Method for establishing a connection in a radio communication system

• US 20060258384A1
• Filed: 05/21/2004
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks GmbH & Company KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks GmbH & Company KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Proctor, Toby Kier, Traynard, Jean-Michel, Edwin, Diana Clare
• Application Number:
  US10/557,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20060258384A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/503
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0866 using a dedicated channel for access

Abstract

The present invention proposes a new downlink MBMS Associated Control Channel (MACCH), combining the functionalities of a broadcast channel and of an associated point-to-multipoint control channel, to be transmitted by a base station (BTS) to a user equipment (UE). By referring to specific information contained in the channel the user equipment (UE), establishes a point-to-point connection with the base station (BTS) without interrupting the reception of a broadcast/multicast service (MBMS).

Claims

1. A method for establishing a connection in a cellular radio communications system between an at least one user equipment (UE) and a base station (BTS) comprising the steps of:

transmitting from the base station (BTS) a multimedia broadcast/multicast service carrier having a frame structure;

assigning, by said base station (BTS), specific information to at least one frame of said multimedia broadcast/multicast service carrier, wherein said specific information comprises of a combination of broadcast and/or associated control in-formation;

receiving said multimedia broadcast/multicast service carrier at the at least one user equipment (UE);

in response to receiving said specific information in said multimedia broadcast/multicast service carrier establishing a connection from the at least one user equipment (UE) to the base station (BTS), without interrupting the reception of said multimedia broadcast/multicast service carrier.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said connection can be a point-to-point or a point-to-multipoint connection.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein when said specific information is used to establish said point-to-point connection, said specific information includes an identifier to ad-dress a particular user equipment.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein when said specific information is used to establish a point-to-multipoint connection, said specific information includes a global user equipment identifier.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of assigning specific information to at least one frame of said multi-media broadcast/multicast service carrier further comprises the step of stealing at least one frames from said broadcast/multicast service bearer and assigning said specific in-formation in its place.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein when said specific information is used to establish a point-tomultipoint connection, said specific information includes neighbouring cell information.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said neighbouring cell information contains frequency parameters.

8. A method according to one of the previous claims, comprising the step of encoding said specific information.

9. A radio communication system comprising:

a base station (BTS) further comprising;

transmission means (10) adapted to transmit a multimedia broadcast/multicast service carrier having a frame structure;

assigning means (20), in said base station (BTS), adapted to assign specific information to at least one frame of said multimedia broadcast/multicast service carrier, wherein said specific information comprises of a combination of broadcast and/or associated control information and

a user equipment (UE) further comprising;

receiving means (30) adapted to receive a multimedia broadcast/multicast service carrier using a frame structure;

establishing means (40), responsive to said receiving means receiving said specific information in said multimedia broadcast/multicast service carrier, adapted to establishing a connection to a base station (BTS), without interrupting the reception of said multimedia broadcast/multicast service carrier.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein in said user equipment (UE) said establishing means (40) are adapted to establish a point-to point or a point-to-multipoint connection.

11. A system according to claim 9, wherein in said user equipment (UE) said receiving means (30) are further adapted to recognise between broadcast and/or control information.

12. A system according to claim 10, wherein when said system is used to establish said point-to-point connection, said base station (BTS) assigning means (20) are further adapted to assign an identifier, to address a particular user equipment and said user equipment (UE) reception means (30) are further adapted to recognise said identifier.

13. A system according to claim 10, wherein when said system is used to establish said point-to-multipoint connection, said base station (BTS) assigning means (20) are further adapted to assign a global user equipment identifier and/or neighbouring cell frequency parameters and said user equipment (UE) reception means (30) are further adapted to recognise said global user equipment identifier and/or said neighbouring cell frequency parameters.

14. A system according to claim 9, wherein said base station (BTS) assigning means (20) are further adapted to steal at least one frame from said broadcast/multicast service MBMS bearer and to assign said specific information in its place.

15. A base station (BTS) comprising:

transmission means (10) adapted to transmit a multimedia broadcast/multicast service carrier having a frame structure;

assigning means (20) adapted to assign specific information to at least one frame of said multimedia broadcast/multicast service carrier, said specific information comprises of a combination of broadcast and/or associated control information, wherein a user equipment (UE) upon receiving said specific information is enabled to establish a connection with-out interrupting the reception of said multimedia broadcast/multicast service carrier.

16. A base station (BTS) according to claim 15, wherein said assigning means (20) are further adapted to steal at least one frame from said broadcast/multicast service bearer and to assign said specific information in its place.