Detailed Description
The embodiment of the invention determines the control domain load value according to the total resource number of the control domain in the wireless frame and the total resource overhead value in the downlink control domain of the wireless frame under the reference control domain load value. The load factor of the control channel can be determined, so that the accuracy of the link budget result of the downlink control channel is improved, and the real coverage level of the downlink control channel is truly reflected to the maximum extent.
In implementation, the scheme of the embodiment of the invention can be applied to a TD-LTE system.
The embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawings attached hereto.
As shown in fig. 1, the method for determining the load factor according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps:
step 101, determining a total resource overhead value in a downlink control domain of a wireless frame under a reference control domain load value;
and step 102, determining a control domain load value according to the total resource number of the control domain in the wireless frame and the determined total resource overhead value.
Preferably, if only one reference control domain load value is preset, in step 102, the determined control domain load value is used as the actual control domain load value;
if a plurality of reference control domain load values are preset, step 102 may further include:
aiming at a reference control domain load value, comparing the control domain load value determined under the reference control domain load value with the reference control domain load value to obtain a difference value;
and comparing the difference value corresponding to each control domain load value, and taking the control domain load value corresponding to the minimum difference value as an actual control domain load value.
For example, there are three reference control domain load values of 10%, 20%, and 30%, and the corresponding control domain load values are a1, B1, and C1, the smallest value is selected from | 10% -a1|, | 20% -B1|, and | 30% -C1 |. Assuming that | 20% -B1| is minimum, then B1 is taken as the actual control domain load value.
The load value of each reference control domain and the load value of each reference control domain can be set according to the requirement.
In implementation, the actual control domain load may be determined according to equation one:
................ equation one;
wherein,
representing a control domain load value determined at the reference control domain load value;
indicating reference controlA domain load value; eta
Control_DomainRepresenting the actual control domain load.
Preferably, in step 101, the resource overhead values of each downlink pilot signal and/or control channel in one radio frame are added to obtain a total resource overhead value.
The control channel of the embodiment of the present invention includes, but is not limited to, the following partial or all channels:
PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel), PHICH (Physical HARQ Indication Channel), and PCFICH (Physical Control Format Indication Channel);
the control channel downlink pilot signal comprises:
CRS (Cell-specific reference signals).
For example, the total resource overhead value is obtained by adding the resource overhead values of each downlink pilot signal and the control channel in one radio frame, where the downlink pilot signal includes CRS, and the control channel includes PDCCH, PHICH and PCFICH, the total resource overhead value may be determined according to the formula two:
.., formula two;
wherein RE _ Num _ PerFrameOccupied_In_Control_DomainRepresenting a total resource overhead value; RE _ Num _ PerFramePDCCH_AggregationLevel_jRepresenting a resource overhead value of a PDCCH in a radio frame under a polymerization degree level j; RE _ Num _ PerFramePHICHRepresenting a resource overhead value of a radio frame PHICH; RE _ Num _ PerFrameCRS_In_Control_DomainA resource overhead value representing a CRS within a radio frame; RE _ Num _ PerFramePCFICHA resource overhead value of PCFICH within one radio frame is indicated.
Preferably, if the control channel includes a PDCCH, step 101 determines a resource overhead value of the PDCCH in a radio frame according to the following steps:
and determining resource overhead values occupied by the PDCCH in each radio frame in scheduling under different polymerization degree levels according to the scheduling times of the PDCCH in each radio frame and the user proportion of each polymerization degree level under the load value of the reference control domain.
Preferably, in step 101, the resource overhead value of PDCCH in one radio frame is determined according to formula three:
RE_Num_PerFramePDCCH_AggregationLevel_j
=ScheduleNum_PerFramePDCCH*Ratio_UserAggregationLevel_j
*CCE_NumAggregationLevelequation three;
wherein RE _ Num _ PerFramePDCCH_AggregationLevel_jRepresenting a resource overhead value of a PDCCH in a radio frame under a polymerization degree level j; SchedulNum _ PerFramePDCCHIndicating the number of times of scheduling of the PDCCH within each radio frame; ratio _ UserAggregationLevel_jRepresenting the user proportion of each polymerization degree grade under the load value of the reference control domain; CCE _ NumAggregationLevelRepresenting the number of CCEs at different aggregation level; RENum _ CCE represents the number of REs in each CCE.
