OA19341A - Link Adaptation For Concurrent Ofdma And Non-Ofdma Signaling - Google Patents

Abstract

A link adaptation method is disclosed of a network node adapted to operate in concurrent association with one or more orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) wireless communication devices using OFDMA signaling, and a nonOFDMA wireless communication device using non-OFDMA signaling. The non-OFDMA signaling has a bandwidth that is smaller than a maximum bandwidth of the OFDMA signaling. The method comprises excluding one or more sub-carriers from the OFDMA signaling to create a frequency gap and determining a center frequency of the non-OFDMA signaling such that the center frequency is within the frequency gap. The method also comprises selecting a modulation and coding scheme to be used for the OFDMA signaling based on a first signal-to-interference value. In the first signal-to-interference value, the non-OFDMA signaling acts as interference to the OFDMA signaling. Corresponding computer program product, arrangement and network node are also disclosed.

Description

Robustness of modulation and coding schemes may be defined in terms of coding rate, bits per symbol of the modulation, packet size, or a combination thereof. For example, a modulation and coding scheme may be considered more robust if it has lower coding rate and/or less bits per symbol than another modulation and coding scheme. A typical characteristic of a more robust modulation and coding scheme may be that it can be expected to achieve the same error rate as a less robust modulation and coding scheme already for a smaller signal-tointerference-ratio (SIR).

According to some embodiments, the method may further comprise selecting a modulation and coding scheme to be used for the non-OFDMA signaling based on a second signal-to-interference value, wherein the OFDMA signaling acts as interférence to the nonOFDMA signaling. The sélection of the modulation and coding scheme to be used for the nonOFDMA signaling may, for example, comprise similar considérations as explained above for the sélection of the modulation and coding scheme to be used for the OFDMA signaling. In some embodiments, the potential modulation and coding schemes be used for the non-OFDMA signaling may be different modes of Bluetooth communication.

In some embodiments wherein first and second transmission power levels are for the OFDMA and non-OFDMA signaling, respectively, the method may further comprise selecting at least one of the first and second transmission power level based on a first signal-to-interference condition, thereby adapting the first (and the second) signal-to-interference value.

Sélection of the at least one of the first and second transmission power level may, for example, comprise selecting at least one of the first and second transmission power level such that the first signal-to-interference value is greater than a minimum signal-to-interference value associated with the OFDMA signaling (first signal-to-interference condition).

Additionally or alternatively, sélection of the at least one of the first and second transmission power level may, for example, comprise selecting at least one of the first and second transmission power level such that the second signal-to-interference value is greater than a minimum signal-to-interference value associated with the non-OFDMA signaling.

According to some embodiments, the method may further comprise adapting the first (and the second) signal-to-interference value by selecting the number of the one or more excluded sub-carriers based on a second signal-to-interference condition.

Sélection of the number of the one or more excluded sub-carriers may, for example, comprise selecting the number such that the worst case first signal-to-interference value is greater than a minimum signal-to-interference value associated with the OFDMA signaling (second signal-to-interference condition).

The OFDMA and non-OFDMA signaling may, according to some embodiments, comprise downlink (DL) signais and the method may further comprise concurrently transmitting the downlink signais.

Excluding the one or more sub-carriers from the OFDMA signaling may comprise setting corresponding inputs of an inverse fast Fourier transformer (IFFT) to zéro.

The OFDMA and non-OFDMA signaling may, according to some embodiments, comprise uplink (UL) signais. Then, the method may further comprise sending (to the OFDMA wireless communication devices) respective messages indicative of the excluded sub-carriers and the selected modulation and coding scheme to be used for OFDMA signaling and sending (to the non-OFDMA wireless communication device) a message indicative of the center frequency.

Messages (the same as, or different from, the messages above) may also indicate other transmission parameters, such as one or more of selected modulation and coding scheme to be used for non-OFDMA signaling, first and/or second transmission power levels, etc.

