignment to a user (e.g. receiving validation data, such as a verification message as an indication of successful packet or sequence decoding over a reverse line, a receipt for successful receiving or decoding over a forward line). In this way, a network can confirm the validity of a user's allocation before supplementing that allocation.

Fig. 4 is an illustration of a series of non-persistent (e.g., non-sticky) assignments made over time 400. The frequencies are illustrated as the type of system resource allocated, although allocable system resources will not be limited thereto. According to the figure, a first user U1 is assigned the frequency fa at time 1. At time 2, frequency may be reassigned to user 2, partly because the initial allocation is not a sticky allocation. However, frequency fc is illustrated to user 3 at both time 1 and time 2. However, since the assignment of frequency fc C to user 3 is not a sticky allocation, user 3's maintenance of frequency fc may require separate assignments at each of time 1 and time 2, which will cause undesirable increases in allocation signal management, which in turn can adversely affect system resources. Thus, a system using non-sticky assignments will require n different assignment messages per time frame in order to assign n available frequencies to N users.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a series of sustained, or sticky, assignments 500 made over time, in a manner that can be used in connection with various embodiments described herein. Eg. For example, a first set of assignments may be sent to users 1-N during an initial timeframe, and these assignments may persist until one or more subsequent assignments are sent to one or more individual users. Thus, the first set of N allocations may be sufficient to provide system resource allocations for all users until a change in these assignments is desirable and / or necessary (e.g. due to user needs, bandwidth availability). A subsequent user such as U6 can be assigned frequency io fd if it should become available, as illustrated by t3. In this way, it will be necessary to send fewer allocation messages over a network than when no sticky assignments are used.

In addition, available system resources can be assigned to any of the users 1-N, should the user require additional resources. It can for example. It is determined that at some point during communication over a network, U5 requires additional frequency availability, in addition to frequency fairy. A subsequent assignment message can be sent to U5 to indicate that the frequencies fe and ff are assigned to U5. Further, in connection with the various embodiments described herein, such additional allocation message may be an additional allocation to attenuate the use of network resources when frequencies are redistributed to U5.

An additional allocation can further function as a decremental allocation. Compared to U5, it can e.g. at a time after the frequencies E and F are assigned, a resource is decided to be removed. An additional assignment can be e.g. enter frequency F. U5 would interpret such a message as a deduction of frequency E, and would terminate the use of, or wait for transmissions from frequency E.

Fig. 6 is an illustration of a system 600 which facilitates the use of additional assignments, to allocate system resources in a manner that will reduce system administration and / or transmission requirements, by reducing the signal size. System 600 may comprise an allocation component 602 which will control system resource 30 (e.g., channel, frequency, time slot, code slot) assignment. The allocation component 602 comprises a sticky component 604 that will generate sticky assignments that can persist over time until subsequent assignment information is received by a user (e.g., a device). The allocation component 602 additionally includes an auxiliary component 606 that will generate additional assignments, to allocate system resources according to user needs, as these change. The additional component 606 can e.g. generate one or more additional channel assignments, to accommodate one or more users whose channel requirements have been changed during the communication session. Such assignments may be sent through one or more base stations 608 operably connected to the allocation component 602 to one or more user devices 610.

In accordance with an example, a user device 610 may initially allocate a subset of available resources, e.g. {1, 3, 4, 6: 0}. The user device 610 may then require additional resources, and it may be determined that a resource block or channel, 2, is available. In accordance with one embodiment, an additional assignment [2, 1: 1] can be generated and sent to the user, to provide resources beginning with block 2 and having a length equal to 1 (e.g., channel 2). In this way, the system 600 does not need to reproduce a bulky, complete allocation message (e.g., [1, 2, 3, 4, 6: 0]).

