Two threshold uplink rate control to enable uplink scheduling

Abstract

A wireless communications network has a plurality of terminals and at least one base station which transmits data to each one of said plurality of terminals on a wireless downlink and receives data from each one of said plurality of terminals on a wireless uplink. One of the terminals sends a rate request to the base station. The rate request requests that the data rate on the wireless uplink for the terminal be changed. In response to the rate request, the base station sends a rate grant to the terminal. The rate grant indicates whether or not the terminal may change the data rate on the wireless uplink.

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       12 . A wireless communications network comprising: 
 a plurality of terminals; and    at least one base station which transmits data to each one of said plurality of terminals on a wireless downlink and receives data from each one of said plurality of terminals on a wireless uplink;    wherein at least one of said plurality of terminals sends a rate request to said base station, said rate request requesting that the data rate on the wireless uplink be changed; and    said base station, in response to said rate request from said at least one of said plurality of terminals, sends a rate grant to said at least one of said plurality of terminals, said rate grant indicating whether or not said at least one of said plurality of terminals may change the data rate on the wireless uplink.    
   
   
       13 . A wireless communications network in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein said at least one of said plurality of terminals send the rate request along with data in the wireless uplink.  
   
   
       14 . A wireless communications network in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein said base station sends said rate grant in said wireless downlink.  
   
   
       15 . A wireless communications network in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein said rate grant sent by said base station depends on interference conditions received at the base station.  
   
   
       16 . A wireless communications network in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein said rate grant sent by said base station depends on traffic metrics derived and/or measured at the base station.  
   
   
       17 . A wireless communications network in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein said network further comprises a base station controller and said rate grant sent by said base station depends on traffic metrics sent to said base station from said base station controller.  
   
   
       18 . A wireless communications network in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein said rate request requests that the data rate on said wireless uplink be increased and, in response to a rate grant received from said base station, said rate grant indicating that said data rate on said wireless uplink may be increased as requested in said rate request, increases said data rate on said wireless uplink in accordance with said rate grant.  
   
   
       19 . A wireless communication network in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein said terminal may decrease the data rate on said wireless uplink without a separate rate grant from said base station.  
   
   
       20 . A wireless communications network in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the air interface between the terminal and the base station is wide band code division multiple access (WCDMA).  
   
   
       21 . A wireless communication network in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein said at least one of the plurality of terminals is provided with two thresholds limiting the data rate on the uplink and the rate requests sent by said terminal are limited to one of the two thresholds.  
   
   
       22 . A wireless communication network in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein each one of said plurality of terminals is provided with said two thresholds limiting the data rate on the uplink and said base station controls the data rate on the uplink from each one of said plurality of terminals in response to a rate request from any one of said plurality of terminals.  
   
   
       23 . In a wireless communications network including a base station which transmits data to a terminal on a wireless downlink and receives data from a terminal on a wireless uplink, a method comprising: 
 sending a rate request from said terminal to said base station, said rate request requesting that the data rate on the wireless uplink be changed; and    in response to said rate request from said terminal, sending a rate grant to said terminal, said rate grant indicating whether or not said terminal may change the data rate on the wireless uplink.    
   
   
       24 . A method in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein said terminal sends the rate request along with data in the wireless uplink.  
   
   
       25 . A method in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein said base station sends said rate grant in said wireless downlink.  
   
   
       26 . A method in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein said rate grant sent by said base station depends on interference conditions received at the base station.  
   
   
       27 . A method in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein said rate grant sent by said base station depends on traffic metrics derived and/or measured at the base station.  
   
   
       28 . A method in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein said rate grant sent by said base station depends on traffic metrics sent to said base station from said base station controller.  
   
   
       29 . A method in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein the air interface between the terminal and the base station is wide band code division multiple access (WCDMA).  
   
   
       30 . A method in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein said terminal is provided with two thresholds limiting the data rate on the wireless uplink and the rate requests sent by said terminal are limited to one of the two thresholds.  
   
   
       31 . A method in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein said rate request requests that the data rate on said wireless uplink be increased and, in response to a rate grant received from said base station, said rate grant indicating that said data rate on said wireless uplink may be increased as requested in said rate request, increases said data rate on said wireless uplink in accordance with said rate grant.  
   
   
       32 . A method in accordance with  claim 31 , wherein said terminal may decrease the data rate on said wireless uplink without a separate rate grant from said base station.