Method and apparatus for combining macrodiversity spread code signals

• US 7,729,702 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2008
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Laitinen, Lauri, Rinne, Mika
• Primary Examiner(s): Sobutka; Philip J
• Application Number:
  US12/254,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20090042578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/442
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/10 Reselecting an access point controller
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for controlling radio communications between a terminal (MS, TE) and a communications system (CN, GRAN). A communications connection between the system and the terminal is established by an active radio network controller (RNC) and an active base station (BS). In one embodiment, data communications within the communications connection is directed to the active radio controller by a second radio network controller.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing communication by a first radio network controller via a second radio network controller during a connection with a terminal, which said communication is operative with a macrodiversity signal combination and which said communication uses a spread code signal, and

completing the macrodiversity signal combination by combining macrodiversity spread code signals inspired by said terminal at the first radio network controller, wherein the first radio network controller is configured to select between completing the macrodiversity signal combination independently and completing the macrodiversity signal combination together with said second radio network controller.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further comprising a selection of an anchor radio network controller, or anchor controller, through which the data communication of said connection occurs for the duration of the connection, and communication with possible other active radio network controller is directed via said anchor controller.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said selection is carried out specifically for the connection when setting up the connection.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said selection is carried out in conjunction with system configuration.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication is directed during the connection by chaining.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a number of radio network controllers used in data communication is minimized by determining a new route between an anchor controller and a new active radio network controller so that a previous active radio network controller is bypassed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a handover between radio network controllers is a backward-type handover where signaling during the handover is directed via a previous radio network controller.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a handover between radio network controllers is a forward-type handover where signaling during the handover is directed via a new active radio network controller.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a communications system uses macrodiversity combining so that a spread code combination is carried out in an anchor controller.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing an external candidate set prior to a handover between radio network controllers; and

establishing a candidate set of a new active radio network controller on the basis of said external candidate set.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising preparing and executing a handover between radio network controllers.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a preparation phase relating a handover between radio network controllers includes adding a base station to an active set.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a execution phase relating a handover between radio network controllers includes changing an active radio network controller and an active base station set.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein an execution phase relating a handover between radio network controllers includes keeping two radio network controllers and their base station sets active.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein an active radio network controller and a base station set are completely changed.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein combining the macrodiversity spread code signals is carried out in a chain of radio network controllers together with said first radio network controller comprising a macrodiversity combination point.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication is provided in an universal mobile telecommunications system network.

18. A first radio network controller comprising:

a processor configured to establish communication with a second radio network controller via the first radio network controller during a connection with a terminal, which said communication is operative with a macrodiversity signal combination and which said communication uses a spread code signal, and

a processor configured to complete the macrodiversity signal combination by selecting between combining macrodiversity spread code signals inspired by said terminal independently and combining the macrodiversity spread code signals together with said second radio network controller.

19. The first radio network controller of claim 18, further configured to:

store information about routing to other radio network controllers.

20. The first radio network controller of claim 18, further configured to:

send and receive encapsulated handover messages to and from another radio network controller via a core network of a cellular network.

21. The first radio network controller of claim 18, further configured to:

send and receive handover messages and user data to and from another radio network controller via a physical connection, such as a cable or radio link, between two radio network controllers.

22. The first radio network controller of claim 18, further configured to:

transparently send and receive handover messages and user data to and from another radio network controller via a base station that is connected with both said radio network controllers.

23. The first radio network controller of claim 18, further configured to:

send and receive handover messages and user data to and from another radio network controller via a core network of a cellular system by independently communicating with an active protocol of a core network.

24. The first radio network controller of claim 18, further configured to realize an anchor function.

25. The first radio network controller of claim 18, wherein an anchor function realization comprises logical inter-radio network controller connections creation between an anchor controller and an active radio network controller.

26. The first radio network controller of claim 18, further configured to:

relay user data to another radio network controller on the basis of direction by means for realizing an anchor function.

27. The first radio network controller of claim 18, further configured to:

control data communication between a radio network controller and a terminal by a logical link control unit.

28. The first radio network controller of claim 18, further configured to:

control and terminate messages of a logical link control unit between the terminal and the radio network controller.

29. The first radio network controller of claim 18, further configured to:

relay messages of a logical link control unit between the terminal and a core network.

30. The first radio network controller of claim 18, further configured to:

control and terminate first messages of a logical link control unit between the terminal and the radio network controller and

relay second messages between the terminal and a core network.

31. The first radio network controller of claim 18, further configured to:

control a logical link control unit of a same or another radio network controller.

32. The first radio network controller of claim 18, further configured to:

realize a set control function.

33. The first radio network controller of claim 18, wherein said macrodiversity spread code signal combination comprises a selection of a momentarily strongest transmission connection.

34. The first radio network controller of claim 18, wherein said macrodiversity spread code signal combination comprises a signal production by combining the signals of at least two transmission paths.

35. The first radio network controller of claim 18, further configured to:

select in packet transmission a radio path separately for each packet transmission.

36. The first radio network controller of claim 18, further configured to:

select in packet transmission precisely one radio path for each packet transmission.

37. The first radio network controller of claim 18, further comprising a macrodiversity controller.

38. The first radio network controller of claim 18, further configured to:

data encrypt or access control scramble in a radio network controller that is an anchor and/or is in active mode.

39. A method comprising:

establishing communication between a first radio network controller and a second radio network controller or a base station during a connection with a terminal, which said communication is operative with a macrodiversity signal combination and which said communication uses a spread code signal, and

combining macrodiversity spread code signals intended for said terminal in said first radio network controller, wherein said first radio network controller is configured to select between completing the macrodiversity signal combination independently and completing the macrodiversity signal combination together with said second radio network controller.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the communication is provided in an universal mobile telecommunications system network.

41. A radio network controller comprising:

a processor configured to establish communication between a first radio network controller and a second radio network controller or a base station during a connection with a terminal, which said communication is operative with a macrodiversity signal combination and which said communication uses a spread code signal, and

a processor configured to combine macrodiversity spread code signals inspired by said terminal by selecting between combining the macrodiversity spread code signals together with said first radio network controller and combining the macrodiversity spread code signals with said first radio network controller and second radio network controller so that the macrodiversity signal combination is completed in said first radio network controller.

42. The radio network controller of claim 41, further comprising a macrodiversity combination point.