1. A method for allocating resources of a wireless communication system, the method including:
determining power levels of downlink (DL) communication channels between a base station and a user agent (UA) and between each of a plurality of relay nodes (RNs) and the UA;
determining coupling losses of uplink (UL) communication channels between the base station and the UA and between each of the plurality of RNs and the UA; and
when the power level of the DL communication channel between the base station and the UA is greater than the power levels of the DL communication channels between each of the plurality of RNs and the UA, and the coupling losses of the UL communication channel between at least one of the RNs and the UA are less than the coupling losses of the UL communication channel between the base station and the UA:
allocating a DL communication channel resource on the base station to the UA, and
allocating a UL communication channel resource on the at least one of the plurality of RNs to the UA.
2. The method of claim 1, including, when the power level of the DL communication channel between the base station and the UA is less than the power level of the DL communication channel between at least one of the plurality of RNs and the UA, and the coupling losses of the UL communication channels between each of the RNs and the UA are greater than the coupling losses of the UL communication channel between the base station and the UA:
allocating a DL communication channel resource on the at least one of the plurality of RNs to the UA, and
allocating a UL communication channel resource on the base station to the UA.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the base station is an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) node B (eNB).
4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining power levels of DL communication channels between the base station and the UA and between each of the plurality of RNs and the UA includes:
receiving a Sounding Reference Signal (SRS); and
using the SRS to determine a power level of a DL communication channel between at least one of the base station and the UA and one of the plurality of RNs and the UA.
5. The method of claim 1, including using a margin to modify a value of at least one of the power levels and the coupling losses.
6. A method for allocating resources of a wireless communication system, the method including:
receiving sounding reference signals (SRSs) from at least one of a UA and a plurality of relay nodes (RNs), the SRSs describing power levels of uplink (UL) communication channels between the UA and a base station and between the UA and each of the plurality of RNs;
when a power level of a UL communication channel between the UA and at least one of the plurality of RNs is greater than the power level of the UL communication channel between the UA and the base station, identifying one of the RNs having the UL communication channel with the greatest power level out of the plurality of RNs;
determining a receiving power of the UA from the base station and a receiving power of the UA from one of the plurality of RNs; and
when the receiving power of the UA from the base station is greater than the receiving power of the UA from one of the plurality of RNs:
allocating UL communication channel resources on both the base station and the one of the plurality of RNs to the UA, and
allocating a downlink (DL) communication channel resource on the base station to the UA.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the base station is an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) node B (eNB).
8. The method of claim 6, including using a margin to modify a value of at least one of the power levels and the receiving powers.
9. A base station for allocating resources of a wireless communication system, the base station comprising:
a processor, the processor being configured to:
determine power levels of downlink (DL) communication channels between the base station and a user agent (UA) and between each of a plurality of relay nodes (RNs) and the UA;
determine coupling losses of uplink (UL) communication channels between the base station and the UA and between each of the plurality of RNs and the UA; and
when the power level of the DL communication channel between the base station and the UA is greater than the power levels of the DL communication channels between each of the plurality of RNs and the UA, and the coupling losses of the UL communication channel between at least one of the RNs and the UA are less than the coupling losses of the UL communication channel between the base station and the UA:
allocate a DL communication channel resource on the base station to the UA; and
allocate a UL communication channel resource on the at least one of the plurality of RNs to the UA.
10. The base station of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to, when the power level of the DL communication channel between the base station and the UA is less than the power level of the DL communication channel between at least one of the plurality of RNs and the UA, and the coupling losses of the UL communication channels between each of the RNs and the UA are greater than the coupling losses of the UL communication channel between the base station and the UA:
allocate a DL communication channel resource on the at least one of the plurality of RNs to the UA; and
allocate a UL communication channel resource on the base station to the UA.
11. The base station of claim 9, wherein the base station includes an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) node B (eNB).
12. The base station of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive a Sounding Reference Signal (SRS); and
use the SRS to determine a power level of a DL communication channel between at least one of the base station and the UA and one of the plurality of RNs and the UA.
13. The base station of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to use a margin to modify a value of at least one of the power levels and the coupling losses.
14. A base station for allocating resources of a wireless communication system, the base station comprising:
a processor, the processor being configured to:
receive sounding reference signals (SRSs) from at least one of a user agent (UA) and the plurality of relay nodes (RNs), the SRSs describing power levels of uplink (UL) communication channels between the UA and the base station and between the UA and each of a plurality of RNs;
when a power level of a UL communication channel between the UA and at least one of the plurality of RNs is greater than the power level of the UL communication channel between the UA and the base station, identify one of the RNs having the UL communication channel with the greatest power level out of the plurality of RNs;
determine a receiving power of the UA from the base station and a receiving power of the UA from one of the plurality of RNs; and
when the receiving power of the UA from the base station is greater than the receiving power of the UA from one of the plurality of RNs:
allocate UL communication channel resources on both the base station and the one of the plurality of RNs to the UA, and
allocate a downlink (DL) communication channel resource on the base station to the UA.
15. The base station of claim 14, wherein the base station includes an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) node B (eNB).
