Method and means for allocating the volume of traffic over different control channels of a cellular radio system

• US 4,573,206 A
• Filed: 12/16/1983
• Issued: 02/25/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Grauel, Christoph, Duplessis, Philippe, Tarabout, Alain
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Application Number:
  US06/562,382
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 455/31.33, 455/34, 455/54, 455/56, 455/38, 179/2 EB
• US Class Current: 455/453
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel

Abstract

A cellular radio system in which the mobile radio stations in the zone of any base radio station assign themselves to the control channels allocated to that base station so as to evenly spread the volume of traffic over such control channels. The base station transmits on each control channel a channel group code signifying the range of group code numbers allocated to that particular control channel. Each mobile station stores its identifying group code number, scans the group code numbers of all control channels, and assigns itself to the control channel having a channel group code which includes its group code number. The spread of traffic over the various control channels can be changed by the base radio station simply by changing the channel group codes of the various control channels, without addressing specific commands to the mobile radio station.

Claims

1. A process for spreading the volume of traffic over different control channels of a radio communication system in which a plurality of base radio stations form a cellular system of radio zones in a geographical arrangement, the base radio station of each zone having a plurality of control channels and traffic channels allocated thereto over which it communicates with a plurality of mobile radio stations in such zone, such process comprising:

dividing the total number of mobile radio stations in the radio communication system into a number of groups (ntp) identified by respective channel group codes (atp), each such channel group code (atp) corresponding to a range of identifying group code numbers (K);

storing in each mobile radio station (BS) a particular identifying code number (K) which identifies such mobile radio station (BS);

transmission by each base radio station (BS) of respective channel group codes (atp) on the respective control channels (CCH) allocated to it, and reception from such control channels (CCH) of such channel group codes (atp) by the mobile radio stations (MS) in the zone of such base radio station (BS);

causing each mobile radio station (MS) to compare the channel group codes (atp) received thereby with the identifying code number (K) stored therein to select the channel group code (atp) which corresponds to such stored identifying code number (K);

and causing each mobile radio station (MS) to assign itself to the control channel (CCH) which corresponds to the channel code group (atp) selected by such mobile radio station (MS).

2. A process as in claim 1, in which the identifying code number (K) stored in any mobile radio station (MS) is part of a complete identification code (mid) which is stored in such mobile radio station (MS).

3. A process as in claim 2, in which the group code number (K) is derived from the final two figures (yz) of the identification code (mid) stored in the mobile radio station (MS).

4. A process as in claim 1, in which the base radio station (BS) transmits a largest and a smallest number (1tp and ftp) to the mobile radio stations (MS) as part of each channel group code (atp).

5. A process as in claim 1, in which each group code (atp) is in the form of a series of binary digits, the location of each individual binary digit corresponding to a particular identifying code number (K).

6. A process as in claim 1, in which the mobile radio station (MS) derives a criterion (mtp) from its identifying code number (K), and compares the criterion (mtp) with each channel group code (atp) in order to determine the control channel (CCH) to which to assign itself.

7. A process as in claim 6, in which the criterion (mtp) is the remainder of the division of the identifying code number (K) of the mobile radio station (MS) by the number of groups (ntp) into which the total number of mobile radio stations in the radio communication system are divided.

8. A process as in claim 6, in which the criterion (mtp) is the same as the last two figures (yz) of the complete identification code (mid) of the mobile radio station (MS).

9. A process as in claim 1, in which each base radio station (BS) determines the group code (atp) of each of the control channels (CCH) allocated to it.

10. A process as in claim 9, in which the base radio station (BS) determines the group codes (atp) so as to equalize the volume of traffic on all the control channels (CCH) allocated to it.

11. In a radio communication system wherein a plurality of base radio stations form a cellular system of radio zones corresponding thereto in a geographical arrangement, the base radio station of each zone having a plurality (n) of control channels (CCH) and traffic channels allocated thereto over which it communicates with a plurality of mobile radio stations in such zone, the total number of mobile radio stations in the radio communication system being divided into a number of groups identified by respective channel group codes (atp) each of which corresponds to a range of identifying code numbers (K), each base radio station comprising a transmitter and each mobile radio station comprising a receiver;

apparatus for spreading the volume of traffic over the control channels allocated to any base radio station (BS), such apparatus comprising;

a plurality (n) of channel control circuits (KST) respectively corresponding to the control channels (CCH) allocated to the base radio station (BS);

each of said channel control circuits (KST) comprising means for storing codes indicating the range of identifying code numbers of one of said channel group codes (atp), whereby respective codes are associated with respective control channels (CCH);

the input of each channel control circuit being connected to the storing means and the output of each channel control circuit being connected to the radio transmitter thereof to convey said stored codes thereto for transmission over such control channel (CCH);

first and second memory means comprised in each of said mobile radio stations (MS), the second memory means of each mobile radio station (MS) storing a code number identifying such mobile radio station (MS);

the receiver in each mobile radio station (MS) being adapted to receive the codes transmitted by the transmitters of all control channels and to convey them to the first memory means comprised in such mobile radio station (MS) for storing therein;

and a combinational switching circuit comprised in each mobile radio station (MS) adapted to compare the stored identifying code number in the second memory means therein with the code stored in the first memory means therein and to produce a control signal signifying the control channel (CCH) corresponding to the identifying code number of said mobile station, such control signal causing such mobile radio station (MS) to allocate itself to such control channel (CCH).