Method for transmitting calls of different priorities which are associated with different power levels in a cellular network

• US 5,930,684 A
• Filed: 08/19/1996
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Jolma, Petri, Sarkioja, Juha, Keskitalo, Ilkka, Kiema, Arto, Savusalo, Jari
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VINCENT, DAVID ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US08/696,861
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 455/69, 455/13.4, 455/522, 455/512, 455/404, 455/450, 455/451, 455/452, 455/453, 455/454, 455/455, 370/342, 370/347, 370/395, 370/396, 370/397, 370/409
• US Class Current: 455/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/08 Closed loop power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/146 Uplink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/242 taking into account path loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/265 taking into account the quality of service QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/281 taking into account user or data type priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/343 taking into account loading or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for transmitting calls of different priorities in a cellular network which comprises in each cell at least one base station (10) communicating with subscriber terminals (11a-11d, 13) within its area, and in which network the base station transmits power control information to the terminal equipments, which may adjust their transmit power on the basis of the power control messages from the base station, the calls of the network having different levels of priority. In order to ensure the call establishment and the quality of calls with a high priority, the calls with a high priority use a higher transmit power than what is allowed for calls with a lower priority.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting calls of different priorities in a cellular network which comprises in each cell at least one base station communicating with subscriber terminals within its area, and in which network the base station transmits power control information messages to the subscriber terminals, which can adjust their transmit power on the basis of the power control information messages from the base station, the calls of the network having different levels of priority, the method comprising:

a subscriber terminal signaling to the base station that it has a high priority for a call; and

the base station taking into account the priority of the call when it transmits power control information messages,

wherein calls with a high priority use a higher transmit power than what is allowed for calls with a lower priority,

wherein, when a call set-up message for a prioritized call is transmitted, a higher transmit power is used than in other calls, and

wherein the level of the transmit power used in the prioritized call depends on the power control information messages transmitted by the base station and on the traffic load of the cell.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the power control information messages transmitted by the base station to the subscriber terminals take into account the priority level of the call in such a way that a higher transmit power is used in calls with a high priority than in calls with a lower priority in similar circumstances.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a subscriber terminal signaling to the base station a value differing from the real value of the transmit power it uses in a call with a higher priority,

the base station transmitting a power control command to the subscriber terminal on the basis of this differing value, and the subscriber terminal using a higher transmit power than the power control command transmitted by the base station to the subscriber terminal indicates.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when a call set-up message for a prioritized call is transmitted, the transmit power value indicated by an open loop power control is used, said power value being increased by a determined constant value.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when a call is established, a particular subscriber terminal signals to the base station that it will start a prioritized call.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein if the power of the signal received by the base station from the particular subscriber terminal drops below a predetermined threshold, a higher transmit power is used in the prioritized call than in the other calls.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the level of the transmit power used in the prioritized call depends on the level of priority of the call.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmit power used in the prioritized call varies during the call.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cellular network employs a CDMA multiple access method.