Wireless subscriber uplink (UL) grant size selection

#The described embodiments relate generally to wireless communications. More particularly, the described embodiments relate to methods and systems for wireless subscriber uplink grant size selection.

#An 802.16 family of standards have been developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) to provide for fixed, portable, and/or mobile broadband wireless access (BWA) networks (for example, the IEEE std. 802.16, published 2004 and subsequent revisions). The Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) forum facilitates the deployment of broadband wireless networks based on the IEEE 802.16 standard. In particular, the WiMAX forum ensures the compatibility and inter-operability of broadband wireless equipment.

#In downlink transmissions, WiMAX networks may broadcast data packets from a base station (BS) to a subscriber station (SS) or mobile station (MS), whereas in the uplink transmissions, the scheduling services may be designed to support services with different traffic characteristics and Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. A significant benefit of the converged wireless networks, such as a WiMAX network, is in the sharing of the most valuable resources—the wireless spectrum among different services. However, the wireless network convergence in a WiMAX network also comes with some challenges, due to the arbitration of uplink transmission between multiple SSs, as well as the allocation of uplink bandwidth with QoS needed for different services.

#FIG. 1 shows an example of a wireless communications that includes a base station (BS) wirelessly communicating with multiple subscribers.

#FIG. 2 shows an example of an uplink sub-frame that includes an uplink grant as scheduled by a base station (BS).

#FIG. 3 shows an example of a functional block diagram of a subscriber that includes an adaptive uplink grant selection.

#Embodiments of a wireless subscriber adaptively requesting an Uplink (UL) grant size from a base station (BS) are disclosed. The embodiments include the subscriber analyzing traffic patterns of uplink data, the subscriber selecting a new grant size based on the analyzed traffic pattern, and the subscriber requesting the new grant size by signaling the new grant size to the BS. It is to be understood that the terms subscriber, mobile subscriber (MS), and subscriber station (SS) may be used interchangeably.

#FIG. 1 shows an example of a wireless communications that includes a base station (BS) 100 wirelessly communicating with multiple subscribers 110, 120, 130. As shown, the subscriber include, for example, a mobile subscriber (MS) 110, a fixed subscriber station (SS) 120, and a CPE (consumer premises equipment) 130. The CPE 130 can physically reside at a user's location 140, and be interfaced with multiple devices 132, 134, 136 at the location 140. Each of the devices 132, 134, 136 can maintain simultaneous two-way wireless communication (data and/or voice) with the BS 100. It is to be understood that in some embodiments, the CPE 130 may be classified as a MS or a BS.

#The wireless communication between the BS 100 and the subscribers 110, 120, 130 includes downlink (DL) data traffic (data and/or voice), and uplink (UL) data traffic (data and/or voice). The data traffic includes data packets. An embodiment of the wireless communication system includes the data packets (DL and UL) being scheduled by the BS. The DL scheduling can be performed more efficiently than the UL scheduling because the BS has more complete downlink traffic information than uplink traffic information. That is, the BS directly receives the data traffic for downlink transmission, whereas the data traffic for uplink transmission resides at the subscriber. Therefore, the BS relies to at least some extent on information received from the subscribers for the uplink scheduling.