Title of Invention

SCHEDULING METHOD OF A TRANSMITTER AND SCHEDULING APPARATUS IN A MULTICARRIER COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

Abstract The invention relates to a scheduling method of a transmitter which communicates with K receivers, for a multicarrier communication system using N subcarriers, the method comprising the steps of: (a) determining a respective channel quality information, CQI, feedback quantity indicative of the number of subcarriers for which CQIs will be fed back from among the N subcarriers, for each of the K receivers; (b) transmitting each of the determined CQI feedback quantities to a corresponding receiver among the K receivers; (c) receiving CQIs, corresponding to each of the determined CQI feedback quantities, fed back from the each of the K receivers;and (d) allocating subcarriers for which there are CQIs fed back from at least one receiver among the K receivers among the N subcarriers, to any one receiver among the receivers that have fed back CQIs.
Full Text


Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a scheduling apparatus and
method for a communication system, and in particular, to an apparatus and
method for performing scheduling using channel quality information (CQI) for
only particular carriers in a communication system using multiple carriers
(multicarrier communication system).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Extensive research is being conducted on a 4th generation (4G)
communication system which is the next generation communication system to
provide users with services having various Qualities of Service (QoSs) supporting
a high data rate. In particular, extensive research is being conducted on the 4G
communication system to support a high-speed service guaranteeing mobility
and a QoS in a Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) communication system such
as a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) system and a wireless Metropolitan Area
Network (MAN) system.
In order to provide a high-speed, high-quality wireless multimedia
service, the 4G communication system requires broadband spectrum resources.
However, the use of the broadband spectrum resources increases a fading effect

in a wireless transmission path due to multipath propagation, and causes a
frequency selective fading effect even in a transmission band. Therefore, for the
high-speed wireless multimedia service, an Orthogonal Frequency Division
Multiplexing (OFDM) scheme which is robust against frequency selective fading is
popularly used in the 4G communication systems.
The OFDM scheme, a scheme for transmitting data using multiple
carriers, is a kind of a Multi-Carrier Modulation (MCM) scheme that prior to
transmission parallel-converts a serial input symbol stream into parallel symbols
and modulates the parallel symbols with a plurality of orthogonal subcarriers.
The OFDM scheme has the advantage of being capable of maximizing
throughput using a link adaptation scheme in addition to being robust against
the frequency selective fading.

A multiple access scheme based on the OFDM scheme is referred to as an
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) scheme. The
OFDMA scheme reorders particular subcarriers among all of subcarriers into a
subchannel and allocates the subchannel to a particular subscriber station (SS).
The "subchannel" refers to a channel comprised of at least one subcarrier. The use
of the OFDMA scheme enables a dynamic resource allocation in which a
subchannel can be dynamically allocated to a particular SS based on a fading
characteristic of a wireless channel, and in the OFDMA scheme, an increase in
number of SSs, i.e. an increase in number of users, increases a 'multiuser
diversity gain'. Therefore, extensive studies of the OFDMA scheme is being
conducted in the 4G communication system that requires relatively high
throughput.
In all of the communication systems in which a multiuser environment is
implemented, it is necessary to efficiently allocate resources to each user, i.e. SS,
and a communication system using the OFDMA scheme (OFDMA
communication system) should also efficiently allocate resources. For
convenience, a description of a communication system supporting the multiuser
environment (multiuser environment communication system) will be made herein
with reference to the OFDMA communication system. A description will now be
made of scheduling schemes proposed for the efficient allocation of resources in
the multiuser environment communication system.
The scheduling scheme refers to a scheme for allocating resources to each
SS, and the typical scheduling schemes include a Maximum Carrier-to-
interference ratio (Max C/I) scheme, a Maximum Fairness (MF) scheme, and a
Proportional Fairness (PF) scheme. A description will now be made of the Max
C/I scheme, the MF scheme, and the PF scheme.
(1) Max C/I Scheme
The Max C/I scheme is a scheduling scheme for allocating particular
subcarriers to an SS having the best channel state from among a plurality of SSs
in the multiuser environment communication system, i.e. the OFDMA
communication system, and the use of the Max C/I scheme maximizes a
multiuser diversity gain, thereby maximizing the entire throughput of the
OFDMA communication system. Each of the SSs reports a state of a channel to
its associated base station (BS), i.e. channel quality, for example, CQI
representing a C/I, back to the BS, and the BS regards, as an SS having the best
channel state, an SS that has fed back a CQI representing the maximum C/I

among CQIs fed back from the SSs.
In the Max C/I scheme, if C/Is for all of the subcarriers have small values
because of a very poor channel state of a particular SS, the particular SS cannot
be allocated any subcarrier on a certain occasion. That is, because the Max C/I
scheme allocates corresponding subcarriers to an SS having the best channel state
for all of the subcarriers used in the OFDMA communication system, an SS
having a very poor channel state may fail to be allocated even one subcarrier on a
certain occasion.
The Max C/I scheme allocates subcarriers based only on a channel state
between a BS and an SS, thus making it impossible to guarantee fairness between
SSs. However, the Max C/I scheme which is easily implemented is superior to the
other scheduling schemes in terms of complexity.
Due to the foregoing characteristics, the Max C/I scheme is chiefly used
for the maximization of the entire throughput of the OFDMA communication
system even though fairness between SSs is not guaranteed. However, the Max
C/I scheme's advantage of maximizing the entire throughput of the OFDMA
communication system is acquired only when each of the SSs can feed back CQIs
for all subcarriers. That is, when each of the SSs feeds back CQIs for only
particular subcarriers instead of all of the subcarriers, the Max C/I scheme's
advantage of maximizing the entire throughput of the OFDMA communication
system is not guaranteed. The reason for considering the case in which the SS
feeds back CQIs for only particular subcarriers instead of all subcarriers in the
OFDMA communication system is because the CQI feedback for all of the
subcarriers causes an uplink load and functions as uplink interference to other SSs.
Therefore, there is extensive research being conducted on feeding back CQIs for
only particular subcarriers instead of all the subcarriers.
(2) MF Scheme
The MF scheme is a scheduling scheme proposed to maximize the
throughput of an SS allocated the minimum throughput among throughputs of a
plurality of SSs. Compared with the Max C/I scheme, the MF scheme can
guarantee some lever of fairness between the SSs. Although the MF scheme
actually maximizes the fairness between the SSs as compared with the Max C/I
scheme, the entire throughput of the OFDMA communication system is
undesirably reduced due to the fairness between the SSs.

