METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSFER OF A MESSAGE ON A COMMON CONTROL CHANNEL FOR RANDOM ACCESS IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORK

• US 20090163211A1
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Meylan, Arnaud, Kitazoe, Masato
• Granted Patent: US 9,215,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/604 Address structures or formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/654 International mobile subscriber identity [IMSI] numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/695 using masks or ranges of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/106 Packet or message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/108 Source integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/004 in the uplink, i.e. towards network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0866 using a dedicated channel for access

Abstract

Techniques for sending a message for random access by a user equipment (UE) are described. In an aspect, the UE may send the message on a control channel for random access and may send a reserved channel identifier to indicate the message being sent on the control channel. In another aspect, the UE may send the message in a protocol data unit (PDU) and may send additional information (e.g., a buffer status report) in the PDU if it can accommodate the additional information. In yet another aspect, the UE may generate a short message authentication code for integrity protection (MAC-I) for the message. The short MAC-I may have a smaller size and may be used to authenticate the UE. In yet another aspect, the UE may send a UE ID of one of multiple types for random access and may convey the UE ID type via a format field in the message.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

sending a message on a control channel for random access by a user equipment (UE);

sending a reserved channel identifier to indicate the message being sent on the control channel; and

sending the message and the reserved channel identifier on an uplink shared channel carrying the control channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending a message on a control channel comprises sending a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message on a common control channel (CCCH) for random access, and wherein the sending a reserved channel identifier comprises sending a reserved logical channel identifier (LCID) to indicate the RRC message being sent on the CCCH.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the RRC message comprises an RRC Connection Re-establishment Request message for RRC connection re-establishment or an RRC Connection Request message for attachment or subsequent access.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the reserved LCID has a value of zero.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

generating a Medium Access Control (MAC) service data unit (SDU) comprising the RRC message;

generating a MAC sub-header comprising the reserved LCID; and

generating a MAC protocol data unit (PDU) comprising the MAC sub-header and the MAC SDU.

6. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

sending a message in a protocol data unit (PDU), the message being sent on a control channel for random access by a user equipment (UE); and

sending additional information in the PDU if the PDU can accommodate the additional information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the additional information comprises at least one of a buffer status report for the UE, a power headroom report for the UE, data for a dedicated control channel, and data for a dedicated traffic channel.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the PDU has a variable size determined based on an uplink grant for the UE.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

padding the PDU, if needed, to fill the PDU.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the message comprises a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message sent on a common control channel (CCCH) for random access by the UE, and wherein the PDU comprises a Medium Access Control (MAC) PDU.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating a MAC service data unit (SDU) comprising the RRC message;

generating a MAC control element (CE) comprising a buffer status report or a power headroom report if an uplink grant for the UE can accommodate the MAC SDU and the MAC CE;

generating the MAC PDU comprising the MAC SDU and the MAC CE, if generated; and

sending the MAC PDU for random access by the UE.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the RRC message comprises padding bits, if needed, to obtain a predetermined length.

13. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

generating a short message authentication code for integrity protection (MAC-I) for a message sent on a control channel for random access by a user equipment (UE), the short MAC-I having a smaller size than a full MAC-I used for integrity protection of messages sent on a control plane; and

sending the message comprising the short MAC-I for random access by the UE.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the generating a short MAC-I comprises

generating the short MAC-I for a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message sent on a common control channel (CCCH) for RRC connection re-establishment.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the short MAC-I has a 16-bit size and the full MAC-I has a 32-bit size.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the short MAC-I has a variable size determined based on an uplink grant for the UE.

17. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

setting a format field of a message to a first value to indicate a first type of user equipment (UE) identity (ID) being sent in the message or to a second value to indicate a second type of UE ID being sent in the message;

generating the message comprising the format field and a UE ID of the type indicated by the format field; and

sending the message for random access by a UE.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first type of UE ID is for attachment by the UE, and wherein the second type of UE ID is for subsequent access by the UE.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first type of UE ID comprises a full or partial International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) or a random ID, and wherein the second type of UE ID comprises an Evolved Packet System Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (S-TMSI).

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the full or partial IMSI is conveyed using binary representation instead of hexadecimal representation.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the partial IMSI comprises a predetermined number of least significant bits (LSBs) of the full IMSI.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the partial IMSI has a variable size indicated by an IMSI length field in the message.

23. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

generating a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message on a common control channel (CCCH) for random access by a user equipment (UE);

generating a Medium Access Control (MAC) service data unit (SDU) comprising the RRC message;

generating a MAC sub-header comprising a reserved logical channel identifier (LCID) to indicate the RRC message being sent on the CCCH;

generating a MAC protocol data unit (PDU) comprising the MAC sub-header and the MAC SDU; and

sending the MAC PDU for random access by the UE.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the generating the RRC message comprises generating a short message authentication code for integrity protection (MAC-I) for the RRC message for RRC connection re-establishment, the short MAC-I having a smaller size than a full MAC-I used for integrity protection of messages sent on a control plane.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the generating the RRC message comprises

setting a format field of the RRC message to a first value to indicate a first type of UE identity (ID) being sent in the RRC message for attachment or to a second value to indicate a second type of UE ID being sent in the RRC message for subsequent access, and

generating the RRC message comprising the format field and a UE ID of the type indicated by the format field.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

generating a MAC control element (CE) comprising a buffer status report or a power headroom report for the UE; and

generating a second MAC sub-header for the MAC CE, wherein the MAC PDU further comprises the second MAC sub-header and the MAC CE.

27. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

at least one processor configured to send a message on a control channel for random access by a user equipment (UE), to send a reserved channel identifier to indicate the message being sent on the control channel, and to send the message and the reserved channel identifier on an uplink shared channel carrying the control channel.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the at least one processor is configured to send a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message on a common control channel (CCCH) for random access by the UE, and to send a reserved logical channel identifier (LCID) to indicate the RRC message being sent on the CCCH.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate a Medium Access Control (MAC) service data unit (SDU) comprising the RRC message, to generate a MAC sub-header comprising the reserved LCID, and to generate a MAC protocol data unit (PDU) comprising the MAC sub-header and the MAC SDU.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate a MAC control element (CE) comprising a buffer status report or a power headroom report for the UE, to generate a second MAC sub-header for the MAC CE, and to generate the MAC PDU further comprising the second MAC sub-header and the MAC CE.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate a short message authentication code for integrity protection (MAC-I) for the RRC message, the short MAC-I having a smaller size than a full MAC-I used for integrity protection of messages sent on a control plane.

32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the at least one processor is configured to set a format field of the RRC message to a first value to indicate a first type of UE identity (ID) being sent in the RRC message for attachment or to a second value to indicate a second type of UE ID being sent in the RRC message for subsequent access, and to generate the RRC message comprising the format field and a UE ID of the type indicated by the format field.

33. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for sending a message on a control channel for random access by a user equipment (UE);

means for sending a reserved channel identifier to indicate the message being sent on the control channel; and

means for sending the message and the reserved channel identifier on an uplink shared channel carrying the control channel.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the means for sending a message on a control channel comprises means for sending a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message on a common control channel (CCCH) for random access by the UE, and wherein the means for sending a reserved channel identifier comprises means for sending a reserved logical channel identifier (LCID) to indicate the RRC message being sent on the CCCH.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising:

means for generating a Medium Access Control (MAC) service data unit (SDU) comprising the RRC message;

means for generating a MAC sub-header comprising the reserved LCID; and

means for generating a MAC protocol data unit (PDU) comprising the MAC sub-header and the MAC SDU.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising:

means for generating a MAC control element (CE) comprising a buffer status report or a power headroom report for the UE; and

means for generating a second MAC sub-header for the MAC CE, wherein the MAC PDU further comprises the second MAC sub-header and the MAC CE.

37. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising:

means for generating a short message authentication code for integrity protection (MAC-I) for the RRC message, the short MAC-I having a smaller size than a full MAC-I used for integrity protection of messages sent on a control plane.

38. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising:

means for setting a format field of the RRC message to a first value to indicate a first type of UE identity (ID) being sent in the RRC message for attachment or to a second value to indicate a second type of UE ID being sent in the RRC message for subsequent access; and

means for generating the RRC message comprising the format field and a UE ID of the type indicated by the format field.

39. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to send a message on a control channel for random access by a user equipment (UE),

code for causing the at least one computer to send a reserved channel identifier to indicate the message being sent on the control channel, and

code for causing the at least one computer to send the message and the reserved channel identifier on an uplink shared channel carrying the control channel.