Advance resource allocations for association state transitions for wireless LAN system

• US 7,570,952 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2001
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Almehag, Lorens, Woxberg, Fredrik, Lindskog, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): Win, Aung T
• Application Number:
  US09/948,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20030050068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,885 Days
• Field of Search: 455/450, 455/451, 455/452.1, 455/452.2, 455/455, 455/507, 455509-517, 455/464, 370449-463, 370/338, 370/310.1, 370/310.2, 370/311, 370/312, 709208-211, 709/225, 709/226, 709/229
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A central controller (CC) [22] of a wireless Local area network (LAN) [20], in conjunction with an association operation with a mobile terminal [24] and upon receiving from the mobile terminal (MT) a first control signal [CS1] of a sequence of control signals involved in the association operation, pre-reserves a MAC resource for transmission of at least a further control signal in the sequence. The MAC resource for the further control signal is pre-reserved prior to information for the further control signal being stored in a transmission buffer [58] of the mobile terminal. In essence, judging from the nature of the first control signal, the central controller (CC) anticipates eventuality of the further control signal and pre-reserves the MAC resource for the further control signal. The central controller (CC) pre-reserves the MAC resource to avoid transmission of a separate message to request a MAC resource for the further control signal. The association operation for which the pre-reservation occurs can be, for example, an initial association scenario or a handover scenario in which the mobile terminal (MT) is handed over to the central controller (CC).

Claims

1. A wireless local area network (LAN) comprising:

a central controller;

a mobile terminal comprising;

a transceiver;

a transmission buffer configured to store information to be included in a control signal; and

a MAC logic unit which, via the transceiver, is configured to send a sequence of control signals to the central controller in a MAC protocol for associating the mobile terminal with the central controller prior to sending/receiving user data, a first control signal of the sequence being a radio link control signal;

wherein the central controller, upon receipt of the first control signal of the sequence on a dedicated control channel, is configured to predict what MAC resources will be necessary for completion of the sequence and to pre-reserve a MAC resource for transmission of the sequence prior to information for a further control signal being stored in the transmission buffer of the mobile terminal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the MAC resource which is pre-reserved by the central controller includes one of:

(1) an uplink Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) Long Channel (LCH);

(2) an uplink Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) Short Channel (SCH);

(3) a downlink Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) Long Channel (LCH);

(4) a downlink Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) Short Channel (SCH); and

(5) a combination of (1), (2), (3), or (4).

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the central controller is configured to pre-reserve the MAC resources for transmission of remaining control signals of the sequence prior to information for the remaining control signals being stored in the transmission buffer of the mobile terminal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the central controller is configured to pre-reserve the MAC resource to avoid transmission of a separate message to request a MAC resource for the further control signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the central controller is configured to notify the mobile terminal that the central controller has pre-reserved the MAC resource.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the central controller is configured to temporarily pre-reserve the MAC resource.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the central controller is configured to pre-reserve the MAC resource for a predetermined time.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein upon expiration of the predetermined time the central controller is configured to revert to a non-pre-reservation allocation scheme.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the central controller is configured to pre-reserve the MAC resource until a predetermined state transition has occurred.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the central controller is configured to pre-reserve the MAC resource until the central controller receives a signal from which the central controller can conclude that the mobile terminal has successfully entered a predetermined state.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the central controller is configured to pre-reserve the MAC resource in each MAC frame.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the central controller is configured to pre-reserve the MAC resource in a number of MAC frames in accordance with a predetermined rule.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the predetermined rule is that the central controller pre-reserves the MAC resource in every second MAC frame.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the central controller is also configured to pre-reserve resources for user data to be used in transmitting user data between the central controller and the mobile terminal after the sequence is completed.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sequence is an association sequence for an initial association operation of the mobile terminal with the central controller, and wherein in the initial association operation the mobile terminal transitions through a series of association states prior to user data exchange.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sequence is an association sequence for a handover operation of the mobile terminal with the central controller, and wherein in the initial association operation the mobile terminal transitions through a series of association states prior to user data exchange.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein all control signals of the sequence are dedicated control channel radio link control signals.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sequence comprises radio link control signals for facilitating either one or both of encryption key exchange and authentication.

19. For use in a wireless local area network (LAN) comprising a central controller and a mobile terminal, a method comprising:

the mobile terminal sending, on a dedicated control channel, a first control signal of a sequence of control signals to the central controller in conjunction with an association operation whereby the mobile terminal is associated with the central controller, the first control signal of the sequence being a radio link control signal;

upon receipt of the first control signal, the central controller predicting what MAC resources will be necessary for completion of the sequence and pre-serving a MAC resource for transmission of the sequence prior to information for a further control signal being stored in a transmission buffer of the mobile terminal.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the central controller anticipating the further control signal and pre-reserving the MAC resource.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the MAC resource which is pre-reserved by the central controller includes one of:

(1) an uplink Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) Long Channel (LCH);

(2) an uplink Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) Short Channel (SCH);

(3) a downlink Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) Long Channel (LCH);

(4) a downlink Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) Short Channel (SCH); and

(5) a combination of (1), (2), (3), or (4).