Generally, the MF scheme compulsorily allocates a subcarrier for an SS
having a very poor channel state, if any. Therefore, compared with allocation of
the subcarrier to an SS having the best channel state, i.e. the maximum C/I, the
allocation of the subcarrier to the SS having a very poor channel state causes a
decrease in throughput, thereby reducing the entire throughput of the OFDMA
communication system.
Due to the foregoing characteristics, the use of the MF scheme is not
taken into consideration in a wireless communication system like the OFDMA
communication system. Instead, the use of the MF scheme is chiefly used in a
wire communication system in which a bottleneck link due to setup of many links
between a source and a destination may fatally affect the entire performance of
the communication system. In addition, the MF scheme is significantly higher
than the Max C/I scheme in terms of implementation complexity. Actually, the
use of the MF scheme is scarcely taken into consideration in the OFDMA
communication system.
The MF scheme's advantage of maximizing fairness between SSs is
acquired only when each of the SSs feeds back CQIs for all of the subcarriers.
That is, when each of the SSs feeds back CQIs for only particular subcarriers
instead of all of the subcarriers, the MF scheme's advantage of maximizing
fairness between SSs is not guaranteed.
(3) PF Scheme
The PF scheme, a combined scheme of the Max C/I scheme and the MF
scheme, is a scheduling scheme for maximizing the entire throughput while
guaranteeing fairness between SSs. The PF scheme maximizes the entire
throughput while guaranteeing some level of fairness between SSs, and exhibits
superior performance. Therefore, the PF scheme is popularly used in the OFDMA
communication system. In addition, the PF scheme can be implemented at lower
complexity in a communication system using a single carrier (single-carrier
communication system).
However, when used in multicarrier communication systems such as the
OFDM communication system and the OFDMA communication system, the PF
scheme increases in terms of complexity, and there is no proposed solution for the
increase in complexity. The PF scheme's advantage of maximizing the entire
throughput while guaranteeing fairness between SSs is acquired only when each
of the SSs feeds back CQIs for all of the subcarriers. That is, when each of the


SSs feeds back CQIs for only particular subcarriers instead of all of the
subcarriers, the PF scheme's advantage of maximizing the entire throughput
while guaranteeing fairness between the SSs is not guaranteed.
As described above, the Max C/I scheme, the MF scheme and the PF
scheme are scheduling schemes proposed on the assumption that each of the
SSs feeds back CQIs for all of the subcarriers. Therefore, the advantages of the
Max C/I scheme, the MF scheme and the PF scheme cannot be guaranteed when
the SSs feed back CQIs for only particular subcarriers instead of all of the
subcarriers in the OFDMA communication system.
WO 03/058871(Dl) refers to resource allocation for MIMO-OFDM communication
system. The D1 recites "Techniques to schedule terminals for data transmission
on the downlink and/or uplink in a MIMO-OFDM system based on the spatial
and/or frequency "signatures" of the terminals. A scheduler forms one or more
sets of terminals for possible (downlink or uplink) data transmission for each of a
number of frequency bands. One or more sub-hypotheses may further be formed
for each hypothesis, with each sub-hypothesis corresponding to (1) specific
assignments of transmit antennas to the terminal(s) in the hypothesis (for the
downlink) or (2) a specific order for processing the uplink data transmissions
from the terminal(s) (for the uplink). The performance of each sub-hypothesis is


then evaluated (e.g., based on one or more performance metrics). One sub-
hypothesis is then selected for each frequency band based on the evaluated
performance, and the one or more terminals in each selected sub-hypothesis are
then scheduled for data transmission on the corresponding frequency band".
Han et al describes an OFDMA/FDD system in the non-patent literature published
by IEEE in September 2004, page 511-514, the article entitled "Opportunistic
scheduling with partial channel information in OFDMA/FDD systems".
However, in the OFDMA communication system in which the SSs feed
back CQIs for only particular subcarriers, when both complexity and performance
are taken into consideration, the Max C/I scheme is superior to the MF scheme
and the PF scheme. For the Max C/I scheme, it has been proven that a decrease
in CQI feedback quantity causes a decrease in the entire throughput. However,
how the decrease in CQI feedback quantity will affect the fairness between SSs
has never been taken into consideration. The "CQI feedback quantity" refers to
the number of subcarriers, CQIs for which are fed back. Therefore, there is a
demand for a new scheduling scheme capable of maintaining fairness between
SSs, maximizing throughput and guaranteeing minimum complexity in the
OFDMA communication system.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a scheduling
apparatus and method for guaranteeing a level of fairness between subscriber
stations (SSs) in a multicarrier communication system.
It is further another object of the presept invention to provide a
scheduling apparatus and method for maximizing throughput in a multicarrier
communication system.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a scheduling
apparatus and method for varying CQI feedback quantity in a multicarrier
communication system.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a scheduling method for use in a transmitter which communicates with K
receivers, in a multicarrier communication system using N subcarriers, the
method including the steps of determining a channel quality information (CQI)
feedback quantity indicative of the number of subcarriers for which CQIs will be
fed back among the N subcarriers, for the K receivers; receiving CQIs
corresponding to the determined CQI feedback quantity, being fed back from the
K receivers; and allocating subcarriers for which there are CQIs being fed back
from at least one receiver among the K receivers among the N subcarriers, to
any one receiver among the receivers that have fed back CQIs according to a
first scheme.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a method for feeding back channel quality information (CQI) by a
receiver, in a multicarrier communication system using N subcarriers, the method
including the steps of receiving, from a transmitter, a CQI feedback quantity
indicative of the number of subcarriers for which CQIs will be fed back among
the N subcarriers; detecting CQIs for the N subcarriers by channel-estimating a
signal received from the transmitter; and selecting a number of CQIs equal to
the CQI feedback quantity among the CQIs for the N subcarriers, generating the
selected CQIs into a partial CQI, and transmitting the partial CQI to the
transmitter.


In accordance with further another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a scheduling method in a multicarrier communication system using N
subcarriers, in which a transmitter communicates with K receivers, the method
including the steps of determining, by the transmitter, a channel quality
information (CQI) feedback quantity indicative of the number of subcarriers for
which CQIs will be fed back among the N subcarriers, for the K receivers, and
transmitting the CQI feedback quantity to the K receivers; receiving, by each of
the K receivers, the CQI feedback quantity from the transmitter, and detecting
CQIs for the N subcarriers by channel-estimating a signal received from the
transmitter; selecting, by each of the K receivers, a number of CQIs equal to the
CQI feedback quantity among the CQIs for the N subcarriers, generating the
selected CQIs into a partial CQI, and feeding back the partial CQI to the
transmitter; and upon receipt by the transmitter of a number of CQIs equal to
the determined CQI feedback quantity, being fed back from the K receivers,
allocating subcarriers for which there are CQIs being fed back from at least one
receiver among the K receivers among the N subcarriers, to any one receiver

among the receivers that have fed back CQIs according to a first scheme.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a scheduling apparatus of a transmitter which communicates with K
receivers, in a multicarrier communication system using N subcarriers, the
apparatus including a channel quality information (CQI) feedback quantity
determiner for determining a CQI feedback quantity indicative of the number of
subcarriers for which CQIs will be fed back among the N subcarriers, for the K
receivers; a reception part for receiving CQIs corresponding to the determined
CQI feedback quantity, being fed back from the K receivers; a scheduler for
allocating subcarriers for which there are CQIs being fed back from at least one
receiver among the K receivers among the N subcarriers, to any one receiver
among the receivers that have fed back CQIs according to a first scheme; and a
transmission part for transmitting the determined CQI feedback quantity to the K
receivers.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an apparatus for feeding back channel quality information (CQI) by a
receiver, in a multicarrier communication system using N subcarriers, the
apparatus including a reception part for receiving, from a transmitter, a CQI
feedback quantity indicative of the number of subcarriers for which CQIs will be
fed back among the N subcarriers, and detecting CQIs for the N subcarriers by
channel-estimating a signal received from the transmitter; a CQI generator for
selecting as many CQIs as a number corresponding to the CQI feedback quantity
among the CQIs for the N subcarriers, and generating the selected CQIs into a
partial CQI; and a transmission part for transmitting the partial CQI to the
transmitter.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a scheduling apparatus in a multicarrier communication system using N
subcarriers, in which a transmitter communicates with K receivers, the apparatus
including the transmitter for determining a channel quality information (CQI)
feedback quantity indicative of the number of subcarriers for which CQIs will be
fed back among the N subcarriers, for the K receivers, transmitting the CQI
feedback quantity to the K receivers, and upon receiving CQIs corresponding to
the determined CQI feedback quantity, being fed back from the K receivers,
allocating subcarriers for which there are CQIs being fed back from at least one
receiver among the K receivers among the N subcarriers, to any one receiver
among the receivers that have fed back CQIs according to a first scheme; and K