A message to an OFDMA wireless communication device indicating sub-carriers to be used for uplink transmission, wherein the sub-carriers to be used do not comprise or overlap with the excluded sub-carriers, is intended to be an example of a message indicative of the excluded sub-carriers.

The method may, in some embodiments, further comprise concurrently receiving the uplink signais from the OFDMA wireless communication devices and from the non-OFDMA wireless communication device, extracting the OFDMA signaling by excluding the one or more sub-carriers from an OFDMA demodulated signal, and extracting the non-OFDMA signaling by filtering. Exclusion of the one or more sub-carriers from the OFDMA demodulated signal may typically comprise exclusion of sub-carriers corresponding to the non-OFDMA signaling.

Excluding the one or more sub-carriers from the OFDMA demodulated signal may comprise setting corresponding outputs of an IFFT to zéro, or may comprise ignoring corresponding outputs of the IFFT. Ignoring some outputs of the IFFT may comprise not using the outputs in the OFDMA démodulation.

A second aspect is a computer program product comprising a computer readable medium, having thereon a computer program comprising program instructions, the computer program being loadable into a data-processing unit and adapted to cause execution of the method according to the first aspect when the computer program is run by the data-processing unit.

A third aspect is a link adaptation arrangement for a network node. The network node is adapted to operate in concurrent association with one or more orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) wireless communication devices using OFDMA signaling, and a non19341

OFDMA wireless communication device using non-OFDMA signaling. The non-OFDMA signaling has a bandwidth that is smaller than a maximum bandwidth of the OFDMA signaling.

The arrangement comprising a controller adapted to cause exclusion (e.g. by a frequency gap creator) of one or more sub-carriers from the OFDMA signaling to create a frequency gap, détermination (e.g. by a center frequency déterminer) of a center frequency of the non-OFDMA signaling such that the center frequency is within the frequency gap, and sélection (e.g. by a modulation and coding scheme selector) of a modulation and coding scheme to be used for the OFDMA signaling based on a First signal-to-interference value, wherein the non-OFDMA signaling acts as interférence to the OFDMA signaling.

In some embodiments, the controller may be further adapted to cause sélection (e.g. by the same or a different modulation and coding scheme selector) of a modulation and coding scheme to be used for the non-OFDMA signaling based on a second signal-to-interference value, wherein the OFDMA signaling acts as interférence to the non-OFDMA signaling.

According to some embodiments, wherein first and second transmission power levels are for the OFDMA and non-OFDMA signaling, respectively, the controller may be further adapted to cause sélection (e.g. by a power level selector) of at least one of the first and second transmission power level based on a first signal-to-interference condition, thereby causing adaption of the first signal-to-interference value.

According to some embodiments, the controller may be further adapted to cause adaption of the first signal-to-interference value by causing sélection (e.g. by the frequency gap creator in combination with a bandwidth selector) of the number of the one or more excluded sub-carriers based on a second signal-to-interference condition.

In some embodiments, wherein the OFDMA and non-OFDMA signaling comprise downlink signais, the controller may be further adapted to cause concurrent transmission (e.g. by a transmitter/transceiver) of the downlink signais.

In some embodiments, wherein the OFDMA and non-OFDMA signaling comprise uplink signais, the controller may be further adapted to cause sending (to the OFDMA wireless communication devices, e.g. by a transmitter/transceiver) of respective messages indicative of the excluded sub-carriers and the selected modulation and coding scheme, and sending (to the non-OFDMA wireless communication device, e.g. by a transmitter/transceiver) of a message indicative of the center frequency.

The controller may, according to some embodiments, be further adapted to cause concurrent réception (e.g. by a receiver/transceiver) of the uplink signais from the OFDMA wireless communication devices and from the non-OFDMA wireless communication device, extraction of the OFDMA signaling by exclusion of the one or more sub-carriers from an

OFDMA demodulated signal and extraction of the non-OFDMA signaling by filtering. Exclusion of the one or more sub-carriers from the OFDMA demodulated signal may typically comprise exclusion of sub-carriers corresponding to the non-OFDMA signaling.

