Abstract: A channel structure and mechanisms that support effective and efficient allocation and utilization of the reverse link resources. In one aspect, mechanisms are provided to quickly assign resources (e.g., a supplemental channel) as needed, and to quickly de-assign the resources when not needed or to maintain system stability. The reverse link resources may be quickly assigned and de-assigned via short messages exchanged on control channels on the forward and reverse links. In another aspect, mechanisms are provided to facilitate efficient and reliable data transmission. A reliable acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment scheme and an efficient retransmission scheme are provided. Mechanisms are also provided to control the transmit power and/or data rate of the remote terminals to achieve high performance and avoid instability.

Abstract: In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention, an apparatus, system, and method efficiently manage reverse link resources by allowing a mobile station to select between transmitting a payload a standard power level and transmitting a smaller payload at a boosted power level. The mobile station, therefore, can autonomously select a QoS (Quality of Service) level for physical layer packets. Based on reverse link transmission information received from a base station, the mobile station derives a reverse link transmission guideline defining the power levels and associated payloads for at least a standard service and boosted service. The mobile station selects a reverse link transmission power level from a plurality of power levels including at least a standard reverse link transmission power level associated with a standard payload size and a boosted reverse link transmission power level associated with a boosted payload size where the standard payload size is greater than the boosted payload size.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method efficiently manage reverse link communication in a communication system having geographically distributed base stations. Coupled load information is exchanged between base stations allowing a base station to determine an appropriate allocation of reverse link channel resources to mobile stations served by the base station. Since the allocation of reverse link channels resources are controlled directly by the base station, delays due to communications with a central controller are eliminated. As a result, adverse effects of load scheduling based on obsolete reverse channel information are minimized.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein address the need in the art for an extended acknowledgment/rate control channel. In one aspect, an acknowledgment command and a rate control command are combined to form a combined command. In another aspect, the combined command is generated in accordance with a constellation of points, each point corresponding to a pair consisting of a rate control command and an acknowledgment command. In yet another aspect, the points of the constellation are designed to provide the desired probability of error for the respective command pairs. In yet another aspect, a common rate control command is transmitted along with a combined or dedicated rate control command. Various other aspects are also presented. These aspects have the benefit of reduced overhead while providing acknowledgment and rate control to single remote stations and/or groups of remote stations.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method efficiently manage reverse link communication in a communication system having geographically distributed base stations. A base station functioning to at least one mobile station as a non-serving active base station estimates an expected coupled load due to the at least one mobile based on a previous total coupled load. The base station determines a total available capacity based on the difference between the total capacity of the base station and the estimated expected coupled load. The base station allocates reverse link resources to other mobile stations served by the base station so as not to exceed the total available capacity. Since the allocation of reverse link channels resources are controlled directly by the base station, delays due to communications with a central controller are eliminated. As a result, adverse effects of load scheduling based on obsolete reverse channel information are minimized.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein address the need in the art for reduced overhead control with the ability to adjust transmission rates as necessary. In one aspect, a first signal indicates an acknowledgement of a decoded subpacket and whether or not a rate control command is generated, and a second signal conditionally indicates the rate control command when one is generated. In another aspect, a grant may be generated concurrently with the acknowledgement. In yet another aspect, a mobile station monitors the first signal, conditionally monitors the second signal as indicated by the first signal, and may monitor a third signal comprising a grant. In yet another aspect, one or more base stations transmit one or more of the various signals. Various other aspects are also presented. These aspects have the benefit of providing the flexibility of grant-based control while utilizing lower overhead when rate control commands are used, thus increasing system utilization, increasing capacity and throughput.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein address the need in the art for efficient management of grant, acknowledgement, and rate control channels. In one aspect, a list associated with a first station is generated or stored, the list comprising zero or more identifiers, each identifier identifying one of a plurality of second stations for sending a message to the first station. In another aspect, sets of lists for one or more first stations are generated or stored. In yet another aspect, the messages may be acknowledgements, rate control commands, or grants. In yet another aspect, messages comprising one or more identifiers in the list are generated. Various other aspects are also presented. These aspects have the benefit of reduced overhead while managing grant, acknowledgment and rate control messaging for one or more remote stations.

Abstract: A system and method for a time-scalable priority-based scheduler. A flexible scheduling algorithm utilizing variable scheduling durations enables better system capacity utilization. A rate request is transmitted if data arrives in a buffer, data in the buffer exceeds a buffer depth, and sufficient power exists to transmit at the rate requested. A rate assignment responsive to the rate request indicates a scheduled duration and a scheduled rate applicable for the scheduled duration. The scheduled duration is less than or equal to a scheduling period. The scheduling period is an interval of time and after which a scheduler makes a scheduling decision. The scheduling period is variable and the scheduled duration is variable.

