Method and system for data communication

• US 5,881,061 A
• Filed: 06/06/1996
• Issued: 03/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Inventors: Iizuka, Masataka, Kayama, Hidetoshi, Yoshida, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HUY DUY
• Application Number:
  US08/659,297
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 370/523, 370/522, 370/524, 370/528, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/465, 370/468, 370/433, 370/437, 370/321, 370/337, 370/347, 370/442, 370/458, 370/459
• US Class Current: 370/337
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6421 Medium of transmission, e.g. fibre, cable, radio, satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6459 Multiplexing, e.g. TDMA, CDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames

Abstract

A data communication method is provided by the present invention for carrying out a radio communication by intermingling circuit-switched communication and packet-switched communication using the TDMA communication mode between a radio base station and multiple radio terminals. An idle slot among slots for traffic channel is assigned for a generated circuit-switched data in order, and an idle slot among slots for control channel that belongs to a frame wherein a control signal is not transmitted for a generated packet-switched data, by this method. By assigning an idle slot among slots for control channel for packet-switched data, this method allows intermingling with the good efficiency of the circuit-switched communication and the packet-switched communication.

Claims

1. A method for data communication wherein circuit-switched communication and packet-switched communication is implemented according to (n+m) multiple TDMA communication mode whereby one frame consists of n slots for control channel and m slots for traffic channel, n and m being natural numbers, and a control signal is transmitted intermittently using a slot for control channel, which comprises the steps of:

if a packet-switched data is generated when an idle slot does not exist among the slots for traffic channel, assigning said generated packet-switched data to a slot for control channel, which belongs to a frame wherein a control signal is not transmitted;

if an idle slot exists among the slots for traffic channel, assigning said generated packet-switched data and a generated circuit-switched data to the idle slot; and

if a circuit-switched data is generated when a packet-switched data is assigned to a slot for traffic channel and moreover an idle slot does not exist among the slots for traffic channel, after again assigning the packet-switched data that is assigned to the slot for traffic channel to a slot for control channel of a frame wherein a control signal is not transmitted, assigning the circuit-switched data to an idle slot of each slot for traffic channel.

2. A method for data communication according to claim 1, wherein

after assigning a generated packet-switched data to an idle slot when an idle slot exists among the slots for traffic channel, if another packet-switched data is generated, assigning the packet-switched data of the latter to a common slot for traffic channel which is assigned for the packet-switched data of the former;

and

if a circuit-switched data is generated when a packet-switched data is assigned for each slot for traffic channel and moreover an idle slot does not exist at each slot for traffic channel, after again assigning all packet-switched data that is identically assigned to each slot for traffic channel to a slot for control channel of a frame wherein a control signal is not transmitted, assigning the circuit-switched data to an idle slot of each slot for traffic channel.

3. A radio base station that transmits a control signal intermittently using a slot for control channel and implements circuit-switched communication and packet-switched communication according to (n+m) multiple TDMA communication mode whereby one frame consists of n slots for control channel, n being a natural number, and m slots for traffic channel, m being a natural number, comprising:

means for broadcasting a radio frequency and a slot number which can be used for packet switching using a control signal;

means for assigning a packet-switched data to the radio frequency to determine a packet channel setting frequency, except an exclusive use radio frequency for said control signal to determine a control channel setting frequency, and giving priority to the data, at a transmission timing of slots for control channel, based on the radio frequency and the slot number which said broadcasting means indicates when the packet-switched data is generated; and

means for changing a transmission frequency to said control channel setting frequency from said packet channel setting frequency just before a transmission timing of a control signal and changing the transmission frequency to said packet channel setting frequency from said control channel setting frequency immediately after the transmission timing of said control signal.

4. A radio base station according to claim 3, further comprising a means for transmitting a plurality of packet-switched data by multiplex transmission using idle slots for control channel.

5. A radio base station according to claim 4, further comprising a means for assigning a packet-switched data to an idle slot for traffic channel if a slot for control channel cannot be assigned for the packet-switched data, and for changing the assigned slot for the packet-switched data to a slot for control channel from the slot for traffic channel at the time when the slot for control channel becomes idle.

7. A radio terminal for implementing circuit-switched communication and packet-switched communication with a radio base station defined in one of claims 3, 4, 5, and 6, comprising:

means for implementing packet-switched communication using a radio frequency and a slot number by confirming the radio frequency and the slot number which can be used for packet switching which are assigned based on a control signal which is intermittently transmitted from the radio base station; and

means for changing a receiving frequency to said control channel setting frequency from said packet channel setting frequency just before a receiving timing of a control signal and changing the receiving frequency to said packet channel setting frequency from said control channel setting frequency immediately after a receiving timing of said control signal.

