METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING RADIO COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK AND RADIO NETWORK CONTROLLER

• US 20090042578A1
• Filed: 10/20/2008
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Laitinen, Lauri, Rinne, Mika
• Granted Patent: US 7,729,702 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/442
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/10 Reselecting an access point controller
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for controlling radio communications between a terminal (MS, TE) and a communications system (CN, GRAN). A communications connection between the system and the terminal is established by an active radio network controller (RNC) and an active base station (BS). In one embodiment, data communications within the communications connection is directed to the active radio controller by a second radio network controller.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

directing communication comprising communication with a first radio network controller during a connection, which said communication is operative with a macrodiversity signal combination and which said communication involves a use of a spread code signal, and

combining macrodiversity spread code signals independently or together with said first radio network controller so that a final signal combination is completed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further comprising a selection of an anchor radio network controller, or anchor controller, through which the data communication of said connection occurs for the duration of the connection, and communication with possible other active radio network controller is directed via said anchor controller.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said selection is carried out specifically for the connection when setting up the connection.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said selection is carried out in conjunction with system configuration.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said communication is directed during the connection by chaining.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein a number of radio network controllers used in data communication is minimized by determining a new route between the anchor controller and a new active radio network controller so that a previous active radio network controller is bypassed.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a handover between radio network controllers is a backward-type handover where signaling during the handover is directed via the previous radio network controller.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein a handover between radio network controllers is a forward-type handover where signaling during the handover is directed via the new active radio network controller.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein a communications system uses macrodiversity combining so that a spread code combination is carried out in said anchor controller.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing an external candidate set prior to a handover between radio network controllers; and

establishing a candidate set of a new active radio network controller on the basis of said external candidate set.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising preparing and executing a handover between radio network controllers.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a preparation phase includes adding a base station to an active set.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein a execution phase includes changing an active radio network controller and an active base station set.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein an execution phase includes keeping at least two radio network controllers and their base station sets active.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein an active radio network controller and a base station set are completely transferred.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein combining the macrodiversity spread code signals is carried out in a chain of radio network controllers together with said first radio network controller comprising a macrodiversity combination point.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication is provided in an universal mobile telecommunications system network.

50. A computer readable storage medium comprising a computer readable configured to execute the method of claim 1.

18. A communication system comprising:

a processor configured to direct communication between a first radio network controller and a second radio network controller during a connection, which said communication is operative with a macrodiversity signal combination and involves a use of a spread code signal, and

a processor configured to combine macrodiversity spread code signals so that said second radio network controller comprises a macrodiversity combination point and a spread code signal combination is carried out in said second radio network controller serving as transmission link, and a final signal combination is completed in said first radio network controller.

19. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the system is further configured to:

select one of the first radio network controller or second radio network controller to be an anchor controller, and

direct data communication of said connection to a possible other active radio network controller via said anchor controller.

20. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the system is further configured to:

create an external candidate set prior to a handover between radio network controllers; and

create a new candidate set based on said external candidate set.

21. A method comprising:

directing communication between a first radio network controller and a second radio network controller during a connection, which said communication is operative with a macrodiversity signal combination and uses of a spread code signal, and

combining macrodiversity spread code signals so that said second radio network controller comprises a macrodiversity combination point and a spread code signal combination is carried out in said second radio network controller serving as transmission link, and a final signal combination is completed in said first radio network controller.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

selecting one of the first radio network controller or second radio network controller to be an anchor controller, and

directing data communication of said connection to a possible other active radio network controller via said anchor controller.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

creating an external candidate set prior to a handover between radio network controllers; and

creating a new candidate set based on said external candidate set.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the communication is provided in a universal mobile telecommunications system network.

25. A radio network controller comprising:

a processor configured to direct communication comprising communication with a second radio network controller during a connection, the communication being operative with a macrodiversity signal combination and uses a spread code signal, and

a processor configured to combine macrodiversity spread code signals independently or together with said second radio network controller so that a final signal combination is completed in said radio network controller.

26. The radio network controller of claim 25, wherein the radio network controller is further configured to:

store information about routing to other radio network controllers.

27. The radio network controller of claim 25, wherein the radio network controller is further configured to:

send and receive encapsulated handover messages to and from another radio network controller via a core network of a cellular network.

28. The radio network controller of claim 25, wherein the radio network controller is further configured to:

send and receive handover messages and user data to and from another radio network controller via a physical connection, such as a cable or radio link, between two radio network controllers.

29. The radio network controller of claim 25, wherein the radio network controller is further configured to:

transparently send and receive handover messages and user data to and from another radio network controller via a base station that is connected with both said radio network controllers.

30. The radio network controller of claim 25, wherein the radio network controller is further configured to:

send and receive handover messages and user data to and from another radio network controller via a core network of a cellular system by independently communicating with an active protocol of a core network.

31. The radio network controller of claim 25, wherein the radio network controller is further configured to realize an anchor function.

32. The radio network controller of claim 31, wherein the anchor function realization comprises logical inter-radio network controller connections creation between an anchor controller and an active radio network controller.

33. The radio network controller of claim 31, wherein the radio network controller is further configured to:

relay user data to another radio network controller on the basis of direction by said means for realizing the anchor function.

34. The radio network controller of claim 25, wherein the radio network controller is further configured to:

control data communication between a radio network controller and a terminal by a logical link control unit.

35. The radio network controller of claim 34, wherein the radio network controller is further configured to:

control and terminate messages of the logical link control unit between the terminal and the radio network controller.

36. The radio network controller of claim 34, wherein the radio network controller is further configured to:

relay messages of the logical link control unit between the terminal and a core network.

37. The radio network controller of claim 35, wherein the radio network controller is further configured to:

control and terminate first messages of the logical link control unit between the terminal and the radio network controller and

relay second messages between the terminal and a core network.

38. The radio network controller of claim 25, wherein the radio network controller is further configured to:

control a logical link control unit of a same or another radio network controller.

39. The radio network controller of claim 25, wherein the radio network controller is further configured to:

realize a set control function.

40. The radio network controller of claim 25, wherein said macrodiversity spread code signal combination comprises a selection of a momentarily strongest transmission connection.

41. The radio network controller of claim 25, wherein said macrodiversity spread code signal combination comprises a signal production by combining the signals of at least two transmission paths.

42. The radio network controller of claim 25, wherein the radio network controller is further configured to:

select in packet transmission a radio path separately for each packet transmission.

43. The radio network controller of claim 42, wherein the radio network controller is further configured to:

select precisely one radio path for each packet transmission.

44. The radio network controller of claim 25, wherein the radio network controller further comprises a macrodiversity controller.

45. The radio network controller of claim 25, wherein the radio network controller is further configured to:

data encrypt or access control scramble in a radio network controller that is an anchor and/or is in active mode.

46. A method comprising:

directing communication between a first radio network controller and a second radio network controller or a base station during a connection, which said communication is operative with a macrodiversity signal combination and which said communication involves a use of a spread code signal, and

combining macrodiversity spread code signals together with said first radio network controller or with said first radio network controller and second radio network controller so that a final signal combination is completed in said first radio network controller.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the communication is provided in an universal mobile telecommunications system network.

48. A radio network controller comprising:

a processor configured to direct communication between a first radio network controller and a second radio network controller or a base station during a connection, which said communication is operative with a macrodiversity signal combination and which said communication involves a use of a spread code signal, and

a processor configured to combine macrodiversity spread code signals together with said first radio network controller or with said first radio network controller and second radio network controller so that a final signal combination is completed in said first radio network controller.

49. The radio network controller of claim 48, further comprising a macrodiversity combination point.