Apparatus, method and computer program product providing efficient signaling of user allocations in an optimum manner

A computer program product embodied on a memory and executable by a processor to generate a signaling word by performing actions comprising:

• assigning an index number to individual ones of N users;
• associating the index numbers with each of M network allocations in an ordered list;
• determining a kth scheduling position in the list for each of the associated index numbers;
• and
• outputting a signaling word having a maximum of ceil(M*log 2(N+1)) bits that allocates the M network allocations among the N users, where the signaling word comprises the index numbers sequenced according to their respective kth positions in the list, where N and M are each integers greater than one and the function ceil rounds to a next highest integer.

A base station, comprising

• a processor adapted to associate each of N index numbers assigned to individual users with a kth scheduling position of an ordered list of M network allocations, and to generate a signaling word having a maximum of ceil(M*log 2(N+1)) bits that allocates the M network allocations among the N users, the signaling word comprising the index numbers sequenced according to their respective kth positions in the list,;
• and
• a transmitter having an input coupled to an output of the processor, adapted to wirelessly send the signaling word to the N users,
• wherein N and M are each integers greater than one and the function ceil rounds to a next highest integer.

An apparatus, comprising

• means for generating a signaling word having a maximum of ceil(M*log 2(N+1)) bits that allocates M network allocations among N users by sequencing index numbers assigned to the N users to an ordered list of the M network allocations;
• and
• means for wirelessly signaling the signaling word to the N users,
• wherein N and M are each integers greater than one and the function ceil rounds to a next highest integer.

A method comprising:

• determining an assigned index number and a total number M of network allocations to be allocated;
• wirelessly receiving a signaling word having a maximum of ceil(M*log 2(N+1)) bits, wherein N and M are each integers greater than one and the function ceil rounds to a next highest integer;
• from the signaling word, determining which of the M network allocations are allocated to the assigned index number;
• and
• transmitting on a physical resource block of the determined network allocation.

A mobile station, comprising:

• a memory adapted to store an assigned index number and a total number M of network allocations to be allocated;
• a receiver adapted to wirelessly receive a signaling word having a maximum of ceil(M*log 2(N+1)) bits, wherein N and M are each integers greater than one and the function ceil rounds to a next highest integer;
• a processor adapted to determine from the signaling word which of the M network allocations are allocated to the assigned index number;
• and
• a transmitter adapted to transmit on a physical resource block of the determined network allocation.