Communication terminal and method with prioritized control information

• US 9,161,368 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Optis Wireless Technology, LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Original Assignee: Optis Wireless Technology, LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Inventors: Aoyama, Takahisa, Loehr, Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): SEFCHECK, GREGORY B
• Application Number:
  US13/722,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20130107843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0278 using buffer status reports dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/569 of the traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/085 collision avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A communication terminal adjusts the transmission timing of data transmitted to a base station so that the base station can receive the data within a predetermined delay time. The communication terminal includes a reception section 701 for receiving priority of MAC control information transmitted from the base station, a priority control section 703 for defining the relationship between the priority of the MAC control information and priority assigned to DRB and SRB, and a transmission message generation section 704 for controlling so as to transmit information having a high priority early in accordance with the relationship between the priorities defined by the priority control section 703. According to the communication terminal, a comparison is made between the priority of the MAC control information and the priority assigned to the DRB and the SRB, whereby it is made possible to control what information is to be transmitted as desired.

Claims

1. A communication terminal for communicating with a base station in accordance with a defined procedure, the communication terminal comprising a priority controller configured:

to define a relationship between MAC (Medium Access Control) priorities, which are respectively assigned to a plurality of MAC control elements, and radio bearer (RB) priorities respectively assigned to a DRB (Data Radio Bearer) and each of a plurality of SRBs (Signalling Radio Bearers), wherein the plurality of SRBs convey RRC (Radio Resource Control) messages or NAS (NonAccess Stratum) messages;

to compare the MAC priorities with the RB priorities of the SRBs; and

to control transmission of information so as to transmit information on an SRB having a higher RB priority earlier than a MAC control element having a lower MAC priority in accordance with the relationship between the MAC and RB priorities.

2. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the priority controller is further configured to receive from the base station a configuration information element that defines the RB priorities, whereas the MAC priorities are fixed.

3. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein:

the MAC control elements include a Terminal Identifier, a Buffer Status Report, and a Channel Status Information, wherein the MAC control elements have MAC priorities in decreasing order from the Terminal identifier, the Buffer Status Report, and the Channel Status Information, and

wherein the priority controller is further configured to transmit information on the DRB or SRB having a higher RB priority, or a MAC control element having a higher MAC priority, earlier in accordance with the RB priorities of the DRB and the SRBs and the MAC priorities of the Terminal Identifier, the Buffer Status Report, and the Channel Status Information.

4. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the priority controller is further configured:

to receive boundary information indicating a boundary of the MAC priorities, and

to reference the boundary information to define the relationship between the MAC priorities and the RB priorities respectively assigned to the DRB and the plurality of SRBs.

5. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the priority controller is further configured to specify the MAC priorities in response to a use reason for a RACE procedure.

6. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the priority controller is further configured to receives information, which is required for determining the MAC priorities and the RB priorities of the SRBs, from the base station, and

to reference the received information to determine the RB priorities of the SRBs and the MAC priorities.

7. The communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein the information required for determining the MAC priorities and the RB priorities of the SRBs contains information indicating whether or not a service is received in which a packet loss increases due to a path switching delay, information indicating whether or not a handover is a handover within the base station, and information indicating whether or not a handover is a handover between base stations.

8. A method in a communication terminal for communicating with a base station in accordance with a defined procedure, the method comprising;

defining a relationship between MAC (Medium Access Control) priorities, which are respectively assigned to a plurality of MAC control elements, and radio bearer (RB) priorities respectively assigned to a DRB (Data Radio Bearer) and each of a plurality of SRBs (Signalling Radio Bearers), wherein the plurality of SRBs convey RRC (Radio Resource Control) messages or NAS (NonAccess Stratum) messages;

comparing the MAC priorities with the RB priorities of the SRBs; and

controlling transmission of information so as to transmit information on an SRB having a higher RB priority earlier than a MAC control element having a lower MAC priority in accordance with the relationship between the MAC and RB priorities.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising receiving from the base station a configuration information element that defines the RB priorities, whereas the MAC priorities are fixed.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein:

the MAC control elements include a Terminal identifier, a Buffer Status Report, and a Channel Status Information, wherein the MAC control elements have MAC priorities in decreasing order from the Terminal Identifier, the Buffer Status Report, and the Channel Status Information, and

wherein the method further comprises transmitting information on the DRB or SRB having a higher RB priority, or a MAC control element having a higher MAC priority, earlier in accordance with the RB priorities of the DRB and the SRBs and the MAC priorities of the Terminal Identifier, the Buffer Status Report, and the Channel Status Information.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

receiving boundary information indicating a boundary of the MAC priorities, and

referencing the boundary information to define the relationship between the MAC priorities and the RB priorities respectively assigned to the DRB and the plurality of SRBs.

12. The method according to claim 8, further comprising specifying the MAC priorities in response to a use reason for a RACH procedure.

13. The method according to claim 8, further comprising receiving information, which is required for determining the MAC priorities and the RB priorities of the SRBs, from the base station, and

referencing the received information to determine the RB priorities of the SRBs and the MAC priorities.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the information required for determining the MAC priorities and the RB priorities of the SRBs contains information indicating whether or not a service is received in which a packet loss increases due to a path switching delay, information indicating whether or not a handover is a handover within the base station, and information indicating whether or not a handover is a handover between base stations.

15. A communication terminal for communicating with a base station in accordance with a defined procedure, the communication terminal comprising:

a priority controller configured to;

define a relationship between MAC (Medium Access Control) priorities, which are respectively assigned to a plurality of MAC control elements, and radio bearer (RB) priorities respectively assigned to a DRB (Data Radio Bearer) and each of a plurality of SRBs (Signalling Radio Bearers), wherein the plurality of SRBs convey RRC (Radio Resource Control) messages or NAS (NonAccess Stratum) messages;

compare the MAC priorities with the RB priorities of the SRBs; and

control transmission of information so as to transmit information on an SRB having a higher RB priority earlier than a MAC control element having a lower MAC priority in accordance with the relationship between the MAC and RB priorities;

a message generator configured to transmit the information on the SRB having the higher RB priority earlier than the MAC control element having the lower MAC priority in a transmission message included in a random access Channel (RACH) procedure.