Method of allocating transmission resources in a centrally controlled communication system

A method of allocating transmission resources to respective terminals in a centrally controlled communication system in which the transmission resource allocation to the terminal is performed by a central unit includes allocating the transmission resources for at least one frame-oriented connection of a deterministic kind, particularly such that operates with a substantially constant data rate, independently of any previously issued resource requests for non-deterministic connections; providing a special designation for such a deterministic connection to distinguish the same from other connections; and correcting non-synchronous timing between the central unit and the affected terminals particularly for such a deterministic connection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an example of a communication system suitable for the employment of the present invention therein;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view representing a MAC frame and its contents;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 but with the contents including a direct mode phase;

FIG. 4 is another diagrammatic view of a MAC frame, this time for use with sectioned antennas;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 but simplified relative thereto by including merely three terminals in addition to a central unit;

FIG. 6 a diagrammatic view showing the composition of a transmission frame in a situation where data packets are arriving too slowly at one of the terminals corresponding to those revealed in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the allocation of data packets from several terminals corresponding to those of FIGS. 5 and 6 within a plurality of frames;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view depicting the time intervals of arrival of data packets at one of the terminals;

FIG. 9 is a view akin to that of FIG. 6 but this time for a situation in which the data packets are arriving at one of the terminals in too rapid a succession; and

FIG. 10 is a view similar to that of FIG. 7 but relating to the situation revealed in FIGS.

5 and

9.

1. A method of allocating transmission resources to respective terminals in a centrally controlled communication system in which the transmission resource allocation to the terminal is performed by a central unit, comprising the steps of

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said allocating step includes transmitting a connection characteristic for the deterministic connection in the course of the establishment of this connection, and setting the resource allocation for the respective terminal on the basis of this connection characteristic.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said allocating step includes indicating a data rate for the deterministic connection in the course of establishment of this connection.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein said indicating step includes expressing the data rate as a number of data packets of constant length that are to be transmitted within number of frames.

5. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein said indicating step includes expressing the data rate as a data capacity to be transmitted within a predetermined time interval.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said correcting step includes inserting filler packets devoid of useful information into the respective frame when the actual data packets are too slow in arriving.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said correcting step includes issuing resource requests for additional allocation when the actual data packets arrive at too rapid a pace.

8. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein said correcting step further includes granting such resource requests for the deterministic connection independently of any other transmission resource request.

9. The method a defined in claim 1, and further comprising the step of performing said allocating, providing and correcting steps during an uplink phase as the respective terminal is to transmit information to at least one of the central unit and another terminal.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, and further comprising the step of additionally allocating the resources remaining after the performance of said allocating step to any connection of a non-deterministic nature in dependence on the buffer filling status encountered at the respective terminal associated with this particular non-deterministic connection.

11. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said allocating step includes transmitting and evaluating respective data rate, intermediate arrival time of data packets, and maximum deviation of the data packet arrival rate parameters in establishing the non-deterministic connection characteristic.

12. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said allocating step includes utilizing additional information that is available for the respective deterministic connection at the central unit, for the optimization of the resource allocations.

13. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said allocating step includes utilizing additional information that is available for the respective deterministic connection at the central unit with the expected arrival of the next following data packet, for the optimization of the resource allocations.