U.S. patent application number 14/229721 was filed with the patent office on 2015-02-26 for resource allocation in machine-to-machine radio access systems.
The applicant listed for this patent is FUJITSU LIMITED. Invention is credited to Akira ITO, Dorin VIOREL.
Application Number | 20150055570 14/229721 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52480320 |
Filed Date | 2015-02-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150055570 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
VIOREL; Dorin ; et
al. |
February 26, 2015 |
RESOURCE ALLOCATION IN MACHINE-TO-MACHINE RADIO ACCESS SYSTEMS
Abstract
A method may include receiving a communication from each of
multiple machine-type communication (MTC) devices in a radio access
network at a base station. The radio access network and base
station may be configured to support the MTC devices and human
operated devices. The method may also include determining that the
communications are received from the MTC devices and allocating a
first set of downlink resources in a downlink channel for future
assignment of downlink data communications from the base station to
the MTC devices. The method may also include allocating a first set
of uplink resources in an uplink channel for future assignment of
uplink data communications from the MTC devices to the base
station.
Inventors: |
VIOREL; Dorin; (Calgary,
CA) ; ITO; Akira; (San Jose, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
FUJITSU LIMITED |
Kawasaki-shi |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
52480320 |
Appl. No.: |
14/229721 |
Filed: |
March 28, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61868993 |
Aug 22, 2013 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
370/329 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 72/04 20130101;
H04W 4/70 20180201; H04W 72/048 20130101; H04W 48/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
370/329 |
International
Class: |
H04W 4/00 20060101
H04W004/00; H04W 28/02 20060101 H04W028/02; H04W 72/04 20060101
H04W072/04 |
Claims
1. A method comprising: receiving a communication from each of a
plurality of machine-type communication (MTC) devices in a radio
access network at a base station, the radio access network and base
station configured to support the MTC devices and human operated
devices; determining that the communications are received from the
MTC devices; allocating a first set of downlink resources in a
downlink channel for future assignment of downlink data
communications from the base station to the MTC devices; and
allocating a first set of uplink resources in an uplink channel for
future assignment of uplink data communications from the MTC
devices to the base station.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of downlink
resources in the downlink channel includes contiguous multiple or
whole integer sub-multiples of six resource blocks in the downlink
channel or non-contiguous multiple or whole integer sub-multiples
of six resource blocks in the downlink channel and the first set of
uplink resources in the uplink channel includes contiguous multiple
or whole integer sub-multiples of six resource blocks in the
downlink channel or non-contiguous multiple or whole integer
sub-multiples of six resource blocks in the uplink channel.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of downlink
resources in the downlink channel are allocated for only future
assignment of downlink data communications from the base station to
the MTC devices and the first set of uplink resources in the uplink
channel are allocated for only future assignment of uplink data
communications from the MTC devices to the base station.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of downlink
resources in the downlink channel are not allocated for future
assignment of downlink data communications from the base station to
the human operated devices and the first set of uplink resources in
the uplink channel are not allocated for future assignment of
uplink data communications from the human operated devices to the
base station.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting an increase
in uplink data traffic from the MTC devices to the base station;
and allocating semi-statically or dynamically a second set of
uplink resources in the uplink channel for future assignment of
uplink data communications from the MTC devices to the base station
such that future uplink data communications from the MTC devices to
the base station are transmitted using the first and second sets of
uplink resources.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the
communications are received from the MTC devices further comprises:
grouping the MTC devices that receive downlink communications with
a signal quality at or above the threshold into a first group of
MTC devices; grouping the MTC devices that receive downlink
communications with a signal quality below the threshold into a
second group of MTC devices; and allocating a second set of uplink
resources in the uplink channel for future assignment of uplink
data communications from the second group of MTC devices to the
base station, wherein the first set of uplink resources is
allocated for future assignment of uplink data communications from
the first group of MTC devices to the base station.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second set of uplink
resources in the uplink channel is for future assignment of uplink
data communications and uplink control communications from the
second group of MTC devices to the base station and wherein uplink
control communications from the first group of MTC devices to the
base station are not assigned to the first or second set of uplink
resources.
8. The method of claim 6, further comprising allocating
semi-statically or dynamically a second set of downlink resources
in the downlink channel for future assignment of downlink data
communications from the base station to the second group of MTC
devices, wherein the first set of downlink resources in the
downlink channel is for future assignment of the downlink data
communications from the base station to the first group of MTC
devices.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the
communications are received from the MTC devices includes
determining that the communications are received from the MTC
devices that are receiving downlink communications from the base
station with a signal quality below a threshold.
10. A machine-type communication (MTC) device including a
computer-readable medium having encoded therein programming code
executable by a processor to perform operations comprising:
synchronizing with a base station in a wireless access network
based on one or more synchronization signals received from the base
station, wherein the one or more synchronization signals are
transmitted using radio resources within a first set of control
radio resources in a downlink channel and the base station is
configured to support the MTC device and a human operated device;
receiving an indication of assigned downlink resources in the
downlink channel for downlink communication with the base station,
wherein the assigned downlink resources are included in a first set
of downlink resources in the downlink channel allocated for
downlink communication from the base station to the MTC device and
one or more other MTC devices; and receiving an indication of
assigned uplink resources in an uplink channel for uplink
communication with the base station, wherein the assigned uplink
resources are included in a first set of uplink resources in the
uplink channel allocated for uplink communication from the MTC
device and one or more other MTC devices to the base station.
11. The MTC device of claim 10, wherein the operations further
comprise receiving data and control downlink communications over
the assigned downlink resources from the base station, wherein the
assigned downlink resources are separate from the first set of
control radio resources in the downlink channel.
12. The MTC device of claim 10, wherein the operations further
comprise transmitting first data and control uplink communications
over the assigned uplink resources from the MTC device to the base
station, wherein other data and control uplink communications from
human operated devices are assigned other uplink resources in the
uplink channel that are separate from the first set of uplink
resources.
13. The MTC device of claim 12, wherein the assigned uplink
resources are first assigned uplink resources, wherein the
operations further comprise: after transmitting the first data and
control uplink communications over the first assigned uplink
resources, receiving an indication of second assigned uplink
resources in the uplink channel for uplink communication with the
base station, wherein the second assigned uplink resources are
included in a second set of uplink resources in the uplink channel
allocated for uplink communication from the MTC device and one or
more other MTC devices to the base station; and transmitting second
data uplink communications over the second assigned uplink
resources to the base station.
14. The MTC device of claim 13, wherein the operations further
comprise: after transmitting second data communications over the
second assigned uplink resources to the base station, receiving an
indication of third assigned uplink resources in the uplink channel
for uplink communication with the base station, wherein the third
assigned uplink resources are included in the first set of uplink
resources; and transmitting third data uplink communications over
the third assigned uplink resources to the base station.
15. A base station including a computer-readable medium having
encoded therein programming code executable by a processor to
perform operations comprising: receiving a communication from each
of a plurality of machine-type communication (MTC) devices in a
radio access network at the base station, the radio access network
and base station configured to support the MTC devices and human
operated devices; determining that the communications are received
from the MTC devices; allocating a first set of downlink resources
in a downlink channel for future assignment of downlink data
communications from the base station to the MTC devices; and
allocating a first set of uplink resources in an uplink channel for
future assignment of uplink data communications from the MTC
devices to the base station.
