Short access for realizing a signaling radio bearer in geran

• US 6,701,151 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2001
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Diachina, John W., Johansson, Mathias
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gantt, Alan T.
• Application Number:
  US09/818,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20020187789A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 455/452, 455/466, 455/452.2, 455/450, 455/517, 370/329, 370/528
• US Class Current: 455/452.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

An method of establishing a radio bearer (RB) resource in an RAN to support communication with a mobile terminal uses a radio bearer resource request message to expedite RB resource allocation. The mobile terminal transmits a packet channel access request message that uniquely identifies the access request type as a RB access request. The requested RB may be a signaling radio bearer (SRB), in which case the RB access request message may identify the specific type of SRB desired. More generally, the RB access request message identifies the access request type as a RB resource request, which is enough to alert the RAN that RB resources are required. The RAN then sends an uplink packet channel assignment and the mobile terminal specifies the RB resource details by transmitting RLC header information on the assigned uplink channel.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a signaling radio bearer (SRB) for control signaling between a mobile terminal and a radio access network, the method comprising:

transmitting an access request message from said mobile terminal to said radio access network, said access request message comprising a SRB resource request that identifies the type of SRB being requested;

receiving an uplink assignment message from said radio access network responsive to said SRB resource request, said uplink assignment message allocating specified SRB resources to said mobile terminal; and

transmitting control signaling messages from said mobile terminal to said radio access network using said specified SRB resources allocated to said mobile terminal in said uplink assignment message.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising including a message-type identifier in said access request message to indicate that said access request message comprises a SRB resource request.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising including a SRB identifier in said access request message to indicate the type of SRB being requested.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting said access request message from said mobile terminal to said radio access network comprises transmitting said access request message on a contention-based random access channel.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said radio access network comprises a GSM-EDGE radio access network and wherein transmitting said access request message on a contention-based random access channel comprises transmitting said access request message on an uplink packet control channel.

6. A mobile terminal comprising:

a transceiver to communicate with a radio access network;

a controller operatively connected to said transceiver, said controller programmed to;

send an access request message via said transceiver to said radio access network to establish a signaling radio bearer (SRB), said access request message comprising a SRB resource request that identifies the type of SRB being requested;

receive an uplink assignment message from said radio access network via said transceiver, said uplink assignment message responsive to said access request message allocating specified SRB resources to said mobile terminal; and

transmit control signaling via said transceiver to said radio access network using said specified SRB resources allocated to said mobile terminal in said uplink assignment message.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6 wherein said access request message sent to said radio access network comprises a message-type identifier to indicate that said access request message is a SRB resource request.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7 wherein said access request message sent to said radio access network comprises a SRB identifier to indicate the type of SRB being requested.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 6 wherein said access request message is sent to said radio access network on a contention-based random access channel.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9 wherein said radio access network is a GSM-EDGE radio access network and wherein said access request message is sent to said radio access network on an uplink packet control channel.

11. A method of establishing a signaling radio bearer (SRB) for control signaling between a mobile terminal and a radio access network, the method comprising:

receiving an access request message from said mobile terminal at said radio access network, said access request message comprising a SRB resource request that identifies the type of SRB being requested by said mobile terminal;

allocating selected SRB resources to said mobile terminal responsive to said SRB resource request;

transmitting an uplink assignment message to said mobile terminal to notify said mobile terminal of said selected SRB resources allocated to said mobile terminal; and

receiving control signaling messages from said mobile terminal at said radio access network using said selected SRB resources allocated to said mobile.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising determining whether said access request message received at said radio access network is a SRB resource request based on a message-type identifier contained in said access request message.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising determining the type of SRB being requested by said mobile terminal based on a SRB identifier contained in said access request message.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein receiving said access request message from said mobile terminal at said radio access network comprises receiving said access request message on a contention-based random access channel.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said radio access network comprises a GSM-EDGE radio access network and wherein receiving said access request on a contention-based random access channel comprises receiving said access request on an uplink packet control channel.

16. A radio access network comprising:

at least one base transceiver station to communicate with a mobile terminal;

a base station controller operatively connected to said base transceiver station, said base station controller programmed to;

receive an access request message via said base transceiver station from said mobile terminal requesting a signaling radio bearer (SRB), said access request message comprising a SRB resource request that identifies the type of SRB being requested;

allocate selected SRB resources to said mobile terminal responsive to said SRB resource request;

transmit an uplink assignment message via said base transceiver station to said mobile terminal to notify said mobile terminal of the selected SRB resources allocated to said mobile terminal; and

receive control signaling messages via said base transceiver station from said mobile terminal using said specified SRB resources allocated to said mobile terminal.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 16 wherein said access request message received by said radio access network comprises a message-type identifier indicating that said access request message is a SRB resource request.

18. The radio access network of claim 17 wherein said access request message received by said radio access network comprises a SRB identifier indicating the type of SRB being requested.

19. The radio access network of claim 16 wherein said access request message is received by said radio access network on a contention-based random access channel.

20. The radio access network of claim 19 wherein said radio access network comprises a GSM-EDGE radio access network, and wherein said access request message is received by said radio access network on an uplink packet control channel.

