Method, system and communication unit for requesting a communication resource

• US 7,340,256 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2002
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IPWireless Inc. (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Inventors: Speight, Timothy James
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Richard
• Application Number:
  US10/190,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20030064728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,069 Days
• Field of Search: 455/452.1, 455/453, 455/509, 455/507, 455/437, 455/435.1, 455/443, 455/444, 455445-450, 370/431, 370/329, 370/341
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0866 using a dedicated channel for access

Abstract

A method of requesting a communication resource by a wireless communication unit operating in a wireless communication system. The wireless communication system provides for uplink and downlink channels. The method includes the steps of: allocating a dedicated communication channel to said wireless communication unit by a wireless communication serving unit; transmitting a communication resource request message (130) on said dedicated uplink channel by said wireless communication unit (110) to said wireless communication serving unit (120); and transmitting an access allocation message (140) to said wireless communication unit (110) from said wireless communication serving unit (120) on said dedicated downlink channel. A communication system and communication unit are also provided.

This provides the advantage that a dedicated channel is used for requesting shared resources thereby avoiding various problems, including clashes, associated with using a random access channel.

Claims

1. A method of requesting a communication resource by a wireless communication unit operating in a wireless UMTS communication system, wherein the wireless communication system provides for uplink channels for said wireless communication unit to communicate with a wireless serving communication unit and downlink channels for said wireless serving communication unit to communicate with said wireless communication unit, the method comprising the steps of:

allocating a dedicated communication channel to said wireless communication unit by said wireless serving communication unit;

transmitting a communication resource request message on said dedicated uplink channel by said wireless communication unit to said wireless serving communication unit, wherein the communication resource request message is a PUSCH CAPACITY REQUEST message; and

transmitting an access allocation message to said wireless communication unit from said wireless serving communication unit on said dedicated downlink channel.

2. The method of requesting a communication resource according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit uses the dedicated uplink channel to request a communication resource when the wireless communication unit is in a cell-DCH state.

3. The method of requesting a communication resource according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit is a user equipment and said wireless serving communication unit is a Node B or RNC of a UMTS communication system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless UMTS communication system is specified, at least in part, by a Third Generation Partnership Project specification of the 3G TS 25.xxx series of wide-band, code-division multiple access UTRAN radio interface specifications.

5. A method for obtaining access to a physical uplink shared channel by a mobile station for which a dedicated transport channel is assigned in a wireless communication system, comprising:

transmitting, by the mobile station, a physical uplink shared channel capacity request message over an uplink of the dedicated transport channel; and

receiving, by the mobile station, a physical uplink shared channel capacity allocation message over a downlink of the dedicated transport channel.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising transmitting, by the mobile station, uplink data over an allocated physical uplink shared channel as specified by the received physical uplink shared channel capacity allocation message.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein computer executable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium, when executed by a processor of the mobile station, cause the processor to perform the recited method.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the wireless communication system is specified, at least in part, by a Third Generation Partnership Project specification of the 3G TS 25.xxx series of wide-band, code-division multiple access UTRAN radio interface specifications.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein (i) the mobile station is a user equipment (UE), (ii) the dedicated transport channel is a DCH, and (iii) the physical uplink shared channel capacity request message is a PUSCH CAPACITY REQUEST message.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the user equipment (UE) is in a cell_DCH state.

11. A method for granting access to a physical uplink shared channel in a wireless communication system by a base transceiver station over a dedicated transport channel that has been established for a mobile station, comprising:

receiving, by the base transceiver station, a physical uplink shared channel capacity request message over an uplink of the dedicated transport channel; and

transmitting, by the base transceiver station, a physical uplink shared channel capacity allocation message over a downlink of the dedicated transport channel.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein computer executable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium, what executed by a processor of the base transceiver station, cause the processor to perform the recited method.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the wireless communication system is specified, at least in part, by a Third Generation Partnership Project specification of the 3G TS 25.xxx series of wide-band, code-division multiple access UTRAN radio interface specifications.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein (i) the base transceiver station is a Node B, (ii) the dedicated transport channel is a DCH, and (iii) the physical uplink shared channel capacity request message is a PUSCH CAPACITY REQUEST message.

15. A mobile station for use with a wireless communication system, comprising:

a controller configured to accept a dedicated transport channel assignment;

a transmitter configured to transmit a physical uplink shared channel capacity request message over an uplink of the dedicated transport channel; and

a receiver configured to receive a physical uplink shared channel capacity allocation message over a downlink of the assigned dedicated transport channel.

16. The mobile station of claim 15, wherein the wireless communication system is specified, at least in part, by a Third Generation Partnership Project specification of the 3G TS 25.xxx series of wide-band, code-division multiple access UTRAN radio interface specifications.

17. The mobile station of claim 15, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit uplink data over an allocated physical uplink shared channel as specified by the received physical uplink shared channel capacity allocation message.

18. A base transceiver station for use with a wireless communication system, comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a message granting a dedicated transport channel assignment; and

a receiver configured to receive a physical uplink shared channel capacity request message over an uplink of to assigned dedicated transport channel;

wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit a physical uplink shared channel capacity allocation message over a downlink of the assigned dedicated transport channel.

19. The base transceiver station of claim 18, wherein the wireless communication system is specified, at least in part, by a Third Generation Partnership Project specification of the 3G TS 25.xxx series of wide-band, code-division multiple access UTRAN radio interface specifications.

20. The base transceiver station of claim 18, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive uplink data over an allocated physical uplink shared channel as specified by the transmitted physical uplink shared channel capacity allocation message.

21. A method of requesting a communication resource by a wireless communication unit operating in a packet switched wireless communication system, wherein the wireless communication system provides for uplink dedicated and shared channels for said wireless communication unit to communicate with a wireless serving communication unit and provides for downlink dedicated and shared channels for said wireless serving communication unit to communicate with said wireless communication unit, the method comprising:

allocating a dedicated uplink channel to said wireless communication unit by said wireless serving communication unit;

determining that said uplink dedicated channel can be used to send uplink allocation request messages;

transmitting a communication resource request message on said dedicated uplink channel by said wireless communication unit to said wireless serving communication unit, wherein the communication resource request message is a uplink allocation request message;

observing whether allocation messages are sent on a downlink dedicated channel or a downlink shared channel; and

transmitting an allocation message to said wireless communication unit from said wireless serving communication unit on said dedicated downlink channel.

22. The method of requesting a communication resource according to claim 21, wherein the wireless communication unit uses the dedicated uplink channel to request a communication resource when the wireless communication unit is in a cell-DCH state.

23. The method of requesting a communication resource according to claim 21, wherein the wireless communication unit is a user equipment and said wireless serving communication unit is a Node B or RNC of a UMTS communication system.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the wireless UMTS communication system is specified, at least in part, by a Third Generation Partnership Project specification of the 3G TS 25.xxx series of wide-band, code-division multiple access UTRAN radio interface specifications.

25. A method of requesting a communication resource by a wireless communication unit operating in a packet switched wireless communication system, wherein the wireless communication system provides for dedicated and shared uplink channels for said wireless communication unit to communicate with a wireless serving communication unit and provides for downlink dedicated and shared channels for said wireless serving communication unit to communicate with said wireless communication unit, the method comprising:

allocating a dedicated uplink channel to said wireless communication unit by said wireless serving communication unit;

determining that said dedicated uplink channel can be used to request a shared uplink channel;

transmitting a uplink allocation request message for a shared uplink channel on said dedicated uplink channel by said wireless communication unit to said wireless serving communication unit; and

transmitting an allocation message for a shared uplink channel to said wireless communication unit from said wireless serving communication unit on said downlink dedicated channel.