16. The base station of claim 15, wherein the first set of downlink
resources in the downlink channel are not allocated for future
assignment of downlink data communications from the base station to
the human operated devices and the first set of uplink resources in
the uplink channel are not allocated for future assignment of
uplink data communications from the human operated devices to the
base station.
17. The base station of claim 15, wherein the operations further
comprise: detecting an increase in uplink data traffic from the MTC
devices to the base station; and allocating semi-statically or
dynamically a second set of uplink resources in the uplink channel
for future assignment of uplink data communications from the MTC
devices to the base station such that future uplink data
communications from the MTC devices to the base station are
transmitted using the first and second sets of uplink
resources.
18. The base station of claim 15, wherein determining that the
communications are received from the MTC devices further includes
operations comprising: determining which of the MTC devices are
receiving downlink communications with a signal quality below a
threshold and which of the MTC devices are receiving downlink
communications with a signal quality at or above the threshold;
grouping the MTC devices that receive downlink communications with
a signal quality at or above the threshold into a first group of
MTC devices; grouping the MTC devices that receive downlink
communications with a signal quality below the threshold into a
second group of MTC devices; and allocating a second set of uplink
resources in the uplink channel for future assignment of uplink
data communications from the second group of MTC devices to the
base station, wherein the first set of uplink resources is
allocated for future assignment of uplink data communications from
the first group of MTC devices to the base station.
19. The base station of claim 15, wherein the operations further
comprise allocating a second set of downlink resources in the
downlink channel for future assignment of downlink data
communications from the base station to the second group of MTC
devices, wherein the first set of downlink resources in the
downlink channel is for future assignment of the downlink data
communications from the base station to the first group of MTC
devices.
20. The base station of claim 15, wherein determining that the
communications are received from the MTC devices further includes
operations comprising determining that the communications are
received from the MTC devices that are receiving downlink
communications from the base station with a signal quality below a
threshold.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The embodiments discussed herein are related to
machine-to-machine type communication.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Radio access communication networks such as Long Term
Evolution (LTE) and Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A) networks
may be used for machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, also known
as machine-type communications (MTC). Generally, MTC may allow an
un-manned device to wirelessly and remotely report information over
the radio access network to a central dedicated server, which may
distribute the information to one or more suitable MTC applications
and/or an MTC server that collects the information. Devices with
MTC compatibility may be used in a variety of situations. An
example of such a situation may include smart meters that report
resource consumption, measurements, and/or special events to a
utility company server via the radio access communication network.
Other examples of applications that may utilize MTC include
security networks for use in surveillance, alarm or people tracking
systems, transportation networks, fleet management, connected cars,
city automation, toll collection, emission control, electronic
health (eHealth) applications; manufacturing monitoring and
automation, and facility management, including homes, buildings,
etc.
[0003] The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to
embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in
environments such as those described above. Rather, this background
is only provided to illustrate one example technology area where
some embodiments described herein may be practiced.
SUMMARY
[0004] According to an aspect of an embodiment, a method may
include receiving a communication from each of multiple
machine-type communication (MTC) devices in a radio access network
at a base station. The radio access network and base station may be
configured to support the MTC devices and human operated devices.
The method may also include determining that the communications are
received from the MTC devices and allocating a first set of
downlink resources in a downlink channel for future assignment of
downlink data communications from the base station to the MTC
devices. The method may also include allocating a first set of
uplink resources in an uplink channel for future assignment of
uplink data communications from the MTC devices to the base
station.
[0005] The object and advantages of the embodiments will be
realized and achieved at least by the elements, features, and
combinations particularly pointed out in the claims.
[0006] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description are exemplary
and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention, as
claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Example embodiments will be described and explained with
additional specificity and detail through the use of the
accompanying drawings in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example radio access network;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a diagram of another example radio access
network;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example time and frequency radio
resource allocation;
[0011] FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a flow chart of an example method
of allocating radio resources in a radio access network;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of another example method of
allocating radio resources in a radio access network; and
[0013] FIG. 6 is a flow chart of an example method of using radio
resources in a radio access network.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0014] Some embodiments described herein may relate to a radio
access network, such as a mobile communications network, that
provides radio access to various devices, including machine type
communication (MTC) devices and human-operated devices. In
particular, some embodiments described herein may relate to radio
access resource allocation to the MTC devices in the radio access
network. For example, when multiple MTC devices are part of a cell
of a radio access network, the service provided to MTC devices may
result in degraded quality of service to the human operated devices
in the radio access network. To help to reduce or prevent the
degradation of quality of service to human operated devices, radio
access resources may be allocated that are dedicated for future
assignment of data communications between the MTC devices and base
stations in the radio access network. For example, one or more sets
of downlink resources in a downlink channel may be allocated for
future assignment of downlink data communications from the base
station to the MTC devices. Alternately or additionally, one or
more sets of uplink resources in an uplink channel may be allocated
for future assignment of uplink data communications from the MTC
devices to the base station.
[0015] In some embodiments, the radio access network may group the
MTC devices based on signal performance of communications between
the MTC devices and base stations. In these and other embodiments,
the radio access network may allocate separate radio access
resources for each group of the MTC devices.
[0016] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be explained with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0017] FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example radio access network 100
(referred to hereinafter as the "network 100"), arranged in
accordance with at least one embodiment described herein.
[0018] The network 100 may be configured to provide radio access,
such as mobile, communication services to human operated wireless
devices 110 (referred to hereinafter as "human devices 110") and
MTC wireless devices 120 (referred to hereinafter as "MTC devices
120") via one or more base stations 102. The radio access network,
when supported by a related core network, may provide voice
services, data services, messaging services, and/or any suitable
combination thereof. The network 100 may include a radio access
network architecture like an Evolved Universal Mobile
Telecommunications System (E-UMTS) or an E-UMTS Terrestrial Radio
Access Network (E-UTRAN). These and other embodiments, concerning
the network 100 may include a PHY layer employing Frequency
Division Multiple Access (FDMA) network or an Orthogonal FDMA
(OFDMA) network or a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network
or a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) network, and/or any other
suitable radio access network. In some embodiments, the network 100
may be configured as a third generation (3G) radio access network
and/or a fourth generation (4G) radio access network. In these or
other embodiments, the network 100 may be configured as a long term
evolution (LTE) wireless communication network, such as a 3GPP Long
Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A) radio access network. However, the
embodiments described herein are not limited to the example radio
access systems described. Rather, the embodiments described herein
may also be applicable to other radio access systems.
[0019] The base station 102 may be any suitable radio access
network communication point and may include, by way of example but
not limitation, a base station, an evolved node "B" (eNB) base
station, a remote radio head (RRH), or any other suitable
communication point. The base station 102 may include hardware and
software for radio communication in certain frequency bands, which
are usually licensed. For example, the base station 102 may be
equipped for communication over an air interface with the human
devices 110 and the MTC devices 120. The base station 102 may
generally allow the human devices 110 and the MTC devices 120 to
wirelessly communicate with a network (not shown) via the air
interface.
[0020] The base station 102 may include hardware and/or software
for radio communication usually over a licensed spectrum.
