Apparatus, method and computer program product providing radio link parameter update for reallocation of HARQ process for 2ms NST/ST

• US 20070116002A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nakamata, Masatoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,966,019 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/394
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1854 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer program for re-allocating a hybrid automatic repeat request HARQ process is described where a Node B initiates HARQ re-allocation by sending to a radio network controller RNC a RL PARAMETER UPDATE INDICATION message that includes at least one of a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms non-scheduled transmission NST GRANT information element IE and a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms scheduled transmission ST GRANT IE indicating a value for HARQ process re-allocation. The Node B then receives from the RNC a RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE or REQUEST message that contains the NST or ST GRANT IE. Responsive to receiving the RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE or REQUEST message, the Node B sends to the RNC a RL RECONFIGURATION READY or RESPONSE message, then receives from the RNC a RL RECONFIGURATION COMMIT message. Responsive to the COMMIT message, the Node B re-allocates the HARQ process according to the RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE or REQUEST message.

Claims

1. A method for re-allocating a hybrid automatic repeat request process comprising:

sending from a Node B a first message for reallocating a hybrid automatic repeat request process;

receiving at the Node B a reply to the first message; and

responsive to the reply, re-allocating the hybrid automatic repeat request process according to the reply.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message comprises a RADIO LINK RL PARAMETER UPDATE message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the RL PARAMETER UPDATE INDICATION message comprises at least one of a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms non-scheduled transmission GRANT information element and a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms scheduled transmission GRANT information element, said at least one information element indicating a value for hybrid automatic repeat request process re-allocation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reply comprises one of a RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE and a RL RECONFIGURATION REQUEST message that contain an E-DCH GRANT TYPE, said GRANT TYPE comprising one of a non-scheduled or a scheduled transmission for a MAC-d flow.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein re-allocating the hybrid automatic repeat request process according to the reply comprises re-allocating only those hybrid automatic repeat request processes of the type indicated in the E-DCH GRANT TYPE.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein re-allocating the hybrid automatic repeat request process according to the reply comprises the further elements of:

sending from the Node B one of a RL RECONFIGURATION READY message and a RL RECONFIGURATION RESPONSE message, and thereafter

receiving a RL RECONFIGURATION COMMIT message;

wherein re-allocating the hybrid automatic repeat request process according to the reply follows the COMMIT message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is specific to a MAC-d flow that is identified in the request.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is specific to a particular user equipment.

9. A method for re-allocating a hybrid automatic repeat request HARQ process comprising:

initiating at a Node B a HARQ re-allocation by sending from the Node B to a serving radio network controller SRNC a RL PARAMETER UPDATE INDICATION message that comprises at least one of a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms non-scheduled transmission NST GRANT information element and a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms scheduled transmission ST GRANT information element, said at least one information element indicating a value for HARQ process re-allocation;

receiving at the Node B from the SRNC one of a RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE message and a RL RECONFIGURATION REQUEST message that contains the said at least one information element;

responsive to receiving the RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE message or the RL RECONFIGURATION REQUEST message, sending from the Node B to the SRNC a RL RECONFIGURATION READY message or a RL RECONFIGURATION RESPONSE message;

receiving at the Node B from the SRNC a RL RECONFIGURATION COMMIT message; and

responsive to receiving the COMMIT message, re-allocating the HARQ process according to the received RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE message or the received RL RECONFIGURATION REQUEST message.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

RL PARAMETER UPDATE INDICATION message;

the RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE or REQUEST message;

the RL RECONFIGURATION READY or RESPONSE message; and

the RL RECONFIGURATION COMMIT message;

each comprises at least one of Node B Application Part NBAP message or a Radio Node Subsystem Application Part RNSAP message.

11. A method for re-allocating a hybrid automatic repeat request HARQ process comprising:

receiving from a Node B a RL PARAMETER UPDATE INDICATION message that comprises at least one of a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms non-scheduled transmission NST GRANT information element and a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms scheduled transmission ST GRANT information element, said at least one information element indicating a value for HARQ process re-allocation;

responsive to receiving the RL PARAMETER UPDATE INDICATION message, sending to the Node B one of a RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE message and a RL RECONFIGURATION REQUEST message that contains the said at least one information element; and

thereafter

responsive to receiving from the Node B one of a RL RECONFIGURATION READY message or a RL RECONFIGURATION RESPONSE message, sending to the Node B a RL RECONFIGURATION COMMIT message.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

RL PARAMETER UPDATE INDICATION message;

the RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE or REQUEST message;

the RL RECONFIGURATION READY or RESPONSE message; and

the RL RECONFIGURATION COMMIT message;

each comprises at least one of Node B Application Part NBAP message or a Radio Node Subsystem Application Part RNSAP message.

