Terminal system and radio resource control in wireless telecommunications system

• US 7,702,325 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2004
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Lappeteläinen, Antti, Ojala, Jussi
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller; Brandon J
• Application Number:
  US10/829,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20050202809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,189 Days
• Field of Search: 455/502, 455/3.05, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/3.06, 455418-420, 455/437, 455558-559, 455/422.1, 455/557, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/566, 455/436, 455/553.1, 370/331, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A subscriber terminal holding a subscriber identity is connected to a sub-terminal using the identity of the subscriber terminal over a wireless proximity interface. A radio link directed from an infrastructure to the sub-terminal is requested by the subscriber terminal, and at least a portion of signalling between the sub-terminal and the wireless telecommunications infrastructure is routed via the subscriber terminal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

connecting a subscriber terminal of a wireless telecommunications system to an infrastructure of the wireless telecommunications system over a wireless interface, the subscriber terminal holding a subscriber identity in the wireless telecommunications system;

connecting the subscriber terminal to at least one sub-terminal over a proximity wireless interface, the at least one sub-terminal using the subscriber identity of the subscriber terminal;

requesting a radio link from the subscriber terminal, the radio link being directed from the infrastructure to the at least one sub-terminal;

generating signaling parameters for controlling the radio link; and

communicating at least one of the signaling parameters between the at least one sub-terminal and the infrastructure, and

the subscriber terminal and the at least one sub-terminal being in connection with the infrastructure simultaneously.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating at least one of the signaling parameters in the at least one sub-terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating at least one of the signaling parameters between the at least one sub-terminal and the infrastructure over a wireless interface between the infrastructure and the at least one sub-terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the at least one sub-terminal to provide the radio link according to at least one of the signaling parameters.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, in the infrastructure, proximity signaling parameters for controlling the proximity wireless interface;

communicating the proximity signaling parameters between the subscriber terminal and the infrastructure;

communicating at least one of the proximity signaling parameters between the subscriber terminal and the at least one sub-terminal; and

configuring the proximity wireless interface according to the proximity signaling parameters.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a handover request to the at least one sub-terminal in the subscriber terminal in order to perform simultaneous handovers of the subscriber terminal and the at least one sub-terminal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the control of the radio link is admission control, or allocation of radio resources.

8. A system comprising:

a subscriber terminal and at least one sub-terminal, wherein the subscriber terminal comprises a connecting unit configured to connect the subscriber terminal to a infrastructure of a wireless telecommunications system and a subscriber identity unit configured to hold a subscriber identity of the subscriber terminal in the wireless telecommunications system,

wherein the at least one sub-terminal uses the subscriber identity of the subscriber terminal and comprises a receiving unit configured to provide a radio link directed from the infrastructure to the at least one sub-terminal, the radio link being controlled on the basis of signaling parameters,

wherein the subscriber terminal comprises a requesting unit operationally connected to the connecting unit, configured to request the radio link,

wherein the system comprises a signaling unit operationally connected to the connecting unit, configured to communicate at least one of the signaling parameters between the subscriber terminal and the infrastructure,

wherein the system comprises a proximity signaling unit operationally connected to the signaling unit, configured to communicate the at least one of the signaling parameters between the subscriber terminal and the at least one sub-terminal over a proximity wireless interface, and

wherein the subscriber terminal and the at least one sub-terminal are connected to the infrastructure simultaneously.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a connecting unit configured to connect the apparatus to an infrastructure of a wireless telecommunications system;

a subscriber identity unit configured to hold a subscriber identity of the apparatus in the wireless telecommunications system;

a requesting unit operationally connected to the connecting unit, configured to request a radio link directed from the infrastructure to at least one sub-terminal, the at least one sub-terminal using the subscriber identity of the apparatus, the radio link being controlled on the basis of signaling parameters;

a proximity signaling unit configured to communicate at least one of the signaling parameters with the at least one sub-terminal over a proximity wireless interface;

a signaling unit operationally connected to the connecting unit and the proximity signaling unit, configured to communicate the at least one of the signaling parameters between the apparatus and the infrastructure,

wherein the apparatus is configured to be in connection with the infrastructure simultaneously with the at least one sub-terminal.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a second signaling unit configured to communicate proximity signaling parameters between the apparatus and the infrastructure; and

a proximity interface configuring unit operationally connected to the proximity signaling unit and the second signaling unit, configured to configure the proximity signaling unit according to at least one of the proximity signaling parameters.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a handover request unit configured to generate a handover request to the at least one sub-terminal in order to perform simultaneous handovers of the apparatus and the at least one sub-terminal.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control of the radio link is admission control, or allocation of radio resources.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiving unit configured to provide a radio link directed from an infrastructure of a wireless telecommunication system, to the apparatus, the apparatus being operationally connected to the infrastructure and holding a subscriber identity in the wireless telecommunications system, the apparatus using the subscriber identity of a subscriber terminal and, the radio link being controlled on the basis of signaling parameters communicated between the subscriber terminal and the infrastructure, the radio link being requested by the subscriber terminal;

