Trigger for sending scheduling information in HSUPA

• US 20060104240A1
• Filed: 10/20/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ranta-Aho, Karri, Malkamaki, Esa, Sebire, Benoist
• Application Number:
  US11/256,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20060104240A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/263 Rate modification at the source after receiving feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/762 triggered by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/765 triggered by the end-points
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

A method and corresponding equipment by which a service access point (SAP) of a radio access network is able to trigger a user equipment (UE) terminal to send scheduling information to the SAP for use by the SAP in scheduling/allocating resources for packet uplink from the UE to the SAP. The method uses an AG (absolute grant) or RG (relative grant) rate control/scheduling message as the trigger. The scheduling information is then sent by the UE via a MAC-e (medium access control-extended) PDU (protocol data unit).

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

a service access point of a radio access network transmitting a rate control message; and

a user equipment terminal responding to the rate control message by transmitting at least some scheduling information to the service access point according to a predetermined rule for responding to receiving the rate control message.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the at least some scheduling information is conveyed via a MAC-e protocol data unit.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein if the rate control message is an absolute grant message, then the user equipment terminal transmits different scheduling information than if the rate control message is an RG message.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein different bit patterns of a bit signaled as the rate control message trigger the user equipment terminal to transmit different scheduling information.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the rate control message is a relative grant message and triggers the user equipment terminal sending power status as the at least some scheduling information.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein the rate control message is an absolute grant message and triggers the user equipment terminal sending the at least some scheduling information.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein the rate control message is an absolute grant message and triggers the user equipment terminal sending the at least some scheduling information but only if a predetermined bit of the absolute grant message is set.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein the rate control message is an absolute grant message and triggers the user equipment terminal sending the at least some scheduling information but only if a predetermined bit-pattern is present in the absolute grant message.

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein the rate control message is an absolute grant message and triggers the user equipment terminal sending a buffer status as the at least some scheduling information.

10. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage structure embodying computer program code thereon for execution by a computer processor, wherein said computer program code comprises instructions for performing a method according to claim 1.

11. A user equipment terminal apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a rate control message; and

means for transmitting at least some scheduling information in response to receiving the rate control message according to a predetermined rule for responding to receiving the rate control message.

12. A service access point apparatus, comprising:

means for preparing a rate control message according to a predetermined rule relating the rate control message to at least some scheduling information to be provided by a user equipment terminal and for transmitting the rate control message to the user equipment terminal; and

means for receiving the at least some scheduling information from the UE provided in response to the user equipment terminal receiving the rate control message.

13. A system, comprising:

a service access point apparatus having means for transmitting a rate control message to a user equipment terminal according to a predetermined rule for indicating that the user equipment terminal is to provide at least some scheduling information upon receiving the rate control message; and

the user equipment terminal, having means for transmitting the at least some scheduling information in response to receiving the rate control message according to the predetermined rule.

14. A system as in claim 13, wherein the at least some scheduling information is conveyed via a MAC-e protocol data unit.

15. A system as in claim 13, wherein if the rate control message is an absolute grant message, then the user equipment terminal transmits different scheduling information than if the rate control message is a relative grant message.

16. A system as in claim 13, wherein different bit patterns of a bit signaled as the rate control message trigger the user equipment terminal to transmit different scheduling information.

17. A system as in claim 13, wherein the rate control message is a relative grant message and triggers the user equipment terminal sending power status as the at least some scheduling information.

18. A system as in claim 13, wherein the rate control message is an absolute grant message and triggers the user equipment terminal sending the at least some scheduling information.

19. A system as in claim 13, wherein the rate control message is an absolute grant message and triggers the user equipment terminal sending the at least some scheduling information but only if a predetermined bit of the absolute grant message is set.

20. A system as in claim 13, wherein the rate control message is an absolute grant message and triggers the user equipment terminal sending the at least some scheduling information but only if a predetermined bit-pattern is present in the absolute grant message.

21. A system as in claim 13, wherein the rate control message is an absolute grant message and triggers the user equipment terminal sending a buffer status as the at least some scheduling information.