In accordance with another example, a user through an allocation such as [1, 4: 0] (e.g., using a block index row, continuous allocation) can be assigned to resources 1-4 of the allocation component 602. By increasing the user resource requirements additional resources can be assigned to the user through an additional allocation message. A conventional approach might send a completely new allocation message, such as [1.5: 0], to add resource block 5 to the list of allocated resources for the user. Alternatively, an auxiliary allocation can be generated by the auxiliary component, e.g. is [5, 1: 1], however, the resource block 5 must be available to the conventional system in order to use the reduced message format for the continuous allocations for resources 1-5, as indicated here by brackets (e.g. []). If resource block 5 is present in a sticky allocation to another user (eg, unavailable), system 600 may allow additional allocation of resources with reduced management costs, even when resources are not continuous. Thus, when non-continuous resources are available, a conventional system would require a costly new allocation message, e.g. {1, 2, 3, 4, 6: 0}, is generated and sent to the user, for allocating resources 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6. In contrast, the add-on component 606 can generate an add-on message such as [6, 1 : 1], which would indicate that the user's allocated resources should be expanded with a resource mapping beginning with resource 6, and having a vector length equal to 1. The additional resource allocation can then be sent to the user device 610 by one or more base stations 608.

In accordance with yet another example, a user who is at the start of a communication session may require a number of system resource blocks. Granting component

602 can e.g. determine that blocks 3, 4, 7 and 8 are available. In such a case, two simple messages can be generated and / or sent simultaneously, for assigning the channels to the user. The messages can e.g. are represented as [3, 2: 0] and [7, 2: 1], The sticky component 604 can thus generate an initial allocation message and the auxiliary component 606 can generate an auxiliary allocation that can be sent to the user simultaneously, for allocation of non-continuous channels 3 , 4, 7 and 8 to the user with reduced system 600 costs. It will be appreciated that the systems and / or methods laid out herein in accordance with various embodiments may be used in conjunction with systems using non-sticky assignments as well as sticky assignments.

Fig. 7 illustrates a system 700 which facilitates the provision of additional resource allocations to users of a communication network, to reduce allocation signal management costs. The system 700 comprises an allocation component 702 which can generate resource allocations for the users.

The allocation component 702 comprises a sticky component 704 which can selectively generate sticky (e.g., persistent) allocations for the users, where such allocations are maintained until a subsequent non-allocation signal resets the user's resource allocations. The assignment component 702 may, if desired, generate non-sticky assignments, while the use of sticky assignments may facilitate system administration reduction by reducing the number of assignment messages required to allocate resources to the users of the network. Once assignments have been assigned to users of the network by the allocation component 702 and / or the sticky component 704, an auxiliary component 706 can generate additional assignments to assign additional resources to one or more users as needed. Add-on assignments can assign newly available resources, such as resources that have been released because a specific user has completed a communication session over the network (e.g. a mobile phone call or a computer computation session has been completed). Thus, where conventional systems will require a new, completely sticky allocation, system 700 may generate an additional allocation as set forth herein for transmission through one or more base stations 708 to a selected user device 710. be it mobile phones, laptops, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or any other device suitable for connecting to and / or communicating over a wireless network.

The system 700 may additionally comprise a memory 712 operably connected to the allocation component 702, and which will store information related to the user devices 710, the system resources, their allocations, and any other suitable information related to providing a dynamic allocation of system resources. (e.g. channels, frequencies, time slots, code slots) to one or more users. A processor 714 may be operably connected to the allocation component

702 (and / or memory 712), to facilitate the analysis of information related to resource allocation generation and the like. It should be understood that processor 714 may be a processor dedicated to the analysis and / or generation of information received by the allocation component 702, a processor that will control one or more components of the system 700, and / or a processor that can both analyze and generate information received by the additional component 702 and controlling one or more components of the system 700.

In addition, the memory 712 can store protocols associated with generating additional and / or non-allocative assignments, etc., so that the system 700 can use stored protocols and / or algorithms to obtain an additional allocation of system resources described herein. It will be appreciated that the data storage components (e.g., the memories) described herein may be either a non-permanent memory or a permanent memory, or may include both non-permanent and permanent memories. As non-limiting examples, permanent memories may include read-only memory (ROM), a programmable ROM (PROM), an electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), an electrically erasable

ROM (EEPROM), or flash memory. Non-permanent memories may include a direct storage (RAM), which will act as an external cache. As non-limiting examples, RAM can be available in many forms, such as a synchronous RAM (SRAM), a dynamic RAM (DRAM), a synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), a dual-data SDRAM (DDRSDRAM), an improved SDRAM (ESDRAM), an io sync link DRAM (SLDRAM), and a direct RAM interface RAM (DRRAM). The memory 712 of the inventive systems and methods is intended to include, without limitation, these and any other suitable type of memory.

