Method of scheduling communication in a wireless communication network

A system and method of scheduling communication in a wireless communication network are provided. An access node can receive an uplink scheduling request. The access node can communicate with a wireless device over a first and second frequency band. The access node can determine an interference indicator associated with the wireless device. The access node can determine a first scheduling scheme for the first frequency band and a second scheduling scheme for the second frequency band based on the uplink request and the interference indicator. The first scheduling scheme can comprise a first uplink portion and the second scheduling scheme can comprise a second uplink portion. The first uplink portion does not overlap the second uplink portion. The wireless device can be instructed to communicate uplink data to the access node during the first uplink portion and uplink data to the access node during the section uplink portion.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

Wireless communication can be used as a means of accessing a communication network. Wireless communication has certain advantages over wired communications for accessing a network. For example, implementing a wireless interface can eliminate a need for a wired infrastructure thereby reducing the cost of building and maintaining network infrastructure. In addition, a wireless network can support added mobility by allowing a wireless device to access the network from various locations or addresses. A wireless interface can comprise at least one transceiver in active communication with another transceiver that is connected to the network.

Various types of channel access schemes can be used to communicate data over the wireless interface. For example, one type of channel access scheme uses frequency division. Frequency division can provide different frequency bands to different data streams. For example, on one frequency band, all time slots can be available for uplink transmissions and on another frequency band, all time slots can be available for downlink transmissions. In a time division channel access scheme, different time slots are available to different data streams over the same frequency band. Frequency division schemes can provide twice the bandwidth as time division schemes using the same power.

In a wireless network, resources required for uplink transmissions are generally different from resources required for downlink transmissions thus implementing a frequency division scheme can result in unused frequency resources which can undesirably impact transmission in the network. However, when wireless devices within a geographical location are assigned similar communication resources, interference can degrade the communications.

Overview

A system and method of scheduling communication in a wireless communication network are provided. An access node can receive an uplink scheduling request from a wireless device. The access node can communicate with the wireless device over a first frequency band and a second frequency band. The access node can determine an interference indicator associated with the wireless device. The access node can determine a first scheduling scheme for the first frequency band of the access node and a second scheduling scheme for the second frequency band of the access node based on the uplink request and the interference indicator. The first scheduling scheme can comprise a first uplink portion and the second scheduling scheme can comprise a second uplink portion wherein the first uplink portion does not overlap the second uplink portion. The wireless device can be instructed to communicate uplink data to the access node during the first uplink portion of the first scheduling scheme and to communicate uplink data to the access node during the section uplink portion of the second scheduling scheme.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1illustrates an exemplary communication system100for scheduling communication in a wireless communication network. Communication system100can comprise a wireless device102, an access node104and a communication network106. Other network elements may be present in the communication system100to facilitate communication but are omitted for clarity, such as base stations, base station controllers, gateways, mobile switching centers, dispatch application processors, and location registers such as a home location register or visitor location register. Furthermore, other network elements may be present to facilitate communication, such as between access node104and communication network106, which are omitted for clarity, including additional processing nodes, routers, gateways, and physical and/or wireless data links for carrying data among the various network elements.

Wireless device102can be any device configured to communicate over communication system100using a wireless interface. For example, wireless device102can include a remote terminal unit, a cell phone, a smart phone, a computing platform such as a laptop, palmtop, or a tablet, a personal digital assistant, or an internet access device, and combinations thereof. It is noted that while one wireless device is illustrated inFIG. 1as being in communication with access node104, any number of wireless devices can be implemented according to various exemplary embodiments disclosed herein.

The wireless interface of wireless device102can include one or more transceivers for transmitting and receiving data over communication system100. Each transceiver can be associated with the same or different frequency bands, the same or different radio access technologies, the same or different network providers, and/or the same or different services. For example, wireless device102can include a transceiver that is associated with one or more of the following: code division multiple access (CDMA), global system for mobile communications (GSM), worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), long-term evolution (LTE), and/or high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA), IEEE 802.11, wireless fidelity (WiFi), Bluetooth, Zigbee, infrared data association (IrDA), multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS), etc.

