Group call method and device

• US 10,154,509 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2014
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Li, Yue, Hu, Zhenxing, Zhu, Song
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wang, William Y
• Application Number:
  US14/190,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20140179293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,749 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/121 for groups of terminals or users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a group call method and device. The method includes: configuring a group context for a user equipment according to channel resource information or according to network side capability information and channel resource information; sending a message carrying a group call parameter in the group context to the user equipment, where the group call parameter is used to receive a group call message and send a response; sending a group call message to the user equipment according to the group context; and receiving a response, to the group call message, sent by the user equipment according to the group call parameter.

Claims

1. A group call method, comprising:

by a base station for a user equipment;

configuring a group context for a group of user equipments according to channel resource information or according to network side capability information and the channel resource information, the group context including different exclusive preambles respectively allocated to different user equipments of the group of user equipments by the base station such that collision of the exclusive preambles within the group of user equipments is avoided;

sending a message carrying a group call parameter in the group context to the user equipment, which is one among the group of user equipments, wherein the group call parameter includes the exclusive preamble allocated to the user equipment and an exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resource, and the group call parameter is used to receive a group call message and send a response;

sending a group call message to the user equipment according to the group context; and

receiving a response, to the group call message, sent by the user equipment using the exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resource, the response including the exclusive preamble;

wherein the channel resource information comprises sending resource information, configured by the base station for the user equipment, of an uplink channel quality detecting signal, and the network side capability information comprises the number of dynamically scheduled user equipments processed by the base station.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, prior to the configuring a group context:

determining, by the base station, the group of user equipments by determining that the user equipments to be grouped into the group are of a same type of user equipment.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the determining the group of user equipments,

each user equipment of the group of user equipments is determined to be of the same type according to an access point number, a quality of service, and/or a machine type communication identifier of the respective user equipment.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the group call parameter further comprises an exclusive uplink channel resource and common radio bearer parameter information, and

method further comprises:

sending a message carrying synchronization information to the user equipment according to the received exclusive preamble;

receiving the uplink channel quality detecting signal sent, according to the synchronization information and the exclusive uplink channel resource, by the user equipment;

sending scheduling signaling to the user equipment according to the uplink channel quality detecting signal; and

receiving data sent, according to the scheduling signaling and the common radio bearer parameter information, by the user equipment.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the method further comprises:

setting transmission success flag byte information of the user equipment that fails in data transmission to be FALSE.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the group context comprises:

common radio bearer information and one or more group information tables corresponding to the common radio bearer information, wherein

the common radio bearer information comprises common radio bearer parameter information, a number of user equipments in the group, the number of continuous pagings of the group, the number of continuous pagings of the group, a time window length, and/or maximum preamble transmission times;

the group information table comprises a group ID, a user equipment ID, an intra-group serial number, exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resource information, the exclusive preamble, a transmission success flag byte, and an exclusive uplink channel resource; and

different exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resources respectively allocated to different user equipments, wherein

each of the different exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resources specifies a different respective combination of a start time at which the respective user equipment is to send the exclusive preamble and a frequency band on which the respective user equipment is to send the exclusive preamble; and

the exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resource included in the group call parameter is one among the different exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resources.

7. A group call method, comprising:

receiving a message sent by a base station and carrying a group call parameter in a group context that is used to receive a group call message and send a response, wherein

the group context is configured, by the base station, according to channel resource information or according to network side capability information and channel resource information, the group context including different exclusive preambles respectively allocated to different user equipments of the group of user equipments by the base station such that collision of the exclusive preambles within the group of user equipments is avoided,

the group call parameter includes an exclusive preamble that is one of the allocated exclusive preambles and an exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resource,

the channel resource information comprises sending resource information, configured by the base station for a user equipment, of an uplink channel quality detecting signal, and

the network side capability information comprises the number of dynamically scheduled user equipments processed by the base station;

storing the group call parameter, and still retaining the group call parameter in an idle state;

receiving, according to the stored group call parameter, the group call message sent by the base station, and sending a response to the group call message to the base station using the exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resource, the response including the exclusive preamble.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein

