Communication system with improved medium access control sub-layer

• US 7,123,628 B1
• Filed: 01/21/1999
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aegis 11 S.A. (Fineur International S.A.)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Hwang, In Tae, Park, Chong Yeop
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzlo, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsegaye, Saba
• Application Number:
  US09/234,518
• Time in Patent Office: 2,826 Days
• Field of Search: 370310-312, 370/328, 370/339, 370/438, 370/450, 370/457, 370465-466, 370/468, 370/469, 370473-474, 370/476, 370/252, 370/331
• US Class Current: 370/469
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0823 Errors, e.g. transmission errors
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access

Abstract

A communication system which has a plurality of mobile terminals and a base station, each of the mobile terminals and/or base station comprising a medium access control sub-layer, upper layers of the medium access control sub-layer, and a lower layer of the medium access control sub-layer, wherein the medium access control sub-layer is configured to perform self-basic functions in response to basic function execution requests or functions associated with the upper layers or lower layer in response to requests therefrom. According to the present invention, the communication system can provide a compatible multimedia communication service even if an originating terminal and a terminating terminal employ different communication manners, they are available from different manufacturers or they are operated by different communication service operators.

Claims

1. A method of processing signals using medium access control sub-layers in a communications system which has a plurality of mobile terminals and a base station, said medium access control sub-layers being respectively provided in said mobile terminals and base station, said method comprising:

performing, in each of said medium access control sub-layers, self-basic functions or functions associated with upper layers or a lower layer of said mobile terminals and/or said base station, said performing step being performed if signal processing operations of a corresponding one of said mobile terminals, of said base station, or between said corresponding mobile terminal and said base station are requested;

performing a synchronization information of system information broadcasting control operation between said corresponding mobile terminal and said base station, said step of performing said broadcasting control operating including;

sending time information, system information and paging information from said base station to said corresponding mobile terminal if said broadcasting control operation between said corresponding mobile terminal and said base station is requested; and

receiving said time information, system information and paging information from said base station and transferring a synchronization request message or system information update requested message to said lower layer of said corresponding mobile terminal

performing a random access control operation between said corresponding mobile terminal and said base station, said step of performing said random access control operation including;

sending a radio resource request message from said corresponding mobile terminal to said base station if said random access control operation between said corresponding mobile terminal and said base station is requested;

sending a radio resource request acknowledge message from said base station to said corresponding mobile terminal;

sending a radio resource response message from said base station to said corresponding mobile terminal; and

transferring a radio resource response reception message to a specific one of said upper layers of said corresponding mobile terminal.

3. The signal processing method as set forth in claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

performing a control information/user information request operation of said corresponding mobile terminal or base station, said step of performing said control information/user information request operating including;

sending a control information/user information request message from a specific one of said upper layers of said corresponding mobile terminal or base station to said base station or corresponding mobile terminal if control information and user information are requested by said specific upper layer of said corresponding mobile terminal or base station.

4. The signal processing method as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein each of said medium access control sub-layers is adapted to determine formats of data frames according to types of messages to be sent, and

wherein each of said medium access control sub-layers includes:

a forward access channel associated with a channel request acknowledge message and channel response message which are sent from said base station to said corresponding mobile terminal; and

a reverse access channel associated with a channel request message which is sent from said corresponding mobile terminal to said base station.

2. A method of processing signals using medium access control sub-layers in a communications system which has a plurality of mobile terminals and a base station, said medium access control sub-layers being respectively provided in said mobile terminals and base station, said method comprising:

performing, in each of said medium access control sub-layers, self-basic functions or functions associated with upper layers or a lower layer of said mobile terminals and/or said base station, said performing step being performed if signal processing operations of a corresponding one of said mobile terminals, of said base station, or between said corresponding mobile terminal and said base station are requested;

performing, a synchronization information of system information broadcasting control operation between said corresponding mobile terminal and said base station, said step of performing said broadcasting control operating including;