A fourth aspect is a network node comprising the arrangement according to the third aspect.

In some embodiments, any of the above aspects may additionally hâve features identical with or corresponding to any of the various features as explained above for any of the other aspects.

An advantage of some embodiments is that coexistence of OFDMA signaling and nonOFDMA signaling is enabled.

Another advantage of some embodiments is that time division is avoided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Further objects, features and advantages will appear from the following detailed description of embodiments, with reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic drawing illustrating an example scénario where some embodiments may be applicable;

Fig. 2 is a flowchart illustrating example method steps according to some embodiments;

Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration of OFDMA signaling that may be relevant in relation to some embodiments;

Fig. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example arrangement according to some embodiments;

Fig. 5 is a schematic block diagram illustrating example transmitter and receiver arrangements according to some embodiments; and

Fig. 6 is a schematic drawing illustrating a computer readable medium according to some embodiments.

Detailed Description

Embodiments described herein enable an loT system (typically with low data rate) and a non-IoT system (typically with high data rate) to operate concurrently by having the non-IoT system use OFDMA, assigning one or more sub-carriers to the loT system, and using the remaining sub-carriers for the non-IoT System. An advantage with this approach is that the amount of sub-carriers allocated to the loT system may be rather flexible.

Using OFDM is conceptually simple and is already the approach used in e.g. IEEE802.1 lah, which is a standard developed to be used below 1 GHz. However, OFDM is probably not a good choice for loT communication since parameters such as, e.g., power consumption, cost, and simplicity of implémentation are particularly important in many loT devices. Therefore, a more appropriate choice for loT communication may, for example, be Gaussian Frequency Shift Keying (GFSK) as used in BLE.

Embodiments provide an approach to combining two different physical layers (PHY) where one PHY is intended for high data rate communications (using OFDMA) and the other PHY is intended for low data rate communications (using non-OFDMA, e.g. loT communication). The signais of the two PHY:s may not be perfectly orthogonal to one another. Hence, in order to ensure proper operation for both types of signais, interférence between the two PHY:s should preferably be taken into account when selecting transmission parameters such as, e.g., modulation and coding schemes and transmission power levels.

In the following, embodiments will be described where at least one of a link (or a plurality of links) used for OFDMA and a link used for non-OFDMA are adapted to accommodate concurrent OFDMA and non-OFDMA operation in a frequency efficient manner. The (joint) link adaptation (LA) may comprise adaptation of one or more of the modulation and coding scheme, the transmission power level, and the frequency allocation for one or more of the links involved.

Figure 1 illustrâtes an example scénario where some embodiments may be applicable. In the example scénario a network node (NWN) 100 is adapted to operate in concurrent association with one or more OFDMA wireless communication devices 120 using OFDMA and a non-OFDMA wireless communication device 110 using non-OFDMA. The non-OFDMA signal typically has a bandwidth that is smallcr than a maximum bandwidth of the OFDMA signal. The OFDMA signal may, for example, be in accordance with an IEEE 802.11 standard (e.g. IEEE 802.1 lax) and the non-OFDMA signal may, for example, be in accordance with a Bluetooth standard (e.g. Bluetooth Low Energy - BLE).

Figure 2 illustrâtes an example method 200 according to some embodiments. The example method 200 may, for example, be performed in the network node 100 of Figure 1.

It is to be noted that various steps of the example method 200 may be optional (as indicated by dashed boxes). Furthermore, it should be noted that even though the various steps of the example method 200 are described as performed in a certain order, this is not to be considered as limiting. Contrarily, steps may be performed in another order while still falling under the scope of the claims. For example, step 250 may be performed before step 240 and even before step 230; step 240 may be performed before step 230; steps 210-250 (or a sélection thereof) may be performed iteratively; etc.

The method starts in step 210, where transmission power levels for the links involved are selected. In some embodiments, ail links may hâve variable transmission power levels, while in other embodiments, some links may hâve transmission power levels that are not varied in the context presented herein (although they may be otherwise variable).

