WO9639749A1

Timing adjustment control for efficient time division duplex communication

Abstract

A system for time division duplex communication over a single frequency band wherein guard time overhead is reduced by active adjustment of reverse link transmission timing as a function of round trip propagation delay. Responding to a polling message from the base station, a user station seeking to establish communication transmits a reply message. The base station using a propagation delay calculator (812) calculates the distance of the user station by measuring the propagation delay with respect to receipt of the reply message and a timing control unit (806) and transmitter (807) for sending a timing adjustment command to the user station instructing it to advance or retard its timing. Thereafter, the base station monitors the user station transmissions and periodically commands it to adjust its timing in a like manner. The user station transmits a control preamble at the start of each time slot to allow the base station to perform round trip timing calculations and adjustment of the user station's power or antenna selection.

WO9639749A1, drawing sheet 1
Sheet 1 of 174

Term

No projected expiry on record.

  1. Priority and filed
  2. Published
  3. Today

100 claims: 18 independent, 82 dependent

  1. 1
    Claims 1. A method of time division duplex communication between a base station and a user station over a single frequency band, comprising the steps of transmitting, over a designated frequency band, a user message from a user station directed to a base station, receiving said user message at said base station, calculating at said base station, based on the time of receiving said user message at said base station, a distance of said user station relative to said base station, and transmitting, over said designated frequency band, a base message from said base station directed to said user station, said base message comprising a timing adjustment command whereby timing of a subsequent message from said user station directed to said base station over said designated frequency band is advanced or retarded.
  2. 12
    A method of time division duplex communication between a base station and a plurality of user stations over a single frequency band, wherein said base station communicates sequentially during a time frame with the user stations in established communication with said base station, and wherein said time frame is divided into a plurality of time slots of equal duration, said method comprising the steps of transmitting over a designated frequency band, during a designated time slot in a first time frame, a first base-to- user message from said base station to a user station, receiving at said base station, during said designated time slot in said first time frame and over said designated frequency band, a first user-to-base message from said user station, transmitting, during said designated time slot in a second time frame subsequent to said first time frame and over said designated frequency band, a second base-to-user message from said base station to said user station, said second base- to-user message comprising a timing adjustment command, and receiving at said base station, during said designated time slot in said second time frame and over said designated frequency band, a second user-to-base message from said user station, said second user-to-base message advanced or retarded in time in response to said timing adjustment command.
  3. 14
    16. The method of claim 14 wherein said control pulse preamble comprises a plurality of concatenated codes.
  4. 20
    22. The method of claim 20 further comprising a step of receiving at said base station, prior to transmitting said second user-to-base message, and over said designated frequency band, a control pulse preamble from said user station, wherein said step of calculating a distance of said user station relative to said base station comprises a step of calculating a propagation delay of said first base-to-user message to reach said user station and said control pulse preamble to reach said base station.
  5. 21
    23. A system for carrying out time division duplex communication between a base station and a plurality of user stations over a single frequency band, said system comprising a plurality of time frames, and a plurality of time slots in each of said time frames, each of said time slots comprising a base message interval during which a base message may be sent over a predetermined frequency band by a base station to a user station in established communication with said base station, a user message interval during which a user message may be sent over said predetermined frequency band to said base station by said user station in established communication with said base station, wherein said base station periodically transmits, during said base message interval, a timing adjustment command to said user station in established communication with said base station.
  6. 23
    25. The system of claim 23 wherein said user station maintains a timing variable, and wherein said timing adjustment command modifies said timing variable in order to advance or retard a timing of said user station.
  7. 27
    29. The method of claim 27 wherein said user station is in established communication with said base station, and wherein said user message comprises a traffic mode user-to- base message.
  8. 28
    30. A system for carrying out time division duplex communication between a base station and a plurality of user stations over a single frequency band, wherein the base station communicates sequentially with the user stations with which the base station has established communication, said system comprising a plurality of time frames of equal duration, and a plurality of time slots in each of said time frames, each of said time slots comprising a base message interval in an initial portion of said time slot, during which either a base-to-user message may be sent by a base station to a user station in established communication with said base station during said time slot, or a general polling message may be transmitted indicating the availability of said time slot, and a user portion following said base message interval in said time slot, during which either a user-to-base message may be sent to said base station by said user station in established communication with said base station, or a reply message may be sent to said base station by a user station seeking to establish communication with said base station, said user portion and said base message interval both lying on the same frequency band, wherein said base station periodically transmits, during said base message interval, a timing adjustment command to said user station in established communication with said base station.
