Implementation of multiple simultaneous calls in a mobile communication system

• US 7,227,849 B1
• Filed: 04/08/1999
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Networks (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rasanen, Juha
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao; Seema S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHEIBEL, ROBERT C
• Application Number:
  US09/647,784
• Time in Patent Office: 2,980 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/329, 370/335, 370/336, 370/326, 370/337, 370342-345, 370347-349, 370/431, 370/433, 370441-443, 370/458, 370/459, 370463-465, 370/477, 370/479, 370/480, 370/448, 370/535, 370/537, 370/468, 370/522, 370/524
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/34 Selective release of ongoing connections

Abstract

The invention relates to implementation of multiple simultaneous calls for a mobile station in a mobile communication system. A common traffic channel (TCH) is allocated to several simultaneous calls (applications 1–n) of the mobile station (MS), so that the calls share the capacity of the common channel. Logical links are established for each call inside a common radio link protocol or link access control protocol, which is established over the common traffic channel between the mobile station (MS) and an interworking function (IWF). The common traffic channel (TCH) is allocated when the first call or calls are set up, and the capacity of the traffic channel is adjusted dynamically during the calls. The capacity of the common traffic channel is increased or the allocated capacity is reallocated when a new call is added to the traffic channel. Correspondingly, the capacity is decreased or the allocated capacity is reallocated when a call is cleared from the common traffic channel. The common traffic channel is released after the last call has been cleared.

Claims

1. A method of producing two or more simultaneous data calls for one mobile station in a mobile communication system, comprising

assigning only one common traffic channel exclusively to two or more simultaneous mobile communication network calls of the mobile station, said network calls comprising transparent calls and non-transparent calls

sharing a capacity of the common traffic channel exclusively between the simultaneous calls,

detecting that the mobile communication network is temporarily unavailable to allocate more transmission capacity or a required transmission capacity to the common traffic channel when a new call or connection is established,

allocating requested capacity to transparent calls or connections and the remaining capacity to non-transparent calls or connections when the mobile communication network is temporarily unable to allocate more transmission capacity or the requested amount of transmission capacity to the common traffic channel, and

allocating requested capacity to non-transparent calls or connections later when capacity becomes available in the network.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the common traffic channel comprises a common TDMA or CDMA traffic channel.

2. A mobile communication network, comprising

means for establishing one traffic channel of the mobile communication network for exclusive use of two or more simultaneous mobile communication network calls of a mobile station, said network calls comprising transparent calls and non-transparent calls

means for sharing a capacity of said common traffic channel exclusively between said simultaneous calls,

means for detecting that the mobile communication network is temporarily unable to allocate more transmission capacity or a required amount of transmission capacity to the traffic channel when a new call or connection is set up,

means for allocating requested capacity to transparent calls or connections and the remaining capacity to non-transparent calls or connections when the mobile communication network is temporarily unable to allocate more transmission capacity or the required amount of transmission capacity to the common traffic channel, and

means for allocating requested capacity to non-transparent calls or connections later when capacity becomes available in the network.

7. A mobile communication system according to claim 2, wherein the common traffic channel comprises a common TDMA or CDMA traffic channel.

3. A mobile communication network, comprising

means for establishing one traffic channel of the mobile communication network for exclusive use of two or more simultaneous mobile communication network calls of a mobile station,

means for sharing a capacity of said common traffic channel exclusively between said simultaneous calls,

means for negotiating between the mobile station and a network about the channel capacity needed for each call or connection, and

means for adjusting dynamically the capacity of the common traffic channel,

means for establishing a separate subchannel for each call or each connection of each call in said traffic channel,

means for establishing one radio link protocol link or link access control protocol link over the traffic channel between the mobile station and the interworking function,

means for establishing a logical link for each call or each connection of each call inside said radio link protocol link or link access control protocol link, and

means for transmitting the user data of each call or each connection of each call via the representative logical link by transmitting the data packets of a packet-switched call interleaved with the protocol frames of the radio link protocol or link access control protocol or encapsulated in the protocol frames.

8. A mobile communication network according to claim 3, wherein the common traffic channel comprises a common TDMA or CDMA traffic channel.

4. A network element for a mobile communication network, comprising

means for establishing one traffic channel of the mobile communication network for exclusive use of two or more simultaneous mobile communication network calls of a mobile station, said network calls comprising transparent calls and non-transparent calls

means for sharing a capacity of said common traffic channel exclusively between said simultaneous calls,

means for detecting that the mobile communication network is temporarily unable to allocate more transmission capacity or a required amount of transmission capacity to the traffic channel when a new call or connection is set up,

means for allocating requested capacity to transparent calls or connections and the remaining capacity to non-transparent calls or connections when the mobile communication network is temporarily unable to allocate more transmission capacity or the required amount of transmission capacity to the common traffic channel, and

means for allocating requested capacity to non-transparent calls or connections later when capacity becomes available in the network.

9. A network element according to claim 4, wherein the common traffic channel comprises a common TDMA or CDMA traffic channel.

5. A network element for a mobile communication network, comprising

means for establishing one traffic channel of the mobile communication network for exclusive use of two or more simultaneous mobile communication network calls of a mobile station,

means for sharing a capacity of said common traffic channel exclusively between said simultaneous calls,

means for adjusting dynamically the capacity of the common traffic channel according to a required channel capacity defined by means of negotiation between the mobile station and the network for each call or each connection of each call,

means for establishing a separate subchannel for each call or each connection of each call in said traffic channel, means for establishing one radio link protocol link or link access control protocol link over the traffic channel between the mobile station and the interworking function,

means for establishing a logical link for each call or each connection of each call inside said radio link protocol link or link access control protocol link, and

means for transmitting the user data of each call or each connection of each call via the respective logical link by transmitting the data packets of a packet-switched call interleaved with the protocol frames of the radio link protocol or link access control protocol or encapsulated in the protocol frames.

10. A network element according to claim 5, wherein the common traffic channel comprises a common TDMA or CDMA traffic channel.