Method and apparatus for distributed signaling for uplink rate control

• US 20030219037A1
• Filed: 05/24/2002
• Published: 11/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Rinne, Mikko J., Malkamaki, Esa, Toskala, Antti, Derryberry, R. Thomas, Hao, Guan
• Granted Patent: US 7,539,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/496
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/16 Deriving transmission power values from another channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/20 using error rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/225 Calculation of statistics, e.g. average, variance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/10 between terminal device and access point, i.e. wireless air interface

Abstract

A method and associated equipment for use by a first entity (17) of a radio access network (101), such as a node B. in communicating with a UE (18) so as to control an uplink rate used by the UE (18) in communicating with the first entity (17), the method characterized by: a step in which the first entity (17) transmits to the UE (18) a rate control signal (RA) conveying information regarding the uplink rate. The rate control signal may be used to command the UE (18) to adjust the maximum uplink rate in a range or set of uplink rates; alternatively, it may be used to command the UE (18) to adjust the uplink rate. The rate control signal (RA) may be sent as a response to a rate change request signal (RR) received from the UE (18) by the first entity (17).

Claims

1. A method for use by a first entity (17) of a radio access network (101) in communicating with a UE (18) so as to control an uplink rate used by the UE (18) in communicating with the first entity (17), the radio resources of the first entity (17) being controlled by a second entity (11) within the radio access network, the method characterized by:

a step (201) in which the first entity transmits to the UE (18) a rate control signal (RA) conveying information regarding the uplink rate.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the rate control signal (RA) is used to command the UE (18) to adjust the maximum uplink rate in a range or set of uplink rates from which the UE (18) chooses an uplink rate.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the rate control signal (RA) is used to command the UE (18) to adjust the uplink rate.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the rate control signal (RA) is a relative adjustment to the uplink rate.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second entity has a signaling mechanism providing connection management and maintenance including controlling the uplink rate for the UE (18).

6. The method of claim 1, further characterized in that the content of the rate control signal (RA) is determined based on a measurement of the quality of the UE signal received by the first entity (17).

7. The method of claim 1, further characterized in that the rate control signal (RA) is received as one or more bits in one or more predetermined time slots being communicated over a dedicated physical channel (DL DPCH).

8. The method of claim 1, further characterized in that the rate control signal (RA) is transmitted in replacement of a symbol at a predetermined position in one or more predetermined time slots transmitted over a dedicated physical channel (associated DL DPCH).

9. The method of claim 8, further characterized in that when the rate control signal (RA) is received, it is replaced with zeroes and the symbol in replacement of which the rate control signal (RA) was transmitted is recovered in a decoding process in the UE (18) by using error correction.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the rate control signal (RA) is sent as a response to a rate change request signal (RR) received from the UE (18).

11. The method of claim 10, further characterized in that the rate change request signal (RR) is transmitted on an uplink acknowledgment channel (HS-DPCCH).

12. The method of claim 11, further characterized in that the rate change request signal (RR) is transmitted as a bit in a predetermined position in a predetermined time slot of the uplink acknowledgement channel (HS-DPCCH), the rate change request signal (RR) being transmitted with a frequency that is configurable by the first entity (17) using high-level signaling.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the rate change request signal (RR) is a request to adjust the maximum allowed data rate permitted to the UE (18).

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the rate change request signal (RR) is a request for relative adjustment to a pre-defined higher value of the maximum allowed data rate permitted to the UE (18).

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the rate change request signal (RR) is a request for relative adjustment to either a higher or a lower value of the maximum allowed data rate permitted to the UE (18).

16. An apparatus (18) characterized in that it is operative according to the method of claim 1 in respect to the UE (18).

17. An apparatus (17) of a radio access network (101), characterized in that it is operative according to the method of claim 1 in respect to the first entity (17).

18. A system, characterized in that it comprises a first apparatus (18) and a radio access network (101) including a second apparatus (17), the first apparatus (18) operative according to the method of claim 1 in respect to the UE (18), and the second apparatus (17) operative according to the method of claim 1 in respect to the first entity (17).