Multiple mode data communication system and method and forward and/or reverse link control channel structure

Abstract

A multiple mode data communication system and method provides the flexibility to schedule wireless unit transmissions and/or allow the wireless unit to transmit autonomously. In certain embodiments, the wireless units can transmit autonomously and/or use scheduling depending on the data rate, the length of the data packet or the type of data. For example, the wireless units can transmit autonomously at lower data rates and use scheduling at higher data rates. Thus, the multiple mode system enables wireless unit transmissions to be scheduled and/or be transmit autonomously, and wireless units can simultaneously operate in different scheduling and/or autonomous modes. Depending on the embodiment, the system can provide even greater flexibility in operation by permitting wireless units to be scheduled by a single base station, scheduled by a multiplicity of base stations simultaneously or otherwise, via coordination between base stations, scheduled by a multiplicity of base stations in an uncoordinated and asynchronous manner, allowed to transmit autonomously, and/or allowed to transmit autonomously under base station supervision (i.e. rate control/adjustment by the base station). Additionally, a forward and/or reverse link control channel structure is provided which can be used to implement the multiple mode data communication system and/or support various features enabling increased throughput over a shared data channel in a wireless communications system.

1 . (canceled)  
   
   
       2 . A method for communicating in a wireless network, the method comprising: 
 selecting, by a mobile station, at least one first scheduling base station for scheduling wireless data transmissions by the mobile station, the at least one first scheduling base station being part of an active set of base stations associated with the mobile station.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 transmitting wireless data signals to the at least one selected first scheduling base station.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 receiving, at the mobile station, wireless transmissions from at least one second base station in the active set of base stations, the receiving step being performed concurrently with at least one of the selecting and transmitting steps.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the initiating step further comprises: 
 transmitting a scheduling request to the at least one first scheduling base station in the active set, the scheduling request initiating scheduling of wireless transmissions at the at least one first scheduling base station.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 receiving a scheduling grant at the mobile station, the scheduling grant identifying the time at which the mobile station is scheduled to transmit, and a format of the wireless data transmission to be made at the identified time.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the selecting step is performed in response to a change from a first active set of base stations to a second active set of base stations, the at least one first scheduling base station being part of the second active set of base stations.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the selecting step is performed during a soft hand-off procedure.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 transmitting, from the mobile station to the at least one first scheduling base station, at least a portion of a format of the wireless data transmission concurrently with the wireless data transmission during the soft hand-off procedure.    
   
   
       10 . A method for communicating between a mobile station and a base station in a wireless network, the method comprising: 
 scheduling, at a base station, wireless data transmissions from the mobile station in response to a scheduling request received from the mobile station, the base station being part of an active set of base stations associated with the mobile station.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the activating step is performed after the active set of base stations associated with the mobile station has changed from a first active set of base stations to a second active set of base stations.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the scheduling step identifies a time at which the wireless data transmissions from the mobile station are to be transmitted or received, and the method further comprises: 
 receiving wireless data transmissions from the mobile station; and    transmitting the received wireless data transmissions, one of the transmitting and receiving steps being performed at the scheduled time.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 receiving, from the mobile station, at least a portion of a format of the wireless data transmission concurrently with the wireless data transmission during a soft hand-off procedure.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 transmitting a scheduling grant to the scheduled mobile station, the scheduling grant identifying the time at which the mobile station is scheduled to transmit, and a format of the wireless data transmission to be transmitted at the identified time.    
   
   
       15 . A method for communicating in a wireless network, the method comprising: 
 initiating, at a mobile station, scheduling of wireless data transmissions at at least one first scheduling base station, the wireless data transmissions being wireless data transmissions from the mobile station, and the at least one first scheduling base station being part of an active set of base stations associated with the mobile station.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 transmitting wireless data signals to the at least one first scheduling base station after the initiating step.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 receiving, at the mobile station, wireless transmissions from at least one second base station in the active set of base stations, the receiving step being performed concurrently with at least one of the initiating and transmitting steps.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the initiating step further comprises: 
 transmitting a scheduling request to the at least one first scheduling base station in the active set, the scheduling request initiating scheduling of wireless transmissions at the at least one first scheduling base station.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the initiating step is performed in response to a change from a first active set of base stations to a second active set of base stations, the at least one first scheduling base station being part of the second active set of base stations.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the initiating step is performed during a soft hand-off procedure.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 transmitting, from the mobile station to the at least one first scheduling base station, at least a portion of a format of the wireless data transmission concurrently with the wireless data transmission during the soft hand-off procedure.