Method for the operation of wireless base stations for packet transfer radio systems having a guaranteed service quality

• US 7,095,722 B1
• Filed: 10/11/2000
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Esseling, Norbert, Walke, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Seema S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOORE JR, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US09/868,386
• Time in Patent Office: 2,141 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/315, 455/422.1, 455/462
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A method for the operation of wireless base stations for packet transfer radio systems having guaranteed service quality. The method includes increasing the supply ranges of packet oriented transferring radio stations, which are located outside the range of the central base stations and are supplied by wireless base stations (relay stations). In contrast to conventional wireless transfer systems, a communications service quality is guaranteed. A common time interconnected capacity assignment method is used. The capacity assignment is generated for an access point (AP) by mobile and forward terminals (MT, FMT) which can be reached directly. Individual MTs are present in the form of wireless base stations and serve as relay stations (FMTs) for the MTs outside the range of an AP. For an AP, FMTs appear as MTs. The FMT forms a partial frame structure in a part of the AP distribution capacity transfer system, which is embedded in the time frame structure dictated by the commanding central station. Adherence to a required service quality guarantee is achieved by capacity assignment algorithms.

Claims

1. A method with wireless base stations in centrally controlled radio systems, which systems transfer packets and guarantee service quality and comprise a controlling access point (AP), mobile terminals (MTs) and stations working as a forwarder mobile terminal (FMT) for the connection of a remote mobile terminal (RMT) not connected to the AP by radio for bidirectional communication between RMT and AP, the FMT maintaining both a connection to the AP and to the RMT by radio, characterized

(a) in that a time-shifted partial frame structure is generated by the FMT based on a system-wide known frame structure of the AP, which partial frame structure is used by the FMT to control the transmission from the FMT to the RMT and back, while the partial frames transport signaling data, useful data and organization data about the structure of the partial frame for controlling the transmission between FMT and RMT to enable a communication between RMT and AP, and

(b) in that the structure of the partial frame is so similar to the frame generated by the AP that an MT, which is designed for operation at an AP, can also serve as an RMT and permits the exchange of data between RMT and FMT.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the organization of the partial frame structures is exclusively effected by a central controller in the AP.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the organization of the partial frame structures is effected by a decentralized control in the forwarder mobile terminal (FMT).

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the organization of the partial frame structures is partly effected by a central controller in the access point (AP) and partly by a decentralized controller in the forwarding mobile terminal (FMT).

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a mobile terminal (MT) can become an AP and take over the role of a central station (in so far this is possible with the system), while there are RMTs with respect to the AP.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a cascading of the relay function is possible while a station controlled as an RMT seen from the point of view of an FMT can simultaneously be an FMT with respect to another station, and in the original partial frame structure further partial frame structures are recursively formed of which a depth corresponds to a number of the hops used between the AP and the most remote RMT in the cascade.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that an access point (AP) can cover a plurality of mobile terminals (MT) and forwarder mobile terminals (FMT) while each MT can have the functionality of an FMT.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the FMT can simultaneously cover a plurality of RMTs.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the assignment of the capacity for the relay path in the time domain (TDMA) can be effected in suitable systems, but also in the frequency domain (FDMA) or code domain (CDMA).

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that there may be a plurality of FMTs that simultaneously cover their associated RMTs in various areas of the cell, while partial frames are simultaneously transmitted at different spots in the cell.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the length of the frames of the AP and partial frames of the FMT can dynamically vary and be different.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that an arrangement of individual phases in the partial frames is dynamically changed, divided, can partly fail and new phases can additionally be defined.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a direct exchange of data is effected between the associated RMTs by controlling a common FMT.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a direct exchange of data is effected between the MT, controlled by the AP, and the RMT, controlled by the associated FMT.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a point-to-multipoint mode is used for transferring useful data.