Internet protocol based information transmission in a radio communication system

• US 7,609,677 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Q3 Networking LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Mitjana, Enric, Riegel, Maximilian
• Primary Examiner(s): Harper; Vincent P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Casca; Fred A
• Application Number:
  US10/507,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20050174959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,419 Days
• Field of Search: 370/380, 370/401, 370/328, 370/355, 370/474, 370/333, 370/331, 370/332
• US Class Current: 370/333
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/168 specially adapted for link layer protocols, e.g. asynchronous transfer mode [ATM], synchronous optical network [SONET] or point-to-point protocol [PPP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/325 in the network layer [OSI layer 3], e.g. X.25 H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

Information is transmitted in a communication system having at least two communicating devices using a link between the at least two communicating devices provided at least via a radio communication interface of a radio communication system having a number of base stations that are interlinked via a base station network. The link is realized using channels arranged in hierarchical protocol layers. Channel-specific information is given to a hierarchical higher channel at least from one channel for the radio link between a communicating device and at least one base station. This hierarchically higher channel is an Internet protocol-based channel for the overall link between the at least two communicating devices.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting information in a communication system with at least two communicating devices, comprising:

linking the at least two communicating devices for transmission of the information at least via a radio communication interface of a radio communication system having base stations interlinked via a base station network, said linking using channels arranged in hierarchical protocol layers;

supplying channel-specific information, at least from one channel for a radio link between one of the communicating devices and at least one base station, to a hierarchically higher Internet protocol based channel for an overall link between the at least two communicating devices; and

initiating at least one of a changeover in respect of at least one multiple access medium and a handover based on the channel-specific information supplied from the channel for the radio link to the hierarchically higher Internet protocol based channel for the overall link.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said supplying sends the channel-specific information to the hierarchically higher Internet protocol based channel via a bit transmission channel to provide specific information about a physical radio link between the one of the communicating devices and the at least one base station.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said supplying supplies the channel-specific information to the hierarchically higher Internet protocol based channel via a data link layer channel to ensure the radio link between the at least one of the communicating devices and the at least one base station.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the channel-specific information relates to parameter information about the radio link between the at least one of the communicating devices and the at least one base station.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein the channel-specific information relates to calculations on data relating to the radio link between the at least one of the communicating devices and the at least one base station.

6. A method according to claim 3, wherein the channel-specific information is control information related to the radio link between the at least one of the communicating devices and the at least one base station.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said linking further uses an Internet protocol based channel between the at least two communicating devices in accordance with a stream control transmission protocol.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said linking uses different access networks to provide the radio communication interface.

9. A communication system, comprising:

at least two communicating devices;

base stations;

a base station network interlinking said base stations;

means for transmitting channel-specific information at least from one channel for a radio link between one of said communicating devices and at least one of said base stations to a hierarchically higher Internet protocol based channel for an overall link between said communicating devices; and

means for initiating at least one of a changeover in respect of at least one multiple access medium and a handover based on the information transmitted by said transmitting means from the channel for the radio link to the hierarchically higher Internet protocol based channel for the overall link.

10. A communication system according to claim 9, wherein said transmitting means sends the channel-specific information to the hierarchically higher Internet protocol based channel via a bit transmission channel to provide specific information about a physical radio link between the one of said communicating devices and the at least one of said base stations.

11. A communication system according to claim 10, wherein said transmitting means supplies the channel-specific information to the hierarchically higher Internet protocol based channel via a data link layer channel to ensure the radio link between the one of said communicating devices and the at least one of said base stations.

12. A communication system according to claim 10, wherein the channel-specific information relates to parameter information about the radio link between the one of said communicating devices and the at least one of said base stations.

13. A communication system according to claim 11, wherein the channel-specific information relates to calculations on data relating to the radio link between the one of said communicating devices and the at least one of said base stations.

14. A communication system according to claim 11, wherein the channel-specific information is control information related to the radio link between the one of said communicating devices and the at least one of said base stations.

15. A communication system according to claim 10, wherein said linking further uses an Internet protocol based channel between said at least two communicating devices in accordance with a stream control transmission protocol.

16. A communication system according to claim 15, further comprising different access networks providing the radio communication interface.