Patent ID: 8326309
Filing Date: 2012-12-04
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A wireless communications system, comprising: a first base station for wirelessly communicating with one or more subscribers over a channel, the first base station configured to operate in a normal mode and a co-existence mode, and in response to entering the co-existence mode due to a second base station requesting access to the channel, the first base station is for transmitting a frame including first and second downstream (DS) sub-frames, an upstream (US) sub-frame, and a self-coexistence window; and the second base station, wherein the second base station is for wirelessly communicating with its subscribers over the channel, and is configured to operate in the normal mode and the co-existence mode, and in response to entering the co-existence mode due to the first base station requesting access to the channel, the second base station is for transmitting a frame including first and second DS sub-frames, an US sub-frame, and a self-coexistence window, wherein during the co-existence mode, the second base station communicates with its subscribers using the second DS sub-frame; wherein during the co-existence mode, sub-frame creation, sharing and zone formation schemes are implemented that enable an existing underlying frame structure to remain intact and inter-operable with legacy systems and at the same time provide a guaranteed quality of service (QoS), and the first base station communicates with its subscribers using the first DS sub-frame, thereby allowing the second base station to communicate with its subscribers using the second DS sub-frame.