HK1129050B

HK1129050B - Methods and apparatus for communicating transmission backlog information

Info

Publication number: HK1129050B
Application number: HK09106361.9A
Authority: HK
Inventors: A.戴斯; R．拉洛亚; 李君易
Original assignee: 高通股份有限公司
Priority date: 2005-12-22
Filing date: 2006-12-20
Publication date: 2013-12-06

Description

Method and apparatus for communicating transmission backlog information

Technical Field

The present invention relates to wireless communication methods and apparatus, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for reporting and interpreting communicated control information, such as transmission backlog reports.

Background

A wireless terminal in a wireless communication system that supports uplink traffic (e.g., uplink user data) from the wireless terminal to a base station needs to use uplink air link resources to communicate both control information and user information. In multiple access wireless communication systems, multiple wireless terminals using a base station attachment point typically contend for valuable uplink air link resources, e.g., contending for uplink traffic channel air link resources. One way to partition the uplink traffic channel resources is for each wireless terminal to send resource requests to its current base station attachment point and for the base station to consider these competing requests and allocate resources, such as uplink traffic channel segments, according to its scheduling rules.

Each wireless terminal has different requirements for uplink traffic channel resources at different times, which may depend on various factors, such as, for example, the type of user data to be communicated, e.g., voice, image data, Web browser information, data files, etc., latency requirements, predetermined data aggregation, and/or priority.

A single size uplink traffic channel request is not well suited for efficiently communicating a wide range of uplink traffic channel request information. A request report with a large bit size means a large amount of overhead for a single report and is therefore typically not always on, which is a serious disadvantage where latency is an important consideration. In addition, in applications where the range of requests is very limited, e.g., each request typically corresponds to one or two frames, it can be very wasteful to dedicate a large number of bits to a single request report. At the other extreme, a small size uplink request report is not well suited for applications that may need to communicate large amounts of request information at a given time.

Based on the foregoing discussion, it should be appreciated that there is a need for methods and apparatus that implement a hybrid uplink traffic channel resource request structure that accommodates a wide range of types of wireless terminals and various applications. There is also a need for at least some methods and apparatus that efficiently communicate the changing demands of individual wireless terminals on uplink traffic channel resources. A method and apparatus that balances information reporting size and reporting frequency would be beneficial. Methods and apparatus that support the maintenance of multiple uplink traffic channel request groups and/or the communication of multiple uplink traffic channel request group backlog information would also be beneficial.

Summary of the invention

The present invention is directed to improved methods and apparatus for reporting transmission backlog information. The present invention is also directed to methods and apparatus for receiving and using reported transmission backlog information.

One exemplary method of reporting transmission backlog information in accordance with the present invention includes operating a wireless terminal (e.g., mobile node) to transmit backlog information using a plurality of different sized reports over a period of time. For example, in at least one embodiment, the plurality of reports includes a first fixed size report and a second fixed size report, the second fixed size report being larger than the first fixed size report. In various embodiments, the plurality of reports further includes reports of a third fixed size, the third fixed size being larger than the second fixed size. In some embodiments, the first, second and third fixed sizes are each less than 10 information bit sizes. In some such embodiments, the first, second and third fixed sizes are each less than 5 information bits. In a particular exemplary embodiment, the first fixed size is 1 information bit, the second fixed size is 3 information bits, and the third fixed size is 4 information bits.

In various embodiments, the transmitting step includes transmitting more reports of the first size than reports of the second size during the time period, e.g., during a round of repetition of the recurring reporting structure. In some embodiments where the first size is 1 bit, the 1 bit report indicates whether there is information to transmit corresponding to a set of queues. The 1-bit report may correspond to a combination of two request group queues and may be arranged to indicate that there is data to transmit if either of the two request group queues includes data to transmit. In various embodiments, the smallest size report is used for the highest priority traffic, e.g., voice or control traffic.

In some embodiments, the reports communicate information about a plurality of queues, each report providing information about the backlog of one or more request groups to which the queues correspond. In some embodiments, in at least some cases, a second fixed size report, such as a 3-bit report, is used for a delta between a communication and information communicated in a previously communicated third fixed size report (such as a 4-bit report). In various embodiments, the second fixed size report is a report of information about both sets of queues. In various embodiments, a third fixed-size report provides information about a set of queues. In some such embodiments, the 1 set of queues includes 1 request group queue, two request group queues, or three request group queues. In some embodiments, the wireless terminal includes a predetermined number of request group queues for uplink traffic, e.g., 4 request groups (RG0, RG1, RG2, and RG3), and a third fixed size report is capable of conveying backlog information corresponding to any of these different request groups.

In various embodiments, the multiple reports are transmitted on a time-shared basis. In some such embodiments, the dedicated control channel segment comprises at most one of the first, second and third fixed size reports of the communicated transmission backlog information. In some embodiments, each dedicated control channel segment allocated to the wireless terminal provides the wireless terminal with an opportunity to communicate one of the first, second, and third fixed size reports used to communicate backlog information.

An exemplary wireless terminal implemented in accordance with various embodiments of the invention comprises: a queue status monitoring module for monitoring an amount of information in at least one queue of a plurality of different queues for storing information to be transmitted; a transmission backlog report generating module for generating backlog reports of different bit sizes providing transmission backlog information; and a transmission backlog report control module for controlling transmission of the generated backlog information report. In some embodiments, these different bit-size backlog reports are fixed bit-size reports, e.g., a first fixed bit-size report, a second fixed bit-size report, and a third fixed bit-size report. The exemplary wireless terminal also includes a transmitter (e.g., an OFDM transmitter) for transmitting at least some of the generated backlog information reports, e.g., to the base station. In various embodiments, dedicated control channel segments are used by wireless terminals to transmit backlog information reports. In some such embodiments, the wireless terminal further comprises an encoding module for encoding information to be transmitted in dedicated control channel segments, and for at least some of the dedicated control channel segments, the encoding module encodes a transmission backlog report together with at least one additional report for communicating non-backlog control information.

In various embodiments, the wireless terminal further includes stored reporting information indicating a mapping between queue status information and bit patterns that may be communicated using reports of these different bit sizes. In some embodiments, the wireless terminal further comprises reporting scheduling information, e.g., information of a recurring reporting schedule, indicating that more reports of the first size will be transmitted for at least one iteration of the stored transmission reporting schedule than reports of the second size.

While various embodiments are discussed in the above summary, it should be appreciated that not necessarily all embodiments include the same features, and some of the features described above may not be necessary in some embodiments. Numerous other features, embodiments and benefits of the present invention are discussed in the detailed description below.

Brief Description of Drawings

Fig. 1 is a diagram of an exemplary communication system implemented in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 illustrates an exemplary base station implemented in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 3 illustrates an exemplary wireless terminal, such as a mobile node, implemented in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a diagram of an exemplary uplink Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) segment in an exemplary uplink timing and frequency structure in an exemplary Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) multiple access wireless communication system.

Fig. 5 includes an illustration of an example dedicated control channel in an example uplink timing and frequency structure in an example Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) multiple access wireless communication system when each set of DCCH segments corresponding to a logical DCCH channel tone is in full-tone format.

Fig. 6 includes an illustration of an example dedicated control channel in an example uplink timing and frequency structure in an example Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) multiple access wireless communication system when each set of DCCH segments corresponding to a logical DCCH channel tone is in a split-tone format.

Fig. 7 includes an illustration of an example dedicated control channel in an example uplink timing and frequency structure in an example Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) multiple access wireless communication system when some of the sets of DCCH segments corresponding to a logical DCCH channel tone are in full tone format and some of the sets of DCCH segments corresponding to a logical DCCH channel tone are in divided tone format.

Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating the use of formats and patterns in an exemplary uplink DCCH according to the present invention that define the interpretation of information bits in a DCCH segment.

Fig. 9 shows several examples corresponding to fig. 8, showing different modes of operation.

Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example default mode for full tone format in a beacon slot on a given DCCH tone.

Fig. 11 shows an exemplary definition of a default mode in a full tone format of an uplink DCCH segment in a first uplink superslot after a WT transitions to an ON state.

Fig. 12 is an exemplary summary list of Dedicated Control Reports (DCRs) in the full tone format of the default mode.

Fig. 13 is a table of an exemplary format of an exemplary 5-bit downlink SNR report (DLSNR5) in non-DL macro-diversity mode.

Fig. 14 is a table of an exemplary format of a 5-bit downlink SNR report (DLSNR5) in DL macro-diversity mode.

Fig. 15 is a table of an exemplary format of an exemplary 3-bit downlink Δ SNR report (DLDSNR 3).

Fig. 16 is a table of an exemplary format of an exemplary 1-bit uplink request (ULRQST1) report.

Fig. 17 is an exemplary table for calculating exemplary control parameters y and z used to determine an uplink multi-bit request report conveying transmission request group queue information.

Fig. 18 is a table identifying the bit format of a 4-bit uplink request ULRQST4 corresponding to an exemplary first request dictionary (RD reference number ═ 0) and the interpretations associated with each of its 16 bit patterns.

Fig. 19 is a table identifying the bit format of a 3-bit uplink request ULRQST3 corresponding to an exemplary first request dictionary (RD reference number ═ 0) and the interpretations associated with each of its 8 bit patterns.

Fig. 20 is a table identifying the bit format of a 4-bit uplink request ULRQST4 corresponding to an exemplary second request dictionary (RD reference number ═ 1) and the interpretations associated with each of its 16 bit patterns.

Fig. 21 is a table identifying the bit format of a 3-bit uplink request ULRQST3 corresponding to an exemplary second request dictionary (RD reference number ═ 1) and the interpretations associated with each of its 8 bit patterns.

Fig. 22 is a table identifying the bit format of a 4-bit uplink request ULRQST4 corresponding to an exemplary third request dictionary (RD reference number 2) and the interpretations associated with each of its 16 bit patterns.

Fig. 23 is a table identifying the bit format of a 3-bit uplink request ULRQST3 corresponding to an exemplary third request dictionary (RD reference number ═ 2) and the interpretations associated with each of its 8 bit patterns.

Fig. 24 is a table identifying the bit format of a 4-bit uplink request ULRQST4 corresponding to an exemplary fourth request dictionary (RD reference number — 3) and the interpretations associated with each of its 16 bit patterns.

Fig. 25 is a table identifying the bit format of a 3-bit uplink request ULRQST3 corresponding to an exemplary fourth request dictionary (RD reference number — 3) and the interpretations associated with each of its 8 bit patterns.

Fig. 26 is a table identifying the bit format of an exemplary 5-bit uplink transmitter power backoff report (ULTxBKF5) and the interpretations associated with each of its 32 bit patterns in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 27 includes an exemplary power scaling factor table associating tone block power level numbers with power scaling factors implemented in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 28 is an exemplary uplink loading factor table implemented in accordance with the present invention for communicating base station sector loading information.

Fig. 29 is a table showing an exemplary format of a 4-bit downlink beacon ratio report (DLBNR4) according to the present invention.

Fig. 30 is a diagram depicting an exemplary representation of the format of an exemplary 4-bit downlink saturation level of self-noise SNR report (DLSSNR4) in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 31 is a diagram of a table showing an example of mapping between indicator report information bits and report types carried by a corresponding flexible report.

Fig. 32 is a diagram illustrating an example default mode for a given DCCH tone of an example wireless terminal in a split-tone format in a beacon slot.

Fig. 33 shows an exemplary definition of the default mode of the uplink DCCH segment in the tone-division mode in the first uplink superslot after the WT transitions to the ON state.

Fig. 34 provides an exemplary summary list of Dedicated Control Reports (DCRs) in the default mode of the split tone format.

Fig. 35 is a table identifying the bit format of an exemplary 4-bit uplink transmit backoff report (ULTxBKF4) and the interpretations associated with each of its 16 bit patterns in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 36 is an example of a mapping between indicator report information bits and types of reports carried by a corresponding flexible report.

Fig. 37 is an exemplary specification of uplink dedicated control channel segment modulation coding in a full modulation format.

Fig. 38 is a diagram illustrating a table of an exemplary specification of uplink dedicated control channel segment modulation coding in a split-tone format.

Fig. 39 is a diagram illustrating a table of exemplary wireless terminal uplink traffic channel frame request group queue count information.

Fig. 40 includes a diagram illustrating an exemplary set of 4 request group queues being maintained by a wireless terminal and a diagram illustrating an exemplary mapping of uplink data flow traffic streams of two exemplary wireless terminals to request queues according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 41 illustrates an exemplary request group queue structure, multiple request dictionaries, multiple types of uplink traffic channel request reports, and grouping of groups of queues according to an exemplary format for each type of report.

Fig. 42, which comprises a combination of fig. 42A, 42B, 42C, 42D, and 42E, is a flow chart of an exemplary method of operating a wireless terminal in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 43 is a flow chart of an exemplary method of operating a wireless terminal in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 44 is a flow chart of an exemplary method for operating a wireless terminal to report control information in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 45 and 46 are used to illustrate the use of an initial control information report set in an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 47 is a flow chart of an exemplary method of operating a communication device that includes information indicating a predetermined reporting sequence for controlling transmission of a plurality of different control information reports on a recurring basis in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 48 illustrates two exemplary different formats of an initial control channel information report set, the different formats of the report set including at least one segment conveying a different report set, in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 49 illustrates a plurality of different initial control information report sets having different numbers of segments, in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 50 is a flow chart of an exemplary method of operating a wireless terminal in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 51 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary full-tone DCCH mode segment and an exemplary fractional-tone DCCH mode segment allocated to an exemplary wireless terminal in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

Fig. 52 is a flow chart of an exemplary method of operating a base station in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 53 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary full-tone DCCH mode segment and an exemplary fractional-tone DCCH mode segment allocated to an exemplary wireless terminal in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

Fig. 54 is an illustration of a flowchart of an exemplary method of operating a wireless terminal in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 55 is an illustration of an exemplary wireless terminal, e.g., mobile node, implemented in accordance with the present invention and employing methods of the present invention.

Fig. 56 is an illustration of an exemplary base station (e.g., access node) implemented in accordance with the present invention and employing methods of the present invention.

Fig. 57 is an illustration of an exemplary wireless terminal, e.g., mobile node, implemented in accordance with the present invention and employing methods of the present invention.

Fig. 58 is an illustration of an exemplary base station (e.g., access node) implemented in accordance with the present invention and employing methods of the present invention.

Fig. 59, which comprises a combination of fig. 59A, 59B and 59C, is a flow chart of an exemplary method of operating a wireless terminal in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 60 is a flow chart of an exemplary method of operating a wireless terminal to provide transmit power information to a base station in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 61 is a table of an exemplary format of an exemplary 1-bit uplink request (ULRQST1) report.

Fig. 62 is an exemplary table used to calculate exemplary control parameters y and z used to determine an uplink multi-bit request report conveying transmission request group queue information.

Fig. 63 and 64 define an exemplary request dictionary with RD reference number equal to 0.

Fig. 65 and 66 include tables defining an exemplary request dictionary with RD reference number equal to 1.

Fig. 67 and 68 include tables defining an exemplary request dictionary with RD reference number equal to 2.

Fig. 69 and 70 include tables defining an exemplary request dictionary with RD reference number equal to 3.

Fig. 71 is an illustration of an exemplary wireless terminal, e.g., mobile node, implemented in accordance with the present invention and employing methods of the present invention.

Fig. 72 is an illustration of an exemplary wireless terminal, e.g., mobile node, implemented in accordance with the present invention and employing methods of the present invention.

Fig. 73 illustrates an exemplary mapping of uplink data flow traffic streams to their respective request group queues at different times for an exemplary wireless terminal, in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

Fig. 74 is an illustration of an exemplary wireless terminal (e.g., mobile node) implemented in accordance with the present invention and employing methods of the present invention.

Fig. 75 is a diagram for explaining the features of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention using a wireless terminal transmission power report.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS

Fig. 1 illustrates an exemplary communication system 100 in accordance with an implementation of the present invention. The exemplary communication system 100 includes a plurality of cells: cell 1102, cell M104. Exemplary system 100 is, for example, an exemplary Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) spread spectrum wireless communication system, such as a multiple access OFDM system. Each cell 102, 104 of the exemplary system 100 includes 3 sectors. According to the invention, cells which are not subdivided into a plurality of sectors (N ═ 1), cells with two sectors (N ═ 2) and cells with more than three sectors (N > 3) are also possible. Each sector supports one or more carriers and/or downlink tone blocks. In some embodiments, each downlink tone block has a corresponding uplink tone block. In some embodiments, at least some sectors support three downlink tone blocks. Cell 102 includes a first sector (sector 1110), a second sector (sector 2112), and a third sector (sector 3114). Similarly, cell M104 includes a first sector (sector 1122), a second sector (sector 2124), and a third sector (sector 3126). Cell 1102 includes a Base Station (BS) (base station 1106) and a plurality of Wireless Terminals (WTs) in each sector 110, 112, 114. Sector 1110 includes WT (1)136 and WT (n)138 coupled to BS 106 via wireless links 140, 142, respectively; sector 2112 includes WT (1 ') 144 and WT (N') 146 coupled to BS 106 via wireless links 148, 150, respectively; sector 3114 includes WT (1 ") 152 and WT (N") 154 coupled to BS 106 via wireless links 156, 158, respectively. Similarly, cell M104 includes a base station M108, and a plurality of Wireless Terminals (WTs) in each sector 122, 124, 126. Sector 1122 includes WT (1 "") 168 and WT (N "") 170 coupled to BS M108 via wireless links 180, 182, respectively; sector 2124 includes WT (1 "" ') 172 and WT (N ""') 174 coupled to BS M108 via wireless links 184, 186, respectively; sector 3126 includes WT (1 "") 176 and WT (N "") 178 coupled to BS M108 via wireless links 188, 190, respectively.

System 100 also includes a network node 160 coupled to BS 1106 and BS M108 via network links 162, 164, respectively. Network node 160 is also coupled to other network nodes, such as other base stations, AAA server nodes, intermediate nodes, routers, etc., and the internet via network link 166. Network links 162, 164, 166 may be, for example, fiber optic cables. Each wireless terminal, such as WT 1136, includes a transmitter and a receiver. At least some of the wireless terminals (e.g., WT (1)136) are mobile nodes that may be moving in system 100 and may communicate via wireless links with a base station in the cell in which the WT is currently located, e.g., using a base station sector access point. Wireless Terminals (WTs) (e.g., WT (1)136) may communicate with peer nodes, such as other WTs in system 100 or outside system 100, via a base station, such as BS 106, and/or network node 160. WTs (e.g., WT (1)136) may be mobile communication devices such as cellular telephones, personal data assistants having wireless modems, laptop computers having wireless modems, data terminals having wireless modems, and the like.

Fig. 2 illustrates an exemplary base station 12 implemented in accordance with the present invention. Exemplary base station 12 may be any of the exemplary base stations of fig. 1. The base station 12 comprises antennas 203, 205 and receiver transmitter modules 202, 204. The receiver module 202 includes a decoder 233 and the transmitter module 204 includes an encoder 235. The modules 202, 204 are coupled by a bus 230 to an I/O interface 208, a processor (e.g., CPU)206, and a memory 210. I/O interface 208 couples base station 12 to other network nodes and/or the internet. The memory 210 includes routines which, when executed by the processor 206, cause the base station 12 to operate in accordance with the invention. The memory 210 includes communications routines 223 for controlling the base station 12 to perform various communications operations and implement various communications protocols. The memory 210 also includes a base station control routine 225 for controlling the base station 12 to implement the steps of the method of the present invention. The base station control routines 225 include a scheduling module 226 for controlling transmission scheduling and/or communication resource allocation. Thus, module 226 may function as a scheduler. Base station control routines 225 also include a dedicated control channel module 227 that implements the methods of the present invention, such as processing received DCCH reports, performing control related to DCCH mode, allocating DCCH segments, and the like. Memory 210 also includes information for use by communication routines 223 and control routines 225. Data/information 212 includes data/information sets (WT 1 data/information 213, WT N data/information 213') for a plurality of wireless terminals. WT 1 data/information 213 includes mode information 231, DCCH report information 233, resource information 235, and session information 237. The data/information 212 also includes system data/information 229.

Fig. 3 illustrates an exemplary wireless terminal 14 (e.g., mobile node) implemented in accordance with the present invention. Exemplary wireless terminal 14 may be any of the exemplary wireless terminals of fig. 1. A wireless terminal 14, such as a mobile node, may be used as a Mobile Terminal (MT). The wireless terminal 14 includes receiver and transmitter antennas 303, 305 coupled to receiver and transmitter modules 302, 304, respectively. The receiver module 302 includes a decoder 333 and the transmitter module 304 includes an encoder 335. The receiver/transmitter modules 302, 304 are coupled by a bus 305 to a memory 310. The processor 306, under control of one or more routines stored in the memory 310, causes the wireless terminal 14 to operate in accordance with the methods of the present invention. To control wireless terminal operation, memory 310 includes communications routines 323 and wireless terminal control routines 325. The communications routines 323 are used to control the wireless terminal 14 to perform various communications operations and implement various communications protocols. The wireless terminal control routines 325 are responsible for ensuring that the wireless terminal operates in accordance with the methods of the present invention and performs steps related to the operation of the wireless terminal. Wireless terminal control routines 325 include a DCCH module 327 that implements the methods of the present invention, e.g., controlling the performance of measurements used in DCCH reporting, generating DCCH reports, controlling the transmission of DCCH reports, controlling DCCH mode, etc. Memory 310 also includes user/device/session/resource information 312 which may be accessed and used to implement the methods of the present invention and/or may be data structures used to implement the present invention. Information 312 includes DCCH report information 330 and mode information 332. Memory 310 also includes system data/information 329, including, for example, uplink and downlink channel structure information.

Fig. 4 is a diagram 400 of an exemplary uplink Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) segment in an exemplary uplink timing and frequency structure in an exemplary Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) multiple access wireless communication system. The uplink dedicated control channel is used to send a Dedicated Control Report (DCR) from the wireless terminal to the base station. Vertical axis 402 plots logical uplink tone index and horizontal axis 404 plots uplink index for a half slot within a beacon slot. In this example, the uplink tone block includes 113 logical uplink tones indexed (0. ·, 112); there are 7 consecutive OFDM symbol transmission periods within a half-slot, 2 additional OFDM symbol periods followed by 16 consecutive half-slots within a super-slot, and 8 consecutive super-slots within a beacon slot. The first 9 OFDM symbol transmission periods within the super slot are access intervals, and the dedicated control channel does not use the air link resources of the access interval.

The exemplary dedicated control channel is subdivided into 31 logical tones (uplink tone index 81406, uplink tone index 82408.., uplink tone index 111410). Each logical uplink tone (81,.., 111) in the logical uplink frequency structure corresponds to a logical tone (0,..., 30) with respect to a DCCH channel index.

For each tone in this dedicated control channel, there are 40 segments in the beacon slot corresponding to 40 columns (412, 414, 416, 418, 420, 422.., 424). These segment structures repeat on a beacon slot basis. For a given tone in the dedicated control channel, there are 40 segments corresponding to beacon slot 428; each of the 8 superslots of the beacon slot includes 5 consecutive segments corresponding to the given tone. For example, for the first superslot 426 of the beacon slot 428, there are 5 index segments (segment [0] [0], segment [0] [1], segment [0] [2], segment [0] [3], segment [0] [4]) corresponding to tone 0 of the DCCH. Similarly, for the first superslot 426 of the beacon slot 428, there are 5 index segments (segment [1] [0], segment [1] [1], segment [1] [2], segment [1] [3], segment [1] [4]) corresponding to tone 1 of the DCCH. Similarly, for the first superslot 426 of the beacon slot 428, there are 5 index segments (segment [30] [0], segment [30] [1], segment [30] [2], segment [30] [3], segment [30] [4]) of the tone 30 corresponding to the DCCH.

In this example, each segment (e.g., segment [0] [0]) includes one tone over 3 consecutive half-slots, e.g., representing an allocated uplink air link resource of 21 OFDM tone-symbols. In some embodiments, a logical uplink tone hops to physical tones according to an uplink tone hopping sequence such that the physical tone associated with a logical tone may be different for successive half-slots, but remains constant during a given half-slot.

In some embodiments of the invention, a set of uplink dedicated control channel segments corresponding to a given tone may use one of a number of different formats. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, for a given tone on a beacon slot, the set of DCCH segments may use one of two formats: a frequency-division modulation format and a full-frequency modulation format. In a full tone format, the set of uplink DCCH segments corresponding to one tone is used by a single wireless terminal. In a frequency-divided tone format, the set of uplink DCCH segments corresponding to the tone is shared by up to three wireless terminals in a time division multiplexed manner. In some embodiments, the base station and/or wireless terminal may change the format of a given DCCH tone using a predetermined protocol. In some embodiments, the formats of the uplink DCCH segments corresponding to different DCCH tones may be set independently and may be different.

In some embodiments, the wireless terminal should support a default mode for uplink dedicated control channel segments regardless of which format is employed. In some embodiments, the wireless terminal supports the default mode of uplink dedicated control channel segments and one or more additional modes of uplink dedicated control channel segments. This mode defines the interpretation of the information bits in the uplink dedicated control channel segment. In some embodiments, the base station and/or WT may change modes using, for example, upper layer configuration protocols or the like. In various embodiments, an uplink DCCH segment corresponding to a different tone, or an uplink DCCH segment corresponding to the same tone but used by different WTs, may be independently set and may be different.

Fig. 5 includes a diagram 500 of an exemplary dedicated control channel in an exemplary uplink timing and frequency structure in an exemplary Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) multiple access wireless communication system. Diagram 500 may represent DCCH 400 in fig. 4 when each group of DCCH segments corresponding to one tone is in a full tone format. Vertical axis 502 plots the logical tone index for the DCCH and horizontal axis 504 plots the uplink index for a half-slot within a beacon slot. The exemplary dedicated control channel is subdivided into 31 logical tones (tone index 0506, tone index 1508. ·, tone index 30510). For each tone in the dedicated control channel, there are 40 segments in the beacon slot corresponding to 40 columns (512, 514, 516, 518, 520, 522,.., 524). Each logical tone of the dedicated control channel may be assigned by a base station to a different wireless terminal that uses the base station as its current point of attachment. For example, logic (tone 0506, tone 1508,.., tone 30510) may currently be assigned to (WT a 530, WT B532,..., WTN' 534), respectively

Fig. 6 includes a diagram 600 of an exemplary dedicated control channel in an exemplary uplink timing and frequency structure in an exemplary Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) multiple access wireless communication system. Diagram 600 may represent DCCH 400 in fig. 4 when each set of DCCH segments corresponding to one tone is in divided-tone format. The vertical axis 602 plots the logical tone index for the DCCH and the horizontal axis 604 plots the uplink index for a half-slot within a beacon slot. The exemplary dedicated control channel is subdivided into 31 logical tones (tone index 0606, tone index 1608. -, tone index 30610). For each tone in the dedicated control channel, there are 40 segments in the beacon slot corresponding to 40 columns (612, 614, 616, 618, 620, 622,..., 624). Each logical tone of the dedicated control channel may be assigned by a base station to up to 3 different wireless terminals using the base station as their current point of attachment. For a given tone, segments alternate between the three wireless terminals, with 13 segments being allocated to each of the three wireless terminals and the 40 th segment being reserved. This exemplary division of the air link resources for DCCH channels represents a total of 93 different wireless terminals allocated DCCH channel resources on the exemplary beacon slot. For example, logical tone 0606 may currently be assigned to and shared by WT a 630, WT B632, and WT C634; logical tone 1608 may currently be assigned to and shared by WT D636, WT E638, and WT F640; logical tones 30610 can be currently assigned to WT M ' "642, WT N '" 644, and WT O ' "646. For this beacon slot, each of the exemplary WTs (630, 632, 634, 636, 638, 640, 642, 644, 646) is assigned 13 DCCH segments.

Fig. 7 includes a diagram 700 of an exemplary dedicated control channel in an exemplary uplink timing and frequency structure in an exemplary Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) multiple access wireless communication system. Diagram 700 may represent DCCH 400 in fig. 4 when some of the sets of DCCH segments corresponding to one tone are in full tone format and some of the sets of DCCH segments corresponding to one tone are in divided tone format. The vertical axis 702 plots the logical tone index for the DCCH and the horizontal axis 704 plots the uplink index for a half-slot within a beacon slot. The exemplary dedicated control channel is subdivided into 31 logical tones (tone index 0706, tone index 1708, tone index 2709. For each tone in the dedicated control channel, there are 40 segments in the beacon slot corresponding to 40 columns (712, 714, 716, 718, 720, 722,... times., 724). In this example, the set of segments corresponding to logical tone 0708 is in a divided tone format and is currently assigned to and shared by WT a 730, WT B732, and WT C734, where each WT receives 13 segments and one segment is reserved. The set of segments corresponding to logical tone 1708 is also in divided tone format, but is currently assigned to and shared by two WTs (WT D736, WT E738) with 13 segments received by each WT. For tone 1708, there is a set of 13 unassigned segments, and one reserved segment. The set of segments corresponding to logical tone 2709 is also in divided tone format, but is currently assigned to a WT (WT F739), which receives 13 segments. For tone 2709, there are two sets of unassigned segments, 13 in each set, and one reserved segment. The set of bands corresponding to logical tones 30710 is in full tone format and is currently assigned to WT P '740, where WT P' 740 receives all 40 bands for use.

Fig. 8 is a diagram 800 illustrating the use of formats and modes in an exemplary uplink DCCH, the modes defining the interpretation of information bits in a DCCH segment, in accordance with the present invention. Row 802, corresponding to one tone of the DCCH, shows 15 successive segments of the DCCH in which a divided tone format is used and thus the tone is shared by three wireless terminals, and the mode used by any one of the three WTs may be different. Meanwhile, row 804 shows 15 consecutive DCCH segments using the full-tone format and used by a single wireless terminal. The legend 805 indicates: segment 806 with vertical shading is used by 1 st WT users, segment 808 with diagonal shading is used by 2 nd WT users, segment 810 with horizontal shading is used by 3 rd WT users, and segment 812 with cross shading is used by 4 th WT users.

Fig. 9 shows several examples of corresponding diagrams 800, which illustrate different modes of operation. In the example of diagram 900, 1 st, 2 nd, and 3 rd WTs share the DCCH tone in a divided tone format, while 4 th WT is in a divided tone formatThe full tone format uses tones. Each of the WTs corresponding to the example of diagram 900 is a default mode that uses uplink dedicated control channel segments to follow a default mode interpretation of information bits in DCCH segments. Default mode of the divide-by-tune format (D) _S) With a default mode (D) of full tone format_F) Different.

In the example of diagram 920, WT nos. 1, 2 and 3 share the DCCH tone in a split tone format, while WT No. 4 uses the tone in a full tone format. Each of the (1 st, 2 nd, and 3 rd) WTs corresponding to the example of diagram 920 use a different uplink dedicated control channel segment pattern, each following a different interpretation of the information bits in the DCCH segment. The 1 st WT is mode 2 using the split tone format, the 2 nd wireless terminal is the default mode using the split tone format, and the 3 rd WT is mode 1 using the split tone format. Additionally, WT 4 is the default mode using full tone format.

In the example of diagram 940, the 1 st, 2 nd, and 3 rd WTs share the DCCH tone in a divided tone format, while the 4 th WT uses the tone in a full tone format. Each of the (1 st, 2 nd, 3 rd, and 4 th) WTs corresponding to the example of diagram 940 use a different uplink dedicated control channel segment pattern, each following a different interpretation of the information bits in the DCCH segment. The 1 st WT is mode 2 using the split tone format, the 2 nd wireless terminal is the default mode using the split tone format, while the 3 rd WT is mode 1 using the split tone format, and the 4 th WT is mode 3 using the full tone format.

Fig. 10 is a diagram 1099 illustrating an example default mode for full tone format in a beacon slot on a given DCCH tone. In fig. 10, each block (1000, 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005, 1006, 1007, 1008, 1009, 1010, 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014, 1015, 1016, 1017, 1018, 1019, 1020, 1021, 1022, 1023, 1024, 1025, 1026, 1027, 1028, 1029, 1030, 1031, 1032, 1033, 1034, 1035, 1036, 1037, 1038, 1039) represents a segment whose index s2(0,..., 39) is shown in a rectangular area 1040 above the block. Each block (e.g., block 1000 representing segment 0) conveys 6 information bits; each block includes 6 rows corresponding to the 6 bits in the segment, with the bits listed from the most significant column to the least significant column from top to bottom as shown in rectangular region 1043.