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising the central controller pre-reserving the MAC resources for transmission of remaining control signals of the sequence prior to information for the remaining control signals being stored in the transmission buffer of the mobile terminal.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising the central controller pre-reserving the MAC resource to avoid transmission of a separate message to request a MAC resource for the further control signal.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising the central controller notifying the mobile terminal that the central controller has pre-reserved the MAC resource.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising the central controller temporarily pre-reserving the MAC resource.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the central controller pre-reserves the MAC resource for a predetermined time.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising, upon expiration of the predetermined time, the central controller reverting to a non-pre-reservation allocation scheme.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising the central controller pre-reserving the MAC resource until a predetermined state transition has occurred.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the central controller pre-reserving the MAC resource until the central controller receives a signal from which the central controller can conclude that the mobile terminal has successfully entered a predetermined state.

30. The method of claim 19, further comprising the central controller pre-reserving the MAC resource in each MAC frame.

31. The method of claim 19, further comprising the central controller pre-reserving the MAC resource in a number of MAC frames in accordance with a predetermined rule.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the predetermined rule is that the central controller pre-reserves the MAC resource in every second MAC frame.

33. The method of claim 19, further comprising the central controller also pre-reserving resources for user data to be used in transmitting user data between the central controller and the mobile terminal after the sequence is completed.

34. The method of claim 19, wherein the association operation is for an initial association operation of the mobile terminal with the central controller, and wherein in the initial association operation the mobile terminal transitions through a series of association states prior to user data exchange.

35. The method of claim 19, wherein the association operation is for a handover operation of the mobile terminal with the central controller, and wherein in the initial association operation the mobile terminal transitions through a series of association states prior to user data exchange.

36. The method of claim 19, wherein radio link control signals of the sequence including the further radio link control signal are dedicated control channel radio link control signals.

37. The method of claim 19, wherein the sequence comprises radio link control signals for facilitating either one or both of encryption key exchange and authentication.

38. A central controller of a wireless local area network (LAN) which, in conjunction with an association operation with a mobile terminal and upon receiving from the mobile terminal, on a dedicated control channel, a first control signal of a sequence of control signals, is configured to predict what MAC resources will be necessary for completion of the sequence and to pre-reserve a MAC resource for transmission of the sequence prior to information for a further control signal being stored in a transmission buffer of the mobile terminal, the first control signal of the sequence being a radio link control signal.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the central controller is configured to anticipate the further control signal and pre-reserves the MAC resource.

40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the MAC resource which is pre-reserved by the central controller includes one of:

(1) an uplink Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) Long Channel (LCH);

(2) an uplink Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) Short Channel (SCH);

(3) a downlink Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) Long Channel (LCH);

(4) a downlink Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) Short Channel (SCH); and

(5) a combination of (1), (2), (3), or (4).

41. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the central controller is configured to pre-reserve the MAC resources for transmission of remaining control signals of the sequence prior to information for the remaining control signals being stored in the transmission buffer of the mobile terminal.

42. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the central controller is configured to pre-reserve the MAC resource to avoid transmission of a separate message to request a MAC resource for the further control signal.

43. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the central controller is configured to notify the mobile terminal that the central controller has pre-reserved the MAC resource.

44. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the central controller is configured to temporarily pre-reserve the MAC resource.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the central controller is configured to pre-reserve the MAC resource until a predetermined state transition has occurred.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the central controller is configured to pre-reserve the MAC resource until the central controller receives a signal from which the central controller can conclude that the mobile terminal has successfully entered a predetermined state.

47. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the central controller is configured to pre-reserve the MAC resource for a predetermined time.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein upon expiration of the predetermined time the central controller is configured to revert to a non-pre-reservation allocation scheme.

49. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the central controller is configured to pre-reserve the MAC resource in each MAC frame.

50. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the central controller is configured to pre-reserve the MAC resource in a number of MAC frames in accordance with a predetermined rule.

51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the predetermined rule is that the central controller pre-reserves the MAC resource in every second MAC frame.

52. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the central controller also configured to pre-reserve resources for user data to be used in transmitting user data between the central controller and the mobile terminal after the sequence is completed.

53. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the association operation is for an initial association operation of the mobile terminal with the central controller, and wherein in the initial association operation the mobile terminal transitions through a series of association states prior to user data exchange.

54. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the association operation is for a handover operation of the mobile terminal with the central controller, and wherein in the initial association operation the mobile terminal transitions through a series of association states prior to user data exchange.

55. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein radio link control signals of the sequence including the further radio link control signal are dedicated control channel radio link control signals.

56. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the sequence comprises radio link control signals for facilitating either one or both of encryption key exchange and authentication.