sending time information, system information and paging information from said base station to said corresponding mobile terminal if said broadcasting control operation between said corresponding mobile terminal and said base station is requested; and

receiving said time information, system information and paging information from said base station and transferring a synchronization request message or system information update requested message to said lower layer of said corresponding mobile terminal

performing a lower channel activation or deactivation control operation of said corresponding mobile terminal or base station, said step of performing said lower channel activation or deactivation control operation including;

transferring a communication path activation or deactivation request message from a specific one of said upper layers of said corresponding mobile terminal or base station to said lower layer of said corresponding mobile terminal or base station if said lower channel activation or deactivation control operation of said corresponding mobile terminal or base station is requested;

allowing said lower layer to activate or deactivate a communication path in response to said communication path activation or deactivation request message from said specific upper layer; and

allowing said lower layer to transfer the activated or deactivated result to said specific upper layer.

5. A method of processing signals using medium access control sub-layers in a communications system which has a plurality of mobile terminals and a base station, said medium access control sub-layers being respectively provided in said mobile terminals and base station, said method comprising:

performing, in each of said medium access control sub-layers, self-basic functions or functions associated with upper layers or a lower layer of said mobile terminals and/or said base station, said performing step being performed if signal processing operations of a corresponding one of said mobile terminals, of said base station, or between said corresponding mobile terminal and said base station are requested; and

performing a cell condition or channel condition reporting operation of said corresponding mobile terminal, said step of performing said cell condition or channel condition reporting operation including;

sending a cell condition or channel condition measurement request message from said base station to said corresponding mobile terminal if said cell condition or channel condition reporting operation of said corresponding mobile terminal is requested;

transferring a cell condition or channel condition measurement command to said lower layer of said corresponding mobile terminal in response to said cell condition or channel condition measurement request message from said base station;

allowing said lower layer of said corresponding mobile terminal to measure a cell condition of said corresponding mobile terminal in response to said cell condition or channel condition measurement command; and

sending a measured result of said cell condition or channel condition from said lower layer of said corresponding mobile terminal to said base station.

6. A method of processing signals using medium access control sub-layers in a communications system which has a plurality of mobile terminals and a base station, said medium access control sub-layers being respectively provided in said mobile terminals and base station, said method comprising:

performing, in each of said medium access control sub-layers, self-basic functions or functions associated with upper layers or a lower layer of said mobile terminals and/or said base station, said performing step being performed if signal processing operations of a corresponding one of said mobile terminals, of said base station, or between said corresponding mobile terminal and said base station are requested; and

performing a handover control operation of said corresponding mobile terminal or base station, said step of performing said handover control operation including;

transferring a handover command from a specific one of said upper layers of said corresponding mobile terminal or base station to said lower layer of said corresponding mobile terminal or base station if a handover operation of said corresponding mobile terminal or base station is requested;

allowing said lower layer to perform said handover operation in response to said handover command from said specific upper layer; and

transferring a result of said handover operation from said lower layer to said specific upper layer.

7. A method of processing signals using medium access control sub-layers in a communications system which has a plurality of mobile terminals and a base station, said medium access control sub-layers being respectively provided in said mobile terminals and base station, said method comprising:

performing, in each of said medium access control sub-layers, self-basic functions or functions associated with upper layers or a lower layer of said mobile terminals and/or said base station, said performing step being performed if signal processing operations of a corresponding one of said mobile terminals, of said base station, or between said corresponding mobile terminal and said base station are requested; and

performing a communication path modification control operation between said corresponding mobile terminal and said base station, said step of performing said communication path modification control operation including;

transferring a communication path modification request message from a specific one of said upper layers of said corresponding mobile terminal or base station to said lower layer of said corresponding mobile terminal or base station if said communication path modification control operation between said corresponding mobile terminal and said base station is requested;

allowing said lower layer to modify a communication path in response to said communication path modification request message from said specific upper layer; and

transferring a modified result from said lower layer to said specific upper layer.