13. The method of claim 11 executed in association with a handover of a user equipment to or from the Node B, wherein:

sending to the Node B one of a RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE message and a RL RECONFIGURATION REQUEST message comprises sending that message to all Node B'"'"'s involved in the handover;

and wherein sending to the Node B a RL RECONFIGURATION COMMIT message comprises, responsive to receiving from all Node B'"'"'s involved in the handover a RL RECONFIGURATION READY message or a RL RECONFIGURATION RESPONSE message, sending to all Node B'"'"'s involved in the handover the RL RECONFIGURATION COMMIT message.

14. A first network element comprising a wireless transceiver and a program of computer instructions embodied in a local memory that is coupled to a processor, the processor coupled to a communications interface for coupling with a higher network element, wherein the program is arranged to cause the processor to:

send to the higher network element over the interface a first message for re-allocating a hybrid automatic repeat request process for a user equipment with which the first network element communicates using the wireless transceiver;

receive over the interface a reply to the first message; and

responsive to the reply, re-allocate the hybrid automatic repeat request process according to the reply.

15. The first network element of claim 14, wherein the higher network element comprises a serving radio network controller SRNC and the first message comprises a RADIO LINK RL PARAMETER UPDATE INDICATION message.

16. The first network element of claim 15, wherein the RL PARAMETER UPDATE INDICATION message comprises at least one of a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms non-scheduled transmission GRANT information element and a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms scheduled transmission GRANT information element indicating a value for HARQ process re-allocation.

17. The first network element of claim 15, wherein the reply comprises one of a RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE message and a RL RECONFIGURATION REQUEST message that contains an E-DCH GRANT TYPE, said GRANT TYPE comprising one of a non-scheduled or a scheduled transmission for a MAC-d flow.

18. The first network element of claim 14, wherein re-allocating the hybrid automatic repeat request process according to the reply comprises:

sending to the higher network element over the interface one of a RL RECONFIGURATION READY message and a RL RECONFIGURATION RESPONSE message, and thereafter receiving over the interface a RL RECONFIGURATION COMMIT message;

and wherein re-allocating the hybrid automatic repeat request process according to the reply is responsive to the COMMIT message.

19. The first network element of claim 14, wherein the first message is specific to a MAC-d flow that is identified in the first message.

20. A controlling network element comprising a program of computer instructions embodied in a local memory that is coupled to a processor, the processor coupled to a communications interface for coupling with a Node B, wherein the program is arranged to cause the processor to:

responsive to receiving from the Node B over the interface a first message for re-allocating a hybrid automatic repeat request process, send over the interface to the Node B a reply to grant the re-allocation of the first message.

21. The controlling network element of claim 20, wherein:

the first message comprises a RL PARAMETER UPDATE INDICATION message that comprises at least one of a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms non-scheduled transmission NST GRANT information element and a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms scheduled transmission ST GRANT information element indicating a value for HARQ process re-allocation;

the reply comprises one of a RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE message and a RL RECONFIGURATION REQUEST message that contains the said at least one information element;

the program being arranged to cause the processor further to;

responsive to receiving from the Node B over the interface one of a RL RECONFIGURATION READY message and a RL RECONFIGURATION RESPONSE message, send to the Node B a RL RECONFIGURATION COMMIT message.

22. A program of machine-readable instructions, tangibly embodied on an information bearing medium disposed within a Node B and executable by a digital data processor, to perform actions directed toward re-allocating a hybrid automatic repeat request process, the actions comprising:

sending from a Node B a first message for re-allocating a hybrid automatic repeat request process;

responsive to receiving a reply to the first message, re-allocating the hybrid automatic repeat request process according to the reply.

23. The program of claim 22, wherein the first message comprises a RADIO LINK RL PARAMETER UPDATE INDICATION message.

24. The program of claim 23, wherein the RL PARAMETER UPDATE INDICATION message comprises at least one of a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms non-scheduled transmission GRANT information element and a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms scheduled transmission GRANT information element indicating a value for HARQ process re-allocation.

