Control message transmission in telecommunications systems

• US 6,061,365 A
• Filed: 11/16/1995
• Issued: 05/09/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airspan Networks Inc.
• Original Assignee: Airspan Communications Corporation
• Inventors: Yeung, Joemanne Chi Cheung, Thompson, Jonathan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HUY DUY
• Application Number:
  US08/559,099
• Time in Patent Office: 1,636 Days
• Field of Search: 370/465, 370/468, 370/470, 370/471, 370/472, 370/473, 370/474, 370/475, 370/476, 370/522, 370/527, 370/528, 370/537, 370/232, 370/236, 370/216, 370/235, 370/390, 370/400 , 370/462, 370/402, 370/403, 370/407, 370/349, 370/252, 395/898, 395/466, 455/500, 455/507
• US Class Current: 370/470
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/70735 Code identification H04B1/7083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7075 with code phase acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7077 Multi-step acquisition, e.g. multi-dwell, coarse-fine or validation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/70775 Multi-dwell schemes, i.e. multiple accumulation times
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]

Abstract

Message packets for passing control information between a central telecommunications station and a controller for one or more telecommunications stations include: a packet header including a packet start pattern and a message size identifier for individually setting a message size for respective packets; a variable number of message records, each having a size relating to the message size selected for the packet; and a packet terminator including a unique packet end pattern invalid as an initial bit sequence for a message record. The tracking of transmissions is facilitated by the use of cyclical sequence numbers and an arrangement whereby up to a predetermined number of messages may be sent without an acknowledgment.

Claims

1. A message packet transmitter for generating message packets for passing control information between a central telecommunications station and a controller for one or more telecommunications stations, wherein the message packet transmitter generates message packets of information each comprising:

a variable number of message records;

a packet header including a packet start pattern and a message size identifier for individually setting a selectable message size for message records in a corresponding message packet,

whereby each message record has an identical size determined by the message size selected for the corresponding message packet; and

a packet terminator including a packet end pattern invalid as an initial bit sequence for a message record.

2. A message packet transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the message size for the message packets is selectable from a predetermined plurality of fixed sizes.

3. A message packet transmitter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data record buffer in which messages are arranged according to size; and

a message packet generator responsive to loading of the data record buffer to determine a message record size for a given message packet.

8. A message packet transmitter according to claim 1, wherein each of the message packets is provided with a task identifier for associating message records.

9. A message packet transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the message packet transmitter supplies a message packet sequence identifier to the packet header of each message packet.

10. A message packet transmitter according to claim 9, wherein the message packet sequence identifier is a number which is incremented modulo-n, where n is a whole number greater than 0, for successive packets.

4. A message packet transmitter generating message packets for passing control information between a central telecommunications station and a controller for one or more telecommunications stations, wherein the message packet transmitter generates message packets of information comprising:

a packet header including a packet start pattern and a message size identifier for individually setting a message size for respective message packets;

a variable number of message records, each having a size determined by the message size selected for the message packet; and

a packet terminator including a packet end pattern invalid as an initial bit sequence for a message record, wherein the message records in the message packet comprise a fixed length message record header and a message field for the message record, the message field having a size corresponding to the message size.

5. A message packet transmitter generating message packets for passing control information between a central telecommunications station and a controller for one or more telecommunications stations, wherein the message packet transmitter generates message packets of information comprising:

a packet header including a packet start pattern and a message size identifier for individually setting a message size for respective message packets;

a variable number of message records, each having a size determined by the message size selected for the message packet; and

a packet terminator including a packet end pattern invalid as an initial bit sequence for a message record, wherein the message records in the message packet comprises a message record header and a message field for the message record, the message record having a size corresponding to the message size.

6. A message packet transmitter generating message packets for passing control information between a central telecommunications station and a controller for one or more telecommunications stations, wherein the message packet transmitter generates message packets of information comprising:

a packet header including a packet start pattern and a message size identifier for individually setting a message size for respective message packets;

a variable number of message records, each having a size determined by the message size selected for the message packet; and

a packet terminator including a packet end pattern invalid as an initial bit sequence for a message record, wherein each of the message records is provided with a message control field including a message type identifier identifying the message record as a command message or a report message and/or an element address to which the message record refers.

7. A message packet transmitter generating message packets for passing control information between a central telecommunications station and a controller for one or more telecommunications stations, wherein the message packet transmitter generates message packets of information comprising:

a packet header including a packet start pattern and a message size identifier for individually setting a message size for respective message packets;

a variable number of message records, each having a size determined by the message size selected for the message packet; and

a packet terminator including a packet end pattern invalid as an initial bit sequence for a message record, wherein each of the message records is provided with a message identifier field for defining a function code for the message record.

11. A message packet for passing control information between a central telecommunications station and a controller for one or more telecommunications stations, wherein the message packet comprises:

a variable number of message records;

a packet header including a packet start pattern and a message size identifier for individually setting a selectable message size for message records in the message packet,

whereby each message record has an identical size determined by the message size selected for the message packet; and

a packet terminator including a packet end pattern invalid as an initial bit sequence for a message record.

12. A message packet according to claim 11, wherein each of the message records includes a fixed size message header and a message field having one of a plurality of selectable sizes.

13. A message packet according to claim 11, wherein the message packet header includes a message packet sequence identifier.

14. A message packet for passing control information between a central telecommunications station and a controller for one or more telecommunications stations, wherein the message packet comprises:

a packet header including a packet start pattern and a message size identifier for individually setting a message size for respective message packets;

a variable number of message records, each having a size determined by the message size selected for the message packet; and

a packet terminator including a packet end pattern invalid as an initial bit sequence for a message record, wherein each message record includes header fields comprising;

a message control field including a message type identifier identifying the message record as a command message or a report message and an element address to which the message record refers;

a message identifier field for defining a function code for the message record; and

a task identifier for associating message records.