Resource allocation in a radio communication system

Abstract

A method of using resource blocks in a communication system with a plurality of Base Stations (BSs), including assigning resource blocks to a first BS, the first BS communicating to a second BS a message comprising information about at least one resource block assigned to the first BS and not planned to be used by the first BS, and the second BS receiving the message. Optionally, the second BS using the at least one resource block. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

1 . A method of coordinating the use of communication resources in a cellular network comprised of a plurality of base stations serving a respective cell, comprising:
 establishing a first, a second and a third fraction of communication resources available in the cellular network;   for a first cell, a second cell and a third cell, adjacent to each other, each served by a respective first, second and third base station,   exchanging data between the first base station and mobile station located at an edge of the first cell using the first fraction of the communication resources;   exchanging data between the second base station and mobile stations located at an edge of the second cell using the second fraction of the communication resources;   exchanging data between the third base station and mobile stations located at an edge of the third cell using a third fraction of the communication resources.   
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the first, the second and the third base station uses all three fractions as a primary resource, secondary resource and tertiary resource, based on the distance from the respective base station. 
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the first, the second and the third base station use a different fraction as a primary resource. 
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein first, the second and the third base station use a different fraction as a secondary resource. 
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein first, the second and the third base station use a different fraction as a tertiary resource. 
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third fractions are each ⅓ of the communication resources available in the cellular network. 
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third fractions represent a different percentage of the communication resources available in the cellular network. 
     
     
         8 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the communication resources are sub-channels of a frequency channel available in the cellular network for downlink communication. 
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the communication resources are sub-channels of a frequency channel available in the cellular network for uplink communication. 
     
     
         10 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the communication resources are CDMA codes from a set of CDMA codes available in the cellular network for downlink communication. 
     
     
         11 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting from the first base station to the second base station information about a resource block in the first fraction which is not planned to be used by the first base station;   receiving the information at the second base station and scheduling use of the first resource block for exchanging data with mobile stations located at an edge of the second cell.   
     
     
         12 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting from the first base station to the second base station information about a resource block in the first fraction which is not planned to be used by the first base station;   transmitting from the second base station to the first base station data received at the second base station for a mobile station located at an edge of the first cell; and   receiving the data at the first base station and scheduling use of the resource block for exchanging data with the mobile stations located at an edge of the first cell.   
     
     
         13 . A method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the resource block comprises a communication resource which may cause interference, when used simultaneously by the first and second base stations. 
     
     
         14 . A method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the resource block comprises a communication resource which may cause interference, when used simultaneously by any of the first, second and third base stations. 
     
     
         15 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the communication system comprises a Time Division Duplex (TDD) communication system. 
     
     
         16 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the communication system comprises a Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) communication system. 
     
     
         17 . A method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the resource block is used by the third base station. 
     
     
         18 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third base stations operate in a master-slave relationship, the first base station being the master. 
     
     
         19 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein first, second and third base stations operate in a peer-to-peer relationship.