Method and apparatus for bandwidth request/grant protocols in a wireless communication system
US8457145B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 1, 2012 |
| Grant date | Jun 4, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 1, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W88/08
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for allocating bandwidth in a broadband wireless communication system is disclosed. One embodiment uses a self-correcting bandwidth request/grant protocol. The self-correcting bandwidth request/grant protocol utilizes a combination of incremental and aggregate bandwidth requests. CPEs primarily transmit incremental bandwidth requests to their associated base stations, followed by periodic transmissions of aggregate bandwidth requests. The use of periodic aggregate bandwidth requests (that express the current state of their respective connection queues) allows the bandwidth allocation method and apparatus to be “self-correcting”. Another embodiment utilizes an abridged bandwidth request/grant protocol to allocate bandwidth. The abridged bandwidth request/grant protocol system utilizes padding packets to request a reduction in bandwidth allocation to a CPE. A base station modem alerts a base station CPU when the BS modem receives a padding packet from a CPE. After alerting the BS CPU the method can reduce the associated CPE's bandwidth allocation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.