a proximity signaling unit configured to communicate at least one of the signaling parameters between the subscriber terminal and the apparatus over a proximity wireless interface, and

wherein the apparatus is configured to be in connection with the infrastructure simultaneously with the subscriber terminal.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a generating unit operationally connected to the proximity signaling unit, configured to generate at least one of the signaling parameters.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a sub-terminal signaling unit operationally connected to the receiving unit, configured to communicate at least one of the signaling parameters between the apparatus and the infrastructure over a wireless interface.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a receiver configuring unit operationally connected to the receiving unit and the proximity signaling unit, configured to configure the receiving unit according to at least one of the signaling parameters.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a proximity interface configuring unit operationally connected to the proximity signaling unit, configured to configure the proximity signaling unit according to at least one of the proximity signaling parameters received from the subscriber terminal.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the control of the radio link is admission control, or allocation of radio resources.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

an access control unit configured to control access of at least one sub-terminal to an infrastructure of a wireless telecommunications system on the basis of an access request from a subscriber terminal of the wireless telecommunications system, the subscriber terminal being operationally connected to the infrastructure and the access of the at least one sub-terminal being simultaneous with the connection of the subscriber terminal and the subscriber terminal holding the subscriber identity in the wireless telecommunications system, the at least one sub-terminal using the subscriber identity of the subscriber terminal;

a controlling unit operationally connected to the access control unit, configured to control a radio link directed from the infrastructure to the at least one sub-terminal, the radio link being controlled on the basis of signaling parameters; and

a signaling unit configured to communicate at least one of the signaling parameters between the infrastructure and the subscriber terminal, the at least one of the signaling parameters being communicated between the subscriber terminal and the at least one sub-terminal over a proximity wireless interface.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a sub-terminal feedback controlling unit operationally connected to the signaling unit, configured to control the radio link on the basis of the signaling parameters generated in the at least one sub-terminal.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a sub-terminal signaling unit operationally connected to the controlling unit, configured to communicate signaling parameters with the at least one sub-terminal over a wireless interface.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a proximity wireless interface controlling unit configured to control the proximity wireless interface on the basis of proximity signaling parameters; and

a second signaling unit configured to communicate at least one of the proximity signaling parameters with the subscriber terminal.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the control of the radio link is admission control, or allocation of radio resources.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

connecting means for connecting the apparatus to an infrastructure of a wireless telecommunications system;

subscriber identity means for holding a subscriber identity of the apparatus in the wireless telecommunications system;

requesting means for requesting a radio link directed from the infrastructure to at least one sub-terminal, the at least one sub-terminal using the subscriber identity of the apparatus, the radio link being controlled on the basis of signaling parameters;

proximity signaling means for communicating at least one of the signaling parameters with the at least one sub-terminal over a proximity wireless interface;

signaling means for communicating the at least one of the signaling parameters between the apparatus and the infrastructure,

wherein the apparatus is configured to be in connection with the infrastructure simultaneously with the at least one sub-terminal.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

receiving means for providing a radio link directed from an infrastructure of a wireless telecommunication system, to the apparatus, the apparatus being operationally connected to the infrastructure and holding a subscriber identity in the wireless telecommunications system, the apparatus using the subscriber identity of a subscriber terminal and, the radio link being controlled on the basis of signaling parameters communicated between the subscriber terminal and the infrastructure, the radio link being requested by the subscriber terminal; and

proximity signaling means for communicating at least one of the signaling parameters between the subscriber terminal and the apparatus over a proximity wireless interface,

wherein the apparatus is configured to be in connection with the infrastructure simultaneously with the subscriber terminal.

26. An apparatus, comprising:

access control means for controlling access of at least one sub-terminal to an infrastructure of a wireless telecommunications system on the basis of an access request from a subscriber terminal of the wireless telecommunications system, the subscriber terminal being operationally connected to the infrastructure and the access of the at least one sub-terminal being simultaneous with the connection of the subscriber terminal and the subscriber terminal holding the subscriber identity in the wireless telecommunications system, the at least one sub-terminal using the subscriber identity of the subscriber terminal;

controlling means for controlling a radio link directed from the infrastructure to the at least one sub-terminal, the radio link being controlled on the basis of signaling parameters; and

signaling means for communicating at least one of the signaling parameters between the infrastructure and the subscriber terminal, the at least one of the signaling parameters being communicated between the subscriber terminal and the at least one sub-terminal over a proximity wireless interface.