Wireless device102can be in communication with access node104through communication link110or through communication link112. Links110,112can use various communication media, such as air, space, metal, optical fiber, or some other signal propagation path—including combinations thereof. Communication links110,112may comprise many different signals sharing the same link. Communication links110,112could include multiple signals operating in a single “airpath” comprising beacon signals, user communications, communication sessions, overhead communications, frequencies, timeslots, transportation ports, logical transportation links, network sockets, packets, or communication directions. For example, user communication between wireless device102and access node104could share the same representative wireless link, but be transferred over different communication sessions, frequencies, timeslots, packets, ports, sockets, logical transport links, or in different directions—including combinations thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, communication link110can be associated with a first frequency band and communication link112can be associated with a second frequency band different from the first frequency band.

Access node104can be any network node configured to provide communication between wireless device102and communication network106. Access node104can be a standard access nodes or a short range, low power access node. For example, access node104can be a macrocell access node such as a base transceiver station, a radio base station, an eNodeB device, or an enhanced eNodeB device, or the like or a short range access node such as a microcell access node, a picocell access node, a femtocell access node, or the like such as a home NodeB or a home eNodeB device. In an exemplary embodiment, access node104can be associated with at least two different frequency bands. For example, access node104can communicate with wireless device102over an 800 MHz frequency band, a 1.9 GHz frequency band, and/or a 2.5 GHz frequency band.

Access node104can be in communication with communication network106through communication link114. Communication link114can be wired or wireless and use various communication protocols such as Internet, Internet protocol (IP), local-area network (LAN), optical networking, hybrid fiber coax (HFC), telephony, T1, or some other communication format—including combinations, improvements, or variations thereof. Wireless communication links can be a radio frequency, microwave, infrared, or other similar signal, and can use a suitable communication protocol, for example, Global System for Mobile telecommunications (GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), or Long Term Evolution (LTE), or combinations thereof. Other wireless protocols can also be used. Link114can be a direct link or might include various equipment, intermediate components, systems, and networks.

Communication network106can be a wired and/or wireless communication network, and can comprise processing nodes, routers, gateways, and physical and/or wireless data links for carrying data among various network elements, including combinations thereof, and can include a local area network a wide area network, and an internetwork (including the Internet). Communication network106can be capable of carrying data, for example, to support voice, push-to-talk, broadcast video, and data communications by a wireless device such as wireless device102. Wireless network protocols can comprise MBMS, code division multiple access (CDMA) 1×RTT, Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Evolution Data Optimized (EV-DO), EV-DO rev. A, Third Generation Partnership Project Long Term Evolution (3GPP LTE), and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX). Wired network protocols that may be utilized by communication network106comprise Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, Local Talk (such as Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance), Token Ring, Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI), and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM). Communication network106can also comprise additional base stations, controller nodes, telephony switches, internet routers, network gateways, computer systems, communication links, or some other type of communication equipment, and combinations thereof.

In operation, an access node such as access node104can receive an uplink scheduling request from a wireless device102. Access node104can communicate with the wireless device102over a first frequency band110or a second frequency band112. The access node104can determine an interference indicator associated with the wireless device102. The access node104can determine a first scheduling scheme for the first frequency band and a second scheduling scheme for the second frequency band based on the uplink scheduling request and the interference indicator. The first scheduling scheme can comprise a first uplink portion and the second scheduling scheme can comprise a second uplink portion wherein the first uplink portion does not overlap the second uplink portion. The wireless device102can be instructed to communicate uplink data to access node104during the first uplink portion of the first scheduling scheme over the first frequency band and to communicate uplink data to the access node during the second uplink portion of the second scheduling scheme over the second frequency band.

FIG. 2illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary method of scheduling communication in a wireless communication network. The method will be discussed with reference to the exemplary communication system100illustrated inFIG. 1. However, the method can be implemented with any suitable communication system. In addition, althoughFIG. 2depicts steps performed in a particular order for purposes of illustration and discussion, the methods discussed herein are not limited to any particular order or arrangement. One skilled in the art, using the disclosures provided herein, will appreciate that various steps of the methods can be omitted, rearranged, combined, and/or adapted in various ways.

