Method and system for fast access to an uplink channel in a mobile communications network

• US 6,898,194 B1
• Filed: 05/09/2000
• Issued: 05/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Védrine, Arnaud
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US09/568,451
• Time in Patent Office: 1,841 Days
• Field of Search: 370/341, 370/352, 370/355, 370/356, 370/321, 370/336, 370/337, 370/345, 370/347, 370/458, 370/329, 370/330, 370/348, 370/431, 370/338, 370/349, 370/442, 370/493, 370/494, 375/220, 455/464, 455/450, 455/451
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1263 Mapping of traffic onto schedule, e.g. scheduled allocation or multiplexing of flows

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for fast access to an uplink channel for a mobile station in a packet data radio network. A plurality of mobile stations are assigned to a first uplink channel. A mobile station assigned to the first uplink channel transmits in an uplink transmission block real time information. In response to the transmission, a base station reassigns the other mobile stations that are assigned to the first uplink channel and are involved in the communication of real time information in a downlink transmission block immediately following the uplink transmission block. Thereafter, the first mobile station continues transmitting real time information on the first uplink channel.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining fast access to a multiplexed uplink channel in a mobile telecommunications system, comprising the steps of:

assigning a plurality of mobile stations to a first uplink channel;

receiving real time data in a first block on the first uplink channel from a first mobile station assigned to the first uplink channel; and

reassigning mobile stations other than the first mobile station previously assigned to the first uplink channel to at least one second uplink channel in response to the reception of the real time data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

dedicating a third uplink channel for transmission of silence description (SID) information from a mobile station in a discontinuous transmission (DTX) state; and

scheduling when each mobile station in an uplink DTX state is to transmit SID information on the third uplink channel.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

dedicating a third uplink channel for transmission of silence description (SID) information from a mobile station in a discontinuous transmission (DTX) state on the uplink;

receiving a first SID signal from the first mobile station on the first uplink channel; and

following the reception of the first SID signal from the first mobile station, scheduling when the first mobile station is to transmit SID information on the third uplink channel.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of scheduling comprises the step of sending a control signal to the first mobile station on a downlink channel to identify at least one block on the third uplink channel during which the SID information is to be transmitted by the first mobile station.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:

dedicating a first downlink channel over which SID information is transmitted to mobile stations in a DTX state on the downlink, the control signal sent to the first mobile station being transmitted on the first downlink channel.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

dedicating a first downlink channel over which silence description (SID) information is transmitted to mobile stations in a discontinuous transmission (DTX) state on the downlink;

wherein the step of reassigning comprises the steps of;

sending a downlink signal to the other mobile stations which identifies at least one second uplink channel to which the other mobile stations are assigned; and

delaying the sending of SID information to at least one of the other mobile stations in a downlink DTX state, until after the downlink signal has been sent.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of reassigning comprises the step of sending to at least one of the other mobile station an inband signal including an identification of the at least one second uplink channel to which the at least one other mobile station is reassigned.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving data other than real time data in a second block on the first uplink channel from a mobile station other than the first mobile station; and

receiving real time data in a third block and successive blocks thereafter on the first uplink channel from the first mobile station.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving real time data in the first block on the first uplink channel from a second mobile station assigned to the first uplink channel;

wherein the step of reassigning reassigns the second mobile station and other mobile stations assigned to the first uplink channel that are involved with the communication or real time data to the at least one second uplink channel.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of reassigning assigns the mobile stations previously assigned to the first uplink channel to the at least one second uplink channel in a first block on at least one downlink channel substantially immediately following the first block on the first uplink channel.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the real time information in the first uplink block and subsequent uplink blocks are organized in packets.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of reassigning reassigns those mobile stations that are involved in communicating real time information.

