Method and apparatus for packet alignment in a communication system
First Claim
1. A method for aligning information packets for transmission by a communications controller to at least first and second radio communication units for radio transmission in a connection-oriented communication system, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving a first information packet and inserting a timing transmission tag therein to produce a tagged first information packet;
(b) synchronously sending said tagged first information packet to the first and second radio communication units; and
(c) synchronously performing radio frequency transmission of data associated with said tagged first information packet via the first and second radio communication units.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for packet alignment in a simulcast system includes a communications controller (310) having a vocoder and an input/output (I/O) processor (313) controlling the vocoder (311), the I/O processor having a timing alignment control (315) and a packet counter (314) for inserting timing alignment tags in voice/data packets and adjusting packet numbering and timing based on alignment requests from a master radio communication unit. The communications controller is coupled to radio communication units (330, 340, 350), each having a packet buffer (331) and an alignment processor (332) which includes a packet number detector (333) for detecting the transmission timing tag and sending a request for a packet numbering adjustment to the communications controller and a timing alignment detector (334) for comparing a receive time of the first information packet and a predetermined preferential receive time and for sending a timing alignment request to the communications controller.
103 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for aligning information packets for transmission by a communications controller to at least first and second radio communication units for radio transmission in a connection-oriented communication system, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving a first information packet and inserting a timing transmission tag therein to produce a tagged first information packet; (b) synchronously sending said tagged first information packet to the first and second radio communication units; and (c) synchronously performing radio frequency transmission of data associated with said tagged first information packet via the first and second radio communication units. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of requesting alignment of a further information packet based on a first information packet, in a radio communication unit for use with a connection-oriented communication system, the method comprising the steps of
(a) receiving the first information packet, the first information packet including an inserted transmission timing tag; -
(b) comparing said inserted transmission timing tag with a timing signal to determine if the first information packet has been received at a predetermined time, and sending a request for transmission adjustment for the further information packet; and (c) comparing the transmission timing tag with a system time to determine if the transmission timing tag corresponds to the system time, and sending a frame alignment request to a communications controller to increment a frame counter depending on the comparison between the transmission timing tag and the system time. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A communications controller in a connection-oriented communication system capable of simulcast transmissions via plural communication units, comprising:
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a processor aligning information packets for transmission to at least a first of the plural communication units, said processor comprising a coder formatting a first information packet for transmission to the first communication unit and a selector controlling the coder to insert a timing transmission tag in the first information packet to form a tagged first information packet. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A communication unit in a telecommunication system capable of simulcast transmissions via plural communication units, comprising:
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(a) a receiver unit receiving a first information packet, the first information packet including an inserted transmission timing tag; and (b) means for detecting and comparing said inserted transmission timing tag with a timing signal to determine if the first information packet has been received at a predetermined time, and for sending a request for transmission adjustment for a further information packet; and (c) a transmitter responsive to the receiver unit, the transmitter sending data associated with the first information packet over a radio frequency interface. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A communications controller in a telecommunication system capable of transmissions via plural communication units, comprising:
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a vocoder; and a selector coupled to the vocoder, the selector comprising a packet counter and a timing alignment control device; said vocoder, in response to said selector, inserting a timing transmission tag into a packet to be transmitted.
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23. A communication unit in a communication system having plural communication units capable of simulcast transmissions, comprising:
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a packet buffer receiving a first information packet from a communications controller, the first information packet including an inserted transmission timing tag; and an alignment processor coupled to the packet buffer and in communication with the communications controller, the alignment processor comprising; a packet detector operable for detecting said inserted transmission timing tag and sending a request for a packet numbering adjustment to the communications controller, and a timing alignment detector operable for comparing a receive time of the first information packet and a predetermined preferential receive time for the first information packet and for sending a timing alignment request to the communications controller indicative of the difference between the receive time of the first information packet and the predetermined preferential receive time.
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24. A communication system capable of simulcast transmissions comprising:
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a communications controller comprising a vocoder and an input/output processor coupled to the vocoder and operable for controlling the vocoder to insert a transmission timing tag in an information packet and adjust transmission timing of the information packet, the input/output processor comprising a packet counter and numbering device and a timing alignment control operable for controlling the vocoder in response to alignment requests; and plural radio communication units, including a master radio communication unit, each coupled to the communications controller and comprising; a packet buffer, coupled to the communications controller and operable for receiving the information packet from the communications controller; and an alignment processor coupled to the packet buffer and the communications controller, the alignment processor comprising; a packet number detector operable for detecting the transmission timing tag and sending a packet alignment request to the communications controller, and a timing alignment detector operable for detecting a receive time of the first information packet and sending a timing alignment request to the communications controller; wherein the packet counter and numbering device and timing alignment control are only responsive to the packet alignment request and timing alignment request sent by the master radio communication unit.
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25. A method for aligning information packets for transmission by a communications controller to at least a first and second radio communication units for radio transmission, comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving a first information packet and inserting a timing transmission tag therein to produce a tagged first information packet; (b) synchronously sending said tagged first information packet to the first and second radio communication units; (c) receiving a timing alignment request for each of the first and second radio communication units indicative of the difference between a received time of the tagged first information packet and a predetermined preferential receive time; and (d) determining if transmission by the communications controller of the further information packet should be advanced or retarded in response to one of the timing alignment requests.
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26. A communications controller in a communication system comprising:
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a processor aligning information packets for transmission to at least a first of the plural communication units, said processor comprising a coder formatting a first information packet for transmission to the first communication unit and a selector controlling the coder to insert a timing transmission tag in the first information packet to form a tagged first information packet; said selector further comprising a timing control device receiving a timing alignment request for the at least first of the plural communication units indicative of the difference between the received time of the tagged first information packet and a predetermined preferential receive time, and for determining if transmission by the control communication unit of the further information packet should be advanced or retarded in response to one of the timing alignment requests.
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Specification