Fig. 8 is an illustration of a system 800 that facilitates the generation of additional allocations, for allocating system resources to users of an ice communication network while reducing resource allocation costs.

The system 800 comprises an allocation component 802 which will generate resource allocation signals for transmission to one or more network user devices 810 through one or more base stations 808. Such assignments may be non-sticky (e.g., generated during each time frame). The allocation component comprises a sticky component 804 which will generate non-additive, sticky, or persistent allocations for the devices 810, where such resource allocations will persist for the user's device 810 until a subsequent non-additive allocation message is sent to the specific user. By sending persistent assignments, the sticky component 804 can facilitate the reduction of the number of allocation messages that will be required to send to the users of the network. To further reduce transmission costs and allocation message size, allocation component 802 may comprise an auxiliary component 806 which will generate auxiliary allocation messages in the same manner as described in connection with the preceding figures. Such additional allocation messages may include a declaration bit that will inform a receiving device 810 that the message is in fact a supplementary message and that it is intended to increase existing resource allocations for the device 810 rather than replacing such existing allocations. For example, a declaration bit can an assignment message is attached by the allocation component 802, so that a message where the declaration bit value is equal to 0 may indicate that the allocation message is a standard, sticky allocation, so that allocations included in it are intended to replace existing allocations. If the declaration bit value is equal to 1, this may further indicate that the allocation message is an additional allocation message, and allocations in this are meant as an addition to existing resource allocations. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that this designation bit can be designed to provide an active, low indication of supplementary / non-supplementary status, whereby a designation bit value equal to 1 (e.g., high) may indicate non-additive status, while a value equal to 0 may indicate additional status, as desired in relation to system design purposes and the like.

The system 800 may additionally comprise a memory 812 and a processor 814, as explained above in connection with FIG. 7. An AI component 816 may further be operably associated with the allocation component 802, and this may make inferences in relation to the resource allocation, with respect to administration cost considerations, etc. The term derivation or derivation used herein will generally refer to a reasoning process or derivation in relation to conditions in the system, environment, and / or the user, based on a plurality of observations obtained via specific events and / or data. Derivations can be used to identify a specific context or action, or they can generate a probability distribution for states, e.g. The derivation can be a probability calculation, ie. a calculation of probability distribution for states of interest based on data and events. Derivation can also refer to techniques used to construct higher-level events from a plurality of events and / or data. Such inferences will construct new events or actions based on a plurality of observed events and / or stored event data, whether the events are temporally correlated or not, or whether the events and data originate from one or more event and data events. sources.

In accordance with an example, the A1 component 816 may derive an appropriate additional assignment message, at least in part based on e.g. detected, available system resource blocks. In accordance with this example, it can be determined that a user requires an additional three system resource blocks, such as channels, frequencies, and the like.

Al component 816, together with processor 814 and / or memory 812, may determine that blocks 7, 8, 10, 14, 15, and 16 are available to supplement resources already allocated to user device 810. Al component 816 may derive a auxiliary allocation message such as [14, 3: 1] is more cost-effective than a longer auxiliary allocation message such as [7, 8, 10: 1], in which case the Al component

816 facilitate the proactive generation of an additional award message in the cheapest (least) possible way to reduce transmission costs.

In accordance with a related example, the Al component 816 may determine that channel 9 is already assigned to the user. In this case, the Al component 816 can deduce that an additional message such as [7, 4: 1] will be the most effective message. Although such auxiliary allocation message may require a similar number of bits for transmission as an auxiliary message such as [14, 3: 1], the message [7, 4: 1] will provide a denser resource grouping, which in turn may aid resource management when a large the number of users and resources must be coordinated.

