Method of scheduling regular signal transmission in a cellular wireless system

A method of scheduling communication between a first device and a second device in a first cell, the first device being capable of communicating with N devices in the first cell, the method comprising the step of:

• operating the second device to receive signals from the first device in the first cell;
• determining, from the received signals, a constant value to be used in implementing a transmission scheduling function, and a device index used to uniquely identify the second device from each of the other N−1 devices with which the first device may communicate in the first cell, wherein N is a positive integer greater than 1;
• and
• implementing a scheduling function, using the determined constant value and device index, that assigns one time slot in each of a plurality of sequential group slots to be used for transmission from said second device to the first device in the first cell, each group slot including N time slots, the scheduling function assigning a different time slot to the device in at least two out of every 3 immediately sequential group slots.

A communications system, comprising:

• a first communications cell, the first communication cell including:
• a first base station capable of receiving communicating with N devices in said first communications cell, said first base station including:
• a storage device for storing a first constant used by said first base station;
• and
• means for assigning one transmission time slot in each of X sequential group slots, to each transmission terminal in said first cell, each group slot including N transmission time slots, said assigning means using said stored first constant to implement a hopping function which determines which transmission time slot in a given group slot is assigned to a wireless terminal, each wireless terminal in the first cell being assigned a different time slot in at least two out of three immediately successive ones of said X group slots, X and N being positive integers greater than one.

A portable communications device, comprising:

• a receiver circuit for receiving signals from a base station;
• means for determining, from the received signals, a constant value to be used in implementing a transmission scheduling function, and a device index used to uniquely identify the portable communications device other devices with which the first device may communicate;
• and
• means for implementing a scheduling function, using the determined constant value and device index, that assigns one time slot in each of a plurality of sequential group slots to be used for transmission from said portable device to the base station, each group slot including N time slots, the scheduling function assigning a different time slot to the device in at least two out of every 3 immediately sequential group slots.