Method and apparatus for maintaining desired link quality when no data is transmitted on transport channels having quality targets

• US 7,215,929 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2002
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Rikola, Outi, Seppanen, Anna-Mari
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord; Marceau
• Application Number:
  US10/266,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,673 Days
• Field of Search: 455/522, 455/69, 455/437, 455/442, 455/67.11, 455/452.2, 455/436, 455/503, 455/67.3, 455/63.3, 370/335, 370/331, 370/330, 370/342, 370/252, 45/671.3, 375/262
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/20 using signal quality detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/12 Outer and inner loops
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/16 Deriving transmission power values from another channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/20 using error rate

Abstract

Disclosed is a mobile station executed method for updating a signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) target during a discontinuous transmission (DTX) period of a downlink transport channel having a network specified quality target value, as is a mobile station (100) that operates in accordance with the method. The method includes measuring a quality, such as the BLER, of another downlink transport channel for which a network (20) has not specified a quality target value; and updating the SIR target in accordance with the measured quality. For a case where the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is on a power controlled physical channel, updating the SIR target uses the measured quality. For a case where the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is on a non-power controlled physical channel, updating the SIR target includes: (a) determining a mapping function, (b) applying the mapping function to the measured quality to obtain a weighted quality, and (c) using the weighted quality for updating the SIR target. In the preferred embodiment the mobile station conforms to a wide bandwidth, code division multiple access (WCDMA) third generation partnership project (3GPP) air interface standard.

Claims

1. A mobile station executed method for updating a signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) target during a discontinuous transmission (DTX) period of a downlink transport channel having a network specified quality target value, comprising:

measuring a quality of another downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value; and

updating the SIR target in accordance with the measured quality.

2. A method as in claim 1, where the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is on a power controlled physical channel, and where updating uses the measured quality.

3. A method as in claim 1, where the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is on a non-power controlled physical channel, and where updating comprises determining a mapping function, applying the mapping function to the measured quality to obtain a weighted quality, and using the weighted quality for updating the SIR target.

4. A method as in claim 1, where the mobile station conforms to a wide bandwidth, code division multiple access (WCDMA) third generation partnership project (3GPP) air interface standard.

5. A method as in claim 1, where the specified quality is comprised of a Block Error Rate (BLER).

6. A mobile station comprising a controller operating under a stored program for updating a signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) target during a discontinuous transmission (DTX) period of a downlink transport channel having a network specified quality target value, further comprising circuitry for measuring a quality of another downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value, and said controller being responsive to the measured quality for updating the SIR target in accordance with the measured quality.

7. A mobile station as in claim 6, where the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is on a power controlled physical channel, and where the controller operates for updating the SIR target using the measured quality.

8. A mobile station as in claim 6, where the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is on a non-power controlled physical channel, and where the controller operates for updating the SIR target by determining a mapping function, applying the mapping function to the measured quality to obtain a weighted quality, and uses the weighted quality for updating the SIR target.

9. A mobile station as in claim 6, where the mobile station conforms to a wide bandwidth, code division multiple access (WCDMA) third generation partnership project (3GPP) air interface standard.

10. A mobile station as in claim 6, where the specified quality is comprised of a Block Error Rate (BLER).

11. A mobile station executed outer loop power control method for updating a signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) target during a discontinuous transmission (DTX) period of a downlink transport channel having a network specified Block Error Rate (BLER) target value, comprising:

obtaining a BLER value of another downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value; and

updating the SIR target in accordance with the obtained BLER value.

12. A method as in claim 11, where updating further comprises determining whether the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is on a power controlled physical channel or a non-power controlled physical channel, and if the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is determined to be on a non-power controlled physical channel, further comprising determining a mapping function, applying the mapping function to the obtained quality to derive a weighted quality, and using the weighted quality for updating the SIR target.

13. A method as in claim 11, where the mobile station conforms to a wide bandwidth, code division multiple access (WCDMA) third generation partnership project (3GPP) air interface standard.

14. An outer loop power control method for updating a signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) target during a discontinuous transmission (DTX) period of a transport channel having a network specified Block Error Rate (BLER) target value, comprising:

obtaining a BLER value of another transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value; and

updating the SIR target in accordance with the obtained BLER value.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on the computer causes the computer to operate a mobile station by operations comprising:

updating a signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) target during a discontinuous transmission (DTX) period of a downlink transport channel having a network specified quality target value by determining a quality of another downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value and updating the SIR target in accordance with the determined quality.

16. The computer program product as in claim 15, where the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is on a power controlled physical channel, and where updating uses the determined quality.

17. The computer program product as in claim 15, where the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is on a non-power controlled physical channel, and where updating comprises determining a mapping function, applying the mapping function to the determined quality to obtain a weighted quality, and using the weighted quality for updating the SIR target.

18. A device comprising:

means for receiving a signal from a network; and

means for updating a signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) target during a discontinuous transmission (DTX) period of a downlink transport channel having a network specified quality target value, comprising means for determining a quality of another downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value and for updating the SIR target in accordance with the determined quality.

19. The device as in claim 18, where the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is on a power controlled physical channel, and where said updating means uses the determined quality.

20. The device as in claim 18, where the downlink transport channel for which the network has not specified a quality target value is on a non-power controlled physical channel, and where said updating means further comprises means for determining a mapping function, for applying the mapping function to the determined quality to obtain a weighted quality, and where said updating means uses the weighted quality for updating the SIR target.