The transmission power levels are selected based on a signal-to-interference condition. For example, the sélection may be such that a resulting signal-to-interference value (wherein the non-OFDMA signal acts as interférence to the OFDMA signal) is greater than a minimum acceptable signal-to-interference value associated with the OFDMA signaling. Additionally or altematively, the sélection may be such that a resulting signal-to-interference value (wherein the OFDMA signal acts as interférence to the non-OFDMA signal) is greater than a minimum acceptable signal-to-interference value associated with the non-OFDMA signal.

In step 220, a number of sub-carriers of the OFDMA signal are selected, which subcarriers are excluded from OFDMA signal in step 230, whereby a frequency gap is created in the OFDMA signal. The frequency gap is for accommodating the non-OFDMA signal, and in step 240 a center frequency of the non-OFDMA signal is determined such that the center frequency of the non-OFDMA signal is within (typically approximately centered in) the frequency gap.

Typically, the number of the sub-carriers to exclude is based on the bandwidth of the non-OFDMA signal. For example, the sub-carriers to be excluded may be those of a (e.g. smallest) resource unit (RU) of the OFDMA signal if the non-OFDMA signal can be accommodated therein and sub-carriers of more than one RU (or a larger RU) may be excluded if the bandwidth of the non-OFDMA signal so requires.

Sélection of the number of the sub-carriers to exclude may imply adaption of signal-tointerference values of the OFDMA and the non-OFDMA signais. Hence, the number may be selected based on one or more signal-to-interference conditions in a similar manner as explained for the transmission power level sélection of step 210.

In some embodiments, the bandwidth of the non-OFDMA signal may be variable. For example, a larger bandwidth may be used to be able to avoid a high transmission power level and/or to be able to use a particular modulation and coding scheme. Then, the sélection of step 220 should preferably be correspondingly variable.

In step 250, the modulation and coding scheme to be used for the OFDMA signal is selected. The sélection is based on the signal-to-interference value, wherein the non-OFDMA signal acts as interférence to the OFDMA signal.

The sélection of the modulation and coding scheme to be used for the OFDMA signaling may, for example, comprise (for a number of potential modulation and coding schemes) comparing the signal-to-interference value with a signal-to-interference threshold associated with the potential modulation and coding scheme, and selecting one of the potential modulation and coding schemes for which the signal-to-interference value is greater than the associated signal-to-interference threshold.

Typically, the selected modulation and coding scheme to be used for the OFDMA signal comprises a nominal modulation and coding scheme for the OFDMA signal and an adjusted modulation and coding scheme for one or more sub-carriers adjacent to (or close to) the frequency gap, where the adjusted modulation and coding scheme is more robust than the nominal modulation and coding scheme.

The sélection in step 250 may also include selecting a modulation and coding scheme to be used for the non-OFDMA signal. This sélection is based on a signal-to-interference value, wherein the OFDMA signal acts as interférence to the non-OFDMA signal in a similar manner as explained above for the sélection of the modulation and coding scheme to be used for the OFDMA signal.

The coexistence of OFDMA and non-OFDMA may be relevant for uplink and/or downlink communication.

For downlink communication, the method may further comprise concurrently transmitting the downlink OFDMA and non-OFDMA signais, as illustrated in step 260.

For uplink communication, the method may further comprise sending indications regarding transmission parameters to the wireless communication devices (WCD), as illustrated in step 270. Such transmission parameters may include a relevant sélection of the parameters of one or more of steps 210, 220, 240 and 250. Typically, at least the excluded sub-carriers (possibly in the form of an uplink allocation not overlapping with the excluded sub-carriers) and the selected coding and modulation scheme may be indicated to the OFDMA wireless communication devices, and at least the center frequency may be indicated to the non-OFDMA wireless communication device.

For uplink communication, the method may further comprise concurrently receiving the uplink signais from the OFDMA wireless communication devices and from the non-OFDMA wireless communication device (not shown in Figure 2).

