Abstract:
Method and apparatus for resource allocation formatting, signaling, and procedures in wireless communications, the method reducing signal overhead. Wireless transmit/receive units are divided into one or more semi-static groups. Resource allocation takes place to a group and the resource sets are signaled to an individual unit needing the resources. The method is applied to resource allocation for services, including both real time and non real time services.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. U.S. 60/895,085 and having a filing date of Mar. 15, 2007, which is incorporated by reference as if fully, set forth. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    This application is related to wireless communications. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The objective of Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) is to develop a radio access network toward a high-data-rate, low-latency, packet-optimized system with improved system capacity and coverage. In the evolution of UMTS, a new project called 3GPP LTE (Long Term Evolution) within the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has been proposed to cope with future requirements of UMTS. LTE has introduced new schemes on the air interface for the uplink and downlink transmissions: Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) for the downlink and Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) for the uplink. 
         [0004]    LTE needs have compelled system designers to search for ways to increase channel capacity including increasing communications efficiency over the radio interface between radio networks and mobile units. A large portion of the radio bandwidth available at this interface is allocated to carrying substantive traffic between mobile stations and the radio network. However, there is also a large amount of control information that must be transmitted between mobile stations and the radio network to perform various operations such as mobile registration, call setup, handover, etc. Some of these operations occur quite frequently. Where possible, it is desirable to reduce the volume and frequency of such signaling to increase the amount of radio bandwidth available for substantive traffic, (i.e., increased system capacity). 
         [0005]    For real time services such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), the search for ways to increase channel capacity has led to an increase in L 1 /L 2  control channel overhead and is undesirable. It is to this end, as well as others, that there is a need for managing the resource allocation and signaling for group scheduling in wireless communications. 
         [0006]    There are two schedulers in the E-UTRAN Node B (eNB) allocating physical resources; one for the uplink and one for downlink. The schedulers grant the right to transmit on a per User Equipment (UE) basis. The resource assignment comprises of physical resource blocks (PRBs) and a modulating and coding scheme (MCS). These resources are allocated for one or multiple Transmission Time Intervals (TTIs). A PRB is a sub band of the frequency domain during one TTI in the time domain. 
         [0007]    The characteristics of real time services, such as VoIP with small packets and constant inter-arrival time, make the baseline scheduling alternatives less suitable. With dynamic scheduling, many small packets result in a great deal of overhead. On the other hand, persistent scheduling uses less signaling but uses the bandwidth inefficiently during silent periods, which are common during voice communication. To better utilize the resources with less signaling overhead, the strategy of group scheduling and non-persistent scheduling is suggested. Both approaches take advantage of the silent periods which are frequent in VoIP and have less signaling overhead than dynamic scheduling. 
         [0008]    Group scheduling is a non-dynamic scheduling approach where users are divided into groups that get scheduled dynamically. Within a group, the UEs are assigned resources using a set of predefined formats. The formats define how the resources are divided between the UEs. 
         [0009]    Non-persistent scheduling uses predefined allocations, but switches dynamically between silent periods and talk-spurts. Retransmissions are scheduled dynamically and on any available resource. In downlink, the eNB can avoid collisions by not transmitting to more than one UE at a time. This means that transitions between talk and silent periods can be done without reassigning persistent resources. Dynamic scheduling of these resources can still be allowed for another UE during silent periods without collisions. 
         [0010]    In uplink however, the predefined resource cannot be used by another UE since it is not known when the predefined resource will be used for transmission. Different methods to perform signal switching between silent periods and talk spurts have therefore been suggested. 