Preferably, in step 101, the number of times of scheduling the PDCCH in each radio frame is determined according to the following steps:
s1, determining the number of uplink users and the number of downlink users accommodated by a single cell in a mixed service scene according to the proportion distribution of uplink users and downlink users of various service types and the number of resource blocks required by uplink and downlink of various services in each wireless frame;
s2, determining the number of uplink users and the number of downlink users accommodated by various service types according to the number of uplink users and the number of downlink users accommodated by a single cell under a mixed service scene;
s3, determining the number of the scheduled users of PDCCH uplink single sub-frames in various services according to the average scheduling times of uplink in a downlink sub-frame of various service types and the determined number of the uplink users accommodated by various service types, and determining the number of the scheduled users of PDCCH downlink single sub-frames in various services according to the average scheduling times of downlink in a downlink sub-frame of various service types and the determined number of the downlink users accommodated by various service types;
and S4, determining the dispatching times of the PDCCH in each radio frame according to the determined number of the dispatching users of the PDCCH uplink single sub-frame in various services and the number of the dispatching users of the PDCCH downlink single sub-frame in various services.
Preferably, in S1: the number of resource blocks (considering the maximum allowed resource occupancy rate of the system) RB _ Num _ PerFrame needed by various services in uplink and downlink in each radio frame can be determined firstlyi_UL、RB_Num_PerFramei_DLAnd then determining the number of uplink users and the number of downlink users accommodated in a single cell in a mixed service scene.
Specifically, the number of resource blocks (i.e., resource demand) required for each service in uplink and downlink of each Radio frame is determined according to various service types (e.g., FTP (File Transfer Protocol), HTTP (hypertext Transfer Protocol), VOIP (voice over IP ), Video, Gaming, etc.) and service source characteristics (air interface support rate, average size of data packets, delay, RLC (Radio Link Control) mode, etc.), and considering Protocol overhead of a high layer and a physical layer.
Wherein, for a service, according to the physical layer HARQ downlink initial transmission Data volume HARQ _ InitTx _ Data _ Per _ Frame of the service in a single radio FrameDLiAnd downlink Data amount Data _ Per _ PRB which can be carried by single resource blockDLDetermining the downlink resource demand Service _ PRB _ Num of the Service in a wireless frameDLi。
Specifically, the method comprises the following steps: the downlink resource demand Service _ PRB _ Num of the Service in a wireless frameDLiCan be determined according to the following formula:
Service_PRB_NumDLi
=HARQ_InitTx_Data_Per_FrameDLi/Data_Per_PRBDL。
aiming at the physical layer HARQ downlink initial transmission Data volume HARQ _ InitTx _ Data _ Per _ Frame of the service in a single radio FrameDLiThe determination can be made in the following manner:
based on service rate requirement and high-level service downlink data packet Size App _ Pkt _ SizeDLiThe service downlink data packet Rate App _ Pkt _ Rate can be obtainedDLiAccording to the overhead of the high-level protocol, the physical layer HARQ initial transmission Data rate MAC _ PDU _ Data corresponding to a certain service can be obtainedDLiFurther, the physical layer HARQ initial transmission data volume of the Service in a single wireless frame is obtained, so that the resource requirement Service _ PRB _ Num of the Service in a wireless frame is obtainedDLi(unit: resource block/radio frame, where resource requirement does not take into account activation ratio of traffic).
For business downlink data packet Rate App _ Pkt _ RateDLiThe following formula can be used for determination.
Setting the downlink Rate of the air interface supporting service as Traffic _ RateDLi:
App_Pkt_RateDLi=Traffic_RateDLi/App_Pkt_SizeDLi。
Wherein, Traffic _ RateDLiThe downlink rate demand of the service is; app _ Pkt _ SizeDLiThe size of the downlink data packet of the high-level service.
The high layer Protocol overhead comprises header compression overhead and Protocol header overhead of a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) sublayer; protocol header overhead under an RLC (Radio Link Control) sublayer UM (Unacknowledged Mode), retransmission overhead, status report overhead and protocol header overhead under an RLC sublayer AM (Acknowledged Mode); the overhead of the MAC (Medium Access Control, media Access layer) sublayer includes MAC CE (MAC Control Element) overhead and protocol header overhead, and various overheads are calculated according to the flows of protocols (such as 36.322, 36.321, and the like) of the 3GPP LTE 36 series, which is not described herein again.
