Device for a radio-communication system, in particular for point-to-multipoint connections

• US 6,445,689 B2
• Filed: 01/23/1998
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson AB (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Bruenle, Siegfried
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, MAN U
• Application Number:
  US09/012,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20010040876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 370/336, 370/337, 370/338, 370/395, 370/486, 370/362, 370/375, 370/474, 370/442, 370/443, 370/473, 455/10, 455/76, 455/71, 455/53.1
• US Class Current: 370/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5607 Radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5632 Bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5642 Multicast/broadcast/point-multipoint, e.g. VOD
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

A device for a radio-communication system, in particular for point-to-multipoint connections, includes components for a supplementary transmission of ATM cells and for dynamically assigning the transmission capacity as a function of the traffic intensity.

Claims

1. A device for a radio-communication system, a transmission being carried out in a radio-communication frame using time slots, the time slots representing multiples of a basic bit rate, the device comprising:

means for providing a supplemental transmission of at least one of packet-oriented data and cell-oriented data; and

means for dynamically assigning a transmission capacity as a function of at least one of a traffic intensity in the transmitted time slots and a number of data packets or cells, the dynamic assignment being an assignment that is changeable during an existing radio link.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the system includes point-to-multipoint connections between a central station and radio-communications subscribers.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein, in order to change the transmission capacity, at least one of the bit rate and a bandwidth of a transmitter of a radio-communication subscriber is switchable.

5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a multiplexer for separating a signal supplied by a radio interface of a radio-communication subscriber into data streams for the transmission of the time slots and of ATM cells, and for, in a return direction, compressing into one data stream the data streams sent by the radio-communication subscriber for the transmission of the time slots and the transmission of the ATM cells.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein a basic channel for control cells requests the transmission capacity between a radio-communication subscriber and a central station.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein a radio-communication multiframe requests the transmission capacity between a radio-communication subscriber and a central station.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein, to evaluate ATM cells, the means for dynamically assigning includes:

a storage device for storing the ATM cells;

a cell counter for the ATM cells at both an input and an output of the storage device;

a comparator device coupled to the cell counter; and

a modem control device which, as a function of an output of the comparator device, directs a control signal to a device for altering the bit rate.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the output of the storage device is synchronized by the device for altering the bit rate.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein, in order to transmit a request signal for a higher transmission capacity, the modem control device communicates with a central station via a radio-communication channel.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the central station includes means for processing the request signal of each of a plurality of radio-communication subscribers using a collision protocol.

15. The device according to claim 14, further comprising means for maintaining an assigned increased transmission capacity for a set time period.

16. The device according to claim 14, further comprising means for maintaining an assigned increased transmission capacity until the transmission capacity of a basic channel is again sufficient by itself.

17. The device according to claim 14, further comprising means for maintaining an assigned transmission capacity until a further control device of the central station cancels the assigned transmission capacity.

3. A device for a radio-communication system, a transmission being carried out in a radio-communication frame using time slots, the time slots representing multiples of a basic bit rate, the device comprising:

means for providing a supplemental transmission of at least one of packet-oriented data and cell-oriented data; and

means for dynamically assigning a transmission capacity as a function of at least one of a traffic intensity in the transmitted time slots and a number of data packets or cells, the dynamic assignment being an assignment that is changeable during an existing radio link;

wherein a module for recording and evaluating the data packets or cells, within a prescribed time period, and for outputting a request signal to increase the transmission capacity when a number of the data packets per time period exceeds a threshold value, is assigned to a radio-communication subscriber.

8. A device for a radio-communication system, a transmission being carried out in a radio-communication frame using time slots, the time slots representing multiples of a basic bit rate, the device comprising:

means for providing a supplemental transmission of at least one of packet-oriented data and cell-oriented data; and

means for dynamically assigning a transmission capacity as a function of at least one of a traffic intensity in the transmitted time slots and a number of data packets or cells, the dynamic assignment being an assignment that is changeable during an existing radio link;

wherein each of a plurality of radio-communication subscribers is assigned one modem with two transmitting and two receiving channels, a signal transmission in the modem being carried out on only one of the two transmitting/receiving channels, wherein, in response to a change in the transmission capacity based on a request signal, another one of the two transmitting/receiving channels not currently in operation undertakes an acquisition of a new transmission capacity, while the transmission in the one transmitting/receiving channel in use is continued until, after a completed acquisition, a switch-over free of bit errors is made to the another one transmitting/receiving channel not in use.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the modem has devices for dynamically assigning the transmission capacity, both for the time slots and for ATM cells.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the devices are connected in each case, on an output side, to an input of a first and second multiplexer such that, with each of the first and second multiplexers, the time slots and the ATM cells are compressed into one data stream and are separated, in a return direction, into the time slots and the ATM cells.