When the joint LA is performed for the downlink, the OFDMA and non-OFDMA signais are transmitted from the network node, which is the same node as is coordinating the sélection of parameters (modulation and coding schemes, transmission power levels, number of sub-carriers to exclude, etc.) for the link adaptation. The network node may, thus, décidé how to adjust the parameters on the fly (e.g. on a packet-by-packet basis) and the joint LA may be completely transparent to the receivers of the downlink signais.

When the joint link LA is performed for the uplink, the sélection of parameters may (at least partly) be based on information from the network node to the wireless communication devices (e.g. instructions) and/or vice versa (e.g. measurement reports). Thus, the joint LA will not be completely transparent to the transmitters of the uplink signais. However, instructions from the network node do not hâve to convey the reason for the link adaptation instructions to the wireless communication devices. Furthermore, it may be advantageous to select parameters in uplink scénarios such that there are margins to a channel situation where communications fail.

Figure 3 schematically illustrâtes a typical partition of a frequency spectrum for OFDMA signaling into resources units (RU:s) of different sizes. The particular example shown in Figure 3 may, for example, relate to 20 MHz allocation in IEEE 802.1 lax (see e.g. IEEE P802.ll Wireless LANs, “Spécification Framework for TGax”, doc.:IEEE 802.11 -15/0132r8, September 2015, Figure 11). According to this example, the frequency spectrum may be used for a single RU 301; for two RU:s 311, 318; for four RU:s 321, 323, 326, 328; or for eight RU:s 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338. Pilot tones are represented as arrows 351-358 and 361-368. In relation to the method described in connection with Figure 2, RU 335 may be excluded from OFDMA signaling and used for non-OFDMA signaling, for example.

Figure 4 schematically illustrâtes an example arrangement 400 that may, for example, be adapted to perform the method described in connection with Figure 2.

The arrangement 400 may be comprised in a network node adapted to operate in concurrent association with one or more OFDMA wireless communication devices using OFDMA and a non-OFDMA wireless communication device using non-OFDMA. The nonOFDMA signal has a bandwidth that is smaller than a maximum bandwidth of the OFDMA signal.

The arrangement 400 comprises a controller (CNTR) 420 and may possibly also comprise a transmitter and/or a receiver (illustrated in Figure 4 as a transceiver (TX/RX) 410). Furthermore, the controller 420 may comprise, or be otherwise associated with, one or more of a modulation and coding scheme selector (MCS) 421, a power level selector (PLS) 422, a bandwidth selector (BW) 423, a frequency gap creator (FGC) 424, and a center frequency déterminer (CFD) 425.

The controller 420 may be adapted to cause execution of the steps as described in connection to Figure 2. Thus, the controller is adapted to cause exclusion of one or more subcarriers from the OFDMA signaling to create a frequency gap (compare with step 230) and détermination of a center frequency of the non-OFDMA signaling such that the center frequency is within the frequency gap (compare with step 240). The exclusion may be caused by the frequency gap creator 424 and the détermination may be caused by the center frequency déterminer 425.

The controller is also adapted to cause sélection of a modulation and coding scheme (compare with step 250) to be used for the OFDMA signal based on a first signal-to-interference value, wherein the non-OFDMA signal acts as interférence to the OFDMA signal. In some embodiments, the controller may be further adapted to cause sélection of a modulation and coding scheme (compare with step 250) to be used for the non-OFDMA signal based on a second signal-to-interference value, wherein the OFDMA signal acts as interférence to the nonOFDMA signal. The selection(s) of modulation and coding scheme(s) may be caused by one or more modulation and coding scheme selectors 421.

The controller may also be adapted to cause sélection of transmission power level for at least one of the OFDMA and non-OFDMA signais based on a first signal-to-interference condition (compare with step 210). The sélection of transmission power level(s) may be caused by the power level selector 422.

According to some embodiments, the controller may be further adapted to cause sélection of the number of the one or more excluded sub-carriers based on a second signal-tointerference condition (compare with step 220). The sélection of the number may be caused by the frequency gap creator in combination with the bandwidth selector 423.