21. A method of establishing a signaling radio bearer (SRB) for signaling between a mobile terminal and a radio access network (RAN), the method comprising:

transmitting an access request message comprising a SRB resource request from said mobile terminal to said radio access network to request SRB resources for subsequent communication with said RAN;

receiving an uplink assignment message at said mobile terminal from said radio access network responsive to said SRB resource request and allocating selected SRB resources to said mobile terminal; and

transmitting data blocks from said mobile terminal to said radio access network using said selected SRB resources wherein a selected one of said data blocks transmitted to said radio access network comprises a RB identifier that identifies a type of RB being requested by said mobile terminal.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising including a message-type identifier into said access request message to indicate that said access request message comprises a RB resource request.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said RB identifier identifies a user radio bearer previously configured by said mobile terminal.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein said RB identifier identifies a signaling bearer previously configured by said mobile terminal.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein transmitting said access request message from said mobile terminal to said radio access network comprises transmitting said access request message on a contention-based random access channel.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said radio access network comprises a GSM-EDGE radio access network and wherein transmitting said access request message on a contention-based random access channel comprises transmitting said access request message on an uplink packet control channel.

27. A mobile terminal comprising:

a transceiver to communicate with a radio access network;

a controller operatively connected to said transceiver, said controller programmed to;

send an access request message containing a SRB resource request via said transceiver to said radio access network to establish a signaling radio bearer (SRB);

receive an uplink assignment message from said radio access network via said transceiver, said uplink assignment message responsive to said SRB resource request allocating selected SRB resources to said mobile terminal; and

transmit one or more data blocks via said transceiver to said radio access network using said selected SRB resources, wherein a selected one of said data blocks transmitted to said radio access network contains a RB identifier that identifies a type of RB resources requested by said mobile terminal.

28. The mobile terminal of claim 27 wherein said access request message sent to said radio access network comprises a message-type identifier to indicate that said access request message is a SRB resource request.

29. The mobile terminal of claim 27 wherein said RB identifier identifies a user radio bearer previously configured by said mobile terminal.

30. The mobile terminal of claim 27 wherein said RB identifier identifies a signaling bearer previously configured by said mobile terminal.

31. The mobile terminal of claim 27 wherein said access request message is sent to said radio access network on a contention-based random access channel.

32. The mobile terminal of claim 31 wherein said radio access network is a GSM-EDGE radio access network and wherein said access request message is sent to said radio access network on an uplink packet control channel.

33. A method of establishing a signaling radio bearer (SRB) for signaling between a mobile terminal and a radio access network, the method comprising:

receiving an access request message containing a SRB resource request from said mobile terminal at said radio access network;

allocating selected SRB resources to said mobile terminal responsive to said SRB resource request;

transmitting an uplink assignment message to said mobile terminal to notify said mobile terminal of said selected SRB resources allocated to said mobile terminal; and

receiving one or more data blocks from said mobile terminal at said radio access network using said selected SRB resources, wherein a selected one of said data blocks received at said radio access networks contains a RB identifier that identifies a type of RB resources being requested by said mobile terminal.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising determining whether said access request message received at said radio access network is a SRB resource request based on a message-type identifier contained in said access request message.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising determining the type of RB being requested by said mobile terminal based on said RB identifier contained in said selected data block.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein said RB identifier identifies a user radio bearer previously configured by said mobile terminal.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein said RB identifier identifies a signaling bearer previously configured by said mobile terminal.

38. The method of claim 33 wherein receiving said access request message at said radio access network comprises receiving said access request message on a contention-based random access channel.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein said radio access network comprises a GSM-EDGE radio access network and wherein receiving said access request on a contention-based random access channel comprises receiving said access request on an uplink packet control channel.

40. A radio access network comprising:

at least one base transceiver station to communicate with a mobile terminal;

a base station controller operatively connected to said base transceiver station, said base station controller programmed to;

receive an access request message containing a signaling radio bearer (SRB) resource request via said base transceiver station from said mobile terminal;

allocate selected SRB resources to said mobile terminal responsive to said SRB resource request;

transmit an uplink assignment message via said base transceiver station to said mobile terminal to notify said mobile terminal of the selected SRB resources allocated to said mobile terminal; and

receive one or more data blocks via said base transceiver station from said mobile terminal using said selected SRB resources allocated to said mobile terminal, wherein a selected one of said data blocks contains a SRB identifier that identifies the type of SRB resources being requested by said mobile terminal.

41. The radio access network of claim 40 wherein said access request message received by said radio access network comprises a message-type identifier indicating that said access request message is a RB resource request.

42. The radio access network of claim 40 wherein said RB identifier identifies a user radio bearer previously configured by said mobile terminal.

43. The radio access network of claim 40 wherein said RB identifier identifies a signaling bearer previously configured by said mobile terminal.

44. The radio access network of claim 40 wherein said access request message is received by said radio access network on a contention-based random access channel.

45. The radio access network of claim 44 wherein said radio access network comprises a GSM-EDGE radio access network, and wherein said access request message is received by said radio access network on an uplink packet control channel.