At202, an access node can receive an uplink scheduling request from a wireless device. For example, wireless device102can send an uplink scheduling request to access node104to request uplink resources. The uplink scheduling request can comprise an indication of a total amount of resources requested by wireless device102, an indication of an application requirement of an application running on the wireless less device102, an indication of a signal characteristic associated with the first frequency band of access node104detected at wireless device102, an indication of a signal characteristic associated with the second frequency band of access node104detected at wireless device102, an indication of mobility of wireless device102, and a device characteristic of the wireless device.

The signal characteristics can be indicative of a signal quality and/or signal strength of each frequency band. For example, the signal characteristics can be at least one of received signal strength indication (RSSI), a throughput value of the access node, a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value, a carrier to noise ratio (CNR) value, a radio type value, energy per bit to noise power spectral density ratio, energy per symbol to noise power spectral density ratio, modulation error rate (MER), signal noise and distortion (SINAD), signal to interference (SII), signal to noise plus interference (SNIR), and signal to quantization noise ratio (SQNR). The device characteristics can be indicative of characteristics of the wireless device. For example, type and number of antennas, processing capabilities, storage capabilities, current storage usage, etc.

The access node can determine an interference indicator at204. For example, access node104can determine an interference indicator associated with wireless device102. The interference indicator can be based on at least one of a load on the access node, a location of other wireless devices in communication with the access node, an amount of resources requested by the other wireless devices in communication with access node104, and a device characteristic of each other wireless device in communication. The more other wireless devices are within a predetermined area of wireless device102transmitting uplink data, the higher the interference indicator. The load on the access node can comprise a number of wireless devices in communication with the access node, an amount of storage and/or processing capabilities of the access node, amount of information transmitted and/or received by the access node, modulation and coding schemes used by the access node, types of applications running on wireless devices in communication with the access node, etc.

At206, the access node can determine a first scheduling scheme and a second scheduling scheme. For example, access node104can determine a first scheduling scheme associated with the first frequency band110of access node104and a second scheduling scheme associated with the second frequency band112of access node104. The first and second scheduling schemes can be based on the uplink scheduling request and the interference indicator. In addition, the first scheduling scheme can comprise a first uplink portion and the second scheduling scheme can comprise a second uplink portion where the first uplink portion does not overlap the second uplink portion. The first scheduling scheme can comprise a number of uplink portions different from a number of uplink portions associated with the second scheduling scheme. For example, the number of uplink portions associated with the first scheduling scheme can be greater than or less than the number of uplink portions associated with the second scheduling scheme.

In an exemplary embodiment, the first scheduling scheme can comprise at least one frame having a plurality of subframes such that at least one first uplink portion is associated with one subframe and at least one downlink portion is associated with one subframe. The second scheduling scheme can comprise at least one frame having a plurality of subframes such that at least one second uplink portion is associated with one subframe and at least one downlink portion is associated with one subframe and a number of first uplink portion subframes is greater than a number of second uplink portion subframes.

The wireless device can be instructed to communicate uplink data during the first uplink portion of the first scheduling scheme and during the second uplink portion of the second scheduling scheme at208. For example, access node104can instruct wireless device102to communicate uplink data over the first frequency band during the first uplink portion of the first scheduling scheme and to communicate uplink data over the second frequency band during the second uplink portion of the second scheduling scheme. In an exemplary embodiment, wireless device102can be instructed to communicate uplink data during the first uplink portion using a first antenna and to communicate uplink data during the second uplink portion using a second antenna to minimize tuning delay associated with the antennas.

FIGS. 3 and 4illustrate exemplary scheduling schemes for scheduling communication in a wireless communication network. In an exemplary embodiment, a scheduling scheme can comprise at least one frame having a plurality of subframes. As illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4, one frame can comprise ten subframes, however a frame can comprise any number of subframes. A first scheduling scheme can be different from a second scheduling scheme where each scheduling scheme is associated with a different frequency band used to communicate between an access node and a wireless device. Each scheduling scheme can include at least one uplink portion to allow the wireless device to transmit data to the access node and at least one downlink portion to allow the wireless device to receive data from the access node.