Fig. 9 illustrates a system 900 which facilitates the allocation of system resources to a user, with minimal administrative costs. The system 900 comprises an allocation component 902 which can allocate resources, such as frequencies, channels, transmission time intervals, etc., to one or more user devices 910, using one or more base stations 908 in a communication network. Assignment component 902 may comprise a sticky component 904 which will provide non-additional assignments and an additional component 906 which may generate additional assignments, as described in connection with the preceding figures. The allocation component 902 will additionally be operably coupled to each of a memory io 912, a processor 914, and an A1 component 916, each of which in turn may be operably coupled to each other. The additional component 906 may additionally be used to allocate resources already assigned to one or more user devices 910. An additional allocation may e.g. identify a resource from which the other resources that are allocated are derived, based on a predetermined algorithm, or that can explicitly identify the remaining or allocated resources.

The allocation component 902 may additionally comprise a verification component

918 which will receive validity data from one or more user devices 910, via one or more base stations 908. In accordance with this scenario, user devices 910 may include transceiver functionality, in order to send validity information back to the allocation component 902. Such validity data may e.g. be a verification message that will indicate successful packet or sequence decoding over a reverse line, a receipt (ACK) for successful allocation and / or decoding over a forward line, and the like. Such a verification message can be generated by a verification component (not shown) associated with the user devices, etc., which will be able to capture a successful resource allocation, a receipt for a message sending assignment information, and the like. In this way, the system 900 can confirm the validity of an assignment to a user, before supplementing the assignment with a signal generated by the auxiliary component 906.

Referring now to Figures 10-12, methods related to generating additional system resource allocations are illustrated. The methods may e.g. be related to additional assignments in an OFDM environment, an OFDMA environment, a CDMA environment, or any other suitable wireless environment. Although the procedures for the sake of clarity are shown and described in a number of actions, it should be understood that the methods will not be limited by the sequence of actions, since some actions in accordance with one or more embodiments may take place in a different order from that which is here. shown and described, and / or simultaneously with other actions. Those skilled in the art will, e.g. understand that a method can alternatively be represented as a series of mutually related states or events, e.g. in the form of a state diagram. Furthermore, not all of the illustrated actions may be required to implement a method in accordance with one or more embodiments.

Referring now to FIG. 10, there is shown a method 1000 for generating and providing additional system resource assignments for users in a wireless network. Method 1000 may allow the use of effective channel allocation techniques while avoiding the primary limitations of such techniques. By using additional resource allocations, a network can provide a close match between a user's resource allocation and the user's needs, and the network will be able to optimize the use of system resources, even when parts of the allocable resources are limited by the allocation message format. By using additional allocation messages, method 1000 may additionally reduce the number of allocation messages that must be sent to achieve the desired resource allocation. For example, if a network must increase the resources assigned to a specific user, an additional allocation can be used to allocate available resources that can be specified through an ice allocation message. Conventional systems / methods will require a non-additional message to be sent to a user when a change in his or her resources is required, which will typically trigger multiple additional allocation and / or allocation messages to several other users, to enable the desired allocation to the user. intended user. Add-on assignments allow resource allocation changes to be achieved by a single message, while non-add-on allocation allocation messages will require a message to be sent to at least two users (for example, at least two messages).

In order to facilitate the use of additional resource allocations, initial resource allocations in 1002 can be generated and sent to one or more user devices on the network. The allocations can e.g. be non-additive allocations of resources such as network frequencies, channels, time slots, etc. In addition, such assignments can be sticky allocations, in order to facilitate a minimization of the total allocations that must be transmitted over the network over time. Once the assignments have been sent to the users of the network, the network in 1004 can be monitored to determine whether there are users who require additional resources or whether resources should be reduced. When it is determined that a user requires resource allocation in addition to the user's existing allocations, or that a user's resources need to be reduced, an additional allocation in 1006 can be generated for the user and sent to the user's communications device. Once the additional allocation has been submitted, the process can revert to 1004 for continuing monitoring and / or determining whether there are users requiring additional resources or whether existing resources should be allocated, which may then trigger the generation and transmission of additional additional resource allocations in 1006.