receivers for receiving the CQI feedback quantity from the transmitter, detecting
CQIs for the N subcarriers by channel-estimating a signal received from the
transmitter, selecting a number of CQIs equal to the CQI feedback quantity
among the CQIs for the N subcarriers, generating the selected CQIs into a partial
CQI, and feeding back the partial CQI to the transmitter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description
when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a transmitter structure for an OFDMA
communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a receiver structure for an OFDMA
communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an internal structure of the first CQI
feedback quantity determiner 111 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an internal structure of the second
CQI feedback quantity determiner of FIG. 1;


FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an internal structure of the first CQI
generator of FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a scheduling and signal transmission
operation of a transmitter for an OFDMA communication system according to an
embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a signal reception and CQI generation
process of a receiver for an OFDMA communication system according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in
detail with reference to the annexed drawings. In the following description, a
detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein
has been omitted for conciseness.
The present invention proposes an apparatus and method for scheduling
using channel quality information (CQI) for only particular carriers in a
communication system using multiple carriers (multicarrier communication

system). In particular, the present invention proposes a scheduling apparatus and
method for maximizing throughput and guaranteeing a level of fairness between
subscriber stations (SSs) by performing scheduling based on a Maximum Carrier-
to-interference ratio (Max C/I) scheme using CQIs for the particular carriers. For
the sake of convenience, a description of the multicarrier communication system
will be made herein with reference to a communication system using an
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) scheme which is a
multiple access scheme based on an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing
(OFDM) scheme (OFDMA communication system).
The scheduling scheme proposed by the present invention is based on the
Max C/I scheme which is a scheduling scheme that reduces the complexity of the
scheduling scheme in the OFDMA communication system, guarantees a level of
fairness between SSs, and controls the SSs to feed back CQIs for only particular
subcarriers instead of all of the subcarriers while taking into consideration uplink
load and uplink interference caused by CQI feedback in the OFDMA
communication system. The operation of feeding back CQIs for only particular
subcarriers instead of all of the subcarriers in the OFDMA communication system
will be referred to as a "partial CQI feedback operation," and the CQIs for the
particular subcarriers will be referred to as a "partial CQI." The scheduling
scheme proposed by the present invention, i.e. the scheme for performing
scheduling based on the Max C/I scheme using the partial CQI, will be referred to
as an "adaptive scheduling scheme."
The adaptive scheduling scheme proposed by the present invention
exhibits the can following 3 qualities.
(1) Minimization of CQI Feedback Quantity
The minimization of the CQI feedback quantity functions as a very
important factor in the performance improvement of a multicarrier
communication system like the OFDMA communication system, because the CQI
feedback functions as an uplink load and an uplink interference as described
above. Herein, the "CQI feedback quantity" refers to the number of subcarriers,
for which CQIs are fed back.
(2) Minimization of Scheduling Complexity
The minimization of the scheduling complexity also functions as a very
important factor in the performance improvement of a multicarrier
communication system like the OFDMA communication system, because the

minimization of scheduling complexity reduces the cost of the devices. The
reason for reducing the cost of devices is because the minimization of scheduling
complexity can minimize power consumption and decrease the number of
component blocks constituting the multicarrier communication system, making it
possible to produce the devices at lower prices.
In particular, when using a Maximum Fairness (MF) scheme and a
Proportional Fairness (PF) scheme chiefly used in a conventional communication
system using a single carrier (single-carrier communication system), the
multicarrier communication system increases in complexity. Therefore, it is
difficult for the multicarrier communication system to use the MF scheme and the
PF scheme.
(3) Maximization of Throughput and Fairness
In an actual wireless communication system, it is not possible to exclude
a fairness problem between the SSs in order to maximize the entire throughput of
the wireless communication system, and also, it is not possible to exclude a
throughput problem in order to maximize fairness between the SSs. That is, a
scheduling scheme considering both the throughput and the fairness is an
optimum scheduling scheme, and the adaptive scheduling scheme proposed by
the present invention guarantees the throughput by performing a scheduling
operation based on the Max C/I scheme, and guarantees the fairness by feeding
back CQIs for only particular subcarriers. The scheme for feeding back CQIs for
only particular subcarriers, i.e. a partial CQI feedback scheme, will be described
in detail later.
With reference to FIG. 1, a description will now be made of a transmitter
structure for an OFDMA communication system according to an embodiment of
the present invention. The transmitter of the OFDMA communication system will
be described with reference to a base station (BS), and the receiver of the
OFDMA communication system will be described with reference to an SS.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a transmitter structure for an
OFDMA communication system according to an embodiment of the present
invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a transmitter, i.e. a BS, for the OFDMA
communication system includes a first CQI feedback quantity determiner 111, a
second CQI feedback quantity determiner 113, a selector 115, an adaptive
scheduler 117, an adaptive modulator 119, a selector 121, an inverse fast Fourier
transformer (IFFT) 123, a parallel-to-serial (P/S) converter 125, a digital-to-
analog (D/A) converter 127, and a radio frequency (RF) processor 129.

User data for a plurality of, for example, K SSs of a first SS SS#1 to a
K SS SS#K to which the BS is providing a service, is input to the adaptive
scheduler 117. A description will now be made of an operation of the adaptive
scheduler 117.
The adaptive scheduler 117 performs a scheduling operation based on the
Max C/I scheme. A conventional scheduler using the Max C/I scheme (Max C/I
scheduler) allocates subcarriers such that each SS can feed back CQIs for all of
the subcarriers (full CQI) and a BS can maximize throughput for each subcarrier
by taking into consideration the full CQI fed back by the SS. The Max C/I
scheduler selects an SS having the best channel state, i.e. the maximum C/I, for
each subcarrier, and allocates a corresponding subcarrier to the selected SS.
However, the adaptive scheduler 117, unlike the conventional Max C/I
scheduler, receives a partial CQI fed back from each SS, instead of a full CQI.
Therefore, even though the adaptive scheduler 117 performs a scheduling
operation based on the Max C/I scheme, it performs the scheduling operation in a
different way from that of the conventional Max C/I scheduler.
(1) Rule 1: Contention-Based Scheduling Scheme Based on Partial CQI
Feedback
The adaptive scheduler 117 performs a scheduling operation based on the
partial CQI feedback. In the partial CQI feedback, all of the SSs feed back CQIs
for the particular subcarriers instead of all of the subcarriers. For specific
subcarriers, there exist CQIs fed back by particular SSs instead of all of the SSs.
For the specific subcarriers, because there are CQIs fed back by only particular
SSs as described above, the SSs that have fed back CQIs for the specific
subcarriers are allocated the specific subcarriers on a needs basis.
In order for the adaptive scheduler 117 to perform a contention-based
scheduling operation based on the partial CQI feedback, it is necessary to
determine which SS from among all of the SSs should feed back CQIs and for
how many subcarriers, and this depends upon the CQI feedback quantity decision
operations of the first CQI feedback quantity determiner 111 and the second CQI
feedback quantity determiner 113. The CQI feedback quantity decision operations
of the first CQI feedback quantity determiner 111 and the second CQI feedback
quantity determiner 113 will be described in detail later.
(2) Rule 2: Scheduling Scheme Based on Non-CQI Feedback