Abstract: Techniques for power control of serving and non-serving base stations are disclosed. In one aspect, power control commands for a plurality of base stations are combined to form a single command to control the plurality of base control. In another aspect, an “Or-of-up” rule is used to combine the power control commands. In yet another aspect, a channel quality indicator is used to power control a serving base station. Various other aspects are also presented. These aspects have the benefit of providing efficient power control between a mobile station and both serving and non-serving base stations, thus avoiding excessive interference and increasing capacity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining multilevel scheduling of a reverse link communication. An embodiment includes estimating capacity on the reverse link based on the sector load. An embodiment includes estimating load contribution based on an estimated signal-to-noise ratio. An embodiment includes estimating capacity available to schedule based on a ratio of measured other-cell interference over thermal noise, and based on sector load. An embodiment includes a method of distributing sector capacity across a base station (BS) and a base station controller (BSC). An embodiment includes determining priority of a station based on the pilot energy over noise plus interference ratio, the soft handoff factor, the fairness value, and the fairness factor &agr;.

Abstract: Techniques for efficient signaling to and from a plurality of mobile stations are disclosed. In one embodiment, a subset of mobile stations may be allocated a portion of the shared resource with one or more individual access grants, another subset may be allocated a portion of the shared resource with a single common grant, and yet another subset may be allowed to use a portion of the shared resource without any grant. In another embodiment, an acknowledge and continue command is used to extend all or a subset of the previous grants without the need for additional requests and grants, and their associated overhead. In one embodiment, a traffic to pilot ratio (T/P) is used to allocate a portion of the shared resource, allowing a mobile station flexibility in selecting its transmission format based on T/P.

Abstract: A mobile wireless telecommunications system includes base stations of a first type operating according to a first air interface, and base stations of a second type operating according to a second air interface. Methods and apparatus are provided for handing over a mobile station in the system from a first base station, which is of the first type, to a second base station, which is of the second type. A communications link is established over the first air interface between the mobile station and the first base station. Data is received from the mobile station responsive to a signal received by the mobile station over the second air interface from the second base station, substantially without breaking the communications link with the first base station. The mobile station is handed over from the first to the second base station responsive to the data received therefrom.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for congestion control in a wireless communication system. In one embodiment, the status of a congestion bit indicates the type of adjustment, such as increase or decrease, to be performed at an access terminal to determine the next data rate for transmissions on the reverse link. The status of the congestion bit is determined by comparing a congestion parameter to a predetermined threshold. One embodiment implements an outerloop threshold having a margin with respect to the desired congestion metric threshold. The outerloop threshold is adjusted in response to comparing a measured congestion metric to the desired threshold. The outerloop threshold adjustment maintains the congestion metric to within a predetermined probability of exceeding the desired threshold.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for congestion control in a wireless communication system. Individual target data rate values are assigned individual access terminals. The individual data rates of the access terminals are adjusted to achieve the corresponding individual target data rate values. If the target values are not achieved within a predetermined number of iterations, the individual data rate is adjusted. In one embodiment, the status of a congestion bit indicates the type of adjustment, such as increase or decrease, wherein the status of the congestion bit is determined by comparing a congestion parameter to a predetermined threshold. One embodiment implements an outerloop threshold having a margin with respect to the desired congestion metric threshold. According to one embodiment, a congestion indicator includes multiple bits, wherein at least one bit instructs the mobile station to use target values or else to adjust without regard to a target value.

Abstract: A channel structure and mechanisms that support effective and efficient allocation and utilization of the reverse link resources. In one aspect, mechanisms are provided to quickly assign resources (e.g., a supplemental channel) as needed, and to quickly de-assign the resources when not needed or to maintain system stability. The reverse link resources may be quickly assigned and de-assigned via short messages exchanged on control channels on the forward and reverse links. In another aspect, mechanisms are provided to facilitate efficient and reliable data transmission. A reliable acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment scheme and an efficient retransmission scheme are provided. Mechanisms are also provided to control the transmit power and/or data rate of the remote terminals to achieve high performance and avoid instability.

Abstract: A mobile wireless telecommunications system includes base stations of a first type operating according to a first air interface, and base stations of a second type operating according to a second air interface. Methods and apparatus are provided for handing over a mobile station in the system from a first base station, which is of the first type, to a second base station, which is of the second type. A communications link is established over the first air interface between the mobile station and the first base station. Data is received from the mobile station responsive to a signal received by the mobile station over the second air interface from the second base station, substantially without breaking the communications link with the first base station. The mobile station is handed over from the first to the second base station responsive to the data received therefrom.