The user can e.g. Initially in 1002, resource blocks 1-5 are assigned. If the user requires additional resources, the decision step in 1004 may detect such a requirement, and in 1006 such resource allocations will be generated in a manner that will facilitate system administration reduction relative to allocation message size, etc. The generation of an additional allocation may e.g. . include first deciding which resources (and / or resource blocks) are available. Following such a provision, an additional allocation may be generated and flagged accordingly, to allow the network and / or the receiving device to identify the allocation as an additional allocation. For example, if If it is determined that resource blocks 11 and 12 are available for allocation to the user, an additional message allocating only blocks 11 and 12 may be generated in 1006. The message can be appropriately labeled as additional to ensure that blocks 11 and 12 are added to the already allocated blocks 1-5 and that these blocks are not replaced. In a decremental allocation, decision step 1004 can detect a need for resource reduction, and then in step 1006 such resource allocation can be sent as an additional allocation.

It can be facilitated to mark an allocation message by attaching a declaration bit for all allocation messages, whether the allocation messages are ice or non-supplemental, so that the value of this declaration bit will inform the receiving device and / or the network that the current allocation must either replace or increase an existing allocation. For example, a declaration bit with the value 0 can be used. indicate that the allocation is non-supplemental, while a value equal to 1 may indicate that the allocation is an additional allocation. It will be appreciated that the values ​​for this declaration bit can be inverted, as long as these values ​​are consistently used to indicate each of the two possible statuses of an allocation message (e.g., additional and non-additional). Furthermore, the designation of an assignment as such will not be limited to the use of a declaration bit, and it can be effected using any suitable indicator (e.g., a bit sequence, a message prefix, a flag in a message header).

Referring now to FIG. 11 illustrating a method 1100 for generating and transmitting additional assignment to a user in a wireless network environment. In 1102, initial resource mappings can be sent to users of the network. Non-assignment assignments can e.g. is generated and sent to individual user devices that do not need to be aware of the assignments of other devices.

In 1104, the mobile devices can provide a validity signal to the network to verify successful decoding and acceptance of the resource allocation message. In 1106, it can be determined whether there is one or more mobile devices that require additional system resources, or whether resources should be allocated from a user. If it is determined that no additional resources are required, or should be allocated, the procedure may be terminated.

If, in step 1106, it is determined that additional resources are required, or should be allocated, by a device, such resources in step 1108 may be provided in the form of an additional allocation. A mobile device such as a mobile telephone may e.g. in step 1102, receive an initial resource allocation that will allow voice transmission. The decision step in

1106 may indicate that a user of the mobile device is attempting to download a web page, transmit a digital photograph or video sequence, etc., which may require an additional transmission bandwidth. Thus, an additional resource allocation can be generated in step 1108, to meet the bandwidth needs of the device, and it can then be sent to the device.

If the device initially has verified receipt and / or acceptance of the resource blocks 100-104, and it requires an additional four resource blocks, an additional allocation message may be provided in accordance with a related example, e.g. [X, 4: 1], is sent to the device, where X is an integer representing a first resource block in a first io continuous amount of available resource blocks. Since all previous resource allocations have been validated in step 1104, there will be a complete list of available resources for additional allocation generation and transmission in step 1108. After the addition assignment transmission in step 1108, the method can go back to step 1104, for a new repeat of the assignment verification which may include ice verification of additions, before network monitoring to determine in step 1106 whether one or more users are required. It will be appreciated that additional resource allocation messages do not necessarily have to include continuous resource allocations and that such allocations can be expressed in a manner (e.g., a block index row) that will facilitate the generation of a practical and cost-effective allocation message. Such messages can e.g. is expressed using two indexes and a declaration bit.

Referring now to FIG. 12, there is shown a method 1200 for providing additional resource allocations for devices communicating over a wireless network. In step 1202, initial resource mappings can be made, and assignments can be sent to one or more devices utilizing the network. A first user can e.g. resource blocks are assigned through a non-additional, sticky allocation, such as {1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 10: 0}, while a second user can be allocated resource blocks in accordance with a second non-allocation message, such as { 4, 5, 8: 0}, where: 0 represents a declaration bit that identifies the allocation message as non-supplemental.