         [0011]    Group scheduling has been proposed to provide semi-dynamic scheduling for VoIP services that can solve the problems of voice activity change and Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) retransmission collision problems. The improvement for group scheduling has been proposed to adapt to link conditions and HARQ operations such as asynchronous HARQ for VoIP services. The resource index table proposed to be used for group scheduling is shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0012]    If the user&#39;s application requires sporadic resources, (such as Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) traffic), the system resources are best utilized if they are assigned on an “as needed” basis. In that case, the resources are explicitly assigned and signaled by the layer  1  control channel. If the type of service that the user is carrying out or the Quality of Service (QoS) profile of a user or application requires periodic or continuous allocation of resources, (such as VoIP), then periodic or continuous signaling of assigned Physical (PHY) resources may be avoided if persistent allocations are allowed. Persistent allocations are those PHY resource assignments that are valid as long as an explicit de-allocation is not made. The objective of having persistent scheduling is to reduce L 1 /L 2  control channel overhead especially for VoIP traffic. 
         [0013]    Providing persistent and non-persistent resource allocations are required for an efficient support of different types of data-transfer applications. The PHY resources assignments in the downlink (DL) of E-UTRA can be made valid for either a predetermined duration of time (non-persistent assignments) or an undetermined duration of time (persistent assignments). Since the assignment messages may target both the intended recipient of the assignment as well as any current owner of the resources specified by the assignment, they may be multicast. The control channel structure should allow for a UE to decode control channel messages targeting other UEs. However, there are several drawbacks that have been encountered when group scheduling is used for VoIP services on LTE system. 
         [0014]    When different UEs are grouped for VoIP, use of a resource allocation table for signaling is necessary. But this will inevitably bring more signaling overhead if all resource related information has to be signaled through Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, which is a very inefficient way of allocating resources. Additionally, when only some of the UEs within one group are using VoIP services, there is no efficient resource allocation method such that only those UEs that are using VoIP resources are allocated resources. 
         [0015]    For all group scheduling proposals, there are no operating procedures or signaling specified when real time (RT) and non-real time (NRT) services are supported simultaneously. There are also no operating procedures or signaling specified when one or more UEs finish their VoIP service early within a group. In addition, there are no operating procedures or signaling specified when one or more UEs need the new VoIP service within a cell. 
         [0016]    To adapt to link conditions in current systems, an increasing amount of radio resources are allocated to a group of UEs in the resource allocation table. Consequently, if all radio resources in one allocation table are used, then it will be a waste of resources as they are dedicated only to that particular group of UEs. 
         [0017]    It is possible that one or more UEs may finish their VoIP service and terminate their association within a group for a long period, (not the VoIP silent period), or that one or more UEs may need new VoIP services and need new grouping management, and existing methods do not provide for efficient allocation of resources for such a scenario. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0018]    A method is proposed for implementing an efficient format and mode of signaling for a resource allocation table and grant/assignment scheduling, the methods divides the information contained in a resource allocation table into several parts such that the L 1 /L 2  channel overhead is reduced. The method relates to groupings that are not static and can be changing in a semi-static way. In this manner of grouping, the same radio resources can be assigned to the WTRUs within the same group and, in turn, efficient resource utilization can be achieved. Alternatively, the resources allocated to a dramatically changing WTRU in one group can be re-allocated through L 1 / 2  signaling. Optionally, several WTRU groups can share one resource allocation table and this table can be signaled to reduce the signaling overhead. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0019]    A more detailed understanding may be had from the following description, given by way of example in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a prior art example of semi-dynamic scheduling; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a flow diagram for the method performed by the invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  shows an embodiment of resource allocation for group scheduling according to the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIGS. 4A ,  4 B, and  4 C show embodiments of resource assignment for group scheduling. 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  shows a flow diagram of a method to efficiently format and signal a resource allocation table. 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  shows a flow diagram of the procedures and signaling when UE(s) change services during group scheduling process. 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  depicts a generic block diagram of UEs grouped in a semi-static way and a resource allocation table being signaled to the groups of UEs. 
           [0027]      FIG. 8  is a functional block diagram of a base station and plurality of UEs shown in  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0028]    When referred to hereafter, the terminology “wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU)” includes but is not limited to a user equipment (UE), a mobile station, a fixed or mobile subscriber unit, a pager, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a computer, or any other type of user device capable of operating in a wireless environment. When referred to hereafter, the terminology “base station” includes but is not limited to a Node-B, a site controller, an access point (AP), or any other type of interfacing device capable of operating in a wireless environment. 
         [0029]    Although LTE is used as a specific example hereafter, the teachings herein can also be applied to High Speed Packet Access (HSPA+) system when similar services and concepts are supported. The method is well suited to services that require constant or approximately constant bit rates. Additionally, although VoIP is used as a specific example, the invention is not so limited and may be applied to any real time services like streaming video, etc. 
         [0030]    There are two problems to address for resource allocation signaling. The first is how to format and signal the resource allocation table efficiently. The second is how to signal the allocation of the WTRUs within one group based on the resource allocation efficiently. Each of these problems is addressed and it is ensured that group scheduling remains an efficient means for resource management for real time services like VoIP. 
         [0031]    There are four different parts to the method as described hereafter. The first part describes efficient formatting of the resource allocation table. The second part describes different ways of signaling of the resource allocation table once it has been formatted. The third part describes different ways in which resources which is originally reserved for real time services are allocated for non real time services. The fourth part describes procedures and signaling when WTRUs change services or initiate services. These parts individually and together describe resource allocation and signaling for scheduling real time and non real time services in wireless communications. 
       I. Efficient Formatting of Resource Allocation Table 
       [0032]      FIG. 1  shows a typical resource index table which is used for group scheduling. In the resource table pre-allocated via RRC for each WTRU, the resources corresponding to the resource indexes are expressed by the payload bits, code rate, modulation, PHY resources and indication for whether the allocation is for UL or DL. While it is beneficial, this format of resource table will result in significant signaling overhead if all information as expressed in the table needs to be signaled through RRC message. What is needed is a method by which the signaling overhead can be reduced. 
         [0033]    The method as set forth hereinafter minimizes the signaling overhead, by way of the use of a two level resource allocation table format and corresponding signaling method. 
         [0034]      FIG. 2  shows a flow diagram of a method  200  for achieving the efficient resource allocation. The proposed transport format indication and resource allocation methods shown in  FIG. 2 and 3  are generic and they can be used for either dynamic scheduling or persistent scheduling and a special case of persistent scheduling is the group scheduling. Instead of putting all transport format information such as payload bits, code rate and modulation, physical resource information and so on, corresponding to each index in a single table, two tables are created as shown in step  211 . Step  211  is described further in  FIG. 3 . The first table is a transport format indication (TFI) table which lists the combination of TFIs and its corresponding TF including payload bits, code rate and modulation, etc, which is relatively static. All or most of the transport format combinations are included for all WTRUs inside this TFI table. This table can be standardized between an E-UTRAN Node B (eNB) (base station) and a WTRU and thus there is no need for signaling it over the air which can greatly reduce the signaling overhead. Alternatively, this table can be signaled through broadcast message, for example through dynamic broadcast message (D-BCH) since this table contains the TF information for all WTRUs, or this table can be signaled through RRC signaling in case the table is updated for a specific WTRU. 