  9. 31
    33. A method for establishing time division duplex communication between a base station and a user station over a single frequency band, wherein said base station communicates sequentially during a time frame with user stations in established communication with said base station, and wherein said time frame is divided into a plurality of time slots of equal duration, said method comprising the steps of transmitting, over a designated frequency band and during a first base interval of an available time slot in a first time frame, a general polling message, receiving, over said designated frequency band and during a user interval of said available time slot, a reply message from a user station, calculating at said base station, based on the time of receiving said reply message at said base station, a distance of said user station relative to said base station, and transmitting, over said designated frequency band and during a second base interval of said available time slot in a second time frame, a base message from said base station directed to said user station, said base message comprising a timing adjustment command whereby timing of a subsequent message from said user station directed to said base station over said designated frequency band is advanced or retarded.
  10. 35
    37. The method of claim 35 wherein said user station sends, prior to each base-to-user message, a control pulse preamble over said designated frequency band and directed to said base station.
  11. 37
    39. The method of claim 37 wherein said control pulse preamble comprises a kronecker product of a minimum peak sidelobe code and a Barker code.
  12. 42
    44. In a system for time division duplex communication wherein a base station communicates with a plurality of user stations over a single frequency band, said system comprising a plurality of periodic time frames, each time frame divided into a plurality of base time slots and a plurality of corresponding user time slots, a method including the steps of:transmitting, in a user time slot over a frequency band, a first user message from a user station to a base station, receiving, at said user station and over said frequency band, a base message from said base station, said base message comprising a timing adjustment command, and transmitting, in a user time slot over said frequency band, a second user message from said user station to said base station, said second user message advanced or retarded in relative timing with respect to the start of said user time slot, in response to said timing adjustment command.
  13. 43
    45. A frame structure for time division duplex communication between a base station and a plurality of user stations over a single frequency band, comprising a plurality of time frames, and a plurality of time slots for each time frame, each time slot comprising a base transmission interval during which a base station may transmit over a designated frequency band a base-to-user messages to one of a plurality of user stations, and a user transmission interval during which one of said user stations may transmit a user-to-base message to said base station over said designated frequency band, wherein a first forward link transmission and a first reverse link transmission between said base station and a first user station are separated by either an intervening forward or reverse link communication with a second user station.
  14. 49
    51. A frame structure for time division duplex communication between a base station and a plurality of user stations over a single frequency band, comprising a plurality of time frames, and a plurality of time slots for each time frame, each time slot comprising a base transmission interval during which a base station may transmit over a designated frequency band a base-to-user messages to one of a plurality of user stations, and a user transmission interval during which one of said user stations may transmit a user-to-base message to said base station over said designated frequency band, wherein duplex communication between said base station and a first user station is carried out in a designated base interval and a designated user interval, said designated base interval and said designated user interval being separated by at least one intervening base interval or user interval.
  15. 51
    53. The frame structure of claim 51 wherein said base- to-user message periodically comprises a timing adjustment command whereby a relative timing of said user-to-base message is adjusted.
  16. 52
    54. A method of time division duplex communication between a base station and a plurality of user stations over a single frequency band, wherein said base station communicates during a time frame with user stations in established communication with said base station, and wherein said time frame is divided into a plurality of time slots of equal duration, said method comprising the steps of transmitting, over a designated frequency band and in a first time interval of a time frame, a first base message from a base station directed to a first user station, receiving said base message at said first user station, transmitting from a second user station, over said designated frequency band, a first user message directed to said base station, receiving said first user message at said base station in a second time interval of said time frame, transmitting, over said designated frequency band and in a third time interval of said time frame, a second base message from said base station, transmitting from said first user station, over said designated frequency band, a second user message directed to said base station, and receiving said second user message at said base station in a fourth time interval of said time frame.
