Method for transmitting information in a universal transmission network

• US 6,256,297 B1
• Filed: 06/19/1998
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Haferbeck, Ralf, Ernst, Detlef
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, DANG T
• Application Number:
  US09/091,779
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 370/311, 370/465, 370/395, 370/389, 370/328, 370/466, 370/335, 370/342, 370/349, 370/479, 370/401, 370/332, 370/336, 370/407, 370/408, 370/409, 370/351, 370/352, 370/216, 370/218, 370/217, 370/227, 370/228, 370/509, 370/501, 370/310, 455/403, 455/422, 455/455, 455/464, 455/38.3, 340/825.01, 340/827, 379/221
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5607 Radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/561 Star, e.g. cross-connect, concentrator, subscriber group equipment, remote electronics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5652 Cell construction, e.g. including header, packetisation, depacketisation, assembly, reassembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A method for transmitting information in a universal transmission network wherein

information about the total number of combination points at which two transmission paths are combined to form a single transmission path a or an individual transmission path is split into two transmission paths a is entered in a transmission frame by a radio subscriber station which uses a plurality of redundant transmission paths set up in parallel via a radio. The number of combination points which the incoming transmission frame has passed through is determined at the combination points in the transmission network, and information about this is also transmitted in an outgoing transmission frame. In consequence, the combination point at which the total number of combination points required in the network is reached can be selected in a dynamic and flexible manner as the interworking point in the transmission network for conversion of information encoded specifically for mobile radio networks.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting information in a universal transmission network in which functions specific to mobile radio networks and functions specific to fixed networks are performed, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting the information in transmission frames between the transmission network and a radio subscriber network on different redundant transmission paths set up in parallel via a radio transmission interface;

combining the information at combination points at which two first transmission paths are combined to form a first single transmission path in a first transmission direction, the first single transmission path thereafter split into two second transmission paths in a second transmission direction opposite the first transmission direction;

entering total combination point information in each transmission frame by the radio subscriber station, the total combination point information being a total number m of the combination points used for combining m+1 transmission paths set up in parallel;

determining partial combination point information at each combination point, the partial combination point information equal to a number of the combination points through which a plurality of incoming transmission frames pass;

transmitting the partial combination point information in an outgoing transmission frame;

selecting as an interworking point in the transmission network a combination point at which the total number m of the combination points passed through is reached; and

converting information encoded specifically for mobile radio networks in each transmission frame into information encoded specifically for the fixed networks.

2. A method for transmitting information in a universal transmission network as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

entering the partial combination point information in the outgoing transmission frame at each combination point until the total number m of the combination points is reached.

3. A method for transmitting information in a universal transmission network as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

inserting a combination point counter in each of the transmission frames to determine the total number m of the combination points passed through;

adding current counts of the combination point counters in each of the respective transmission frames on the two first transmission paths at each combination point to obtain a total count; and

incrementing the total count by one to obtain a new total count and comparing the new total count with the total number m of the combination points.

4. A method for transmitting information in a universal transmission network as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interworking point is located in a radio device in the transmission network.

5. A method for transmitting information in a universal transmission network as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interworking point is located in an exchange in the transmission network.

6. A method for transmitting information in a universal transmission network as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

using an information cell, which is transmitted using an asynchronous transfer mode, as the transmission frame for the information encoded specifically for mobile radio networks; and

inserting into the information cell both the total combination point information and the partial combination point information.

7. A method for transmitting information in a universal transmission network as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

using an information block, which is transmitted using an asynchronous transfer mode, as the transmission frame for the information encoded specifically for mobile radio networks; and

inserting into the information block both the total combination point information and the partial combination point information.