For this exemplary embodiment, the framing format shown in fig. 10 is reused in each beacon slot when the default mode of the full tone format is used, with the following exceptions. In the first uplink superslot after the wireless terminal has transitioned to the ON state in the current connection, the WT should use the framing format shown in fig. 11. The first uplink superslot is defined for the following scenario: when a WT transitions from an ACCESS state to an ON state, when a WT transitions from a HOLD state to an ON state, and when a WT transitions from an ON state of another connection to the ON state.

Fig. 11 shows an exemplary definition of a default mode in a full tone format of an uplink DCCH segment in a first uplink superslot after WT transitions to an ON state. Diagram 1199 includes 5 consecutive segments (1100, 1101, 1102, 1103, 1104) in the super-slot that respectively correspond to segment index s2 ═ (0, 1, 2, 3, 4) as indicated by rectangle 1106 above the segment. Each block (e.g., block 1100 representing segment 0 of the super slot) conveys 6 information bits; each block includes 6 rows corresponding to the 6 bits in the segment, with the bits listed from the most significant column to the least significant column from top to bottom as shown in rectangular area 1108.

In this exemplary embodiment, in the scenario of transitioning from HOLD to ON state, the WT starts transmitting the uplink DCCH channel from the beginning of the first UL super slot, so the first uplink DCCH segment should transmit the information bits in the leftmost information column in fig. 11, i.e., the information bits of segment 1100. In this exemplary embodiment, in the scenario of a transition from the ACCESS state, the WT need not start from the beginning of the first UL superslot, but still transmits the uplink DCCH segment according to the framing format specified in fig. 11. For example, if the WT starts transmitting a ULDCCH segment from a half-slot indexed 4 in the super-slot, the WT jumps the leftmost information column (segment 1100) of fig. 11 and the first uplink DCCH segment transmits the second leftmost column (segment 1101). Note that in this exemplary embodiment, the half slots (1-3) indexed in the superslot correspond to one DCCH segment (1100) and the half slots (4-6) indexed in the superslot correspond to the next segment (1101). In this exemplary embodiment, for the scenario of switching between full tone and divided tone formats, the WT uses the framing format shown in fig. 10 without the exception described above using the format shown in fig. 11.

Once the first UL superslot ends, the uplink DCCH channel segment is switched to the framing format in fig. 10. The point of the switch group frame format may or may not be the beginning of a beacon slot depending on where the first uplink superslot ends. Note that in this example embodiment, there are 5 DCCH segments for a given DCCH tone over a superslot. For example, assume that the first uplink superslot has an uplink beacon slot superslot index of 2, where the beacon slot superslot index ranges from 0 to 7. Then in the next uplink superslot with uplink beacon slot superslot index 3, the first uplink DCCH segment using the default framing format in fig. 10 has index s 2-15 (segment 1015 in fig. 10) and transmits information corresponding to segment s 2-15 (segment 1015 in fig. 10).

Each uplink DCCH segment is used to transmit a set of dedicated control channel reports (DCRs). An exemplary summary list of DCRs in full tone format in default mode is given in table 1200 of fig. 12. The information of table 1200 applies to the segmented segments of fig. 10 and 11. Each segment of fig. 10 and 11 includes two or more reports as described in table 1200. The first column 1202 of the table 1200 describes the abbreviated names used for each exemplary report. The name of each report ends with a number that specifies the number of bits of the DCR. The second column 1204 of table 1200 briefly describes each named report. The third column 1206 specifies the segment index s2 in FIG. 10 in which the DCR is to be transferred, and it corresponds to the mapping between the table 1200 and FIG. 10.

An exemplary 5-bit downlink signal-to-noise ratio (DLSNR5) absolute report will now be described. The exemplary DLSNR5 uses one of two mode formats. When the WT has only one connection, a non-DL macro diversity mode format is used. Using a DL macro diversity mode format if the WT is in DL macro diversity mode when the WT has multiple connections; otherwise, a non-macro diversity mode format is used. In some embodiments, whether the WT is in DL macro diversity mode and/or how the WT switches between DL macro diversity mode and non-DL macro diversity mode is specified in the upper layer protocol. In non-DL macro diversity mode, the WT reports the measured received downlink pilot channel segment SNR using the closest representation in table 1300 of fig. 13. Fig. 13 is a table 1300 of an exemplary format of DLSNR5 in non-DL macro-diversity mode. The first column 1302 lists the 32 possible bit patterns that can be represented by the 5 bits of the report. The second column 1304 lists the value of wtDLPICHSNR communicated to the base station via the report. In this example, an incremental level from-12 dB to 29dB may be indicated corresponding to 31 different bit patterns, while bit pattern 11111 is reserved.

For example, if wtDLPICHSNR calculated based on the measurements is-14 dB, the DLSNR5 report is set to pattern 00000; if the wtDLPICHSNR calculated based on the measurements is-11.6 dB, then the DLSNR5 report is set to pattern 00000 because this entry of-12 dB in table 1300 is closest to the calculated-11.6 value; if the wtDLPICHSNR calculated based on the measurements is-11.4 dB, then the DLSNR5 report is set to bit pattern 00001 because this entry of-11 dB in table 1300 is closest to the calculated-11.4 dB value.

The reported wireless terminal downlink pilot SNR (wtdlpichsnr) accounts for the fact that the pilot signal on which the SNR is measured is typically transmitted at a higher power than the average traffic channel power. To this end, the pilot SNR is reported in some embodiments as:

wtDLPICHSNR-pilot SNR-delta,

where pilot SNR is the SNR measured in dB on the received downlink pilot channel signal and Δ is the difference between the pilot transmission power and the average per tone channel transmission power level (e.g., average per tone downlink traffic channel transmission power).

In DL macro diversity mode format, the WT uses the DLSNR5 report to inform the base station sector attachment point whether the current downlink connection with the base station sector attachment point is a preferred connection and reports the calculated wtDLPICHSNR with the closest DLSNR5 report according to table 1400. Fig. 14 is a table 1400 of an exemplary format of DLSNR5 in DL macro diversity mode. The first column 1402 lists the 32 possible bit patterns that can be represented by the 5 bits of the report. The second column 1404 lists the value of wtDLPICHSNR communicated to the base station via the report and an indication of whether the connection is preferred. In this example, incremental SNR levels from-12 dB to 13dB may be indicated as corresponding to 32 different bit patterns. 16 of these patterns correspond to the situation where the connection is not preferred, while the remaining 16 patterns correspond to the situation where the connection is preferred. In some demonstrative embodiments, the highest SNR value that may be indicated when a link is preferred may be greater than the highest SNR value that may be indicated when a link is not preferred. In some demonstrative embodiments, the lowest SNR that may be indicated when a link is preferred may be greater than a lowest SNR value that may be indicated when a link is not preferred.

In some embodiments, in DL macro diversity mode, the wireless terminal indicates that there is, and only one, connection as the preferred connection at any given time. Furthermore, in some such embodiments, if a WT indicates in a DLSNR5 report that a connection is preferred, the WT sends at least numcontercucubitvepredicted (consecutive preferred number) consecutive DLSNR5 reports indicating that another connection is preferred before the WT is allowed to send a DLSNR5 report indicating which one of the connections becomes preferred. The value of the parameter numcontextupredicted depends on the format of the uplink DCCH channel (e.g., full tone format versus fractional tone format). In some embodiments, the WT obtains the parameter numcondecutivepreffered in an upper layer protocol. In some embodiments, the default value of numcondecutivepreferred is 10 in the full tone format.

An exemplary 3-bit relative (differential) report of downlink SNR (DLDSNR3) will now be described. The wireless terminal measures the received SNR (pilot SNR) of the downlink pilot channel, calculates wtDLPICHSNR value (where wtDLPICHSNR is pilot SNR- Δ), calculates the difference between this calculated wtDLPICHSNR value and the reported value reported by the most recent DLSNR5, and reports the calculated difference with the most recent DLDSNR3 report according to table 1500 of fig. 15. Fig. 15 is a table 1500 of an exemplary format of DLDSNR 3. The first column 1502 lists 9 possible bit patterns that may represent the 3 information bits of the report. The second column 1504 lists the reported difference of wtDLPICHSNR communicated to the base station via reports ranging from-5 dB to 5 dB.

Various exemplary uplink traffic channel request reports will now be described. In an exemplary embodiment, three types of uplink traffic channel request reports are used: an exemplary single bit uplink traffic channel request report (ULRQST1), an exemplary 3 bit uplink traffic channel request report (ULRQST3), and an exemplary 4 bit uplink traffic channel request report (ULRQST 4). The WT uses ULRQST1, ULRQST3, or ULRQST4 to report the status of the MAC frame queue at the WT transmitter. In the exemplary embodiment, the MAC frame is constructed from an LLC frame, which in turn is constructed from packets of an upper layer protocol. In this exemplary embodiment, any packet belongs to one of four request groups (RG0, RG1, RG2, or RG 3). In some exemplary embodiments, the mapping of packets to request groups is done by higher layer protocols. In some demonstrative embodiments, there is a default mapping of packets to request groups, which may be altered by the base station and/or WT through higher layer protocols. If the packet belongs to one request group, then in the exemplary embodiment all of the MAC frames of the packet also belong to the same request group. The WT reports the number of MAC frames in the 4 request groups that the WT may intend to transmit. In ARQ protocols, these MAC frames are marked as "new" or "to be retransmitted". The WT maintains a 4 element vector N [0:3] with k equal to 0:3, N [ k ] representing the number of MAC frames the WT intends to transmit in request group k. The WT should report information about N [0:3] to the base station sector so that the base station sector can utilize the information in the uplink scheduling algorithm to determine the assignment of uplink traffic channel segments.

In an exemplary embodiment, the WT reports N [0] + N [1] using a single bit uplink traffic channel request report (ULRQST1) according to table 1600 of FIG. 16. Table 1600 is an exemplary format of the ULRQST1 report. A first column 1602 indicates two possible bit patterns that can be conveyed, while a second column 1604 indicates the meaning of each bit pattern. If the bit pattern is 0, it indicates that the WT does not intend to send a MAC frame in request group 0 or request group 1. If the bit pattern is 1, the WT is instructed to have at least one MAC frame in request group 0 or request group 1 that the WT intends to communicate with.

According to one feature used in various embodiments of the invention, multiple request dictionaries are supported. This request dictionary defines the interpretation of information bits in the uplink traffic channel request report in the uplink dedicated control channel segment. At a given time, the WT uses a request dictionary. In some embodiments, the WT uses a default request dictionary when the WT has just entered the ACTIVE state. To change the request dictionary, the WT and base station sectors use an upper layer configuration protocol. In some embodiments, when a WT transitions from the ON state to the HOLD state, then the WT maintains the last request dictionary used in the ON state, such that when the WT later transitions from the HOLD state to the ON state, the WT continues to use the same request dictionary until the request dictionary is explicitly changed; however, if the WT leaves the ACTIVE state, the memory of the last request dictionary is cleared. In some embodiments, the ACTIVE state includes an ON state and a HOLD state, but does not include an ACCESS state and a sleep state.

In some embodiments, to determine at least some ULRQST3 or ULRQST4 reports, the wireless terminal first calculates one or more of the following two control parameters y and z and uses one of the request dictionaries, e.g., Request Dictionary (RD) reference number 0, RD reference number 1, RD reference number 2, RD reference number 3. Table 1700 of fig. 17 is an exemplary table for calculating control parameters y and z. The first column 1702 lists the conditions; a second column 1704 lists the corresponding values of the output control parameter y; the third column 1706 lists the corresponding values of the output control parameter z. In the first column 1702, x (in dB) represents the value of the last 5-bit uplink transmission backoff report (ULTXBKF5), and b (in dB) is the value of the last 4-bit downlink beacon ratio report (DLBNR 4). Given the input values x and b from the most recent report, the WT checks whether the conditions of the first row 1710 are met. If the test condition is met, the WT uses the corresponding y and z values of the row to calculate ULRQST3 or ULRQST 4. However, if the condition is not met, the test continues to the next row 1712. The tests are shifted down in table 1700 in top-to-bottom order (1710, 1712, 1714, 1716, 1718, 1720, 1722, 1724, 1726, 1728) until the conditions listed in column 1702 for a given row are met. The WT determines the y and z values from the first row in table 1700 that satisfies the first column as y and z. For example, if x is 17 and b is 1, then z is 4 and y is 1.

In some embodiments, the WT reports the actual N [0:3] of the MAC frame queue using ULRQST3 or ULRQST4 according to the request dictionary. The request dictionary is identified by a Request Dictionary (RD) reference number.

In some embodiments, at least some request dictionaries are such that any ULRQST4 or ULRQST3 may not completely include the actual N [0:3 ]. The report is essentially a quantized version of actual N [0:3 ]. In some embodiments, the WT sends reports to minimize the inconsistency between the reported and actual MAC frame queues first for request groups 0 and 1, then request group 2, and finally request group 3. However, in some embodiments, the WT has the flexibility to determine the reporting that is most beneficial to the WT. For example, assuming that the WT is using exemplary request dictionary 1 (see FIGS. 20 and 21), the WT may use ULRQST4 to report N [1] + N [3], and ULRQST3 to report N [2] and N [0 ]. In addition, if a report is directly related to a subset of request groups according to the request dictionary, it does not automatically imply that the MAC frame queues of the remaining request groups are empty. For example, if the report indicates that N [2] ═ 1, it may not automatically imply that N [0] ═ 0, N [1] ═ 0, or N [3] ═ 0.

Fig. 18 is a table 1800 identifying bit formats and interpretations associated with each of the 16 bit patterns of the 4-bit uplink request ULRQST4 corresponding to an exemplary first request dictionary (RD reference number ═ 0). In some embodiments, the request dictionary with reference number 0 is the default request dictionary. A first column 1802 identifies the bit pattern and the most significant bit to least significant bit ordering. A second column 1804 identifies the interpretations associated with each bit pattern. ULRQST4 of table 1800 conveys one of the following information: (i) no change from the previous 4-bit uplink request, (ii) information about N [0], and (iii) information about the resultant N [1] + N [2] + N [3] as a function of either control parameter y or control parameter z of table 1700 of FIG. 17.

Fig. 19 is a table 1900 identifying bit formats and interpretations associated with each of the 8 bit patterns of the 3-bit uplink request ULRQST3 corresponding to an exemplary first request dictionary (RD reference number ═ 0). In some embodiments, the request dictionary with reference number 0 is the default request dictionary. A first column 1902 identifies the bit pattern and the most significant bit to least significant bit ordering. A second column 1904 identifies the interpretations associated with each bit pattern. ULRQST3 of table 1900 conveys one of the following information: (i) information about N0, and (ii) information about a resultant N1 + N2 + N3 as a function of the control parameter y of table 1700 of FIG. 17.

Fig. 20 is a table 2000 identifying bit formats and interpretations associated with each of the 16 bit patterns of the 4-bit uplink request ULRQST4 corresponding to an exemplary second request dictionary (RD reference number ═ 1). The first column 2002 identifies the bit pattern and the most significant bit to least significant bit ordering. A second column 2004 identifies the interpretations associated with each bit pattern. ULRQST4 of table 2000 conveys one of the following information: (i) no change from the previous 4-bit uplink request, (ii) information about N2, and (iii) information about the resultant N1 + N3 as a function of either control parameter y or control parameter z of table 1700 of FIG. 17.

Fig. 21 is a table 2100 identifying bit formats and interpretations associated with each of the 8 bit patterns of a 3-bit uplink request ULRQST3 corresponding to an exemplary second request dictionary (RD reference number ═ 1). A first column 2102 identifies the bit pattern and the bit ordering of the most significant bits to the least significant bits. A second column 2104 identifies the interpretations associated with each bit pattern. ULRQST3 of table 2100 conveys one of the following information: (i) information about N0, and (ii) information about N2.

Fig. 22 is a table 2200 identifying bit formats and interpretations associated with each of the 16 bit patterns of the 4-bit uplink request ULRQST4 corresponding to an exemplary third request dictionary (RD reference number 2). A first column 2202 identifies the bit pattern and the bit ordering of the most significant bits to the least significant bits. A second column 2204 identifies the interpretations associated with each bit pattern. ULRQST4 of table 2200 conveys one of the following information: (i) no change from the previous 4-bit uplink request, (ii) information about N1, and (iii) information about the resultant N2 + N3 as a function of either control parameter y or control parameter z of table 1700 of FIG. 17.

Fig. 23 is a table 2300 identifying bit formats and interpretations associated with each of the 8 bit patterns of a 3-bit uplink request ULRQST3 corresponding to an exemplary third request dictionary (RD reference number ═ 2). A first column 2302 identifies a bit pattern and a bit ordering of most significant bits to least significant bits. The second column 2304 identifies the interpretations associated with each bit pattern. ULRQST3 of table 2300 conveys one of the following information: (i) information about N0, and (ii) information about N1.

Fig. 24 is a table 2400 identifying bit formats and interpretations associated with each of the 16 bit patterns of a 4-bit uplink request ULRQST4 corresponding to an exemplary fourth request dictionary (RD reference number — 3). The first column 2402 identifies the bit pattern and the most significant bit to least significant bit ordering. The second column 2404 identifies the interpretations associated with each bit pattern. ULRQST4 of table 2400 conveys one of the following information: (i) no change from the previous 4-bit uplink request, (ii) information about N1, (iii) information about N2, and (iv) information about N3 as a function of either control parameter y or control parameter z of table 1700 of FIG. 17.

Fig. 25 is a table 2500 identifying bit formats and interpretations associated with each of the 8 bit patterns of a 3-bit uplink request ULRQST3 corresponding to an exemplary fourth request dictionary (RD reference number — 3). The first column 2502 identifies the bit pattern and the most significant bit to least significant bit ordering. The second column 2504 identifies the interpretation associated with each bit pattern. ULRQST3 of table 2500 conveys one of the following information: (i) information about N0, and (ii) information about N1.

According to the invention, the method of the invention facilitates a wide range of reporting possibilities. For example, the use of control parameters (e.g., based on SNR and backoff reports) allows for multiple interpretations of a single-bit pattern request corresponding to a given dictionary. Consider an exemplary request dictionary reference number 0 for a 4-bit uplink request as shown in table 1800 of fig. 18. For a 4-bit request, there are 16 possibilities with a fixed interpretation for each bit pattern and no dependence on control parameters. However, in table 1800, since the control parameter y may have a value of 1 or 2, 4 bit patterns (0011, 0100, 0101, and 0110) therein may each have two different interpretations. Similarly, in table 1800, 9 bit patterns (0111, 1000, 1001, 1010, 1011, 1100, 1101, 1110, and 1111) can each have 10 different interpretations because the control parameter z can have any one of the values (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10). The use of control parameters expands the range of this 4-bit request report from 16 different possibilities to 111 possibilities.

An exemplary 5-bit wireless terminal transmitter power backoff report (ULTxBKF5) will now be described. Wireless terminal backoff reports are reports of the amount of remaining power that the WT must use for uplink transmissions of non-DCCH segments, e.g., including uplink traffic channel segments, after accounting for the power used to transmit DCCH segments. wtuldchbackoff-wtuldchchtxpower, where wtuldchtxpower denotes the transmission power per tone in dBm for the uplink DCCH channel, and wtpwowrmax is the maximum transmission power value for the WT, and is also in dBm. Note that wtuldchtxpower represents instantaneous power and is calculated using wtPowerNominal in the half-slot immediately preceding the current uplink DCCH segment. In some such embodiments, the power per tone of the uplink DCCH channel relative to wtPowerNominal is 0 dB. The value of wtPowerMax depends on the device capabilities of the WT, and on system specifications and/or regulations. In some embodiments, the determination of wtPowerMax is implementation dependent.

Fig. 26 is a table 2600 identifying bit formats and interpretations associated with each of the 32 bit patterns of an exemplary 5-bit uplink transmitter power backoff report (ULTxBKF5), in accordance with the present invention. A first column 2602 identifies the bit pattern and the bit ordering of the most significant bits to the least significant bits. A second column 2604 identifies the WT uplink DCCH backoff report values in dB reported for each bit pattern. In this exemplary embodiment, 30 distinct levels ranging from 6.5dB to 40dB may be reported; two bit patterns are reserved. The wireless terminal calculates wtuldcchwackoff, e.g., as indicated above, selects the closest entry in table 2600, and reports using the bit pattern.

An exemplary 4-bit downlink beacon ratio report (DLBNR4) will now be described. The beacon ratio report provides information as a function of measured downlink broadcast signals, e.g., beacon signals and/or pilot signals, received from the serving base station sector and from one or more other interfering base station sectors. Qualitatively, the beacon ratio report can be used to estimate the relative proximity of the WT to other base station sectors. The beacon ratio report may be, and in some embodiments is, used at the serving BS sector to control the WT's uplink rate to prevent excessive interference to other sectors. The beacon ratio report is based on two factors in some embodiments: (i) the estimated channel gain ratio, denoted G _iAnd (ii) a load factor, denoted as b_i。

The channel gain ratio is defined in some embodiments as follows. In the tone block of the current connection, the WT determines in some embodiments the uplink channel gain from the WT to any interfering base station sector i (bss i)And the channel gain from the WT to the serving BSS. The ratio is denoted G_i. Typically, the uplink channel gain ratio cannot be measured directly at the WT. However, since the uplink and downlink path gains are typically symmetric, the ratio can be estimated by comparing the relative received power of the downlink signals from the serving and interfering BSSs. One possible choice of a reference downlink signal is a downlink beacon signal, which is well suited for this purpose because it can be detected at very low SNR. In some embodiments, the beacon signal has a higher per tone transmission power level than other downlink signals from the base station sector. In addition, the nature of the beacon signal is such that accurate timing synchronization is not required for detection and measurement of the beacon signal. For example, the beacon signal is a high power narrowband (e.g., single tone), two OFDM symbol transmission period wide signal in some embodiments. Thus, in certain locations, WTs can detect and measure beacon signals from base station sectors where detection and/or measurement of other downlink broadcast signals, such as pilot signals, may not be feasible. Using the beacon signal, the uplink path ratio will be determined by G _i＝PB_i/PB₀Given therein, PB_iAnd PB₀Measured beacon power received from the interfering and serving base station sectors, respectively.

Since beacons are typically transmitted fairly infrequently, power measurements of the beacon signal may not provide a very accurate representation of the average channel gain, especially in fading environments where power changes are very fast. For example, in some embodiments, one beacon signal whose duration occupies 2 consecutive OFDM symbol transmission periods and corresponding to a downlink tone block of a base station sector is transmitted once per beacon slot of 912 OFDM symbol transmission periods.

On the other hand, the pilot signal is transmitted much more frequently than the beacon signal, e.g., in some embodiments the pilot signal is transmitted during 896 of the 912 OFDM symbol transmission periods of the beacon slot. If the WT can detect a pilot signal from a BS sector, it may not beBeacon signal measurements are used to estimate received beacon signal strength instead from measured received pilot signals. For example, if the WT can measure the received pilot power PP of the interfering BS sector_iThen it can be based on the estimated PB_i＝KZ_iPP_iTo estimate the received beacon power PB _iWhere K is the nominal ratio of the beacon pilot power for the same interfering sector for each of these BS sectors, and Z_iIs a sector-dependent scaling factor.

Similarly, if the pilot signal power from the serving BS is measurable at the WT, the beacon power PB is received₀Can be based on estimated PB₀＝KZ₀PP₀This relationship is estimated, where Z₀And PP₀Respectively, the scaling factor and the measured pilot power received from the serving base station sector.

It is observed that if the received pilot signal strength corresponding to the serving base station sector is measurable and the received beacon signal strength corresponding to the interfering base station sector is measurable, the beacon ratio can be estimated according to:

G_i＝PB_i/(PP₀ K Z₀)。

it is observed that if the pilot strength in both the serving and interfering sectors is measurable, the beacon ratio can be estimated according to:

G_i＝PP_i K Z_i/(PP₀ K Z₀)＝PP_i Z_i/(PP₀ Z₀)。

scaling factor K, Z_iAnd Z₀Or system constants, or may be inferred by the WT based on other information from the BS. In some embodiments, the scaling factor (K, Z)_i、Z₀) Some of which are system constants, and scaling factors (K, Z)_i、Z₀) Some of which are inferred by the WT from other information from the BS.

Some on different carriersScaling factor Z in multi-carrier systems of different power levels _iAnd Z₀Is a function of the downlink tone block. For example, an exemplary BSS has 3 power tier levels, and one of the 3 power tier levels is associated with each downlink tone block corresponding to a BSS attachment point. In some such embodiments, a different one of the 3 power tier levels is associated with each of the different tone blocks of the BSS. Continuing the example, for the given BSS, each power level is associated with a nominal BSS power level (e.g., one of bssPowerNominal0, bssPowerNominal1, bssPowerNominal 2), and pilot signals are transmitted at a relative power level with respect to the nominal BSS power level of the tone block (e.g., 7.2dB above the nominal BSS power level used by the tone block); however, the beacon per tone relative transmission power level of the BSS is the same (e.g., 23.8dB above the BSS power level (BSS power nominal0) used by the power tier 0 block), independent of the tone block from which the beacon is sent. Thus, in the example for a given BSS, the beacon transmit power will be the same in each of the tone blocks, while the pilot transmit power is different, e.g., the pilot transmit power for different tone blocks corresponds to different power level levels. The example set of scaling factors would be: k23.8-7.2 dB, which is the ratio of beacon to tier 0 pilot power, and Zi is set to the relative nominal power of the tier of interfering sectors compared to the tier 0 sector's power.

In some embodiments, the parameter Z₀Is determined from stored information (e.g., table 2700 of fig. 27) according to how the currently connected tone block is used in the serving BSS as determined by the bssSectorType of the serving BSS. For example, if the tone block of the current connection is used as a tier 0 tone block by the serving BSS, Z₀1 is ═ 1; z if the tone block of the current connection is used as a tier 1 tone block by the serving BSS₀Bssfowerboff 01; z if the tone block of the current connection is used as a tier 2 tone block by the serving BSS₀＝bssPowerBackoff02。

Fig. 27 includes an exemplary power scaling factor table 2700 in accordance with an implementation of the present invention. The first column 2702 lists the use of a tone block as any of a tier 0 tone block, a tier 1 tone block, or a tier 2 tone block. The second column 2704 lists the scaling factors associated with each level (0, 1, 2) tone block as (1, bscpowerboff 01, bscpowerboff 02), respectively. In some embodiments, the bssfowerboff 01 is 6dB and the bssfowerboff 02 is 12 dB.

In some embodiments, the DCCH DLBNR4 report may be one of a normal beacon ratio report and a special beacon ratio report. In some such embodiments, a downlink traffic control channel, such as the dl.tcch.flash channel, transmits a special frame in the beacon slot that includes a "request DLBNR4 report field. This field may be used by the serving BSS to control selection. For example, if the field is set to 0, the WT sends a normal beacon ratio report, otherwise the WT reports a special beacon ratio report.

Ordinary beacon ratio reporting according to some embodiments of the present invention measures the relative interference cost that a WT would incur to all interfering beacons or "closest" interfering beacons if the WT were to transmit to a serving BSS in the current connection. Special beacon ratio reporting according to some embodiments of the present invention measures the relative interference cost that a WT would have to generate for a particular BSS if the WT were to transmit to a serving BSS in the current connection. The specific BSS is the one using the information indication received in the "request DLBNR 4" field of the special downlink frame. For example, in some embodiments, the particular BSS is the one whose bssSlope is equal to the value of "request DLBNR4 report field" (e.g., in unsigned integer format) and whose bssSectorType is equal to mod (ulultrashort beacon slot index, 3), where ulultrashort beacon slot index is the uplink index of the beacon slot within the currently connected pole slot (ultraslot). In some exemplary embodiments, there are 18 indexed beacon slots within a pole slot.

In various embodiments, both the normal and special beacon ratios are determined from the calculated channel gain ratios G1, G2. WT receives down Uplink load factor transmitted in uplink broadcast system subchannel and determining variable b from uplink load factor table 2800 of fig. 28₀. The table 2800 includes: a first column 2802 listing 8 different values (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) that may be used for the uplink load factor; in the second column, the corresponding values (0, -1, -2, -3, -4, -6, -9, - ∞) of the b-value in dB are listed, respectively. For other BSSi, the WT attempts to receive b an uplink loading factor transmitted in the downlink broadcast system subchannel for BSSi in the tone block of the current connection_i. If the WT cannot receive the UL load factor b_iThen WT sets b_i＝1。

In some embodiments, in single carrier operation, the WT calculates the following power ratio as a normal beacon ratio report: b when ulultrasotBeaconslotindex is even number₀/(G₁b₁+G₂b₂+..) or b0/max (G) when ulultraslobeaconslotindex is odd₁b₁+G₂b₂+..) where ultraslotbutaconslotlndex is the uplink index of the beacon within the slot of the current connection and the operation "+" indicates a regular addition. When required to send a special beacon ratio report, the WT calculates b in some embodiments₀/(G_kB_k) Where the index k denotes a particular BSS k. In some embodiments, there are 18 indexed beacon slots within a pole slot.

Fig. 29 is a table 2900 illustrating an exemplary format of a 4-bit downlink beacon ratio report (DLBNR4) according to the present invention. The first column 2902 lists the 16 different bit patterns that the report can convey, while the second column 2904 lists the reported report power ratios for each bit pattern, e.g., ranging from-3 dB to 26 dB. The wireless terminal reports the normal and special beacon ratio reports by selecting and communicating the DLBNR4 entry closest to the determined reporting value. While in this exemplary embodiment the same table is used for normal and special beacon ratio reporting for DLBNR4, in some embodiments different tables may be used.

An exemplary 4-bit downlink self-noise SNR saturation level report (DLSSNR4) will now be described. In some embodiments, the WT derives saturation level of DL SNR, which is defined as the DL SNR that the WT receiver would measure on a received signal if the BSS transmitted such a signal at infinitely high power if the base station could transmit such a signal and the wireless terminal could measure such a signal. The saturation may be, and in some embodiments is, determined by the WT receiver's self-noise, which may be caused by factors such as channel estimation errors. The following is an exemplary method of deriving saturation of DL SNR.

In this exemplary method, the WT assumes that if the BSS transmits at power P, then the DL SNR is equal to SNR (P) -GP/(a)₀GP + N), where G represents the wireless channel path gain from BSS to WT, P is the transmit power, so GP is the received signal power, N represents the received interference power, a₀GP represents self noise, wherein a₀Higher values of (d) indicate higher values of self-noise. G is a value between 0 and 1, a₀P, and N are positive values. In this model, the saturation of DL SNR is equal to 1/a by definition₀. In some embodiments, the WT measures the received power of the downlink null channel (dl.nch) to determine the interference power N, and measures the received power of the downlink pilot channel (denoted g.p)₀) And the SNR of the downlink pilot channel (denoted as SNR)₀) (ii) a The WT then calculates 1/a₀＝(1/SNR₀-N/(GP₀))^-1。

Once the WT has derived the saturation of DL SNR, the WT reports it by using the entry in the DL self-noise saturation reporting table that is closest to the derived value. Table 3000 of fig. 30 is such an exemplary table describing the format of DLSSNR 4. The first column 3002 indicates the 16 different possible bit patterns that the DLSSNR4 report can convey, while the second column 3004 lists the DL SNR saturation levels that range from 8.75dB to 29.75dB for each bit pattern conveyed.

In various embodiments of the present invention, a flexible reporting is included in the DCCH to enable the WT to decide which type of report to communicate, and the type of report may vary between one flexible reporting opportunity and the next opportunity for a given WT using its assigned dedicated control channel segment.

In an exemplary embodiment, the WT uses a 2-bit TYPE report (TYPE2) to indicate the TYPE of report that the WT selected is to communicate in the 4-bit BODY report (BODY4) of the same DCCH segment that includes both TYPE2 and BODY4 reports. Table 3100 of fig. 31 is an example of a mapping between TYPE2 report information bits and the TYPEs of reports carried by the corresponding BODY4 reports. The first column 3102 indicates 4 possible bit patterns reported by the 2-bit TYPE 2. The second column 3104 indicates the TYPE of report that will be carried in the BOYD4 report corresponding to the same uplink dedicated control channel segment reported by TYPE 2. Table 3100 indicates: bit pattern 00 indicates that the BOYD4 report is to be an ULRQST4 report, bit pattern 01 indicates that the BOYD4 report is to be a DLSSNR4 report, and bit patterns 10 and 11 are reserved.