As illustrated inFIG. 3, a first scheduling scheme associated with a first frequency band of access node104can comprise alternating uplink portions302and downlink portions404. The second scheduling scheme associated with a second frequency band of access node104can also comprise alternating uplink portions306and downlink portions308. The uplink portions406of the second scheduling scheme do not overlap the uplink portions302of the first scheduling scheme. Because the scheduling scheme associated with the first frequency band of access node104is different from the scheduling scheme associated with second frequency band of access node104, wireless device102can continuously transmit uplink data using the uplink portions302and306by transmitting uplink data using different antennas for each frequency band.

FIG. 4illustrates further exemplary scheduling scheme configurations. For example, a first scheduling scheme associated with the first frequency band of access node104can comprise adjacent uplink portions402and downlink portions404. The second scheduling scheme associated with the second frequency band of access node104can comprise uplink portions406and adjacent downlink portions408. While exemplary scheduling scheme configurations are illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4, any scheduling scheme configuration can be used such that wireless device102can alternate uplink transmissions between the first frequency band of access node104and the second frequency band of access node104to create a continuous uplink transmission where the first scheduling scheme configuration is different from the second scheduling scheme configuration.

A number of uplink portions in each scheduling scheme can be different where the number of uplink portions is based on various factors. In an exemplary embodiment, the first frequency band can be associated with a higher frequency band and the second frequency band can be associated with a lower frequency band. A greater number of uplink portions can be scheduled in the first scheduling scheme when wireless device102is located closer to access node104, has a lower mobility indication, has a high delay sensitive application running on the wireless device, and/or has requested a large amount of resources.

FIG. 5illustrates an exemplary communication system500for scheduling communication in a wireless communication network. Communication system500can comprise a wireless device502, access node504, communication network506, and network node508. Other network elements may be present in the communication system500to facilitate communication but are omitted for clarity, such as base stations, base station controllers, gateways, mobile switching centers, dispatch application processors, and location registers such as a home location register or visitor location register. Furthermore, other network elements may be present to facilitate communication, such as between access node504and communication network506, which are omitted for clarity, including additional processing nodes, routers, gateways, and physical and/or wireless data links for carrying data among the various network elements.

Wireless device502can be any device configured to communicate over communication system500using a wireless interface. For example, wireless device502can include a remote terminal unit, a cell phone, a smart phone, a computing platform such as a laptop, palmtop, or a tablet, a personal digital assistant, or an internet access device, and combinations thereof. It is noted that while one wireless device is illustrated inFIG. 5as being in communication with access node504, any number of wireless devices can be implemented according to various exemplary embodiments disclosed herein.

The wireless interface of wireless device502can include one or more transceivers for transmitting and receiving data over communication system500. Each transceiver can be associated with the same or different frequency bands, the same or different radio access technologies, the same or different network providers, and/or the same or different services. For example, wireless device502can include a transceiver that is associated with one or more of the following: code division multiple access (CDMA), global system for mobile communications (GSM), worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), long-term evolution (LTE), and/or high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA), IEEE 802.11, wireless fidelity (WiFi), Bluetooth, Zigbee, infrared data association (IrDA), multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS), etc.

Wireless device502can be in communication with access node504through communication link510,512, or514. Links510,512,514can use various communication media, such as air, space, metal, optical fiber, or some other signal propagation path—including combinations thereof. Communication links510,512,514may comprise many different signals sharing the same link. Communication links510,512,514could include multiple signals operating in a single “airpath” comprising beacon signals, user communications, communication sessions, overhead communications, frequencies, timeslots, transportation ports, logical transportation links, network sockets, packets, or communication directions. For example, user communication between wireless device502and access node504could share the same representative wireless link, but be transferred over different communication sessions, frequencies, timeslots, packets, ports, sockets, logical transport links, or in different directions—including combinations thereof.

