High-speed data transmission in a digital mobile communication system

• US 6,148,209 A
• Filed: 05/05/1996
• Issued: 11/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Honkasalo, Zhi-Chun, Jokinen, Harri, Hamalainen, Jari, Honkasalo, Harri, Vainikka, Jari, Posti, Harri
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Application Number:
  US08/676,023
• Time in Patent Office: 1,654 Days
• Field of Search: 455/433, 455/450, 455/509, 455/517, 455/524, 455/437, 455/452, 455/454, 455/453, 370/329, 370/347, 370/348
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

A data transmission in a digital mobile communication system employing a so-called multi-channel access technique, in which one or more traffic channels may be allocated to a mobile station for data transmission in accordance with the data transfer rate required by the application using the mobile station. Upon establishing a data call, the mobile station indicates to the mobile communication network the maximum and optionally the minimum requirements for the user data transfer rate. The mobile communication network assigns the mobile station for a data call a channel configuration consisting of one or more traffic channels in connection with call set-up or handover, the channel configuration depending on the resources currently available in the mobile communication network and enabling performance of the data channel, which is not lower than the minimum requirement and not higher than the maximum requirement.

Claims

1. A method for data transmission in a digital mobile communication network, in which two or more traffic channels can be allocated to a mobile station for data transmission at a higher speed than that supported by any single one of the traffic channels, in accordance with requirements set by an application using the mobile station, comprising:

said mobile station setting-up a data call for data transmission requiring two or more traffic channels;

said mobile station indicating to said mobile communication network a desired level of service for a user data transfer on said data call for data transmission requiring two or more traffic channels; and

said mobile communication network assigning said mobile station for said data call a channel configuration consisting of one or more traffic channels in connection with call set-up or handover of said data call, said channel configuration depending on resources currently available in said mobile communication network and enabling a data channel performance which is within the limits of said desired level of service.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

the mobile station determining said desired level of service at least partly in terms of a maximum requirement for a user data transfer rate or for a channel configuration of said data call as an upper limit.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

the mobile station determining said desired level of service in terms of both a maximum requirement and a minimum requirement for a user data transfer rate or for a channel configuration of said data call respectively as an upper limit and a lower limit, and said data channel performance being enabled by said network in said enabling step, to be between said upper and lower limits.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

interrupting said setting-up, or an attempted handover of said data call by said mobile communication network if there are not sufficient resources available in said mobile communication network for providing said minimum requirement set by said mobile station for said desired level of service.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein:

said resources of said mobile communication network subject to said assigning include at least at least one of traffic channel resources of a currently serving cell and traffic channel resources of a target cell for a handover attempt.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said setting-up of said data call comprises:

sending, by said mobile station to a serving mobile services switching center a call set-up message indicating said desired level of service;

sending from said serving mobile services switching center to a serving base station system an assignment request message, which indicates said desired level of service;

selecting in said serving base station system, depending at least in part on a traffic channel of a serving base station of said serving base station system, a channel configuration that meets said desired level of service as said channel configuration;

sending from said serving base station to said mobile station an assignment command message, which contains the information on said channel configuration allocated to said data call;

sending from said mobile station to said serving base station an assignment acknowledgement; and

sending from said serving base station to said mobile services switching center an assignment acknowledgement.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

recording in said serving base station system said desired level of service indicated by said mobile station, for controlling said channel configuration.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said assigning is practiced in connection with a handover with a serving base station, which handover comprises:

measuring at said mobile station downlink signals of cells of said mobile communication network adjacent to a cell of a base station which is a currently serving base station in base station system in relation to said mobile station;

sending from said mobile station to said serving base station system results of said measurement;

determining at said serving base station system need for said handover within said serving base station system;

selecting at said serving base station system, depending on at least the traffic channel resources of a target cell for handover, a channel configuration as an allocated channel configuration that meets said desired level of service;

sending from said serving base station system to said mobile station a handover command, which contains information on said allocated channel configuration; and

changing said mobile station over to use said allocated channel configuration in accordance with said handover command, in said target cell.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said assigning is practiced in connection with a handover between a serving base station and a new base station system, which handover comprises:

measuring at said mobile station downlink signals of cells adjacent to a given cell of said serving base station system, including at least one cell of said new base station system;

sending from said mobile station to said serving base station system results of said measurement;

determining at said serving base station system need for said handover to said new base station system;

sending from said serving base station system to a serving mobile services switching center a handover request, which indicates said desired level of service;

sending from said serving mobile services switching center to said new base station system a handover request, which indicates said desired level of service;

selecting at said new base station system, depending at least in part on traffic channel resources of a target cell of said new base station system for handover, a channel configuration as an allocated channel configuration within limits of said desired level of service;

sending from said new base station system to said serving mobile services switching center an acknowledgement message, which contains information on said allocated channel configuration;

sending from said serving mobile services switching center to said serving base station system a handover command, which contain information on said allocated channel configuration;

sending from said serving base station system to said mobile station a handover command, which contains information on said allocated channel configuration; and

changing said mobile station over to use said allocated channel configuration in accordance with said handover command, in said target cell.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said assigning is practiced in connection with a handover between a serving mobile services switching center and a new mobile services switching center, which handover comprises:

measuring at said mobile station downlink signals of cells adjacent to a given cell served by said serving mobile switching center including at least one cell served by said new mobile services switching center;

sending from said mobile station to a serving base station system served by said serving mobile services switching center results of said measurement;

determining at said serving base station system determining need for said handover to a new base station system located within an area of said new mobile services switching center;

sending from said serving base station system to said serving mobile services switching center a handover request indicating said desired level of service;

sending from said serving mobile services switching center to said new mobile services switching center a handover request indicating said desired level of service;

sending from said new mobile services switching center to said new base station system a handover request indicating said desired level of service;

selecting at said new base station system, depending at least in part on traffic channel resources of a target cell of said new base station system for handover, a channel configuration as an allocated channel configuration within limits of said desired level of service;

sending from said new base station system to said new mobile services switching center an acknowledgement message, which contains information on said allocated channel configuration;

sending from said new mobile services switching center to said serving mobile services switching center a handover command, which contains information on said allocated channel configuration;

sending from said serving mobile services switching center to said serving base station system a handover command, which contains information on said allocated channel configuration;

sending from said serving base station system to said mobile station a handover command message, which contains information on said allocated channel configuration; and

changing said mobile station over to use said allocated channel configuration in accordance with said handover command, in said target cell.

11. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said desired level of service as indicated by said mobile station does not does not include a lower limit for minimum performance for said user data transfer rate or said channel configuration; and

said assigning includes said lower level of minimum performance being chosen by said mobile communication network.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said indicating includes indicating a maximum for said desired level of service by said mobile station; and

said assigning includes selecting a minimum for said desired level of service by said mobile communications network.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

said digital mobile communication network is provided as part of a code division multiple access (CDMA) system, and said one or more traffic channels are CDMA traffic channels.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein:

said one or more traffic channels are provided as a plurality of CDMA traffic channels which are distinguished from each other by respectively having different spreading codes.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein:

said one or more traffic channels are provided as a plurality of CDMA traffic channels which are distinguished from each other by respectively having different Walsh functions.

16. A digital mobile communication network, in which two or more traffic channels are allocatable to a mobile station for data transmission at a higher speed than that supported by any single one of said traffic channels, in accordance with the requirements set by an application using said mobile station, said mobile station including a means for initiating and a means for indicating, said mobile communication network including a means for assigning a channel configuration, said network comprising:

said means for initiating setting up a data call for said data transmission at said higher speed, requiring two or more channels;

said means for indicating indicating to said mobile communication network a desired level of service for a user data transfer for said data call for said data transmission at said higher speed, requiring two or more channels; and

said means for assigning a channel configuration assigning to said mobile station for said data call in connection with call set-up or handover a channel configuration consisting of one or more traffic channels, said channel configuration depending on resources currently available in said mobile communication network and enabling data channel performance which is within the limits of said desired level of service.

17. The network as claimed in claim 16, wherein

said desired level of service is arranged to be presented in terms of a maximum requirement for a user data transfer rate or as a channel configuration of said data call.

18. The network as claimed in claim 16, wherein:

said desired level of service is arranged to be presented in terms of both a maximum requirement, as an upper limit, and a minimum requirement, as a lower limit, for a user data transfer rate or a channel configuration of said data call.

19. The network as claimed in claim 16, wherein:

a minimum for said desired level of service is arranged to remain undefined by said mobile station.

20. The network as claimed in claim 16, wherein:

a minimum for said desired level of service is arranged to be selectable by said mobile communications network.

21. The network as claimed in claim 18 or 19, wherein:

said mobile communication network is arranged to interrupt a call set-up or a handover attempt of a data call if there are not sufficient resources available in said mobile communication network for providing said minimum requirement or said minimum requirement or said minimum for said desired level of service.

22. The network as claimed in claim 16, wherein:

said resources of said mobile communication network include at least one of traffic channel resources of a serving cell and traffic channel resources of target cell for a handover.

23. The network according to claim 16, wherein:

said digital mobile communication network is provided in a code division multiple access (CDMA) system, and said one or more traffic channels are provided as a plurality of CDMA traffic channels.

24. The network according to claim 23, wherein:

said CDMA traffic channels are distinguished from each other by respectively having different spreading codes.

25. The network according to claim 23, wherein:

said CDMA traffic channels are distinguished from each other by respectively having different Walsh functions.

26. A mobile station for a digital mobile communication system, in which one or more traffic channels are allocatable to a mobile station for data transmission at a higher speed than that supported by any single one of said traffic channels, in accordance with the requirements set by an application using said mobile station, said mobile station including a means for initiating and a means for indicating, said mobile station comprising:

said means for initiating setting up a data call for data transmission at said higher speed, requiring two or more traffic channels;

said means for indicating indicating to a mobile communication network a desired level of service for a user data transfer for said data call for data transmission at said higher speed, requiring two or more traffic channels in order to enable said mobile communication network to assign said mobile station for said data call a channel configuration consisting of one or more traffic channels in connection with call set-up or handover, said channel configuration depending on resources currently available in the mobile communication network and enabling data channel performance which is within the limits of said desired level of service.

27. The mobile station as claimed in claim 26, wherein:

said mobile station is arranged to present said desired level of service in terms of a maximum requirement for a user data transfer rate or a channel configuration of said data call.

28. The mobile station as claimed in claim 26, wherein:

said mobile station is arranged to present said desired level of service in terms of a maximum requirement and a minimum requirement for a user data transfer rate or a channel configuration of said data call.

29. The mobile station as claimed in claim 26, wherein:

said mobile station is arranged to leave a minimum for said desired level of service undefined.

30. The mobile station as claimed in claim 26, wherein:

said mobile station is arranged to leave a minimum for said desired level of service to be selected by said mobile communication network.

31. The mobile station according to claim 26, wherein:

said mobile station is arranged to operate in a digital mobile communication system which is a code division multiple access (CDMA) system, and in which said one or more traffic channels are a plurality of CDMA traffic channels.

32. The mobile station according to claim 31, wherein:

said CDMA traffic channels are distinguished from each other by respectively having different spreading codes.

33. The mobile station according to claim 31, wherein:

said CDMA traffic channels are distinguished from each other by respectively having different Walsh functions.