Prior art — US Patent 8315640

Here is an analysis of the most relevant prior art for US Patent 8315640, based on its own citations and disclosures:

US Patent 8315640: Methods and systems for transmission of multiple modulated signals over wireless networks

Publication Number: US8315640B2
Publication Date: 2012-11-20
Filing Date: 2009-12-23
Priority Date: 1999-05-21

US Patent 8315640 describes a novel method and apparatus for requesting and allocating bandwidth in a broadband wireless communication system. The invention focuses on reducing bandwidth consumption for request/allocation purposes and timely responses, particularly for uplink transmissions from Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) to a base station. Key techniques include a combination of polling (individual, group, periodic, and triggered by a "poll-me bit") and "piggybacking" bandwidth requests on existing transmissions. A significant aspect is that the CPE is responsible for distributing the allocated uplink bandwidth among its services.

The patent explicitly identifies two US patents as relevant prior art in its "Background of the Invention" section: U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,311 by Gilbert et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,573 by Karol et al.

Prior Art Reference 1: U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,311 (Gilbert et al.)

Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,311, by Gilbert et al., entitled “Adaptive Time Division Duplexing Method and Apparatus for Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation within a Wireless Communication System.”
Publication Date: January 18, 2000
Filing Date: September 9, 1997
Brief Description: This patent is described in US8315640 as defining a wireless communication system that facilitates two-way communication between subscriber units and a fixed network infrastructure, utilizing time division duplexing (TDD) or frequency division duplexing (FDD) methods. Specifically, US8315640 references Gilbert et al. for the concept of adaptive time-division duplexing (ATDD), where the number of physical slots (PSs) allocated to downlink versus uplink dynamically varies over time within a frame structure. It also covers the general architecture of a broadband wireless communication system, including base stations and active antenna arrays transmitting to multiple sectors.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Gilbert et al. potentially anticipates general aspects of dynamic bandwidth allocation within a wireless TDD system and the overall frame structure (e.g., TDD frames, multi-frames, hyper-frames, and the division into uplink and downlink time slots). Therefore, elements of claims in US8315640 that broadly relate to "a broadband wireless communication system" or "a base station allocating available bandwidth on an uplink and a downlink of a physical channel" in a TDD context (e.g., parts of Claims 1 and 11) could be considered anticipated or rendered obvious by Gilbert et al. However, the specific inventive steps of US8315640, such as the mechanisms for bandwidth requesting (e.g., setting a "poll-me bit" in a MAC header, piggybacking requests) and the implicit allocation by the base station in the uplink sub-frame map, or the CPE's role in distributing its allocated bandwidth, are not described as being present in Gilbert et al. according to the '640 patent's own background. US8315640 presents these as novel solutions to efficiency problems not adequately addressed by prior art like Gilbert et al.

Prior Art Reference 2: U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,573 (Karol et al.)

Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,573, by Karol et al., entitled “Bandwidth Allocation System for a Shared Processing Fabric.”
Publication Date: October 7, 1997
Filing Date: December 14, 1995
Brief Description: US8315640 describes Karol et al. as a bandwidth allocation system for a "shared processing fabric" that allows packets or cells from different sources to gain access based on individual guaranteed bandwidth requirements and secondary criteria like time of arrival. This system uses separate logical buffers/queues for data packets/cells from each source. US8315640 positions this as a prior art attempt to solve bandwidth allocation by maintaining logical queues for shared system resources.
Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Karol et al. potentially anticipates the general concept of allocating bandwidth based on quality of service (QoS) and managing queued data from various sources in a shared resource environment. Thus, the broad concept described in US8315640's claims regarding a base station allocating bandwidth "depending upon priorities and rules imposed by a quality of service (QoS) associated with each of the plurality of services" (e.g., parts of Claims 1 and 11) might find general conceptual overlap with Karol et al. However, Karol et al. appears to operate in a more general "shared processing fabric" context, rather than specifically addressing the unique challenges of uplink bandwidth allocation in a wireless network. The distinctive features of US8315640, such as using a "poll-me bit" in a MAC header for bandwidth requests, implicit bandwidth allocation via an uplink sub-frame map, "piggybacking" on existing transmissions, or the CPE's role in distributing its allocated bandwidth, are not described as being taught by Karol et al. within the context provided by US8315640. The '640 patent emphasizes its solutions for reducing control message overhead and ensuring timely responses in the wireless uplink.