In some embodiments, the WT selects TYPE2 and BODY4 reports by evaluating the relative importance of different TYPEs of reports from which selection may occur, such as the reports listed in table 3100. In some embodiments, the WT may independently select TYPE2 between one segment and another.

Figure 32 is a drawing 3299 illustrating an exemplary default mode of split-tone format in a beacon slot on a given DCCH tone for a first WT. In fig. 32, each block (3200, 3201, 3202, 3203, 3204, 3205, 3206, 3207, 3208, 3209, 3210, 3211, 3212, 3213, 3214, 3215, 3216, 3217, 3218, 3219, 3220, 3221, 3222, 3223, 3224, 3225, 3226, 3227, 3228, 3229, 3230, 3231, 3232, 3323, 3234, 3235, 3236, 3237, 3238, 3239) represents a segment whose index s2(0, said, 39) is shown in a rectangular region 3240 above the block. Each block (e.g., block 3200, which represents segment 0) conveys 8 information bits; each block includes 8 rows corresponding to the 8 bits in the segment, with the bits listed from the most significant column to the least significant column from top to bottom as shown in rectangular region 3243.

For an exemplary embodiment, the framing format shown in fig. 32 is reused in each beacon slot when the default mode of the split tone format is used, with the following exceptions. In the first uplink superslot after the wireless terminal has transitioned to the ON state in the current connection, the WT application uses the framing format shown in fig. 33. The first uplink superslot is defined for the following scenario: when a WT transitions from an ACCESS state to an ON state, when a WT transitions from a HOLD state to an ON state, and when a WT transitions from an ON state of another connection to the ON state.

Figure 33 shows an exemplary definition of a default mode in a split-tone format of an uplink DCCH segment in a first uplink superslot after WT transitions to an ON state. Diagram 3399 includes 5 successive segments (3300, 3301, 3302, 3303, 3304) in the super-slot that respectively correspond to segment index s2 ═ (0, 1, 2, 3, 4) as indicated by rectangle 3306 above the segments. Each block (e.g., block 3300 representing segment 0 of the super slot) conveys 8 information bits; each block includes 8 rows corresponding to the 8 bits in the segment, where the bits are listed from the top row to the bottom row, from top to bottom, from the most significant column to the least significant column, as shown in rectangular area 3308.

In this exemplary embodiment, in the scenario of transitioning from HOLD to ON state, the WT starts transmitting the uplink DCCH channel from the beginning of the first UL super slot, so the first uplink DCCH segment should transmit the information bits in the leftmost information column in fig. 33, i.e., the information bits of segment 3300. In this exemplary embodiment, in the scenario of transitioning from the ACCESS state to the ON state, the WT need not start from the beginning of the first UL superslot, but still transmits the uplink DCCH segment according to the framing format specified in fig. 33. For example, if the WT transmits a UL DCCH segment starting from a half-slot indexed 10 in the super-slot, the WT jumps the leftmost information column (segment 3300) of fig. 33 and the first uplink DCCH segment transmitted corresponds to segment 3303. Note that in the exemplary embodiment, for the WT, the half slots (1-3) indexed in the superslot correspond to one segment, and the half slots (10-12) indexed in the superslot correspond to the next segment. In this exemplary embodiment, for a scenario in which switching is made between full tone and divided tone formats, the WT uses the framing format shown in fig. 32 without the exception described above using the format shown in fig. 33.

Once the first UL superslot ends, the uplink DCCH channel segment is switched to the framing format of fig. 32. The point of the switch group frame format may or may not be the beginning of a beacon slot depending on where the first uplink superslot ends. Note that in this example embodiment, there are 5 DCCH segments for a given DCCH tone over a superslot. For example, assume that the first uplink superslot has an uplink beacon slot superslot index of 2, where the beacon slot superslot index ranges from 0 to 7 (superslot 0, superslot 1.., superslot 7). Then in the next uplink superslot with uplink beacon slot superslot index of 3, the first uplink DCCH segment using the default framing format in fig. 32 has index s2 ═ 15 (segment 3215 of fig. 32) and transmits information corresponding to segment s2 ═ 15 (segment 3215 of fig. 32).

Each uplink DCCH segment is used to transmit a set of dedicated control channel reports (DCRs). An exemplary summary list of DCRs in the default mode of the divided tone format is given in table 3400 of fig. 34. The information of table 3400 applies to the segmented sections of FIGS. 32 and 33. Each section of fig. 32 and 33 includes two or more reports as described in table 3400. The first column 3402 of the table 3400 describes the abbreviated names used for each exemplary report. The name of each report ends with a number that specifies the number of bits of the DCR. The second column 3404 of the table 3400 briefly describes each named report. The third column 3406 specifies the segment index s2 in FIG. 32 in which the DCR is to be transferred, and it corresponds to the mapping between table 3400 and FIG. 32.

It should be noted that fig. 32, 33, and 34 depict the segments corresponding to the first WT in the default mode of the split tone format (index segments 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, and 36). With respect to fig. 32, a second wireless terminal using a default mode of divided tone format on the same logical tone in the DCCH will follow the same reporting pattern, except that the segments will be offset by 1, whereby the second WT uses the index segment (1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34, and 37). With respect to fig. 33, a second wireless terminal using a default mode of frequency divided tone format on the same logical tone of the DCCH will follow the same reporting pattern, except that the segments will be offset by 1, whereby the second WT uses index segments 3301 and 3304. With respect to fig. 32, a third wireless terminal using a default mode of divided tone format on the same logical tone of the DCCH will follow the same reporting pattern, except that the segments will be offset by 2, whereby the third WT uses the index segment (2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 33, 35, and 38). With respect to fig. 33, a third wireless terminal using a default mode of divided tone format on the same logical tone of the DCCH will follow the same reporting pattern, except that the segments will be offset by 2, so the second WT uses the index segment 3305. In fig. 32, a segment with index 39 is retained.

Fig. 33 provides a representation corresponding to a replacement of the first superslot of a beacon slot corresponding to table 3299, e.g., segment 3300 replacing segment 3200 and/or segment 3303 replacing segment 3203. In fig. 32, for each superslot, one or two segments are allocated to an exemplary wireless terminal using the split-tone DCCH format, and the location of the allocated segments varies according to the superslot of the beacon slot. For example, in the first superslot, two segments (3200, 3203) corresponding to the first and fourth DCCH segments of the superslot are allocated; in the second super-slot, two segments (3206, 3209) corresponding to the 2 nd and 5 th DCCH segments of the super-slot are allocated; in the third superslot, one segment 3213 of the third DCCH segment corresponding to the superslot is allocated. In some embodiments, segment 3300, when used, is used to replace a first scheduled DCCH segment of a superslot, and segment 3303, when used, is used to replace a second scheduled DCCH segment of the superslot. For example, segment 3300 may replace segment 3206 and/or segment 3303 may replace segment 3309. As another example, segment 3300 may replace segment 3212.

In some embodiments, the 5-bit DL SNR absolute report (DLSNR5) follows the same format in the divided tone format default mode as used in the full tone format default mode. In some such embodiments, there is an exception in that the default value of numcondecutivepreffered is different in the divided-tone format than in the full-tone format, e.g., 6 in the divided-tone format default mode versus 10 in the full-tone format default mode.

In some embodiments, the 3-bit DLDSNR3 report follows the same format in the divided tone format default mode as used in the full tone format default mode. In some embodiments, the 4-bit DLSSNR4 report follows the same format in the divided tone format default mode as used in the full tone format default mode.

In some embodiments, a 4-bit uplink transmission backoff report for a frequency-tone format default mode (ULTxBKF4) is generated similar to ULTxBKF5 for a full-tone format default mode, except that table 3500 of fig. 35 is used for the report.

Fig. 35 is a table 3500 identifying bit formats and interpretations associated with each of the 16 bit patterns of an exemplary 4-bit uplink transmission backoff report (ULTxBKF4) in accordance with the present invention. The first column 3502 identifies the bit pattern and the bit ordering from most significant bit to least significant bit. A second column 3504 identifies reported WT uplink DCCH backoff report values in dB corresponding to each bit pattern. In this exemplary embodiment, 16 distinct levels ranging from 6dB to 36dB may be reported. The wireless terminal calculates wtULDCCHBackoff as indicated above, selects the closest entry in table 3500 and reports using the bit pattern.

In some embodiments, the 4-bit DLBNR4 reports to follow the same format in the divided tone format default mode as used in the full tone format default mode. In some embodiments, a 3-bit ULRQST3 report follows the same format in the divided tone format default mode as used in the full tone format default mode. In some embodiments, the 4-bit ULRQST4 report follows the same format in the divided tone format default mode as used in the full tone format default mode.

In various embodiments of the present invention, a flexible report is included in the DCCH in the divided tone format default mode to enable the WT to decide which type of report to communicate, and the type of report may vary from one flexible reporting opportunity to the next using its assigned dedicated control channel segment for a given WT.

In an exemplary embodiment, the WT uses a 1-bit TYPE report (TYPE1) to indicate the TYPE of report that the WT selected is to communicate in the 4-bit BODY report (BODY4) of the same DCCH segment that includes both TYPE1 and BODY4 reports. Table 3600 of fig. 36 is an example of a mapping between TYPE1 report information bits and the TYPEs of reports carried by the corresponding BODY4 reports. The first column 3602 indicates the 2 possible bit patterns reported by the 1-bit TYPE 1. A second column 3604 indicates the TYPE of report that will be carried in the BOYD4 report corresponding to the same uplink dedicated control channel segment reported by TYPE 1. Table 3600 indicates: bit pattern 0 indicates that the BOYD4 report will be a ULRQST4 report and bit pattern 01 indicates that the BOYD4 report will be a reserved report.

In some embodiments, the WT selects TYPE1 and BODY4 reports by evaluating the relative importance of different TYPEs of reports from which selection may occur, such as the reports listed in table 3600. In some embodiments, the WT may independently select TYPE1 between one segment and another.

In some embodiments, the coding and modulation scheme used when the uplink dedicated control channel segment uses the full-tone format is different from the coding and modulation scheme used when the uplink dedicated control channel segment uses the divided-tone format.

An exemplary first method for encoding and modulating when the dedicated control channel segment uses the full-tone format will now be described. Let b₅、b₄、b₃、b₂、b₁And b₀Indicating information bits to be transmitted in an uplink dedicated control channel segment, wherein b₅Is the most significant bit and b₀Is the least significant bit. Definition c₂c₁c₀＝(b₅b₄b₃) (b)₂b₁b₀) Where is a bit-by-bit logical OR operation. WT follows the information bit group b from table 3700 of FIG. 37₅b₄b₃A group of 7 modulation symbols is determined. Table 3700 is an exemplary specification of uplink dedicated control channel segment modulation coding in a full modulation format. A first column 3702 of table 3700 includes a bit pattern corresponding to 3 ordered information bits; the second column 3704 includes ordered sets of 7 coded modulation symbols, each set corresponding to a different possible bit pattern.

According to b₅b₄b₃The 7 modulation symbols determined will be the 7 most significant coded modulation symbols of the output of the coding and modulation operation.

WT similarly uses table 3700 to derive information bit group b from₂b₁b₀A group of 7 modulation symbols is determined and the obtained 7 modulation symbols are used as the next most significant coded modulation symbol of the output of the coding and modulation operation.

WT similarly uses table 3700 to derive information bit group c from₂c₁c₀A group of 7 modulation symbols is determined and the obtained 7 modulation symbols are used as the least significant coded modulation symbol of the output of the coding and modulation operation.

An exemplary second method for encoding and modulating when the dedicated control channel segment uses the split-tone format will now be described. Let b₇、b₆、b₅、b₄、b₃、b₂、b₁And b₀Indicating information bits to be transmitted in an uplink dedicated control channel segment, wherein b₇Is the most significant bit and b₀Is the least significant bit. Definition c₃c₂c₁c₀＝(b₇b₆b₅b₄) (b)₃b₂b₁b₀) Where is a bit-by-bit logical OR operation. WT follows table 3800 of FIG. 38 from information bit group b₇b₆b₅b₄A group of 7 modulation symbols is determined. Table 3800 is in a drop tone formatExemplary specifications for uplink dedicated control channel segment modulation coding. The first column 3802 of the table 3800 includes a bit pattern corresponding to the 4 ordered information bits; a second column 3804 includes groups of 7 ordered encoded modulation symbols, each group corresponding to a different possible bit pattern.

According to b₇b₆b₅b₄The 7 modulation symbols determined will be the 7 most significant coded modulation symbols of the output of the coding and modulation operation.

WT similarly uses table 3800 from information bit group b₃b₂b_ib₀A group of 7 modulation symbols is determined and the obtained 7 modulation symbols are used as the next most significant coded modulation symbol of the output of the coding and modulation operation.

WT similarly uses table 3800 from information bit group c₃c₂c₁c₀A group of 7 modulation symbols is determined and the obtained 7 modulation symbols are used as the least significant coded modulation symbol of the output of the coding and modulation operation.

Fig. 39 is a diagram illustrating a table 3900 of exemplary wireless terminal uplink traffic channel frame request group queue count information. Each wireless terminal maintains and updates its request group count information. In this exemplary embodiment, there are 4 request groups (RG0, RG1, RG2, RG 3). Other embodiments may use a different number of request groups. In some embodiments, different WTs in the system may have different numbers of request groups. The first column 3902 lists the queue element index and the second column 3904 lists the queue element value. The first row 3906 indicates N [0] — the number of MAC frames that the WT intends to transmit for request group 0(RG 0); a second row 3908 indicates N [1] ═ the number of MAC frames that the WT intends to transmit for request group 1(RG 1); the third row indicates N [2] ═ the number of MAC frames that the WT intends to transmit for request group 2; the fourth row indicates N [3] — the number of MAC frames the WT intends to transmit for request group 3.

Diagram 4000 of FIG. 40 includes an exemplary set of 4 request groups maintained by a wireless terminal in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present inventionQueues (4002, 4004, 4006, 4008). Queue 04002 is request group 0 queue information. Queue 0 info 4002 includes the total number of frames (e.g., MAC frames) of queue 0 traffic that the WT intends to transmit (N [ 0)]) Count 4010 and each corresponding frame of uplink traffic (frame 14012, frame 24014, frame 34016₀4018). Queue 14004 is request group 1 queue information. Queue 1 info 4004 includes the total number of frames (e.g., MAC frames) of queue 1 traffic that the WT intends to transmit (N [1 ]]) Count 4020 of uplink traffic and each corresponding frame of uplink traffic (frame 14022, frame 24024, frame 34026₁4028). Queue 24006 is request group 2 queue information. Queue 2 info 4006 includes the total number of frames (e.g., MAC frames) of queue 2 traffic that the WT intends to transmit (N [2 ]]) Count 4030 and each corresponding frame of uplink traffic (frame 14032, frame 24034, frame 34036₂4038). The queue 34008 is request group 3 queue information. Queue 3 info 4008 includes the total number of frames (e.g., MAC frames) of queue 3 traffic that the WT intends to transmit (N [3 ]]) And each corresponding frame of uplink traffic (frame 14042, frame 24044, frame 34046 ₃4048). In some embodiments, the request queue is a priority queue for at least some wireless terminals. For example, in some embodiments, from the perspective of an individual wireless terminal, the request group 0 queue 4002 is used for highest priority traffic, the request group 1 queue 4004 is used for next highest priority traffic, the request group 2 queue 4006 is used for third highest priority traffic, and the request group 3 queue 4008 is used for lowest priority traffic.

In some embodiments, traffic in at least some of the request queues during at least some of the time has different priorities for at least some of the wireless terminals. In some embodiments, priority is one factor considered in mapping traffic flows to request queues. In some embodiments, priority is one factor considered in scheduling/transmitting traffic. In some embodiments, priority represents relative importance. In some embodiments, traffic belonging to a higher priority is scheduled/transmitted more often than traffic belonging to a lower priority, all other factors being equal.

Diagram 4052 of fig. 40 shows an exemplary mapping of an uplink data flow traffic stream for a first wt (wt a) to its request group queue. First column 4054 includes the information type for the data flow traffic stream; second column 4056 includes the identified queue (request group); third column 4058 includes comments. First row 4060 indicates that control information is mapped to the request group 0 queue. Streaming transmissions mapped to request group 0 queues are considered to be of high priority, have strict latency requirements, require low latency, and/or have low bandwidth requirements. Second row 4062 indicates that the voice information is mapped to the request group 1 queue. Streaming mapped to the request group 1 queue also requires low latency but has a lower priority level than request group 0. Third row 4064 indicates that game and audio streaming application A is mapped to the request group 2 queue. For streams mapped to request group 2, latency is of some importance and bandwidth requirements are slightly higher than for voice. The fourth row 4066 indicates that FTP, web browsing, and video streaming application A are mapped to the request group 3 queue. The streams mapped to request group 3 are delay insensitive and/or require high bandwidth.

Diagram 4072 of fig. 40 shows an exemplary mapping of an uplink data flow traffic stream for a second wt (wt b) to its request group queue. First column 4074 includes the information type for the data flow traffic stream; second column 4076 includes the identified queue (request group); third column 4078 includes comments. First row 4080 indicates that control information is mapped to the request group 0 queue. Streams mapped to request group 0 queues are considered to have high priority, have strict latency requirements, require low latency, and/or have low bandwidth requirements. Second row 4082 indicates that the voice and audio streaming application a information is mapped to the request group 1 queue. Streaming mapped to the request group 1 queue also requires low latency but has a lower priority level than request group 0. The third row 4084 indicates that game and audio streaming application B, and image streaming application A are mapped to the request group 2 queue. For streams mapped to request group 2, latency is of some importance and bandwidth requirements are slightly higher than for voice. The fourth row 4086 indicates that FTP, web browsing, and image stream application B are mapped to the request group 3 queue. The streams mapped to request group 3 are delay insensitive and/or require high bandwidth.

It should be noted that the mapping used by WT a and WT B from their uplink data stream traffic streams to their set of request group queues is different. For example, for WT a, audio stream application a is mapped to request group queue 2, while for WT B, the same audio stream application a is mapped to request group queue 1. In addition, different WTs may have different types of uplink data flow traffic streams. For example, WT B includes an audio stream application B that WT a does not include. This approach in accordance with the present invention allows each WT to customize and/or optimize its request queue mapping to match the different types of data communicated via its uplink traffic channel segments. For example, mobile nodes such as voice and text messaging cellular telephones and the like have different types of data flows than mobile data terminals used primarily for online gaming and web browsing, and will typically have different mappings from data flows to request group queues.

In some embodiments, the mapping of uplink data stream traffic streams to request group queues may change over time for a WT. Diagram 4001 of fig. 40A illustrates an exemplary mapping of WT C's uplink data stream traffic stream to its request group queue at a first time T1. A first column 4003 includes information types for a data stream traffic stream; the second column 4005 includes the identified queue (request group); the third column 4007 includes comments. The first row 4009 indicates that control information is mapped to the request group 0 queue. Streams mapped to request group 0 queues are considered to have high priority, have strict latency requirements, require low latency, and/or have low bandwidth requirements. The second row 4011 indicates that the voice information is mapped to the request group 1 queue. Streaming mapped to the request group 1 queue also requires low latency but has a lower priority level than request group 0. The third row 4013 indicates that game and audio streaming application a is mapped to the request group 2 queue. For streams mapped to request group 2, latency is of some importance and bandwidth requirements are slightly higher than for voice. The fourth row 4015 indicates that FTP, web browsing, and video streaming application a are mapped to the request group 3 queue. The streams mapped to request group 3 are delay insensitive and/or require high bandwidth.

Diagram 4017 of fig. 40A shows an exemplary mapping of WT C's uplink data stream traffic stream to its request group queue at a second time T2. First column 4019 comprises the information type for the data stream traffic stream; the second column 4021 includes the identified queue (request group); the third column 4023 includes comments. The first row 4025 indicates that control information is mapped to the request group 0 queue. Streams mapped to request group 0 queues are considered to have high priority, have strict latency requirements, require low latency, and/or have low bandwidth requirements. The second row 4027 indicates that the voice application and the game application are mapped to the request group 1 queue. Streaming mapped to the request group 1 queue also requires low latency but has a lower priority level than request group 0. The third row 4029 indicates that video streaming application a is mapped to the request group 2 queue. For streams mapped to request group 2, latency is of some importance and bandwidth requirements are slightly higher than for voice. The fourth row 4031 indicates that FTP, web browsing, and video streaming application B are mapped to the request group 3 queue. The streams mapped to request group 3 are delay insensitive and/or require high bandwidth.

Diagram 4033 of fig. 73 shows an exemplary mapping of WT C's uplink data flow traffic stream to its request group queue at a third time T3. A first column 4035 includes the information type for the data flow traffic stream; a second column 4037 includes the identified queue (request group); third column 4039 includes comments. First row 4041 indicates that control information is mapped to the request group 0 queue. Streams mapped to request group 0 queues are considered to have high priority, have strict latency requirements, require low latency, and/or have low bandwidth requirements. Second row 4043 and third row 4045 indicate that no data traffic application is mapped to request group 1 and request group 2 queues, respectively. The fourth row 4047 indicates that FTP and web browsing are mapped to request group 3 queues. The streams mapped to request group 3 are delay insensitive and/or require high bandwidth.

It should be noted that WT C uses different mappings from its uplink data stream traffic stream to its set of request group queues at three times T1, T2, and T3. For example, audio stream application a is mapped to request group queue 2 at time T1, while the same audio stream application a is mapped to request group queue 1 at time T2. In addition, WTs may have different types of uplink data flow traffic streams at different times. For example, at time T2, the WT includes video stream application B not included at time T1. Additionally, a WT may not have an uplink data stream traffic stream mapped to a particular request group queue at a given time. For example, at time T3, no uplink data flow traffic stream is mapped to request group queues 1 and 2. This approach in accordance with the present invention allows each WT to customize and/or optimize its request queue mapping at any time to match the different types of data communicated via its uplink traffic channel segments.

Fig. 41 illustrates an exemplary request group queue structure, multiple request dictionaries, multiple types of uplink traffic channel request reports, and grouping of groups of queues according to an exemplary format used for each type of report. In this exemplary embodiment, there are four request group queues for a given wireless terminal. This exemplary structure accommodates four request dictionaries. The exemplary architecture uses three types of uplink traffic channel request reports (1-bit report, 3-bit report, and 4-bit report).

Fig. 41 includes: example queue 0 (request group 0) information 4102, which includes a total number of frames (e.g., MAC frames) of queue 0 traffic (N [0])4110 that the example WT intends to transmit; example queue 1 (request group 1) information 4104, which includes a total number of frames (e.g., MAC frames) of queue 1 traffic (N [1])4112 that the example WT intends to transmit; exemplary queue 2 (request group 2) information 4106, which includes the total number of frames (e.g., MAC frames) of queue 2 traffic (N [2])4114 that the exemplary WT intends to transmit; exemplary queue 3 (request group 3) information 4108, which includes the total number of frames (e.g., MAC frames) of queue 3 traffic (N [3])4116 that the exemplary WT intends to transmit. The set of queue 0 information 4102, queue 1 information 4104, queue 2 information 4106 and queue 3 information 4108 corresponds to one WT in the system. Each WT in the system maintains its own set of queues to track uplink traffic frames that it may intend to transmit.

Table 4118 identifies the clustering of sets of queues used by different types of request reports as a function of the dictionary in use. Column 4120 identifies the dictionary. An exemplary report of the first type is, for example, a 1-bit information report. Column 4122 identifies a first set of queues for the first type of report. The first set of queues is the set { queue 0 and queue 1} for the first type of report regardless of the request dictionary. Column 4124 identifies a second set of queues for a second type of report. The second set of queues is a set of queue 0 for the second type of report regardless of the request dictionary. Column 4126 identifies a third set of queues for the second type of report. The third set of queues is: (i) set for second type report for request dictionary 0 { queue 1, queue 2, queue 3 }; (ii) set for second type report { queue 1} for request dictionary 1; and (iii) set { queue 1} for second type reports for dictionaries 2 and 3. The third type of report uses fourth and fifth sets of queues for each dictionary. The third type of report uses a sixth set of queues for dictionaries 1, 2, and 3. The third type of report uses a seventh set of queues for dictionary 3. Column 4128 identifies that the fourth set of queues, regardless of lexicon, for the third type of report is the set { queue 0 }. Column 4130 identifies that the fifth set of queues for the third type of report is the set { queue 1, queue 2, queue 3} for dictionary 0, the set { queue 2} for dictionary 1, and the set { queue 1} for dictionaries 2 and 3. Column 4132 identifies that the sixth set of queues for the third type of report is the set { queue 1, queue 3} for lexicon 1, the set { queue 2, queue 3} for lexicon 2, and the set { queue 2} for lexicon 3. Column 4134 identifies that the seventh set of queues for the third type of report for dictionary 3 is the set { queue 3 }.

As an example, the (first, second, and third) type reports may be the exemplary (ULRQST1, ULRQST3, and ULRQST4) reports of fig. 16-25, respectively. The various sets of queues used will be described with respect to dictionary 0 for exemplary ULRQST1, ULRQST3, and ULRQST4 (see table 4118). The first set of queues { queue 0, queue 1} corresponds to ULRQST1 using N [0] + N [1] in table 1600, e.g., ULRQST1 ═ 1 indicates N [0] + N [1] > 0. The queue statistics for the second set of queues { queue 0} and the third set of queues { queue 1, queue 2, queue 3} are jointly encoded in ULRQST 3. The second set of queues { queue 0} corresponds to ULRQST3 using N [0] as the first jointly encoded element in table 1900, e.g., ULRQST3 ═ 001 indicates N [0] ═ 0. The third set of queues { queue 1, queue 2, queue 3} corresponds to ULRQST3 in table 1900 that uses (N [1] + N [2] + N [3]) as the second jointly encoded element, e.g., ULRQST3 ═ 001 indicates ceil ((N [1] + N [2] + N [3])/y) ═ 1. The queue statistics for the fourth set of queues { queue 0} or the fifth set of queues { queue 1, queue 2, queue 3} are encoded in ULRQST 4. The fourth set of queues corresponds to ULRQST4 using N [0] in table 1800, e.g., ULRQST4 ═ 0010 indicates N [0] > -4. The fifth set of queues corresponds to ULRQST4 using (N [1] + N [2] + N [3]) in table 1800, e.g., ULRQST4 ═ 0011 indicates ceil ((N [1] + N [2] + N [3])/y) ═ 1.

In an exemplary embodiment where the (first, second, and third) types of reports are the exemplary (ULRQST1, ULRQST3, and ULRQST4) reports of fig. 16-25, the first type of report is independent of the request dictionary and uses the first set of queues of table 4118, the second type of report communicates queue statistics about the second set of queues and the corresponding third set of queues according to table 4118, and the third type of report communicates queue statistics about one of: a fourth set of queues, a corresponding fifth set of queues, a corresponding sixth set of queues, and a corresponding seventh set of queues.

Fig. 42, which includes a combination of fig. 42A, 42B, 42C, 42D, and 42E, is a flow chart 4200 of an exemplary method of operating a wireless terminal in accordance with the present invention. Operation of the exemplary method begins at step 402, where the WT is powered on and initialized. Queue definition information 4204-e.g., mapping information defining the mapping of traffic streams from various applications to MAC frames of a particular request group queue and various groupings of request groups to groups of request groups, and groups of request dictionary information 4206-is available to the wireless terminal. For example, information 4204 and 4206 may be pre-stored in a non-volatile memory of the wireless terminal. In some embodiments, the wireless terminal initially uses a default request dictionary, such as request dictionary 0, from among a plurality of available request dictionaries. Operation proceeds from start step 4202 to steps 4208, 4210, and 4212.

At 4208, the wireless terminal maintains transmit queue statistics for a plurality of queues, e.g., request group 0 queue, request group 1 queue, request group 2 queue, and request group 3 queue. Step 4208 includes substep 4124 and substep 4216. In sub-step 4214, the wireless terminal increments the queue statistics when there is data to be transmitted added to a queue. For example, new packets from an uplink data flow stream (e.g., a voice communication session stream) are mapped as MAC frames to one of the request groups (e.g., request group 1 queues) and queue statistics such as N [1] representing the total number of request group 1 frames that the WT intends to transmit are updated. In some embodiments, different wireless terminals use different mappings. In sub-step 4216, the WT decrements the queue statistics when there is data to transmit removed from the queue. For example, the data to be transmitted may be removed from the queue because the data has been transmitted, the data has been transmitted and a positive acknowledgement is received, the data no longer needs to be transmitted because the data validity timer has expired, or the data no longer needs to be transmitted because the communication session has been terminated.

In step 4210, the wireless terminal generates transmit power availability information. For example, the wireless terminal calculates a wireless terminal transmit backoff power, determines a wireless terminal transmit backoff power report value, and stores backoff power information. Step 4210 is performed on an ongoing basis and the stored information is updated, for example according to the DCCH structure.

In step 4212, the wireless terminal generates transmission path loss information for at least two physical attachment points. For example, a wireless terminal measures pilot and/or beacon signals received from at least two physical attachment points, calculates a ratio, determines a beacon ratio report value, e.g., corresponding to a first or second type of ordinary beacon ratio report or a special beacon ratio report, and stores the beacon ratio report information. Step 4212 is performed on an ongoing basis and the stored information is updated, for example according to the DCCH structure.

In addition to performing steps 4208, 4210 and 4212, for each reporting opportunity in the (first, second, third) set of predetermined transmit queue statistics reporting opportunities, the WT operation proceeds via (step 4218, step 4220, step 4222), respectively, (subroutine 14224, subroutine 24238, subroutine 34256). For example, each first set of predetermined transmission queue statistics reporting opportunities corresponds to each 1-bit uplink traffic channel request reporting opportunity in the timing structure. For example, if the WT is communicating on the DCCH segment using, e.g., the full tone DCCH format default mode of fig. 10, the WT gets 16 opportunities to transmit ULRQST1 in a beacon slot. Continuing with the example, each second set of predetermined transmission queue statistics reporting opportunities corresponds to each 3-bit uplink traffic channel request reporting opportunity in the timing structure. For example, if the WT is communicating on the DCCH segment using, e.g., the full tone DCCH format default mode of fig. 10, the WT gets 12 opportunities to transmit ULRQST3 in a beacon slot. If the WT is communicating on a DCCH segment using, for example, the divided tone DCCH format default mode of fig. 32, the WT gets 6 opportunities to transmit ULRQST3 in a beacon slot. Continuing with the example, each third set of predetermined transmission queue statistics reporting opportunities corresponds to each 4-bit uplink traffic channel request reporting opportunity in the timing structure. For example, if the WT is communicating on the DCCH segment using, e.g., the full tone DCCH format default mode of fig. 10, the WT gets 9 opportunities to transmit ULRQST4 in a beacon slot. If the WT is communicating on a DCCH segment using, for example, the divided tone DCCH format default mode of fig. 32, the WT gets 6 opportunities to transmit ULRQST4 in a beacon slot. For each flexible report in which the WT decides to send ULRQST4, the operation also proceeds via connection node 4222 to subroutine 4256.

An exemplary traffic availability subroutine 14224 will now be described. Operation begins in step 4226, and the WT receives backlog information for a first set of queues, e.g., set { queue 0, queue 1} where the received information is N [0] + N [1 ]. Operation proceeds from step 4226 to step 4230.

In step 4230, the WT checks whether there is a backlog of traffic in the first set of queues. If there is no backlog in the first set of queues, i.e., N [0] + N [1] ═ 0, then operation proceeds from step 4230 to step 4234, where the WT transmits a first number of information bits (e.g., 1 information bit) indicating no traffic backlog in the first set of queues, e.g., the information bit is set equal to 0. Alternatively, if there is a backlog in the first set of queues, i.e., N [0] + N [1] > 0, then operation proceeds from step 4230 to step 4232, where the WT transmits a first number of information bits (e.g., 1 information bit) indicating that there is a backlog of traffic in the first set of queues, e.g., the information bit is set equal to 1. Operation proceeds from either step 4232 or step 4234 to return step 4236.

