GPRS MAC procedures to support real-time services

• US 6,466,544 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Saw, Chiew-Leong, Sen, Sanjoy, Bagchi, Tanuj, Ho, Joseph, Basu, Kalyan, Tapadar, Indranil Bob
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ewart, James D
• Application Number:
  US09/469,668
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 370/231, 370/235, 370/314, 370/321, 370/322, 370/326, 370/328, 370/329, 370/330, 370/331, 370/336, 370/337, 370/338, 370/345, 370/347, 370/348, 370/349, 370/389, 370/442, 370/443, 370/445, 370/447, 370/461, 370/462, 370/468, 370/477, 455/450, 455/509
• US Class Current: 370/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release

Abstract

A system and method for GPRS MAC procedures to support delay-sensitive, real-time traffic is presented. The system comprises a mobile station able to transmit packets to and receive packets from a base station, where the base station is coupled to a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, and where the GPRS network is coupled to a data network. In an uplink dynamic scheme, the base station receives an empty packet from the mobile station. The base station releases a bandwidth allocated to the mobile station if an implementation dependent time expires and further allocates a reduced portion of the bandwidth to the mobile station if a number of the empty packets are received or if a control packet requesting additional bandwidth is received by the base station. In an uplink fixed scheme, the base station allocates a fixed number of radio resources to the mobile station. The base station releases the radio resources allocated to the mobile station, if the fixed number of radio resources are not utilized and further allocates a reduced bandwidth to the mobile station if a number of empty packets are received.

Claims

1. A system for packet transmission, wherein the system comprises:

a mobile station;

a base station, wherein the base station receives an empty packet from the mobile station, releases a bandwidth allocated to the mobile station if an implementation dependent time expires, and allocates a reduced portion of the bandwidth to the mobile station if a number of the empty packets are received; and

a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network for coupling to the base station and to a data network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein non-empty packets are transmitted between the mobile station and the data network.

3. A method for packet transmission in a communication network, wherein the communication network comprises a mobile station able to transmit the packets to and receive the packets from a base station, wherein the base station is coupled to a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, and wherein the GPRS network is coupled to a data network, the method comprising:

receiving, by the base station, an empty packet from the mobile station;

releasing, by the base station, a bandwidth allocated to the mobile station if an implementation dependent time expires; and

allocating, by the base station, a reduced portion of the bandwidth to the mobile station if a number of the empty packets are received.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising transmitting, by the mobile station, the packets via the reduced portion of the bandwidth.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

receiving, by the base station, the packets; and

re-allocating, by the base station, the bandwidth to the mobile station, when a first one of the packets is received by the base station.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

receiving, by the base station, the packets; and

re-allocating, by the base station, the bandwidth to the mobile station, when a control packet requesting additional bandwidth is received by the base station.

7. The method of claim 3 further comprising providing a high priority to the bandwidth allocated for conversational class packets.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the packets comprise real-time voice packets.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the packets comprise real-time data packets.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein the packets comprise real-time multimedia packets.

11. The method of claim 3 wherein the packets comprise signaling packets.

12. A method for packet transmission in a communication network, wherein the communication network comprises a mobile station able to transmit the packets to and receive the packets from a base station, wherein the base station is coupled to a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, and wherein the GPRS network is coupled to a data network, the method comprising:

allocating, by the base station, a fixed number of radio resources to the mobile station;

releasing, by the base station, the fixed number of radio resources, if the fixed number of radio resources are not utilized; and

allocating, by the base station, a reduced portion of the fixed number of radio resources to the mobile station if a number of empty packets are received.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting, by the mobile station, the packets via the reduced portion of the fixed number of radio resources.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving, by the base station, the packets; and

re-allocating, by the base station, the fixed number of radio resources to the mobile station when a first one of the packets is received by the base station.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving, by the base station, the packets; and

re-allocating, by the base station, the fixed number of radio resources to the mobile station when a control packet requesting additional bandwidth is received by the base station.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing a high priority to the fixed number of radio resources allocated for conversational class packets.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the packets comprise real-time voice packets.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the packets comprise real-time data packets.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the packets comprise real-time multi-media packets.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein the packets comprise signaling packets.

