Method and apparatus for maintaining desired link quality when no data is transmitted on transport channels having quality targets

• US 20040203457A1
• Filed: 10/08/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Rikola, Outi, Seppanen, Anna-Mari
• Granted Patent: US 7,215,929 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/20 using signal quality detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/12 Outer and inner loops
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/16 Deriving transmission power values from another channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/20 using error rate

Abstract

Disclosed is a mobile station executed method for updating a signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) target during a discontinuous transmission (DTX) period of a downlink transport channel having a network specified quality target value, as is a mobile station (100) that operates in accordance with the method. The method includes measuring a quality, such as the BLER, of another downlink transport channel for which a network (20) has not specified a quality target value; and updating the SIR target in accordance with the measured quality. For a case where the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is on a power controlled physical channel, updating the SIR target uses the measured quality. For a case where the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is on a non-power controlled physical channel, updating the SIR target includes: (a) determining a mapping function, (b) applying the mapping function to the measured quality to obtain a weighted quality, and (c) using the weighted quality for updating the SIR target. In the preferred embodiment the mobile station conforms to a wide bandwidth, code division multiple access (WCDMA) third generation partnership project (3GPP) air interface standard.

Claims

1. A mobile station executed method for updating a signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) target during a discontinuous transmission (DTX) period of a downlink transport channel having a network specified quality target value, comprising:

measuring a quality of another downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value; and

updating the SIR target in accordance with the measured quality.

2. A method as in claim 1, where the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is on a power controlled physical channel, and where updating uses the measured quality.

3. A method as in claim 1, where the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is on a non-power controlled physical channel, and where updating comprises determining a mapping function, applying the mapping function to the measured quality to obtain a weighted quality, and using the weighted quality for updating the SIR target.

4. A method as in claim 1, where the mobile station conforms to a wide bandwidth, code division multiple access (WCDMA) third generation partnership project (3GPP) air interface standard.

5. A method as in claim 1, where the specified quality is comprised of a Block Error Rate (BLER).

6. A mobile station comprising a controller operating under a stored program for updating a signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) target during a discontinuous transmission (DTX) period of a downlink transport channel having a network specified quality target value, further comprising circuitry for measuring a quality of another downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value, and said controller being responsive to the measured quality for updating the SIR target in accordance with the measured quality.

7. A mobile station as in claim 6, where the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is on a power controlled physical channel, and where the controller operates for updating the SIR target using the measured quality.

8. A mobile station as in claim 6, where the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is on a non-power controlled physical channel, and where the controller operates for updating the SIR target by determining a mapping function, applying the mapping function to the measured quality to obtain a weighted quality, and uses the weighted quality for updating the SIR target.

9. A mobile station as in claim 6, where the mobile station conforms to a wide bandwidth, code division multiple access (WCDMA) third generation partnership project (3GPP) air interface standard.

10. A mobile station as in claim 6, where the specified quality is comprised of a Block Error Rate (BLER).

11. A mobile station executed outer loop power control method for updating a signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) target during a discontinuous transmission (DTX) period of a downlink transport channel having a network specified Block Error Rate (BLER) target value, comprising:

obtaining a BLER value of another downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value; and

updating the SIR target in accordance with the obtained BLER value.

12. A method as in claim 11, where updating further comprises determining whether the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is on a power controlled physical channel or a non-power controlled physical channel, and if the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is determined to be on a non-power controlled physical channel, further comprising determining a mapping function, applying the mapping function to the obtained quality to derive a weighted quality, and using the weighted quality for updating the SIR target.

13. A method as in claim 11, where the mobile station conforms to a wide bandwidth, code division multiple access (WCDMA) third generation partnership project (3GPP) air interface standard.

14. An outer loop power control method for updating a signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) target during a discontinuous transmission (DTX) period of a transport channel having a network specified Block Error Rate (BLER) target value, comprising:

obtaining a BLER value of another transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value; and

updating the SIR target in accordance with the obtained BLER value.