Optimized finger assignment for improved multicarrier throughput

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate dynamically allocating demodulation resources of a wideband receiver to provide improved demodulation of simultaneously received signals. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and/or packet error rate (PER) can be measured for the plurality of carriers to determine which demodulators related to the carriers require more resources than others to demodulate signals at a specified signal quality. Where the SNR of a related carrier is high and/or PER is low, the demodulator can require fewer resources than where the SNR of a related carrier is low and/or PER is high. In this regard, the resources are dynamically allocated among the demodulators and reallocated where SNR/PER changes and/or additional resources are made available.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for dynamically allocating demodulation resources for a wideband wireless communication receiver, comprising:
 receiving a plurality of quality measurements related to a plurality of frequency carriers over which signals are received;   comparing the quality measurements to determine an allocation of resources to a plurality of demodulators for demodulating the signals at an increased total throughput;   allocating the resources to the demodulators according to a determined allocation; and   reallocating one or more resources from a first demodulator to a second demodulator based at least in part on a change in quality measurement of a frequency carrier related to at least one of the first demodulator and the second demodulator.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reallocating the one or more resources further comprises reallocating the one or more resources from the first demodulator to the second demodulator based at least in part on a projected change in overall throughput, wherein the projected change in overall throughput is projected based at least on a non-linear response of a data rate of a frequency carrier to a potential change in a first signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the frequency carrier related to the first demodulator. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein one of the quality measurements is a second SNR determined from a signal transmitted over each of the plurality of frequency carriers and an amount of resources required to demodulate the signal according to a specified signal quality. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one of the quality measurements is a packet error rate (PER) for data received over each of the plurality of frequency carriers. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more resources are reallocated from the first demodulator to the second demodulator based at least in part on an increase in the first SNR of the frequency carrier related to the first demodulator. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more resources are reallocated from the first demodulator to the second demodulator based at least in part on a decrease in a second SNR of the frequency carrier related to the second demodulator. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determined allocation is determined by an available offline demodulation resource. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the resources are received from a demodulator assigned to demodulate one or more signals received over an equalizer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising allocating time-based decoding resources for decoding symbols received from demodulating the signals according to the determined allocation. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the change in overall throughput is projected based at least in part on at least one of a potential increase in the first SNR and decrease in packet error rate (PER) of the frequency carrier related to the first demodulator based at least in part on the reallocation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the change in overall throughput is projected based at least in part on at least one of a potential decrease in the first SNR and increase in packet error rate (PER) of the frequency carrier related to the second demodulator based at least in part on the reallocation. 
     
     
         12 . A wireless communications apparatus that facilitates dynamic allocation of receiver demodulation resources, comprising:
 means for receiving a plurality of quality measurements related to a plurality of frequency carriers over which signals are received;   means for comparing the quality measurements to determine an allocation of resources to a plurality of demodulators for demodulating the signals at an increased total throughput;   means for allocating the resources to the demodulators according to a determined allocation; and   means for reallocating one or more resources from a first demodulator to a second demodulator based at least in part on a change in quality measurement of a frequency carrier related to at least one of the first demodulator and the second demodulator.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the means for reallocating the one or more resources is further for reallocating the one or more resources from the first demodulator to the second demodulator based at least in part on a projected change in overall throughput, wherein the projected change in overall throughput is projected based at least on a non-linear response of a data rate of a frequency carrier to a potential change in a first signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the frequency carrier related to the first demodulator. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein one of the quality measurements is a second SNR determined from a signal transmitted over each of the plurality of carriers and an amount of resources required to demodulate the signal according to a specified signal quality. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein one of the quality measurements is a packet error rate (PER) for data received over each of the plurality of carriers. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium for dynamically allocating demodulation resources for a wideband wireless communication receiver, comprising:
 code for causing at least one computer to receive a plurality of quality measurements related to a plurality of frequency carriers over which signals are received;   code for causing the at least one computer to compare the quality measurements to determine an allocation of resources to a plurality of demodulators for demodulating the signals at an increased total throughput;   code for causing the at least one computer to allocate the resources to the demodulators according to a determined allocation; and   code for causing the at least one computer to reallocate one or more resources from a first demodulator to a second demodulator based at least in part on a change in quality measurement of a frequency carrier related to at least one of the first demodulator and the second demodulator.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to reallocate the one or more resources further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to reallocate the one or more resources from the first demodulator to the second demodulator based at least in part on a projected change in overall throughput, wherein the projected change in overall throughput is projected based at least on a non-linear response of a data rate of a frequency carrier to a potential change in a first signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the frequency carrier related to the first demodulator. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , further comprising code for causing the at least one computer to allocate time-based decoding resources for decoding symbols received from demodulating the signals according to the determined allocation. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus that facilitates dynamic allocation of receiver demodulation resources, comprising:
 a receiver configured to receive a plurality of quality measurements related to a plurality of frequency carriers over which signals are received; and   an allocator configured to compare the quality measurements to determine an allocation of resources to a plurality of demodulators for demodulating the signals at an increased total throughput,   wherein the allocator is further configured to allocate the resources to the demodulators according to a determined allocation, and   wherein the allocator is further configured to reallocate one or more resources from a first demodulator to a second demodulator based at least in part on a change in quality measurement of a frequency carrier related to at least one of the first demodulator and the second demodulator.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the allocator is further configured to reallocate the one or more resources from the first demodulator to the second demodulator based at least in part on a projected change in overall throughput, wherein the projected change in overall throughput is projected based at least on a non-linear response of a data rate of a frequency carrier to a potential change in a first signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the frequency carrier related to the first demodulator. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein one of the quality measurements is a packet error rate (PER) for data received over each of the plurality of frequency carriers. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising a rake receiver that simultaneously receives the signals over the plurality of frequency carriers. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the change in overall throughput is projected based at least in part on at least one of a potential increase in the first SNR and/or decrease in PER of the frequency carrier related to the first demodulator based at least in part on the reallocation. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the change in overall throughput is projected based at least in part on at least one of a potential decrease in the first SNR and increase in PER of a frequency carrier related to the second demodulator based at least in part on the reallocation. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the resources are received from at least one of the plurality of demodulators assigned to demodulate one or more signals received over an equalizer. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein one of the quality measurements is a second SNR determined from a signal transmitted over each of the plurality of frequency carriers and an amount of resources required to demodulate the signal according to a specified signal quality. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more resources are reallocated from the first demodulator to the second demodulator based at least in part on an increase in the first SNR of the frequency carrier related to the first demodulator. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more resources are reallocated from the first demodulator to the second demodulator based at least in part on a decrease in a second SNR of the frequency carrier related to the second demodulator. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the determined allocation is determined by an available offline demodulation resource. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the resources are received from a demodulator assigned to demodulate one or more signals received over an equalizer.