An exemplary traffic availability subroutine 24238 will now be described. Operation begins in step 4240, and the WT receives backlog information on a second set of queues, e.g., set { queue 0} in which the received information is N [0 ]. In step 4240, the WT also receives backlog information on a third set of queues, e.g., depending on whether the request dictionary in use by the WT is the set { queue 1, queue 2, queue 3} or { queue 2} or { queue 1 }. For example, the WT may receive (N1 + N2 + N3, N2, N1) corresponding to dictionaries (1, 2, 3, 4), respectively. Operation proceeds from step 4240 to step 4246.

In step 4246, the WT jointly encodes the backlog information corresponding to the second and third sets of queues into a second predetermined number of information bits (e.g., 3), which may optionally include quantization. In some embodiments, for at least some request dictionaries, substeps 4248 and 4250 are performed as part of step 4246. In some embodiments, sub-steps 4248 and 4250 are performed as part of step 4246 for at least some iterations of step 4246 for at least some request dictionaries. Sub-step 4248 directs the operation to a quantization level control factor routine. Sub-step 4250 calculates a quantization level as a function of the determined control factor. For example, consider an exemplary ULRQST3 using a default request dictionary 0 as shown in fig. 19. In this exemplary case, each quantization level is calculated as a function of the control factor y. In this exemplary embodiment, sub-steps 4248 and 4250 are performed to determine the information bit pattern placed in the ULRQST3 report. Alternatively, consider an exemplary ULRQST3 that uses request dictionary 1 as shown in fig. 21. In this case, no quantization step is calculated as a function of a control factor such as y or z, and therefore sub-steps 4248 and 4250 are not performed.

Operation proceeds from step 4246 to step 4252, where the WT transmits jointly encoded backlog information for the second and third sets of queues using a second predetermined number of information bits (e.g., 3 information bits). Operation proceeds from step 4252 to return step 4254.

An exemplary traffic availability subroutine 34256 will now be described. Operation begins in step 4258, and the WT receives backlog information for a fourth set of queues (e.g., queue 0, where the received information is N [0 ]). In step 4240, the WT also receives backlog information for a fifth set of queues (e.g., depending on whether the request dictionary in use by the WT is the set { queue 1, queue 2, queue 3} or { queue 2} or { queue 1 }). For example, the WT may receive (N1 + N2 + N3, N2, N1) corresponding to dictionaries (0, 1, 2, 3), respectively. In step 4240, the WT may also receive backlog information for a sixth set of queues (e.g., set { queue 1, queue 3} or { queue 2} depending on the request dictionary in use by the WT). For example, the WT may receive (N1 + N3, N2) respectively corresponding to the dictionaries (1, 2, 3). In step 4240, if the WT is using request dictionary 3, the WT may also receive backlog information for a seventh set of queues (e.g., set { queue 3 }). Operation proceeds from step 4258 to step 4266.

In step 4268, the WT encodes the backlog information corresponding to one of the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh sets of queues into a third predetermined number of information bits (e.g., 4), which may optionally include quantization. In some embodiments, for at least some request dictionaries, sub-steps 4270 and 4272 are performed as part of step 4268. In some embodiments, sub-steps 4270 and 4272 are performed as part of step 4268 for at least some iterations of step 4268 under at least some request dictionaries. Sub-step 4270 directs the operation to a quantization level control factor routine. Sub-step 4272 calculates a quantization level as a function of the determined control factor.

Operation proceeds from step 4268 to step 4274 where the WT transmits encoded backlog information for one of the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh sets of queues using a third predetermined number of information bits (e.g., 4 information bits). Operation proceeds from step 4274 to return step 4276.

An exemplary quantizer scale control factor subroutine 4278 will now be described. In some embodiments, the exemplary quantizer scale control factor subroutine 4278 is implemented to include use of the table 1700 in fig. 17. The first column 1702 lists the conditions; a second column 1704 lists the corresponding values of the output control parameter y; the third column 1706 lists the corresponding values of the output control parameter Z. Operation begins at step 4279 and the subroutine receives power information 4280 such as the last DCCH transmitter power backoff report and path loss information 4282 such as the last reported beacon ratio report. Operation proceeds from step 4279 to step 4284 where the WT checks whether the power information and path loss information satisfy a first criterion. For example, the first criterion is, in an exemplary embodiment: (x > 28) AND (b > ═ 9), where x is the value in dB for the most recent uplink transmit power backoff report, such as ULTxBKF5, AND b is the value in dB for the most recent downlink beacon ratio report, such as DLBNR 4. If the first criterion is satisfied, operation proceeds from step 4284 to step 4286, whereas if the first criterion is not satisfied, operation proceeds to step 4288.

In step 4286, the wireless terminal sets a control factor such as the set { Y, Z } to a first set of predetermined values, e.g., Y1, Z1, where Y1 and Z1 are positive integers. In one exemplary embodiment, Y1 ═ 2 and Z1 ═ 10.

Returning to step 4288, in step 4288, the WT checks whether the power information and the path loss information satisfy a second criterion. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the second criterion is (x > 27) AND (b > -8). If the second criterion is met, operation proceeds from step 4288 to step 4290, where the wireless terminal sets control factors such as the set { Y, Z } to a second set of predetermined values, e.g., Y-Y2, Z-Z2, where Y2 and Z2 are positive integers. In one exemplary embodiment Y2 ═ 2 and Z2 ═ 9. If the second criterion is not met, operation proceeds to another criterion checking step where the control factor is set to a predetermined value or testing continues, depending on whether the criterion is met.

A fixed number of test criteria are utilized in the quantizer scale control factor routine. If none of the first N-1 test criteria are met, operation proceeds to step 4292 where the wireless terminal tests whether the power information and path loss information meet the Nth criterion. For example, in an exemplary embodiment where N ═ 9, the nth criterion is (x > 12) and (b < -5). If the Nth criterion is met, operation proceeds from step 4292 to 4294, where the wireless terminal sets control factors such as the set { Y, Z } to an Nth set of predetermined values, e.g., Y ═ YN, Z ═ ZN, where YN and ZN are positive integers. In one exemplary embodiment, YN is 1 and ZN is 2. If the nth criterion is not met, the wireless terminal sets a control factor such as the set { Y, Z } to an (N +1) th set of predetermined values, e.g., default set Y-YD, Z-ZD, where YD and ZD are positive integers. In one exemplary embodiment, YD ═ 1 and ZD ═ 1.

Operation proceeds from step 4286, step 4290, other control factor setting step, step 4294 or step 4296 to step 4298. In step 4298, WT returns at least one control factor value, e.g., Y and/or Z.

Fig. 43 is a flow chart 4300 of an exemplary method of operating a wireless terminal in accordance with the present invention. Operation begins in step 4302, where the wireless terminal is powered on, initialized, and has established a connection with the base station. Operation proceeds from step 4302 to step 4304.

In step 4304, the wireless terminal determines whether the WT is operating in full-tone format DCCH mode or split-tone format DCCH mode. For each DCCH segment allocated to the WT in the full-tone format DCCH mode, the WT proceeds from step 4304 to step 4306. For each DCCH segment allocated to the WT in the divided tone format DCCH mode, the WT proceeds from step 4304 to step 4308.

In step 4306, the WT determines a set of 21 encoded modulation symbol values from 6 information bits (b5, b4, b3, b2, b1, b 0). Step 4306 includes sub-steps 4312, 4314, 4316, and 4318. In sub-step 4312, the WT determines 3 additional bits (c2, c1, c0) as a function of the 6 information bits. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, c2c1c0 ═ (b5b4b3) (b2b1b0), where is a bit-wise exclusive or (XOR) operation. Operation proceeds from step 4312 to step 4314. In sub-step 4314, the WT determines the seven most significant modulation symbols using the first mapping function and 3 bits (b5, b4, b3) as inputs. Operation proceeds from sub-step 4314 to sub-step 4316. In sub-step 4316, the WT determines the seven next most significant modulation symbols using the first mapping function and 3 bits (b2, b1, b0) as inputs. Operation proceeds from sub-step 4316 to sub-step 4318. In sub-step 4318, the WT determines the seven least significant modulation symbols using the first mapping function and 3 bits (c2, c1, c0) as inputs.

In step 4308, the WT determines a set of 21 coded modulation symbol values from the 8 information bits (b7, b6, b5, b4, b3, b2, b1, b 0). Step 4308 includes sub-steps 4320, 4322, 4324, and 4326. In sub-step 4320, the WT determines 4 additional bits (c3, c2, c1, c0) as a function of the 8 information bits. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, c3c2c1c0 ═ (b7b6b5b4) (b3b2b1b0), where is a bit-by-bit exclusive or operation. Operation proceeds from step 4320 to step 4322. In sub-step 4322, the WT determines the seven most significant modulation symbols using the second mapping function and 4 bits (b7, b6, b5, b4) as inputs. Operation proceeds from sub-step 4322 to sub-step 4324. In sub-step 4324, the WT determines the seven next-most significant modulation symbols using the second mapping function and 4 bits (b3, b2, b1, b0) as inputs. Operation proceeds from sub-step 4324 to sub-step 4326. In sub-step 4326, the WT determines the seven least significant modulation symbols using the second mapping function and 4 bits (c3, c2, c1, c0) as inputs.

Operation proceeds from step 4306 or step 4308 to step 4310 for each DCCH segment allocated to the wireless terminal. In step 4310, the wireless terminal transmits the 21 determined modulation symbols for the segment.

In some embodiments, each DCCH segment corresponds to 21 OFDM tone-symbols, each tone-symbol of the DCCH segment using the same single logical tone in the uplink timing and frequency structure. The logical tones may be hopped during a DCCH segment, e.g., the same logical tone may correspond to three different physical tones in an uplink tone block for the connection, where each physical tone remains the same for 7 consecutive OFDM symbol transmission periods.

In one exemplary embodiment, each segment corresponds to multiple DCCH reports. In an exemplary embodiment, the first mapping function is represented by table 3700 in fig. 37, and the second mapping function is represented by table 3800 in fig. 38.

Fig. 44 is a flowchart 4400 of an exemplary method for operating a wireless terminal to report control information in accordance with the present invention. Operation begins at step 4402, where the wireless terminal is powered on and initialized. Operation proceeds from step 4402 to step 4404. In step 4404, the WT checks whether one of the following events has occurred: (i) a transition from a WT first mode of operation to a WT second mode of operation and (ii) a handoff operation from the first connection to the second connection while maintaining the second mode of operation. In some embodiments, the second mode of operation is an ON mode of operation and the first mode of operation is one of a hold mode of operation, a sleep mode of operation, and an ACCESS mode of operation. In some embodiments, during the ON mode of operation, the wireless terminal may transmit user data ON the uplink, while during the hold and sleep mode of operation the wireless terminal is prevented from transmitting user data ON the uplink. If one of the conditions checked in step 4404 occurs, then operation proceeds to step 4406, otherwise operation proceeds back to step 4404 where the check is performed again.

In step 4406, the WT transmits an initial control information report set, the transmission of which has a first duration equal to the first time period. In some embodiments, the initial control information report set may include one or more reports. Operation proceeds from step 4406 to step 4408. In step 4408, the WT checks whether the WT is in the second mode of operation. Operation proceeds from step 4408 to step 4410 if the WT is in the second mode of operation, otherwise operation proceeds to step 4404.

In step 4410, the WT transmits a first additional control information report set transmitted for the same period of time as the first time period, the first additional control information report set being different from the initial control information report set. In some embodiments, the initial control information reporting set differs from the first additional control information reporting set in that the initial and first additional control information reporting sets have different formats. In some embodiments, the initial control information reporting set includes at least one report that is not included in the first additional control information reporting set. In some such embodiments, the initial control information reporting set includes at least two reports not included in the first additional control information reporting set. In some embodiments, the at least one report not included in the first additional control information reporting set is one of an interference report and a wireless terminal transmit power availability report. Operation proceeds from step 4410 to step 4412. In step 4412, the WT checks whether the WT is in the second mode of operation. Operation proceeds from step 4412 to step 4414 if the WT is in the second mode of operation, otherwise operation proceeds to step 4404.

In step 4414, the WT transmits a second set of additional control information reports comprising at least one report not included in the first set of additional control information reports over the same period of time as the first time period. Operation proceeds from step 4414 to step 4416. In step 4416, the WT checks whether the WT is in the second mode of operation. Operation proceeds from step 4416 to step 4410 if the WT is in the second mode of operation, otherwise operation proceeds to step 4404.

Fig. 45 and 46 are used to illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 45 and 46 are applicable to some embodiments discussed with respect to the flowchart 4400 of fig. 44. Diagram 4500 of fig. 45 includes: an initial control information report set 4502, followed by a first additional control information report set 4504, followed by a second additional control information report set 4506, followed by a first additional control information report set 4508 for the second round, followed by a second additional control information 4510 for the second round. Each control information report set (4502, 4504, 4506, 4508, 4510) has a corresponding transmission time period (4512, 4514, 4516, 4518, 4520), respectively, wherein a duration of each time period (4512, 4514, 4516, 4518, 4520) is the same, the duration being 105 OFDM symbol transmission periods.

Dashed line 4522 indicates an event occurring slightly earlier than the initial control information report set transmission, the event being one of: (i) a mode transition from the access mode indicated by block 4524 to the ON state indicated by block 4526, (ii) a mode transition from the HOLD state indicated by block 4528 to the ON state indicated by block 4530, and (iii) a handoff operation from a first connection in the ON state indicated by block 4532 to a second connection in the ON state indicated by block 4534.

As an example, an initial control information report set 4502, a first additional control information report set 4504, and a second additional control information report set 4506 may be communicated during a first beacon slot, while a first additional control information report set 4508 of a second wheel and a second additional control information report set 4510 of the second wheel may be communicated during a next beacon slot. Continuing with the example, each information report set may correspond to a superslot within a beacon slot. For example, using the structure described with respect to the full-tone format of the DCCH used by the wireless terminals in fig. 10 and 11, one possible band mapping corresponding to fig. 45 is as follows. The initial control information report set corresponds to fig. 11; a first set of additional control information reports corresponds to index segments 30-34 of the beacon slot; the second set of additional control information corresponds to the index segments 30-39 of the beacon slot. Fig. 45 depicts such an exemplary mapping.

Diagram 4600 of fig. 46 depicts an exemplary initial control information report set format. The first column 4602 identifies the bit definitions (5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0). A second column 4604 identifies that the first segment includes RSVD2 reports and ULRQST4 reports. A third column 4606 identifies that the second segment includes DLSNR5 reports and ULRQST1 reports. A fourth column 4608 identifies the third sections including DLSSNR4 reports, RSVD1 reports, and ULRQST1 reports. The fifth column 4610 identifies that the fourth segment includes a DLBNR4 report, a RSVD1 report, and an ULRQST1 report. Sixth column 4612 identifies that the fifth segment includes a ULTXBKF5 report and a ultrqst 1 report.

Diagram 4630 depicts the format of an exemplary first additional control information report set. First column 4632 identifies the bit definition (5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0). The second column 4634 identifies that the first segment includes a DLSNR5 report and an ULRQST1 report. Third column 4636 identifies that the second segment includes the RSVD2 report and the ULRQST4 report. Fourth column 4638 identifies that the third section includes DLDSNR3 reports and ULRQST3 reports. Fifth column 4640 identifies that the fourth segment includes a DLSNR5 report and an ULRQST1 report. Sixth column 4642 identifies that the sixth segment includes an RSVD2 report and an ULRQST4 report.

Diagram 4660 depicts the format of an exemplary second additional control information report set. First column 4662 identifies the bit definition (5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0). Second column 4664 identifies that the first segment includes DLDSNR3 reports and ULRQST3 reports. The third column 4666 identifies that the second segment includes the DLSSNR4 report, the RSVD1 report, and the ULRQST1 report. Fourth column 4668 identifies that the third segment includes a DLSNR5 report and an ULRQST1 report. Fifth column 4670 identifies that the fourth segment includes an RSVD2 report and an ULRQST4 report. Sixth column 4672 identifies that the sixth segment includes DLDSNR3 reports and ULRQST3 reports.

It can be observed in fig. 46 that the initial and first additional report sets will be different because they use different formats. It can also be seen that the initial control information report set includes at least two reports-DLBNR 4 and ULTXBKF 5-that are not included in the first additional control information report set. DLBNR4 is an interference report and ULTXBKF5 is a wireless terminal power availability report. In the example of fig. 46, the second additional report includes at least one additional report, RSVD1 report, that is not included in the first additional report.

Fig. 47 is a flowchart 4700 of an exemplary method of operating a communication device that includes information indicative of a predetermined reporting sequence used in controlling transmission of a plurality of different control information reports on a recurring basis in accordance with the present invention. In some embodiments, the communication device is a wireless terminal, such as a mobile node. For example, the wireless terminal may be one of a plurality of wireless terminals in a multiple access Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) wireless communication system.

Operation begins at step 4702 and proceeds to step 4704. In step 4704, the communication device checks whether at least one of the following has occurred: (i) a transition from the communication device first mode of operation to the communication device second mode of operation and (ii) a handoff operation from a first connection, e.g., with a first base station sector physical attachment point, to a second connection, e.g., with a second base station sector physical attachment point, while maintaining the communication device second mode of operation. In some embodiments, the second mode of operation of the communication device is an ON mode of operation and the first mode of operation is one of a hold mode of operation and a sleep mode of operation. In some such embodiments, the communication device may transmit user data ON the uplink during the ON mode of operation and be prevented from transmitting user data ON the uplink during the hold and sleep mode of operation.

If at least one of the conditions tested at step 4704 is met, then operation proceeds from step 4704 to step 4706 or step 4708 depending on the embodiment. Step 4706 is an optional step that is included in some embodiments but omitted in other embodiments.

Step 4706 is included in some embodiments in which the communications device supports a plurality of different initial condition control information reporting sets. In step 4706 the communications device selects which of the plurality of initial control information report sets to transmit as a function of the portion of the sequence to be replaced. Operation proceeds from step 4706 to step 4708.

In step 4708, the communications device transmits an initial control information report set. In various embodiments, transmitting the initial set of control information reports comprises transmitting at least one report that would not otherwise be transmitted during the time period for transmitting the initial report if the transmitted report had followed the predetermined sequence. For example, for a given initial report, the at least one report that would not otherwise be transmitted during the time period for transmitting the initial report if the transmitted report had followed the predetermined sequence is one of an interference report, such as a beacon ratio report, and a communication device transmit power availability report, such as a communication device transmitter power backoff report. In various embodiments, the initial control information report set may include one or more reports. In some embodiments, transmitting the initial set of control information reports comprises transmitting the initial set of control information reports on a dedicated uplink control channel. In some such embodiments, the dedicated uplink control channel is a single tone channel. In some such embodiments, a single tone of the single tone channel is hopped over time, e.g., the single logical channel tone changes to a different physical tone due to tone hopping. In various embodiments, the predetermined reporting sequence is repeated over a time period greater than a transmission time period used to transmit the initial set of reports. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the predetermined reporting sequence is repeated on a beacon slot basis, where a beacon slot is a period of 912 OFDM symbol transmission time intervals, and an exemplary time period for transmitting the initial reporting set may be 105 OFDM symbol transmission time periods.

Operation proceeds from step 4708 to step 4710 where the communication device checks whether it is in the second mode of operation. If the communication device is in the second mode of operation, operation proceeds to step 4712; otherwise operation proceeds to step 4704. In step 4712, the communications device transmits an additional control information report set according to information indicated in the predetermined reporting sequence. Operation proceeds from step 4712 to step 4710.

In some embodiments, step 4712, which follows the initial control information report set transmission of step 4708, includes a first additional control information report set, wherein the initial control information report set includes at least one information report set that is not included in the first additional control information report set. For example, the at least one information report not included in the first additional control information report set is one of an interference report, such as a beacon ratio report, and a communication device power availability report, such as a communication device transmit power backoff report.

In various embodiments, the repetition of step 4712 following the initial control information report of step 4712 (e.g., while the communication device remains in the second mode of operation) includes the transmission of a first additional control information report set, followed by a second additional control information report set, followed by another first additional control information report set, wherein the second additional control information report set includes at least one report not included in the first additional control information report set.

As an exemplary embodiment, consider that the predetermined reporting sequence is a reporting sequence of 40 index segments of an uplink dedicated control channel segment in a beacon slot as illustrated by diagram 1099 of fig. 10. Consider further that the segments of the predetermined reporting sequence are grouped on a super-slot basis by segment indices (0-4), (5-9), (10-14), (15-19), (20-24), (25-29), (30-34), (35-39), and that each group corresponds to a super-slot of the beacon slot. If the condition in step 4704 is satisfied, e.g., the communication device has just transitioned from the HOLD operating state to the ON operating state, the communication device uses an initial report set as indicated in table 1199 of fig. 11 ON the first superslot while remaining in the ON state, and then uses the predetermined sequence of table 1099 of fig. 10 ON subsequent superslots. For example, the initial report set may replace any of the respective sets corresponding to the segment index clusters (0-4), (5-9), (10-14), (15-19), (20-24), (25-29), (30-34), (35-39) depending ON when a state transition to the ON mode of operation occurs.

As a variation, consider an exemplary embodiment in which there are multiple (e.g., two) different sets of initial control channel information reports available for the communication device to select from as a function of the position in the sequence to be replaced. Fig. 48 shows two exemplary differently formatted control channel information report sets 4800 and 4850. Note that in the format of initial report set #1, the fourth segment 4810 includes DLBNR4 reports, RSVD1 reports, and ULRQST1 reports, while in the format of initial report set #2, the fourth segment 4860 includes RSVD2 reports and ULRQST4 reports. In an exemplary embodiment using the predetermined reporting sequence of fig. 10, the format 4850 of the initial control information report set #2 is used if the initial control information report is to be transmitted in the third super slot of the beacon slot (replacing the segment indices 10-14), otherwise the format of the initial control information report set #1 is used. Note that in the exemplary predetermined reporting sequence of fig. 10, the 4-bit downlink beacon ratio report DLBNR4 occurs only once within a beacon and it occurs in the 4 th super-slot of the beacon slot. In the exemplary embodiment, the second initial report set format 4850 is used in the 3 rd super slot because the communication device is scheduled to transmit DLBNR4 reports in the next subsequent super slot (4 th super slot) of the beacon slot according to the predetermined structure of fig. 10.

As another variation, consider an exemplary embodiment in which there are multiple (e.g., five) different initial control channel information report sets available for the communication device to select from as a function of the position in the sequence to be replaced, where each of the different initial control channel information report sets has a different size. Fig. 49 shows an initial control information report set # 14900, an initial control information report set # 24910, an initial control information report set # 34920, an initial control information report set # 44930, an initial control information report set # 54940. In an exemplary embodiment using the predetermined reporting sequence of fig. 10, if the initial control information report is to start transmitting in a segment with DCCH index value 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, or 35 within the beacon slot, initial control information report set # 14900 is used. Alternatively, if the initial control information report is to begin transmitting in a segment with a DCCH index value of 1, 6, 11, 16, 21, 26, 31, or 36 within the beacon slot, initial control information report set # 24910 is used. Alternatively, if the initial control information report is to begin transmitting in a segment with a DCCH index value of 2, 7, 12, 17, 22, 27, 32, or 37 within the beacon slot, the initial control information report set # 34920 is used. Alternatively, if the initial control information report is to begin transmitting in a segment with a DCCH index value of 3, 8, 13, 18, 23, 28, 33, or 38 within the beacon slot, the initial control information report set # 44930 is used. Alternatively, if the initial control information report is to begin transmitting in a segment with a DCCH index value of 4, 9, 14, 19, 24, 29, 34, or 39 within the beacon slot, the initial control information report set # 54940 is used.

Embodiments are possible in accordance with the invention in which the initial information report sets that differ for a given DCCH segment of the super slot differ both in the size of the report set and the content of the report set.

Fig. 50 is a flow chart of an exemplary method of operating a wireless terminal in accordance with the present invention. For example, the wireless terminal may be a mobile node in an exemplary spread spectrum multiple access Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) wireless communication system. Operation begins in step 5002 where the wireless terminal has been powered up, has established a communication link with a base station sector attachment point, has been assigned a dedicated control channel segment for uplink dedicated control channel reporting, and has been established in either a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation. For example, in some embodiments, the first mode of operation is a dedicated control channel full tone mode of operation and the second mode of operation is a dedicated control channel divided tone mode of operation. In some embodiments, each of the dedicated control channel segments includes the same number of tone-symbols, e.g., 21 tone-symbols. Operation proceeds from start step 5002 to step 5004. Two exemplary types of embodiments are shown in flow chart 5000. In a first type of embodiment, the base station sends a mode control signal to command a change between the first and second modes of operation. In such exemplary embodiments, operation proceeds from step 5002 to steps 5010 and 5020. In a second type of embodiment, the wireless terminal requests a mode transition between the first and second modes. In such embodiments, operation proceeds from step 5002 to steps 5026 and step 5034. Embodiments are also possible according to the present invention in which the base station can command a mode change without input from the wireless terminal, and in which the wireless terminal can request a mode change, e.g., the base station and the wireless terminal can each initiate a mode change.

In step 5004, the WT checks whether the WT is currently in the first or second mode of operation. If the WT is currently in a first mode of operation (e.g., full tone mode), operation proceeds from step 5004 to step 5006. In step 5006, the WT uses a first set of dedicated control channel segments during a first time period, said first set including a first number of dedicated control channel segments. However, if in step 5004 it is determined that the WT is in a second mode of operation (e.g., split tone mode), then operation proceeds from step 5004 to step 5008. In step 5008, the WT uses a second set of dedicated control channel segments during a second time period of the same duration as said first time period, said second set of control channel segments comprising fewer segments than said first number of segments.

For example, in one exemplary embodiment, if the first time period is considered to be a beacon slot, the first group in full tone mode includes 40 DCCH segments using a single logical tone, while the second group in frequency divided tone mode includes 13 DCCH segments using a single logical tone. The single logical tone used by the WT in the full tone mode may be the same or different from the single logical tone used in the divided tone mode.

As another example, in the same exemplary embodiment, if one considers that the first time period is the first 891 OFDM symbol transmission time intervals of a beacon slot, the first group in full tone mode includes 39 DCCH segments using a single logical tone, while the second group in fractional tone mode includes 13 DCCH segments using a single logical tone. In this example, the number of first stages divided by the number of second stages is an integer 3. The single logical tone used by the WT in full mode may be the same or different from the single logical tone used in divided tone mode.

During a second mode of operation, such as the divided-tone mode, the second set of dedicated control channel segments used by the WTs is, in some embodiments, a subset of a larger set of dedicated control channel segments that may be used by the same or different WTs in the full-tone mode of operation during time periods other than the second time period described above. For example, the first set of dedicated control channel segments used by the wireless terminal during the first time period may be the larger set of dedicated control channel segments described above, and the first and second sets of dedicated control channel segments may correspond to the same logical tone.

Operation proceeds from step 5002 to step 5010 for each first type of mode control signal directed to the WT, e.g., a mode control signal instructing the WT to switch from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation. In step 5010, the WT receives a first type of mode control signal from the base station. Operation proceeds from step 5010 to step 5012. In step 5012, the WT checks if it is currently in the first mode of operation. If the wireless terminal is in the first mode of operation, operation proceeds to step 5014 where the WT switches from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation in response to said received control signal. However, if it is determined in step 5012 that the WT is not currently in the first mode of operation, the WT proceeds via connection node a 5016 to step 5018 where the WT stops the implementation of the mode change because there is a misinterpretation between the base station and the WT.

For each mode control signal of the second type directed to the WT, e.g., a mode control signal instructing the WT to switch from the second mode of operation to the first mode of operation, operation proceeds from step 5002 to step 5020. In step 5020, the WT receives a second type of mode control signal from the base station. Operation proceeds from step 5020 to step 5022. In step 5022, the WT checks whether it is currently in the second mode of operation. If the wireless terminal is in the second mode of operation, operation proceeds to step 5024, where the WT switches from the second mode of operation to the first mode of operation in response to the received second mode control signal. However, if it is determined in step 5022 that the WT is not currently in the second mode of operation, the WT proceeds via connection node a 5016 to step 5018 where the WT stops the implementation of the mode change because there is a misinterpretation between the base station and the WT.

In some embodiments, the first and/or second type of mode control change command signal from the base station further includes information identifying whether logical tones used by the WT will change after the mode switch, and in some embodiments further includes information identifying logical tones that the WT will use in a new mode. In some embodiments, if the WT travels to step 5018, the WT signals the base station, e.g., indicating that there is a misinterpretation and that the mode transition has not been completed.

Operation proceeds from step 5002 to step 5026 each time the wireless terminal in turn initiates a mode change from a first mode of operation, such as a full-tone mode, to a second mode of operation, such as a split-tone mode. In step 5026, the WT transmits a mode control signal to the base station. Operation proceeds from step 5026 to step 5028. In step 5028, the WT receives an acknowledgement signal from the base station. Operation proceeds from step 5028 to step 5030. In step 5030, if the received acknowledgement signal is a positive acknowledgement, operation proceeds to step 5032, where the wireless terminal switches from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation in response to said received positive acknowledgement signal. However, if the WT determines in step 5030 that the received acknowledgement signal is a negative acknowledgement signal or that the WT is unable to successfully decode the received signal, the WT proceeds via connection node a 5016 to step 5018 where the WT stops mode change operations.

Operation proceeds from step 5002 to step 5034 each time the wireless terminal proceeds to initiate a mode change from the second mode of operation, e.g., a split-tone DCCH mode, to the first mode of operation, e.g., a full-tone DCCH mode. In step 5034, the WT transmits a mode control signal to the base station. Operation proceeds from step 5034 to step 5036. In step 5036, the WT receives an acknowledgement signal from the base station. Operation proceeds from step 5036 to step 5038. In step 5038, if the acknowledgement signal received is a positive acknowledgement, operation proceeds to step 5040, where the wireless terminal switches from the second mode of operation to the first mode of operation in response to said positive acknowledgement signal received. However, if the WT determines in step 5038 that the received acknowledgement signal is a negative acknowledgement signal or that the WT is unable to successfully decode the received signal, the WT proceeds via connection node a 5016 to step 5018 where the WT stops mode change operations.

Fig. 51 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary operation according to the present invention. In the exemplary embodiment of fig. 51, the dedicated control channel is constructed to use a repetitive pattern of 16 segments indexed from 0 to 15 for each logical tone in the dedicated control channel. Other embodiments may use different numbers of indexed DCCH segments, e.g., 40 segments, in accordance with the recurring code pattern in accordance with the present invention. An example 4 logical DCCH tones indexed (0, 1, 2, 3) are shown in fig. 51. In some embodiments, each segment occupies the same amount of air link resources. For example, in some embodiments, each segment has the same number of tone-symbols, e.g., 21 tone-symbols. Graph 5100 identifies segment indices corresponding to a logical tone in graph 5104 over two consecutive repetitions of the pattern.

Diagram 5104 plots logical DCCH tone index on vertical axis 5106 versus time on horizontal axis 5108. First time period 5110 and second time period 5112 are shown to have the same duration. The legend 5114 identifies: (i) a sparsely cross-hatched pane 5116 represents a WT1 full-tone DCCH mode segment, (ii) a sparsely cross-hatched pane 5118 represents a WT4 full-tone DCCH mode segment, (iii) a sparsely cross-hatched pane 5120 represents a WT5 full-tone DCCH mode segment, (iv) a sparsely cross-hatched pane 5122 represents a WT6 full-tone DCCH mode segment, (v) a diagonally shaded pane 5124 from left to right represents a WT1 divided-tone DCCH mode segment, (vi) a diagonally shaded pane 5126 from left to right represents a WT2 divided-tone DCCH mode segment, (vii) a diagonally shaded pane 5128 from left to right represents a WT3 divided-tone DCCH mode segment, and (viii) a sparsely cross-hatched pane 5130 represents a WT4 divided-tone DCCH mode segment.

