Signalling link capacity in a cellular communications system

• US 6,535,737 B1
• Filed: 04/14/1999
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Karlsson, Bernt
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thanh Cong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thuan T.
• Application Number:
  US09/291,767
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 455/433, 455/435, 455/414, 455/456, 455/466, 455/412, 455/434, 455/458, 455/72
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC

Abstract

A method is disclosed for increasing signaling link capacity between nodes in a digital cellular communications system, wherein the signaling message to be conveyed over the link is compressed. The compressed message received at the other side of the link is then decompressed. As a consequence, the capacity of the signaling links between nodes can be increased up to 100%, and mobile station registration restrictions can be reduced. The method is disclosed for compressing MTP messages, but it can also be used for compressing other signaling messages to improve link capacity.

Claims

1. A method for increasing signaling link throughput between nodes in a mobile communications system, comprising the steps of:

a first terminal, associated with a first node, compressing a signaling message;

said first terminal sending said compressed signaling message over said signaling link to a second node;

a second terminal, associated with said second node, decompressing a received compressed signaling message;

said second terminal determining whether said compressed signaling message was properly decompressed; and

in response to the step of determining by said second terminal that said compressed signaling message was properly decompressed, developing a compression model.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said signaling message comprises a message transfer part.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said signaling link comprises a message transfer part signaling link.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said signaling message comprises a Message Signal Unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said signaling message comprises a Link Status Signal Unit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said signaling message comprises a Fill-In Signal Unit.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said signaling message comprises a Signaling Connection Control Part.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said signaling message comprises a Transaction Capabilities Application Part.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said first node comprises a Home Location Register, and said second node comprises a Mobile Services Switching Center.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said mobile communications system comprises a PDC system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said first node comprises a Gateway Location Register, and said second node comprises a Mobile Services Switching Center.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said first node comprises a first Mobile Services Switching Center, and said second node comprises a second Mobile Services Switching Center.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said mobile communications system comprises a GSM.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said first node comprises a Visitors Location Register.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said mobile communications system comprises a Digital-Advanced Mobile Phone System.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said first terminal comprises a signaling terminal.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said second terminal comprises a signaling terminal.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said first node comprises a central processor coupled to a plurality of regional processors and wherein one of said plurality of regional processors is connected to a first signaling terminal.

19. A method for increasing signaling link throughput between nodes in a mobile communications system, comprising the steps of:

a first terminal, associated with a first node, developing a first compression model from a signaling message;

said first terminal constructing a Huffman code tree from said model;

said first terminal constructing a coded symbol table from said Huffman tree;

said first terminal sending a plurality of coded symbols from said coded symbol table over said signaling link to a second terminal;

said second terminal, associated with a second node, decoding a received plurality of coded symbols;

said second terminal determining whether said compressed plurality of coded symbols were properly decoded; and

in response to a determination by said second terminal that said compressed plurality of coded symbols were properly decoded, developing a second compression model.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said signaling message comprises a message transfer part.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said signaling link comprises a message transfer part signaling link.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said signaling message comprises a Message Signal Unit.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein said signaling message comprises a Link Status Signal Unit.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said signaling message comprises a Fill-In Signal Unit.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein said signaling message comprises a Signaling Connection Control Part.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein said signaling message comprises a Transaction Capabilities Application Part.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein said first terminal is associated with a Home Location Register, and said second terminal is associated with a Mobile Services Switching Center.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein said mobile communications system comprises a PDC system.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein said first terminal comprises a signaling terminal.

30. The method of claim 19, wherein said second terminal comprises a signaling terminal.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein said first node comprises a central processor coupled to a plurality of regional processors and wherein one of said plurality of regional processors is connected to a first signaling terminal.

32. A system for increasing signaling link throughput between nodes in a mobile communications system, comprising:

a first terminal coupled to a first node, said first terminal operable to compress a signaling message and send said compressed signaling message over said signaling link to a second node; and

a second terminal coupled to said second node, said second terminal operable to receive said compressed signaling message from said signaling link and decompress said compressed signaling message and to determine whether said compressed signaling message was properly decompressed, wherein each of the first and the second terminal is operable to develop a compression model in response to a determination that said compressed signaling message was properly decompressed by said second terminal.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said signaling message comprises a message transfer part.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein said signaling link comprises a message transfer part signaling link.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein said signaling message comprises a Message Signal Unit.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein said signaling message comprises a Link Status Signal Unit.

37. The system of claim 32, wherein said signaling message comprises a Fill-In Signal Unit.

38. The system of claim 32, wherein said signaling message comprises a Signaling Connection Control Part.

39. The system of claim 32, wherein said signaling message comprises a Transaction Capabilities Application Part.

40. The system of claim 32, wherein said first node comprises a Home Location Register, and said second node comprises a Mobile Services Switching Center.

41. The system of claim 32, wherein said mobile communications system comprises a PDC system.

42. The system of claim 32, wherein said first terminal comprises a signaling terminal.

43. The system of claim 32, wherein said second terminal comprises a signaling terminal.

44. The system of claim 32, wherein said first node comprises a central processor coupled to a plurality of regional processors and wherein one of said plurality of regional processors is connected to a first signaling terminal.