         [0035]    Once the TFI is generated and signaled (or established), a Resource Allocation Table for different groups of WTRUs is established as provided in step  213 . This table also can be established and then signaled. This table contains a resource index and corresponding transport formats and UL and/or DL indication for the physical resources. The corresponding transport formats can be expressed by TFI defined in the TFI table which is known to WTRUs through methods proposed in the preceding paragraph. This scheme is illustrated in the flow diagram as shown in  FIG. 2  as an embodiment. 
         [0036]    To further reduce the signaling overhead, the manner of allocation of DL/UL data in the Resource Allocation Table is determined as provided in Step  215 . To achieve this, the pattern in which DL/UL resources are allocated must be known for efficient allocation as shown in Steps  217  and  219 . In case the physical resources are not allocated in a pattern, the table can be signaled through the RRC message (Step  221 ). Once the table is signaled, there is no need to indicate the DL or UL indication in the table as it is already standardized by formats (Step  225 ). In case the resources are already being signaled in a pattern, then that pattern is defined and then signaled via a broadcast message (if to a group of WTRUs) or through a RRC message (if to an individual WTRU) (Steps  223  and  227 ). 
         [0037]    Instead of having a single table that contains all the data such as UL/DL information, payload size, code rate, physical resources and modulation, the data is split up into two separate tables, a transport format indicator table and a resource allocation table as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0038]    If UL and DL resources are allocated alternatively inside the resource allocation table (Step  217 ) and this pattern can be defined in the standard (Step  223 ), signaled through either broadcast message or through the RRC message together or before signaling this table, then there is no need to include the UL or DL indication in the table ( 225 ). For example if it is specified in standard in advance that the first resource index is always for UL (or DL) and then DL (or UL), then there is no need to signal these index into the table as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0039]    Alternatively, the first batch (half) of resource indexes can be for UL (or DL) and second batch of resource indexes can be for DL (or UL) (Step  217 ). If this allocation sequence is specified in standard in advance then there is no need to include UL or DL indication in the table, this allocation sequence can also be signaled through either broadcast message or in the RRC message before signaling this table. Alternatively, the UL and DL indication can be placed at the beginning of each batch of resource indexes (Step  219 ). 
         [0040]    Alternatively, the resource allocation table for UL and DL can be signaled separately through the RRC message (Step  223 ), with one indication indicating whether that table is for UL or DL. 
       II. Efficient Signaling of Resource Assignment for Group Scheduling 
       [0041]    The following describes signaling options for resource assignment when resource allocation table for group scheduling have been defined and the resources need to be scheduled to WTRUs within one group for VoIP services. The resource assignment as shown in  FIG. 2  is through the L 1 /L 2  signaling, e.g. Packet Data Control Channel (PDCCH), it is optional to use L 2 /L 3 , e.g. MAC or RRC signaling to achieve the resource assignment. Three signaling options are preferable for resource assignment of group scheduling. Options 1 and 2 assume that the length for resource index and HARQ information parts are fixed and the same for all WTRUs with the group. Option 3 assumes that the length for resource index of each WTRU is fixed and length for HARQ information part may be variable (e.g. sync or async HARQ information can be assigned simultaneously within one group of WTRUs). Table 1 summarizes the signaling options preferable for resource assignment. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Option 
                 Resource index 
                 HARQ information 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 1 
                 Fixed 
                 Fixed 
               