Alternately or additionally, the base station 102 may include
hardware and/or software for radio communication over an unlicensed
spectrum. The licensed spectrum may generally include portions of a
radio spectrum licensed for data transmission. For example, the
base station 102 may be configured to process, transmit, and
receive radio communications that comply with multiple types of
radio access networks, such LTE radio access network including an
LTE radio access network according to 3GPP LTE specification
releases 8-12.
[0021] The category of human devices 110 may include user equipment
configured to allow the human devices 110 to transmit and receive
radio communications via the licensed or unlicensed spectrum. The
human device 110 may include any devices for which the primary
operation is to provide network communications based on requests
from a human operator of the human device 110. For example, the
human devices 110 may include a mobile phone, a smartphone, a
personal data assistant (PDA), a laptop computer, a personal
computer, a tablet computer, or any other similar device configured
to use radio communications based on directions of a human
operator.
[0022] The MTC devices 120 may include equipment configured to
allow the MTC devices 120 to transmit and receive radio
communications via the licensed spectrum or unlicensed spectrum.
The MTC devices 120 may employ dedicated MTC hardware and/or
software configured for communication with an MTC server (not
shown). In particular, the MTC device 120 may communicate with the
MTC server with little or no human intervention. In some
embodiments, the MTC devices 120 may not include a general user
interface, but may be configured to operate automatously to perform
functions for which they are designed. Examples of such MTC devices
120 may include surveillance and alarm devices, utility measuring
and metering devices, manufacturing monitoring and automation
devices, facility management devices, and other analogous
devices.
[0023] The base station 102 may provide access to the network 100
for devices within a coverage area 104. In the illustrated
embodiments, the base station 102 may provide access to the network
100 for the human devices 110 and the MTC devices 120 that are in
the coverage area 104. In general, the base station 102 may provide
access to the network 100 using a downlink channel of frequencies
and an uplink channel of frequencies. For example, the downlink
channel and the uplink channel may each be 5 megahertz (MHz), 10
MHz, 20 MHz, or even larger bandwidth channels. In these and other
embodiments, each of the downlink and uplink channels may be
divided into one or more time and frequency allocated resource
blocks, referred to herein as resource blocks. Each of the resource
blocks may include one or more resource elements When transmitting
information to the human devices 110 and/or the MTC devices 120,
the base station 102 may allocate a portion of the downlink channel
for a downlink communication and may schedule, during a time
interval, the downlink communication for the allocated portion of
the downlink channel. For example, the base station 102 may
allocate one or more resource elements in one or more resource
blocks of the downlink channel for the downlink communication. It
should be understood that the use of the term "communication"
herein may describe communications generally that occur between
devices as well as air interface transmissions between devices.
[0024] When the human devices 110 and/or the MTC devices 120
transmit information to the base station 102, the base station 102
may allocate a portion of the uplink channel for an uplink
communication and may schedule, during a time interval, the uplink
communication for the allocated portion of the uplink channel. For
example, the base station 102 may allocate one or more resource
elements in one or more resource blocks of the uplink channel for
the uplink communication.
[0025] In some circumstances, some of the MTC devices 120 within
the coverage area 104 may be situated in locations such that these
MTC devices 120 operate below a particular cell edge
signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or signal-to-interference-and-noise
ratio (SINR) levels. This type of operation may be referenced as a
coverage deficit operation. A coverage deficit operation may occur
when an MTC device 120 is positioned in a location where the signal
quality of communications between the MTC device 120 and the base
station 102 is below the operational threshold equivalent to the
cell edge SNR or SINR. The operational threshold may allow the MTC
device 120 and the base station 102 to reliably decode data and
control communications in both DL and UL directions. In particular,
during coverage deficit operation, one or more symbols within data
and control communications between the MTC device 120 and the base
station 102 may not be reliably decoded for a given coding scheme
because of interference and/or noise that overcomes the symbols of
the data and control communications. The threshold for determining
a coverage deficit may be based on one or more factors that may
vary based on a configuration of the network 100. Such factors may
include an encoding scheme employed by the network 100, transmit
power of the base station 102, transmit power of the MTC device
120, and a configuration of the network 100, among other
factors.
[0026] Coverage deficit locations may be found along an edge of the
coverage area 104, within nulls of the coverage area 104, or within
other locations that shield the MTC devices 120 from the radio
communications, such as basements, equipment rooms, and other
structures.
[0027] To compensate for the coverage deficit of an MTC device 120,
repetition-based patterns may be used for the data and control
communications between the MTC device 120 and the base station 102.
For example, when sending an uplink data communication to the base
station 102, the MTC device 120 may send the data communication
multiple times to help to ensure that the SNR or SINR for each of
the symbols in the data communication is adequate to allow the base
station to decode all of the symbols in the data communication. In
some embodiments, a communication may be repeated, 2, 4, 6, 10, 15,
20, or more times.
[0028] In some circumstances, a number of MTC devices 120 in the
coverage area 104 may be much greater than a number of human
devices 110. The network 100, however, may include limited radio
resources to allow the base station 102 to service the MTC devices
120 and the human devices 110 simultaneously and with the same
quality of service (QoS). When the requests for radio resources
exceed or come close to available radio resources, quality of
service for the MTC devices 120 and/or the human device 110 may be
degraded. For example, a human device 110 may request a given
bandwidth to stream a video. When the quality of service is
reduced, the base station 102 may not allocate adequate bandwidth
to the human device 110, resulting in the quality of the video
degrading.
[0029] In some circumstances, the radio resources requested by the
MTC devices 120 may peak based on the occurrence of certain events,
resulting in further degradation of the quality of service for
human device 110. For example, the MTC devices 120 or a set of the
MTC devices 120 may monitor a natural gas line. When gas pressure
along a certain service area changes, sets of the MTC devices 120
monitoring the gas pressure may request to send uplink data
communications over the network 100 within a specified duration of
time. As a result, the radio resources of the network 100 may not
be sufficient to handle the requested data communications and the
quality of service (particularly the traffic latency) may be
degraded. Requested communications and current communications
within the network 100 may be referred to herein as network
traffic. In these and other embodiments, the quality of service may
be further degraded when the MTC devices 120 that are accessing the
network 100 are in a coverage deficit location because each
communication may be transmitted multiple times by requesting
multiple radio resources allocations, thereby further increasing
the network traffic but with a much lower spectral efficiency.
[0030] In some circumstances, the multiple control communications
sent to or received from the MTC devices 120 may reduce the quality
of service in the network 100 even when data communications of the
MTC devices 120 may not be sufficient to reduce the quality of
service of the network 100. For example, when certain radio
resources are allocated to handle control communications for all of
or a majority of devices in the coverage area 104 of the base
station, an increase in control communications from the MTC devices
120 may delay the ability of human devices 110 to send and/or
receive control communications thereby reducing the quality of
service of the human devices 110.
[0031] To help to reduce the quality of services problems that may
exist in the network 100 due to the network 100 supporting human
devices 110 and MTC devices 120, the base station 102 may allocate
a first set of downlink resources in a downlink channel for future
assignment of downlink communications from the base station 102 to
the MTC devices 120. In some embodiments, the first set of downlink
resources may be for future assignment of data downlink
communications and/or control downlink communications from the base
station 102 to the MTC devices 120. In these and other embodiments,
the first set of downlink resources in the downlink channel may be
allocated for only future assignment of downlink data
communications from the base station 102 to the MTC devices 120.
