Congestion control in a wireless data network

A remote station, comprising:

• a data buffer for receiving data for transmission;
• a message generator for generating an access request message when the data buffer contains data for transmission;
• a receiver for receiving one or more common grant channels from a base station and for receiving a multi-valued busy signal from the base station;
• a message decoder for decoding an access grant directed to the remote station, the access grant comprising a common grant on one of the one or more common grant channels;
• and
• a transmitter for transmitting the access request message and for transmitting a portion of data from the data buffer in response to a decoded access grant in accordance with the received multi-valued busy signal.

A wireless communication system, comprising:

• a plurality of remote stations, each of a subset of which transmit an access request message to form a plurality of access request messages;
• a base station for:
• receiving the plurality of access request messages;
• measuring the utilization of the shared resource;
• allocating a shared system resource among the plurality of remote stations;
• transmitting zero or more individual access grants to a subset of the requesting remote stations and zero or more common access grants to the remaining requesting remote stations;
• and
• transmitting a multi-valued busy signal when the measured utilization exceeds a pre-determined threshold.

A method of access control of a shared resource, comprising:

• receiving a plurality of access requests for transmission on the shared resource from a respective plurality of remote stations;
• allocating a portion of the shared resource to zero or more of the requesting remote stations in response to the plurality of access requests, the allocation comprising zero or one common access grant to a subset of the requesting remote stations;
• transmitting the common access grant to the remaining remote stations on one or more common grant channels;
• measuring the utilization of the shared resource;
• and
• transmitting a multi-valued busy signal when the measured utilization exceeds a pre-determined threshold.

A method of transmission, comprising:

• receiving data for transmission;
• storing the data in a data buffer;
• generating an access request message;
• transmitting the access request message;
• receiving one or more common grant channels from a base station;
• decoding an access grant comprising a common grant on one of the one or more common grant channels;
• receiving a multi-valued busy signal from the base station;
• and
• transmitting a portion of data from the data buffer in response to a decoded access grant adapted in accordance with the received multi-valued busy signal.

An apparatus, comprising:

• means for receiving a plurality of access requests for transmission on the shared resource from a respective plurality of remote stations;
• means for allocating a portion of the shared resource to zero or more of the requesting remote stations in response to the plurality of access requests, the allocation comprising zero or one common access grant to a subset of the requesting remote stations;
• means for transmitting the common access grant to the remaining remote stations on one or more common grant channels;
• means for measuring the utilization of the shared resource;
• and
• means for transmitting a multi-valued busy signal when the measured utilization exceeds a pre-determined threshold.

An apparatus, comprising:

• means for receiving data for transmission;
• means for storing the data in a data buffer;
• means for generating an access request message;
• means for transmitting the access request message;
• means for receiving one or more common grant channels from a base station;
• means for decoding an access grant comprising a common grant on one of the one or more common grant channels;
• means for receiving a multi-valued busy signal from the base station;
• and
• means for transmitting a portion of data from the data buffer in response to a decoded access grant adapted in accordance with the received multi-valued busy signal.

A wireless communication system, comprising:

• means for receiving a plurality of access requests for transmission on the shared resource from a respective plurality of remote stations;
• means for allocating a portion of the shared resource to zero or more of the requesting remote stations in response to the plurality of access requests, the allocation comprising zero or one common access grant to a subset of the requesting remote stations;
• means for transmitting the common access grant to the remaining remote stations on one or more common grant channels;
• means for measuring the utilization of the shared resource;
• and
• means for transmitting a multi-valued busy signal when the measured utilization exceeds a pre-determined threshold.

A wireless communication system, comprising:

• means for receiving data for transmission;
• means for storing the data in a data buffer;
• means for generating an access request message;
• means for transmitting the access request message;
• means for receiving one or more common grant channels from a base station;
• means for decoding an access grant comprising a common grant on one of the one or more common grant channels;
• means for receiving a multi-valued busy signal from the base station;
• and
• means for transmitting a portion of data from the data buffer in response to a decoded access grant adapted in accordance with the received multi-valued busy signal.

Processor readable media operable to perform the following steps:

• receiving a plurality of access requests for transmission on the shared resource from a respective plurality of remote stations;
• allocating a portion of the shared resource to zero or more of the requesting remote stations in response to the plurality of access requests, the allocation comprising zero or one common access grant to a subset of the requesting remote stations;
• transmitting the common access grant to the remaining remote stations on one or more common grant channels;
• measuring the utilization of the shared resource;
• and
• transmitting a multi-valued busy signal when the measured utilization exceeds a pre-determined threshold.

Processor readable media operable to perform the following steps:

• receiving data for transmission;
• storing the data in a data buffer;
• generating an access request message;
• transmitting the access request message;
• receiving one or more common grant channels from a base station;
• decoding an access grant comprising a common grant on one of the one or more common grant channels;
• receiving a multi-valued busy signal from the base station;
• and
• transmitting a portion of data from the data buffer in response to a decoded access grant adapted in accordance with the received multi-valued busy signal.