13. A mobile telecommunications system, comprising:

a packet data network including a packet data support node for routing data communications to and receiving data communications from a plurality of mobile stations located in an area served by the packet data support node; and

a radio network for transmitting data packets between said plurality of mobile stations and the packet data support node, wherein said radio network operates to;

assign a plurality of mobile stations to a radio resource associated with a first uplink channel;

detect a transmission of real time information in a first uplink transmission block from a first mobile station by the radio resource associated with the first uplink channel; and

reassign mobile stations assigned to the radio resource associated with the first uplink channel other than the first mobile station to a radio resource associated with at least one second uplink channel in response to the detected transmission of real time information from the first mobile station.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the radio network comprises a base station, wherein said base station is operable to perform the assignment of the mobile stations to the radio resource associated with the first uplink channel, the detection of the transmission from the first mobile station, and the reassignment of the mobile stations other than the first mobile station to the radio resource associated with the second uplink channel.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the radio network comprises a radio network controller, wherein said radio network controller is operable to perform the assignment of the mobile stations to the radio resource associated with the first uplink channel, the detection of the transmission from the first mobile station, and the reassignment of the mobile stations other than the first mobile station to the radio resource associated with the at least one second uplink channel.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the radio network operates to:

transmit to each mobile station in a discontinuous transmission (DTX) state silence description (SID) information on a first downlink channel;

reassign the mobile stations other than the first mobile station to the radio resource associated with the at least one second uplink channel by transmitting an indication of the reassignment on the first downlink channel in a first downlink transmission block substantially immediately following the first uplink transmission block; and

transmit, on the first downlink channel in a downlink transmission block occurring after the first downlink transmission block, SID information for at least one mobile station in the DTX state normally transmitted in the first downlink transmission block on the first downlink channel.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the radio network operates to:

identify mobile stations assigned to the radio resource associated with the first uplink channel that are involved with the communication of real time information, from mobile stations assigned to the radio resource associated with the first uplink channel that are involved with the communication of information other than real time information; and

reassign only the mobile stations involved with the communication of real time information other than the first mobile station to the radio resource associated with the at least one second uplink channel in response to the detected transmission of real time information from the first mobile station.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the radio network operates to:

receive a transmission of information other than real time information from a mobile station in a second uplink transmission block on the first uplink channel; and

receive a transmission of real time information from the first mobile station in at least one uplink transmission block on the first uplink channel substantially immediately following the second uplink transmission block.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the radio network operates to:

receive a transmission of real time information from the first mobile station on the first uplink channel in one or more successive uplink transmission blocks following the first uplink transmission block;

detect a completion of the transmission of real time information from the first mobile station in the one or more successive uplink transmission blocks; and

transmit to the first mobile station an indication of an uplink transmission block in which the first mobile station is scheduled to transmit SID information.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the radio network operates to:

periodically receive silence description (SID) information on a third uplink channel from each mobile station assigned to the radio resource associated with the first uplink channel that is in a discontinuous transmission (DTX) state, wherein each mobile station in the DTX state transmits SID information in a distinct block on the third uplink channel.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the radio network operates to:

receive a transmission of real time information on the first uplink transmission block in the first uplink channel from a second mobile station assigned to the radio resource associated with the first uplink channel;

reassign the second mobile station to a radio resource associated with the at least one second uplink channel; and

receive a transmission of real time information from the second mobile station on the at least one second uplink channel assigned thereto following the first uplink transmission block.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the radio network operates to:

reassign at least one mobile station other than the first mobile station to the radio resource associated with the at least one second uplink channel by transmitting an indication of the reassignment as part of an inband signal in a first downlink transmission block substantially immediately following the first uplink transmission block.

23. A method for obtaining fast access to a multiplexed unlink channel in a mobile telecommunications system, comprising the steps of:

assigning a plurality of mobile stations to a radio resource for a first unlink channel;

initially receiving, in a first uplink transmission block on the first uplink channel, a transmission of real time information by a first mobile station; and

reassigning, to a radio resource for a third uplink channel, mobile stations other than the first mobile station that are assigned to the radio resource for the first uplink channel in the step of assigning, in a downlink transmission block substantially immediately following the first uplink transmission block;

receiving, in an uplink transmission block on the first uplink channel, a completion of a transmission of real time information by the first mobile station; and

scheduling an uplink transmission block in which the first mobile station is to transmit silence descriptor (SID) information in a second uplink channel.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the mobile stations that are reassigned to the radio resource for the third uplink channel are mobile stations involved with communicating real time information.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, in a second uplink transmission block on the first uplink channel, time insensitive information from a second mobile station assigned to the radio resource for the first uplink channel; and

receiving, in successive uplink transmission blocks substantially immediately following the second uplink transmission block on the first uplink channel, real time information from the first mobile station.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of reassigning comprises the step of:

transmitting to a second mobile station that is receiving real time information on a downlink channel, an inband signal in the real time information that identifies the third uplink channel to which the second mobile station is reassigned.