Alternately or additionally, the first set of downlink resources in
the downlink channel may not be allocated for future assignment of
downlink data communications from the base station 102 to the human
devices 110.
[0032] The base station 102 may also allocate a first set of uplink
resources in an uplink channel for future assignment of uplink
communications from the MTC devices 120 to the base station 102. In
some embodiments, the first set of uplink resources may be for
future assignment of data uplink communications and/or control
uplink communications from the MTC devices 120 to the base station
102. In these and other embodiments, the first set of uplink
resources in the uplink channel may be allocated for only future
assignment of uplink data communications from the MTC devices 120
to the base station 102. Alternately or additionally, the first set
of uplink resources in the uplink channel may not be allocated for
future assignment of uplink data communications from the human
devices 110 to the base station 102.
[0033] By allocating separate radio resources for the data and/or
control uplink communications of the MTC device 120 and the human
devices 110 and/or separate radio resources for the data and/or
control downlink communications of the MTC device 120 and the human
devices 110, the base station 102 may better avoid delays and other
problems discussed herein. As a result, the network may separate
radio resources for the human devices 110 and the MTC devices 120
and thereby better maintain the quality of service in the network
100 for the human devices 110 and/or the MTC devices 120.
[0034] The allocation of future assignments of uplink
communications and future assignments of downlink communications to
the respective first sets of uplink and downlink resources is
different from in known radio networks. In known radio networks, a
base station schedules radio resources for uplink and/or downlink
communications by allocating radio resources. This allocation of
radio resources, however, is a current assignment of the radio
resources for a future scheduled transmission. After the future
scheduled transmission, the allocated radio resources may be
reused. In contrast, the allocation of the first set of downlink
resources in the downlink channel for future assignment of downlink
data communications is allocating the first set of downlink
resources for future assignments to MTC devices 120 that have yet
to be determined. Thus, the first set of downlink resources are
allocated for unscheduled future transmissions to the MTC devices
120 from the base station 102.
[0035] For example, in a known network, a base station may schedule
a downlink resource for an MTC device for a future scheduled
transmission. After the scheduled transmission, the base station
may schedule the downlink resource for a human operated device. In
the network 100, when the base station 102 schedules future
transmission for an MTC device 120, the base station 102 schedules
the future transmission using a downlink resource from the
previously allocated set of downlink resources that have been
allocated for the MTC device 120. After the scheduled transmission,
the downlink resource is still allocated for the MTC devices 120
and may be re-scheduled for MTC devices 120 and not human devices
110.
[0036] In some embodiments, the base station 102 may be configured
to allocate additional sets of radio resources in either the uplink
or the downlink channels based on network traffic in the respective
channels associated with the MTC devices 120. For example, when the
base station 102 has already allocated a first set of uplink
resources for data communications from the MTC devices 120 to the
base station 102 and the base station 102 detects an increase in
uplink data communications from the MTC devices 120 to the base
station 102, the base station 102 may semi-statically or
dynamically allocate a second set of uplink resources in the uplink
channel for future assignment of uplink data communications from
the MTC devices 120 to the base station 102. As a result, future
uplink data communications from the MTC devices 120 to the base
station 102 may be transmitted using the first and second sets of
uplink resources.
[0037] Because this second set of uplink resources is allocated
semi-statically or dynamically, in response to the base station 102
detecting a decrease in the uplink data communications from the MTC
devices 120, the base station 102 may de-allocate the second set of
uplink resources and allow the second set of uplink resources to be
used by the human devices 110. In some embodiments, the base
station 102 may also de-allocate the first set of uplink resources
and allow the first set of uplink resources to be used by the human
devices 110 when the base station 102 detects that a number of MTC
devices 120 in the coverage area 104 falls below a threshold.
[0038] In some embodiments, the base station 102 may group the MTC
devices 120 based on whether the MTC devices 120 are located in one
or more coverage deficit locations. For example, in some
embodiments, first, second, third, fourth, and fifth MTC devices
120a, 120b, 120c, 120d, and 120e may each be in a coverage deficit
location. The coverage deficit location may be determined based on
the SNR and/or SINR of downlink communications received at the
first, second, third, fourth, and fifth MTC devices 120a, 120b,
120c, 120d, and 120e being below the cell edge SNR and/or SINR
threshold or other threshold defined in order to provide a certain
minimal degree of quality of service. As a result, the first,
second, third, fourth, and fifth MTC devices 120a, 120b, 120c,
120d, and 120e may be grouped into a coverage deficit group of MTC
devices 120, which may be referred to herein as the "CD_MTC devices
120".
[0039] The remaining MTC devices including the sixth, seventh, and
eighth MTC devices 120f, 120g, and 120h, may each be in a regular
coverage location. The regular coverage location may be determined
based on the SNR and/or SINR of downlink communications received at
the sixth, seventh, and eighth MTC devices 120f, 120g, and 120h
being at or above the threshold. As a result, the sixth, seventh,
and eighth MTC devices 120f, 120g, and 120h may be grouped into a
regular coverage group of MTC devices 120, which may be referred to
herein as the "RC_MTC devices 120."
[0040] In these and other embodiments, the base station 102 may
allocate separate sets of uplink and/or downlink resources for the
CD_MTC devices 120 and the RC_MTC devices 120. By allocating the
separate sets of uplink and/or downlink resources for the CD_MTC
devices 120 and the RC_MTC devices 120, the base station 102 may
alleviate or reduce the quality of service reduction issues that
may occur for the RC_MTC devices 120 when the RC_MTC devices 120
and the CD_MTC devices 120 are allocated the same uplink and/or
downlink resources. Modifications, additions, or omissions may be
made to the network 100 without departing from the scope of the
present disclosure.
[0041] FIG. 2 is a diagram of another example radio access network
200 (referred to hereinafter as the "network 200"), arranged in
accordance with at least some embodiments described herein. The
network 200 may include a base station 210. The base station 210 is
an example of the base station 102 of FIG. 1. The base station 210
may include a radio frequency transceiver 212, a processor system
214, and a memory system 216. The radio frequency transceiver 212
may be configured to transmit and receive radio transmissions, such
as data and control communications. The memory system 216 may
include one or more different memory blocks. The different memory
blocks may include different types of memory, such as Random Access
Memory (RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), Electrically Erasable
Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), and/or a non-transitory
computer-readable medium. Instructions, such as programming code
executable by one or more processors of the processor system 214,
may be located in the memory system 216. When the instructions are
executed by the processor system 214, the base station 210 may
perform operations related to and/or including the processes and/or
acts described herein.
[0042] The network 200 may also include first and second MTC
devices 220a and 220b (referred to hereinafter as the "MTC
device(s) 220"). The MTC devices 220 are examples of the MTC
devices 120 of FIG. 1. Each of the MTC devices 220 may include a
radio frequency transceiver 222, a processor system 224, and a
memory system 226. The radio frequency transceiver 222 may be
configured to transmit and receive radio transmissions, such as
data and control communications. The memory system 226 may include
one or more different memory blocks. The different memory blocks
may include different types of memory, such as Random Access Memory
(RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable
Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), and/or a non-transitory
computer-readable medium. Instructions, such as programming code
executable by one or more processors of the processor system 224,
may be located in the memory system 226. When the instructions are
executed by the processor system 224, the MTC devices 220 may
perform operations related to and/or including the processes and/or
acts described herein.
