METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BANDWIDTH ALLOCATION

摘要

A method and apparatus for requesting and allocating bandwidth in a broadban d wireless communication system. The inventive method and apparatus includes a combination of techniques that allow a plurality of CPEs to communicate thei r bandwidth request messages to respective base stations. One technique includ es a "polling" method whereby a base station polls CPEs individually or in grou ps and allocates bandwidth specifically for the purpose of allowing the CPEs to respond with bandwidth requests. The polling of the CPEs by the base station may be in response to a CPE setting a "poll-me bit" or, alternatively, it ma y be periodic. Another technique comprises "piggybacking" bandwidth requests o n bandwidth already allocated to a CPE. In accordance with this technique, currently active CPEs request bandwidth using previously unused portions of uplink bandwidth that is already allocated to the CPE. The CPE is responsibl e for distributing the allocated uplink bandwidth in a manner that accommodate s the services provided by the CPE. By using a combination of bandwidth allocation techniques, the present invention advantageously makes use of the efficiency benefits associated with each technique.