Users do not need to be aware of (for example, do not need to see) other users' assignment messages. In step 1204, the allocation messages can be validated by the receiving mobile devices. A simple acknowledgment message can e.g. is sent to the network for verification of reception, successful decoding, and / or acceptance of the award message. In this way, the network can be informed of exactly what resources are available for additional assignments, etc. In step 1206, a decision can be made as to which, if any, devices that require additional system resources, or else which resources should be removed. If no additional resources are required, or need to be removed, the procedure can be terminated. If additional resources are required, or need to be removed, for one or more devices, the process may proceed to step 1208. The first user mentioned above may e.g. require a further three resource blocks for a network operation. An effective additional message format can then be derived in step 1208, to provide additional assignments to the first user with as low management costs as possible (e.g., based on a cost-benefit analysis, optimization techniques).

For example, if all initial resource block allocations have been validated according to step 1204, the next three available resource blocks can be e.g. be blocks 7, 9 and 11. An additional allocation message comprising assignments of these blocks can be represented as {7, 9, 11: 1} and it can be sent to the first user in step 1210. An io more efficient message (e.g. however, a shorter message) may exist as [9, 4: 1], which will send additional resource allocations for four continuous resource blocks, where the first will be block 9. Since block 10 is already assigned to the first user's device, there will be no form for conflict, and the new blocks 9, 11 and 12 will also be assigned to the first user to meet the user's resource needs. In step 1208 ice can be made derivatives (e.g. using artificial intelligence, machine learning techniques) that can facilitate a decision that a more efficient (e.g., cheaper) message is desirable and one can be selected for generation and transmission in step 1210. In a decremental allocation, the decision in step 1206 can detect a need to reduce resources, and in step 1208 such resource allocation can then be sent as an additional allocation.

According to a similar example, in step 1204, it can be determined that a second user has not verified receipt / acceptance of its initial allocation message. As long as these resource blocks are still available (for example, a third or subsequent user device has not been assigned), they can be assigned to this first user through an additional allocation message such as {4, 5, 8: 1}. Only the first user needs to be aware of the auxiliary allocation, since auxiliary allocations can be transparent to all users except the receiver, in order to further reduce network administration, processing time, etc. In step 1208 it can also be deduced that the auxiliary allocation message can be reduced to a continuous one. allocation, such as [4, 5:

1], where 4 represents a first resource block, 5 represents a continuous row of blocks, the first being block 4, and: 1 indicates that the message is an additional message. This may be allowed since it is known that blocks 6 and 7 are already assigned to the first user, so that the more efficient, continuous additional allocation will not conflict with the first user's existing allocations. In this way, inferences made in step 1208 can facilitate the generation and transmission of an additional allocation message in step 1210 which will be the most cost-effective in relation to administration requirements and / or allocation transmission message size.

Fig. 13 shows an example of a wireless communication system 1300. For the sake of brevity, the wireless communication system 1300 shows a base station and a terminal. However, it should be understood that the system may comprise more than one base station and / or more than one terminal, where additional base stations and / or terminals may be substantially the same or different from the base station and terminal described below. In addition, it should be understood that the base station and / or terminal can use the systems (Figs. 6-9) and / or the methods (Figs. 10-12) described herein to facilitate wireless communications between them.

Referring now to FIG. 13 where a send (TX) data processor 1310 at the access point 1305 and through a downlink will receive, format, code, merge, and modulate (or symbol assign) traffic data, and provide modulation symbols io (data symbols). An OFDM modulator 1315 will receive and process the data symbols and pilot symbols, and provide a stream of OFD symbols. An OFDM modulator 1315 will multiplex the data and pilot symbols in the appropriate subbands, provide a signal value equal to 0 for each unused subband, and provide an amount of N transmit symbols for the N subbands for each OFDM symbol period. Each ice send symbol can be a data symbol, a pilot symbol, or a signal value equal to 0. The pilot symbols can be sent continuously during each OFDM symbol period. Alternatively, the pilot symbols may be the time multiplex (TDM), the frequency multiplex (FDM), or the code multiplex (CDM). The OFDM modulator 1315 can transform any amount of N transmit symbols into the time zone, using a TV point IFFT to provide a reshaped symbol containing N time chip. The OFDM modulator 1315 will typically repeat part of each transformed symbol, to provide a corresponding OFDM symbol. The repetitive part is known as a cyclic prefix, and it is used to counteract delay spreading in the wireless channel.