[0043] The base station 210 may support the MTC devices 220 by
providing and coordinating data communications in the network 200.
Before providing data communications, the MTC devices 220 may
synchronize with the base station 210. Synchronizing with the base
station 210 may provide the MTC devices 220 with an indication of a
coarse frequency of the base station 210 and signaling timing for
communications transmitted from or to the base station 210. The MTC
devices 220 being aware of signaling frequency and timing may
assist the MTC devices 220 to reliably decode control information
from the base station 210 and may assist the base station 210 to
reliably interpret communications from the MTC devices 220. To
synchronize with the base station 210, the base station 210 may
repeatedly or otherwise send a sequence of synchronization signals
in a downlink channel over first and second paths 202a and 202b to
the respective first and second MTC devices 220a and 220b. Example
synchronization signals in an LTE network may include a primary
synchronization signal (PSS) and a secondary synchronization signal
(SSS). The MTC devices 220 may receive the synchronization signals
from the base station 210. Using the synchronization signals, the
MTC devices 220 may synchronize their communication signaling with
the base station 210.
[0044] In some embodiments, the synchronization signals may be
transmitted by the base station 210 using first radio resources
from a shared set of downlink resources in a downlink channel. In
these and other embodiments, other downlink control communications
from the base station 210 to the MTC devices 220 as well as
downlink control communications from the base station 210 to other
devices in the network 200, such as human operated devices, may be
transmitted using radio resources from the shared set of downlink
resources used to transmit the synchronization signals.
[0045] After the MTC devices 220 have synchronized with the base
station 210, the base station 210 may send the MTC devices 220
control information concerning the network 200 and the radio
resources being used by the base station 210 within the network
200. For example, the information may include information related
to cell access. For example, the cell access information may
include information about downlink and uplink channels for
respective downlink and uplink communications, carrier frequencies
and bandwidths for downlink and uplink channels used by the base
station 210, uplink and downlink power control and sounding
reference signal configurations, random access channel information,
among other information. For example, in LTE networks, the
information may be included in master-information block (MIB)
transmissions and system-information block (SIB) transmissions.
[0046] After the synchronization process and either during or after
the information broadcast about the network 200 is provided to the
MTC devices 220, the MTC devices 220 may transmit one or more
communications to the base station 210 with information about the
MTC devices 220. Based on the information from the MTC devices 220,
the base station 210 may determine that the MTC devices 220 are MTC
devices and not human operated devices.
[0047] After the base station 210 determines that the MTC devices
220 are part of the network 200, the base station 210 may allocate
a set of downlink resources in the downlink channel for future
assignment of downlink data communications from the base station
210 to the MTC devices 220. The base stations 210 may also allocate
a set of uplink resources in an uplink channel for future
assignment of uplink data communications from the MTC devices 220
to the base station 210.
[0048] In some embodiments, the base station 210 may allocate the
sets of downlink and uplink resources when one or more MTC devices
220 are associated with the network 200. Alternately or
additionally, the base station 210 may allocate the sets of
downlink and uplink resources when a related downlink SNR and/or
SINR processed by a number of MTC devices 220 associated with the
network 200 is greater than a threshold. The threshold may be
determined based on the configuration of the network 200, a number
of human operated devices in the network 200, and a quality of
service level provided by the network 200, among other factors.
[0049] In some embodiments, the base station 210 may allocate the
sets of downlink and uplink resources for data communications
between the base station 210 and MTC devices 220. Downlink data
communications may include communications where data generated by
another network is sent to the MTC devices 220. Uplink data
communications may include communications where the MTC devices 220
send data to another network. In these and other embodiments,
downlink and uplink control communications may be used by the base
station 210 to coordinate the communications between the base
station 210 and the MTC devices 220 in the network 200. In some
embodiments, all or some of the downlink and uplink control
communications concerning the MTC devices 220 may employ radio
resources that are shared with downlink and uplink control
communications for human operated devices. For example, the
downlink control communications from the base station 210 to the
MTC devices 220 may use the shared set of downlink resources that
are used for the synchronization signals and other signals, such as
physical broadcast channel signals (PBCH), transmitted by the base
station 210.
[0050] Alternately or additionally, the base station 210 may
allocate the sets of downlink and uplink resources for data and
control communications between the base station 210 and the MTC
devices 220. In some embodiments, the base station 210 may adjust
whether the allocation of the first sets of downlink and uplink
resources are for the data and the control communications based on
the network traffic being experienced by the radio resources used
for the control communications for the human operated devices. For
example, when the radio resources that are used by the MTC devices
for control communications are experiencing high network traffic,
the base station 210 may indicate to the MTC devices 220 that the
control communications between the base station 210 and the MTC
devices 220 use the allocated first sets of downlink and uplink
resources.
[0051] In some embodiments, after the synchronization process, it
may be determined, by either the MTC devices 220 or the base
station 210, whether the signal quality of the downlink
communications to the MTC devices 220 are below a threshold. If the
MTC devices 220 determine that the signal quality of the downlink
communications to the MTC devices 220 are below a threshold, the
MTC devices 220 may indicate such to the base station 210. The
signal quality of the downlink communications to the MTC devices
220 may be determined using any known SNR or SINR calculation
method or procedure. The signal quality of the downlink
communications to the MTC devices 220 that are below a threshold
may indicate that the MTC devices 220 are positioned in a coverage
deficit location.
[0052] In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2, the first MTC
device 220a may be in a coverage deficit location and the second
MTC device 220b may be in a regular coverage location. The first
MTC device 220a may be in a coverage deficit location based on the
degraded SNR and/or SINR associated with the first path 202a
between the first MTC device 220a and the base station 210.
Similarly, the second MTC device 220b may be in a regular coverage
location based on regular SNR and/or SINR associated with the
second path 202b between the second MTC device 220b and the base
station 210.
[0053] In some embodiments, the base station 210 may allocate
separate sets of uplink and/or downlink resources for the MTC
devices 220 that are in coverage deficit locations and for the MTC
devices 220 that are in regular coverage locations. For example, in
these and other embodiments, the first MTC device 220a may use
radio resources allocated in first sets of downlink and uplink
resources and the second MTC device 220b may use radio resources
allocated in second sets of downlink and uplink resources that are
different from the first sets of downlink and uplink resources.
[0054] In some embodiments, the base station 210 may allocate
additional sets of uplink or downlink resources for MTC devices
220. These additional sets of uplink and downlink resources may be
semi-statically or dynamically allocated. For example, when the
network traffic in a first set of uplink resources allocated for
the MTC devices 220 is such that the quality of service degrades
below a threshold determined for the network 200, the base station
210 may allocate a second set of uplink resources for the MTC
devices 220. In these and other embodiments, all of the MTC devices
220 may use the first and second sets of uplink resources or a
portion of the MTC devices 220 may be assigned to the first set and
another portion of the MTC devices 220 may be assigned to the
second set. The base station 210 may de-allocate the second set of
uplink resources after the quality of service rises above the
threshold, after a duration of time, or based on some other
metric.