Because each SS performs a partial CQI feedback operation, for a
specific subcarrier among the subcarriers for an OFDMA communication system,
the adaptive scheduler 117 may fail to receive a CQI from any one of the SSs on a
certain occasion. In this case, the adaptive scheduler 117 allocates the subcarrier,
for which it has failed to receive a CQI from any SS, to a corresponding SS by the
following two kinds of scheduling schemes.
A first scheduling scheme is a round-robin scheduling scheme. The
round-robin scheduling scheme simply sequentially allocates the subcarriers to all
of the SSs in a service area of a BS without any decision on channel states.
Because the round-robin scheduling scheme sequentially allocates the subcarriers
without considering the channel states of SSs as described above, this scheduling
scheme suffers a loss in terms of the entire throughput of the OFDMA
communication system, but it can guarantee a level of fairness by uniformly
allocating the subcarriers to all of the SSs.
In this state, because the adaptive scheduler 117 has failed to receive a
CQI from any one SS, the adaptive scheduler 117 performs a control operation
such that the most robust modulation order among the modulation orders
supported in the OFDMA communication system should be applied for a
subcarrier allocated by the round-robin scheduling scheme taking into
consideration an SS having the worst channel state.
A second scheduling scheme is an MF scheme. The MF scheme allocates
subcarriers to an SS having the minimum throughput at present timing point. The
MF scheme improves fairness by allocating a subcarrier, for which the adaptive
scheduler 117 has failed to receive a CQI from any SS, to an SS having the
minimum throughput at present timing point. Of course, the scheduling scheme in
which the adaptive scheduler 117 allocates a subcarrier, for which it has failed to
receive a CQI from any SS, can include various scheduling schemes in addition to
the round-robin scheduling scheme and the MF scheme. The round-robin
scheduling scheme and the MF scheme are given herein, by way of example.
After performing a scheduling operation on the first SS to the Kth SS in
the foregoing manner, i.e. after allocating the subcarriers of the OFDMA
communication system to the first SS to the Kth SS, the adaptive scheduler 117
outputs user data for the first SS to the Kth SS to the adaptive modulator 119. The
adaptive modulator 119 modulates the user data for the first SS to the Kth SS with
a modulation scheme corresponding to CQIs fed back from first SS to the Kth SS,

and outputs the modulated user data to the selector 121.
The adaptive modulator 119 modulates the user data for the first SS to the
using a low-order modulation scheme such as Binary Phase Shift Keying
(BPSK) scheme if the CQIs fed back from the first SS to the Kth SS indicate a
poor channel state. On the contrary, if the CQIs fed back from the first SS to the
Kth SS indicate a good channel state, the adaptive modulator 119 modulates the
user data for the first SS to the Kth SS using a high-order modulation scheme such
as 16-ary Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (16-QAM) scheme.
The first CQI feedback quantity determiner 111 determines CQI feedback
quantities by taking into consideration the channel states of the SSs, i.e.
determines the CQI feedback quantities of the first SS to the Kth SS depending on
the CQIs fed back from the first SS to the Kth SS, and then outputs the determined
CQI feedback quantities of the first SS to the Kth SS to the selector 115. A CQI
feedback quantity decision operation of the first CQI feedback quantity
determiner 111 will be described in detail later.
The second CQI feedback quantity determiner 113, unlike the first CQI
feedback quantity determiner 111, determines the CQI feedback quantities of the

first SS to the Kth SS without by taking into consideration the channel states of the
SSs, and then outputs the determined CQI feedback quantities of the first SS to
the Kth SS to the selector 115. A CQI feedback quantity decision operation of the
second CQI feedback quantity determiner 113 will be described in detail later.
The selector 115 selects the CQI feedback quantities output from the first
CQI feedback quantity determiner 111 and outputs the selected CQI feedback
quantities to the selector 121, when the OFDMA communication system uses a
scheme for determining the CQI feedback quantities of SSs by taking into
consideration the channel states of the SSs. In contrast, when the OFDMA
communication system uses a scheme for determining the CQI feedback
quantities of the SSs without by taking into consideration the channel states of the
SSs, the selector 115 selects the CQI feedback quantities output from the second
CQI feedback quantity determiner 113, and outputs the selected CQI feedback
quantities to the selector 121. The CQI feedback quantities for the SSs become a
kind of control data.
The CQI feedback quantities for the SSs can be converted into control
signals with one of the following two schemes by taking into consideration the

feedback quantity of each of the SSs.
A first scheme converts CQI feedback quantities for respective SSs into
different control signals for the respective SSs when the CQI feedback quantities
for the respective SSs are significantly different from each other.
A second scheme, when CQI feedback quantities of respective SSs in a
specific SS group are not significantly different from each other, i.e. similar to
each other, converts the CQI feedback quantities for the respective SSs belonging
to the SS group into control signals, and then groups the generated control signals
into a final control signal. The final control signal is multicast to the SSs in the SS
group through a kind of a multicast channel.
Of course, the selector 115 can use other schemes in addition to the
foregoing 2 schemes, and because the control signal generation scheme is not
directly related to the present invention, a description thereof will be omitted.
The selector 121 outputs the signal from the selector 115 to the IFFT 123
when a corresponding time interval is a time interval for transmitting control data
(control data time interval), and outputs the signal from the adaptive modulator
119 to the IFFT 123 when a corresponding time interval is a time interval for
transmitting user data (user data time interval). The IFFT 123 performs N-point
IFFT on the signal output from the selector 121, and outputs the resultant signal
to the P/S converter 125. The "control data" includes not only the CQI feedback
quantities but also information related to the subcarriers allocated to respective
SSs by the BS, i.e. scheduling information, and information related to the
modulation schemes applied to the respective SSs.
The P/S converter 125 receives a Cyclic Prefix with a length L in addition
to the signal output from the IFFT 123. The Cyclic Prefix is a guard interval
signal, and is inserted to remove interference between an OFDM symbol
transmitted at a previous OFDM symbol transmission time and an OFDM symbol
transmitted at a current OFDM symbol transmission time in the OFDMA
communication system. The guard interval signal is generated using one of a
Cyclic Prefix scheme for copying a predetermined number of last samples of an
OFDM symbol in a time domain and inserting the copied samples in a valid
OFDM symbol, and a Cyclic Postfix scheme for copying a predetermined number
of first samples of an OFDM symbol in a time domain and inserting the copied
samples in a valid OFDM symbol. It is assumed in FIG. 1 that the guard interval