Aiming at the DATA volume PDCP _ PDU _ DATA delivered by the PDCP sublayer every secondDLi(unit: bps) can be determined according to the following formula:
PDCP_PDU_RateDLi=App_Pkt_SizeDLi;
PDCP_PDU_SizeDLi=App_Pkt_SizeDLi-PDCP_WastageDLi;
PDCP_PDU_DATADLi=PDCP_PDU_SizeDLi×PDCP_PDU_RateDLi;
wherein, PDCP _ PDU _ RateDLiThe downlink data rate of the PDCP sublayer; PDCP _ WasstageDLiThe sum of the downlink header compression overhead and the downlink protocol header overhead of the PDCP sublayer; PDCP _ PDU _ SizeDLiThe size of a downlink data packet is the PDCP sublayer.
Data quantity RLC _ PDU _ Data transmitted by RLC sublayer every secondDLi(unit: bps) can be determined according to the following formula:
RLC_PDU_RateDLi=;
(PDCP_PDU_SizeDLi×PDCP_PDU_RateDLi)/RLC_Data_SizeDLi
RLC_Data_SizeDLi=RLC_PDU_SizeDLi-RLC_WastageDLi;
RLC_PDU_DataDLi=RLC_PDU_SizeDLi×RLC_PDU_RateDLi;
wherein RLC _ PDU _ RateDLiIs the downlink data rate of the RLC sublayer; RLC _ Data _ SizeDLiThe size of a downlink data packet of an RLC sublayer; RLC _ PDU _ SizeDLiThe size of a downlink PDU (protocol data Unit) of an RLC sublayer; RLC _ WastageDLiThe sum of the downlink retransmission overhead, the downlink state report overhead and the downlink protocol header overhead of the RLC sublayer; RLC _ PDU _ DataDLiThe data size delivered by the RLC sublayer per second.
HARQ primary transmission MAC layer Data downlink rate MAC _ PDU _ DataDLi(unit: bps) can be determined according to the following formula:
MAC_PDU_DataDLi
=RLC_PDU_DataDLi+MAC_Subheader_DataDLi+MAC_CE_DataDLi;
wherein, MAC _ CE _ DataDLiIs MAC CE downlink overhead; MAC _ Subheader _ DataDLiIs the MAC sublayer downlink protocol header overhead.
The service has the physical layer HARQ downlink initial transmission data volume in a single wireless frame
HARQ_InitTx_Data_Per_FrameDLiCan be determined according to equation twenty:
HARQ_InitTx_Data_Per_FrameDLi=MAC_PDU_DataDLi/100;
wherein 100 represents the unit conversion result, which is converted into millisecond by second and then converted into a wireless frame (10ms), i.e. 100 wireless frames.
The method comprises the steps of determining the number of uplink resource blocks of a service in a radio frame according to the physical layer HARQ uplink initial transmission data volume of the service in a single radio frame and the uplink data volume which can be borne by a single resource block.
In implementation, the determination of the number of uplink resource blocks of the service in one radio frame is similar to the determination of the number of downlink resource blocks of the service in one radio frame, except that: all the data involved is uplink, and will not be described herein.
Preferably, the number of uplink users accommodated by a single cell in a mixed service scenario can be determined according to a formula four, and the number of downlink users accommodated by a single cell in a mixed service scenario can be determined according to a formula five:
.... formula four;
.... formula five;
wherein RB _ Num _ PerFameTotal_UL、RB_Num_PerFrameTotal_DLRespectively representing the number of uplink users and the number of downlink users accommodated in a single cell in a mixed service scene; RB _ Num _ PerFramei_UL、RB_Num_PerFramei_DLRespectively representing the number of resource blocks needed by various services in uplink and downlink in each wireless frame; ratio _ Traffici_UL、Ratio_Traffici_DLRespectively representing the proportion distribution of the uplink users and the proportion distribution of the downlink users of various service types.
