US 9,544,792 B2Granted

System and method for joint scheduling in dual-carrier wireless backhaul networks

AssigneeBLiNQ Wireless Inc.

InventorsHo Ting Cheng, Alexandru Moraru, Akram Bin Sediq, Radu Bogdan Selea

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Abstract

A system and method for joint scheduling in a dual-carrier fixed wireless backhaul network is disclosed, wherein the primary carrier is a licensed band, and the secondary carrier is an unlicensed or lower cost shared carrier. The network comprises a plurality of Hub modules, each serving a cluster of one or more Remote backhaul modules (RBMs). A special frame structure and a control channel on the primary carrier carries control signalling messages for RBMs assigned to either the primary or secondary carrier. RBMs with a performance metric, such a spectral efficiency, above a threshold are assigned to the primary carrier. Other RBMs are assigned the secondary carrier, and a channel assignment is then performed. A transmission mode is determined based on instantaneous channel conditions, to optimize overall system performance across a network neighborhood and meet RBM quality of service requirements. A centralized server/processing unit coordinates dual carrier joint scheduling functions.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method of joint scheduling in a dual-carrier fixed wireless backhaul network operating with a primary carrier and a secondary carrier, the wireless backhaul network comprising a plurality of nodes comprising a plurality of Hub modules, each Hub module serving one or more remote backhaul modules (RBMs) through Hub-RBM radio links, wherein the method comprises:

for Hub modules (Hubs) and RBMs configured for dual-carrier operation using the primary carrier and the secondary carrier, and wherein the primary carrier is a licensed band and the secondary carrier is a lower cost shared band or an unlicensed band, providing a frame structure wherein control signaling messages are carried on the primary carrier;
performing network entry for each said RBM on the primary carrier;
and
performing carrier assignment wherein each Hub transmits a broadcast frame on the primary carrier assigning each served RBM to the primary carrier or the secondary carrier;
and
wherein performing network entry further comprises:
performing Hub-RBM clustering comprising associating each RBM to a respective serving Hub;
and for Hubs and/or RBMs having one or more beams, performing Hub-beam selection and RBM-beam selection for each Hub-RBM radio link;
obtaining initial performance metrics, including pathloss information, for Hub-RBM radio links between each RBM and its respective serving Hub using the primary carrier, and storing said performance metrics for each Hub-RBM link in a centralized processing unit;
and
wherein performing carrier assignment further comprises:
for Hub-RBM links for each Hub and respective served RBMs of at least part of the network (neighborhood):
a) obtaining a performance metric and computing a utility gain for each of a plurality of time slot assignments on the primary carrier;
b) obtaining a performance metric and computing a utility gain for each of a plurality of time slot assignments on the secondary carrier and for each channel of the secondary carrier;
c) storing in the centralized processing unit, tables or maps of utility gain values from steps a) and b) and computing therefrom a maximum achievable sum utility over the neighborhood;
d) selecting for each RBM
a time slot of the primary carrier;
or
a time slot of the secondary carrier;
to optimize the sum utility over the neighborhood;
e) scheduling each RBM to the selected carrier and time slot;
and
f) for each Hub-RBM radio link, selecting a transmission mode and a Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) based on instantaneous channel conditions and to meet an RBM quality of service requirement.

20 more elements

A system for joint scheduling in a dual-carrier fixed wireless backhaul network comprising a plurality of nodes, wherein each node comprises a plurality of Hub modules, each Hub module serving one or more Remote Backhaul Modules (RBMs) through Hub-RBM radio links, at least some of said Hub modules and RBMs being configured for dual-carrier operation with a primary carrier and a secondary carrier, wherein the primary carrier is a licensed band and the secondary carrier is a lower cost shared band or an unlicensed band, and the system further comprising a centralized server or centralized processing unit for coordinating Dual Carrier Joint Scheduling (DCJS) across the network using a primary carrier and a secondary carrier, and wherein the centralized server or centralized processing unit is configured for implementing joint scheduling comprising the steps of:

for Hub modules (Hubs) and RBMs configured for dual-carrier operation using the primary carrier and the secondary carrier, and wherein the primary carrier is a licensed band and the secondary carrier is a lower cost shared band or an unlicensed band, providing a frame structure wherein control signaling messages are carried on the primary carrier;
performing network entry for each said RBM on the primary carrier;
and
performing carrier assignment wherein each Hub transmits a broadcast frame on the primary carrier assigning each served RBM to the primary carrier or the secondary carrier;
and
wherein performing network entry further comprises:
performing Hub-RBM clustering comprising associating each RBM to a respective serving Hub;
and for Hubs and/or RBMs having one or more beams, performing Hub-beam selection and RBM-beam selection for each Hub-RBM radio link;
obtaining initial performance metrics, including pathloss information, for Hub-RBM radio links between each RBM and its respective serving Hub using the primary carrier, and storing said performance metrics for each Hub-RBM link in a centralized processing unit;
and
wherein performing carrier assignment further comprises:
for Hub-RBM links for each Hub and respective served RBMs of at least part of the network (neighborhood):
a) obtaining a performance metric and computing a utility gain for each of a plurality of time slot assignments on the primary carrier;
b) obtaining a performance metric and computing a utility gain for each of a plurality of time slot assignments on the secondary carrier and for each channel of the secondary carrier;
c) storing in the centralized processing unit, tables or maps of utility gain values from steps a) and b) and computing therefrom a maximum achievable sum utility over the neighborhood;
d) selecting for each RBM
a time slot of the primary carrier;
or
a time slot of the secondary carrier;
to optimize the sum utility over the neighborhood;
e) scheduling each RBM to the selected carrier and time slot;
and
f) for each Hub-RBM radio link, selecting a transmission mode and a Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) based on instantaneous channel conditions and to meet an RBM quality of service requirement.

