Patent attributes
In a wireless communication system, a multi-source data multiplexing system (e.g., a media access control (MAC)) accepts information packets from a plurality of signal sources, evaluates the relative efficiencies of data transmission, and transmits the information packets in provided grant regions for maximum efficiency. The multi-source data multiplexing system may accept any form of information packet from any form of signal source. The system receives a grant region, typically including a transmission time on a data channel, and inserts an information packet into the grant region. The actual information packet placed in the grant region may be one other than the packet for which the grant region was intended. Further, the multi-source data multiplexing system may fragment an information packet and transmit only a portion of the information packet in the grant region. Alternately, the multi-source data multiplexing system may concatenate multiple information packets, or information packet fragments, from any combination of signal sources and transmit the concatenated result in the grant region. As long as any signal source is active, the composite flow of information packets remains active, and the composite flow then serves as the primary mechanism for requesting and transmitting additional bandwidth in the wireless communication system.