Preferably, in S2: determining the number of uplink users accommodated by various service types according to a formula six; determining the number of downlink users accommodated by various service types according to a formula seven:
User_Numi_UL=min(User_Nummix_UL,User_Nummix_DL)*Ratio_Traffici_UL.... formula six;
User_Numi_DL=min(User_Nummix_UL,User_Nummix_DL)*Ratio_Traffici_DL.... formula seven;
wherein, User _ Numi_UL、User_Numi_DLRespectively indicating the number of uplink users and the number of downlink users accommodated by various service types.
Preferably, in S3: determining the number of the scheduled users of the PDCCH uplink single sub-frame in various services according to a formula eight; determining the number of the scheduled users of the PDCCH downlink single sub-frame in various services according to a formula nine:
Schedule_UserNum_PerSubframei_UL=User_Numi_UL*Schedule_Numi_UL.., equation eight;
Schedule_UserNum_PerSubframei_DL=User_Numi_DL*Sehedule_Numi_DL.., formula nine;
wherein Schedule _ UserNum _ PerSubframei_UL、Schedule_UserNum_PerSubframei_DLRespectively representing the number of uplink users and the number of downlink users accommodated by various service types; schedule _ Numi_UL、Schedule_Numi_DLRespectively representing the average scheduling times of an uplink and the average scheduling times of a downlink in a downlink subframe.
Preferably, in S4: the number of times of scheduling of PDCCH in each radio frame can be determined according to the formula:
.., equation ten;
wherein, ScheduleNum _ PerFramePDCCHIndicating the number of times of scheduling of the PDCCH within each radio frame; subframe _ PerFrameUL、Subframe_PerFrameDLThe number of uplink subframes and the number of downlink subframes in each radio frame are respectively represented and related to subframe configuration in an actual system.
Due to the limitation of the uplink capacity, the downlink also has a partial Margin RB _ MarginDL. According to the resource margin allocation principle, the number of users cannot exceed the number of uplink users for symmetric services (VoIP, video streaming, and Gaming), so the resource margin can only be used for downlink of asymmetric services.
Specifically, the quality monitoring in step S2 and step S3 may further include:
and if the downlink has asymmetric services, adding the downlink user allowance and the number of downlink users which are contained in the determined various service types to obtain the number of downlink users for determining the number of scheduling users of the PDCCH downlink single sub-frame in the various services.
Preferably, the partial Margin RB _ Margin may be determined according to formula elevenDL:
.... 9.. formula eleven;
wherein RB _ Num _ PerFrameTotal_DLRepresenting the total number of resource blocks available for downlink in each radio frame; RB _ Num _ PerFramei_DLIndicating the number of resource blocks occupied by various services in each wireless frame; user _ Numi_DLIndicating the number of downstream users accommodated by the various service types.
If the downlink asymmetric service comprises HTTP, the number of downlink users accommodated according to the formula twelve HTTP:
.... formula twelve;
wherein RB _ MarginDLRepresents; ratio _ TrafficHTTP_DLRepresenting the proportion distribution of HTTP downlink traffic; RB _ Num _ PerFameHTTP_DLThe number of resource blocks required by HTTP in each wireless frame in the downlink is represented; ratio _ TrafficFTP_DLIndicating the FTP downlink traffic proportional distribution.
If the downlink has asymmetric services including FTP, the number of downlink users accommodated by the FTP can be determined according to a formula thirteen:
.... formula thirteen;
wherein RB _ M arginDLRepresenting the downlink resource allowance; ratio _ TrafficHTTP_DLRepresenting the proportion distribution of HTTP downlink traffic; RB _ Num _ PeFrameFTP_DLThe number of resource blocks required by FTP in each radio frame in the downlink is represented; ratio _ TrafficFTP_DLIndicating the FTP downlink traffic proportional distribution.
Preferably, in step 101, the resource overhead value of PHICH in a radio frame is determined according to the formula fourteen:
RE_Num_PerFramePHICH
=Schedule_UserNum_PerSubframeUL/User_Num_PerGroupPHICH
*RE_Num_PerGroupPHICH*Subframe_PerFrameUL.... fourteen formula;
wherein RE _ Num _ PerFramePHICHRepresenting a resource overhead value of a radio frame PHICH; schedule _ UserNum _ presubframeULRepresenting the number of users scheduled on the uplink of each subframe; user _ Num _ per groupPHICHRepresenting the number of multiplexed users in each PHICH group; RE _ Num _ PergroupPHICHIndicating the number of REs occupied by each PHICH group; subframe _ PerFrameULAnd the number of uplink subframes in each radio frame is shown.