  17. 54
    56. The method of claim 54 wherein at least one of said first user message, said second user message, said first base message, and said second base message is transmitted using a spread spectrum technique.
  18. 57
    59. A method of time duplex communication between a base station and a plurality of user stations over a single frequency band during a time frame, said time frame being divided into a plurality of time slots of equal duration, said method comprising the steps of transmitting, during a first time slot, a first base-to- user message from a base station directed to a first user station, receiving, during said first time slot, a first user-to- base message at said base station from a second user station, receiving, after said first user-to-base message, a control pulse preamble at said base station from a third user station, transmitting, during a second time slot, a second base- to-user message from said base station directed to said third user station, and receiving, during said second time slot, a second user- to-base message at said base station from said first user station.
  19. 59
    61. The method of claim 59 further comprising the step of calculating at said base station, based on a time of receiving said control pulse preamble at said base station, a distance of said third user station relative to said base station, wherein said second base-to-user message comprises a timing adjustment command whereby subsequent messages from said third user station directed to said base station are advanced or retarded in relative timing.
  20. 61
    63. A method of interleaved time duplex communication between a base station and a plurality of user stations over a single frequency band, comprising the steps of receiving, over a designated frequency band, a first control pulse preamble at a base station from a first user station, transmitting, over said designated frequency band, a first base-to-user message from said base station to said first user station, and after a time interval of sufficient duration to receive a first user-to-base message at said base station from a second user station, transmit a second base-to-user message from said base station, and receive a second control pulse preamble at said base station from a third user station, receiving over said designated frequency band a second user-to-base message at said base station from said first user station.
  21. 65
    67. An interleaved time division duplex frame structure wherein a base station communicates with a plurality of user stations over a single frequency band, comprising a plurality of time frames, and a plurality of time slots in each time frame, each of said time slots comprising a base message interval during which a base-to-user message may be sent over a predetermined frequency band by a base station to a first user station in established communication with said base station, a user message interval during which a user-to-base message may be received over said predetermined frequency band at said base station from a second user station in established communication with said base station, and a preamble interval during which a control pulse preamble may be received over said predetermined frequency band from a third user station in established communication with said base station, whereby said base station may respond to said third base station in an immediately following time slot.
  22. 69
    71. A system for carrying out time division duplex communication between a base station and a plurality of user stations over a single frequency band, comprising a plurality of time frames, and a plurality of time slots in each of said time frames, each of said time slots comprising a base interval, during which either a base-to-user message may be sent by a base station to a first user station in established communication with said base station during said time slot, or a general polling message may be transmitted by said base station indicating availability of said time slot, a user interval, during which either a user-to-base message may be received at said base station from a second user station in established communication with said base station, or a reply message may be received at said base station from a third user station seeking to establish communication with said base station, and a preamble interval during which a control pulse preamble may be received from a fourth user station in established communication with said base station, whereby said base station may respond to said fourth base station in an immediately following time slot.
  23. 71
    73. The system of claim 71 wherein said base-to-user message comprises a timing adjustment command directed to said first user station.
  24. 75
    77. In a system for time division duplex communication between a base station and a plurality of user stations over a single frequency band, wherein said base station communicates during a time frame with user stations in established communication with said base station, and wherein said time frame is divided into a plurality of time slots of equal duration, a method comprising the steps of receiving at a first user station, over a designated frequency band and in a first time interval of a time frame, a first base message from a base station directed to said first user station, waiting for said base station to receive, over said designated frequency band and in a second time interval of said time frame, a first user message from a second user station directed to said base station, waiting for said base station to transmit, over said designated frequency band and in a third time interval of said time frame, a second base message from said base station, transmitting from said first user station, over said designated frequency band and in a fourth time interval of said time frame, a second user message directed to said base station.
  25. 76