the group call parameter further comprises a group ID, an exclusive uplink channel resource, common radio bearer parameter information, a time window length, and/or maximum preamble transmission times, and

the receiving, according to the stored group call parameter, the group call message sent by the base station, and sending a response to the group call message to the base station comprises:

when a group ID carried by the received group call message sent by the base station is the same as the stored group ID, using the exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resource to send the exclusive preamble to the base station continuously in a unit transmission time interval TTI or periodically until a message carrying synchronization information is received, or the time window length is reached, or the maximum preamble transmission times are reached;

sending an uplink channel quality detecting signal to the base station according to the synchronization information and the exclusive uplink channel resource until all data is successfully sent, or stopping the transmission when data transmission reaches maximum retransmission times of a hybrid automatic retransmission request HARQ; and

receiving scheduling signaling and the common radio bearer parameter information sent, according to the uplink channel quality detecting signal, by the base station, and sending data to the base station.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the sending the exclusive preamble continuously in a unit transmission time interval TTI or periodically comprises:

sending the exclusive preamble for the first time with a power which is decreased by a grade from a stored power recorded when the message is successfully sent last time, and storing a power recorded when the message is successfully sent this time.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

when the user equipment succeeds in data transmission, or the message carrying the synchronization information is still not received when the time window length is reached, or data transmission reaches the maximum retransmission times of the hybrid automatic retransmission request HARQ, entering, by the user equipment, the idle state.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the group context comprises:

common radio bearer information and one or more group information tables corresponding to the common radio bearer information, wherein

the common radio bearer information comprises common radio bearer parameter information, a number of user equipments in the group, the number of continuous pagings of the group, a time window length, and/or maximum preamble transmission times; and

the group information table comprises a group ID, a user equipment ID, an intra-group serial number, exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resource information, the exclusive preamble, a transmission success flag byte, and an exclusive uplink channel resource; and

different exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resources respectively allocated to different user equipments, wherein

each of the different exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resources specifies a different respective combination of a start time at which the respective user equipment is to send the exclusive preamble and a frequency band on which the respective user equipment is to send the exclusive preamble, and

the exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resource included in the group call parameter is one among the different exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resources.

12. A group call device, comprising:

a processor, adapted to configure a group context for a group of user equipments according to channel resource information or according to network side capability information and channel resource information, the group context including different exclusive preambles respectively allocated to different user equipments of the group of user equipments by the processor such that collision of the exclusive preambles within the group of user equipments is avoided; and

a transmitter, adapted to send a message carrying a group call parameter in the group context configured by the processor to the user equipment, which is one among the group of user equipments, wherein the group call parameter includes the exclusive preamble allocated to the user equipment and an exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resource, and the group call parameter is used to receive a group call message and send a response, wherein

the transmitter is further adapted to send a group call message to the user equipment according to the group context configured by the processor; and

the transmitter is further adapted to receive a response, to the group call message, sent by the user equipment using the exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resource, the response including the exclusive preamble;

wherein the channel resource information comprises sending resource information, configured by the device for the user equipment, of an uplink channel quality detecting signal, and the network side capability information comprises the number that the processor processes dynamic scheduled user equipments, and

wherein the group call device is part of a base station.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein

to configure the group context, the processor determines that user equipments to be grouped into the group of user equipments are of a same type of user equipment.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein

the processor determines that user equipments to be grouped into the group of user equipments are of a same type of user equipment according to an access point number, quality of service, and/or a machine type communication identifier of the respective user equipment.

15. The device according to claim 12, wherein the transmitter is specifically adapted to, when the group call parameter further comprises an exclusive uplink channel resource, and common radio bearer parameter information:

send a message carrying synchronization information to the user equipment according to the received exclusive preamble;

receive the uplink channel quality detecting signal sent, according to the synchronization information and the exclusive uplink channel resource, by the user equipment;

send scheduling signaling to the user equipment according to the uplink channel quality detecting signal; and

receive data sent, according to the scheduling signaling and the common radio bearer parameter information, by the user equipment.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the device further comprises:

the processor, adapted to set transmission success flag byte information of the user equipment that fails in data transmission to be FALSE.