In diagram 5104, it can be observed that WT1 is in full-tone DCCH mode during a first time period 5110 and uses a set of 15 segments (indices 0-14) corresponding to logical tone 0 during that time period. During a second time period 5112, which is the same duration as the first time period, WT1 is in a divided-tone DCCH mode and uses a set of 5 segments with index values (0, 3, 6, 9, 12) corresponding to logical tone 0, which are a subset of the set of segments used during time period 1 5110.

In diagram 5104, it can also be observed that WT4 is in full-tone DCCH mode and uses a set of 15 segments (indices 0-14) corresponding to logical tone 2 during a first time period 5110, and WT4 is in split-tone format and uses a set of 5 segments with index values (1, 4, 7, 10, 13) corresponding to logical tone 3 during a second time period 5112. It should also be observed that the set of 5 segments with index values of (1, 4, 7, 10, 13) corresponding to logical tone 3 is part of the larger set of segments used by WT6 in full-tone DCCH mode during time period 1 5110.

Fig. 52 is a flow chart 5200 of an exemplary method of operating a base station in accordance with the present invention. The exemplary method begins at step 5202 where the base station is powered up and initialized. Operation proceeds to step 5204 and step 5206. In step 5204, the base station, on an ongoing basis, partitions the dedicated control channel resources into full-tone DCCH subchannels and fractional-tone DCCH subchannels and allocates the full-tone and fractional-tone DCCH subchannels among the plurality of wireless terminals. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, a DCCH channel uses 31 logical tones and each logical tone corresponds to 40 DCCH channel segments in a single round of repetition of a repeating pattern (e.g., on a beacon slot basis). At any given time, each logical tone may correspond either to a full-tone DCCH mode of operation in which DCCH segments corresponding to that tone are allocated to a single WT, or to a divided-tone DCCH mode in which DCCH segments corresponding to that tone may be allocated up to a fixed maximum number of WTs (e.g., a fixed maximum number of WTs of 3). In such an exemplary embodiment using 31 logical tones for DCCH channels, the base station sector attachment point may allocate DCCH segments to 31 WTs if each of the DCCH channel logical tones is in full-tone mode. In the other extreme, if each of these DCCH channel logical tones is in a split-tone format, 93 WTs may be assigned to a segment. Generally, at any given time, the DCCH channel is divided and may comprise a mix of full and divided tone sub-channels to accommodate, for example, the current loading conditions and current needs of WTs using the base station as their point of attachment.

Fig. 53 illustrates an exemplary partitioning and allocation of dedicated control channel resources of another exemplary embodiment (e.g., an embodiment using 16 indexed DCCH segments corresponding to a logical tone repeated on a recurring basis). The method described with reference to fig. 53 may be used in step 5204 and may be extended to other embodiments.

Step 5204 includes sub-step 5216 where the base station communicates sub-channel assignment information to the WT. Sub-step 5216 includes sub-step 5218. In sub-step 5218, the base station assigns a user identifier, e.g., an ON state user identifier, to the WT receiving the dedicated control channel segment assignment.

In step 5206, the base station receives, on an ongoing basis, an uplink signal from the WT including a dedicated control channel report communicated on the assigned DCCH subchannel. In some embodiments, the wireless terminal uses different codes to communicate information transmitted in DCCH segments during a full-tone DCCH mode of operation and during a fractional-tone DCCH mode of operation; accordingly, the base station performs different decoding operations based on the mode.

Two exemplary types of embodiments are shown in flow diagram 5200. In a first type of embodiment, the base station sends a mode control signal to command a change between first and second modes of operation (e.g., between a full-tone DCCH mode and a split-tone DCCH mode). In such exemplary embodiments, operation proceeds from step 5202 to steps 5208 and 5010. In a second type of embodiment, the wireless terminal requests a mode transition between the first and second modes (e.g., between a full-tone DCCH mode and a split-tone DCCH mode). In such embodiments, operation proceeds from step 5202 to step 5212 and step 5214. Embodiments are also possible in accordance with the present invention in which the base station may command a mode change without input from the wireless terminal, and in which the wireless terminal may request a mode change, e.g., the base station and the wireless terminal are each able to initiate a mode change.

For each instance in which the base station decides to command the WT to change from a first mode, such as full-frequency-tone DCCH mode, to a second mode, such as a frequency-division-tone DCCH mode, operation proceeds to step 5208. In step 5208, the base station sends a mode control signal to the WT to initiate a transition of the WT from a first mode, such as a full-frequency-tone DCCH mode, to a second mode, such as a frequency-division-tone DCCH mode.

For each instance in which the base station decides to command the WT to change from the second mode, e.g., the frequency-divided-tone DCCH mode, to the first mode, e.g., the full-frequency-tone DCCH mode, operation proceeds to step 5210. In step 5210, the base station transmits a mode control signal to the WT to initiate a transition of the WT from the second mode, e.g., a frequency-divided-tone DCCH mode, to the first mode, e.g., a full-frequency-tone DCCH mode.

For each instance in which the base station receives a request from the WT to change from a first mode, such as a full frequency-tone DCCH mode, to a second mode, such as a frequency-division-tone DCCH mode, operation proceeds to step 5212. In step 5212, the base station receives a mode control signal from the WT requesting a transition from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation (e.g., from a full-frequency-tone DCCH mode to a divided-frequency-tone DCCH mode). If the base station decides to admit the request, operation proceeds from step 5212 to step 5220. In step 5220, the base station transmits a positive acknowledgement signal to the WT that sent the request.

For each instance in which the base station receives a request from the WT to change from the second mode, e.g., a frequency-divided-tone DCCH mode, to the first mode, e.g., a full-frequency-tone DCCH mode, operation proceeds to step 5214. In step 5214, the base station receives a mode control signal from the WT requesting a transition from the second mode of operation to the first mode of operation (e.g., from a frequency-divided-tone DCCH mode to a full-frequency-tone DCCH mode). If the base station decides to admit the request, operation proceeds from step 5214 to step 5222. In step 5222, the base station transmits a positive acknowledgement signal to the WT that sent the request.

Fig. 53 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary operation according to the present invention. In the exemplary embodiment of fig. 53, the dedicated control channel is constructed to use a repetitive pattern of 16 segments from 0 index to 15 for each logical tone in the dedicated control channel. Other embodiments according to the invention may use a different number of indexed DCCH segments, e.g., 40 segments, in the recurring pattern. Three exemplary logical DCCH tones indexed (0, 1, 2) are shown in fig. 53. In some embodiments, each segment occupies the same amount of air link resources. For example, in some embodiments, each segment has the same number of tone-symbols, e.g., 21 tone-symbols. Diagram 5300 identifies a segment index corresponding to a logical tone of diagram 5304 over the time of two successive repetitions of the recurring index pattern.

Diagram 5304 plots logical DCCH tone index on vertical axis 5306 versus time on horizontal axis 5308. The first time period 5310 and the second time period 5312 are shown as having the same duration. Legend 5314 identifies: (i) a sparsely cross-hatched pane 5316 representing a WT1 full-tone DCCH mode segment, (ii) a sparsely cross-hatched pane 5318 representing a WT2 full-tone DCCH mode segment, (iii) a sparsely cross-hatched pane 5320 representing a WT4 full-tone DCCH mode segment, (iv) a sparsely cross-hatched pane 5322 representing a WT9 full-tone DCCH mode segment, (v) a diagonally hatched pane 5324 from left to right representing a WT1 divided-tone DCCH mode segment, (vi) a diagonally hatched pane 5326 from left to right representing a WT2 divided-tone DCCH mode segment, (vii) a diagonally hatched pane 5328 from left to right representing a WT3 divided-tone DCCH mode segment, (viii) a sparsely cross-hatched pane 5330 representing a WT4 divided-tone DCCH mode segment, and (ix) a sparsely cross-hatched pane 5332 representing a WT5 divided-tone DCCH mode segment, (x) a diagonally hatched pane 5334 representing a WT6 divided-tone pattern segment, (xi) Shaded boxes 5336 indicate WT7 divided-by-DCCH mode segments, and (xii) shaded boxes 5338 indicate WT8 divided-by-DCCH mode segments.

In diagram 5304, it can be observed that WT1 is in full-tone DCCH mode during first time period 5310 and uses a set of 15 segments (indices 0-14) corresponding to logical tone 0 during that time period. In accordance with some embodiments of the invention, the base station assigns WT1 a first dedicated control subchannel comprising a set of 15 segments (indices 0-14) corresponding to logical tone 0 available for use during time period 1 5310.

In diagram 5304, it can also be observed that WT2, WT3, and WT4 are each in a divided-tone DCCH mode during first time period 5310 and each use a set of 5 segments indexed ((0, 3, 6, 9, 12), (1, 4, 7, 10, 13), (2, 5, 8, 11, 14)) that respectively correspond to the same logical tone (logical tone 1) during first time period 5310. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the base station assigns (WT2, WT3, WT4) a (second, third, and fourth) dedicated control subchannel, each comprising a set of 5 segments with index values ((0, 3, 6, 9, 12), (1, 4, 7, 10, 13), (2, 5, 8, 11, 14)) respectively corresponding to the same logical tone (logical tone 1) during a first time period 5310.

In diagram 5304, it can also be observed that WT6, WT7, and WT8 are each in a divided-tone DCCH mode during first time period 5310 and each use a set of 5 segments indexed ((0, 3, 6, 9, 12), (1, 4, 7, 10, 13), (2, 5, 8, 11, 14)) corresponding to the same logical tone (logical tone 2), respectively, during first time period 5310. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the base station assigns (WT6, WT7, WT8) a (fifth, sixth, and seventh) dedicated control subchannel, each comprising a set of 5 segments with index values ((0, 3, 6, 9, 12), (1, 4, 7, 10, 13), (2, 5, 8, 11, 14)) respectively corresponding to the same logical tone (logical tone 2) during a first time period 5310.

In diagram 5304, it can also be observed that during second time period 5312 (WT1, WT5) are in the split-tone DCCH mode and that during second time period 5312 each use a set of 5 segments indexed ((0, 3, 6, 9, 12), (1, 4, 7, 10, 13)) corresponding respectively to logical tone 0. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the base station allocates an (eighth, ninth) dedicated control subchannel to (WT1, WT5), the (eighth, ninth) dedicated control subchannel including a set of 5 segments with indices ((0, 3, 6, 9, 12), (1, 4, 7, 10, 13)) corresponding to logical tone 0, respectively, during a second time period 5312. WT1 uses logical tone 0 during the first time period and WT5 does not use logical tone 0 during the first time period.

In diagram 5304, it can also be observed that a set of 15 segments indexed (0-14) corresponding to logical tone 1 are used during second time period 5312 (WT2) in full-tone DCCH mode and during second time period 5312. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the base station assigns (WT2) a (tenth) dedicated control subchannel comprising a set of 15 segments indexed (0-14) corresponding to logical tone 1 during second time period 5312. It may also be noted that WT2 is one of the WTs of the set (WT2, WT3, WT4) that used logical tone 1 during first time period 5310.

In diagram 5304, it can also be observed that during second time period 5312 (WT9) is in full-tone DCCH mode and that during second time period 5312 a set of 15 segments indexed (0-14) corresponding to logical tone 2 are each used. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the base station assigns (WT9) an (eleventh) dedicated control subchannel comprising a set of 15 segments indexed (0-14) corresponding to logical tone 2 during second time period 5312. It may also be noted that WT9 is a different WT than the WT using logical tone 2 during first time period 5310 (WT6, WT7, WT 8).

In some embodiments, the logical tones (tone 0, tone 1, tone 2) are subject to an uplink tone hopping operation, which determines which physical tones the logical tones correspond to for each of a plurality of symbol transmission time periods (e.g., in a first time period 5310). For example, logical tones 0, 1, and 2 may be part of a logical channel structure that includes 113 logical tones, which 113 logical tones hop according to a hopping sequence to a set of 113 physical tones used for uplink signaling. Continuing with the example, consider that each DCCH segment corresponds to a single logical tone and to 21 consecutive OFDM symbol transmission time intervals. In an exemplary embodiment, the logical tone hops in a manner such that the logical tone corresponds to three physical tones, wherein the wireless terminal uses each physical tone for 7 consecutive symbol transmission time intervals of the segment.

In an exemplary embodiment using 40 indexed DCCH channel segments corresponding to a logical tone repeated on a recurring basis, exemplary first and second time periods may each include 39 DCCH segments, e.g., the first 39 DCCH segments of a beacon slot corresponding to the logical tone. In such embodiments, if a given tone is in full tone format, the WT is allocated a set of 39 DCCH segments by the base station over the first or second time period corresponding to the allocation. If the given tone is in divided tone format, the WT is allocated a set of 13 DCCH segments over a first or second time period corresponding to the allocation. During full tone mode, the 40 th index segment may also be allocated to and used by WTs in full tone mode. In the divide-and-tune mode, in some embodiments, the 40 th index segment is a reserved segment.

Fig. 54 is a diagram of a flowchart 5400 of an exemplary method of operating a wireless terminal in accordance with the present invention. Operation begins in step 5402 where the wireless terminal is powered on and initialized. Operation proceeds from step 5402 to steps 5404, 5406, and 5408. In step 5404, the wireless terminal measures the received power of the downlink null channel (dl.nch) and determines the interference power (N). For example, a null channel corresponds to a predetermined tone-symbol in an exemplary downlink timing and frequency structure used by a base station serving as the wireless terminal's current point of attachment, wherein the base station intentionally does not use the tone-symbols for transmission, and therefore the received power measured by the wireless terminal receiver on the null channel is indicative of interference. In step 5406, the wireless terminal measures the received power (g.p) of the downlink pilot channel (dl₀). In step 5408, the wireless terminal measures the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the downlink pilot channel (dl₀). Operation proceeds from steps 5404, 5406, and 5408 to step 5410.

In step 5410, the wireless terminal is contingent on being dryThe saturation level of the downlink signal-to-noise ratio is calculated from the interference power, the measured downlink pilot channel received power, and the measured downlink pilot channel SNR. For example, the saturation of DL SNR is 1/a ₀＝(1/SNR₀-N/(GP₀))^-1. Operation proceeds from step 5410 to step 5412. In step 5412, the wireless terminal selects the closest value from a predetermined downlink SNR saturation level quantization scale table to represent the calculated saturation in a dedicated control channel report, and the wireless terminal generates the report. Operation proceeds from step 5412 to step 5414. In step 5414, the wireless terminal transmits a generated report to the base station, the generated report communicated using a dedicated control channel segment (e.g., a predetermined portion of a dedicated control channel segment using a predetermined index) assigned to the wireless terminal. For example, the exemplary WT may be in full tone format mode for DCCH operation using the repetitive reporting structure in fig. 10, and the report may be a DLSSNR4 report of DCCH segment 1036 with index s2 ═ 36.

Fig. 55 is a diagram of an exemplary wireless terminal 5500, e.g., mobile node, implemented in accordance with the present invention and using methods of the present invention. The exemplary WT 5500 may be any of the wireless terminals of the exemplary system of fig. 1. The exemplary wireless terminal 5500 includes a receiver module 5502, a transmitter module 5504, a processor 5506, a user I/O device 5508, and a memory 5510 coupled together via a bus 5512 on which the wireless terminal 5500 exchanges data and information.

A receiver module 5502 (e.g., an OFDM receiver) is coupled to a receive antenna 5503 through which the wireless terminal 5500 receives downlink signals from base stations. The downlink signal received by wireless terminal 5500 includes: a mode control signal, a mode control request response signal, an assigned assignment signal including a user identifier (e.g., an ON identifier associated with a logical uplink dedicated control channel tone), an uplink and/or downlink traffic channel assignment signal, a downlink traffic channel signal, and a downlink base station identification signal. The receiver module 5502 includes a decoder 5518 via which the wireless terminal 5500 decodes a received signal encoded by a base station prior to transmission. Transmitter module 5504 (e.g., an OFDM transmitter) is coupled to a transmit antenna 5505 via which a wireless terminal 5500 transmits uplink signals to a base station. In some embodiments, the transmitter and receiver use the same antenna. The uplink signal transmitted by the wireless terminal includes: a mode request signal, an access signal, dedicated control channel segment signals during the first and second modes of operation, and an uplink traffic channel signal. Transmitter module 5504 includes an encoder 5520 via which wireless terminal 5500 encodes at least some uplink signals prior to transmission. The encoder 5520 includes a first encoding module 5522 and a second encoding module 5524. First encoding module 5522 encodes information to be transmitted in DCCH segments during a first mode of operation according to a first encoding method. Second encoding module 5524 encodes information to be transmitted in DCCH segments during the second mode of operation according to a second encoding method; the first and second encoding methods are different.

User I/O devices 5508, such as a microphone, keyboard, keypad, mouse, switches, camera, display, speaker, etc., are used to enter data/information, output data/information, and control at least some functions of the wireless terminal, such as initiating a communication session. Memory 5510 includes routines 5526 and data/information 5528. The processor 5506, e.g., a CPU, executes the routines 5526 and uses the data/information 5528 therein to control the operation of the wireless terminal 5500 and implement methods of the present invention in memory 5510.

Routines 5526 include communications routines 5530 and wireless terminal control routines 5532. The communications routines 5530 implement various communications protocols used by the wireless terminal 5500. Wireless terminal control routines 5532 control the operation of the wireless terminal 5500, including controlling the operation of the receiver module 5502, transmitter module 5504 and user I/O devices 5508. The wireless terminal control routines 5532 include a first mode dedicated control channel communication module 5534, a second mode dedicated control channel communication module 5536, a dedicated control channel mode control module 5538, a mode request signal generation module 5540, a response detection module 5542, and an uplink dedicated control channel tone determination module 5543.

The first mode dedicated control channel communication module 5534 controls dedicated control channel communications during the first mode of operation using a first set of dedicated control channel segments, the first set including a first number of control channel segments over a first time period. The first mode is a full tone mode of dedicated control channel operation in some embodiments. The second mode dedicated control channel communication module 5536 controls dedicated control channel communication during a second mode of operation using a second set of dedicated control channel segments, the second set of dedicated control channel segments corresponding to a time period having the same duration as the first time period, the second set of dedicated control channel segments comprising less than the first number of control channel segments. The second mode is a divided tone mode of dedicated control channel operation in some embodiments. In various embodiments, the dedicated control channel segment, whether in the first mode of operation or the second mode of operation, uses the same amount of uplink air link resources, e.g., the same number of tone-symbols, such as 21 tone-symbols. For example, a dedicated control channel segment may correspond to one logical tone in a timing and frequency structure used by the base station, but may correspond to three physical tones with three sets of 7 tone-symbols each associated with a different physical uplink tone according to uplink tone hopping information.

DCCH mode control module 5538 in some embodiments controls switching to one of the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation in response to a mode control signal received from a base station (e.g., a mode control command signal from a base station). In some embodiments, the mode control signal also identifies, for the split-tone mode of operation, which set of uplink dedicated control channel segments is associated with the split-tone mode of operation. For example, for a given logical DCCH channel tone in split-tone operation, there may be multiple sets (e.g., 3 sets) of non-overlapping DCCH segments, and the mode control signal may identify which of the sets is associated with the wireless terminal. DCCH mode control module 5538 in some embodiments controls switching to a requested mode of operation, i.e., one of a first mode of operation such as a full-tone DCCH mode and a second mode of operation such as a divided-tone DCCH mode, in response to receiving a positive request acknowledgement signal.

Mode request generation module 5540 generates a mode request signal indicating the requested DCCH mode of operation. The response detection module 5542 detects a response to the mode request signal from the base station. The output of response detection module 5542 is used by DCCH mode control module 5538 to determine whether wireless terminal 5500 is to be switched to the requested mode of operation.

Uplink DCCH tone determination module 5543 determines the physical tone to which the assigned logical DCCH tone corresponds over time based on uplink tone hopping information stored in the wireless terminal.

Data/information 5528 includes user/device/session/resource information 5544, system data/information 5546, current operating mode information 5548, terminal ID information 5550, DCCH logical tone information 5552, mode request signal information 5554, timing information 5556, base station identification information 5558, data 5560, DCCH segment signal information 5562, and mode request response signal information 5564. User/device/session/resource information 5544 includes information corresponding to peer nodes in a communication session with WT 5500, address information, routing information, session information including authentication information, and resource information including allocated DCCH segments and uplink and/or downlink traffic channel segments associated with the communication session allocated to WT 5500. The current operating mode information 5548 includes information identifying whether the wireless terminal is currently in a first operating mode, such as a full-tone DCCH operating mode, or a second operating mode, such as a fractional-tone DCCH operating mode. In some embodiments, both the first and second operating modes for the DCCH correspond to wireless terminal ON operating modes. The current operating mode information 5548 also includes information identifying other modes of operation of the wireless terminal (e.g., sleep, hold, etc.). Terminal identifier information 5550 includes base station assigned wireless terminal identifiers, such as a registered user identifier and/or an ON state identifier. In some embodiments, the ON state identifier is associated with a DCCH logical tone being used by the base station sector access point that allocated the ON state identifier to the wireless terminal. DCCH logical tone information 5552 includes information identifying DCCH logical tones currently allocated to the wireless terminal for use in communicating uplink DCCH segment signals when the wireless terminal is in one of a first DCCH mode of operation and a second DCCH mode of operation. Timing information 5556 includes information identifying the current timing of the wireless terminal within a repetitive timing structure being used by the base station serving as the access point for the wireless terminal. Base station identification information 5558 includes a base station identifier, a base station sector identifier, and a base station tone block and/or carrier identifier associated with a base station sector attachment point being used by the wireless terminal. Data 5560 includes uplink and/or downlink user data communicated in a communication session, e.g., voice, audio data, image data, text data, file data. DCCH segment signal information 5562 includes information corresponding to DCCH segments assigned to the wireless terminal to be communicated, e.g., information bits to be communicated in DCCH segments representing various control information reports. Mode request signal information 5554 includes information corresponding to the mode request signal generated by module 5540. The mode request response signal information 5564 includes response information detected by the module 5542.

System data/information 5546 includes full-tone mode DCCH information 5566, frequency-divided tone mode DCCH information 5568, and sets of base station data/information (base station 1 data/information 5570,.., base station M data/information 5572). Full-tone mode DCCH information 5566 includes channel structure information 5574 and segment coding information 5576. The full-tone mode DCCH channel structure information 5574 includes information identifying the bands when the wireless terminal is in the full-tone mode of DCCH operation and reports to be communicated in the bands. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, there are multiple DCCH tones (e.g., 31) in a DCCH channel, each logical DCCH tone following a recurring pattern of 40 DCCH segments associated with a single logical DCCH tone in the DCCH channel when in full-tone mode. The full-tone mode DCCH segment coding information 5576 includes information used by the first coding module 5522 to code the DCCH segment. Divided-tone mode DCCH information 5568 includes channel structure information 5578 and segment coding information 5580. The split-tone mode DCCH channel structure information 5578 includes information identifying segments when the wireless terminal is in the split-tone mode of DCCH operation and reports to be communicated in the segments. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, there are multiple DCCH tones (e.g., 31) in a DCCH channel, each logical DCCH tone being divided between up to three different WTs over time when in divided tone mode. For example, for a given logical DCCH tone, the WT receives a set of 13 DCCH segments for use among the 40 segments of the recurring code pattern, each set of 13 DCCH segments being non-overlapping with the other two sets of 13 DCCH segments. In such embodiments, it may be considered that a time interval comprising 39 DCCH segments in the structure is allocated to a single WT, e.g., in the case of full-tone mode, and to three wireless terminals in the case of a divided-tone format. The divide-and-tune mode DCCH segment coding information 5580 includes information used by the second coding module 5524 to code DCCH segments.

In some embodiments, during a time period, a given logical DCCH tone is used in full-tone mode of operation, while at other times the same logical DCCH tone is used in split-tone mode of operation. Thus, WT 5500, when in the split-tone DCCH mode of operation, may be allocated a set of DCCH channel segments in a recurring structure that is a subset of a larger set of DCCH channel segments used in the full-tone mode of operation.

Base station 1 data/information 5570 includes base station identification information identifying base stations, sectors, carriers, and/or tone blocks associated with the access point. Base station 1 data/information 5570 also includes downlink timing/frequency structure information 5582 and uplink timing/frequency structure information 5584. Uplink timing/frequency structure information 5584 includes uplink tone hopping information 5586.

Fig. 56 is a diagram of an exemplary base station 5600 (e.g., access point) implemented in accordance with the present invention and using methods of the present invention. Exemplary base station 5600 may be any of the base stations of the exemplary system of fig. 1. The exemplary base station 5600 includes a receiver module 5602, a transmitter module 5604, a processor 5608, an I/O interface 5610, and a memory 5612 coupled together via a bus 5614 over which the various elements interchange data and information.

A receiver module 5602 (e.g., an OFDM receiver) receives uplink signals from multiple wireless terminals via a receive antenna 5603. The uplink signals include dedicated control channel segment signals, mode change requests, and uplink traffic channel segment signals from the wireless terminal. The receiver module 5602 includes a decoder module 5615 for decoding uplink signals encoded by the wireless terminal prior to transmission. The decoder module 5615 includes a first decoder submodule 5616 and a second decoder submodule 5618. The first decoder submodule 5616 decodes information received in a dedicated control channel segment corresponding to logical tones used in a full-tone DCCH mode of operation. A second decoder submodule 5618 decodes information received in dedicated control channel segments corresponding to logical tones used in the divided-tone DCCH mode of operation; the first and second decoder sub-modules (5616, 5618) implement different decoding methods.

A transmitter module 5604 (e.g., an OFDM transmitter) communicates downlink signals to wireless terminals via a transmit antenna 5605. The transmitted downlink signals include registration signals, DCCH control signals, traffic channel assignment signals, and downlink traffic channel signals.

I/O interface 5610 provides an interface for coupling the base station 5600 to other network nodes, such as other base stations, AAA server nodes, home agent nodes, routers, and/or the internet. I/O interface 5610 allows wireless terminals that use base station 5600 as their point of network attachment to communicate with peer nodes (e.g., other wireless terminals) in different cells via a backhaul communication network.

Memory 5612 includes routines 5620 and data/information 5622. The processor 5608, e.g., a CPU, executes the routines 5620 and uses the data/information 5622 therein to control the operation of the base station 5600 and implement the methods of the present invention in memory 5612. Routines 5620 include communications routines 5624 and base station control routines 5626. Communications routines 5624 implement various communications protocols used by the base station 5600. The base station control routines 5626 include a control channel resource allocation module 5628, a logical tone specific module 5630, a wireless terminal specific control channel mode control module 5632, and a scheduler module 5634.

A control channel resource allocation module 5628 allocates dedicated control channel resources including logical tones corresponding to dedicated control channel segments in the uplink. The control channel resource allocation module 5628 includes a full tone allocation submodule 5636 and a divided tone allocation submodule 5638. The full tone assignment sub-module 5636 assigns one of the logical tones corresponding to a dedicated control channel to a single wireless terminal. The divided tone allocation submodule 5638 allocates different sets of dedicated control channel segments corresponding to one of the logical tones corresponding to the dedicated control channel to the plurality of wireless terminals for use on a time-shared basis, wherein a different non-overlapping portion of time that the logical tone is to be used on a time-shared basis is dedicated to each of the plurality of wireless terminals. For example, in some embodiments, a single logical dedicated control channel tone may be allocated to and shared by up to 3 wireless terminals in a split-tone mode of operation. At any given time, the full tone allocation sub-module 5636 may not operate on any of the DCCH channel tones, on some of the DCCH channel tones, or on each of them; at any given time, the split-tone assignment sub-module 5638 may not operate on any of the DCCH channel tones, on some of the DCCH channel tones, or on each of them.

Logical tone specific module 5630 controls whether logical dedicated control channel tones will be used to implement full tone dedicated control channels or fractional tone dedicated control channels. Logical tone dedication module 5630 adjusts a number of logical tones dedicated to a full tone dedicated control channel and dedicated to a fractional tone dedicated control channel in response to wireless terminal loading. In some embodiments, the logical tone specific module 5630 adjusts the allocation of logical tones in response to a request from a wireless terminal to operate in either full or divided tone mode and as a function of the received wireless terminal request. For example, in some embodiments, the base station 5600 uses a set of logical tones (e.g., 31 tones) for the dedicated control channel for a given sector and uplink tone block, and at any given time, the logical tone specific modules 5630 divide down to full tone mode logical tones and fractional tone mode logical tones.

Wireless terminal dedicated control channel mode control module 5632 generates control signals indicating logical tone assignments and dedicated control channel mode assignments to wireless terminals. In some embodiments, an ON state identifier is assigned to the wireless terminal by the generated control signal, and a value of the ON identifier is associated with a particular logical dedicated control channel tone in the uplink channel structure. In some embodiments, the assignment generated by module 5632 indicates that the wireless terminal corresponding to an assignment should operate in full or fractional tone mode with respect to the assigned logical tones. The divided tone pattern assignment also indicates which segments, among a plurality of segments corresponding to the assigned logical dedicated control channel tone, should be used by the wireless terminal corresponding to the assignment.

The scheduler module 5634 schedules uplink and/or downlink traffic channel segments to wireless terminals, e.g., wireless terminals that are using the base station 5600 as their point of network attachment, are ON, and currently have a dedicated control channel assigned in either the split-tone mode or the full-tone mode.

Data/information 5622 includes system data/information 5640, current DCCH logical tone implementation information 5642, received DCCH signal information 5644, DCCH control signal information 5646, and sets of wireless terminal data/information 5648(WT 1 data/information 5650. System data/information 5640 includes full-tone mode DCCH information 5654, frequency-divided tone mode DCCH information 5656, downlink timing/frequency structure information 5658, and uplink timing/frequency structure information 5660. Full-tone mode DCCH information 5654 includes full-tone mode channel structure information 5662 and full-tone mode segment coding information 5664. Split-tone mode DCCH information 5656 includes split-tone mode channel structure information 5666 and split-tone mode segment coding information 5668. The uplink timing/frequency structure information 5660 includes uplink tone hopping information 5660. Each single logical tone in the uplink tone block channel structure corresponds to a physical tone that hops in frequency over time. For example, consider a single logical dedicated control channel tone. In some embodiments, each DCCH segment corresponding to the single logical DCCH tone includes 21 OFDM tone-symbols corresponding to a first physical tone used over 7 consecutive OFDM symbol time periods, a second physical tone used over 7 consecutive OFDM symbol time periods, and a third physical tone used over 7 consecutive OFDM symbol time periods, the first, second, and third tones selected according to an implemented uplink tone hopping sequence known to both the base station and the wireless terminal. The first, second, and third physical tones are different for at least some dedicated control channel logical tones of at least some DCCH segments.

Current DCCH logical tone implementation information 5642 includes information identifying the decision of logical tone specific module 5630, e.g., whether each given logical dedicated control channel tone is currently being used in full tone format or in split tone format. Received DCCH signal information 5644 includes information received on any of the dedicated control channel segments in the uplink dedicated control channel structure of base station 5600. DCCH control signal information 5646 includes assignment information corresponding to an assigned dedicated control channel logical tone and a dedicated control channel mode of operation. DCCH control signal information 5646 also includes a request for a dedicated control channel, a request for a DCCH mode of operation, and/or a request for a change in the DCCH mode of operation received from the wireless terminal. DCCH control signal information 5646 also includes acknowledgement signaling information in response to requests received from wireless terminals.

WT1 data/information 5650 includes identification information 5662, received DCCH information 5664, and user data 5666. Identification information 5662 includes base station assigned WT ON identifier 5668 and mode information 5670. In some embodiments, the base station assigned ON identifier value is associated with a logical dedicated control channel tone in an uplink channel structure used by the base station. Mode information 5670 includes information identifying whether the WT is in full tone DCCH mode of operation or split tone DCCH mode of operation and, when the WT is in split tone mode, information associating the WT with a subset of DCCH segments associated with the logical tone. Received DCCH information 5664 includes received DCCH reports associated with WT1, e.g., reports conveying uplink traffic channel requests, beacon ratio reports, power reports, self-noise reports, and/or signal-to-noise ratio reports. User data 5666 includes uplink and/or downlink traffic channel user data associated with WT1, e.g., voice data, audio data, image data, text data, file data, etc., corresponding to a communication session and communicated via uplink and/or downlink traffic channel segments assigned to WT 1.

