Method and apparatus for managing a set of communications connection related information

• US 8,099,096 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2007
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Prakash, Rajat, Ulupinar, Fatih, Horn, Gavin, Bender, Paul E., Agashe, Parag
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US11/759,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20070286112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: 455418-420, 455/422.1, 4554321-4323, 455/434, 455436-451, 4554521-4522, 455/466, 455/509, 455512-517, 455/522, 455524-526, 455/550.1, 455/556.2, 455/561, 455/562.1, 370319-321, 370328-329, 370331-350, 370/315
• US Class Current: 455/437
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00692 using simultaneous multiple data streams, e.g. cooperative multipoint [CoMP], carrier aggregation [CA] or multiple input multiple output [MIMO] allocation of physical resources in CoMP or in CA H04L5/0035
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection

Abstract

Methods and apparatus related to management of active connections between an access terminal and access points are described. An access terminal maintains and manages active set information. The active set information identifies a set of access points with which the access terminal has an active connection. In some embodiments, the active set information includes allocated resources assigned to the access terminal corresponding to the different access points in the active set. Layer 2 Transport Tunneling is used, in various embodiments, to communicate connection request and/or connection response information, between access points. In some embodiments, the access terminal optionally assists in coordinating MAC resources allocated to the access terminal by different access points.

Claims

1. A method for connecting an access terminal to a network, the method comprising:

transmitting a connection request to a first access point with which said access terminal has a connection, said connection request includes a connection request message and an identifier of a second access point with which said access terminal seeks to establish an active connection;

receiving a connection response message from said first access point, said connection response message includes information about control channel resources assigned by said second access point to the access terminal, wherein the assigned control channel resources include at least one of a control channel size and a control channel parameter;

connecting said access terminal with the second access point using the assigned control channel resources provided in the connection response message; and

updating, based on the received connection response message, a set of information maintained by said access terminal indicating access points with which said access terminal has active connections.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection request message is directed through said first access point to the second access point identified by said identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to transmitting the connection request, generating said connection request message destined for delivery to said second access point.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said connection request further includes resource information indicating resources assigned by said first access point to said access terminal.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to transmitting the connection request, determining that a signal from the second access point is above a predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said connection request further includes a list of MAC resources currently assigned to said access terminal by multiple different access points which have an active connection with said access terminal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the set of information includes:

including in said set of information maintained by said access terminal information indicating the resources assigned to the access terminal by the second access point.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

sending a resource update request message to request a change of the resources assigned by the first access point.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

prior to sending the resource update request message, determining if resources assigned to the access terminal by the second access point are not consistent with resources assigned to the access terminal assigned by the first access point; and

wherein said step of sending the resource update request message is in response to determining that resources assigned to the access terminal by the second access point are not consistent with resources assigned to the access terminal by the first access point.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a response to said resource update request message indicating new resources which have been assigned by said first access point to said access terminal.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said set of information indicating the access points with which said access terminal has the active connections is an active connection information set stored in said access terminal, said active connection information set includes a full list of access points with which said access terminal has an active connection, said full list being maintained only in said access terminal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said active connection information set includes information corresponding to resources assigned to said access terminal by different access points, said active connection information set including the information on said assigned resources is stored only in said access terminal.

13. An access terminal for use in a network, the access terminal comprising:

a wireless transmitter module for transmitting a connection request to a first access point with which said access terminal has a connection, said connection request includes a connection request message and an identifier of a second access point with which said access terminal seeks to establish an active connection;

a wireless receiver module for receiving a connection response message from said first access point, said connection response message includes information about control channel resources assigned by said second access point to the access terminal, wherein the assigned control channel resources include at least one of a control channel size and a control channel parameter;

a connection module for connecting said access terminal with the second access point using the assigned control channel resources provided in the connection response message;

memory including a set of information indicating access points with which said access terminal has active connections; and

a connection management module for updating, based on the received connection response message, said set of information indicating the access points with which said access terminal has the active connections.

14. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein said connection request message is directed through said first access point to the second access point identified by said identifier.

15. The access terminal of claim 13 further comprising:

a connection request message generation module for generating a connection request message destined to said second access point.

16. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein said connection request transmitted to said first access point further includes resource information indicating resources assigned by said first access point to said access terminal.

17. The access terminal of claim 13, further comprising:

a power measurement module for determining that a signal from the second access point is above a predetermined threshold.

18. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein said connection request further includes a list of MAC resources currently assigned to said access terminal.

19. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein said set of information stored in said connection management module includes information indicating the resources assigned to the access terminal by the second access point.

20. The access terminal of claim 19, wherein said wireless transmitter module sends a resource update request message to request a change of resources assigned by the first access point.