A transmitter unit (TMTR) 1320 will receive and convert the stream of OFDM25 symbols to one or more analog signals, and further adapt (e.g., amplify, filter, and frequency-convert) the analog signals, to generate a downlink signal which will be suitable for transmission over the wireless channel. The downlink signal will then be sent through an antenna 1325 to the terminals. In terminal 1330, an antenna 1335 receives the downlink signal and provides a received signal for a receiver unit (RCVR) 1340.

Receiver unit 1340 will adapt (e.g., filter, amplify, and frequency downconverters) the received signal, and digitize the matched signal to provide samples. An OFDM demodulator 1345 will remove the cyclic prefix enclosed with each OFDM symbol, transform each received transformed symbol into the frequency range using an N-point FFT, provide N received symbols for the N subbands of each

OFDM symbol period, and provide received pilot symbols for a channel estimation processor 1350. The OFDM demodulator 1345 will further receive a frequency response estimate for the downlink from processor 1350, perform data modulation on the received data symbols to provide data symbol estimates (which will be estimates of the transmitted data symbols), and provide the data symbol estimates for a

RX data processor 1355 that will demodulate (i.e. symbol-assign), interleave, and decode the data symbol estimates, thus retrieving the sent traffic data. The processing of the OFDM demodulator 1345 and the RX data processor 1355 will be complementary to the processing of the OFDM modulator 1315 and TX data processor 1310, respectively, at the access point 1305.

In the uplink, a TX data processor 1360 will process traffic data and provide data symbols. An OFDM modulator 1365 will receive and multiplex the data symbols with pilot symbols, perform OFDM modulation, and provide a stream of OFDM symbols. The pilot symbols may be transmitted in the lower hand assigned to the pilot transmission terminal 1330, where the number of pilot subbands for the uplink may be the same or different from the number of pilot subbands for the downlink. A transmitter unit 1370 will then receive and process the stream of OFDM symbols, to generate an uplink signal, which is then transmitted by the antenna 1335 to the access point 1305.

At access point 1305, the uplink signal from terminal 1330 is received by ice antenna 1325 and processed by a receiver unit 1375 to provide samples. An OFDM demodulator 1380 will then process the samples and provide received pilot symbols and data symbol estimates for the uplink. An RX data processor 1385 will process the data symbol estimates to retrieve traffic data sent by the terminal 1330. A processor 1390 will perform channel estimation for each active terminal transmitting on the uplink. Multiple terminals can send pilot symbols simultaneously on the uplink of their respective assigned amounts of pilot subband, where the pilot subband amounts may be interwoven.

The processors 1390 and 1350 will direct (e.g., control, coordinate, handle, etc.) the operation at access point 1305 and terminal 1330, respectively. The respective processors 1390 and 1350 may be associated with memory devices (not shown) that will store program codes and data. The processors 1390 and 1350 can also perform calculations to obtain frequency and pulse response estimates for uplink and downlink, respectively.

For a multi-access OFDM system (eg, an orthogonal, frequency-shared multi-access (OFDMA) system), multiple terminals can transmit at the same time. For such a system, the pilot subbands can be shared by several terminals. The channel estimation techniques can be used in cases where the pilot subbands for each terminal span the entire operating band (possibly with the exception of the band edges). Such a pilot subband structure would be desirable in order to achieve frequency diversity for each terminal. The techniques described herein can be implemented in various ways.

These techniques can e.g. implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of these. For a hardware implementation, the processing units used for channel estimation can be implemented in one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable grid devices (FPGAs), , microprocessors, other electronic devices designed to perform the functions described herein, or a combination of these. In the software, the implementation can be in modules (eg procedures, functions, etc.) that will perform the functions described here. The software codes may be stored in the memory device and run by processors 1390 and 1350.

What has been described above includes examples of one or more embodiments. Of course, it will not be possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methods in describing the aforementioned io embodiments, but one skilled in the art will recognize that many further combinations and offsets of various embodiments will be possible. Accordingly, the embodiments described are intended to encompass all such modifications, modifications and variations which will fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, the word should include to the extent that it is used in either the detailed ice cream description or in the claims is interpreted as an inclusion in the same way as the word comprehensive, so comprehensively interpreted when used as a binding word in a claim.