signal is generated using the Cyclic Prefix scheme, and the guard interval signal
generated using the Cyclic Prefix scheme is denoted by a Cyclic Prefix.
The P/S converter 125 serial-converts the signal output from the IFFT
123 and the Cyclic Prefix, and outputs the resultant signal to the D/A converter
127. The D/A converter 127 analog-converts the signal output from the P/S
converter 125, and outputs the resultant signal to the RF processor 129. The RF
process 129, includes a filter and a front-end unit, performs RF processing such
that the signal output from the D/A converter 127 can be transmitted over the air,
and transmits the RF-processed signal via an antenna.
With reference to FIG. 1, a description has been made of a transmitter
structure for an OFDMA communication system according to an embodiment of
the present invention. Next, with reference to FIG. 2, a description will be made
of a receiver structure for an OFDMA communication system according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a receiver structure for an OFDMA
communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 2, a receiver, i.e. an SS, for the OFDMA communication system
includes an RF processor 211, an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter 213, a serial-
to-parallel (S/P) converter 215, a fast Fourier transformer (FFT) 217, a subcarrier
selection and adaptive demodulation unit 219, a channel estimator 221, a first
CQI generator 223, and a second CQI generator 225.
A signal transmitted from a transmitter is received via an antenna of the
SS. The transmitted signal experiences a multipath channel fading and includes a
noise component incurred during its transmission. The signal received via the
antenna is input to the RF processor 211, and the RF processor 211 down-
converts the signal received via the antenna into an intermediate frequency (IF)
band signal, and outputs the resultant signal to the A/D converter 213. The A/D
converter 213 digital-converts the analog signal output from the RF processor 211
and outputs the resultant signal to the S/P converter 215.
The S/P converter 215 parallel-converts the signal output from the A/D
converter 213 to remove a Cyclic Prefix of a length L, and outputs the resultant
signal to the FFT 217. The FFT 217 performs N-point FFT on the signal output
from the S/P converter 215, and outputs the resultant signal to the subcarrier
selection and adaptive demodulation unit 219 and the channel estimator 221.

The subcarrier selection and adaptive demodulation unit 219 selects the
subcarriers allocated to the SS from the signal output from the FFT 217 according
to scheduling information received from the BS, and then demodulates the
selected subcarriers into user data for the SS using a demodulation scheme
corresponding to the modulation scheme used in the BS. Although not separately
illustrated in FIG. 2, control data transmitted from the transmitter is received in a
control data time interval, and the subcarrier selection and adaptive demodulation
unit 219 operates according to scheduling information and modulation scheme
information in the received control data.
The channel estimator 221 performs channel estimation on the signal
output from the FFT 217, and outputs a channel estimation value to the first CQI
generator 223 and the second CQI generator 225. For example, the channel
estimator 221 estimates a channel state for every subcarrier for the OFDMA
communication system using a reference signal or data such as a pilot signal, and
outputs the channel estimation value to the first CQI generator 223 and the second
CQI generator 225. The "channel estimation value" refers to a C/I, by way of
example.
The first CQI generator 223 generates a partial CQI according to the
channel estimation value for every subcarrier for the OFDMA communication
system, output from the channel estimator 221, and a CQI feedback quantity
received from the BS. A partial CQI generation operation of the first CQI
generator 223 will be described in detail later.
The second CQI generator 225 calculates an average of channel
estimation values, i.e. C/Is, for all of the subcarriers for the OFDMA
communication system, received from the channel estimator 221, and generates
an average CQI using the average channel estimation value. For example, the
second CQI generator 225 calculates the average channel estimation value by
arithmetic-averaging or geometric-averaging the channel estimation values for all
of the subcarriers for the OFDMA communication system. An average CQI
generation operation of the second CQI generator 225 will be described in detail
later.
The SS, although not separately illustrated in FIG. 2, selects a partial CQI
generated by the first CQI generator 223 if a CQI feedback scheme used in the
OFDMA communication system is a partial CQI feedback scheme, and selects an
average CQI generated by the second CQI generator 225 if the CQI feedback

scheme is an average CQI feedback scheme, and then feeds back the selected CQI
to the BS.
With reference to FIG. 2, a description has been made of a receiver
structure for an OFDMA communication system according to an embodiment of
the present invention. Next, with reference to FIG. 3, a description will be made
of an internal structure of the first CQI feedback quantity determiner 111 of FIG.
1.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an internal structure of the first CQI
feedback quantity determiner 111 of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 3, the first CQI
feedback quantity determiner 111 includes K comparison value calculators of a
first-SS (SS#1) comparison value calculator 311-1 to a Kth-SS (SS#K)
comparison value calculator 311-K, and a CQI feedback quantity calculator 313.
If an average CQI for a particular SS, e.g. a kth SS, among K SSs is expressed by
αavg,k, the SS#1 comparison value calculator 311-1 to the SS#K comparison value
calculator 311-K each calculate a comparison value ck in accordance with
Equation (1). The reason why the SS#1 comparison value calculator 311-1 to the
SS#K comparison value calculator 311-K each calculate a comparison value ck by
taking into consideration the average CQI αavg,k, is because the first CQI feedback
quantity determiner 111 determines the CQI feedback quantities by taking into
consideration channel states of respective SSs.

In Equation (1), ck denotes a comparison value for a kth SS,
Ravg,k(T)denotes a quantity of data that a kth SS receives on average for a
particular time interval T, and the time interval T is a variable set according to the
situation of the OFDMA communication system. The average received data
quantities for all of the SSs of a BS are initialized to '1' as shown in Equation (2).

Because a BS cannot recognize average received data quantities for all of
its SSs at initial communication, the BS equally initializes the average received
data quantities for all of its SSs to '1' as shown in Equation (2).

If the BS performs an actual communication after equally initializing the
average received data quantities for all of the SSs to '1' as shown in Equation (2),
the average received data quantities for all of the SSs are updated as shown in
Equation (3).

In Equation (3), Dk(T) denotes a quantity of data that a kth SS receives in
a time interval T, and Tw denotes a time interval for which an average of
quantities of data that the kth SS receives is calculated. The Tw indicating a time
interval for which an average of the quantities of the data that the kth SS receives
is calculated is generally set to a very long time interval.
In Equation (1), the reason for calculating the comparison value ck for a
kth SS in an inverse proportion to the average CQI αav,k for the kth SS and the
quantity Ravg,k(T) of data that the k SS receives on average for a particular time
interval T is to increase fairness between the SSs. That is, the BS assigns higher
priorities to an SS having a poor channel state and an SS having a low average
received data quantity in a scheduling operation, thereby increasing fairness
between the SSs.
Once the respective comparison values for the first SS to the Kth SS are
calculated in the foregoing manner, the CQI feedback quantity calculator 313
calculates a CQI feedback quantity for a kth SS in accordance with Equation (4).

and N. N denotes the total number of subcarriers for the OFDMA communication
system. A round ( ) function is a function of generating a corresponding value into
an integer most approximating the corresponding value, and β denotes a weight to
be applied to a full CQI feedback quantity for all of the SSs or an average