[0055] The quality of service of the network 200 may be based on
latency, e.g., delays, that devices in the network 200 experience
when attempting to access the network 200. For example, when a
device, such as the first MTC device 220a, requests to transmit
data and the base station 210 does not schedule the first MTC
device 220a for 150 milliseconds; the latency of the network 200
may be 150 milliseconds. A quality of service threshold may be
based on a configuration of the network 200. For example, when the
MTC devices 220 are designed to provide information to a gas
company, the gas company may contract with the network provider for
a quality of service, e.g., an ability for the MTC devices 220 to
access the network 200, send a report, and a related MTC server to
decode the report, within a set amount of time. The set amount of
time for the MTC devices 220 to access the network 200 may be a
threshold for quality of service with respect to the MTC devices.
When the time for the MTC devices 220 to access the network 200
exceeds the set amount of time as agreed, the quality of service
for the MTC devices 220 may be indicated to be degraded below a
threshold.
[0056] Based on the allocation of radio resources for the MTC
devices 220, when an MTC device 220 requests to access the network
200, by either requesting data from the network 200 or requesting
to send data to the network 200, the base station 210 may schedule
the MTC device 220 and assign the MTC device 220 radio resources
from among the allocation of radio resources for MTC devices
220.
[0057] For example, when the first MTC device 220a requests data
from the network, the base station 210 may send an indication of
downlink resources assigned to the first MTC device 220a for the
scheduled transmission. The assigned downlink resources may be part
of the allocated downlink resources for the MTC devices 220. The
first MTC device 220a may then receive data downlink communications
over the assigned downlink resources from the base station 210. In
some embodiments, the control communications used by the first MTC
device 220a to request the data from the network 200 and used by
the base station 210 to indicate the assigned downlink resources
for the scheduled transmission may be part of the allocated
downlink resources for the MTC devices 220
[0058] As another example, when the first MTC device 220a requests
to send data to the network 200, the base station 210 may send an
indication of uplink resources assigned to the first MTC device
220a for the scheduled transmission. The assigned uplink resources
may be part of the allocated uplink resources for the MTC devices
220. The first MTC device 220a may then transmit data uplink
communications over the assigned uplink resources to the base
station 210. In some embodiments, the control communications used
by the first MTC device 220a to request to send the data to the
network 200 and used by the base station 210 to indicate the
assigned uplink resources for the scheduled transmission may be
part of the allocated uplink resources for the MTC devices 220.
Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the network
200 without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0059] FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example time and frequency radio
resource allocation, arranged in accordance with at least some
embodiments described herein. FIG. 3 illustrates a downlink
resource channel 310 (referred to herein as the "DL channel 310")
and an uplink resource channel 330 (referred to herein as the "UL
channel 330"). The DL channel 310 and the UL channel 330 may have
similar bandwidths. The bandwidths of the DL channel 310 and the UL
channel 330 may be 5 MHz, 10 MHz, 15 MHz, or 20 MHz, or some other
amount of bandwidth. Each of the DL and UL channels 310 and 330 may
be partitioned into smaller allocations of radio resources, such as
resource blocks. For example, in an LTE network, a 20 MHz channel
may be separated into 100 or more physical resource blocks.
[0060] In some embodiments, the DL channel 310 may include a
central resource allocation 312. In some embodiments, the central
resource allocation 312 may be defined across six resource blocks
and may be located near the center of the DL channel 310. In a
network that supports the DL channel 310, downlink control
communications between a base station, human operated devices, and
in some embodiments, MTC devices, may be assigned radio resources
in the central resource allocation 312.
[0061] In some embodiments, one or more MTC device radio resource
allocations may be defined across one or more sets of contiguous or
non-contiguous resource blocks. For example, a first set of
resource blocks 314 may include a contiguous set of resource blocks
that may be defined for downlink communications from a base station
to the MTC devices. A second set of resource blocks 316 may include
a non-contiguous set of resource blocks that includes resource
blocks 316a, 316b, and 316c. In some embodiments, the sets of
resource blocks may include multiples or whole integer
sub-multiples of six resource blocks. In these and other
embodiments, a whole integer sub-multiple may be an exact divisor
of a value that is a whole integer. For example, 2 and/or 3 may be
whole integer sub-multiples of six.
[0062] As an example, when transmitting downlink communications to
MTC devices in a network using the DL channel 310, a base station
may select radio resources from the first set of resource blocks
314 or the second set of resource blocks 316. When transmitting
downlink communications to human operated devices, the base station
may select radio resources from resource blocks not in the first
and second sets of resource blocks 314 and 316.
[0063] As another example, in a network with MTC devices in
coverage deficit locations and regular coverage locations, a base
station may select radio resources from the first set of resource
blocks 314 for transmitting data communications to the MTC devices
in coverage deficit locations and select radio resources from the
second set of resource blocks 316 for transmitting data
communications to the MTC devices in regular coverage
locations.
[0064] In some embodiments, the UL channel 330 may include a
central resource allocation 332. In some embodiments, the central
resource allocation 332 may be defined across six resource blocks
and may be located near the center of the UL channel 330. In a
network that supports the UL channel 330, uplink control
communications between a base station, human operated devices, and
in some embodiments, MTC devices, may be assigned radio resources
in the central resource allocation 332.
[0065] In some embodiments, one or more MTC device radio resource
allocations may be defined across one or more sets of contiguous or
non-contiguous resource blocks. For example, a first and a third
set of resource blocks 334 and 338 may each include a contiguous
set of resource blocks that may be defined for uplink
communications to a base station from the MTC devices. A second set
of resource blocks 336 may include a non-contiguous set of resource
blocks that includes resource blocks 336a and 336b. In some
embodiments, the sets of resource blocks may include multiples or
whole integer sub-multiples of six resource blocks.
[0066] As an example, a base station in a network may select radio
resources for uplink communications from MTC devices to the base
station from the first, second, or third sets of resource blocks
334, 336, and 338. The base station may select radio resources for
uplink communications to the base station from human operated
devices from resource blocks not in the first, second, or third
sets of resource blocks 334, 336, and 338.
[0067] As another example, radio resources for uplink
communications for MTC devices in coverage deficit locations may be
selected from the first and second sets of resource blocks 334 and
338 and radio resources for uplink communications for MTC devices
in regular coverage locations may be selected from the third set of
resource blocks 336.
[0068] FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a flow chart of an example method
400 of allocating radio resources in a radio access system,
arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described
herein. The method 400 may be implemented, in some embodiments,
within a radio access network, such as the networks 100 or 200 of
FIGS. 1 and 2. Although illustrated as discrete blocks, various
blocks may be divided into additional blocks, combined into fewer
blocks, or eliminated, depending on the desired implementation.
[0069] The method 400 may begin at block 402, where one or more MTC
devices within a network may be detected by a base station. The
base station may be configured to detect the MTC devices based on
information provided by the MTC devices. Block 402 may be followed
by block 403.
[0070] In block 403, sets of radio resources may be allocated to
the MTC devices. For example, one or more sets of uplink resources
in an uplink channel may be allocated for future assignment of
uplink data communications from the MTC devices. Alternately or
additionally, one or more sets of downlink resources in a downlink
channel may be allocated for future assignment of downlink data
communications to the MTC devices. Block 403 may be followed by
block 404.