Access node504can be any network node configured to provide communication between wireless device502and communication network506. Access node504can be a standard access node or a short range, low power access node. For example, access node504can be a macrocell access node such as a base transceiver station, a radio base station, an eNodeB device, or an enhanced eNodeB device, or the like or a short range access node such as a microcell access node, a picocell access node, a femtocell access node, or the like such as a home NodeB or a home eNodeB device. In an exemplary embodiment, access node504can be associated with at least two different frequency bands. For example, access node504can communicate with wireless device102over an 800 MHz frequency band, a 1.9 GHz frequency band, and/or a 2.5 GHz frequency band.

Network node508can be any network node configured to receive uplink data from wireless device502. Network node502can be a standalone computing device, computing system, or network component, and can be accessible, for example, by a wired or wireless connection, or through an indirect connection such as through a computer network or communication network. Alternatively, network node508can be integrated into any other network node in system500. Network node508can be operated by the same network operator or different network operators. For example, network node508can include a mobility management entity (MME), a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), a Policy Control and Charging Rules Function (PCRF), an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) node, a rights management server (RMS), a subscriber provisioning server (SPS), a policy server, a serving gateway (SGW), a public data network gateway (PGW), a destination wireless device, etc.

Access node504can be in communication with communication network506through communication link516. Network node508can be in communication with communication network506through communication link518. Communication links516,518can be wired or wireless and use various communication protocols such as Internet, Internet protocol (IP), local-area network (LAN), optical networking, hybrid fiber coax (HFC), telephony, T1, or some other communication format—including combinations, improvements, or variations thereof. Wireless communication links can be a radio frequency, microwave, infrared, or other similar signal, and can use a suitable communication protocol, for example, Global System for Mobile telecommunications (GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), or Long Term Evolution (LTE), or combinations thereof. Other wireless protocols can also be used. Links516,518can be a direct link or might include various equipment, intermediate components, systems, and networks.

Communication network506can be a wired and/or wireless communication network, and can comprise processing nodes, routers, gateways, and physical and/or wireless data links for carrying data among various network elements, including combinations thereof, and can include a local area network a wide area network, and an internetwork (including the Internet). Communication network506can be capable of carrying data, for example, to support voice, push-to-talk, broadcast video, and data communications by a wireless device such as wireless device502. Wireless network protocols can comprise MBMS, code division multiple access (CDMA) 1×RTT, Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Evolution Data Optimized (EV-DO), EV-DO rev. A, Third Generation Partnership Project Long Term Evolution (3GPP LTE), and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX). Wired network protocols that may be utilized by communication network506comprise Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, Local Talk (such as Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance), Token Ring, Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI), and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM). Communication network506can also comprise additional base stations, controller nodes, telephony switches, internet routers, network gateways, computer systems, communication links, or some other type of communication equipment, and combinations thereof.

In operation, an access node such as access node504can receive an uplink scheduling request from a wireless device502where the uplink scheduling request can comprise at least one of an indication of a total amount of resources requested by the wireless device, an indication of an application requirement of an application running on the wireless device, an indication of a signal characteristic associated with the first frequency band, an indication of a signal characteristic associated with the second frequency band, an indication of a signal characteristic associated with the third frequency band, an indication of mobility associated with the wireless device, and a device characteristic of the wireless device. Access node504can communicate with the wireless device102over a first frequency band510, a second frequency band512, or a third frequency band514. The access node504can determine an interference indicator associated with the wireless device502where the interference indicator can be based on a load on the access node, a location of other wireless devices in communication with the access node, an amount of resources requested by the other wireless devices in communication with the access node, and a device characteristic of each of the other wireless devices in communication with the access node.