    78. A method for communicating between a base station and a plurality of user stations comprising the steps of transmitting from a base station, over a specified frequency band and during an initial portion of a time frame, a plurality of base-to-user messages directed to user stations, each of said base-to-user messages corresponding to a different base time slot, receiving at said base station from said user stations, over said specified frequency band and during a latter portion of said time frame, a plurality of user-to-base messages directed to said base station, each of said user-to-base messages corresponding to a different user time slot, and transmitting from said base station, over said specified frequency band and during a subsequent time frame, a timing adjustment command to at least one of said user stations, whereby at least one subsequent user-to-base message from said user station is advanced or retarded in time by an amount specified by said timing adjustment command.
  26. 78
    80. The method of claim 78 further comprising the steps of transmitting from said base station a signal identifying an available user time slot, receiving from a user station seeking to establish communication with said base station, over said specified frequency band and during said available user time slot, a reply message, transmitting from said base station, over said specified frequency band, a second timing adjustment command to said user station seeking to establish communication with said base station, whereby at least one subsequent user-to-base message from said user station seeking to establish communication with said base station is advanced or retarded by an amount of time specified by said second timing adjustment command.
  27. 80
    82. The method of claim 80 wherein said reply message is transmitted using a spread spectrum technique.
  28. 84
    86. In a communication system employing time division multiplexing, a method for establishing communication between a base station and a user station comprising the steps of transmitting from a base station, over a specified frequency band and during an initial portion of a time frame, a plurality of base-to-user messages directed to user stations with which said base station has previously established communication, said initial portion comprising a plurality of base time slots, wherein each of said base-to-user messages corresponds to a different base time slot and at least one of said base time slots is available for communication, transmitting from a user station seeking to establish communication with said base station, over said specified frequency band and during a user time slot in a user portion of said time frame, a reply message directed to said base station, said user time slot paired with said available base time slot, receiving at said base station said reply message, calculating a propagation delay at said base station based on a relative time of receiving said reply message and deriving a timing adjustment command thereby, transmitting from said base station, over said specified frequency band and during a subsequent time frame, a timing adjustment command to said user station, in response to said timing adjustment command, advancing or retarding a relative timing of subsequent user-to-base messages from said user station to said base station by an amount specified by said timing adjustment command.
  29. 86
    88. The method of claim 86 wherein one or more of said base-to-user messages and said user-to-base messages are transmitted using a spread spectrum technique.
  30. 89
    91. A system of communication comprising a plurality of time frames of equal duration, each of said time frames comprising a base transmission portion, a collective guard portion, and a user transmission portion, said collective guard portion located between said base transmission portion and said user transmission portion, a plurality of base time slots in said base transmission portion, during each of which a base station may transmit a base-to-user message directed to one of a plurality of user stations, a plurality of user time slots in said user transmission portion, during each of which a corresponding one of said user stations may transmit a user-to-base message directed to said base station, said user time slots separated by abbreviated guard bands, wherein said base station commands at least one of said user stations to advance or retard a relative timing of its respective user-to-base message in response to a calculated propagation delay time.
  31. 92
    94. The system of claim 92 wherein the length of said reply message is such that it will be fully received by said base station prior to the end of said collective guard portion.
  32. 95
    97. The system of claim 95 wherein the length of said reply message is such that it will be fully received by said base station prior to the start of an immediately following user time slot.
  33. 99
    101. A method for carrying out time division multiplexed communication between a base station and a plurality of user stations over a single frequency band, comprising the steps of transmitting, during a base portion of a time frame, a base station burst over a designated frequency band, said base station burst comprising a plurality of time intervals corresponding to base time slots, wherein either a base-to- user message or a general polling message is transmitted in each of said base time slots, said base-to-user message being transmitted in the base time slots already in use for established communication with user stations, and said general polling message being transmitted in the base time slots available for communication, receiving in user time slots, during a user portion of said time frame and over said designated frequency band, a user-to-base message in the user time slots already in use for established communication with said base station, and a reply message in the user time slots in which a new user station is attempting to establish communication with said base station, and periodically transmitting from said base station, over said designated frequency band, a timing adjustment command to at least one of said user stations, whereby subsequent user- to-base messages from said user station are advanced or retarded in time by an amount specified by said timing adjustment command.
Independent claims33