8. A radio terminal that implements circuit-switched communication and packet-switched communication with a radio base station defined in one of claims 3, 4, 5, and 6, comprising:

means for implementing packet-switched communication using a radio frequency and a slot number by confirming the radio frequency and the slot number which can be used for packet switching which are assigned based on a control signal which is intermittently transmitted from the radio base station;

means for changing a receiving frequency to said control channel setting frequency from said packet channel setting frequency just before a receiving timing of a control signal and changing the receiving frequency to said packet channel setting frequency from said control channel setting frequency immediately after a receiving timing of said control signal; and

means for indicating a condition that a packet-switched data cannot be assigned, by means of one of a monitor display or a sound device, if the packet-switched data cannot be assigned within a predetermined period of time.

9. A system for data communication that implements circuit-switched communication and packet-switched communication, comprising:

a radio base station defined in one of claims 3, 4, 5, and 6; and

a radio terminal that comprising;

means for implementing packet-switched communication using a radio frequency and a slot number by confirming the radio frequency and the slot number which can be used for packet switching which are assigned based on a control signal which is intermittently transmitted from said radio base station; and

means for changing a receiving frequency to said control channel setting frequency from said packet channel setting frequency just before a receiving timing of a control signal and changing the receiving frequency to said packet channel setting frequency from said control channel setting frequency immediately after a receiving timing of said control signal.

10. A system for data communication that implements circuit-switched communication and packet-switched communication, comprising:

a radio base station defined in one of claims 3, 4, 5, and 6; and

a radio terminal which comprising;

means for implementing packet-switched communication using a radio frequency and a slot number by confirming the radio frequency and the slot number which can be used for packet switching which are assigned based on a control signal which is intermittently transmitted from said radio base station;

means for changing a receiving frequency to said control channel setting frequency from said packet channel setting frequency just before a receiving timing of a control signal and changing the receiving frequency to said packet channel setting frequency from said control channel setting frequency immediately after a receiving timing of said control signal; and

means for indicating a condition that a packet-switched data cannot be assigned, by means of one of a monitor display or a sound device, if the packet-switched data cannot be assigned within a predetermined period of time.

6. A radio base station that transmits a control signal intermittently using a slot for control channel and implements circuit-switched communication and packet-switched communication according to (n+m) multiple TDMA communication mode whereby one frame consists of n slots for control channel, n being a natural number, and m slots for traffic channel, m being a natural number, comprising:

means for broadcasting a 0537 radio frequency and a slot number which can be used for packet switching using a control signal;

means for assigning a packet-switched data to a first slot for traffic channel, giving priority to the data when the packet-switched data is generated; and

means for changing the assigned slot for the packet-switched data to a slot for control channel from the first slot for traffic channel when there is no idle slot among slots for traffic channel when a circuit-switched data is generated and assigning the generated circuit-switched data to the first slot for traffic channel based on the radio frequency and the slot number that are indicated by said broadcasting means.

11. A radio base station that transmits a control signal intermittently using a slot for control channel and implements circuit-switched communication and packet-switched communication according to (n+m) multiple TDMA communication mode whereby one frame consists of n slots for control channel, n being a natural number, and m slots for traffic channel, m being a natural number, comprising:

a packet-switched data processing means for storing a packet-switched data to input and output;

a packet-switched data separating means for directly outputting the packet-switched data from said packet-switched data processing means and a control signal in transmission, and for separating the packet-switched data and the control signal and outputting them to input-output terminals of said packet-switched data processing means and the control signal in reception;

a slot associating means, being connected with input-output terminals of said packet-switched data processing means and for circuit-switched data, for inputting and outputting calls to send and receive, and for associating TDMA slots with the calls to send and receive;

a time division processing means, being connected with said slot associating means and said packet-switched data separating means, for assembling and disassembling the TDMA slots and TDMA frames;

a radio sending and receiving means for sending and receiving the calls to be sent and received with the TDMA frame as a unit, which is connected with said time division processing means; and

a control means for having said packet-switched data processing means output a packet-switched data which is stored therein to one of said packet-switched data separating means and said slot associating means by indicating a slot timing which can be used for packet switching corresponding to a timing of a slot for control channel of a frame wherein a control signal is not transmitted if the packet-switched data is generated when an idle slot does not exist among the slots for traffic channel, corresponding to a timing of an idle slot for traffic channel if an idle slot exists among the slots for traffic channel, and corresponding to a slot for control channel of a frame wherein a control signal is not transmitted if a circuit-switched data is generated when a slot timing has been indicated for packet-switched data corresponding to a timing of an idle slot for traffic channel and an idle slot does not exist among the slots for traffic channel, and moreover for indicating a radio frequency to be used to said radio sending and receiving means if a packet-switched data is generated, for transmitting the packet-switched data using an idle slot among slots for traffic channel if outputting the packet-switched data to said slot associating means, and for transmitting the packet-switched data using an idle slot among slots for control channel if outputting the packet-switched data to said packet-switched data separating means.

