Technique for Performing a Random Access Procedure over a Radio Interface

• US 20150189678A1
• Filed: 03/11/2015
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: BALDEMAIR, Robert, DAHLMAN, Erik, HAARTSEN, Jacobus Cornelis, PARKVALL, Stefan, EDVARDSSON, Maria
• Granted Patent: US 10,492,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2681 Synchronisation of a mobile station with one base station
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0605 Special codes used as synchronising signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0045 compensating for timing error by altering transmission time
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1268 of uplink data flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0891 for synchronized access

Abstract

The invention relates to a technique for performing a random access procedure over a radio interface, for example between a mobile terminal and a radio base station of a mobile network. A method aspect of the invention comprises the steps of transmitting a synchronization request for synchronization information; receiving synchronization information in response to the synchronization request; and transmitting, based on at least one transmission parameter adjusted in accordance with the synchronization information, a resource request for data transmission resources.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method in a mobile terminal, comprising:

transmitting a synchronization request for synchronization information;

receiving synchronization information in response to the synchronization request;

transmitting a resource request using at least one transmission parameter adjusted based at least in part on the received synchronization information;

transmitting data using scheduled resources;

starting a synchronization timer; and

prior to any subsequent data transmission, determining whether resynchronization is required based at least in part on whether the synchronization timer has expired prior to any data transmission following the expiry of the synchronization timer.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein data is transmitted until the earlier of a loss of synchronization or expiry of the synchronization timer.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the synchronization timer is started in response to one of receiving the synchronization information or transmitting data.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the scheduled resources are based at least in part on the transmitted resource request.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the synchronization timer provides an indication related to the validity of the received synchronization information.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the synchronization request is a first synchronization request, and the method further comprises transmitting a second synchronization request either upon the expiration of the synchronization timer or after the expiration of the synchronization timer.

27. A method in a radio base station, comprising:

receiving a first synchronization request for synchronization information from a mobile terminal;

transmitting synchronization information to the mobile terminal in response to the synchronization request;

receiving a resource request having at least one transmission parameter adjusted based at least in part on the transmitted synchronization information;

receiving data transmitted using scheduled resources; and

receiving a second synchronization request for synchronization information, the second synchronization request sent on or after expiry of a synchronization timer in the mobile terminal.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein data is received until the earlier of a loss of synchronization or expiry of the synchronization timer in the mobile terminal.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the synchronization timer in the mobile terminal is started in response to one of receiving synchronization information or transmitting data.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising starting a synchronization timer in the radio base station upon one of receiving a synchronization request, receiving a resource request, and receiving data.

31. The method of claim 27, further comprising scheduling resources based at least in part on the received resource request.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein one or both of the synchronization timer in the mobile terminal and the synchronization timer in the radio base station provide an indication related to the validity of the transmitted synchronization information.

33. A mobile terminal, comprising:

one or more processors coupled to a memory, the one or more processors configured to;

transmit a synchronization request for synchronization information;

receive synchronization information in response to the synchronization request;

transmit a resource request using at least one transmission parameter adjusted based at least in part on the received synchronization information;

transmit data using scheduled resources;

start a synchronization timer; and

prior to any subsequent data transmission, determine whether resynchronization is required based at least in part on whether the synchronization timer has expired prior to any data transmission following the expiry of the synchronization timer.

34. The mobile terminal of claim 33, wherein the one or more processors configured to transmit data using scheduled resources comprises one or more processors configured to transmit data until the earlier of a loss of synchronization or expiry of the synchronization timer.

35. The mobile terminal of claim 33, wherein the one or more processors configured to start a synchronization timer comprises one or more processors configured to start the synchronization timer in response to one of receiving the synchronization information or transmitting data.

36. The mobile terminal of claim 33, wherein the scheduled resources are based at least in part on the transmitted resource request.

37. The mobile terminal of claim 33, wherein the synchronization timer provides an indication related to the validity of the received synchronization information.

38. The mobile terminal of claim 33, wherein the synchronization request is a first synchronization request, and the one or more processors are further configured to transmit a second synchronization request either upon the expiration of the synchronization timer or after the expiration of the synchronization timer.

39. A radio base station, comprising:

one or more processors coupled to a memory, the one or more processors configured to;

receive a first synchronization request for synchronization information from a mobile terminal;

transmit synchronization information to the mobile terminal in response to the synchronization request;

receive a resource request having at least one transmission parameter adjusted based at least in part on the transmitted synchronization information;

receive data transmitted using scheduled resources; and

receive a second synchronization request for synchronization information, the second synchronization request received on or after expiry of a synchronization timer in the mobile terminal.

40. The radio base station of claim 39, wherein the one or more processors configured to receive data transmitted using scheduled resources comprises one or more processors configured to receive data until the earlier of a loss of synchronization or expiry of the synchronization timer in the mobile terminal.

41. The radio base station of claim 39, wherein the synchronization timer in the mobile terminal is configured to start in response to one of receiving synchronization information or transmitting data.

42. The radio base station of claim 39, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to start a synchronization timer in the radio base station upon one of receiving the synchronization request, receiving the resource request, and receiving data.

43. The radio base station of claim 39, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to schedule resources based at least in part on the received resource request.

44. The radio base station of claim 39, wherein one or both of the synchronization timer in the mobile terminal and the synchronization timer in the radio base station provide an indication related to the validity of the transmitted synchronization information.