25. The program of claim 22, wherein the reply comprises one of a RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE message and a RL RECONFIGURATION REQUEST message that contains an E-DCH GRANT TYPE, said GRANT TYPE comprising one of a non-scheduled or a scheduled transmission for a MAC-d flow.

26. The program of claim 25, wherein re-allocating the hybrid automatic repeat request process according to the reply comprises re-allocating only those hybrid automatic repeat request processes of the type indicated in the E-DCH GRANT TYPE.

27. The program of claim 22, wherein re-allocating the hybrid automatic repeat request process according to the reply comprises:

sending one of a RL RECONFIGURATION READY message and a RL RECONFIGURATION RESPONSE message, and thereafter receiving a RL RECONFIGURATION COMMIT message;

and wherein re-allocating the hybrid automatic repeat request process according to the reply follows the COMMIT message.

28. The program of claim 22, wherein the request is specific to a MAC-d flow that is identified in the request.

29. A program of machine-readable instructions, tangibly embodied on an information bearing medium disposed within a controlling node of a radio network and executable by a digital data processor, to perform actions directed toward re-allocating a hybrid automatic repeat request process, the actions comprising:

receiving from a Node B a RL PARAMETER UPDATE INDICATION message that comprises at least one of a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms non-scheduled transmission NST GRANT information element and a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms scheduled transmission ST GRANT information element indicating a value for HARQ process re-allocation;

responsive to receiving the RL PARAMETER UPDATE INDICATION message, sending to the Node B one of a RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE message and a RL RECONFIGURATION REQUEST message that contains the said at least one information element;

responsive to receiving from the Node B one of a RL RECONFIGURATION READY message and a RL RECONFIGURATION RESPONSE message, sending to the Node B a RL RECONFIGURATION COMMIT message.

30. The program of claim 29 executed in association with a handover of a user equipment to or from the Node B, wherein:

sending to the Node B one of a RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE message and a RL RECONFIGURATION REQUEST message comprises sending the RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE message or RL RECONFIGURATION REQUEST message to all Node B'"'"'s involved in the handover;

and wherein sending to the Node B a RL RECONFIGURATION COMMIT message comprises, responsive to receiving from all Node B'"'"'s involved in the handover one of a RL RECONFIGURATION READY message and a RL RECONFIGURATION RESPONSE message, sending to all Node B'"'"'s involved in the handover the RL RECONFIGURATION COMMIT message.

31. An integrated circuit in combination with software embodied on a computer readable medium disposed within a Node B, configured to cooperate so as to signal for a re-allocation of a hybrid automatic repeat request process by:

initiating a hybrid automatic repeat request re-allocation by sending from the Node B to a controlling node of a radio network a RL PARAMETER UPDATE INDICATION message that comprises at least one of a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms non-scheduled transmission NST GRANT information element and a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms scheduled transmission ST GRANT information element indicating a value for hybrid automatic repeat request process re-allocation;

responsive to receiving from the controlling node one of a RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE message and a RL RECONFIGURATION REQUEST message that contains the said at least one information element, sending to the controlling node one of a RL RECONFIGURATION READY message and a RL RECONFIGURATION RESPONSE message;

responsive to receiving from the controlling node a RL RECONFIGURATION COMMIT message, re-allocating the hybrid automatic repeat request process according to the said RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE message or RL RECONFIGURATION REQUEST message.

32. A system comprising a Node B coupled through a communication interface to a controlling node of a radio network, each of the node B and the controlling node comprising embodied software and a processor configured to:

at the Node B;

send to the controlling node a RL PARAMETER UPDATE INDICATION message that comprises at least one of a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms non-scheduled transmission NST GRANT information element and a HARQ process allocation for 2 ms scheduled transmission ST GRANT information element indicating a value for hybrid automatic repeat request process re-allocation;

responsive to receiving from the controlling node one of a RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE message and a RL RECONFIGURATION REQUEST message, send to the controlling node one of a RL RECONFIGURATION READY message and a RL RECONFIGURATION RESPONSE message;

and at the controlling node;

responsive to receiving the PARAMETER UPDATE INDICATION, send to the Node B one of the RL RECONFIGURATION PREPARE message and the RL RECONFIGURATION REQUEST message that contains the said at least one information element;

responsive to receiving from the Node B one of the RL RECONFIGURATION READY message and the RL RECONFIGURATION RESPONSE message, sending to the Node B a RL RECONFIGURATION COMMIT message indicating to the Node B to re-allocate the hybrid automatic repeat request process.