IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0118052
(2011-05-27)
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등록번호 |
US-8670341
(2014-03-11)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Corson, Mathew S.
- Kapoor, Samir
- Laroia, Rajiv
- Park, Vincent D.
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
24 |
초록
▼
A method and apparatus for providing uplink macro-diversity in packet-switched networks that allows packets and/or portions of packets, e.g., frames, to be selectively sent from an end node, e.g., wireless communication device or mobile terminal, over a set of multiple communication connections, e.g
A method and apparatus for providing uplink macro-diversity in packet-switched networks that allows packets and/or portions of packets, e.g., frames, to be selectively sent from an end node, e.g., wireless communication device or mobile terminal, over a set of multiple communication connections, e.g., physical-layer or link-layer connections, to one or more access nodes, e.g., base stations. Uplink macro-diversity is achieved in part through intelligent selective forwarding over multiple communication connections, where the forwarding decision is controlled by the end node based on a variety of factors, e.g., physical-layer channel conditions and/or higher layer policy. The forwarding decision is executed on a rapid timescale, e.g., on a per packet basis, to adapt to the dynamically varying conditions of the set of communication connections.
대표청구항
▼
1. A method of operating a wireless terminal, comprising: maintaining a plurality of communications connections between the wireless terminal and at least two different receivers;monitoring channel conditions on the communications connections;selecting one of the plurality of communications connecti
1. A method of operating a wireless terminal, comprising: maintaining a plurality of communications connections between the wireless terminal and at least two different receivers;monitoring channel conditions on the communications connections;selecting one of the plurality of communications connections based on the monitored channel conditions;controlling packet size as a function of the monitored channel conditions, wherein controlling comprises signaling a source of the packets to generate packets of a different size;transmitting at least a portion of a packet using the selected communications connection; andrepeating the monitoring, selecting and transmitting steps, wherein multiple communications connections are selected for uplink transmissions during a period of time in which a single communications connection is used for downlink transmissions to the wireless terminal. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein each transmitted portion of a packet is directed over a single one of the communications connections to a single one of the receivers. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein portions of packets transmitted over a first selected communications connection are transmitted using a first communications protocol and wherein portions of packets transmitted over a second selected communications connection are transmitted using a second communications protocol that is different than the first communications protocol. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first communications protocol is compatible with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11b protocol and the second communications protocol is an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) based communications protocol. 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the selecting comprises selecting a new connection after transmitting an entire packet, wherein a next packet is transmitted on the selected new connection. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the receivers are located at different access nodes. 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the receivers are located at a same access node. 8. The method of claim 2, wherein a frame corresponds to a portion of a packet, the selecting step being performed to correspond to frame boundaries such that a new connection is selected after transmitting a frame, wherein a next frame is transmitted on the selected new connection. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the receivers are located at different access nodes. 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the receivers are located at a same access node. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein different portions of a first packet are transmitted over different communications connections. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: operating the access node to combine the different portions of the first packet transmitted over different communications channels to reassemble the first packet; andoperating the access node to transmit the reassembled first packet to another node. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the access node is a base station. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications connections are physical layer connections. 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications connections are link layer connections. 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling further comprises controlling a transmission packet length by fragmenting packets to be transmitted into smaller packets. 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting is performed independent of handoff between access nodes. 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting is based on physical layer channel conditions. 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting is based on link layer channel conditions. 20. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting is based on layer characteristics other than physical layer characteristics or link layer characteristics. 21. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting is based on at least one of packet content, packet size, packet type, higher layer policy and a communications protocol to which the packet corresponds. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the selecting comprises: selecting a same communications connection to transmit portions of packets corresponding to a specific communications protocol during the period of time; andselecting between different communications connections during portions of the period of time used for transmitting portions of packets which do not correspond to the specific communications protocol. 23. A wireless terminal, comprising: a processor;memory in electronic communication with the processor;instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to:maintain a plurality of communications connections between the wireless terminal and at least two different receivers;monitor channel conditions on the communications connections;select one of the plurality of communications connections based on the monitored channel conditions;control packet size as a function of the monitored channel conditions, wherein controlling comprises signaling a source of the packets to generate packets of a different size;transmit at least a portion of a packet using the selected communications connection; andrepeat the monitoring, selecting and transmitting, wherein multiple communications connections are selected for uplink transmissions during a period of time in which a single communications connection is used for downlink transmissions to the wireless terminal. 24. The wireless terminal of claim 23, wherein each transmitted portion of a packet is directed over a single one of the communications connections to a single one of the receivers. 25. The wireless terminal of claim 23, wherein the communications connections are physical layer connections. 26. The wireless terminal of claim 23, wherein the communications connections are link layer connections. 27. The wireless terminal of claim 24, wherein the instructions executable to select comprise instructions executable to select a new connection after transmitting an entire packet, wherein a next packet is transmitted on the selected new connection. 28. The wireless terminal of claim 23, wherein the instructions executable to select comprise instructions executable to select independent of handoff between access nodes. 29. The wireless terminal of claim 23, wherein the instructions executable to select comprise instructions executable to select based on physical layer channel conditions. 30. The wireless terminal of claim 23, wherein the instructions executable to select comprise instructions executable to select based on link layer channel conditions. 31. The wireless terminal of claim 23, wherein the instructions executable to select comprise instructions executable to select based on layer characteristics other than physical layer characteristics or link layer characteristics. 32. A wireless terminal, comprising: means for maintaining a plurality of communications connections between the wireless terminal and at least two different receivers;means for monitoring channel conditions on the communications connections;means for selecting one of the plurality of communications connections based on the monitored channel conditions;means for controlling packet size as a function of the monitored channel conditions, wherein the means for controlling comprise means for signaling a source of the packets to generate packets of a different size;means for transmitting at least a portion of a packet using the selected communications connection; andmeans for repeating the monitoring, selecting and transmitting steps, wherein multiple communications connections are selected for uplink transmissions during a period of time in which a single communications connection is used for downlink transmissions to the wireless terminal. 33. The wireless terminal of claim 32, wherein each transmitted portion of a packet is directed over a single one of the communications connections to a single one of the receivers. 34. The wireless terminal of claim 33, wherein the means for selecting selects a new connection after transmitting an entire packet, wherein a next packet is transmitted on the selected new connection. 35. The wireless terminal of claim 32, wherein the means for selecting operates independent of handoff between access nodes. 36. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions thereon, the instructions being executable to: maintain a plurality of communications connections between a wireless terminal and at least two different receivers;monitor channel conditions on the communications connections;select one of the plurality of communications connections based on the monitored channel conditions;control packet size as a function of the monitored channel conditions, wherein controlling comprises signaling a source of the packets to generate packets of a different size;transmit at least a portion of a packet using the selected communications connection; andrepeat the monitoring, selecting and transmitting, wherein multiple communications connections are selected for uplink transmissions during a period of time in which a single communications connection is used for downlink transmissions to the wireless terminal. 37. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein each transmitted portion of a packet is directed over a single one of the communications connections to a single one of the receivers. 38. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the instructions executable to select comprise instructions executable to select a new connection after transmitting an entire packet, wherein a next packet is transmitted on the selected new connection. 39. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein the instructions executable to select comprise instructions executable to select independent of handoff between access nodes.
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