17. The device according to claim 12, wherein the group context configured by the processor comprises:

common radio bearer information and one or more group information tables corresponding to the common radio bearer information, wherein

the common radio bearer information comprises common radio bearer parameter information, a number of user equipments in the group, the number of continuous pagings of the group, a time window length, and/or maximum preamble transmission times;

the group information table comprises a group ID, a user equipment ID, an intra-group serial number, exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resource information, an exclusive preamble, a transmission success flag byte, and an exclusive uplink channel resource; and

different exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resources respectively allocated to different user equipments, wherein

each of the different exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resources specifies a different respective combination of a start time at which the respective user equipment is to send the exclusive preamble and a frequency band on which the respective user equipment is to send the exclusive preamble, and

the exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resource included in the group call parameter is one among the different exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resources.

18. A group call device, comprising:

a transmitter, adapted to receive a message sent by a base station and carrying a group call parameter in a group context that is used to receive a group call message and send a response, wherein

the group context is configured, by the base station, according to channel resource information or according to network side capability information and channel resource information, the group context including different exclusive preambles respectively allocated to different user equipments of the group of user equipments by the base station such that collision of the exclusive preambles within the group of user equipments is avoided,

the group call parameter includes an exclusive preamble that is one of the allocated exclusive preambles and an exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resource, and the group call device is included in a user equipment to which the exclusive preamble has been allocated,

the channel resource information comprises sending resource information, configured by the base station, of an uplink channel quality detecting signal, and

the network side capability information comprises the number of dynamically scheduled user equipments processed by the base station;

a memory, adapted to store the group call parameter received by the transmitter; and

a processor, adapted to still retain the group call parameter stored by the memory in an idle state;

wherein

the transmitter is adapted to receive, according to the group call parameter stored by the memory, the group call message sent by the base station using the exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resource, and send a response to the group call message to the base station, the response including the exclusive preamble.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the transmitter is specifically adapted to, when the group call parameter further comprises a group ID, common radio bearer parameter information, a time window length, and/or maximum preamble transmission times, and a group ID carried by the group call message sent by the base station is the same as the group ID stored by the memory:

send the exclusive preamble to the base station continuously in a unit transmission time interval TTI or periodically until a message carrying synchronization information is received, or the time window length is reached, or the maximum preamble transmission times are reached, wherein the exclusive preamble uses a time frequency resource sent by the exclusive preamble to send to the base station;

send an uplink channel quality detecting signal to the base station according to the synchronization information and the exclusive uplink channel resource until all data is successfully sent, or stop the transmission when data transmission reaches maximum retransmission times of a hybrid automatic retransmission request HARQ; and

receive scheduling signaling and the common radio bearer parameter information sent, according to the uplink channel quality detecting signal, by the base station, and send data to the base station.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein

the transmitter is specifically adapted to send the exclusive preamble for the first time with a power which is decreased by a grade from a stored power recorded when the message is successfully sent last time, and store a power recorded when the message is successfully sent this time.

21. The device according to claim 19, wherein the processor is further adapted to:

when the transmitter succeeds in data transmission, or the message carrying the synchronization information is still not received when the time window length is reached, or data transmission reaches the maximum retransmission times of the hybrid automatic retransmission request HARQ, enable the device to enter the idle state.

22. The device according to claim 18, wherein the group context received by the transmitter comprises:

common radio bearer information and one or more group information tables corresponding to the common radio bearer information, wherein

the common radio bearer information comprises common radio bearer parameter information, a number of user equipments in the group, the number of continuous pagings of the group, a time window length, and/or maximum preamble transmission times;

the group information table comprises a group ID, a user equipment ID, an intra-group serial number, exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resource information, an exclusive preamble, a transmission success flag byte, and an exclusive uplink channel resource; and

different exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resources respectively allocated to different user equipments, wherein

each of the different exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resources specifies a different respective combination of a start time at which the respective user equipment is to send the exclusive preamble and a frequency band on which the respective user equipment is to send the exclusive preamble, and

the exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resource included in the group call parameter is one among the different exclusive preamble transmission time frequency resources.