When the OFDMA and non-OFDMA signais comprise downlink signais, the controller may be further adapted to cause concurrent transmission by the transceiver 410 of the downlink signais (compare with step 260).

When the OFDMA and non-OFDMA signais comprise uplink signais, the controller may be further adapted to cause (compare with step 270) sending by the transceiver 410 to the OFDMA wireless communication devices of respective messages indicative of the excluded subcarriers and the selected modulation and coding scheme, and sending by the transceiver 410 to the non-OFDMA wireless communication device of a message indicative of the center frequency. The controller may be further adapted to cause concurrent réception by the transceiver 410 of the uplink signais from the OFDMA wireless communication devices and from the non-OFDMA wireless communication device, extraction of the OFDMA signal by exclusion of the one or more sub-carriers from an non-OFDMA demodulated signal, and extraction of the non-OFDMA signal by filtering. Exclusion of the one or more sub-carriers from the OFDMA demodulated signal may typically comprise exclusion of sub-carriers corresponding to the non-OFDMA signaling.

Figure 5 schematically illustrate example transmitter and receiver arrangements according to some embodiments. The arrangements of Figure 5 may, for example, be comprised in the transceiver 410 of Figure 4 and may be (at least partly) controlled by the controller 420 of Figure 4.

In the example transmitter, one or more sub-carriers are excluded from the OFDMA signal by setting the corresponding inputs of an inverse fast Fourier transformer (IFFT) 510 to zéro. For example, the inputs indicated by 502 may be set to zéro while the inputs indicated by 501, 503 are treated as normally for OFDMA signaling (compare with the use of the frequencies of RU 335 in Figure 3 for non-OFDMA signaling). The setting of some inputs of the IFFT 510 to zéro may be caused by the frequency gap creator 424 of Figure 4.

The input 504 for the non-OFDMA signal is modulated in modulator (MOD) 520 and frequency shifted by frequency shifter (FS) 525 such that its center frequency is within the frequency gap created by exclusion of sub-carriers from OFDMA signal. The frequency shifter 525 may be controlled by the center frequency déterminer 425 of Figure 4.

The output of the IFFT 510 is pre-appended with a cyclic prefix (CP) 515, as is commonly known in the art, and combined with the non-OFDMA signal by combiner 530 to a signal 500 for concurrent downlink transmission. The combiner 530 may be controlled by the power level selector 422 of Figure 4, such that the signais are correspondingly weighted before combined.

In the example receiver, uplink signais 550 from the OFDMA wireless communication devices and from the non-OFDMA wireless communication device are concurrently received.

Extraction of the OFDMA signal is achieved, after cyclical prefix removal (CPR) 565, by exclusion of the one or more sub-carriers from the OFDMA demodulated signal, which is achieved by setting corresponding outputs of an IFFT 560 to zéro, or by ignoring corresponding outputs of the IFFT. For example, the outputs indicated by 552 (corresponding to inputs 502 of the transmitter) may be set to zéro or ignored, while the outputs indicated by 551, 553 are treated as normally for OFDMA signaling. The setting of some outputs of the IFFT 560 to zéro (or the ignoring of some outputs) may be caused by the frequency gap creator 424 of Figure 4.

Extraction of the non-OFDMA signal 554 is achieved by filtering out the relevant frequency interval by filter (FILT) 574 and demodulating the filtered signal in demodulator (DEM) 570. The démodulation may include applying the inverse of the frequency shift applied by frequency shifter 525. The filter 574 may be controlled by the bandwidth selector 423 of Figure 4.

The modulation and coding scheme selector 421 of Figure 4 may control one or more of the modulator 520 and the demodulator 570. Alternatively or additionally, the modulation and coding scheme selector 421 of Figure 4 may control the processing of OFDMA signais before input into the IFFT 510 and after output from the IFFT 560.