Fig. 57 is an illustration of an exemplary wireless terminal 5700, e.g., mobile node, implemented in accordance with the present invention and employing methods of the present invention. Exemplary WT 5700 may be any of the wireless terminals of the exemplary system of fig. 1. The exemplary wireless terminal 5700 includes a receiver module 5702, a transmitter module 5704, a processor 5706, user I/O devices 5708, and memory 5710 coupled together via a bus 5712 over which the wireless terminal 5500 exchanges data and information.

Receiver module 5702 (e.g., an OFDM receiver) is coupled to receive antenna 5703 via which wireless terminal 5700 receives downlink signals from base stations. Downlink signals received by wireless terminal 5700 include beacon signals, pilot signals, registration response signals, power control signals, timing control signals, assignments of wireless terminal identifiers (e.g., ON state identifiers corresponding to DCCH channel logical tones), other DCCH assignment information such as to identify a set of DCCH channel segments in an uplink repeating structure, and/or assignments of uplink traffic channel segments and/or assignments of downlink traffic channel segments. Receiver module 5702 includes a decoder 5714 via which wireless terminal 5700 decodes a received signal encoded by a base station prior to transmission. A transmitter module 5704, e.g., an OFDM transmitter, is coupled to the transmitter antenna 5705 via which the wireless terminal 5700 transmits uplink signals to a base station. The uplink signal transmitted by wireless terminal 5700 includes: access signals, handoff signals, power control signals, timing control signals, DCCH channel segment signals, and uplink traffic channel segment signals. The DCCH channel segment signals include initial DCCH report set signals and scheduled DCCH report set signals. In some embodiments, the transmitter and receiver use the same antenna. The transmitter module 5704 includes an encoder 5716 via which the wireless terminal 5700 encodes at least some uplink signals prior to transmission.

User I/O devices 5708, such as a microphone, keyboard, keypad, mouse, switches, camera, display, speaker, etc., are used to input data/information, output data/information, and control at least some functions of the wireless terminal, such as initiating a communication session. Memory 5710 includes routines 5718 and data/information 5720. The processor 5706, e.g., a CPU, executes the routines 5718 and uses the data/information 5720 in memory 5710 to control the operation of the wireless terminal 5700 and implement methods of the present invention.

Routines 5718 include a communications routine 5722 and wireless terminal control routines 5724. Communications routines 5722 implement various communications protocols used by the wireless terminal 5700. Wireless terminal control routines 5724 control the operation of the wireless terminal 5700, including controlling the operation of the receiver module 5702, transmitter module 5704, and user I/O devices 5708. The wireless terminal control routines 5724 include a report transmission control module 5726, an initial report generation module 5728, a scheduled report generation module 5730, and a timing control module 5732. The report transmission control module 5726 includes a handoff detection module 5734. The initial report generation module 5728 includes a report set size determination submodule 5736.

A report transmission control module controls transmission of an initial set of information reports after the wireless terminal transitions from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation and transmission of scheduled reports according to an uplink reporting schedule after transmission of the initial set of reports. In some embodiments, the first mode of operation is one of a sleep state and a hold state, while the second mode of operation is an ON state, e.g., an ON state in which the wireless terminal is permitted to transmit user data. In various embodiments, in a second mode, such as an ON state, the wireless terminal has a dedicated uplink reporting channel for reporting information including a request for uplink traffic channel resources that may be used to transmit user data. In various embodiments, in a first mode, such as a dormant state or a hold state, the wireless terminal has no dedicated uplink reporting channel for reporting information including a request for uplink traffic channel resources that may be used to transmit user data.

An initial report generation module 5728, responsive to the report transmission control module 5726, generates an initial information report set as a function of a point in time at which the initial report set will be transmitted with respect to an uplink transmission schedule. The scheduling report generation module 5730 generates a set of scheduling report information to be transmitted after the initial information report. The timing control module 5732 correlates the uplink report structure based on the downlink signal received from the base station, e.g., as part of a closed-loop timing control. In some embodiments, the timing control module 5732 is implemented either partially or entirely as a timing control circuit. The handoff detection module 5734 detects a handoff from a first access node attachment point to a second access node attachment point and controls the wireless terminal to generate an initial information report set following certain types of identified handoffs, the generated initial information report set to be transmitted to the second access node attachment point. In some embodiments, some of the above identified types of handoffs include handoffs in which the wireless terminal transitions through an access operational state with respect to the second access node attachment point before entering an ON state with respect to the second access node. For example, the first and second access node attachment points may correspond to different access nodes located in different cells that are not timing synchronized with respect to each other, and the wireless terminal needs to go through an access state to achieve timing synchronization with respect to the second access node.

The handoff detection module 5734 controls the wireless terminal to forgo generating and transmitting initial information reports after a handoff from a first access node attachment point to a second access node attachment point in the event of some other type of handoff and proceed directly to transmitting a scheduling report information set. For example, the first and second access point attachment points may be timing synchronized and correspond to the same access node, e.g., different adjacent sectors and/or tone blocks, and some other types of handoffs described above are, e.g., handoffs that involve transitioning from an ON state with respect to the first access point to an ON state with respect to the second access point without transitioning through the access state.

The report set size determination sub-module 5736 determines an initial report set size as a function of a point in time at which the initial report will be transmitted with respect to the uplink transmission schedule. For example, in some embodiments, the initial report information set size is one of a plurality of set sizes, e.g., corresponding to one, two, three, four, or five DCCH segments, depending on where in the uplink timing structure the initial report transmission will begin (e.g., a point within a superslot). In some embodiments, the type of report included in the initial report set is a function of where in the uplink timing structure the initial report transmission will begin, e.g., depending on the super slot position within a beacon slot.

Data/information 5720 includes user/device/session/resource information 5738, system data/information 5740, base station identification information 5742, terminal identification information 5744, timing control information 5746, current operating state information 5748, DCCH channel information 5750, initial report time information 5752, determined initial report size information 5754, initial report control information 5756, generated initial report information set 5758, generated scheduling information report information set 5760, handoff information 5762, uplink traffic request information 5764, and user data 5766. The initial report control information includes size information 5768 and time information 5770.

User/device/session/resource information 5738 includes user identification information such as user login ID, password, and user priority information, device information such as device identification information and device characteristic parameters, session information such as information regarding peer devices such as other WTs in a communication session with WT5700, communication session information such as session keys, addressing and/or routing information, and resource information such as uplink and/or downlink air link segments and/or identifiers assigned to WT 5700.

System data/information 5740 includes sets of base station information (base station 1 data/information 5722.. base station M data/information 5774), recurring uplink report structure information 5780, and initial DCCH report information 5790. Base station 1 data/information 5772 includes downlink timing/frequency structure information 5776 and uplink timing/frequency structure information 5778. Downlink timing/frequency structure information 5776 includes a downlink logical tone structure that identifies various channels and segments in the repeating downlink, such as assignments, beacons, pilots, downlink traffic channels, and the like, as well as timing, such as OFDM symbol duration, indices, clusters of OFDM symbol time-codings into slots, superslots, beacon slots, polar slots, and the like. Information 5776 also includes base station identification information, e.g., cell, sector, and carrier/tone block identification information. Information 5776 also includes downlink tone hopping information for mapping logical tones to physical tones. The uplink timing/frequency structure information 5778 includes uplink logical tone structures that identify various channels and segments in a repeating uplink structure, such as access, assignment, power control channels, timing control channels, Dedicated Control Channels (DCCH), uplink traffic channels, and the like, as well as time bases such as clusters of OFDM symbol durations, indices, OFDM symbol times into half-slots, super-slots, beaconslots, polar slots, and the like, and information that relates the downlink to the uplink timing BS1, e.g., timing offsets of the uplink and downlink repeating timing structures at the base station. Information 5778 also includes uplink tone hopping information for mapping logical tones to physical tones.

Recurring uplink report structure information 5780 includes DCCH report format information 5782 and DCCH report set information 5784. DCCH report set information 5784 includes set information 5786 and time information 5788. For example, in some embodiments, recurring uplink reporting structure information 5780 includes information identifying a recurring pattern of a fixed number of indexed DCCH segments (e.g., 40 indexed DCCH segments). Each indexed DCCH segment includes one of a plurality of types of DCCH reports, e.g., uplink traffic channel request reports, interference reports such as beacon ratio reports, different SNR reports, etc. The format of each of these different types of reports is identified in the format information 5782 of the DCCH report, e.g., a fixed number of information bits are associated with different potential bit patterns and interpretations of the information conveyed by the respective bit patterns for each type of report. DCCH report set information 5784 identifies different clusters of reports associated with different indexed segments in the recurring DCCH reporting structure. Set information 5786 identifies, for each indexed DCCH segment identified by a corresponding time information item 5788, the report set communicated in the segment and the order of the reports in the segment. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, an exemplary DCCH segment with an index value of 6 includes a 5-bit uplink transmit power backoff report and a 1-bit uplink traffic channel segment request report, while a DCCH segment with an index value of 32 includes a 3-bit downlink differential signal-to-noise ratio report and a 3-bit uplink traffic channel request report (see fig. 10).

Initial DCCH report information 5790 includes format information 5792 and report set information 5794. Format information 5792 includes information indicating the format of the initial report set to be transmitted. In some embodiments, the format, grouping, and/or number of initial reports to be transmitted in an initial report set depends on, for example, the time at which the initial report set is to be transmitted with respect to a recurring uplink timing structure. Report set information 5794 includes information identifying various initial report sets, such as the number of reports, the type of report, and the ordered cluster of reports-e.g., associated with the DCCH segment to be communicated in the initial report.

Base station identification information 5742 includes information identifying the base station attachment point being used by the wireless terminal. Base station identification information 5742 includes a physical attachment point identifier associated with the base station attachment point, e.g., a cell, sector, and carrier/tone block identifier. In some embodiments, at least some of the base station identifier information is communicated via a beacon signal. The base station identification information 5742 also includes base station address information. Terminal identification information 5744 includes identifiers assigned by the base station to be associated with the wireless terminal, such as a registered user identifier and an ON state identifier associated with a logical DCCH tone to be used by the wireless terminal. Timing control information 5746 includes downlink signals received from a base station that are used by the timing control module 5732 to correlate uplink report structures, at least some of the received downlink timing control signals being used for closed loop timing control. Timing control information 5746 also includes information identifying current timing with respect to repetitive uplink and downlink timing structures, such as information regarding the OFDM symbol transmission periods of these structures. Current operating state information 5748 includes information identifying the current operating state (e.g., sleep, hold, ON) of the wireless terminal. Current operating state information 5748 also includes information identifying when the WT is in full-tone DCCH mode of operation or fractional-tone DCCH mode of operation, in an access procedure, or in a handoff procedure. Additionally, the current operating state information 5748 includes information identifying whether the wireless terminal is communicating an initial DCCH report set or a recurring reporting structure information DCCH report set when the wireless terminal is assigned a logical DCCH channel tone for use. Initial reporting time information 5752 includes information identifying a point in time when the initial DCCH report set will be transmitted with respect to the uplink transmission schedule. The determined initial report size information 5754 is the output of the report set size determination submodule 5736. Initial report control information 5756 includes information used by initial report generation module 5728 to control the content of the initial report set. The initial report control information 5756 includes size information 5768 and time information 5770. The generated initial report information set 5758 is an initial report set generated by wireless terminal initial report generation module 5728 using data/information 5720 including initial DCCH report structure information 5790, initial report control information 5756, and information to be included in the initial reported report, such as uplink traffic channel request information 5764, SNR information, and measured interference information. The generated sets of scheduling report information 5760 include generated sets of scheduling information reports, e.g., each set corresponding to a scheduled DCCH segment to be used by the wireless terminal. The generated set of scheduling report information 5760 is generated by the scheduling report generation module 5730 using information including recurring uplink report structure information 5780, and information to be included in the initial reported report, such as uplink traffic channel request information 5764, SNR information, and measured interference information. Uplink traffic request information 5764 includes information regarding a request for uplink traffic channel segment resources, e.g., a number of frames of uplink user data corresponding to different request group queues to be communicated. User data 5766 includes voice data, audio data, image data, text data, file data to be communicated over uplink traffic channel segments and/or received over downlink traffic channel segments.

Fig. 58 is a diagram of an exemplary base station 5800 (e.g., access point) implemented in accordance with the present invention and using methods of the present invention. Exemplary base station 5800 may be any of the base stations of the exemplary system of fig. 1. The exemplary base station 5800 includes a receiver module 5802, a transmitter module 5804, a processor 5806, an I/O interface 5808, and memory 5810 coupled together via a bus 5812 over which the various elements interchange data and information.

A receiver module 5802 (e.g., an OFDM receiver) receives uplink signals from a plurality of wireless terminals via a receive antenna 5803. The uplink signals include a dedicated control channel report information set from the wireless terminal, an access signal, a mode change request, and an uplink traffic channel segment signal. The receiver module 5802 includes a decoder module 5814 for decoding uplink signals encoded by the wireless terminal prior to transmission.

A transmitter module 5804 (e.g., an OFDM transmitter) transmits downlink signals to wireless terminals via a transmit antenna 5805. The transmitted downlink signals include registration signals, DCCH control signals, traffic channel assignment signals, and downlink traffic channel signals.

I/O interface 5808 provides an interface for coupling the base station 5800 to other network nodes, such as other base stations, AAA server nodes, home agent nodes, routers, and/or the internet. I/O interface 5808 allows a wireless terminal using base station 5800 as its point of network attachment to communicate with peer nodes (e.g., other wireless terminals) in different cells via a backhaul communication network.

Memory 5810 includes routines 5820 and data/information 5822. The processor 5806, e.g., a CPU, executes the routines 5820 and uses the data/information 5822 in memory 5810 to control the operation of the base station 5800 and implement the methods of the present invention. Routines 5820 include communications routines 5824 and base station control routines 5826. Communications routines 5824 implement various communications protocols used by base station 5800. The base station control routines 5826 include a scheduler module 5828, a report set interpretation module 5830, an access module 5832, a handoff module 5834, and a registered wireless terminal state transition module 5836.

Scheduler module 5828 schedules uplink and/or downlink traffic channel segments to wireless terminals, e.g., wireless terminals that are using the base station 5800 as their point of network attachment, are in an ON state, and currently have a dedicated control channel assigned in either a split tone mode or a full tone mode.

Report set interpretation module 5830, such as a DCCH report set interpretation module, includes an initial report set interpretation sub-module 5838 and a recurring report structure report set interpretation sub-module 5840. Report set interpretation module 5830 interprets each received DCCH report set according to either initial DCCH report information 5850 or recurring uplink report structure information 5840. Report set interpretation module 5830 is responsive to a transition of the wireless terminal to the ON state. Report set interpretation module 5830 interprets DCCH report information sets received from a wireless terminal immediately after one of the following events as an initial information report set: a transition of the wireless terminal from a hold state to an ON state with respect to the current connection, a transition of the wireless terminal from an access state to an ON state with respect to the current connection, and a transition of the wireless terminal from an ON state to an ON state that existed before handing off to the base station with respect to another connection. The report set interpretation module 5830 includes an initial report set interpretation sub-module 5838 and a recurring report structure report set interpretation sub-module 5840. Initial report set interpretation sub-module 5838 uses data/information 5822 including initial DCCH report information 5850 to process a received information report set, e.g., corresponding to a received DCCH segment, that has been determined to be an initial DCCH report set to obtain interpreted initial report set information. Recurring reporting structure report set interpretation sub-module 5840 uses data/information 5822 including recurring uplink reporting structure information 5848 to process a received information report set, e.g., corresponding received DCCH segments, that has been determined to be a recurring reporting structure DCCH report set to obtain interpreted recurring structure report set information.

The access module 5832 controls operations related to access operations of the wireless terminal. For example, the wireless terminal transitions to the ON state via the access mode to achieve uplink timing synchronization with the base station attachment point and receive a WT ON state identifier associated with a logical DCCH channel tone in the uplink timing and frequency structure to be used to communicate uplink DCCH segment signals. After this transition to the ON state, the initial report set interpretation sub-module 5838 is enabled to process DCCH segments corresponding to the remainder of the superslot, such as one, two, three, four, or five DCCH segments, and then operation is passed to the recurring reporting structure report set interpretation sub-module 5840 to process subsequent DCCH segments from the wireless terminal. The number of DCCH segments and/or the format used by the segments to be processed by module 5838 before control is passed to module 5840 is a function of the time at which the access occurs with respect to a recurring uplink DCCH reporting structure.

Handoff module 5834 controls operations related to handing off a wireless terminal from one attachment point to another. For example, a wireless terminal in an ON state with respect to a first base station attachment point may perform a handoff operation with base station 5800 to transition to an ON state with respect to a second base station attachment point, which is the base station 5800 attachment point, and handoff module 5834 enables initial report set interpretation submodule 5838.

Registered wireless terminal state transition module 5836 performs operations related to a mode change for a wireless terminal that has registered with a base station. For example, a registered wireless terminal currently in a keep-alive state in which the wireless terminal is prevented from transmitting uplink user data may transition to an ON-active state in which the WT is assigned an ON-state identifier associated with a DCCH logical channel tone and the wireless terminal may receive an uplink traffic channel segment to be used to communicate uplink user data. The registered WT state transition module 5836 enables the initial report set interpretation sub-module 5838 in response to the wireless terminal transitioning from a mode that remains to an ON state.

Base station 5800 manages a plurality of ON state wireless terminals. For a set of received DCCH segments corresponding to the same time interval communicated from different wireless terminals, the base station sometimes processes some of these segments using an initial report set interpretation sub-module 5838 and some of these segments using a recurring report set structure interpretation sub-module 5840.

Data/information 5822 includes system data/information 5842, access signal information 5860, handoff signal information 5862, mode transfer signaling information 5864, time information 5866, current DCCH logical tone implementation information 5868, received DCCH segment information 5870, base station identification information 5859, and WT data/information 5872.

System data/information 5842 includes downlink timing/frequency structure information 5844, uplink timing/frequency structure information 5846, recurring uplink reporting structure information 5848, and initial DCCH report information 5850. Recurring uplink reporting structure information 5848 includes DCCH report format information 5852 and DCCH report set information 5854. DCCH report set information 5854 includes set information 5856 and time information 5858. Initial DCCH report information 5850 includes format information 5851 and report set information 5853.

Downlink timing/frequency structure information 5844 includes downlink logical tone structures that identify various channels and segments in a repeating downlink structure, such as assignments, beacons, pilots, downlink traffic channels, and the like, as well as identify timing, such as clusters of OFDM symbol durations, indices, OFDM symbol timing into slots, superslots, beacon slots, polar slots, and the like. Information 5844 also includes base station identification information, e.g., cell, sector, and carrier/tone block identification information. Information 5844 also includes downlink tone hopping information used to map logical tones to physical tones. Uplink timing/frequency structure information 5846 includes information identifying various channels and segments in the repetitive uplink structure, such as access, assignment, power control channel, Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH), uplink traffic channel, etc., as well as identifying uplink logical tone structures such as OFDM symbol duration, index, grouping of OFDM symbol times, e.g., half-slots, super-slots, beaconslots, polar slots, etc., and information relating the downlink to uplink timing, e.g., timing offsets of the uplink and downlink repetitive timing structures at the base station. Information 5846 also includes uplink tone hopping information used to map logical tones to physical tones.

The recurring uplink reporting structure information 5848 includes DCCH report format information 5852 and DCCH report set information 5848. DCCH report set information 5854 includes set information 5856 and time information 5858. For example, in some embodiments, recurring uplink reporting structure information 5848 includes information identifying recurring code patterns for a fixed number of indexed DCCH segments (e.g., 40 indexed DCCH segments). Each indexed DCCH segment includes one of a plurality of types of DCCH reports, e.g., uplink traffic channel request reports, interference reports such as beacon ratio reports, different SNR reports, etc. The format of each of these different types of reports is identified in the format information 5852 of the DCCH report, e.g., associating a fixed number of information bits with different potential bit patterns and interpretations of the information conveyed by the respective bit patterns for each type of report. DCCH report set information 5854 identifies different groupings of reports associated with different indexed segments in the recurring DCCH reporting structure. Set information 5856 identifies, for each indexed DCCH segment identified by a corresponding time information item 5858, the set of reports communicated in the segment and the order of the reports in the segment. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, an exemplary DCCH segment with an index value of 6 includes a 5-bit uplink transmit power backoff report and a 1-bit uplink traffic channel segment request report, while a DCCH segment with an index value of 32 includes a 3-bit downlink Δ snr report and a 3-bit uplink traffic channel request report (see fig. 10).

Initial DCCH report information 5850 includes format information 5851 and report set information 5853. Format information 5851 includes information indicating a format of an initial report set to be transmitted. In some embodiments, the format, grouping, and/or number of initial reports to be transmitted in an initial report set depends on, for example, the time at which the initial report set is to be transmitted with respect to a recurring uplink timing structure. Report set information 5853 includes information identifying various initial report sets, such as the number of reports, the type of reports, and the ordered grouping of reports-e.g., associated with DCCH segments to be communicated in the initial report set.

Base station identification information 5859 includes information identifying a base station attachment point being used by the wireless terminal. Base station identification information 5859 includes a physical attachment point identifier associated with the base station attachment point, e.g., a cell, sector, and carrier/tone block identifier. In some embodiments, at least some of the base station identifier information is communicated via a beacon signal. The base station identification information also includes base station address information. Access signal information 5860 includes an access request signal received from the wireless terminal, an access response signal sent to the wireless terminal, access-related timing signals, and base station internal signaling that enables an initial report interpretation sub-module 5838 in response to the wireless terminal transitioning from the access state to the ON state. Handoff signal information 5862 includes information regarding handoff operations, including handoff signaling received from other base stations and base station internal signaling enabling initial report interpretation submodule 5838 in response to a transition from a WTON state of another connection to a WT ON state of a base station 5800 point-of-attachment connection. Mode transition signaling information 5864 includes signals between a currently registered wireless terminal and the base station 5800 regarding a state change (e.g., from a hold state to an ON state), as well as base station internal signaling to enable the initial report set interpretation submodule 5838 in response to a state transition (e.g., hold to ON). Registered WT state transition module 5836 also disables recurring report structure report set interpretation submodule 5840 for the wireless terminal in response to some state change, such as the wireless terminal transitioning from an ON state to one of a hold state, a sleep state, or an Off state.

Time information 5866 includes current time information, e.g., the index OFDM symbol time period within the recurring uplink timing structure being used by the base station. Current DCCH logical tone implementation information 5868 includes information identifying which of the base station logical DCCH tones are currently in full-tone DCCH mode and which are in fractional DCCH mode. Received DCCH segment information 5860 includes information from received DCCH segments corresponding to a plurality of WT users currently assigned logical DCCH tones.

WT data/information 5872 includes sets of wireless terminal information (WT 1 data/information 5874. WT1 data/information 5874 includes identification information 5886, mode information 5888, received DCCH information 5880, processed DCCH information 5882, and user data 5884. Received DCCH information 5880 includes initial received report set information 5892 and recurring report structure received report set information 5894. Processed DCCH information 5882 includes interpreted initial report set information 5896 and interpreted recurring structure report set information 5898. Identification information 5886 includes a base station assigned wireless terminal registration identifier, addressing information associated with WT 1. At times, identification information 5886 includes a WT ON state identifier associated with a logical DCCH channel tone to be used by the wireless terminal to communicate DCCH segment signals. Mode information 5888 includes information identifying the WT 1's current state (e.g., sleep state, hold state, access state, ON state, etc.) during handoff and information further defining the ON state (e.g., whether full tone DCCH ON or split tone DCCH ON). User data 5884 includes uplink and/or downlink traffic channel segment information, e.g., voice data, audio data, image data, text data, file data, etc., to be received from/communicated to a WT1 peer node in a communication session with WT 1.

Initial received report set information 5892 includes information sets corresponding to WT1DCCH segments communicated using a format in accordance with initial report information 5850 and is interpreted by module 5838 to recover interpreted initial report information set information 5896. Recurring reporting structure received report set information 5894 includes information sets corresponding to WT1DCCH segments communicated using a format in accordance with recurring uplink reporting structure information 5848 and is interpreted by module 5840 to recover interpreted recurring report information set information 5898.

Fig. 59, which includes fig. 59A, 59B, and 59C, is a flow chart 5900 of an exemplary method of operating a wireless terminal in accordance with the present invention. The exemplary method begins at step 5901, where the wireless terminal is powered on and initialized. Operation proceeds from step 5901 to steps 5902 and 5904. In step 5902, the wireless terminal tracks the current time on an ongoing basis with respect to uplink recurring DCCH reporting schedule and with respect to uplink tone hopping information. Time information 5906 is the output from step 5902 to be used in other steps of the method.

In step 5904, the wireless terminal receives a base station ON state identifier associated with a DCCH logical tone in an uplink channel structure of an access node acting as an access point for the wireless terminal. Operation proceeds from step 5904 to step 5908. In step 5908, the wireless terminal receives information identifying whether the wireless terminal should be in a full-tone DCCH mode of operation or a split-tone DCCH mode of operation, the information indicating the split-tone DCCH mode of operation further identifying one of a plurality of sets of DCCH segments associated with the DCCH logical tone. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, when in full-tone DCCH mode, the wireless terminal is assigned a single logical DCCH tone corresponding to a recurring set of 40 indexed DCCH segments in an uplink channel structure, and when in split-tone operating mode, the wireless terminal is assigned a single logical DCCH tone that is time-shared, such that the wireless terminal receives a recurring set of 13 indexed segments in an uplink channel structure, while two other wireless terminals may each be assigned a different set of 13 segments in the uplink channel structure. In some embodiments, the information communicated in steps 5904 and 5908 is communicated in the same message. Operation proceeds from step 5908 to step 5910.

At step 5910, the wireless terminal proceeds to step 5912 if the wireless terminal has determined that it is in full-tone DCCH mode, while operating to step 5914 if the wireless terminal has determined that it is in split-tone DCCH mode.

In step 5912, the wireless terminal uses time information 5906 and the identified logical DCCH tones to identify DCCH communication segments allocated to the wireless terminal. For example, in an embodiment, for each beacon slot, the wireless terminal identifies a set of 40 indexed DCCH segments corresponding to an assigned logical DCCH tone. Operation proceeds from step 5912 to step 5916 for each identified communication segment. In step 5916, the wireless terminal uses time information 5906, the index values of the DCCH segment within the recurring structure, and stored information associating a set of report types with each index segment to identify a set of report types to be communicated in the DCCH communication segment. Operation proceeds from step 5916 via connecting node a to step 5924.

In step 5924, the wireless terminal checks 5916 whether any of the report types identified in step 5916 include flexible reports. If any of the identified report types indicate flexible reporting, operation proceeds from step 5924 to step 5928; otherwise operation proceeds from step 5924 to step 5926.

In step 5926, the wireless terminal maps, for each fixed-type information report of the segment, the information to be conveyed to a fixed number of information bits corresponding to the report size, the fixed type of information report being specified by a reporting schedule. Operation proceeds from step 5926 to step 5942.

In step 5928, the wireless terminal selects which type of report, among a plurality of fixed type information report types, to include as a flexible report body. Step 5928 includes sub-step 5930. In sub-step 5930, the wireless terminal performs the selection as a function of a report prioritization operation. Sub-step 5930 includes sub-steps 5932 and 5934. In sub-step 5932, the wireless terminal considers an amount of uplink data queued for communicating to the access node (e.g., backlog in multiple request queues), and at least one signal to interference measurement (e.g., beacon ratio report). In sub-step 5934, the wireless terminal determines an amount of change with respect to information previously reported in at least one report, e.g., a measured change with respect to a downlink saturation level of self-noise SNR report. Operation proceeds from step 5928 to step 5936.

In step 5936, the wireless terminal encodes the type of flexible body report into a type identifier, such as a 2-bit flexible report body identifier. Operation proceeds from step 5936 to step 5938. In step 5938, the wireless terminal maps information to be communicated in the flexible report body according to the selected report type to a number of information bits corresponding to the flexible report body size. Operation proceeds from step 5938 to either step 5940 or step 5942. Step 5942 is an optional step included in some embodiments. At step 5940, for each fixed-type information report in the segment outside the flexible report, the information to be conveyed is mapped to a fixed number of information bits corresponding to the report size. Operation proceeds from step 5940 to step 5942. For example, in some embodiments, a DCCH segment including a flexible report uses the full number of information bits communicated by the segment for itself when in full-tone mode, e.g., the segment conveys 6 information bits, 2 bits for identifying the report type and 4 bits for conveying the report body. In such embodiments, step 5940 is not performed. In some other embodiments, the total number of bits conveyed by the DCCH segment in the full-tone DCCH mode is greater than the number of bits represented by the flexible report and step 5940 is included to utilize the remaining information bits of the segment. For example, the segment conveys a total of 7 information bits, of which 6 are used for flexible reporting and 1 is used for fixed 1 information bit uplink traffic request reporting.

In step 5942, the wireless terminal performs coding and modulation operations to generate a set of modulation symbols representing one or more reports to be communicated in the DCCH segment. Operation proceeds from step 5942 to step 5944. In step 5944, the wireless terminal determines, for each modulation symbol in the generated set of modulation symbols, a physical tone to be used to convey the modulation symbol using time information 5906 and tone hopping information. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, each DCCH segment corresponds to 21 OFDM tone-symbols, each tone-symbol being used to communicate one QPSK modulation symbol, each of the 21 OFDM tone-symbols corresponding to the same logical DCCH tone; however, due to uplink tone hopping, the 7 OFDM tone-symbols in the first set of 7 consecutive OFDM symbol time periods correspond to a first physical tone, the second set of 7 OFDM tone-symbols in the second set of 7 consecutive OFDM symbol time periods correspond to a second physical tone, and the third set of 7 consecutive OFDM symbol time periods correspond to a third physical tone, the first, second, and third physical tones being different. Operation proceeds from step 5944 to step 5946. In step 5946, the wireless terminal transmits each modulation symbol of the DCCH segment using the determined corresponding physical tone.

Returning to step 5914, in step 5914, the wireless terminal uses time information 5906, the identified logical DCCH tone, and information identifying one of the sets of DCCH segments to identify DCCH communication segments allocated to the wireless terminal. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, for each beacon slot, the wireless terminal identifies a set of 13 indexed DCCH segments corresponding to the assigned logical DCCH tone. Operation proceeds from step 5914 to step 5918 for each identified DCCH communication segment. In step 5918, the wireless terminal uses time information 5906, the index values of the DCCH segment within the recurring structure, and stored information associating a set of report types with each index segment to identify a set of report types to be communicated in the DCCH communication segment. Operation proceeds from step 5916 via connecting node B5922 to step 5948.

In step 5948, the wireless terminal checks whether any of the report types identified in step 5918 include flexible reports. If any of the identified report types indicate flexible reporting, operation proceeds from step 5948 to step 5952; otherwise operation proceeds from step 5948 to step 5950.

In step 5950, the wireless terminal maps, for each fixed-type information report of the segment, the information to be conveyed to a fixed number of information bits corresponding to the report size, the fixed type of information report being specified by a reporting schedule. Operation proceeds from step 5950 to step 5966.

In step 5952, the wireless terminal selects which type of report among a plurality of fixed type information report types to include as the flexible report body. Step 5952 includes sub-step 5954. In sub-step 5954, the wireless terminal performs the selection as a function of a report prioritization operation. Sub-step 5954 includes sub-steps 5956 and 5958. In sub-step 5956, the wireless terminal considers the amount of uplink data queued for communication to the access node (e.g., backlog in multiple request queues), and at least one signal to interference measurement (e.g., beacon ratio report). In sub-step 5958, the wireless terminal determines an amount of change with respect to information previously reported in at least one report, e.g., a measured change with respect to a downlink saturation level of self-noise SNR report.

