Methods and apparatus for managing uplink resource grants in wireless networks

A wireless communications system comprising:

• a first wireless device, said first wireless device including:
• a memory;
• and
• a first processor, said first processor controlling the first wireless device to perform the following operations:
• receiving a first resource grant at the first wireless device from a wireless base station, said first resource grant giving the first wireless device the right to use a first set of resource blocks on a recurring basis;
• utilizing, by the first wireless device, a first amount of resource blocks in the first set of resource blocks during a first time period, said first resource grant being different than a second resource grant giving a second wireless device the right to use a second set of resource blocks on a recurring basis;
• receiving a third resource grant at the first wireless device from the wireless base station, said third resource grant granting the first wireless device the right to use resources which are also granted to another wireless device;
• and
• wherein said third resource grant is determined by the wireless base station based on the first amount of resource blocks in the first set of resource blocks utilized by the first wireless device during the first time period and an amount of resource blocks utilized by said another wireless device during the first time period.

A method of operating a wireless base station, the method comprising:

• communicating resource grants to individual wireless devices, said resource grants including at least a first resource grant to a first wireless device and a second resource grant to a second wireless device, the first resource grant giving the first wireless device the right to use a first set of resource blocks on a recurring basis, said second resource grant giving the second wireless device the right to use a second set of resource blocks on a recurring basis;
• monitoring the use of resource blocks granted to the first and second wireless devices during a first period of time;
• storing first resource utilization information about the utilization of said first set of resource blocks by said first wireless device;
• and
• storing second resource utilization information about the utilization of the second set of resource blocks by said second wireless device.

A wireless communications system comprising:

• a wireless base station, said wireless base station including:
• memory;
• and
• a first processor, said first processor controlling the wireless base station to perform the following operations:
• communicating resource grants to individual wireless devices, said resource grants including at least a first resource grant to a first wireless device and a second resource grant to a second wireless device, the first resource grant giving the first wireless device the right to use a first set of resource blocks on a recurring basis, said second resource grant giving the second wireless device the right to use a second set of resource blocks on a recurring basis;
• monitoring the use of resource blocks granted to the first and second wireless devices during a first period of time;
• storing first resource utilization information about the utilization of said first set of resource blocks by said first wireless device in said memory;
• and
• storing second resource utilization information about the utilization of the second set of resource blocks by said second wireless device in said memory.