The described embodiments and their équivalents may be realized in software or hardware or a combination thereof. They may be performed by general-purpose circuits associated with or intégral to a communication device, such as digital signal processors (DSP), central processing units (CPU), co-processor units, field-programmable gâte arrays (FPGA) or other programmable hardware, or by specialized circuits such as for example application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC). Ail such forms are contemplated to be within the scope of this disclosure.

Embodiments may appear within an electronic apparatus (such as a network node) comprising arrangements/circuitry/logic or performing methods according to any of the embodiments. The electronic apparatus may, for example, be an access point.

According to some embodiments, a computer program product comprises a computer readable medium such as, for example, a USB-stick, a plug-in card, an embedded drive, or a read-only memory (ROM) such as the CD-ROM 600 illustrated in Figure 6. The computer readable medium may hâve stored thereon a computer program comprising program instructions. The computer program may be loadable into a data-processing unit (PROC) 620, which may, for example, be comprised in a network node 610. When loaded into the data-processing unit, the computer program may be stored in a memory (MEM) 630 associated with or intégral to the data-processing unit. According to some embodiments, the computer program may, when loaded into and run by the data-processing unit, cause execution of method steps according to, for example, the method shown in Figure 2.

Reference has been made herein to various embodiments. However, a person skilled in the art would recognize numerous variations to the described embodiments that would still fall within the scope of the claims. For example, the method embodiments described herein describes example methods through method steps being performed in a certain order. However, it is recognized that these sequences of events may take place in another order without departing from the scope of the claims. Furthermore, some method steps may be performed in parallel even though they hâve been described as being performed in sequence.

In the same manner, it should be noted that in the description of embodiments, the partition of functional blocks into particular units is by no means limiting. Contrarily, these partitions are merely examples. Functional blocks described herein as one unit may be split into two or more units. In the same manner, functional blocks that are described herein as being implemented as two or more units may be implemented as a single unit without departing from the scope of the claims.

Hence, it should be understood that the details of the described embodiments are merely for illustrative purpose and by no means limiting. Instead, ail variations that fall within the range of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

Claims (20)

1. A link adaptation method of a network node adapted to operate in concurrent association with one or more orthogonal frequency division multiple access - OFDMA wireless communication devices using OFDMA signaling, and a non-OFDMA wireless communication device using non-OFDMA signaling having a bandwidth that is smaller than a maximum bandwidth of the OFDMA signaling, the method comprising:

excluding one or more sub-carriers from the OFDMA signaling to create a frequency gap;

determining a center frequency of the non-OFDMA signaling such that the center frequency is within the frequency gap; and selecting a modulation and coding scheme to be used for the OFDMA signaling based on a first signal-to-interference value, wherein the non-OFDMA signaling acts as interférence to the OFDMA signaling.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the modulation and coding scheme to be used for the OFDMA signaling comprises:

selecting a nominal modulation and coding scheme for the OFDMA signaling; and adjusting the modulation and coding scheme of sub-carriers adjacent to the frequency gap to a modulation and coding scheme that is more robust than the nominal modulation and coding scheme.

3. The method of any of claims 1 through 2 further comprising selecting a modulation and coding scheme to be used for the non-OFDMA signaling based on a second signal-tointerference value, wherein the OFDMA signaling acts as interférence to the non-OFDMA signaling.

4. The method of any of claims 1 through 3 wherein first and second transmission power levels are for the OFDMA and non-OFDMA signaling, respectively, the method further comprising:

selecting at least one of the first and second transmission power level based on a first signal-to-interference condition, thereby adapting the first signal-to-interference value.

5. The method of any of claims 1 through 4 further comprising adapting the first signal to-interference value by selecting the number of the one or more excluded sub-carriers based on a second signal-to-interference condition.

6. The method of any of claims 1 through 5 wherein the OFDMA and non-OFDMA signaling comprise downlink signais, the method further comprising concurrently transmitting the downlink signais.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein excluding the one or more sub-carriers from the OFDMA signaling comprises setting corresponding inputs of an inverse fast Fourier transformer, IFFT, to zéro.