21. The access terminal of claim 20, further comprising:

an assignment evaluation module for determining if resources assigned to the access terminal by the second access point are not consistent with the resources assigned to the access terminal by the first access point; and

a resource update request message control module for controlling sending of the resource update request message in response to said assignment evaluation module determining that the resources assigned to the access terminal by the second access point are not consistent with the resources assigned to the access terminal by the first access point.

22. The access terminal of claim 20, wherein said wireless receiver module also receives a response to said resource update request message indicating new resources which have been assigned by said first access point to said access terminal.

23. The access terminal of claim 22, wherein said connection management module updates said set of information to indicate the new resources assigned by the first access point of the access terminal.

24. The access terminal of claim 13, wherein said set of information indicating the access points with which said access terminal has the active connections is an active connection information set in said access terminal, said active connection information set includes a full list of access points with which said access terminal has an active connection, said full list being maintained in said access terminal and not at any other location in said network.

25. The access terminal of claim 24, wherein said active connection information set includes information corresponding to resources assigned to said access terminal by different access points, said active connection information set including the information on assigned resources is stored only in said access terminal.

26. An access terminal for use in a network, the access terminal comprising:

wireless transmitter means for transmitting a connection request to a first access point with which said access terminal has a connection, said connection request includes a connection request message and an identifier of a second access point with which said access terminal seeks to establish an active connection;

means for receiving a connection response message from said first access point, said connection response message includes information about control channel resources assigned by said second access point to the access terminal, wherein the assigned control channel resources include at least one of a control channel size and a control channel parameter;

means for connecting said access terminal with the second access point using the assigned control channel resources provided in the connection response message;

memory means including a set of information indicating access points with which said access terminal has active connections; and

means for updating, based on the received connection response message, said set of information indicating the access points with which said access terminal has active connections.

27. The access terminal of claim 26, wherein said set of information stored in said means for updating includes information indicating the resources assigned to the access terminal by the second access point.

28. The access terminal of claim 27, wherein said set of information indicating access points with which said access terminal has the active connections is an active connection information set stored in said access terminal, said active connection information set includes a full list of access points with which said access terminal has the active connection, said full list being maintained only in said access terminal.

29. The access terminal of claim 28, wherein said active connection information set includes information corresponding to resources assigned to said access terminal by different access points, said active connection information set including the information on the assigned resources is stored only in said access terminal.

30. The access terminal of claim 29, wherein said wireless transmitter means sends a resource update request message to request a change of the resources assigned by the first access point.

31. An apparatus comprising:

a processor for use in an access terminal, the processor configured to;

transmit a connection request to a first access point with which said access terminal has a connection, said connection request includes a connection request message and an identifier of a second access point with which said access terminal seeks to establish an active connection;

receive a connection response message from said first access point, said connection response message includes information about control channel resources assigned by said second access point to the access terminal, wherein the assigned control channel resources include at least one of a control channel size and a control channel parameter;

connect the access terminal with the second access point using the assigned control channel resources provided in the connection response message; and

update, based on the received connection response message, a set of information maintained by said access terminal indicating access points with which said access terminal has active connections.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the processor is further configured to, while updating the set of information:

include in said set of information an information indicating the resources assigned to the access terminal by the second access point.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said set of information indicating access points with which said access terminal has an active connection is an active connection information set stored in said access terminal, said active connection information set includes a full list of access points with which said access terminal has an active connection, said full list being maintained only in said access terminal.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said active connection information set includes information corresponding to resources assigned to said access terminal by different access points, said active connection information set including the information on assigned resources is stored only in said access terminal.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said processor is further configured to:

send a resource update request message to request a change of the resources assigned by the first access point.

36. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions which, when executed by a processor comprised in an access terminal cause the processor to implement a method for connecting said access terminal with other communications devices, the method comprising:

transmitting a connection request to a first access point with which said access terminal has a connection, said connection request includes a connection request message and an identifier of a second access point with which said access terminal seeks to establish an active connection;

receiving a connection response message from said first access point, said connection response message includes information about control channel resources assigned by said second access point to the access terminal, wherein the assigned control channel resources include at least one of a control channel size and a control channel parameter;

connecting said access terminal with the second access point using the assigned control channel resources provided in the connection response message; and

updating, based on the received connection response message, a set of information maintained by said access terminal indicating access points with which said access terminal has the active connections.

37. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein said updating the set of information includes:

including in said set of information an information indicating the resources assigned to the access terminal by the second access point.

38. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 37, wherein said set of information indicating the access points with which said access terminal has the active connection is an active connection information set stored in said access terminal, said active connection information set includes a full list of access points with which said access terminal has the active connection, said full list being maintained only in said access terminal.

39. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 38, wherein said active connection information set includes information corresponding to resources assigned to said access terminal by different access points, said active connection information set including the information on assigned resources is stored only in said access terminal.

40. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 39, further embodying machine executable instructions for:

sending a resource update request message to request a change of resources assigned by the first access point.