In step 5960, the wireless terminal encodes the type of flexible body report into a type identifier, such as a single bit flexible report body identifier. Operation proceeds from step 5960 to step 5962. In step 5962, the wireless terminal maps the information to be communicated in the flexible report body to a number of information bits corresponding to the flexible report body size according to the selected report type. Operation proceeds from step 5962 to either step 5964 or step 5966. Step 5964 is an optional step included in some embodiments. At step 5964, for each fixed-type information report in the segment outside the flexible report, the information to be conveyed is mapped to a fixed number of information bits corresponding to the report size. Operation proceeds from step 5964 to step 5966. For example, in some embodiments, a DCCH segment including a flexible report uses the full number of information bits communicated by the segment for itself when in the split-tone mode, and in such embodiments, step 5964 is not performed. In some other embodiments, the total number of bits conveyed by the DCCH segment in the split-tone DCCH mode is greater than the number of bits represented by the flexible report and step 5940 is included to utilize the remaining information bits of the segment. For example, the segment conveys a total of 8 information bits, of which 6 are used for flexible reporting and 1 information bit is used for a fixed 1 information bit uplink traffic request report, and 1 information bit is used for another predetermined report type. In some embodiments, the size of the body of the flexible report varies corresponding to different choices of report types (e.g., 4-bit uplink traffic channel request or 5-bit uplink transmit power backoff report) to be conveyed by the flexible report, while the remainder of the available bits in the segment may be allocated to a predetermined fixed report type, e.g., 1 or 2 bits.

In step 5966, the wireless terminal performs coding and modulation operations to generate a set of modulation symbols representing the one or more reports to be communicated in the DCCH segment. Operation proceeds from step 5966 to step 5968. In step 5968, the wireless terminal determines, for each modulation symbol in the generated set of modulation symbols, the physical tone to be used to convey the modulation symbol using time information 5906 and tone hopping information. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, each DCCH segment corresponds to 21 OFDM tone-symbols, each tone-symbol being used to communicate one QPSK modulation symbol, each of the 21 OFDM tone-symbols corresponding to the same logical DCCH tone; however, due to uplink tone hopping, the 7 OFDM tone-symbols in the first set of 7 consecutive OFDM symbol time periods correspond to a first physical tone, the second set of 7 OFDM tone-symbols in the second set of 7 consecutive OFDM symbol time periods correspond to a second physical tone, and the third set of 7 consecutive OFDM symbol time periods correspond to a third physical tone, the first, second, and third physical tones being determined from the tone hopping information and may be different. Operation proceeds from step 5968 to step 5970. In step 5970, the wireless terminal transmits each modulation symbol of the DCCH segment using the determined corresponding physical tone.

Fig. 60 is a flow chart 6000 of an exemplary method of operating a wireless terminal to provide transmit power information to a base station in accordance with the present invention. Operation begins at step 6002. For example, the wireless terminal may have been previously powered up, established a connection with a base station, transitioned into an ON operating state, and assigned a dedicated control channel band for use in a full-tone or fractional-tone DCCH mode of operation. The full-tone DCCH mode of operation is a mode in which a single logical tone channel is dedicated for use as a DCCH segment without sharing with other wireless terminals in some embodiments, and the fractional-tone DCCH mode of operation is a mode in which a portion of a single logical DCCH tone channel is dedicated for use by the wireless terminal while the single logical DCCH tone channel may be allocated for use with other one or more wireless terminals on a time shared basis in some embodiments. Operation proceeds from start step 6002 to step 6004.

At step 6004 the wireless terminal generates a power report indicating the ratio of the maximum transmit power of the wireless terminal to the transmit power of a reference signal whose power level is known to the wireless terminal at the point in time corresponding to the power report. In some embodiments, the power report is a backoff report, e.g., a wireless terminal transmit power backoff report indicating a dB value. In some embodiments, the maximum transmit power value is dependent on the power output capability of the wireless terminal. In some embodiments, the maximum transmit power is defined by government regulations that limit the maximum output power level of the wireless terminal. In some embodiments, the reference signal is controlled by the wireless terminal based on at least one closed loop power level control signal received from the base station. In some embodiments, the reference signal is a control information signal transmitted to the base station over a dedicated control channel. The reference signal is measured in some embodiments by the base station to which it is transmitted for its received power level. In various embodiments, the dedicated control channel is a single frequency tone control channel corresponding to a single logical tone dedicated for use by the wireless terminal in transmitting control information. In various embodiments, the power report is a power report corresponding to a single time instance. In some embodiments, the known reference signal is a signal transmitted on the same channel as the power report, e.g., on a DCCH channel. In various embodiments, the power report is generated at a point in time that corresponds to a known offset from the beginning of the communication segment (e.g., DCCH segment) in which the power report is to be transmitted. Step 6004 includes sub-step 6006, sub-step 6008, sub-step 6010, and sub-step 6012.

In sub-step 6006, the wireless terminal performs a subtraction operation comprising subtracting the transmit power per tone of the uplink dedicated control channel in dBm from the wireless terminal maximum transmit power in dBm. Operation proceeds from sub-step 6006 to sub-step 6008. In sub-step 6008, the wireless terminal proceeds to different sub-steps depending on whether the wireless terminal is in a full-tone DCCH mode of operation or a split-tone DCCH mode of operation. Operation proceeds from sub-step 6008 to sub-step 6010 if the wireless terminal is in a full-tone DCCH mode of operation. If the wireless terminal is in a split-tone DCCH mode of operation, operation proceeds from sub-step 6008 to sub-step 6012. In sub-step 6010, the wireless terminal generates a power report according to a first format, e.g., a 5 information bit power report. For example, the result of sub-step 6006 is compared to a plurality of different levels, each level corresponding to a different 5-bit pattern, the level closest to the result of sub-step 6006 is selected for the report, and the bit pattern corresponding to that level is used for the report. In one exemplary embodiment, the level ranges from 6.5dB to 40 dB. (see FIG. 26). In sub-step 6012, the wireless terminal generates a power report according to a second format, e.g., a 4 information bit power report. For example, the result of sub-step 6006 is compared to a plurality of different levels, each level corresponding to a different 4-bit pattern, the level closest to the result of sub-step 6006 is selected for the report, and the bit pattern corresponding to that level is used for the report. In one exemplary embodiment, the level ranges from 6dB to 36 dB. (see FIG. 35). Operation proceeds from step 6004 to step 6014.

At step 6014, the wireless terminal is operated to transmit the generated power report to the base station. Step 6014 includes sub-steps 6016, 6018, 6020, 6022, and 6028. At sub-step 6016, the wireless terminal proceeds to different sub-steps depending on whether the wireless terminal is in a full-tone DCCH mode of operation or a split-tone DCCH mode of operation. If the wireless terminal is in a full-tone DCCH mode of operation, operation proceeds from sub-step 6016 to sub-step 6018. If the wireless terminal is in a split-tone DCCH mode of operation, operation proceeds from sub-step 6016 to sub-step 6020.

In sub-step 6018, the wireless terminal combines the generated power report with additional information bits (e.g., 1 additional information bit) and jointly codes the set of combined information bits (e.g., a set of 6 information bits) to generate a set of modulation symbols (e.g., a set of 21 modulation symbols) corresponding to a DCCH segment. For example, the 1 additional information bit is a single information bit uplink traffic channel resource request report in some embodiments. In sub-step 6020, the wireless terminal combines the generated power report with additional information bits (e.g., 4 additional information bits) and jointly encodes the set of combined information bits (e.g., a set of 8 information bits) to generate a set of modulation symbols (e.g., a set of 21 modulation symbols) corresponding to a DCCH segment. For example, the set of 4 additional information bits is a 4 information bit uplink traffic channel resource request report in some embodiments. Operation proceeds from either sub-step 6018 or sub-step 6020 to sub-step 6022.

In sub-step 6022, the wireless terminal determines a single OFDM tone used for the DCCH segment during each of a plurality of consecutive OFDM symbol transmission time periods. Sub-step 6022 includes sub-step 6024 and sub-step 6026. In sub-step 6024, the wireless terminal determines a logical DCCH channel tone assigned to the wireless terminal, and in sub-step 6026, the wireless terminal determines physical tones to which the logical DCCH channel tone corresponds at different points in time based on tone hopping information. For example, in some embodiments, an exemplary DCCH segment corresponds to a single DCCH channel logical tone and the DCCH segment includes 21 OFDM tone-symbols, one OFDM tone-symbol for each of the 21 consecutive OFDM symbol transmission time intervals, the same physical tone for a first set of 7, a second physical tone for a second set of 7, and a third physical tone for a third set of 7. Operation proceeds from sub-step 6022 to sub-step 6028. In sub-step 6028, the wireless terminal transmits a modulation symbol from the generated set of modulation symbols during each OFDM symbol transmission time period corresponding to the DCCH segment using the determined physical tone corresponding to the point in time.

Operation proceeds from step 6014 to step 6004, where the wireless terminal in turn generates another power report. In some embodiments, the power report is transmitted twice during each recurring cycle of a dedicated control channel reporting structure used by the wireless terminal to control transmission of control information. In some embodiments, the power report is transmitted on average at least once every 500 OFDM symbol transmission time periods, but on average at intervals spaced apart by at least 200 symbol transmission time intervals.

Various features of exemplary embodiments according to the present invention will now be described. The Wireless Terminal (WT) uses ULRQST1, ULRQST3, or ULRQST4 to report the status of the MAC frame queue at the WT transmitter.

The WT transmitter maintains a MAC frame queue that buffers MAC frames to be transmitted over the link. The MAC frame is converted from an LLC frame, which is constructed from packets of an upper layer protocol. The uplink user data packet belongs to one of 4 request groups. The packet is associated with a particular request group. If the packet belongs to a request group, each of the MAC frames of the packet also belongs to the request group.

The WT reports the number of MAC frames in the 4 request groups that the WT may want to transmit. In ARQ protocols, those MAC frames are marked as "new" or "to be retransmitted".

The WT maintains a 4 element vector N [0:3] of k 0:3, N [ k ] representing the number of MAC frames the WT intends to transmit in request group k. The WT reports information about N [0:3] to a Base Station Sector (BSS) so that the BSS can utilize the information in an Uplink (UL) scheduling algorithm to determine an assignment of an uplink traffic channel (ul.tch) segment.

WT reports N [0] + N [1] using ULRQST1 according to table 6100 of FIG. 61.

At a given time, the WT uses only one request dictionary. When the WT has just entered the ACTIVE state, the WT uses the default request dictionary. To change the request dictionary, the WT and BSS use an upper layer configuration protocol. When the WT transitions from the ON state to the HOLD state, the WT maintains the last request dictionary used in the ON state, such that when the WT later transitions from the HOLD state to the ON state, the WT continues to use the same request dictionary until the request dictionary is explicitly changed; however, if the WT leaves the ACTIVE state, the memory of the last request dictionary is cleared.

To determine ULRQST3 or ULRQST4, the WT first computes the following two parameters, y and z, and then uses one of the following dictionaries. The value (in dB) reported by the last 5-bit uplink transmit power backoff report (ULTXBKF5) is denoted by x, and by the value b ₀The value (in dB) of the most recent common 4-bit downlink beacon ratio report (DLBNR4) is indicated. The WT further determines the adjusted normal DLBNR4 report value b as follows: b ═ b₀-ulttchrateflashassignment offset, wherein the minus sign is defined in the sense of dB. The base station sector broadcasts the value of the ulttchrateflashassignment offset in the downlink broadcast channel. The WT uses an ulttchrateflashassignment offset equal to 0dB until the WT receives the value from the broadcast channel.

Given x and b, the WT determines y and z as y and z for the first row in table 6200 of fig. 62 that the condition in the first column is satisfied. For example, if x is 17 and b is 3, then z is min (4, N)_max) And y is 1. R_maxIndicates the highest rate option that the WT can support, and N_maxThe number of MAC frames indicating the highest rate option.

The WT reports the actual N [0:3] of the MAC frame queue using ULRQST3 or ULRQST4 according to the request dictionary. The request dictionary is identified by a Request Dictionary (RD) reference number.

These exemplary request dictionaries show that any ULRQST4 or ULRQST3 report may not include exactly N [0:3 ]. The report is essentially a quantized version of actual N [0:3 ]. The general guideline is that the WT should send reports to minimize the discrepancy between the reported and actual MAC frame queues first for request groups 0 and 1, then request group 2, and finally request group 3. However, the WT has the flexibility to determine the reporting that is most beneficial to the WT. For example, when the WT is using request dictionary 2, the WT may use ULRQST4 to report N [1] + N [3], and ULRQST3 to report N [2 ]. In addition, if a report is directly related to a subset of request groups according to the request dictionary, it does not automatically imply that the MAC frame queues of the remaining request groups are empty. For example, if the report indicates that N [2] ═ 1, it does not automatically imply that N [0] ═ 0, N [1] ═ 0, or N [3] ═ 0.

Table 6300 of fig. 63 and table 6400 of fig. 64 define an exemplary request dictionary with RD reference equal to 0. Definition of d₁₂₃＝ceil(((N[1]+N[2]+N[3]-N_123，min) V (y g)), where N is_123，minAnd g are variables determined from the most recent ULRQST4 report according to table 6300.

Table 6500 of fig. 65 and table 6600 of fig. 66 define an exemplary request dictionary with RD reference number equal to 1.

Table 6700 of fig. 67 and table 6800 of fig. 68 define an exemplary request dictionary having an RD reference number equal to 2.

Table 6900 of fig. 69 and table 7000 of fig. 70 define an exemplary request dictionary having an RD reference number equal to 3.

Fig. 71 is a diagram of an exemplary wireless terminal 7100 (e.g., mobile node) implemented in accordance with the present invention and using methods of the present invention. Exemplary WT 7100 may be any of the wireless terminals of the exemplary system of fig. 1. Exemplary WT 7100 can be any of the WTs (136, 138, 144, 146, 152, 154, 168, 170, 172, 174, 176, 178) of exemplary system 100 of fig. 1. The exemplary wireless terminal 7100 includes a receiver module 7102, a transmitter module 7104, a processor 7106, user I/O devices 7108, and memory 7110 coupled together via a bus 7112 over which the various elements interchange data and information.

Memory 7110 includes routines 7118 and data/information 7120. The processor 7106, e.g., a CPU, executes the routines 7118 and uses the data/information 7120 in memory 7110 to control the operation of the wireless terminal 7100 and implement methods of the present invention.

Receiver module 7102 (e.g., an OFDM receiver) is coupled to receive antenna 7103 through which wireless terminal 7100 receives downlink signals from base stations. Receiver module 7102 includes a decoder 7114 that decodes at least some of the received downlink signals. Transmitter module 7104 (e.g., an OFDM transmitter) is coupled to transmit antenna 7105 via which wireless terminal 7100 transmits uplink signals to base stations. Transmitter module 7104 is used to transmit a variety of different types of fixed reports using uplink dedicated control channel segments dedicated to the wireless terminal. Transmitter module 7104 is also used to transmit flexible reports using the uplink dedicated control channel segments dedicated to the wireless terminal, the uplink DCCH segments including flexible reports being the same size as at least some of the uplink DCCH segments including fixed-type reports and not including flexible reports. The transmitter module 7104 includes an encoder 7116 that is used to encode at least some of the uplink signals prior to transmission. In some embodiments, each individual dedicated control channel uplink segment is encoded independently of other dedicated control channel uplink segments. In various embodiments, the same antenna is used for both the transmitter and the receiver.

User I/O devices 7108, such as microphone, keyboard, keypad, switches, camera, speaker, display, etc., are used to input/output user data, control applications, and control operation of the wireless terminal, e.g., to allow a user of WT 7100 to initiate a communication session.

Routines 7118 include a communications routine 7122 and wireless terminal control routines 7124. Communications routines 7122 implement various communications protocols used by the wireless terminal 7100. Wireless terminal control routines 7124 include a fixed report control module 7126, a flexible report control module 7128, an uplink tone hopping module 7130, an identifier module 7132, and an encoding module 7134.

Fixed-type report control module 7126 controls the transmission of a plurality of different types of fixed-type information reports according to a reporting schedule, which is of the type specified by the reporting schedule.

The flexible report control module 7128 controls the transmission of flexible reports, which are types of reports selected by the flexible report control module from a variety of reports that may be reported using flexible reports, at predetermined locations of the reporting schedule. Flexible report control module 7128 includes a report prioritization module 7136. Report prioritization module 7136 takes into account the amount of uplink data queued for communication to the base station and the at least one signal-to-interference measurement when determining which of the plurality of alternative reports should be communicated in the flexible report. Report prioritization module 7138 also includes a change determination module 7138 that determines an amount of change with respect to information previously reported in at least one report. For example, if change determination module 7138 determines that the value indicating SNR saturation of WT self-noise has not changed significantly from the last reported value, but the demand for uplink traffic channel resources has increased significantly from the last reported request, wireless terminal 7100 may elect to use flexible reporting to pass uplink traffic channel request reports instead of SNR saturation reports.

For transmission purposes, uplink tone hopping module 7130 determines, based on the stored tone hopping information, physical tones corresponding to the logically assigned DCCH channel tone at different points in time corresponding to transmission of the dedicated segment. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, a DCCH segment corresponds to three dwells (dwells), each using the same physical tone over 7 consecutive OFDM symbol transmission time intervals, however, the physical tones associated with different dwells are determined by tone hopping information and may be different.

Identifier module 7132 generates flexible report identifiers to be communicated with flexible reports, the report type identifiers communicated with the respective flexible reports indicating the type of flexible report being communicated. In various embodiments, identifier module 7132 generates a report that indicates the type of flexible report that corresponds to the report type identifier. In this exemplary embodiment, the individual flexible reports are communicated in the same DCCH segment along with a corresponding report type identifier. In this exemplary embodiment, identifier module 7132 is not used for fixed-type reporting because there is a predetermined understanding between the base station and the wireless terminal of the type of fixed report being communicated based on the location of the fixed report within the recurring reporting structure.

Coding module 7134 codes the respective flexible report identifiers together with the corresponding flexible reports in a single coding unit corresponding to the DCCH communication segment in which they are transmitted. In some embodiments, the encoding module 7134 works in conjunction with the encoder 7116.

Data/information 7120 includes user/device/session/resource information 7140, system data/information 7142, generated stuck report 17144, system, generated stuck report n 7146, selected flexible report type 7148, generated flexible report 7150, flexible report type identifier 7152, coded DCCH segment information 7154, DCCH channel information 7156 including assigned logical tone information 7158, base station identification information 7160, terminal identification information 7162, timing information 7164, amount of queued uplink data 7166, signal interference information 7168, and report change information 7170. Assigned logical tone information 7158 identifies a single logical uplink dedicated control channel tone to be used by WT 7100 to communicate base station assignments of fixed and flexible reported uplink DCCH segment signals. In some embodiments, the single assigned logical DCCH tone is associated with a base station assigned ON state identifier.

User/device/session/resource information 7140 includes information regarding the communication session, e.g., peer node information, addressing information, routing information, status information, and resource information identifying uplink and downlink air link resources (e.g., segments allocated to WT 7100). Fixed-type report 17144 generated is a fixed-type report corresponding to one of the plurality of fixed-type reports supported by WT 7100, and has been generated using fixed-type report information 7188. Fixed-type report n 7146 is a fixed-type report corresponding to one of a plurality of fixed-type reports supported by WT 7100 and has been generated using fixed-type report information 7188. The selected flexible report TYPE 7148 is information identifying the selection by the wireless terminal of the TYPE of report to be communicated in the flexible report, for example, a 2-bit pattern identifying one of the four patterns corresponding to the TYPE2 report in fig. 31. Flexible report 7150 is generated to correspond to a flexible report of which one of a plurality of types of reports communicated in the flexible report is selectable by WT 7100 and has been generated using flexible report information 7190, e.g., a 4-bit pattern corresponding to a BODY 4 report and representing a bit pattern as one of the ULRQST4 report of FIG. 18 or the DLSSNR4 report of FIG. 30. Coded DCCH segment information 7154 is the output of coding module 7134, e.g., coded DCCH segments corresponding to Type2 and Body reports or coded DCCH segments corresponding to a mix of fixed Type reports.

DCCH channel information 7156 includes information identifying the DCCH segment allocated to WT 7100, e.g., information identifying the DCCH mode of operation, such as full-tone DCCH mode or fractional-tone DCCH mode, and information identifying the assigned logical DCCH tone 7158 in the DCCH segment structure being used by the base station attachment point. Base station identification information 7160 includes information identifying the base station attachment point being used by WT 7200, e.g., information identifying the base station, base station sector, and/or carrier or tone block pair associated with the attachment point. Terminal identification information 7162 includes WT 7100 identification information and base station assigned wireless terminal identifiers, e.g., registered user identifiers, active user identifiers, ON state identifiers associated with logical DCCH channel tones, temporarily associated with WT 7100. Timing information 7164 includes, for example, current timing information identifying the current OFDM symbol time within the recurring timing structure. Timing information 7164 is used by fixed control module 7126 in conjunction with uplink timing/frequency structure information 7178 and fixed report transmission scheduling information 7184 to decide when to transmit different types of fixed reports. Timing information 7164 is used by fixed control module 7128 in conjunction with uplink timing/frequency structure information 7178 and flexible report transmission scheduling information 7186 to decide when to send a flexible report. The amount of queued uplink data 7166 (e.g., a combination of the amount of MAC frames in the request group queues and/or the amount of MAC frames in each set of request group queues) is used by report prioritization module 7136 to select the type of report to be communicated in the flexible report slot. The signal to interference information 7168 is also used by the prioritization module 7136 to select the type of report to be communicated in the flexible report slot. Report change information 7170 (e.g., information indicating a delta with respect to a previously communicated DCCH report) obtained from change determination module 7138 is used by report prioritization module 7136 to select the type of report to be communicated in the flexible report slot.

System data/information 7142 includes sets of base station data/information (BS 1 data/information 7172.,. BS M data/information 7174), DCCH report transmission scheduling information 7182, fixed type report information 7188, and flexible type report information 7190. BS 1 data/information 7172 includes downlink timing and frequency structure information 7176 and uplink timing/frequency structure information 7178. Downlink timing/frequency structure information 7176 includes downlink carrier information, downlink tone block information, number of downlink tones, downlink tone hopping information, downlink channel segment information, OFDM symbol timing information, and grouping of OFDM symbols. Uplink timing/frequency structure information 7178 includes uplink carrier information, uplink tone block information, number of uplink tones, uplink tone hopping information, uplink channel segment information, OFDM symbol timing information, and grouping of OFDM symbols. Uplink timing/frequency structure information 7178 includes tone hopping information 7180.

DCCH report transmission scheduling information 7182 is used to control the transmission of reports to base stations such as access nodes using dedicated segments of a communication control channel. DCCH transmission scheduling information 7182 includes information identifying the composition of different DCCH segments in a recurring reporting schedule identifying the location and type of fixed reports within the recurring schedule and identifying the location of flexible reports within the recurring schedule. The report transmission scheduling information 7182 includes fixed type report information 7184 and flexible type report information 7186. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, the recurring schedule includes 40 indexed DCCH segments, and the composition of each indexed segment in the sense of fixed and/or flexible report inclusion is identified by report transmission schedule information 7182. Fig. 10 provides an example of exemplary DCCH report transmission scheduling information corresponding to a recurring structure including 40 indexed DCCH segments occurring in one beacon slot for use in a full-tone DCCH mode of operation. In this example of fig. 10, the BODY 4 report is a flexible report and the TYPE 2 report is an identifier report that identifies the TYPE of report communicated in the respective BODY 4 report within the same DCCH segment. Other reports shown are fixed type reports, e.g., DLSNR5 report, ULRQST1 report, DLDNSNR3 report, ULRQST3 report, RSVD2 report, ULRQST4 report, ULTXBKF5 report, DLBNR4 report, RSVD1 report, and DLSSNR4 report. There are more fixed reports than flexible reports in one iteration of the reporting schedule. In some embodiments, the reporting schedule includes at least 8 times as many fixed reports as flexible reports in one iteration of the reporting schedule. In some embodiments, the reporting schedule includes less than one dedicated control channel segment for reporting flexible reports for every 9 dedicated control channel segments for transmitting fixed reports.

Fixed-type report information 7188 includes information identifying the format of each of the various fixed-type reports communicated on the dedicated control channel, e.g., the number of information bits associated with the report and the interpretation given to each possible bit pattern that may be communicated. These multiple types of reports include: uplink traffic channel request reports, wireless terminal self-noise reports (e.g., downlink self-noise SNR saturation level reports), downlink absolute SNR reports, downlink relative SNR reports, uplink transmit power reports (e.g., WT transmit power backoff reports), and interference reports (e.g., beacon ratio reports). Fig. 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 26, 29, and 30 show exemplary fixed-type report information 7188 corresponding to DLSNR5 report, DLDSNR3 report, ULRQST1 report, ULRQST4 report, ULRQST3 report, ULTxBKF5 report, and DLBNR4 report, respectively.

Flexible type report information 7190 includes information identifying the format of each potential type of report that may be selected to be communicated in the flexible report to be communicated on the dedicated control channel, such as the number of information bits associated with a report and the interpretation given to each possible bit pattern that can be communicated. Flexible type report information 7190 also includes information identifying the flexible type indicator report that is to accompany the flexible report, e.g., the number of information bits associated with the flexible type indicator report and a specification of the type of flexible report represented by each bit pattern. In some embodiments, at least some of the types of reports that may be selected by the WT to communicate in the flexible reports are the same as the fixed type reports. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, the flexible report may be selected from a set of reports including a 4-bit uplink traffic channel request report and a 4-bit downlink SNR saturation level report, the 4-bit uplink traffic channel request report and the 4-bit downlink SNR saturation level report following the same format as used when communicating as a fixed-type report at a predetermined fixed location in a recurring reporting schedule. Fig. 31, 18, and 30 illustrate exemplary flexible report information 7190.

Fig. 72 is an illustration of an exemplary wireless terminal 7200, e.g., mobile node, implemented in accordance with the present invention and using methods of the present invention. Exemplary WT 7200 may be any of the wireless terminals of the exemplary system of fig. 1. Exemplary WT 7200 may be any of the WTs (136, 138, 144, 146, 152, 154, 168, 170, 172, 174, 176, 178) of exemplary system 100 in fig. 1. The exemplary wireless terminal 7200 includes a receiver module 7202, a transmitter module 7204, a processor 7206, user I/O devices 7208, and memory 7210 coupled together via a bus 7212 over which the various elements can interchange data and information.

Memory 7210 includes routines 7218 and data/information 7220. The processor 7206, e.g., a CPU, executes the routines 7218 and uses the data/information 7220 in memory 7210 to control the operation of the wireless terminal 7200 and implement methods of the present invention.

A receiver module 7202 (e.g., an OFDM receiver) is coupled to a receive antenna 7203 via which the wireless terminal 7200 receives downlink signals from the base station. Receiver module 7202 includes a decoder 7214 that decodes at least some of the received downlink signals. Received downlink signals include signals conveying base station attachment point identification information (e.g., beacon signals), and signals including a base station assigned wireless terminal identifier (e.g., an ON state identifier assigned to WT 7200 by the base station attachment point, which ON state identifier is associated with a dedicated control channel segment to be used by WT 7200). Other received downlink signals include assignment signals and downlink traffic channel segment signals corresponding to uplink and/or downlink traffic channel segments. The assignment of base station attachment points to WT 7200 uplink traffic channel segments may be in response to backlog information reports received from WT 7200.

A transmitter module 7204 (e.g., an OFDM transmitter) is coupled to transmit antenna 7205 via which the wireless terminal 7200 transmits uplink signals to the base station. Transmitter module 7204 is used to transmit at least some of the generated backlog information reports. The transmitted generated backlog information report is transmitted by the transmitter module 7204 in an uplink control channel segment dedicated to the wireless terminal 7200. Transmitter module 7204 is also used to transmit uplink traffic channel segment signals. The transmitter module 7204 includes an encoder 7216 used to encode at least some of the uplink signals prior to transmission. In some embodiments, each individual dedicated control channel uplink segment is encoded independently of other dedicated control channel uplink segments. In various embodiments, the same antenna is used for both the transmitter and the receiver.

User I/O devices 7208, such as a microphone, keyboard, keypad, switches, camera, speaker, display, etc., are used to input/output user data, control applications, and control operation of the wireless terminal, e.g., to allow a user of WT 7200 to initiate a communication session.

Routines 7218 include communications routines 7222 and wireless terminal control routines 7224. Communications routines 7222 implement various communications protocols used by the wireless terminal 7200. Wireless terminal control routines 7224 control the operation of the wireless terminal 7200, including receiver module 7202 control, transmitter module 7204 control, and user I/O device 7208 control. Wireless terminal control routines 7224 are used to implement the methods of the present invention.

Wireless terminal control routines 7224 include a queue status monitoring module 7226, a transmission backlog report generating module 7228, a transmission backlog report control module 7230, and an encoding module 7332. Queue status monitoring module 7266 monitors the amount of information in at least one of a plurality of different queues for storing information to be transmitted. The amount of information in the queue changes over time, e.g., as additional data/information needs to be transmitted, the data/information is successfully transmitted, the data/information needs to be retransmitted, the data/information is dropped (e.g., due to time considerations or due to termination of a session or application), etc. Transmission backlog report generation module 7288 generates different bit sizes of backlog information reports that provide transmission backlog information, e.g., a 1 bit uplink request report, a 3 bit uplink request report, and a 4 bit uplink request report. Transmission backlog report control module 7230 controls the transmission of generated backlog information reports. The transmission backlog report generation module 7228 includes an information aggregation module 7234. The information clustering module 7234 clusters the state information corresponding to different sets of queues. The clustering module 7234 supports different information clustering of backlog information reports for different bit sizes. Encoding module 7332 encodes information to be transmitted in dedicated uplink control channel segments, and for at least some segments, encoding module 7332 encodes a transmission backlog report with at least one additional backlog report for communicating non-backlog control information. Possible additional reports encoded with the transmission backlog report corresponding to a DCCH segment include signal-to-noise ratio reports, self-noise reports, interference reports, and wireless terminal transmit power reports.

Data/information 7220 includes user/device/session/resource information 7236, system data/information 7238, queue information 7240, DCCH channel information 7242 including assigned logical tone information 7244, base station identification information 7246, terminal identification information 7248, timing information 7250, combined request group information 7252, generated 1-bit uplink request report 7254, generated 3-bit uplink request report 7256, generated 4-bit uplink request report 7258, generated additional DCCH report 7260, and encoded DCCH segment information 7262.

User/device/session/resource information 7236 includes information regarding the communication session, e.g., peer node information, addressing information, routing information, status information, and resource information identifying uplink and downlink air link resources (e.g., segments allocated to WT 7200). Queue information 7240 includes user data that WT 7200 intends to transmit (e.g., MAC frames of user data associated with a queue) and information identifying the amount of user data that WT 7200 intends to transmit (e.g., the total number of MAC frames associated with a queue). Queue information 7240 includes request group 0 information 7264, request group 1 information 7266, request group 2 information 7268, and request group 3 information 7270.

DCCH channel information 7242 includes information identifying the DCCH segment allocated to WT 7200, e.g., information identifying a DCCH mode of operation, such as full-tone DCCH mode or fractional-tone DCCH mode, and information identifying the logical DCCH tone 7244 assigned in the DCCH segment structure being used by the base station attachment point. Base station identification information 7246 includes information identifying the base station attachment point being used by WT 7200, e.g., information identifying the base station, base station sector, and/or carrier or tone block pair associated with the attachment point. Terminal identification information 7248 includes WT 7200 identification information and base station assigned wireless terminal identifiers, e.g., registered user identifiers, active user identifiers, ON state identifiers associated with logical DCCH channel tones, temporarily associated with WT 7200. Timing information 7250 includes, for example, current timing information identifying the current OFDM symbol time within the recurring timing structure. Timing information 7250 is used by transmission backlog report control module 7230 in conjunction with uplink timing/frequency structure information 7278 and stored transmission backlog report scheduling information 7281 to determine when to transmit different types of backlog reports. The combined request group information 7254 includes information about the combination of request groups, for example, a value identifying the amount of information (e.g., the total number of MAC frames to be transmitted corresponding to the combination of request group 0 and request group 1).