18. An apparatus for dynamically varying, during an existing radio link, a transmission capacity based on a number of ATM cells, the apparatus being for use with a radio-communication system, a transmission being carried out in a radio-communication frame using time slots, the time slots representing multiples of a basic bit rate, the apparatus comprising:

a storage arrangement for storing the ATM cells;

a first counter arrangement for counting the ATM cells, the first counter arrangement being coupled to an input of the storage device and for providing a first ATM cell count;

a second counter arrangement for counting the ATM cells, the second counter arrangement being coupled to an output of the storage arrangement and for providing a second ATM cell count;

a comparator arrangement for comparing the first ATM cell count and the second ATM cell count and for providing a comparator output, the comparator arrangement being coupled to the first counter arrangement and the second counter arrangement;

a bit rate altering arrangement being coupled to the storage arrangement and synchronizing an output of the storage arrangement; and

a modem control arrangement for providing a control signal to the bit rate altering arrangement based on the comparator output and for transmitting a request signal for a different transmission capacity by communicating with a central station of the radio communication system via a radio-communication channel, the modem control arrangement being coupled to the comparator arrangement and to the bit rate altering arrangement.

19. An apparatus for dynamically varying, during an existing radio link, a transmission capacity based on a number of ATM cells, the apparatus being for use with a radio-communication system, a transmission being carried out in a radio-communication frame using time slots, the time slots representing multiples of a basic bit rate, the apparatus comprising:

means for storing the ATM cells;

means for providing a first ATM cell count;

means for providing a second ATM cell count;

means for comparing the first ATM cell count and the second ATM cell count and for providing a comparator output;

means for altering a bit rate and for synchronizing an output of the storage arrangement; and

means for providing modem control and for providing a control signal, based on the comparator output, to the means for altering the bit rate, and for transmitting a request signal for a different transmission capacity by communicating with a central station of the radio communication system via a radio-communication channel.

20. An apparatus for dynamically varying, during an existing radio link, a transmission capacity based on a number of ATM cells, the apparatus being for use with a radio-communication system, a transmission being carried out in a radio-communication frame using time slots, the time slots representing multiples of a basic bit rate, the apparatus comprising:

storage arrangement to store the ATM cells;

a first counter arrangement to count the ATM cells and to provide a first ATM cell count;

a second counter arrangement to count the ATM cells and to provide a second ATM cell count;

a comparator arrangement to compare the first ATM cell count and the second ATM cell count and to provide a comparator output;

a bit rate altering arrangement being coupled to the storage arrangement and being operable to synchronize an output of the storage arrangement; and

a modem control arrangement to provide a control signal to the bit rate altering arrangement based on the comparator output and to transmit a request signal for a different transmission capacity by communicating with a central station of the radio communication system via a radio-communication channel, the modem control arrangement being coupled to the comparator arrangement and to the bit rate altering arrangement.

21. The device according to claim 20, wherein the central station includes a processing arrangement to process the request signal of each of a plurality of radio-communication subscribers using a collision protocol.

22. The device according to claim 21, further comprising a maintaining arrangement to maintain an assigned increased transmission capacity for a set time period.

23. The device according to claim 21, further comprising a maintaining arrangement to maintain an assigned increased transmission capacity until the transmission capacity of a basic channel is again sufficient by itself.

24. The device according to claim 21, further comprising a maintaining arrangement to maintain an assigned transmission capacity until a further control device of the central station cancels the assigned transmission capacity.

25. A method for dynamically varying, during an existing radio link, a transmission capacity based on a number of ATM cells, the apparatus being for use with a radio-communication system, a transmission being carried out in a radio-communication frame using time slots, the time slots representing multiples of a basic bit rate, the method comprising:

storing the ATM cells;

providing a first ATM cell count and a second ATM cell count;

comparing the first ATM cell count and the second ATM cell count, and providing a comparator output;

altering a bit rate and synchronizing an output of a storage arrangement; and

providing modem control and a control signal based on the comparator output for use in altering the bit rate, and transmitting a request signal for a different transmission capacity by communicating with a central station of the radio-communication system via a radio-communication channel.

26. A device for a radio-communication system, a transmission being carried out in a radio-communication frame using time slots, the time slots representing multiples of a basic bit rate, the device comprising:

a supplemental transmission arrangement to provide a supplemental transmission of at least one of packet-oriented data and cell-oriented data; and

a dynamic assignment arrangement to dynamically assign a transmission capacity as a function of at least one of a traffic intensity in the transmitted time slots and a number of data packets or cells, the dynamic assignment being an assignment that is changeable during an existing radio link;

wherein a module to record and evaluate the data packets or cells, within a prescribed time period, and to output a request signal to increase the transmission capacity when a number of the data packets per time period exceeds a threshold value, is assigned to a radio-communication subscriber.

27. The device according to claim 26, wherein the radio-communication system includes point-to-multipoint connections between a central station and radio-communications subscribers.

28. The device according to claim 26, wherein at least one of the bit rate and a bandwidth of a transmitter of a radio-communication subscriber is switchable to change the transmission capacity.

29. The device according to claim 26, further comprising a multiplexer to separate a signal supplied by a radio interface of a radio-communication subscriber into data streams to transmit the time slots and ATM cells, and in a return direction, to compress the data streams sent by the radio-communication subscriber to transmit the time slots and the ATM cells into one data stream.

30. The device according to claim 26, wherein a basic channel for control cells is used to request the transmission capacity between a radio-communication subscriber and a central station.

31. The device according to claim 26, wherein a radio-communication multiframe is used to request the transmission capacity between a radio-communication subscriber and a central station.