21. A system for packet transmission, wherein the system comprises a mobile station able to transmit the packets to and receive the packets from a base station, wherein the base station is coupled to a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)

network, and wherein the GPRS network is coupled to a data network, the system comprises:

means for receiving, by the base station, an empty packet from the mobile station;

means for releasing, by the base station, a bandwidth allocated to the mobile station if an implementation dependent time expires; and

means for allocating, by the base station, a reduced portion of the bandwidth to the mobile station if a number of the empty packets are received.

22. The system of claim 21 further comprising means for transmitting, by the mobile station, the packets via the reduced portion of the bandwidth.

23. The system of claim 22 further comprises:

means for receiving, by the base station, the packets; and

means for re-allocating, by the base station, the bandwidth to the mobile station, when a first one of the packets is received by the base station.

24. The system of claim 22 further comprises:

means for receiving, by the base station, the packets; and

means for re-allocating, by the base station, the bandwidth to the mobile station, when a control packet requesting additional bandwidth is received by the base station.

25. The system of claim 21 further comprises means for providing a high priority to the bandwidth allocated for conversational class packets.

26. A system for packet transmission, wherein the system comprises a mobile station able to transmit the packets to and receive the packets from a base station, wherein the base station is coupled to a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)

network, and wherein the GPRS network is coupled to a data network, the system comprises:

means for allocating, by the base station, a fixed number of radio resources to the mobile station;

means for releasing, by the base station, the fixed number of radio resources, if the fixed number of radio resources are not utilized; and

means for allocating, by the base station, a reduced portion of the fixed number of radio resources to the mobile station if a number of empty packets are received.

27. The system of claim 26 further comprises means for transmitting, by the mobile station, the packets via the reduced portion of the fixed number of radio resources.

28. The system of claim 27 further comprises means for:

receiving, by the base station, the packets; and

re-allocating, by the base station, the fixed number of radio resources to the mobile station when a first one of the packets is received by the base station.

29. The system of claim 27 further comprises means for:

receiving, by the base station, the packets; and

re-allocating, by the base station, the fixed number of radio resources to the mobile station when a control packet requesting additional bandwidth is received by the base station.

30. The system of claim 26, further comprises means for providing a high priority to the fixed number of radio resources allocated for conversational class packets.

31. A system for packet transmission, wherein the system comprises:

a mobile station;

a base station, wherein the base station allocates a fixed number of radio resources to the mobile station, releases a fixed number of radio resources, if the fixed number of radio resources are not utilized, and allocates a reduced portion of the fixed number of radio resources to the mobile station if a number of empty packets are received; and

a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network for coupling to the base station and to a data network.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein non-empty packets are transmitted between the mobile station and the data network.

33. A computer program comprising instructions for:

receiving, by a base station, an empty packet from a mobile station;

releasing, by the base station, a bandwidth allocated to the mobile station if an implementation dependent time expires; and

allocating, by the base station, a reduced portion of the bandwidth to the mobile station if a number of the empty packets are received.

34. The computer program of claim 33 further comprising instructions for transmitting, by the mobile station, the packets via the reduced portion of the bandwidth.

35. The computer program of claim 34 further comprising instructions for:

receiving, by the base station, the packets; and

re-allocating, by the base station, the bandwidth to the mobile station, when a first one of the packets is received by the base station.

36. The computer program of claim 34 further comprising instructions for:

receiving, by the base station, the packets; and

re-allocating, by the base station, the bandwidth to the mobile station, when a control packet requesting additional bandwidth is received by the base station.

37. The computer program of claim 34 further comprising instructions for providing a high priority to the bandwidth allocated for conversational class packets.

38. A computer program comprising instructions for:

allocating, by a base station, a fixed number of radio resources to a mobile station;

releasing, by the base station, the fixed number of radio resources, if the fixed number of radio resources are not utilized; and

allocating, by the base station, a reduced portion of the fixed number of radio resources to the mobile station if a number of empty packets are received.

39. The computer program of claim 38 further comprising instructions for transmitting, by the mobile station, the packets via the reduced portion of the fixed number of radio resources.

40. The computer program of claim 39 further comprising instructions for:

receiving, by the base station, the packets; and

re-allocating, by the base station, the fixed number of radio resources to the mobile station when a first one of the packets is received by the base station.

41. The computer program of claim 39 further comprising instructions for:

receiving, by the base station, the packets; and

re-allocating, by the base station, the fixed number of radio resources to the mobile station when a control packet requesting additional bandwidth is received by the base station.

42. The computer program of claim 38 further comprising instructions for:

providing a high priority to the fixed number of radio resources allocated for conversational class packets.