High priority channel grant by varying access transmission power

• US 20040147274A1
• Filed: 01/23/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Khawand, Charbel, Wieczorek, Alfred B., Wong, Chin P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,239,884 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/522
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/10 Open loop power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/265 taking into account the quality of service QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/48 during retransmission after error or non-acknowledgment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/50 at the moment of starting communication in a multiple access environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria

Abstract

A high priority system access technique is provided in which an MS (310) instead of relying on its open loop power level routine to determine its power level for transmission of a system access request uses a higher power level to transmit its access request, such as its RACH preamble. The power level used for transmission of the RACH preamble can be dependent on the particular user and/or in the application (e.g., dispatch, streaming video, etc.). By using a higher power level than the other MSs (520) operating in the system (500), MS (310) has a higher probability of gaining system access and a channel grant in an expeditious fashion. This priority access technique is very helpful for applications that require quick channel grants.

Claims

1. A method for providing improved access times for a communication device operating in a wireless communication system that uses an open loop power control mode to determine initial power levels for system access request transmissions, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining that an access request needs to be transmitted by the communication device; and

(b) transmitting the access request at a power level that is greater than would have been used by the communication device had it determined the power level to use while in the open loop power control mode.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein in step (b) the access request comprises a Random Access Channel (RACH) preamble.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the power level used for transmitting the access request is dependent on the particular application or Quality of Service (QoS) the communication device is requesting channel access for.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the power level used for transmitting the access request is dependent on the user assigned to the communication device or the identification number of the communication device.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the power level used for the channel access request is stored within the communication device.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the power level used for the access request is provided to the communication device via an external card.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the power level used in step (b) is the highest power level that the communication system allows a communication device to use.

8. A method for providing improved system access times for a communication device operating in a wireless communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) determining that the communication device needs to access the communication system;

(b) transmitting an access request to the communication system at a power level that is related to a Quality of Service (QoS) or application the communication device is attempting to gain access to the communication system to perform.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the access request transmitted in step (b) comprises a Random Access Channel (RACH) preamble.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein the power level used in step (b) varies depending on the particular QoS or application that the communication device plans to use.

11. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the higher power levels are assigned to QoS or applications that require quicker access times.

12. A communication device operable in a communication system that requires an access request be sent by the communication device in order for a channel to be assigned to the communication device by the communication system for use by the communication device for a particular application/service, the communication system uses an open loop power control mode to determine initial power levels for the access request transmissions, the communication device comprising:

a controller;

a transmitter coupled to the controller;

a memory coupled to the controller, stored in the memory is power level information to be used when transmitting an access request to the communication system; and

the controller selects a power level from the power level information stored in memory to use during the access request transmission, the selected power level being greater than would have been used by the communication device had it determined the power level to use while in the open loop power control mode.

13. A communication device as defined in claim 12, wherein the access request transmission comprises a Random Access Channel (RACH) preamble.

14. A communication device as defined in claim 12, wherein the power level selected by the controller for use in transmitting the access request is dependent on the particular application or Quality of Service (QoS) the communication device is requesting channel access for.

15. A communication device as defined in claim 12, wherein the power level selected by the controller for transmitting the access request is dependent on the user assigned to the communication device or the identification number of the communication device.

16. A communication device as defined in claim 12, further comprising:

an external card connector coupled to the controller;

an external card having a memory area, the external card coupled to the external card connector; and

the memory area in the external card forms part of the memory, and the power level selected by the controller for the access request transmission is stored in the memory area of the external card.

17. A communication device as defined in claim 12, wherein the power level selected by the controller is the highest power level that the communication system allows the communication device to use during an access request transmission.

18. A communication device as defined in claim 12, wherein the communication device comprises a communication device operable in a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) or Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) communication system.

19. A communication device as defined in claim 12, wherein the communication device comprises a communication device operable in a Universal Mobile Telephone Service (UMTS) communication system.

20. A communication device as defined in claim 12, wherein the controller selects a higher power level from the power level information stored in memory for a subsequent access request transmission if a system response is not received at the communication device in a predetermined period of time.