               
                 2 
                 Fixed 
                 Fixed 
               
               
                 3 
                 Fixed 
                 Fixed/Variable 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0042]    1) Option 1: A signaling packet contains a Group ID, Resource Index and HARQ information. Referring to the packet signaling scheme in  FIG. 4A , the first part of the signaled packet is group ID  410 ; after that is the resource index  412  and then HARQ information  414  for each WTRU according to the position sequence signaled before through the RRC signaling. The lengths for resource index and HARQ information can be the same or different, but each length is fixed for all WTRUs within one group. If there is no assignment for certain WTRUs within one group then the relevant parts for those WTRUs resource indexes  416  and HARQ information  418  can be set as zeros. The initial or retransmission information should be reflected into the HARQ information part. 
         [0043]    2) Option 2: Referring to the packet signaling scheme in  FIG. 4B , the first part of the signaled packet is group ID  440  followed by the resource assignment  442  for each WTRU. The resource assignment for each WTRU includes resource index and/or HARQ information with fixed length for each part and has the same length for all WTRUs within the group. 
         [0044]    Option 2 differs from Option 1 because when there is no resource assignment for certain WTRUs within a group, then the resource index for those WTRUs is set to zero. In option 1, both the resource information and HARQ information have to be set at zeros for WTRUs in a group having no assignment; whereas in Option 2, just the resource index is set as zeros. In Option 2, when there is no resource assignment for certain WTRUs within a group, then the resource indexes  446  are set as zeros, and consequently there is no need to set the HARQ information part  448  as zeros and attach that part after the resource index part. In this way if the WTRU reads zeros from resource index part, then the WTRU would realize that there is no HARQ information part after that, then the WTRU can read the next resource index part until it goes to the position for that WTRU for its assignment. 
         [0045]    3) Option 3: Referring to the scheme in  FIG. 4C , the first part is group ID  470 , then is the resource assignment  472  for each WTRU. For resource assignment, a length indicator  474  is added besides resource index and HARQ information part for each WTRU. This length indicator can be before the resource indicator or between resource index and HARQ information parts as shown. The length of the length indicator for HARQ information can be fixed. The WTRU will read the HARQ information part according to the length specified in the length indicator part. If the length indicator is after the resource index part, then just as in option 2, when the resource index part is set at zero, then there is no need to attach the length indicator and HARQ information parts after the resource index part. 
         [0046]    The use of the options as described can greatly reduce the signaling overhead. 
       III. Resource Allocation for Non Real Time (NRT) Services 
       [0047]    The physical resources allocated in the resource allocation table for group scheduling of VoIP services can also be used and allocated for NRT services through dynamic scheduling and even to other VoIP services that may not be in any WTRU groups when these resources are available for scheduling. 
         [0048]      FIG. 5  shows a flow diagram showing a method of resource allocation for NRT and other services. When using group scheduling, the physical resources allocated in advance can be either less or more than the number of WTRUs within one group. If more resources are allocated for a group of WTRUs, then the extra radio resources that are not used by the WTRUs within one group are allocated to other WTRUs or services (Step  511 ) (e.g. non-real time services which need dynamic scheduling); if less physical resources are available for allocation to the WTRUs within one group then extra resources outside the resource allocation table should be allocated to WTRUs within the group through dynamic scheduling. 
         [0049]    When resources are allocated to VoIP services by group scheduling, then at each Transmission Time Interval (TTI) the E-UTRAN Node B (eNB) (base station) should examine if these resources are needed by VoIP services based on the number of VoIP services for initial transmission, HARQ retransmission or link adaptation requirements, etc (step  513 ). If there are extra physical resources allocated in the resource allocation table for a group of WTRUs that are not used in one TTI, then these resources can be allocated to other services such as NRT services (Step  515 ). But the resources in the allocation table are preferably used for VoIP services as the highest priority in each TTI. 
         [0000]    If one (or more than one) WTRU within a group finishes its VoIP service and may not need the resources for very long period (e.g. t TTI after the VoIP service) or one (or more than one) WTRU within a group finishes its talk-spurt state and transits to silent period, then one of the following resource allocation procedures depending upon the WTRUs that do not need resources are performed. The procedures are summarized in Table 2. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Procedure 
                 When Performed 
                 Nature of procedure 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 1 
                 Relatively small number of WTRUs 
                 Resource allocation 
               
               
                   
                 finish VoIP services. 
                 table remains 
               
               
                   
                   
                 unchanged. 
               
               
                   
                   
                 No re-grouping 
               
               
                   
                   
                 of WTRUs. 
               
               
                 2. 
                 A large number of WTRUs finish 
                 New group of 
               
               
                   
                 VoIP services. 
                 WTRUs 
               
               
                   
                   
                 that have finished 
               
               
                   
                   
                 services created. 
               