16. The base station of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to use a margin to modify a value of at least one of the power levels and the transmission powers.
17. A wireless communication system, comprising:
a plurality of relay nodes (RNs), the RNs being configured to communicate with at least one of the base station and a user agent (UA); and
a base station, the base station being configured to:
determine power levels of downlink (DL) communication channels between the base station and the UA and between each of the plurality of RNs and the UA;
determine coupling losses of uplink (UL) communication channels between the base station and the UA and between each of the plurality of RNs and the UA; and
when the power level of the DL communication channel between the base station and the UA is greater than the power levels of the DL communication channels between each of the plurality of RNs and the UA, and the coupling losses of the UL communication channel between at least one of the RNs and the UA are less than the coupling losses of the UL communication channel between the base station and the UA:
allocate a DL communication channel resource on the base station to the UA, and
allocate a UL communication channel resource on the at least one of the plurality of RNs to the UA.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the base station is further configured to, when the power level of the DL communication channel between the base station and the UA is less than the power level of the DL communication channel between at least one of the plurality of RNs and the UA, and the coupling losses of the UL communication channels between each of the RNs and the UA are greater than the coupling losses of the UL communication channel between the base station and the UA:
allocate a DL communication channel resource on the at least one of the plurality of RNs to the UA, and
allocate a UL communication channel resource on the base station to the UA.
19. The system of claim 17, wherein the base station is an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) node B (eNB).
20. The system of claim 17, wherein the base station is further configured to:
receive a Sounding Reference Signal (SRS); and
use the SRS to determine a power level of a DL communication channel between at least one of the base station and the UA and one of the plurality of RNs and the UA.
21. The system of claim 17, wherein the base station is further configured to use a margin to modify a value of at least one of the power levels and the coupling losses.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An implantable medical device comprising:
a housing having an inner surface and an outer surface;
electronics enclosed by the housing;
an electrode assembly coupled to the housing, the electrode assembly comprising:
a feedthrough extending through the housing, between the inner and outer surfaces thereof, the feedthrough including a ferrule, an insulator, and an electrically conductive pin, the ferrule being coupled to the housing, the pin extending through the ferrule from an internal end thereof, adjacent the inner surface of the housing, to an external end thereof, adjacent the outer surface of the housing, the insulator filling an area between the pin and ferrule, and the internal end of the pin being coupled to the electronics;
an electrode coupled to the external end of the conductive pin of the feedthrough; and
a securing assembly connected to the outer surface of the housing, the securing assembly including an insulator cup that surrounds a perimeter of the electrode, and a retention bracket coupled to the insulator cup and to the housing, the retention bracket extending between the outer surface of the housing and the electrode.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the retention bracket of the securing assembly is welded to the housing.
3. An assembly for an implantable medical device, the device including electronics, a hermetically sealed housing enclosing the electronics, and a feedthrough extending through the housing, between an inner surface of the housing and an outer surface of the housing, the feedthrough including an electrically conductive pin, the pin extending from an internal end thereof, adjacent the inner surface of the housing, to an external end thereof, adjacent the outer surface of the housing, and the internal end of the pin being coupled to the electronics; and wherein the assembly comprises:
an electrode coupled to the external end of the conductive pin;
an insulator cup surrounding a perimeter of the electrode; and
a retention bracket coupled to the insulator cup and to the housing, the retention bracket extending between the outer surface of the housing and the electrode.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the retention bracket of the securing assembly is molded into the insulator cup.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the insulator cup of the securing assembly snaps onto the retention bracket.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein the insulator cup of the securing assembly protrudes less than about 0.175 inches perpendicular from the outer surface of the housing.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein the insulator cup of the securing assembly protrudes less than about 0.1 inches perpendicular from the outer surface of the housing.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein the securing assembly further comprises adhesive, the adhesive filling a void between the insulator cup and the outer surface of the housing.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrode of the electrode assembly is non-planar.
10. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrode of the electrode assembly is dome shaped.
11. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrode of the electrode assembly is rectangular.
12. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrode of the electrode assembly has a high-surface area coating.
13. The device of claim 1, wherein the insulator cup of the securing assembly includes an indentation in which the electrode resides.
14. The device of claim 1, wherein the securing assembly includes at least one adhesive fill hole or vent.
15. The assembly of claim 3, further comprising at least one adhesive fill hole or vent.
16. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the retention bracket is welded to the housing.
17. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the retention bracket is molded into the insulator cup.
18. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the insulator cup snaps onto the retention bracket.
19. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the insulator cup protrudes less than about 0.175 inches perpendicular from the outer surface of the housing.
20. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the insulator cup protrudes less than about 0.1 inches perpendicular from the outer surface of the housing.
21. The assembly of claim 3, further comprising adhesive, the adhesive filling a void between the insulator cup and the outer surface of the housing.
22. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the electrode is non-planar.
23. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the electrode is dome shaped.
24. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the electrode is rectangular.
25. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the electrode has a high-surface area coating.
26. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the insulator cup includes an indentation in which the electrode resides.
27. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the retention bracket includes radially extending legs, between which the conductive pin extends.
28. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the retention bracket is disk shaped and includes a hole through which the conductive pin extends.