Method and apparatus for providing configurable layers and protocols in a communications system

• US 7,106,779 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Bender, Paul E., Karmi, Gadi, Mohanty, Bibhu
• Primary Examiner(s): TSE, YOUNG TOI
• Application Number:
  US10/334,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20030133494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: 375/130, 375/141, 375/146, 375/147, 375/219, 375/222, 375/242, 375/262, 375/265, 370/335, 370/342, 370/466, 370/467, 370/469
• US Class Current: 375/130
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

The layers and protocols of an air interface layering architecture are designed to be modular and can be modified and upgraded to support new features, perform complex tasks, and implement additional functionality. Prior to commencement of data communication between a first entity (e.g., an access terminal) and a second entity (e.g., a radio network), a set of layers and/or protocols is selected for negotiation. For each selected layer and protocol (i.e., each attribute), a list of attribute values considered acceptable to the first entity is determined. The selected attributes and their associated attribute values are sent from the first entity and, in response, a list of processed attributes and their associated lists of processed attribute values are received. Each list of processed attribute values includes attribute values considered acceptable to the second entity. The layers and protocols in the first entity are then configured in accordance with the received list of processed attributes and their associated processed attribute values. Other features related to configurable layers and protocols are also provided.

Claims

1. An access terminal in a spread spectrum communications system comprising:

a controller configured to receive and process data, the controller being configured to implement a set of layers and protocols used to support data transmission, wherein the controller is adapted to negotiate and configure one or more layers and one or more protocols, or a combination thereof prior to the data transmission, and wherein the configuration is responsive to an attribute negotiated between the access terminal and a radio network, wherein the controller negotiates by causing the access terminal (1) to send a first message to the radio network, the first message comprising a plurality of values of the attribute acceptable to the access terminal, (2) to receive a second message from the radio network, the second message comprising at least a subset of the plurality of values of the attribute, the subset comprising values of the attribute acceptable to the access terminal and to the radio network, and (3) to assign to the attribute a value acceptable to the access terminal and to the radio network, the assigned value being selected from the subset;

an encoder coupled to the controller and configured to encode the processed data from the controller;

a modulator coupled to the encoder and configured to modulate the encoded data from the encoder; and

a transmitter coupled to the modulator and configured to convert the modulated data from the modulator into an analog signal suitable for transmission over a transmission medium.

2. The access terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a forward link signal;

a demodulator coupled to the receiver and configured to demodulate the received forward link signal; and

a decoder coupled to the demodulator and configured to decode the demodulated signal from the demodulator to generate decoded data, and

wherein the controller further couples to the decoder and is operative to configure one or more of the configurable layers and protocols based at least in part on the decoded data from the decoder.

3. The access terminal of claim 2, wherein the receiver is further adapted to receive an open request message, and

wherein the controller is further adapted to respond to the open request message with an open response message.

4. The access terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further adapted to implement a set of default layers and protocols.

5. The access terminal of claim 4, wherein a set of one or more configurable layers and one or more configurable protocols, or a combination thereof, is maintained for communication, with each configurable layer and protocol corresponding to a negotiable attribute.

6. The access terminal of claim 5, wherein the set of default layers and protocols includes a configuration protocol used for sending and receiving the first message and the second message.

7. The access terminal of claim 6, wherein the first message and the second message are implemented at a session layer of the communications system.

8. The access terminal of claim 7, wherein each message of the first and second messages includes a transaction identifier.

9. The access terminal of claim 1, wherein the attribute is negotiated over a dedicated channel.

10. An access terminal in a spread spectrum communication system, comprising:

means for receiving and processing data;

means for encoding the processed data;

means for modulating the encoded data;

means for converting the modulated data into an analog signal suitable for transmission over a transmission medium; and

means for negotiating and configuring a set of layers and protocols used to support transmission of data between the access terminal and a radio network, wherein one or more layers and one or more protocols or a combination thereof are configurable prior to the transmission of the data, and wherein the configuration is responsive to an attribute negotiated via an exchange of messages between the access terminal and the radio network, the means for negotiating and configuring being arranged to (1) send a first message from the access terminal to the radio network, the first message comprising a plurality of values of the attribute acceptable to the access terminal, (2) receive a second message from the radio network to the access terminal, the second message comprising at least a subset of the plurality of values of the attribute, the subset comprising values of the attribute acceptable to the access terminal and to the radio network, and (3) assign to the attribute a value acceptable to the access terminal and to the radio network, the assigned value being selected from the subset.

11. The access terminal of claim 10, further comprising:

means for receiving a forward link signal;

means for demodulating the received forward link signal; and

means for decoding the demodulated signal to generate decoded data;

wherein the means for negotiating and configuring comprises;

means for configuring one or more of the configurable layers and protocols based at least in part on the decoded data.

12. A method of communicating between an access terminal and a radio network, the method comprising:

receiving and processing data;

encoding the processed data;

modulating the encoded data;

converting the modulated data into an analog signal suitable for transmission over a transmission medium; and

negotiating and configuring a set of layers and protocols used to support transmission of data between the access terminal and the radio network, wherein one or more layers and one or more protocols, or a combination thereof, are configurable prior to the transmission of the data, and wherein the configuration is responsive to an attribute negotiated between the access terminal and the radio network, wherein the step of negotiating and configuring comprises (1) sending a first message from a first communication apparatus to a second communication apparatus, the first and the second communication apparatus being selected from the group consisting of the access terminal and the radio network, the first message comprising a plurality of values of the attribute acceptable to the first communication apparatus, (2) receiving at the first communication apparatus a second message from the second communication apparatus, the second message comprising at least a subset of the plurality of values of the attribute, the subset comprising values of the attribute acceptable to the first communication apparatus and to the second communication apparatus, and (3) at the first communication apparatus, assigning to the attribute a value acceptable to the first communication apparatus and to the second communication apparatus, the assigned value being selected from the subset.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a forward link signal;

demodulating the received forward link signal; and

decoding the demodulated signal to generate decoded data;

wherein the step of negotiating and configuring comprises;

configuring one or more of the configurable layers and protocols based at least in part on the decoded data.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the attribute is negotiated over a dedicated channel.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the attribute corresponds to a layer of an air interface.