Time Division Duplex Wireless Network and Associated Method Using Modulation Groups

Abstract

A wireless network is provided that includes a base station and subscriber stations that communicate with the base station using radio frequency (RF) time division duplex (TDD) signaling. The base station may establish medium access control (MAC) connections with each station. The base station monitors communications with the stations and, in accordance, assigns stations or MAC connections to modulation groups. The base station transmits signals on MAC connections or to stations in a modulation group in adjacent TDD slots within a TDD frame. The base station may receive access requests from the stations, evaluate traffic requirements for the stations, and determine a longest downlink portion for the stations. The base station then allocates downlink and uplink portions of a TDD frame according to the length of the longest downlink portion.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for use in a wireless network comprising a base station that communicates with a subscriber station wirelessly via radio frequency (RF), time-slotted communications, the method comprising:
 receiving a monitored RF communication between the base station and at least two subscriber stations using a hardware processor;   wherein the hardware processor setting for the at least two subscriber stations a first characteristic of a first communication between the base station and the at least two subscriber stations based upon the monitored RF communication;   assigning the at least two subscriber stations to a modulation group according to the first characteristic for the at least two subscriber stations using the hardware processor; and   transmitting signals to the at least two subscriber stations in the modulation group in adjacent time slots within a time frame.   
     
     
         22 . The method of claim  1 , further coupling the hardware processor to a wireless local area network (LAN) transceiver that communicates wirelessly with the at least two subscriber stations that are located within a coverage area of the wireless LAN transceiver. 
     
     
         23 . The method of claim  1 , wherein the first characteristic is a common scheme of modulation format, FEC codes or physical beam forming. 
     
     
         24 . The method of claim  1 , wherein transmitting signals comprises transmitting transmission bursts; and wherein each of the transmission bursts include at least one of a preamble field, a MAC header field, a packet data unit, and a CRC field. 
     
     
         25 . The method of claim  1 , further comprising:
 assigning at least two other subscriber stations to a second modulation group according to a second characteristic for the at least two subscriber stations using the hardware processor;   transmitting signals to the at least two other subscriber stations in the second modulation group in adjacent time slots within a time frame;   wherein the second characteristic is more complex than the first characteristic; and   wherein the transmitting signals to the at least two other subscriber stations in the second modulation group is performed after transmitting signals to the at least two subscriber stations in the modulation group based on the second characteristic being more complex than the first characteristic.   
     
     
         26 . The method of claim  1 , further comprising:
 setting for the at least two subscriber stations a third characteristic of the RF communication from the base station to the at least two subscriber stations based upon the monitored RF communication between the base station and the at least two subscriber stations using the hardware processor,   wherein the assigning the at least two subscriber stations to a particular modulation group is according to the third characteristic for the at least two subscriber stations using the hardware processor.   
     
     
         27 . The method of claim  6 , wherein the first characteristic includes a common scheme of modulation format; and the third characteristic includes a common scheme of FEC codes or of physical beam forming. 
     
     
         28 . The method of claim  2 , wherein the hardware processor receiving a first signal from the base station, the first signal intended for a first computing device of the at least two subscriber stations; and wherein the wireless LAN transceiver determining a signal characteristic of the first computing device and transmitting the first signal to the first computing device based on the determined signal characteristic. 
     
     
         29 . A system for use in a wireless network comprising a base station configured to communicate with a subscriber station wirelessly via radio frequency (RF), time-slotted communications, the system comprising:
 a hardware processor configured to communicate with a modem that monitors a RF communication between the base station and at least two subscriber stations;   the hardware processor further configured to set for the at least two subscriber stations a first characteristic of a first communication between the base station and the at least two subscriber stations based upon the monitored RF communication; and   the hardware processor further configured to assign the at least two subscriber stations to a modulation group according to the first characteristic; and to cause signals to be transmitted to the at least two subscriber stations in adjacent time slots within a time frame.   
     
     
         30 . The system of claim  9 , further comprising a wireless local area network (LAN) transceiver that is coupled to the hardware processor. 
     
     
         31 . The system of claim  9 , wherein the first characteristic includes a common scheme of modulation format, of FEC codes or of physical beam forming. 
     
     
         32 . The system of claim  9 , wherein transmitting signals comprises transmitting transmission bursts; and wherein each of the transmission bursts include at least one of a preamble field, a MAC header field, a packet data unit, and a CRC field. 
     
     
         33 . The system of claim  9 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:
 assign at least two other subscriber stations to a second modulation group according to a second characteristic for the at least two subscriber stations using the hardware processor;   transmit signals in adjacent time slots within a time frame to the at least two other subscriber stations in the second modulation group;   wherein the second characteristic is more complex than the first characteristic; and   wherein the hardware processor is configured to transmit signals to the at least two other subscriber stations in the second modulation group after transmitting signals to the at least two subscriber stations based on the second characteristic being more complex than the first characteristic.   
     
     
         34 . The system of claim  9 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:
 set for the at least two subscriber stations a third characteristic of the RF communication from the base station to the at least two subscriber stations based upon the monitored RF communication between the base station and the at least two subscriber stations; and   wherein the hardware processor is configured to assign the at least two subscriber stations to a particular modulation group according to the third characteristic for the at least two subscriber stations.   
     
     
         35 . The system of claim  14 , wherein the first characteristic includes a common scheme of modulation format; and the third characteristic includes a common scheme of FEC codes or of physical beam forming. 
     
     
         36 . The system of claim  14 , wherein the first characteristic includes a common scheme of FEC codes and the third characteristic includes a common scheme of physical beam forming. 
     
     
         37 . A system for use in a wireless network comprising a base station configured to communicate with a wireless subscriber device via a radio frequency (RF) communication, the system comprising:
 a hardware processor configured to communicate with a modem that monitors RF communication between the base station and at least two subscriber devices;   the hardware processor further configured to assign the at least two subscriber devices to a modulation group according to a first characteristic of a first communication between the base station and the at least two subscriber devices based upon the monitored RF communication; and   a wireless local area network (LAN) transceiver removably coupled to the hardware processor, wherein the wireless LAN transceiver is configured to communicate with the at least two subscriber devices that are located within a coverage area of the wireless LAN transceiver.   
     
     
         38 . The system of claim  17 , wherein the hardware processor is configured to receive a first signal from the base station, the first signal intended for a first computing device of the at least two subscriber devices; and wherein the wireless LAN transceiver is configured to determine a signal characteristic of the first computing device and to transmit the first signal to the first computing device based on the determined signal characteristic. 
     
     
         39 . The system of claim  18 , wherein the wireless LAN transceiver is configured to receive a second signal from the first computing device and to transmit the second signal to the base station. 
     
     
         40 . The system of claim  17 , wherein the hardware processor is configured to set the first characteristic; and the hardware processor includes a first transceiver.