The generated 1-bit uplink request report 7254 is a 1-information-bit transmission backlog report generated by transmission backlog report generation module 7228 using queue information 7240 and/or combined request group information 7252, and 1-bit size report mapping information 7290. The generated 3-bit uplink request report 7256 is a 3-information-bit transmission backlog report generated by transmission backlog report generation module 7228 using queue information 7240 and/or combined request group information 7252, and 3-bit size report mapping information 7292. The generated 4-bit uplink request report 7258 is a 4-information-bit transmission backlog report generated by transmission backlog report generation module 7228 using queue information 7240 and/or combined request group information 7252, and 4-bit size report mapping information 7294. Generated additional DCCH reports 7260 are, for example, a generated downlink absolute SNR report, a generated Δ SNR report, a generated interference report (e.g., beacon ratio report), a generated self-noise report (e.g., WT self-noise SNR saturation level report), a WT power report (e.g., WT transmit power backoff report). Coding module 7234 codes transmission backlog reports 7254, 7256, 7258 for a given DCCH segment along with generated additional reports 7260 to obtain coded DCCH segment information. In this exemplary embodiment, each DCCH segment is the same size, e.g., using the same number of tone-symbols regardless of whether the transmission backlog report included in the DCCH segment is a 1 bit report, a 3 bit report, or a 4 bit report. For example, for one DCCH segment, a 1 bit uplink request transmission backlog report is jointly coded with a 5 bit downlink absolute SNR report; for another DCCH segment, a 3-bit uplink request transmission backlog report is jointly coded with a 3-bit downlink Δ SNR report; for another DCCH segment, a 4 bit uplink request transmission backlog report is jointly coded with a 2 bit reservation report.

System data/information 7238 includes sets of base station information (BS 1 data/information 7272.,. BS M data/information 7274), dedicated control channel report transmission report scheduling information 7280, stored transmission backlog report mapping information 7288, and queue set information 7296. BS 1 data/information 7272 includes downlink timing and frequency structure information 7276 and uplink timing/frequency structure information 7278. The downlink timing/frequency structure information 7276 includes downlink carrier information, downlink tone block information, number of downlink tones, downlink tone hopping information, downlink channel segment information, OFDM symbol timing information, and grouping of OFDM symbols. The uplink timing/frequency structure information 7278 includes uplink carrier information, uplink tone block information, number of uplink tones, uplink tone hopping information, uplink channel segment information, OFDM symbol timing information, and grouping of OFDM symbols. DCCH report transmission report scheduling information 7280 includes stored transmission backlog report scheduling information 7281. Fig. 10 provides exemplary DCCH transmission scheduling information corresponding to a recurring schedule of 40 indexed DCCH segments in a beacon slot of a full-tone DCCH mode of operation, the beacon slot being one structure used in the timing/frequency structure of a base station. The stored transmission backlog report scheduling information includes information identifying the location of each transmission backlog report, such as the locations of ULRQST1, ULRQST3, and ULRQST4 reports in fig. 10. Stored transmission backlog report scheduling information 7281 is used by transmission backlog report control module 7230 to determine when to transmit a report of a particular bit size. Stored transmission backlog reporting schedule information 7281 includes 1-bit size reporting information 7282, 3-bit size reporting information 7284, and 4-bit size reporting information 7286. For example, with respect to fig. 10, 1-bit size report information 7282 includes information identifying ULRQST1 reporting the LSB of the DCCH segment corresponding to index s2 ═ 0; the 3-bit size report information 7284 includes information identifying that ULRQST3 reports 3 LSBs of a DCCH segment corresponding to index s2 ═ 2; 4-bit size report information 7286 includes information identifying ULRQST4 reporting 4 LSBs of a DCCH segment corresponding to index s2 ═ 4.

The stored transmission backlog report scheduling information 7281 indicates that more 1-bit size backlog reports are to be transmitted than 3-bit size backlog reports in one iteration of the transmission reporting schedule. The stored transmission backlog scheduling information 7281 also indicates that there are more or equal numbers of 3-bit size backlog reports to be transmitted in one iteration of the transmission reporting schedule than 4-bit size backlog reports. For example, in fig. 10, there are 16 identified ULRQST1 reports, 12 identified ULRQST3 reports, and 9 identified ULRQST4 reports. In this exemplary embodiment corresponding to fig. 10, the flexible report — BODY 4 report may convey a 4-bit ULRQST report, and in the case that 3 flexible reports of one iteration of the report structure carry an ULRQST4 report, the wireless terminal communicates 12 ULRQST4 reports.

Stored transmission backlog report mapping information 7288 includes 1-bit size report information 7290, 3-bit size report information 7292, and 4-bit size report information 7294. An example 7290 of 1-bit size report mapping information includes fig. 16 and 61. Examples of the 3-bit size report mapping information include fig. 19, 21, 23, 25, 64, 66, 68, and 70. Examples of the 4-bit size report mapping information include fig. 18, 20, 22, 24, 63, 65, 67, and 69. The stored transmission backlog map information 7288 includes information indicating a mapping between queue status information and bit patterns that may be communicated using backlog reports of different bit sizes. In this exemplary embodiment, a 1-bit size backlog report provides backlog information corresponding to a plurality of different transmit queues; this one bit indicates the presence or absence of information to be transmitted corresponding to the combination of request group 0 and request group 1. In various embodiments, the smallest bit size (e.g., 1 bit size) backlog report is used for the highest priority traffic, e.g., the highest priority is voice or control traffic. In some embodiments, the second bit size report (e.g., 3 bit size) communicates a delta with respect to a previously communicated third bit size report (e.g., 4 bit size report); fig. 63 and 64 show such a relationship. In some embodiments, a second fixed size report (e.g., a 3-bit size report) provides information about both sets of queues. For example, consider fig. 41, a second type of report communicates information about a second set of queues and a third set of queues. In various embodiments, a third size report (e.g., a 4-bit size report) provides information about a set of queues. In some such embodiments, the set of queues includes one request group queue, two request group queues, or three request group queues. In some embodiments, the uplink traffic has a predetermined number of request groups (e.g., 4, RG0, RG1, RG2, and RG3), and a third fixed size report (e.g., a 4-bit size report) is capable of communicating backlog information corresponding to any one of these different request group queues. For example, considering fig. 41, the third type of report communicates information about one of the fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh group of queues, and for any given dictionary, the third type of report is capable of communicating information about RG0, RG1, RG2, and RG 3.

The queue group information 7296 includes information identifying a queue cluster to be used in generating a transmission backlog report. Fig. 41 illustrates an exemplary grouping of queues used in various exemplary types of transmission backlog reports.

Fig. 74 is an illustration of an exemplary wireless terminal 7400 (e.g., mobile node) implemented in accordance with the present invention and using methods of the present invention. Exemplary wireless terminal 7400 may be any of the wireless terminals in fig. 1. The exemplary wireless terminal 7400 includes a receiver module 7402, a transmitter module 7404, a processor 7406, user I/O devices 7408, and memory 7410 coupled together via a bus 7412 over which the various elements interchange data and information.

Memory 7410 includes routines 7418 and data/information 7420. The processor 7406, e.g., a CPU, executes the routines 7418 and uses the data/information 7420 in memory 7410 to control the operation of the wireless terminal 7400 and implement the methods of the present invention. User I/O devices 7408, such as a microphone, keyboard, keypad, switch, camera, display, speaker, etc., are used to input user data, output user data, allow a user to control applications, and/or control various functions of the wireless terminal, such as initiating a communication session.

A receiver module 7402 (e.g., an OFDM receiver) is coupled to receive antenna 7403 via which wireless terminal 7400 receives downlink signals from base stations. The received downlink signal includes, for example: beacon signals, pilot signals, downlink traffic channel signals, power control signals including closed loop power control signals, timing control signals, assignment signals, registration response signals, and signals including a base station assigned wireless terminal identifier (e.g., an ON state identifier associated with a DCCH logical channel tone). Receiver module 7402 includes a decoder 7414 for decoding at least some of the received downlink signals.

A transmitter module 7404 (e.g., an OFDM transmitter) is coupled to a transmit antenna 7405 through which wireless terminal 7400 transmits uplink signals to base stations. In some embodiments, the transmitter and receiver use the same antenna, which is coupled to the receiver module 7402 and the transmitter module 7404 through a duplexer module, for example. Uplink signals include, for example, registration request signals, dedicated control channel segment signals such as those conveying reference signals that may be measured by the base station and reports including WT power reports such as WT transmit power backoff reports, and uplink traffic channel segment signals. The transmitter module 7404 includes an encoder 7416 for encoding at least some of the uplink signals. In this embodiment, DCCH segments are coded on a per segment basis.

Routines 7418 include communications routines 7422 and wireless terminal control routines 7422. Communications routines 7422 implement various communications protocols used by the wireless terminal 7400. Wireless terminal control routines 7422 include a report generation module 7426, a wireless terminal transmit power control module 7430, a dedicated control channel control module 7432, a frequency channel hopping module 7434, and a report format control module 7436. Report generation module 7426 includes a calculation submodule 7428.

Report generation module 7426 generates power reports, e.g., wireless terminal transmit power backoff reports, each indicating a ratio of the wireless terminal's maximum transmit power to the transmit power of a reference signal whose power level is known to the wireless terminal at the point in time corresponding to the power report. Wireless terminal transmit power control module 7430 is used to control the transmit power level of the wireless terminal based on information including at least one closed loop power level control signal received from the base station. The closed loop power control signal received from the base station may be a signal used to control the wireless terminal transmitter power such that a desired received power level is achieved at the base station. In some embodiments, the base station has no actual knowledge of the wireless terminal's actual transmit power level and/or maximum transmit power level. In some system implementations, different devices may have different maximum transmit power levels, e.g., a desktop wireless terminal may have a different maximum transmit power capability than a portable notebook computer-implemented wireless terminal (e.g., battery-powered).

Wireless terminal transmit power control module 7430 performs closed loop power control adjustments to the transmit power level associated with the dedicated control channel. The dedicated control channel control module 7432 will use which single logical tone of the plurality of logical tones, which is dedicated to the wireless terminal to use a set of dedicated control channel segments to transmit control signaling, for the dedicated control channel signaling.

The tone hopping module 7434 determines a single physical OFDM tone at different points in time to be used to communicate dedicated control channel information during multiple consecutive OFDM symbol transmission time intervals. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, a dedicated control channel segment corresponding to a single dedicated control channel logical tone includes 21 OFDM tone-symbols, the 21 OFDM tone-symbols including 3 sets of 7 OFDM tone-symbols each, each set of 7 OFDM tone-symbols corresponding to a half-slot of 7 consecutive OFDM symbol transmission time periods and corresponding to a physical OFDM tone, each of the three sets may correspond to a different physical OFDM tone, wherein the OFDM tones corresponding to a set are determined according to tone hopping information. Report format control module 7436 controls the format of a power report as a function of which of a plurality of dedicated control channel operating modes wireless terminal 7400 is using when transmitting the power report. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, the wireless terminal uses a 5-bit format for power reporting when in full-tone DCCH mode of operation and 4-bit power reporting when in split-tone mode of operation.

The calculation sub-module 7428 subtracts the transmit power per tone of the uplink dedicated control channel in dBm from the wireless terminal maximum transmit power in dBm. In some embodiments, the maximum transmit power is a set value, such as a predetermined value stored in the wireless terminal or a value communicated to the wireless terminal, such as from a base station, and stored in the wireless terminal. In some embodiments, the maximum transmit power depends on the power output capacity of the wireless terminal. In some embodiments, the maximum transmit power depends on the type of wireless terminal. In some embodiments, the maximum transmit power depends on the operating mode of the wireless terminal, e.g., there are different modes corresponding to at least two of the following: operating with an external power source, operating with a battery having a first energy reserve level, operating with a battery having a second energy reserve level, operating with a battery having an energy reserve amount expected to support a first operating duration, operating with a battery having an energy reserve amount expected to support a second operating duration, operating in a normal power mode, operating in a power saving mode (the maximum transmit power in the power saving mode being lower than the maximum transmit power in the normal power mode). In various embodiments, the maximum transmit power value is a value that has been selected to comply with government regulations that limit the maximum output power level of the wireless terminal, e.g., the maximum transmit power value is selected as the maximum allowable level. Different devices may have different maximum power level capabilities that may or may not be known to the base station. The base station may, and in some embodiments does, use the backoff report to determine a supportable uplink traffic channel data throughput (e.g., a per transmission segment throughput that the wireless terminal can support). This is because the backoff report provides information about the additional power available for traffic channel transmission even though the base station may not know the transmit power level actually being used or the maximum capability of the wireless terminal, because the backoff report is provided in the form of a ratio.

In some embodiments, a wireless terminal can simultaneously support one or more wireless connections, each connection having a corresponding maximum transmit power level. The maximum transmit power level indicated by the value may be different for different connections. Additionally, the maximum transmit power level for a given connection may vary over time, for example, as the number of connections being supported by the wireless terminal varies. Thus, it may be noted that even if the base station knows the maximum transmit power capability of the wireless terminal, the base station may not know the number of communication links being supported by the wireless terminal at a particular point in time. However, the backoff report provides information informing the base station of the available power for a given connection without requiring the base station to know other active connections that may be consuming power resources.

Data/information 7420 includes user/device/session/resource information 7440, system data 7442, received power control signal information 7484, maximum transmit power information 7486, DCCH power information 7490, timing information 7492, DCCH channel information 7494, base station identification information 7498, terminal identification information 7499, power report information 7495, additional DCCH report information 7493, encoded DCCH segment information 7491, and DCCH mode information 7489. DCCH channel information 7494 includes assigned logical tone information 7496, e.g., information identifying the single logical DCCH channel tone currently allocated to the wireless terminal by the base station attachment point.

User/device/session/resource information 7440 includes user identification information, username information, user security information, device identification information, device type information, device control parameters, session information such as peer node information, security information, state information, peer node identification information, peer node addressing information, routing information, and air link resource information such as uplink and/or downlink channel segments assigned to WT 7400. Received power control information 7484 includes WT power control commands received from a base station to, for example, increase, decrease, or not change the transmit power level of the wireless terminal to a control channel subject to closed loop power control, e.g., DCCH channel. Maximum transmit power information 7486 includes the maximum wireless terminal transmit power value to be used to generate a power report. Reference signal information 7496 includes information identifying the reference signal to be used for power report calculation (e.g., identifying it as a DCCH channel signal) and the transmit power level of the reference signal at a point in time determined based on the starting transmission time of the DCCH segment in which the power report is communicated and power report time offset information 7472. DCCH power information 7490 is the result of calculation sub-module 7428 with maximum transmit power information 7486 and reference signal information 7497 as inputs. DCCH power information 7490 is represented by a bit pattern in power report information 7495 used to communicate power reports. Information 7493 for additional DCCH reports includes information corresponding to other types of DCCH reports (e.g., other DCCH reports communicated in the same DCCH segment as the power report, such as a 1-bit uplink traffic channel request report or a 4-bit uplink traffic channel request report). Coded DCCH segment information 7491 includes information representative of coded DCCH segments, e.g., DCCH segments conveying power reports and additional reports. Timing information 7492 includes information identifying the timing of the reference signal information and information identifying the timing of the start of the DCCH segment to be used for the power report. Timing information 7492 includes information identifying the current timing, e.g., information associating indexed OFDM symbol timing within an uplink timing and frequency structure with recurring DCCH reporting schedule information such as indexed DCCH segments. Timing information 7492 is also used by tone hopping module 7344 to determine tone hopping. Base station identification information 7498 includes information identifying the base station, base station sector, and/or base station tone block associated with the base station attachment point being used by the wireless terminal. Terminal identification information 7499 includes wireless terminal identifier information including a base station assigned wireless terminal identifier, e.g., a base station assigned wireless terminal ON state identifier to be associated with a DCCH channel segment. DCCH channel information 7496 includes information identifying the DCCH channel as, for example, a full tone channel or one of a plurality of fractional tone channels. Assigned logical tone information 7496 includes information identifying a logical DCCH tone (e.g., one DCCH logical tone from a set of tones identified by information 7454) to be used by WT 7400 for its DCCH channel, the identified tone corresponding to the base station assigned WT ON status identifier of terminal ID information 7499. DCCH mode information 7489 includes information identifying the current DCCH mode of operation as, for example, full tone format mode of operation or divided tone format mode of operation. In some embodiments DCCH mode information 7489 also identifies different operating modes corresponding to different values of maximum transmit power information, e.g., a normal mode and a power save mode.

System data/information 7442 includes sets of base station data/information (BS 1 data/information 7444, BS M data/information 7446), DCCH transmission report schedule information 7462, power report time offset information 7472, and DCCH report format information 7476. BS 1 data/information 7442 includes downlink timing and frequency structure information 7448 and uplink timing/frequency structure information 7450. Downlink timing/frequency structure information 7448 includes information identifying a set of downlink tones (e.g., a tone block of 113 tones), a downlink channel segment structure, downlink tone hopping information, downlink carrier frequency information, and downlink timing information including OFDM symbol timing information and OFDM symbol groupings, as well as timing information associating the downlink and uplink. Uplink timing/frequency structure information 7450 includes uplink logical tone set information 7452, tone hopping information 7456, timing structure information 7458, and carrier information 7460. Uplink logical tone set information 7452 (e.g., information corresponding to a set of 113 uplink logical tones in an uplink channel structure being used by the base station attachment point) includes DCCH logical channel tone information 7454, e.g., information corresponding to a subset of 31 logical tones for the dedicated control channel, where a wireless terminal in an ON state using a BS 1 attachment point receives one of the 31 tones for its dedicated control channel segment signaling. Carrier information 7460 includes information identifying the uplink carrier frequency corresponding to the point of attachment of base station 1.

DCCH transmission reporting schedule information 7462 includes DCCH full tone mode recurring reporting schedule information 7464 and divided tone mode recurring reporting schedule information 7466. Full tone mode recurring reporting schedule information 7464 includes power reporting schedule information 7468. Divide-by-tone mode recurring reporting schedule information 7466 includes power reporting schedule information 7470. DCCH report format information 7476 includes power report format information 7478. Power report format information 7478 includes full tone mode information 7480 and fractional tone mode information 7482.

DCCH transmission reporting schedule information 7462 is used to control the transmission of generated DCCH reports. Full-tone mode recurring reporting schedule information 7464 is used to control DCCH reporting when the wireless terminal 7400 is operating in a full-tone DCCH mode of operation. Diagram 1099 of fig. 10 shows an exemplary full-tone mode DCCH recurring reporting schedule information 7464. The example power report scheduling information 7468 is information indicating that segment 1006 with index s2 ═ 6 and segment 1026 with index s2 ═ 26 are each used to communicate a 5-bit wireless terminal uplink transmit power backoff report (ULTXBKF 5). Diagram 3299 of fig. 32 shows exemplary split-tone mode DCCH recurrence reporting scheduling information 7466. Exemplary power report scheduling information 7470 is information indicating that segment 3203 with index s2 ═ 3 and segment 3221 with index s2 ═ 21 are each used to convey a 4-bit wireless terminal uplink transmit power backoff report (ULTXBKF 4).

DCCH report format information 7476 indicates the format used for each DCCH report, e.g., the number of bits in the report and information associated with each of the potential bit patterns that may be communicated with the report. Exemplary full-tone mode power report format information 7480 includes information corresponding to table 2600 of fig. 26 illustrating the format of ULTxBKF 5. Exemplary split-tone mode power report format information 7482 includes information corresponding to table 3500 of fig. 35 illustrating the format of ULTxBKF 4. Backoff reports ULTxBKF5 and ULTxBKF4 indicate dB values.

Power report time offset information 7472 includes information indicative of a time offset between a point in time to which a generated power report corresponds (e.g., providing information corresponding to the point in time) and a start of a communication segment in which the report is to be transmitted. For example, considering that the ULTxBKF5 report is to be communicated in an exemplary uplink segment corresponding to segment 1006 with index s2 ═ 6 within the beacon slot, and considering that the reference signal used to generate the report is the dedicated control channel signal, time offset information 7472 is reported in power. In this case, time offset information 7472 includes information indicating the time offset between the time to which the reporting information corresponds (e.g., the OFDM symbol transmission time interval prior to the reporting transmission time corresponding to the reference signal transmit power level, such as a DCCH signal) and the start of transmission of segment 1006.

Fig. 75 is a diagram 7500 useful in explaining the features of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention using wireless terminal transmit power reporting. The vertical axis 7502 represents the transmit power level of a dedicated control channel (e.g., a single tone channel) for the wireless terminal, while the horizontal axis represents time 7504. The dedicated control channel is used by the wireless terminal to communicate various uplink control information reports via dedicated control channel segment signals. Various uplink control information reports include wireless terminal transmit power reports (e.g., WT transmit power backoff reports), as well as other additional control information reports (e.g., uplink traffic channel request reports, interference reports, SNR reports, self-noise reports, etc.).

Each small shaded circle, such as circle 7506, is used to represent the transmit power level of the dedicated control channel at a corresponding point in time. For example, in some embodiments, each time point corresponds to an OFDM symbol transmission time interval and the identified power level is a power level associated with a modulation symbol of a single tone corresponding to a WT's DCCH channel during the OFDM symbol transmission time interval. In some embodiments, each time point corresponds to a dwell, e.g., a fixed number (e.g., 7) of consecutive OFDM symbol transmission time periods representing the use of the same physical tone for the DCCH channel of the wireless terminal.

Dashed box 7514 represents a DCCH segment conveying WT transmit power backoff reports. This segment includes a plurality of OFDM symbol transmission time periods. In some embodiments, the DCCH segment includes 21 OFDM tone-symbols and includes 21 OFDM symbol transmission time intervals, one OFDM tone-symbol corresponding to each of the 21 OFDM symbol transmission time intervals.

The exemplary transmit back-off report indicates the ratio of the WT's maximum transmit power (e.g., a set value) to the transmit power of the reference signal. In this exemplary embodiment, the reference signal is a DCCH channel signal at a point in time offset from the start of a DCCH segment used to communicate the transmit power backoff report. Time 7516 identifies the start of the DCCH segment conveying the WT transmit power backoff report. A time offset 7518 (e.g., a predetermined value) associates time 7516 with time 7512, which is the transmission time of the reference signal used to generate the power report for segment 7514. X7508 identifies the reference signal in terms of power level 7510 and time 7512.

In addition to the DCCH control channel for wireless terminals in the ON state in various embodiments, it should be recognized that the system of the present invention also supports other dedicated uplink control signaling channels, such as timing control channels and/or state transition request channels that may be dedicated to wireless terminals. These other channels may exist in the case of a hold state other than the ON state where the wireless terminal is provided with a DCCH control channel in addition to the timing and state transition request channels. The signaling on the timing control and/or state transition request channel occurs at a much lower rate than the signaling on the DCCH control channel, e.g., at a rate of 1/5 or less from the perspective of the wireless terminal. In some embodiments, the dedicated uplink channel provided in the hold state is based ON an active user ID assigned by the base station attachment point, while DCCH channel resources are allocated by the base station attachment point based ON information including an ON state identifier assigned by the base station attachment point.

The techniques of this disclosure may be implemented using software, hardware, and/or a combination of software and hardware. The present invention is directed to apparatus, e.g., mobile nodes such as mobile terminals, base stations, communication systems, for implementing the invention. The present invention is also directed to methods, e.g., methods, of controlling and/or operating a mobile node, a base station, and/or a communication system (e.g., host) in accordance with the present invention. The present invention is also directed to a machine-readable medium, such as a ROM, RAM, CD, hard disk, etc., including machine-readable instructions for controlling a machine to implement one or more steps in accordance with the present invention.

In various embodiments nodes described herein are implemented using one or more modules to perform the steps corresponding to one or more methods of the present invention (e.g., signal processing, message generation, and/or transmission steps). Thus, in some embodiments, various features of the present invention are implemented using modules. These modules may be implemented using software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware. Many of the above described methods or method steps can be implemented using machine executable instructions, such as software, included in a machine readable medium such as a memory device (e.g., RAM, floppy disk, etc.) to control a machine, such as a general purpose computer with or without additional hardware, to implement all or portions of the above described methods, for example, in one or more nodes. Accordingly, the present invention is directed in particular to a machine-readable medium including machine executable instructions for causing a machine, such as a processor and associated hardware, to perform one or more of the steps of the above-described method(s).

Although described in the context of OFDM systems, at least some of the methods and apparatus of the present invention are applicable to a wide range of communication systems including many non-OFDM and/or non-cellular systems.

Many other variations of the methods and apparatus of the above invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the above description of the invention. Such variations are also considered to fall within the scope of the invention. The methods and apparatus of the present invention may be, and in various embodiments are, used with CDMA, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), and/or various other types of communications techniques which may be used to provide wireless communications links between access nodes and mobile nodes. In some embodiments the access nodes are implemented as base stations which establish communications links with mobile nodes using OFDM and/or CDMA. In various embodiments the mobile nodes are implemented as notebook computers, Personal Data Assistants (PDAs), or other portable devices including receiver/transmitter circuits and logic and/or routines, for implementing the methods of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of reporting transmission backlog information, the method comprising:

operating the mobile node to generate transmission backlog information;

storing transmission backlog report scheduling information indicating different backlog information report bit sizes to be used for at least some different times in a report schedule; and

operating the mobile node to transmit fixed bit size transmission backlog information reports of different predetermined fixed bit sizes over a period of time according to the transmission backlog report scheduling information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fixed bit size transmission backlog information report comprises a first fixed bit size and a second fixed bit size report, the second fixed bit size report being larger than the first fixed bit size report.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the fixed bit size transmission backlog information report comprises a third fixed bit size report that is larger than the second fixed bit size.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first, second, and third fixed bit sizes are each less than 10 information bit sizes.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein at least two of the first, second, and third fixed bit sizes each include less than 5 information bits.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first, second, and third fixed bit sizes each include less than 5 information bits.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third fixed bit sizes is 1 information bit size.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second fixed bit size is 3 information bits and the third fixed bit size is 4 information bits.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of operating the mobile node to transmit comprises operating the mobile node to transmit more reports of a first fixed bit size than reports of the second fixed bit size during the time period.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein a minimum fixed bit size report is used for highest priority traffic.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the first fixed bit size is 1 bit and wherein the 1 bit indicates the presence or absence of information to transmit.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the highest priority is voice or control traffic.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the report is a report of information about a plurality of queues, each report providing information about backlogs of one or more request groups.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the first fixed bit size is 1 bit and wherein the 1 bit report provides backlog information regarding a combined backlog corresponding to two different queues.

15. The method of claim 3, wherein the second fixed bit size is 3 bits, wherein the third fixed size is 4 bits, and wherein the 3-bit report communicates a difference from a 4-bit report in at least some cases.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the second fixed bit size is 3 bits and wherein the 3-bit report provides information about two sets of queues.

17. The method of claim 3, wherein the third fixed bit size is 4 bits, and wherein the 4-bit report provides information about a set of queues.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the set of queues comprises 1 request group queue, two request group queues, or three request group queues.

19. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of reports are transmitted on a time-shared basis.

20. The method of claim 3, wherein a dedicated control channel segment comprises at most one of the first, second, and third fixed bit size reports conveying backlog information.

21. The method of claim 3 wherein each dedicated control channel segment dedicated to the mobile node provides the mobile node with an opportunity to communicate one of the first, second, and third fixed bit size reports used to communicate transmission backlog information.

22. The method of claim 3 wherein the mobile node includes a predetermined number of request group queues for uplink traffic, and wherein the third fixed bit size report is capable of communicating backlog information corresponding to any of the different request group queues.

23. A wireless terminal, comprising:

a queue status monitoring module to monitor an amount of information in at least one queue of a plurality of different queues used to store information to be transmitted;

a transmission backlog report generating module for generating a plurality of transmission backlog information reports of different fixed bit sizes providing transmission backlog information; and

a transmission backlog report control module for controlling the transmission of fixed bit size transmission backlog information reports of different predetermined fixed bit sizes over a period of time according to stored transmission backlog report scheduling information indicating different backlog information report bit sizes to be used for at least some different times in the reporting schedule.

24. The wireless terminal of claim 23, wherein:

the stored transmission backlog report scheduling information is used by the transmission backlog report control module to determine when to transmit a report of a particular fixed bit size.

25. The wireless terminal of claim 24, further comprising:

an OFDM transmitter for transmitting at least some of the generated fixed bit size transmission backlog information reports.

26. The wireless terminal of claim 23, further comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a fixed bit size transmission backlog information report in an uplink control channel segment dedicated to the wireless terminal.

27. The wireless terminal of claim 26, wherein each of the uplink control channel segments dedicated to the wireless terminal is a uniform size; and is

Wherein each segment includes at most one fixed bit size transmission backlog information report and each segment includes additional bits not used to transmit backlog information.

28. The wireless terminal of claim 27, further comprising:

an encoding module to encode information to be transmitted in the dedicated uplink control channel segments, the encoding module to encode a fixed size bit transmission backlog report with at least one additional report for communicating non-backlog control information for at least some segments.

29. The wireless terminal of claim 28, wherein said at least one additional report is one of: signal-to-noise ratio reports, self-noise reports, interference reports, and wireless terminal transmit power reports.

30. The wireless terminal of claim 23, wherein said plurality of reports comprises a first fixed bit size and a second fixed bit size report, said second fixed bit size report being larger than said first fixed bit size report.

31. The wireless terminal of claim 30, wherein said plurality of reports comprises a third fixed bit size report that is larger than said second fixed bit size.

32. The wireless terminal of claim 31, wherein said first, second and third fixed bit sizes are each less than 10 information bit sizes.

33. The wireless terminal of claim 32, further comprising:

a memory including stored report information indicating a mapping between queue status information and a bit pattern that can be communicated using the reports of the first and second fixed bit sizes.

34. The wireless terminal of claim 33, wherein said transmission backlog report generating module includes an information clustering module for clustering status information corresponding to different sets of queues.

35. The wireless terminal of claim 34, wherein the grouping module supports different information groupings of reports of different bit sizes.

36. The wireless terminal of claim 32, wherein at least two of said first, second and third fixed bit sizes each include less than 5 information bits.

37. The wireless terminal of claim 36, wherein said first, second and third fixed bit sizes each include less than 5 information bits.

38. The wireless terminal of claim 37, wherein at least one of said first, second and third fixed bit sizes is 1 information bit size.

39. The wireless terminal of claim 38, wherein said second fixed bit size is 3 information bits and said third fixed bit size is 4 information bits.

40. The wireless terminal of claim 24, wherein said plurality of reports includes a first fixed bit size and a second fixed bit size report, said second fixed bit size report being larger than said first fixed bit size report; and is

Wherein the reporting schedule information indicates that more reports of a first fixed bit size will be transmitted than reports of the second fixed bit size for at least one repetition of a stored transmission reporting schedule.

41. The wireless terminal of claim 23, wherein said plurality of reports comprises a first fixed bit size and a second fixed bit size report, said second fixed bit size report being larger than said first fixed bit size report, wherein a smallest fixed bit size report is used for highest priority traffic.

42. The wireless terminal of claim 41, wherein said first fixed bit size is 1 bit and wherein said 1 bit indicates the presence or absence of information to transmit.

43. The wireless terminal of claim 42, wherein said highest priority is voice or control traffic.

44. The wireless terminal of claim 24, wherein the fixed bit size transmission backlog report is a report of information about a plurality of queues, each report providing information about the backlog of one or more request groups.

45. The wireless terminal of claim 24, wherein said plurality of reports comprises reports of a first fixed bit size and a second fixed bit size;

wherein the first fixed bit size is 1 bit; and is

Wherein the first fixed bit size backlog information report provides backlog information regarding a combined backlog for a plurality of different transmit queues.

46. The wireless terminal of claim 31, wherein the second fixed bit size is 3 bits, wherein the third fixed bit size is 4 bits, and wherein the 3-bit report communicates a difference from a 4-bit report in at least some cases.

47. The wireless terminal of claim 30, wherein the second fixed bit size is 3 bits and wherein the 3-bit report provides information about two sets of queues.

48. The wireless terminal of claim 31, wherein the third fixed bit size is 4 bits, and wherein the 4-bit report provides information about a set of queues.

49. The wireless terminal of claim 48, wherein the set of queues comprises 1 request group queue, two request group queues, or three request group queues.

50. The wireless terminal of claim 31, wherein a dedicated control channel segment includes at most one of the first, second and third fixed bit size reports communicating backlog information.

51. The wireless terminal of claim 31, wherein each dedicated control channel segment dedicated to the wireless terminal provides the wireless terminal with an opportunity to communicate one of the first, second, and third fixed bit size reports used to communicate transmission backlog information.

52. The wireless terminal of claim 31, wherein said wireless terminal includes a predetermined number of request group queues for uplink traffic, and wherein said third fixed bit size report is capable of communicating backlog information corresponding to any one of the different request group queues.