Multiband Scheduler for Future Communication Systems

Abstract

Operation in multiple frequency bands simultaneously is an important enabler for future wireless communication systems. This article presents a new concept for scheduling transmissions in a wireless radio system operating in multiple frequency bands: the Multiband Scheduler (MBS). The MBS ensures that the operation in multiple bands is transparent to higher network layers. Special attention is paid to achieving low delay and latency when operating the system in the multiband mode. In particular, we propose additions to the ARQ procedures in order to achieve this. Deployment details and assessment results are presented for two multiband deployment scenarios. The first scenario is operation in a spectrum sharing context where multiple bands are used: one dedicated band for basic service and one shared extension band for extended services. In the second scenario we consider multiband operation in a relay environment, where the two bands have different propagation properties and relays provide extra coverage and capacity in the whole cell.