With reference to FIG. 3, a description has been made of an internal
structure of the first CQI feedback quantity determiner 111 of FIG. 1. Next, with
reference to FIG. 4, a description will be made of an internal structure of the
second CQI feedback quantity determiner 113 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an internal structure of the second
CQI feedback quantity determiner 113 of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 4, the second
CQI feedback quantity determiner 113 includes K comparison value calculators
of a first-SS (SS#1) comparison value calculator 411-1 to a Kth-SS (SS#K)
comparison value calculator 411-K, and a CQI feedback quantity calculator 413.
The second CQI feedback quantity determiner 113 determines the CQI feedback
quantities for the respective SSs without taking into consideration the channel

states of the respective SSs. Compared with the first CQI feedback quantity
determiner 111 that determines the CQI feedback quantities by taking into
consideration the channel states, the second CQI feedback quantity determiner
113 can minimize uplink load and uplink interference due to the CQI feedback
from the respective SSs, thus being suitable for actual communication.
A CQI feedback quantity decision operation of the second CQI feedback
quantity determiner 113 is almost equal to the CQI feedback quantity decision
operation of the first CQI feedback quantity determiner 111, except that the
average CQIs αavg,k are not used for calculation of the comparison values ck. The
reason why the second CQI feedback quantity determiner 113 does not use the
average CQIs αavg,k for calculation of the comparison values ck is because the
second CQI feedback quantity determiner 113 determines the CQI feedback
quantities without taking into consideration the channel states of the respective
SSs as described above. Each of the SS#1 comparison value calculator 411-1 to
the SS#K comparison value calculator 411-K each calculates a comparison value
ck in accordance with Equation (7).

The CQI feedback quantity decision operation of the second CQI
feedback quantity determiner 113 is equal to the CQI feedback quantity decision
operation of the first CQI feedback quantity determiner 111, except that the SS#1
comparison value calculator 411-1 to the SS#K comparison value calculator 411-
K each calculate the comparison value ck without taking into consideration the
average CQIs αavg,k as shown in Equation (7). Therefore, a description of the
remaining CQI feedback quantity decision operation of the second CQI feedback
quantity determiner 113 will be omitted.
As a result, because the second CQI feedback quantity determiner 113
can determine the CQI feedback quantities for the respective SSs without
determining the channel states of the respective SSs as described with reference
to FIG. 4, the SSs are not necessarily required to feed back CQIs indicating the
channel states, contributing to minimization of uplink load and uplink
interference due to the CQI feedback of the respective SSs.
With reference to FIG. 4, a description has been made of an internal

structure of the second CQI feedback quantity determiner 113 of FIG. 1. Next,
with reference to FIG. 5, a description will be made of an internal structure of the
first CQI generator 223 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an internal structure of the first CQI
generator 223 of FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 5, the first CQI generator 223 of FIG. 2
includes an ordering unit 511 and a selector 513.
It will be assumed that channel estimation values for respective
subcarriers for a particular SS, e.g. a kth SS, output from the channel estimator
221, i.e. CQIs for a first subcarrier to an Nth subcarrier, are defined as αk,1 to αkN,
i.e. αk,1, ak,2, ..., αk,N-1 αk,N. The CQIs αk,1, ak,2, ..., αk,N-1, αk,N for the first
subcarrier to the Nth subcarrier, output from the channel estimator 221, are input
to the ordering unit 511.
The ordering unit 511 orders the CQIs αk,1, αk,2, ..., αk,N-1, αk,N for the
first subcarrier to the Nth subcarrier, output from the channel estimator 221, in
size order, and outputs the result to the selector 513. It will be assumed in FIG. 5
that a CQI αk,1 for the first subcarrier has the maximum size, a CQI αk,2 for the
second subcarrier has the second maximum size, and in this way, a CQI αk,N for
the N subcarrier has the minimum size (α,1≥k,2≥...≥αk,N-1≥αk,N≥).
The selector 513 selects a predetermined number of the subcarriers, i.e. as
many subcarriers as the number corresponding to Lk which is a CQI feedback
quantity for a kth SS, among CQIs for a total of N subcarriers which were ordered
by the ordering unit 511 in size order, and outputs only the selected Lk CQIs αk,1,
αk,2, ...,α,L . The reason why the selected Lk CQIs are αk,1, αk,2, ...,αk,Lk is because
it is assumed that a CQI for the first subcarrier has the maximum value, a CQI for
the second subcarrier has the second maximum value, and in this way, a CQI for
the Nth subcarrier has the minimum value as described above.
The reason that the selector 513 selects Lk CQIs determined for the kth SS
in size order is because the adaptive scheduler 117 is based on the Max C/I
scheme. Because the adaptive scheduler 117 allocates subcarriers to the
corresponding SSs using the Max C/I scheme, the adaptive scheduler 117 requires
the CQIs for only the subcarriers having good channel states. In other words, for
each subcarrier, because the adaptive scheduler 117 allocates the subcarrier to an
SS having the best channel state based on the Max C/I scheme, the SS allocated
the subcarrier has a good channel state, i.e. a larger CQI. Due to the foregoing

scheduling characteristic of the adaptive scheduler 117, it is preferable not to
transmit the CQIs for the subcarriers having poor channel states in terms of uplink
load and uplink interference.
With reference to FIG. 5, a description has been made of an internal
structure of the first CQI generator 223 of FIG. 2. Next, with reference to FIG. 6, a
description will be made of a scheduling and signal transmission operation of a
transmitter, i.e. a BS, for the OFDMA communication system.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a scheduling and signal transmission
operation of a transmitter for an OFDMA communication system according to an
embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6, in step 611, a
transmitter, i.e. a BS, for the OFDMA communication system performs
scheduling on each of the K SSs based on the Max C/I scheme using the partial
CQIs fed back from the K SSs, and then proceeds to step 613. The operation of
performing scheduling on each of the K SSs is an operation of the allocating
subcarriers for transmitting the user data for each of the K SSs, and is equal to the
scheduling operation described in connection with FIG. 1.
In step 613, the BS checks if it will determine the CQI feedback
quantities by taking into consideration the channel states. The BS determines the
CQI feedback quantities by taking into consideration the channel states if the CQI
feedback quantity decision scheme is set to a scheme for determining the CQI
feedback quantities by taking into consideration the channel states in the OFDMA
communication system, and determines the CQI feedback quantities without by
taking into consideration the channel states if the CQI feedback quantity decision
scheme is set to a scheme for determining the CQI feedback quantities without by
taking into consideration the channel states in the OFDMA communication
system.
That is, the BS determines the CQI feedback quantities using the first
CQI feedback quantity determiner 111 if the CQI feedback quantity decision
scheme is set to the scheme for determining the CQI feedback quantities by
taking into consideration the channel states in the OFDMA communication
system, and determines CQI feedback quantities using the second CQI feedback
quantity determiner 113 if the CQI feedback quantity decision scheme is set to the
scheme for determining the CQI feedback quantities without by taking into
consideration the channel states in the OFDMA communication system.

