Method and apparatus for controlling the use of idle frames

• US 6,470,024 B1
• Filed: 04/28/1999
• Issued: 10/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hämäläinen, Jari, Oksala, Jarkko
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan, Tri H.
• Application Number:
  US09/301,244
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/437, 370/442, 370/447, 370/458, 370/459, 370/512, 370/528, 455/450, 455/451, 455/452, 455/453, 455/509
• US Class Current: 370/459
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

A method and apparatus implementing the method for controlling the use of idle frames by a mobile station operating in a wireless telecommunication network. A control unit of the mobile station comprises the information on activities that can be carried out during idle frames in accordance with the mobile station'"'"'s operating mode. At each idle frame, the mobile station checks said operating mode and activities to be carried out and of the activities to be carried out, determines the one that has the highest priority on the basis of said operating mode. For example, if necessary, the number of idle frames used for synchronisation burst search can be arranged as high as possible and, thus, enhance synchronisation.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the use of idle frames by a mobile station in a wireless telecommunication network, the method comprising:

dividing data transmission based on time division multiple access into frames containing a fixed number of timeslots, and the frames into timeslots containing bursts between the mobile station and a base transceiver station, wherein a selected number of successive frames form a mobile station'"'"'s multiframe, which substantially comprises traffic frames intended for the transmission of traffic data, as well as idle frames intended for activities relating to the measurements of a radio path between the mobile station and the base transceiver station and the transmission of the measurement results;

characterised by

checking the mobile station activities relating to the measurements of the radio path and the transmission of the measurement results that are to be carried out during an idle frame, as well as the mobile station'"'"'s operating mode;

determining the priority of the activities in accordance with the mobile station'"'"'s operating mode;

carrying out the activity having the highest priority during an idle frame by the mobile station.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that said activities comprise at least one of the following:

a frequency correction pulse search, transmission and reception of a random access signal relating to the measurement of a timing advance value, interference measurement for power control.

3. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that said activities comprise one of the following combinations that can be carried out during an idle frame:

transmission of a random access signal relating to the measurement of a timing advance value and interference measurement, and reception of a random access signal relating to the measurement of a timing advance value and interference measurement.

4. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that synchronisation bursts containing synchronisation data are transmitted at regular intervals on the base transceiver station'"'"'s broadcast channel;

and

the highest priority is set on the frequency correction pulse search in all idle frames, which are not needed to carry out other activities controlled by a base station subsystem.

5. A mobile station (MS) for use in a wireless telecommunication system, wherein data transmission based on time division multiple access is divided into frames containing a fixed number of timeslots, and the frames are divided into timeslots containing bursts between the mobile station and a base transceiver station, and

a selected number of successive frames form the mobile station'"'"'s multiframe, which comprises traffic frames substantially intended for the transmission of traffic data, as well as idle frames intended for activities relating to the measurements of the radio path between the mobile station and a base station subsystem and the transmission of the measurement results;

characterised in that

the mobile station comprises means (CU) for checking the activities, relating to the measurements of the radio path and the transmission of the measurement results, which can be carried out during an idle frame;

for determining the mobile station'"'"'s operating mode;

for determining the priority of the activities in accordance with the mobile station'"'"'s operating mode; and

for launching the activity having the highest priority during an idle frame.

6. A mobile station according to claim 5, characterised in that said activities comprise at least one of the following:

frequency correction pulse search, measurement of a timing advance value, interference measurement for power control.

7. A mobile station according to claim 5, characterised in that said activities comprise one of the following combinations that can be carried out during an idle frame:

transmission of a random access signal relating to the measurement of a timing advance value and interference measurement, and reception of a random access signal relating to the measurement of a timing advance value and interference measurement.

8. A mobile station according to claim 5, characterised in that said control unit is adapted to set the highest priority on the frequency correction pulse search in all idle frames, which are not needed to carry out other activities controlled by the base station subsystem.