20 more elements

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium in a dual-carrier fixed wireless backhaul network comprising a plurality of nodes comprising a plurality of Hub modules, each Hub module serving one or more remote backhaul modules (RBMs) through Hub-RBM radio links, at least some of said Hub modules and RBMs being configured for dual-carrier operation on a primary carrier and a secondary carrier, wherein the primary carrier is a licensed band, and the secondary carrier is a lower cost shared band or an unlicensed band, and said computer readable storage medium being centralized or distributed and storing instructions, which when executed in one or more processing units of the backhaul network, implement dual carrier joint scheduling comprising the steps of:

for Hub modules (Hubs) and RBMs configured for dual-carrier operation using the primary carrier and the secondary carrier, and wherein the primary carrier is a licensed band and the secondary carrier is a lower cost shared band or an unlicensed band, providing a frame structure wherein control signaling messages are carried on the primary carrier;
performing network entry for each said RBM on the primary carrier;
and
performing carrier assignment wherein each Hub transmits a broadcast frame on the primary carrier assigning each served RBM to the primary carrier or the secondary carrier;
and
wherein performing network entry further comprises:
performing Hub-RBM clustering comprising associating each RBM to a respective serving Hub;
and for Hubs and/or RBMs having one or more beams, performing Hub-beam selection and RBM-beam selection for each Hub-RBM radio link;
obtaining initial performance metrics, including pathloss information, for Hub-RBM radio links between each RBM and its respective serving Hub using the primary carrier, and storing said performance metrics for each Hub-RBM link in a centralized processing unit;
and
wherein performing carrier assignment further comprises:
for Hub-RBM links for each Hub and respective served RBMs of at least part of the network (neighborhood):
a) obtaining a performance metric and computing a utility gain for each of a plurality of time slot assignments on the primary carrier;
b) obtaining a performance metric and computing a utility gain for each of a plurality of time slot assignments on the secondary carrier and for each channel of the secondary carrier;
c) storing in the centralized processing unit, tables or maps of utility gain values from steps a) and b) and computing therefrom a maximum achievable sum utility over the neighborhood;
d) selecting for each RBM
a time slot of the primary carrier;
or
a time slot of the secondary carrier;
to optimize the sum utility over the neighborhood;
e) scheduling each RBM to the selected carrier and time slot;
and
f) for each Hub-RBM radio link, selecting a transmission mode and a Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) based on instantaneous channel conditions and to meet an RBM quality of service requirement.

20 more elements

A method of joint scheduling in a dual-carrier fixed wireless backhaul network comprising a plurality of nodes, each node comprising a plurality of Hub modules, each Hub module serving one or more remote backhaul modules (RBMs) through Hub-RBM radio links and operating with a primary carrier and a secondary carrier, the primary carrier being a licensed band and the secondary carrier being a lower cost shared band or an unlicensed band, wherein the method comprises:

in an initialization phase:
performing Hub-RBM clustering comprising associating each RBM to a respective serving Hub;
and for Hubs and/or RBMs having one or more beams, performing Hub-beam selection and RBM-beam selection for each Hub-RBM radio link;
obtaining initial performance metrics, including pathloss information, for Hub-RBM radio links between each RBM and its respective serving Hub using the primary carrier, and storing said performance metrics for each Hub-RBM link in a centralized processing unit;
in a data collection phase:
for Hub-RBM links for each Hub and respective served RBMs of at least part of the network (neighborhood):
a) obtaining a performance metric and computing a utility gain for each of a plurality of time slot assignments on the primary carrier;
b) obtaining a performance metric and computing a utility gain for each of a plurality of time slot assignments on the secondary carrier and for each channel of the secondary carrier;
in a parameter selection phase:
c) storing in the centralized processing unit, tables of utility gain values from steps a) and b) and computing therefrom a maximum achievable sum utility over the neighborhood;
d) selecting for each RBM
a time slot of the primary carrier;
or
a time slot of the secondary carrier;
to optimize the sum utility over the neighborhood;
in a parameter application phase:
e) scheduling each RBM to the selected carrier and time slot;
and
f) for each Hub-RBM radio link, selecting a transmission mode and a Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) based on instantaneous channel conditions and to meet an RBM quality of service requirement.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/314,878Filed 25 Jun 2014
Published: US 2015/0382347 A131 Dec 2015
Granted: 10 Jan 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H04W 72/0446
Based on the type of the allocated resource: resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
H04W 24/08
Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements: testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
H04W 48/16
Access restriction ; Network selection; Access point selection: discovering, processing access restriction or access information
H04W 72/542
Based on quality criteria: using measured or perceived quality