If it is determined in step 613 that the BS will determine the CQI
feedback quantities by taking into consideration the channel states, the BS
determines the CQI feedback quantities for each of the K SSs by taking into
consideration the channel states in step 615, and then proceeds to step 619.
However, if it is determined in step 613 that the BS will determine the CQI
feedback quantities without by taking into consideration the channel states, the
BS determines the CQI feedback quantities for each of the K SSs without by
taking into consideration the channel states in step 617, and then proceeds to step
619.
In step 619, the BS determines if a current time interval is a control data
time interval. If it is determined that the current time interval is the control data
time interval, the BS transmits in step 621 control data including the determined
CQI feedback quantities, scheduling information and modulation scheme
information.
However, if it is determined in step 619 that the current time interval is
not the control data time interval, i.e. the current time interval is a user data time
interval, then the BS modulates user data for each of the K SSs using a
modulation scheme corresponding to the partial CQIs for the K SSs in step 623.
Thereafter, in step 625, the BS performs radio processing, i.e. IFFT operation, P/S
conversion, D/A conversion and RF processing on the modulated user data for
each of the K SSs, transmits the radio-processed signal, and then ends its
operation.
With reference to FIG. 6, a description has been made of a scheduling and
signal transmission operation of a transmitter for an OFDMA communication
system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Next, with reference
to FIG. 7, a description will be made of a signal reception and CQI generation
operation of a receiver for an OFDMA communication system according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a signal reception and the CQI
generation process of a receiver for an OFDMA communication system according
to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 7, in step 711, a
receiver, i.e. an SS, for the OFDMA communication system receives a signal, and
performs radio processing on the received signal. The operation of performing
radio processing on the received signal indicates an operation of performing the
down-conversion to an IF band, A/D conversion, S/P conversion and FFT

operation on the received signal. In step 713 the SS determines if a current time
interval is a control data time interval. If it is determined that the current time
interval is the control data time interval, the SS receives in step 715 control data
including the CQI feedback quantities, scheduling information and modulation
scheme information, and then ends its operation.
However, if it is determined in step 713 that the current time interval is
not the control data time interval, i.e. the current time interval is not the user data
time interval, then the SS channel-estimates the radio-processed received signal to
estimate a C/I for each subcarrier in step 717. Thereafter, in step 719, the SS
generates a partial CQI according to CQI feedback quantities included in
previously received control data, and then proceeds to step 721. The process of
generating a partial CQI is equal to the partial CQI generation process described
with reference to FIG. 5. In step 721, the SS generates an average CQI by
averaging the C/Is for respective subcarriers. In step 723, the SS selects
subcarriers according to scheduling information included in the control data and
demodulates the selected subcarrier signal according to modulation scheme
information included in the control data to restore the subcarrier signal to original
user data.
As can be understood from the foregoing description, the present
invention performs scheduling based on a Max C/I scheme using CQIs fed back
for only particular subcarriers in a multicarrier communication system, thereby
maintaining a level of fairness between the SSs, maximizing throughput, and
minimizing complexity. Advantages of the present invention are summarized
below.
(1) Minimization of CQI Feedback Quantity
As a communication system evolves into a multicarrier communication
system, the CQI feedback for the multiple carriers functions as uplink load and
uplink interference. The CQI feedback quantity can be reduced by feeding back a
partial CQI proposed by the present invention.
(2) Minimization of Scheduling Complexity
Scheduling complexity is important in a multicarrier communication
system, because it is related to the cost of the devices. Particularly, in the
multicarrier communication system, the use of the MF scheme and the PF scheme,
which are conventional scheduling schemes, increases in the scheduling
complexity by geometric progression, disabling their implementation. Therefore,

there is no choice but to use the Max C/I scheme having the minimum complexity.
However, in the multicarrier communication system in which the Max C/I scheme
is used, feeding back of a full CQI reduces the level of fairness between users
undesirably. Therefore, the present invention performs scheduling based on the
Max C/I scheme by feeding back a partial CQI, thereby guaranteeing throughput
while increasing fairness between users.
(3) Harmony between Entire Throughput and Fairness between Users
In an actual communication system, it is not possible to disregard the
fairness between users to maximize the entire throughput, and vice versa.
Therefore, a scheduling scheme that considers both the entire throughput and the
fairness between users, which have the opposite characteristics, has the highest
scheduling efficiency, and the adaptive scheduling scheme proposed by the
present invention considers both the entire throughput and the fairness between
users and has excellent performance.
While the invention has been shown and described with reference to a
certain preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the
art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended
claims .


We Claim:
1 . A scheduling method of a transmitter which communicates
with K receivers, for a multicarrier communication system using
N subcarriers, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) determining a respective channel quality information, CQI,
feedback quantity indicative of the number of subcarriers for
which CQIs will be fed back from among the N subcarriers, for
each of the K receivers;
(b) transmitting each of the determined CQI feedback
quantities to a corresponding receiver among the K
receivers;
(c) receiving CQIs, corresponding to each of the determined
CQI feedback quantities, fed back from the each of the K
receivers;and
(d) allocating subcarriers for which there are CQIs fed back from at
least one receiver among the K receivers among the N subcarriers,
to any one receiver among the receivers that have fed back CQIs.


2. The scheduling method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step (d)
comprises the step of allocating subcarriers for which there are
CQIs fed back from at least one receiver among the K receivers,
to a receiver that has fed back a CQI indicating the best channel
state.
3. The scheduling method as claimed in Calm 1, comprising the
step of randomly allocating subcarriers for which there is no CQI
fed back from any receiver among the K receivers among the N
subcarriers, to an arbitrary receiver among the K receivers.
4. The scheduling method as claimed in claim 1,comprising the step
of allocating subcarriers for which there is no CQI fed back from any
receiver among the K receivers among the N subcarriers, to a
receiver having minimum throughput at present timing point among
the K receivers.
5.The scheduling method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step (a)
comprises the step of determining respective the CQI feedback
quantities based on at least one of channel states and reception
throughputs of the each of the K receivers.

6. A method for feeding back channel quality information, CQI, by a
receiver, for a multicarrier communication system using N
subcarriers, the method comprising the steps of:
a. receiving, from a transmitter, a CQI feedback quantity
determined by the transmitter for the receiver and
indicating the number of subcarriers for which CQIs
will be fed back from among the N subcarriers;
b. detecting CQIs for the N subcarriers by channel-
estimating a signal received from the transmitter; and
c. selecting a number of CQIs corresponding to the CQI
feedback quantity among the CQIs for the N
subcarriers, generating the selected CQIs into a partial
CQI, and transmitting the partial CQI to the
transmitter,
wherein step (c) comprises the steps of:
sequentially ordering the CQIs for the N subcarriers in order
from a CQI indicating the best channel state to a CQI indicating
the worst channel state: and
selecting as many CQIs as a number corresponding to the
CQI feedback quantity from the CQI indicating the best
channel state.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, comprising the steps of
generating an average CQI by averaging the CQIs for the N
subcarriers and feeding back the average CQI to the transmitter.
8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step of
generating an average CQI comprises the step of
generating the average CQI by arithmetic-averaging the
CQIs for the N subcarriers.
9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step of
generating an average CQI comprises the step of
generating the average CQI by geometric-averaging the
CQIs for the N subcarriers.
10. A scheduling apparatus of a transmitter which communicates
with K receivers, for a multicarrier communication system using
N subcarriers, the apparatus comprising:
a channel quality information, CQI, feedback quantity determiner
for determining a respective CQI feedback quantities indicating
the number of subcarriers for which CQIs will be fed back among
the N subcarriers, for each of the K receivers;
a transmission part for transmitting the respective CQI
feedback quantities to each of the K receivers;