[0071] In block 404, it may be determined if one or more of the MTC
devices is located in a coverage deficit location. When one or more
of the MTC devices are not located in a coverage deficit location,
the method 400 may proceed to block 407. When one or more of the
MTC devices are located in a coverage deficit location, the method
400 may proceed to block 405.
[0072] In block 405, the MTC devices in the coverage deficit
locations may be grouped together and referred to herein as CD_MTC
devices. The MTC devices in the regular coverage locations may be
grouped together and referred to herein as the RC_MTC devices. The
method 400 may diverge for the CD_MTC devices and for the RC_MTC
devices. For the RC_MTC devices, the method 400 may proceed to
block 406. For the CD_MTC devices, the method 400 may proceed to
block 416.
[0073] In block 406, the radio resources allocated to the MTC
devices in block 404 may be associated with the RC_MTC devices. The
block 406 may be followed by block 407. In block 407, network
traffic for the RC_MTC devices may be measured. Block 407 may be
followed by block 408.
[0074] In block 408, it may be determined if RC_MTC device network
traffic is resulting in quality of service for the RC_MTC devices
being less than a threshold. In these and other embodiments, the
RC_MTC devices may be communicating with the base station using the
radio resources allocated to the MTC devices in block 404. In some
embodiments, it may be determined if the RC_MTC device downlink
network traffic, uplink network traffic, or a combination thereof
is resulting in a quality of service for the RC_MTC devices being
less than the threshold. When the quality of service for the RC_MTC
devices is less than the threshold, the method 400 may proceed to
block 410. When the quality of service for the RC_MTC devices is
equal to or greater than the threshold, the method 400 may proceed
to block 407.
[0075] In block 410, additional radio resources may be allocated
for the RC_MTC devices. For example, one or more additional sets of
uplink resources in an uplink channel may be allocated for future
assignment of uplink data communications for the RC_MTC devices.
Alternately or additionally, one or more additional sets of
downlink resources in a downlink channel may be allocated for
future assignment of downlink data communications to the RC_MTC
devices. The additional sets of radio resources may be used to
support communications between the RC_MTC devices and the base
station to bring the quality of service above the threshold. Block
410 may be followed by block 411.
[0076] In block 411, the network traffic for the RC_MTC devices may
be measured again. Block 411 may be followed by block 412. In block
412, it may be determined if the RC_MTC device network traffic has
decreased. When RC_MTC device network traffic has decreased, the
method 400 may proceed to block 414. When RC_MTC device network
traffic has not decreased, the method 400 may return to block
411.
[0077] In block 414, the additional radio resources for the RC_MTC
devices allocated in block 410 may be de-allocated. Block 414 may
be followed by block 407. In block 416, radio resources may be
allocated to the CD_MTC devices. For example, one or more sets of
uplink resources in an uplink channel may be allocated for future
assignment of uplink data communications from the CD_MTC devices.
Alternately or additionally, one or more sets of downlink resources
in a downlink channel may be allocated for future assignment of
downlink data communications to the CD_MTC devices. In these and
other embodiments, the CD_MTC devices may be communicating with the
base station using the radio resources allocated in block 416.
Block 416 may be followed by block 417.
[0078] In block 417, network traffic for the CD_MTC devices may be
measured. Block 417 may be followed by block 418. In block 418, it
may be determined if CD_MTC device network traffic is resulting in
quality of service for the CD_MTC devices being less than a
threshold. In some embodiments, it may be determined if the CD_MTC
device downlink network traffic, uplink network traffic, or a
combination thereof is resulting in a quality of service for the
CD_MTC devices being less than the threshold. When the quality of
service for the CD_MTC devices is less than the threshold, the
method 400 may proceed to block 420. When the quality of service
for the CD_MTC devices is equal to or greater than the threshold,
the method 400 may proceed to block 417.
[0079] In block 420, additional radio resources may be allocated
for the CD_MTC devices. For example, one or more additional sets of
uplink resources in an uplink channel may be allocated for future
assignment of uplink data communications from the CD_MTC devices.
Alternately or additionally, one or more additional sets of
downlink resources in a downlink channel may be allocated for
future assignment of downlink data communications to the CD_MTC
devices. The additional sets of radio resources may be used to
support communications between the CD_MTC devices and the base
station to bring the quality of service above the threshold. Block
420 may be followed by block 421.
[0080] In block 421, the network traffic for the RC_MTC devices may
be measured again. Block 421 may be followed by block 422. In block
422, it may be determined if the CD_MTC device network traffic has
decreased. When CD_MTC device network traffic has decreased, the
method 400 may proceed to block 424. When CD_MTC device network
traffic has not decreased, the method 400 may return to block 421.
In block 424, the additional radio resources for the CD_MTC devices
allocated in block 420 may be de-allocated. Block 424 may be
followed by block 417.
[0081] One skilled in the art will appreciate that, for this and
other processes and methods disclosed herein, the functions
performed in the processes and methods may be implemented in
differing order. Furthermore, the outlined acts and operations are
only provided as examples, and some of the acts and operations may
be optional, combined into fewer acts and operations, or expanded
into additional acts and operations without detracting from the
essence of the disclosed embodiments.
[0082] FIG. 5 is flow chart of another example method 500 of
allocating radio resources in a radio access system, arranged in
accordance with at least some embodiments described herein. The
method 500 may be implemented, in some embodiments, within a radio
access network, such as the networks 100 or 200 of FIGS. 1 and 2.
For instance, the processor system 214 of the base station 210 of
FIG. 2 may be configured to execute computer instructions to
allocate radio resources as represented by one or more of blocks
502, 504, 506, and/or 508 of the method 500. Although illustrated
as discrete blocks, various blocks may be divided into additional
blocks, combined into fewer blocks, or eliminated, depending on the
desired implementation.
[0083] The method 500 may begin at block 502, where a communication
from each of multiple machine-type communication (MTC) devices in a
radio access network may be received at a base station. The radio
access network and the base station may be configured to support
the MTC devices and human operated devices. Block 502 may be
followed by block 504.
[0084] In block 504, it may be determined that the communications
are received from the MTC devices. In some embodiments, determining
that the communications are received from the MTC devices may
include determining that the communications are received from the
MTC devices that are receiving downlink communications from the
base station with a signal quality below a threshold. Block 504 may
be followed by block 506.
[0085] In block 506, a first set of downlink resources in a
downlink channel may be allocated for future assignment of downlink
data communications from the base station to the MTC devices. In
some embodiments, the first set of downlink resources in the
downlink channel includes multiple or whole integer sub-multiples
of six resource blocks in the downlink channel. In these and other
embodiments, the resource blocks in the downlink channel may be
contiguous or non-contiguous.
[0086] In some embodiments, the first set of downlink resources in
the downlink channel may be allocated for only future assignment of
downlink data communications from the base station to the MTC
devices. In some embodiments, the first set of downlink resources
in the downlink channel may not be allocated for future assignment
of downlink data communications from the base station to the human
operated devices. Block 506 may be followed by block 508.
[0087] In block 508, a first set of uplink resources in an uplink
channel may be allocated for future assignment of uplink data
communications from the MTC devices to the base station. In some
embodiments, the first set of uplink resources in the uplink
channel includes multiple or whole integer sub-multiples of six
resource blocks in the uplink channel. In these and other
embodiments, the resource blocks in the uplink channel may be
contiguous or non-contiguous.
