Method and apparatus for providing configurable layers and protocols in a communications system

• US 20030133494A1
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Bender, Paul E., Karmi, Gadi, Mohanty, Bibhu
• Granted Patent: US 7,106,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/130
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

The layers and protocols of an air interface layering architecture are designed to be modular and can be modified and upgraded to support new features, perform complex tasks, and implement additional functionality. Prior to commencement of data communication between a first entity (e.g., an access terminal) and a second entity (e.g., a radio network), a set of layers and/or protocols is selected for negotiation. For each selected layer and protocol (i.e., each attribute), a list of attribute values considered acceptable to the first entity is determined. The selected attributes and their associated attribute values are sent from the first entity and, in response, a list of processed attributes and their associated lists of processed attribute values are received. Each list of processed attribute values includes attribute values considered acceptable to the second entity. The layers and protocols in the first entity are then configured in accordance with the received list of processed attributes and their associated processed attribute values. Other features related to configurable layers and protocols are also provided.

Claims

1. An access terminal in a spread spectrum communications system comprising:

a controller configured to receive and process data;

an encoder coupled to the controller and configured to encode the processed data from the controller;

a modulator coupled to the encoder and configured to modulate the encoded data from the encoder;

a transmitter coupled to the modulator and configured to convert the modulated data from the modulator into an analog signal suitable for transmission over a transmission medium, and

wherein the controller is further configured to implement a set of layers and protocols used to support data transmission, and wherein one or more layers and one or more protocols, or a combination thereof, are configurable by the access terminal prior to the data transmission.

2. The access terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a forward link signal;

a demodulator coupled to the receiver and configured to demodulate the received forward link signal; and

a decoder coupled to the demodulator and configured to decode the demodulated signal from the demodulator to generated decoded data, and

wherein the controller further couples to the decoder and is operative to configure one or more of the configurable layers and protocols based at least in part on the decoded data from the decoder.

3. An access terminal in a spread spectrum communications system comprising:

means for receiving and processing data;

means for encoding the processed data;

means for modulating the encoded data;

means for converting the modulated data into an analog signal suitable for transmission over a transmission medium, and

means for implementing a set of layers and protocols used to support data transmission, and wherein one or more layers and one or more protocols, or a combination thereof, are configurable prior to the data transmission.

4. The access terminal of claim 3, further comprising:

means for receiving a forward link signal;

means for demodulate the received forward link signal; and

means for decoding the demodulated signal to generated decoded data, and

means for configuring one or more of the configurable layers and protocols based at least in part on the decoded data.

5. A method comprising:

receiving and processing data;

encoding the processed data;

modulating the encoded data;

converting the modulated data into an analog signal suitable for transmission over a transmission medium, and

implementing a set of layers and protocols used to support data transmission, and wherein one or more layers and one or more protocols, or a combination thereof, are configurable prior to the data transmission.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a forward link signal;

demodulate the received forward link signal; and

decoding the demodulated signal to generated decoded data, and

configuring one or more of the configurable layers and protocols based at least in part on the decoded data.