a reception part for receiving CQIs corresponding to the
respective CQI feedback quantities, fed back from the each of
the K receivers; and
a scheduler for allocating subcarriers for which there are CQIs
fed back from at least one receiver among the K receivers
among the N subcarriers, to any one receiver among the
receivers that have fed back CQI.
11. The scheduling apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein
scheduler allocates subcarriers for which there are CQIs fed
back from at least one receiver among the K receivers, to a
receiver that has fed back a CQI indicating the best channel
state.
12. The scheduling apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the
scheduler randomly allocates subcarriers for which there is no
CQI fed back from any receiver among the K receivers among
the N subcarriers, to an arbitrary receiver among the K
receivers.
13. The scheduling apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the
scheduler allocates subcarriers for which there is no CQI fed
back from any receiver among the K receivers among the N
subcarriers,

to a receiver having minimum throughput at present timing point
among the K receivers.
14. The scheduling apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the
CQI feedback quantity determiner determines the respective
CQI feedback quantities based on at least one of channel
states and reception throughputs of the K receivers.
15. An apparatus for feeding back channel quality information, CQI,
by a receiver, for a multicarrier communication system using N
subcarriers, the apparatus comprising:
a reception part for receiving, from a transmitter, a CQI
feedback quantity determined by the transmitter for the
receiver and indicating the number of subcarriers for which
CQIs will be fed back among the N subcarriers, and
detecting CQIs for the N subcarriers by channel-estimating
a signal received from the transmitter;
a CQI generator for selecting as many CQIs as a number
corresponding to the CQI feedback quantity among the CQIs
for the N subcarriers, and generating the selected CQIs into
a partial CQI; and

a transmission part for transmitting the partial CQI to the
transmitter,
wherein the CQI generator comprises:
an ordering unit for sequentially ordering the CQIs for the N
subcarriers in order from a CQI indicating the best channel
state to a CQI indicating the worst channel state; and
a selector for selecting as many CQIs as a number
corresponding to the CQI feedback quantity from the CQI
indicating the best channel state.
16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the CQI
generator generates an average CQI by averaging the CQIs
for the N subcarriers and feeding back the average CQI to
the transmitter.
17.The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the CQI
generator generates the average CQI by arithmetic-
averaging the CQIs for the N subcarriers.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the CQI
generator generates the average CQI by geometric-averaging
the CQIs for the N subcarriers.



ABSTRACT


TITLE:"Scheduling method of a transmitter and scheduling apparatus
in a multicarrier communication system"
The invention relates to a scheduling method of a transmitter
which communicates with K receivers, for a multicarrier
communication system using N subcarriers, the method
comprising the steps of: (a) determining a respective channel
quality information, CQI, feedback quantity indicative of the
number of subcarriers for which CQIs will be fed back from
among the N subcarriers, for each of the K receivers; (b)
transmitting each of the determined CQI feedback quantities to a
corresponding receiver among the K receivers; (c) receiving
CQIs, corresponding to each of the determined CQI feedback
quantities, fed back from the each of the K receivers;and (d)
allocating subcarriers for which there are CQIs fed back from at
least one receiver among the K receivers among the N
subcarriers, to any one receiver among the receivers that have
fed back CQIs.

Documents:

01812-kolnp-2007-abstract.pdf

01812-kolnp-2007-claims.pdf

01812-kolnp-2007-correspondence others 1.1.pdf

01812-kolnp-2007-correspondence others.pdf

01812-kolnp-2007-description complete.pdf

01812-kolnp-2007-drawings.pdf

01812-kolnp-2007-form 1.pdf

01812-kolnp-2007-form 18.pdf

01812-kolnp-2007-form 2.pdf

01812-kolnp-2007-form 3.pdf

01812-kolnp-2007-form 5.pdf

01812-kolnp-2007-gpa.pdf

01812-kolnp-2007-international publication.pdf

01812-kolnp-2007-international search report.pdf

01812-kolnp-2007-pct request form.pdf

01812-kolnp-2007-priority document.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-(30-11-2012)-ABSTRACT.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-(30-11-2012)-AMANDED PAGES OF SPECIFICATION.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-(30-11-2012)-ANNEXURE TO FORM 3.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-(30-11-2012)-CLAIMS.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-(30-11-2012)-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-(30-11-2012)-DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE).pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-(30-11-2012)-DRAWINGS.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-(30-11-2012)-FORM-1.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-(30-11-2012)-FORM-2.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-(30-11-2012)-FORM-5.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-(30-11-2012)-OTHERS.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-(30-11-2012)-PA.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-ASSIGNMENT.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-CORRESPONDENCE 1.3.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-CORRESPONDENCE 1.4.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS 1.2.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-EXAMINATION REPORT.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-FORM 18.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-GPA.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-GRANTED-ABSTRACT.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-GRANTED-CLAIMS.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-GRANTED-DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE).pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-GRANTED-DRAWINGS.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-GRANTED-FORM 1.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-GRANTED-FORM 2.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-GRANTED-FORM 3.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-GRANTED-FORM 5.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-GRANTED-SPECIFICATION-COMPLETE.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT & OTHERS.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-OTHERS 1.1.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-OTHERS 1.2.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-PETITION UNDER RULE 137.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-REPLY TO EXAMINATION REPORT (02-04-2013).pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-REPLY TO EXAMINATION REPORT (03-05-2013).pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-REPLY TO EXAMINATION REPORT.pdf

1812-KOLNP-2007-TRANSLATED COPY OF PRIORITY DOCUMENT.pdf

abstract-01812-kolnp-2007.jpg


Patent Number 256487
Indian Patent Application Number 1812/KOLNP/2007
PG Journal Number 26/2013
Publication Date 28-Jun-2013
Grant Date 24-Jun-2013
Date of Filing 22-May-2007
Name of Patentee SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO. LTD.
Applicant Address 416, MAETAN-DONG, YEONGTONG-GU, SUWON-SI, GYEONGGI-DO
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 SEOK-HYUN YOON #944-1509, BYUCKJEOKGOL 9-DANJI APT., YEONGTONG-DONG, YEONGTONG-GU, SUWON-SI, GYEONGGI-DO
2 CHANG-HO SUH #310-2106, CHEONGSOLMAEUL HANRA APT., GEUMGOK-DONG, BUNDANG-GU, SEONGNAM-SI, GYEONGGI-DO
3 SUNG-KWON HONG 2-20, SUYU 3-DONG, GANGBUK-GU, SEOUL
4 YOUNG-KWON CHO #249-1204, HWANGGOLMAEUL SSANGYONG APT., YEONGTONG-DONG, YEONGTONG-GU, SUWON-SI, GYEONGGI-DO
5 SEUNG-HOON PARK #101-608, DAESUNG YOU NEED APT., SEOCHO 4-DONG, SEOCHO-GU, SEOUL
PCT International Classification Number H04L 27/26
PCT International Application Number PCT/KR2005/003659
PCT International Filing date 2005-11-02
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 10 2004 0118314 2004-12-31 Republic of Korea