8. A method of processing signals using medium access control sub-layers in a communications system which has a plurality of mobile terminals and a base station, said medium access control sub-layers being respectively provided in said mobile terminals and base station, said method comprising:

performing, in each of said medium access control sub-layers, self-basic functions or functions associated with upper layers or a lower layer of said mobile terminals and/or said base station, said performing step being performed if signal processing operations of a corresponding one of said mobile terminals, of said base station, or between said corresponding mobile terminal and said base station are requested,

wherein each of said medium access control sub-layers is adapted to determine formats of data frames according to types of messages to be sent,

wherein each of said medium access control sub-layers includes;

a forward access channel associated with a channel request acknowledge message and channel response message which are sent from said base station to said corresponding mobile terminal; and

a reverse access channel associated with a channel request message which is sent from said corresponding mobile terminal to said base station, and

wherein said channel request acknowledge message has a data frame including an address field region, a reserved region, a medium access control frame type region and a cyclic redundancy check region for detection of a frame error.

9. A method of processing signals using medium access control sub-layers in a communications system which has a plurality of mobile terminals and a base station, said medium access control sub-layers being respectively provided in said mobile terminals and base station, said method comprising:

performing, in each of said medium access control sub-layers, self-basic functions or functions associated with upper layers or a lower layer of said mobile terminals and/or said base station, said performing step being performed if signal processing operations of a corresponding one of said mobile terminals, of said base station, or between said corresponding mobile terminal and said base station are requested,

wherein each of said medium access control sub-layers is adapted to determine formats of data frames according to types of messages to be sent,

wherein each of said medium access control sub-layers includes;

a forward access channel associated with a channel request acknowledge message and channel response message which are sent from said base station to said corresponding mobile terminal; and

a reverse access channel associated with a channel request message which is sent from said corresponding mobile terminal to said base station, and

wherein said channel response message has a data frame including an address field region, a reserved region, a medium access control frame type region, a cyclic redundancy check region for detection of a frame error, an information region, a padding region and an end of field region.

10. A method of processing signals using medium access control sub-layers in a communications system which has a plurality of mobile terminals and a base station, said medium access control sub-layers being respectively provided in said mobile terminals and base station, said method comprising:

performing, in each of said medium access control sub-layers, self-basic functions or functions associated with upper layers or a lower layer of said mobile terminals and/or said base station, said performing step being performed if signal processing operations of a corresponding one of said mobile terminals, of said base station, or between said corresponding mobile terminal and said base station are requested,

wherein each of said medium access control sub-layers is adapted to determine formats of data frames according to types of messages to be sent,

wherein each of said medium access control sub-layers includes;

a forward access channel associated with a channel request acknowledge message and channel response message which are sent from said base station to said corresponding mobile terminal; and

a reverse access channel associated with a channel request message which is sent from said corresponding mobile terminal to said base station, and

wherein said channel request message has a data frame including an address field region, a reserved region, a medium access control frame type region, a cyclic redundancy check region for detection of a frame error, a paging slot number region and a paging channel number region.

11. A method of processing signals using medium access control sub-layers in a communications system which has a plurality of mobile terminals and a base station, said medium access control sub-layers being respectively provided in said mobile terminals and base station, said method comprising:

performing, in each of said medium access control sub-layers, self-basic functions or functions associated with upper layers or a lower layer of said mobile terminals and/or said base station, said performing step being performed if signal processing operations of a corresponding one of said mobile terminals, of said base station, or between said corresponding mobile terminal and said base station are requested,

wherein each of said medium access control sub-layers is adapted to determine formats of data frames according to types of messages to be sent,

wherein each of said medium access control sub-layers includes;

a forward access channel associated with a channel request acknowledge message and channel response message which are sent from said base station to said corresponding mobile terminal; and

a reverse access channel associated with a channel request message which is sent from said corresponding mobile terminal to said base station, and

wherein each of said channel request acknowledge message, channel response message and channel request message has a data frame including an address field region, a reserved region and a medium access control frame type region.