               
                 3. 
                 A small number of WTRUs in a group 
                 New group created 
               
               
                   
                 finish VoIP and a large number of 
                 from WTRUs 
               
               
                   
                 WTRUs in a different group finish 
                 that have finished 
               
               
                   
                 VoIP services. 
                 VoIP services from 
               
               
                   
                   
                 both groups. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0050]    Procedure 1: Small number of WTRUs finish the VoIP services: The resource allocation table remains unchanged and there is no need to re-group the rest of WTRUs and do the signaling. 
         [0051]    If only very few WTRUs finish the VoIP services or transit from talk-spurt to silent states (step  517 ) then there is no need to re-configure the resource allocation table and re-configure the WTRU group which can save the RRC signaling. But the extra resources within this WTRU group&#39;s resource allocation table can be allocated to other services (Step  521 ), for example they can be allocated to NRT services through dynamic scheduling or can be allocated to other WTRU groups that may need extra resources or to newly established WTRU groups, or allocate to WTRUs not in any groups for either RT or NRT services. 
         [0052]    When certain resources of a group k (with one or more than one WTRU finished with VoIP service) are allocated to other groups of WTRUs then they can not be used by group k although there is no need to re-configure and re-signal the resource allocation table for group k due to the reduction of small number of WTRUs. Alternatively, some arbitration should be done by the eNB between different WTRU groups for the resource contention. 
         [0053]    Procedure 2: WTRU Group k is combined with reduced VoIP services with other WTRU group(s). 
         [0054]    If there are other WTRU group(s) that may also have WTRUs that have finished their VoIP services, in this situation if WTRUs from group k and other group(s) can add up to a number that is reasonable to construct a new WTRU group(s), a WTRU group is constructed with the rest of the WTRUs in group k and WTRUs from other group(s) (Step  519 ). In this embodiment, it is preferable to use either the group ID of any of the groups that participate in the merging or to have a new WTRU group ID. The new WTRU group ID along with all WTRU IDs, related resource allocation table, and WTRU&#39;s positions for assignment are signaled via RRC message based on the methods proposed earlier (Step  523 ). 
         [0055]    The possibility of adding new WTRUs that require VoIP services to the WTRU group with reduced number of VoIP services are discussed in procedure  3 . 
         [0056]    Procedure 3: Re-configure and signal the WTRU group that has reduced VoIP services (WTRUs) with new WTRU group ID and related resource allocation table and WTRU position information. 
         [0057]    If a situation such as link adaptation condition changes to certain degree and the resource for this WTRU group (even with reduced WTRUs) has to be re-allocated to make resource scheduling in a more efficient way, then eNB has to evaluate (Step  525 ) and decide to re-configure the resource allocation table and re-signal the new WTRU group ID and updated resource allocation table along with the WTRU positions for assignment according the procedures described above. 
         [0000]    IV. Procedures and Signaling when UE(s) Change Services i.e. Initiate Services During Group Scheduling Process. 
         [0058]    If one or more than one WTRU needs to initiate new VoIP service, then either of the following options as described in  FIG. 6  is applied. The procedures are summarized in Table 3. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 3 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Procedure 
                 When Performed 
                 Nature of procedure 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 A. 
                 A small number of WTRUs need to 
                 Dynamic Scheduling 
               
               
                   
                 initiate new services and other 
                 performed. 
               
               
                   
                 groups are relatively stable. 
               
               
                 B. 
                 A part of an existing group has 
                 New group of WTRUs 
               
               
                   
                 finished services and is not 
                 that have finished 
               
               
                   
                 regrouped. 
                 services created. 
               
               
                 C. 
                 WTRUs that require new services 
                 New group created. 
               
               
                   