Preferably, in step 101, the resource overhead value of the CRS in a radio frame is determined according to formula fifteen:
RE_Num_PerFrameCRS_In_Control_Domain
=RENum_PerRB_PerPortNum_PerSubframeCRS_In_Control_Domain
*RBNum_PerSubframe*Port_Num*Subframe_PerFrameDL... formula fifteen;
wherein RE _ Num _ PerFrameCRS_In_Control_DomainA resource overhead value representing a CRS within a radio frame; RENum _ PerRB_PerPortNum_PerSubframeCRS_In_Control_DomainIndicating the number of REs occupied by the CRS in each subframe in each RB port in a control domain; RBNum _ PerSubframe represents the number of RBs contained within the system bandwidth of each subframe; port _ Num represents the number of ports.
Preferably, in step 101, the resource overhead value of the PCFICH in one radio frame is determined according to the formula sixteen:
RE_Num_PerFramePCFICH
=RENum_PerSubframePCFICH*Subframe_PerFrameDL.... formula sixteen;
wherein RE _ Num _ PerFramePCFICHA resource overhead value representing the PCFICH within one radio frame; RENum _ PersubframePCFICHIndicating the number of REs occupied by the PCFICH in one subframe; subframe _ PerFrameDLAnd the number of downlink subframes in each radio frame is represented.
Preferably, in step 102, the total number of resources of the control field in the radio frame is determined according to the formula seventeen:
RE_Num_PerFrameTotal_In_Control_Domain
=Subframe_PerFrameDL*RBNum_PerSubframe
seventeenth, CFI, SCNum _ perb.;
wherein RE _ Num _ PerFrameTotal_In_Control_DomainRepresents the total number of resources of the control domain in the radio frame; subframe _ PerFrameDLRepresenting the number of downlink subframes in each wireless frame; CFI represents the number of OFDM symbols occupied by a control domain in a downlink subframe; SCNum _ perb denotes the number of subcarriers contained in each RB.
Preferably, in step 102, the determined total resource overhead value is divided by the total number of resources of the control field in the radio frame to obtain a control field load value.
Specifically, the control domain load value can be obtained according to the formula eighteen:
...
The execution main body of the embodiment of the present invention may be a user equipment, or a network side device. The network side device may be a base station (such as a macro base station, a home base station, etc.), an RN (relay) device, or another network side device.
Based on the same inventive concept, the embodiment of the present invention further provides a device for determining a load factor, and since the principle of solving the problem of the device is similar to the method for determining a load factor according to the embodiment of the present invention, the implementation of the device may refer to the implementation of the method, and repeated details are not repeated.
As shown in fig. 2, the apparatus for determining a load factor according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a first determination module 20 and a second determination module 21.
A first determining module 20, configured to determine a total resource overhead value in a downlink control domain of a radio frame under a reference control domain load value;
a second determining module 21, configured to determine a control domain load value according to the total resource number of the control domain in the radio frame and the determined total resource overhead value.
Preferably, if there are a plurality of reference control domain load values, for a reference control domain load value, the second determining module 21 compares the control domain load value determined under the reference control domain load value with the reference control domain load value to obtain a difference value; and comparing the difference value corresponding to each control domain load value, and taking the control domain load value corresponding to the minimum difference value as an actual control domain load value.
Preferably, the first determining module 20 adds the resource overhead values of each downlink pilot signal and/or control channel in a radio frame to obtain a total resource overhead value.
Preferably, the first determining module 20 determines the resource overhead value of the PDCCH in one radio frame according to the following steps:
and determining resource overhead values occupied by the PDCCH in each radio frame in scheduling under different polymerization degree levels according to the scheduling times of the PDCCH in each radio frame and the user proportion of each polymerization degree level under the load value of the reference control domain.
Preferably, the first determining module 20 determines the resource overhead value of the PDCCH in one radio frame according to formula three.