The access node504can determine a first scheduling scheme for the first frequency band, a second scheduling scheme for the second frequency band, and a third scheduling scheme for the third frequency band based on the uplink scheduling request and the interference indicator. The first scheduling scheme can comprise a first uplink portion, the second scheduling scheme can comprise a second uplink portion, and the third scheduling scheme can comprise a third uplink portion. The first uplink portion can be determined such that it does not to overlap the second uplink portion and the third uplink portion can be determined such that it does not to overlap at least one of the first uplink portion and the second uplink portion. Wireless device502can be instructed to communicate uplink data to access node504during the first uplink portion of the first scheduling scheme over the first frequency band, to communicate uplink data to access node504during the second uplink portion of the second scheduling scheme over the second frequency band, and to communicate uplink data to access node504during the third uplink portion of the third scheduling scheme over the third frequency band. Access node504can receive the uplink data during the first uplink portion, the second uplink portion, and the third uplink portion and then combine all the uplink data before transmitting the combined data to network node508. In an exemplary embodiment, wireless device502can be instructed to use a different antenna to transmit uplink data over each frequency band to reduce antenna tuning delay.

FIG. 6illustrates an exemplary scheduling scheme for scheduling communication in a wireless communication network. In an exemplary embodiment, a scheduling scheme can comprise at least one frame having a plurality of subframes. As illustrated inFIG. 6, one frame can comprise ten subframes, however a frame can comprise any number of subframes. Each scheduling scheme can include at least one uplink portion to allow wireless device502to transmit uplink data to access node504using different frequency bands.

The first scheduling scheme associated with the first frequency band510of access node504can comprise alternating uplink portions602and downlink portions604. The second scheduling scheme associated with the second frequency band512of access node504can comprise alternating uplink portions606and downlink portions608. The third scheduling scheme associated with the third frequency band514of access node504can comprise alternating uplink portions610and downlink portions612.

In an exemplary embodiment, wireless device502can be instructed to communicate over any of the uplink portions of any one of the frequency bands such that wireless device502continuously transmits uplink data. For example, wireless device502can be instructed to transmit during the first uplink portion602of the first scheduling scheme associated with the first frequency band then the first uplink portion606of the second scheduling scheme associated with the second frequency band then the second uplink portion610of the third scheduling scheme associated the third frequency band then the second uplink portion606of the second scheduling scheme associated with the second frequency band and so forth. However, wireless device502does not have to be instructed to change between the first frequency band, the second frequency band, and the third frequency band in any order. For example, using the scheduling schemes as illustrated inFIG. 6, wireless device502can be instructed to alternate between the first frequency band and the second frequency band for a predetermined duration and then alternate between the second frequency band and the third frequency band provided that the wireless device502is instructed to communicate with access node504using all three frequency bands during a predetermined period.

In addition, while the first scheduling scheme associated with the first frequency band is illustrated inFIG. 6to be the same as the third scheduling scheme associated with the third frequency band for ease of illustration, the first scheduling scheme, the second scheduling scheme, and the third scheduling scheme can all be different from one another based on the uplink scheduling request and the interference indicator. The number of uplink portions associated with the first scheduling scheme can be different from the number of uplink portions associated with the second scheduling scheme and the number of uplink portions associated with the third scheduling scheme. For example, the number of uplink portions associated with the first scheduling scheme can be greater than the number of uplink portions associated with the second scheduling scheme and the number of uplink portions associated with the second scheduling scheme can be greater than the number of uplink portions associated with the third scheduling scheme or vice versa.

FIG. 7illustrates an exemplary processing node700in a communication system. Processing node700comprises communication interface702, user interface704, and processing system706in communication with communication interface702and user interface704. Processing node700is capable of monitoring communications in a communication network. Processing system706includes storage708, which can comprise a disk drive, flash drive, memory circuitry, or other memory device. Storage708can store software710which is used in the operation of the processing node700. Software710may include computer programs, firmware, or some other form of machine-readable instructions, including an operating system, utilities, drivers, network interfaces, applications, or some other type of software. Processing system706may include a microprocessor and other circuitry to retrieve and execute software710from storage708. Processing node700may further include other components such as a power management unit, a control interface unit, etc., which are omitted for clarity. Communication interface702permits processing node700to communicate with other network elements. User interface704permits the configuration and control of the operation of processing node700.

Examples of processing node700include access nodes104,504, and network node508. Processing node700can also be an adjunct or component of a network element, such as an element of access nodes104,504, and network node508. Processing node700can also be another network element in a communication system.