                 exceed a defined threshold. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0059]    Procedure A: Dynamic scheduling—If there is only one or a small number (this number can be defined as a threshold) of WTRUs requiring VoIP services (Step  611 ) and other WTRU groups are relative stable which means other WTRU groups either do not have WTRUs that finish their VoIP services earlier or only one or small number (this number can be defined as a threshold) of WTRUs finish their VoIP service earlier, and if the signaling overhead is too big to add the new WTRUs requiring VoIP services to other groups to construct a new group (step  613 ), then dynamic scheduling can be used for scheduling VoIP services for these WTRUs (Step  615 ). 
         [0060]    Procedure B: Group with other WTRU group(s)—If one group k is in a situation where one or some WTRUs are already finished with their VoIP services and it is not re-grouped, then the new VoIP services of WTRUs can be added to this group k (step  617 ). The possible triggers for this option can be: if situations of many WTRUs in group k have already changed and the resource allocation table needs to be updated, or there are more than a certain number (this number can be defined as a threshold) of WTRUs already finished with their VoIP services and the number of new WTRUs requiring VoIP services is large enough to construct a new group with WTRUs in group k. In this way, the eNB determines the new resource allocation table (Step  621 ). In order to reduce signaling overhead, instead of signaling WTRU group ID along with all WTRU ID&#39;s, the eNB can just signal the existing WTRU group ID and the newly joined WTRU IDs to the newly joined WTRUs to group k. Also, newly joined WTRUs are added to those WTRU positions that have already finished their VoIP services within group k. In this way only WTRU positions for newly added WTRUs need to be signaled through RRC message (Step  627 ). Alternatively, the resource allocation table can be maintained the same as before but the new WTRU group ID with newly added WTRUs and their positions within this group are signaled in RRC message to the WTRUs to form the new group. 
         [0061]    Procedure C: Group WTRUs requiring new VoIP services together—If the number of WTRUs requiring VoIP services exceed certain number (step  619 ) (this number can be defined as a threshold) and no criteria as described in B is met to group with other WTRU group(s), then these WTRUs can construct a new WTRU group (Step  623 ). The resource allocation table, WTRU position within the group and the new WTRU group ID should be signaled via RRC signaling by eNB (Step  625 ). 
         [0062]      FIG. 7  illustrates a generic block diagram of WTRUs grouped in a semi-static way and a resource allocation table being signaled to various groups of WTRUs by the eNB. 
         [0063]    In  FIG. 8 , a radio network controller (RNC), a base station (BS) or eNB and a WTRU are shown. The RNC  811  and base station  815  shown in  FIG. 8  are wireless network nodes that each includes a corresponding data processing and control unit  813  and  817  for performing numerous wireless and data processing operations required to conduct communications between the RNC  811  and the WTRU  810 . Part of the equipment controlled by the base station data processing and control unit  817  includes a plurality of wireless transceivers  819  connected to one or more antennas  821 . The WTRU  810  shown in  FIG. 8  also includes a data processing and control unit  812  for controlling the various operations required by the WTRU. The WTRU&#39;s data processing and control unit  812  provides control signals as well as data to a wireless transceiver  814  connected to an antenna  818 . Both the data processing and control unit  812  and transceiver  814  are powered from voltage supplied by battery  816 . The amount of power supplied by the battery  816  to the data processing and control unit  812  and transceiver  814  is regulated by one or more control signals from the data processing and control unit  812 . 
         [0064]    Although the features and elements of the present invention are described in the preferred embodiments in particular combinations, each feature or element can be used alone without the other features and elements of the preferred embodiments or in various combinations with or without other features and elements of the present invention. The methods or flow charts provided in the present invention may be implemented in a computer program, software, or firmware tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium for execution by a general purpose computer or a processor. Examples of computer-readable storage mediums include a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a register, cache memory, semiconductor memory devices, magnetic media such as internal hard disks and removable disks, magneto-optical media, and optical media such as CD-ROM disks, and digital versatile disks (DVDs). 
         [0065]    Suitable processors include, by way of example, a general purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller, Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) circuits, any other type of integrated circuit (IC), and/or a state machine. A processor in association with software may be used to implement a radio frequency transceiver for use in a wireless transmit receive unit (WTRU), user equipment (UE), terminal, base station, radio network controller (RNC), or any host computer. The WTRU may be used in conjunction with modules, implemented in hardware and/or software, such as a camera, a video camera module, a videophone, a speakerphone, a vibration device, a speaker, a microphone, a television transceiver, a hands free headset, a keyboard, a Bluetooth® module, a frequency modulated (FM) radio unit, a liquid crystal display (LCD) display unit, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display unit, a digital music player, a media player, a video game player module, an Internet browser, and/or any wireless local area network (WLAN) module.