Preferably, the first determining module 20 determines the number of times of scheduling the PDCCH in each radio frame according to the following steps:
determining the number of uplink users and the number of downlink users accommodated by a single cell in a mixed service scene according to the uplink user proportion distribution and the downlink user proportion distribution of various service types and the number of resource blocks required by various services in uplink and downlink in each wireless frame; determining the number of uplink users and the number of downlink users accommodated by various service types according to the number of uplink users and the number of downlink users accommodated by a single cell in a mixed service scene; determining the number of the scheduled users of PDCCH uplink single sub-frames in various services according to the average uplink scheduling times of various service types in a downlink sub-frame and the determined number of uplink users accommodated by various service types, and determining the number of the scheduled users of PDCCH downlink single sub-frames in various services according to the average downlink scheduling times of various service types in a downlink sub-frame and the determined number of downlink users accommodated by various service types; and determining the number of times of dispatching the PDCCH in each radio frame according to the determined number of dispatching users of the PDCCH uplink single sub-frame in various services and the number of dispatching users of the PDCCH downlink single sub-frame in various services.
Preferably, after the first determining module 20 determines the number of downlink users accommodated by each service type, if there is an asymmetric downlink service, the number of downlink users for determining the number of downlink users accommodated by each service type is obtained by adding the remaining number of downlink users to the number of downlink users for determining the number of scheduling users of the PDCCH downlink single subframe in each service.
Preferably, the first determining module 20 determines the resource overhead value of the PHICH within one radio frame according to the formula fourteen.
Preferably, the first determining module 20 determines the resource overhead value of the CRS in one radio frame according to formula fifteen.
Preferably, the first determining module 20 determines the resource overhead value of the PCFICH in one radio frame according to the formula sixteen.
Preferably, the second determining module 21 determines the total number of resources of the control field in the radio frame according to formula seventeen.
Preferably, the second determining module 21 divides the determined total resource overhead value by the total resource number of the control domain in the radio frame to obtain the control domain load value.
As shown in fig. 3, the method for determining the load factor through the load list according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps:
step 301, calculating the number of scheduled users of PDCCH in each radio frame.
Step 302, selecting a reference control domain load value from the reference control domain load list, and calculating the user proportion of each polymerization degree grade under the reference control domain load value.
For example, the SINR (signal to interference Noise Ratio) obtained by system simulation under different loads according to the PDCCH channel, i.e. the Ratio S/(I + N) of the sum of signal, interference and Noise0) A distribution curve result and a link simulation curve result of the PDCCH under different CCE (Control Channel Element) polymerization degree levels under different DCI (Downlink Control Information) formats, and a User Ratio _ User under each polymerization degree Level under the Control domain load is calculatedAggregationLevel_j。
Step 303, calculating resource overhead value RE _ Num _ PerFrame occupied by PDCCH in each wireless frame under different polymerization degree levelsPDCCH_AggregationLevel_j。
Step 304, calculating a resource overhead value RE _ Num _ PerFrame of the PHICH in a radio frame according to the scheduling times of the uplink PDCCHPHICH。
Step 305, calculating resource overhead value of CRS in control domain in a wireless frame
RE_Num_PerFrameCRS_In_Control_Domain。
Step 306, calculating resource overhead value RE _ Num _ PerFrame of PCFICH in a radio framePCFICH。
There is no necessary timing relationship between steps 303 to 306.
Step 307, calculating the total resource overhead RE _ Num _ PerFrame in the downlink control domain of a radio frameOccupied_In_Control_Domain。
Step 308, according to the total resource number RE _ Num _ PerFrame of the control domain in the radio frame
Total_In_Control_DomainCalculate the speciesControl domain load value under load assumption
309, judging whether the currently selected reference control domain load value is the last one of the reference control domain load list, if not, taking the next reference control domain load value in the reference control domain load list, and executing the steps 302 to 308 again; if it is the last in the baseline control domain load list, the loop ends and step 310 is executed.
Step 310, calculating the control domain load under each load condition
And reference control domain load value
With the smallest difference
As the actual control domain load η
Control_Domain。
As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, embodiments of the present invention may be provided as a method, system, or computer program product. Accordingly, the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, and the like) having computer-usable program code embodied therein.
The present invention is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each flow and/or block of the flow diagrams and/or block diagrams, and combinations of flows and/or blocks in the flow diagrams and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.
These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.
These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.
While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, additional variations and modifications in those embodiments may occur to those skilled in the art once they learn of the basic inventive concepts. Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as including preferred embodiments and all such alterations and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, if such modifications and variations of the present invention fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention and their equivalents, the present invention is also intended to include such modifications and variations.