Communications methods and apparatus related to partitioned traffic segments

摘要

Methods and apparatus related to partitioning traffic segments are described. An access router, having concurrent connections with two access terminals and desiring to transmit traffic signals to the two access terminals in the same traffic segment, partitions a traffic segment. The partition is such that a first portion of the traffic segment is allocated to a first access terminal and a second portion of the traffic segment is allocated to the second access terminal. Control information, e.g., identifying partition portion assignments, data rate and/or coding information, is also communicated in the traffic segment as in-band control signaling. An access terminal, to which some of traffic signals are directed, receives and recovers the in-band control signaling, identifying its allocated partition portion of the traffic segment and identifying data rate and/or coding information used. The access terminal receives the traffic segment signals in its allocated partition portion and recovers the traffic information.

主权项

1. A method of operating a first access terminal, the method comprising:
receiving first traffic segment signals in a first traffic segment from an access router; recovering from the first traffic segment signals partitioning information; at least based on the recovered partitioning information, determining a portion of the first traffic segment signals which includes traffic data corresponding to the first access terminal; recovering data rate information from the first traffic segment signals, the data rate information indicating a data rate used for the portion of the first traffic segment signals; transmitting a first transmission request response corresponding to the first traffic segment to said access router; transmitting a second transmission request response to the access router, the second transmission request response corresponding to a second traffic segment; receiving second traffic segment signals, said second traffic segment being a non-partitioned segment; and recovering traffic data corresponding to the first access terminal communicated in the second traffic segment, said second traffic segment being used to communicate information to the first access terminal.