13. A system for data communication that implements circuit-switched communication and packet-switched communication, comprising:

a radio base station according to claim 11;

a radio terminal that receives a control signal being sent intermittently from said radio base station using a slot for control channel and implements circuit-switched communication and packet-switched communication according to said (n+m) multiple TDMA communication mode, comprising;

a packet-switched data processing means for storing a packet-switched data to input and output;

a packet-switched data separating means for directly outputting the packet-switched data from said packet-switched data processing means and a control signal in transmission, and for separating the packet-switched data and the control signal and outputting them to input-output terminals of said packet-switched data processing means and the control signal in reception;

a slot associating means, being connected with input-output terminals of said packet-switched data processing means and for circuit-switched data, for inputting and outputting calls to send and receive, and for associating TDMA slots with the calls to send and receive;

a time division processing means, being connected with said slot associating means and said packet-switched data separating means, for assembling and disassembling the TDMA slots and TDMA frames;

a radio sending and receiving means for sending and receiving the calls to be sent and received with the TDMA frame as a unit, which is connected with said time division processing means; and

a control means for having said packet-switched data processing means output a packet-switched data which is stored therein to one of said packet-switched data separating means and said slot associating means by indicating a slot timing which can be used for packet switching corresponding to a timing of a slot for control channel of a frame wherein a control signal is not transmitted if the packet-switched data is generated when an idle slot does not exist among the slots for traffic channel, corresponding to a timing of an idle slot for traffic channel if an idle slot exists among the slots for traffic channel, and corresponding to a slot for control channel of a frame wherein a control signal is not transmitted if a circuit-switched data is generated when a slot timing has been indicated for packet-switched data corresponding to a timing of an idle slot for traffic channel and an idle slot does not exist among the slots for traffic channel, and moreover for indicating a radio frequency to be used to said radio sending and receiving means if a packet-switched data is generated, for transmitting packet-switched data using an idle slot among slots for traffic channel if outputting the packet-switched data to said slot associating means, and for transmitting packet-switched data using an idle slot among slots for control channel if outputting the packet-switched data to said packet-switched data separating means.

12. A radio terminal that receives a control signal being sent intermittently using a slot for control channel and implements circuit-switched communication and packet-switched communication according to (n+m) multiple TDMA communication mode whereby one frame consists of n slots for control channel, n being a natural number, and m slots for traffic channel, m being a natural number, comprising:

a packet-switched data processing means for storing a packet-switched data to input and output;

a packet-switched data separating means for directly outputting the packet-switched data from said packet-switched data processing means and a control signal in transmission, and for separating the packet-switched data and the control signal and outputting them to input-output terminals of said packet-switched data processing means and the control signal in reception;

a slot associating means, being connected with input-output terminals of said packet-switched data processing means and for circuit-switched data, for inputting and outputting calls to send and receive, and for associating TDMA slots with the calls to send and receive;

a time division processing means, being connected with said slot associating means and said packet-switched data separating means, for assembling and disassembling the TDMA slots and TDMA frames;

a radio sending and receiving means for sending and receiving the calls to be sent and received with the TDMA frame as a unit, which is connected with said time division processing means; and

a control means, for having said packet-switched data processing means output a packet-switched data which is stored therein to one of said packet-switched data separating means and said slot associating means by indicating a slot timing which can be used for packet switching corresponding to a timing of a slot for control channel of a frame wherein a control signal is not transmitted if the packet-switched data is generated when a idle slot does not exist among the slots for traffic channel, corresponding to a timing of an idle slot for traffic channel if an idle slot exists among the slots for traffic channel, and corresponding to a slot for control channel of a frame wherein a control signal is not transmitted if a circuit-switched data is generated when a slot timing has been indicated for packet-switched data corresponding to a timing of an idle slot for traffic channel and an idle slot does not exist among the slots for traffic channel, and moreover for indicating a radio frequency to be used to said radio sending and receiving means if a packet-switched data is generated, for transmitting packet-switched data using an idle slot among slots for traffic channel if outputting the packet-switched data to said slot associating means, for transmitting packet-switched data using an idle slot among slots for control channel if outputting the packet-switched data to said packet-switched data separating means.