8. The method of any of claims 1 through 5 wherein the OFDMA and non-OFDMA signaling comprise uplink signais, the method further comprising:

sending, to the OFDMA wireless communication devices, respective messages indicative of the excluded sub-carriers and the selected modulation and coding scheme to be used for the OFDMA signaling; and sending, to the non-OFDMA wireless communication device, a message indicative of the center frequency.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

concurrently receiving the uplink signais from the OFDMA wireless communication devices and from the non-OFDMA wireless communication device;

extracting the OFDMA signaling by excluding the one or more sub-carriers from an OFDMA demodulated signal; and extracting the non-OFDMA signaling by filtering.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein excluding the one or more sub-carriers from the OFDMA demodulated signal comprises ignoring corresponding outputs of an IFFT.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium, having thereon a computer program comprising program instructions, the computer program being loadable into a data-processing unit and adapted to cause execution of the method according to any of claims 1 through 10 when the computer program is run by the data-processing unit.

12. A link adaptation arrangement for a network node adapted to operate in concurrent association with one or more orthogonal frequency division multiple access - OFDMA wireless communication devices using OFDMA signaling, and a non-OFDMA wireless communication device using non-OFDMA signaling having a bandwidth that is smaller than a maximum bandwidth of the OFDMA signaling, the arrangement comprising a controller adapted to cause:

exclusion of one or more sub-carriers from the OFDMA signaling to create a frequency gap;

détermination of a center frequency of the non-OFDMA signaling such that the center frequency is within the frequency gap; and sélection of a modulation and coding scheme to be used for the OFDMA signaling based on a First signal-to-interference value, wherein the non-OFDMA signaling acts as interférence to the OFDMA signaling.

13. The arrangement of claim 12 wherein the controller is adapted to cause sélection of the modulation and coding scheme to be used for the OFDMA signaling by causing:

sélection of a nominal modulation and coding scheme for the OFDMA signaling; and adjustment of the modulation and coding scheme of sub-carriers adjacent to the frequency gap to a modulation and coding scheme that is more robust than the nominal modulation and coding scheme.

14. The arrangement of any of claims 12 through 13 wherein the controller is further adapted to cause sélection of a modulation and coding scheme to be used for the non-OFDMA signaling based on a second signal-to-interference value, wherein the OFDMA signaling acts as interférence to the non-OFDMA signaling.

15. The arrangement of any of claims 12 through 14 wherein first and second transmission power levels are for the OFDMA and non-OFDMA signaling, respectively, and wherein the controller is further adapted to cause:

sélection of at least one of the first and second transmission power level based on a first signal-to-interference condition, thereby causing adaption of the first signal-to-interference value.

16. The arrangement of any of claims 12 through 15 wherein the controller is further adapted to cause adaption of the first signal-to-interference value by causing sélection of the

19 number of the one or more excluded sub-carriers based on a second signal-to-interference condition.

17. The arrangement of any of claims 12 through 16 wherein the OFDMA and nonOFDMA signaling comprise downlink signais, and wherein the controller is further adapted to cause concurrent transmission of the downlink signais.

18. The arrangement of any of claims 12 through 16 wherein the OFDMA and nonOFDMA signaling comprise uplink signais, and wherein the controller is further adapted to cause:

sending, to the OFDMA wireless communication devices, of respective messages indicative of the excluded sub-carriers and the selected modulation and coding scheme to be used for the OFDMA signaling; and sending, to the non-OFDMA wireless communication device, of a message indicative of the center frequency.

19. The arrangement of claim 18 wherein the controller is further adapted to cause:

concurrent réception of the uplink signais from the OFDMA wireless communication devices and from the non-OFDMA wireless communication device;

extraction of the OFDMA signaling by exclusion of the one or more sub-carriers from an OFDMA demodulated signal; and extraction of the non-OFDMA signaling by filtering.

20. A network node comprising the arrangement according to any of claims 12 through 19.