[0088] In some embodiments, the first set of uplink resources in
the uplink channel may be allocated for only future assignment of
uplink data communications from the MTC devices to the base
station. In some embodiments, the first set of uplink resources in
the uplink channel may not be allocated for future assignment of
uplink data communications from the human operated devices to the
base station.
[0089] The outlined acts and operations of FIG. 5 are only provided
as examples, and some of the acts and operations may be optional,
combined into fewer acts and operations, or expanded into
additional acts and operations without detracting from the essence
of the disclosed embodiments.
[0090] For example, the method 500 may further include detecting an
increase in uplink data traffic from the MTC devices to the base
station and in response to detecting an increase, allocating
semi-statically or dynamically a second set of uplink resources in
the uplink channel for future assignment of uplink data
communications from the MTC devices to the base station. In these
and other embodiments, the future uplink data communications from
the MTC devices to the base station may be transmitted using the
first and second sets of uplink resources.
[0091] As another example, the act of determining that the
communications are received from the MTC devices may further
include grouping the MTC devices that receive downlink
communications with a signal quality at or above the threshold into
a first group of MTC devices. The act may further include grouping
the MTC devices that receive downlink communications with a signal
quality below the threshold into a second group of MTC devices. The
act may further include allocating a second set of uplink resources
in the uplink channel for future assignment of uplink data
communications from the second group of MTC devices to the base
station. In these and other embodiments, the first set of uplink
resources may be allocated for future assignment of uplink data
communications from the first group of MTC devices to the base
station.
[0092] In these and other embodiments, the method 500 may further
include allocating semi-statically or dynamically a second set of
downlink resources in the downlink channel for future assignment of
downlink data communications from the base station to the second
group of MTC devices. In these and other embodiments, the first set
of downlink resources in the downlink channel may be for future
assignment of the downlink data communications from the base
station to the first group of MTC devices.
[0093] In some embodiments, the second set of uplink resources in
the uplink channel may be for future assignment of uplink data
communications and uplink control communications from the second
group of MTC devices to the base station. In these and other
embodiments, uplink control communications from the first group of
MTC devices to the base station may not be assigned to the first or
second set of uplink resources.
[0094] FIG. 6 is flow chart of an example method 600 of using radio
resources in a radio access network, arranged in accordance with at
least some embodiments described herein. The method 600 may be
implemented, in some embodiments, within a radio access network,
such as the networks 100 or 200 of FIGS. 1 and 2. For instance, the
processor system 224 of the first MTC device 220a and/or the second
MTC device 220b of FIG. 2 may be configured to execute computer
instructions to allocate radio resources as represented by one or
more of blocks 602, 604, and/or 606 of the method 600. Although
illustrated as discrete blocks, various blocks may be divided into
additional blocks, combined into fewer blocks, or eliminated,
depending on the desired implementation.
[0095] The method 600 may begin at block 602, where an MTC device
in a wireless access network may be synchronized with a base
station based on one or more synchronization signals received from
the base station. In these and other embodiments, the one or more
synchronization signals may be transmitted using radio resources
within a first set of control resources in a downlink channel.
Alternately or additionally, the base station may be configured to
support the MTC device and a human operated device. Block 602 may
be followed by block 604.
[0096] In block 604, an indication of assigned downlink resources
in the downlink channel for downlink communication with the base
station may be received. In these and other embodiments, the
assigned downlink resources may be included in a first set of
downlink resources in the downlink channel allocated for downlink
communication from the base station to the MTC device and one or
more other MTC devices. Block 604 may be followed by block 606.
[0097] In block 606, an indication of assigned uplink resources in
an uplink channel for uplink communication with the base station
may be received. In these and other embodiments, the assigned
uplink resources may be included in a first set of uplink resources
in the uplink channel allocated for uplink communication from the
MTC device and one or more other MTC devices to the base
station.
[0098] The outlined acts and operations of FIG. 6 are only provided
as examples, and some of the acts and operations may be optional,
combined into fewer acts and operations, or expanded into
additional acts and operations without detracting from the essence
of the disclosed embodiments.
[0099] For example, the method 600 may further include receiving
data and control downlink communications over the assigned downlink
resources from the base station. In these and other embodiments,
the assigned downlink resources may be separate from the first set
of control resources in the downlink channel.
[0100] The method 600 may further include transmitting first data
and control uplink communications over the assigned uplink
resources from the MTC device to the base station. In these and
other embodiments, other data and control uplink communications
from human operated devices may be assigned other uplink resources
in the uplink channel that are separate from the first set of
uplink resources.
[0101] The method 600 may further include after transmitting the
first data and control uplink communications over the first
assigned uplink resources, receiving an indication of second
assigned uplink resources in the uplink channel for uplink
communication with the base station. In these and other
embodiments, the second assigned uplink resources may be included
in a second set of uplink resources in the uplink channel allocated
for uplink communication from the MTC device and one or more other
MTC devices to the base station. The method 600 may further include
transmitting second data and control uplink communications over the
second assigned uplink resources to the base station.
[0102] The method 600 may further include after transmitting second
data and control uplink communications over the second assigned
uplink resources to the base station, receiving an indication of
third assigned uplink resources in the uplink channel for uplink
communication with the base station. In these and other
embodiments, the third assigned uplink resources may be included in
the first set of uplink resources. The method 600 may further
include transmitting third data and control uplink communications
over the third assigned uplink resources to the base station.
[0103] The embodiments described herein may include the use of a
special-purpose or general-purpose computer including various
computer hardware or software modules, as discussed in greater
detail below.
[0104] Embodiments described herein may be implemented using
computer-readable media for carrying or having computer-executable
instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such
computer-readable media may be any available media that may be
accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer. By way
of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media may
include non-transitory computer-readable storage media including
Random Access Memory (RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), Electrically
Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), Compact Disc
Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disk storage, magnetic
disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, flash memory
devices (e.g., solid state memory devices), or any other storage
medium which may be used to carry or store desired program code in
the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures and
which may be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose
computer. Combinations of the above may also be included within the
scope of computer-readable media.
[0105] Computer-executable instructions may include, for example,
instructions and data which cause a general-purpose computer,
special-purpose computer, or special-purpose processing device
(e.g., one or more processors) to perform a certain function or
group of functions. Although the subject matter has been described
in language specific to structural features and/or methodological
acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the
appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features
or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts
described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the
claims.
[0106] As used herein, the terms "module" or "component" may refer
to specific hardware implementations configured to perform the
operations of the module or component and/or software objects or
software routines that may be stored on and/or executed by
general-purpose hardware (e.g., computer-readable media, processing
devices, etc.) of the computing system. In some embodiments, the
different components, modules, engines, and services described
herein may be implemented as objects or processes that execute on
the computing system (e.g., as separate threads). While some of the
system and methods described herein are generally described as
being implemented in software (stored on and/or executed by
general-purpose hardware), specific hardware implementations or a
combination of software and specific hardware implementations are
also possible and contemplated. In this description, a "computing
entity" may be any computing system as previously defined herein,
or any module or combination of modulates running on a computing
system.
[0107] All examples and conditional language recited herein are
intended for pedagogical objects to aid the reader in understanding
the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to
furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without
limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions.
Although embodiments of the present inventions have been described
in detail, it should be understood that the various changes,
substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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