(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2003/0144021 A1
`Cao et al.
`(43) Pub. Date:
`Jul. 31, 2003
`
`US 20030144021A1
`
`(54) TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK
`COMPRISING A BASE STATION AND A
`MOBILE STATION, AND A METHOD OF
`TRANSFERRING TO AND/OR ADDING INTO
`A CALL CONNECTION AT LEAST ONE
`OTHER UPLINK CHANNEL FOR USER
`DATA
`
`(76) Inventors: Qiang Cao, SWindon (GB); Patrick
`Georges Venceslas Charriere, Tetbury
`(GB); Seau Sian Lim, SWindon (GB)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`Docket Administrator (Room 3J-219)
`Lucent Technologies Inc.
`101 Crawfords Corner Road
`Holmdel, NJ 07733-3030 (US)
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`
`10/351,042
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Jan. 27, 2003
`
`(30)
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`Jan. 28, 2002 (GB) ....................................... .. 02018802
`
`Publication Classi?cation
`
`(51) Int. Cl.7 ..................................................... .. H04B 1/00
`(52) US. Cl. ............................................ .. 455/522; 455/69
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A telecommunications network comprises a base station and
`a mobile station in use in call connection on at least one
`uplink channel for communicating user data. The base
`station is operative such that on receipt of a command to
`transfer to and/or add at least one other uplink channel for
`communicating user data, said at least one other uplink
`channel is allocated to the call connection after a predeter
`mined period during Which poWer level adjustment is under
`taken to compensate for mobile station movement.
`
`RNC
`
`Apple Inc. v. Cellular Communications Equipment LLC
`APPL-1014 / Page 1 of 7
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication
`
`Jul. 31, 2003 Sheet 1 0f 3
`
`US 2003/0144021 A1
`
`Fig. 1
`Prior Art
`
`UE
`I
`
`Node B
`I
`Signalling Established
`
`'
`
`RNC
`I
`
`Radio Link Recon?guration Prepare
`Radio Link Recon?guration Ready
`Radio Link Recon?guration Commit
`
`Radio Bearer Recon?guration [PCP Activation Time]
`I
`Radio Bearer Recon?guration Complete
`
`Con?guring
`UE
`
`
`
`Data Channel Resource Reserved
`
`
`
`
`
`Delay for PCP
`Length Time
`to Transmit
`Uplink DPDCH _
`
`,
`_UP/l"k
`1" sync
`
`PCP Length
`Delay
`
`APPL-1014 / Page 2 of 7
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication
`
`Jul. 31, 2003 Sheet 2 0f 3
`
`US 2003/0144021 A1
`
`Fig. 2
`
`APPL-1014 / Page 3 of 7
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication
`
`Jul. 31, 2003 Sheet 3 0f 3
`
`US 2003/0144021 A1
`
`UE
`
`Fig. 3
`
`v“
`
`Node B
`l
`Signalling Established
`
`RNC
`
`Radio Link Recon?guration Prepare
`[Sync Capability Enquiry IE] r-— 2
`Radio Link Recon?guration Ready
`[Sync Capability Response IE] [- 3
`Deciding
`PCP Length
`Based on
`NodeB Sync
`Capability
`Radio Link Recon?guration Commit /5
`[PCP Length IE, Activation Time IE] /
`
`4.,
`
`Radio Bearer Recon?guration [PCP Length IE, Activation Time IE] /
`
`K4
`
`Radio Bearer Recon?guration Complete
`
`Con?guring
`UE
`
`. Sign
`
`wnlink Transm's
`0 °
`8
`
`Down/ink w
`in Sync
`9
`
`Delay for PCP “1 13
`U link
`Length Time
`Before Transmit
`1 1b“ m g "c
`Uplink DPDCH
`y
`
`PCP Length
`Delay
`
`Data Channel
`Resource Reserved
`
`APPL-1014 / Page 4 of 7
`
`

`
`US 2003/0144021 A1
`
`Jul. 31, 2003
`
`TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK
`COMPRISING A BASE STATION AND A MOBILE
`STATION, AND A METHOD OF TRANSFERRING
`TO AND/OR ADDING INTO A CALL
`CONNECTION AT LEAST ONE OTHER UPLINK
`CHANNEL FOR USER DATA
`
`CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATION
`[0001] This application claims priority of European Appli
`cation No. 02018802 ?led on Jan. 28, 2002.
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`[0002] The present invention relates to a telecommunica
`tions netWork comprising a base station and a mobile station
`in use in call connection on at least one uplink channel for
`communicating user data.
`
`[0003] The present invention also relates to a method of
`transferring to and/or adding into a call connection at least
`one other uplink channel for user data in a telecommunica
`tions netWork.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0004] In current Third Generation Partnership Project
`3GPP standards for mobile telecommunications such as
`Universal Mobile Telecommunications System UMTS, as
`shoWn in FIG. 1 When a radio netWork controller RNC
`requests a base station (Node B in UMTS terminology) to
`recon?gure its radio channel (bearer) to any particular
`mobile station (User Equipment in UMTS terminology, UE),
`the base station (Node B) Will effect the recon?guration only
`after it receives a Radio Link Recon?guration Prepare
`message including con?guration parameters as to the neW
`uplink and doWnlink radio channels to be used, responds
`With a Radio Link Recon?guration Ready message and then
`receives Radio Link Recon?guration Commit message. The
`con?guration parameters, ie which other neW channels are
`to be used, are speci?ed in the Radio Link Recon?guration
`Prepare message. The radio link is, of course, synchronous,
`requiring both base station and mobile station to transmit
`and receive at eXpected times.
`
`[0005] Importantly, as shoWn in FIG. 1, receipt of the
`Radio Link Recon?guration Ready message by the base
`station results in the neW radio data channels being allocated
`by the base station although not used until later. These
`signi?cant resources are thus unused for a considerable time.
`
`[0006] As also shoWn in FIG. 1, a Radio Bearer Recon
`?guration message is then sent from the radio netWork
`controller RNC to the mobile station UE. Once recon?gu
`ration is complete, a Radio Bearer Con?guration Complete
`message is returned to the radio netWork controller RNC.
`Both the mobile station (UE) and base station (Node B) then
`start transmission With neW channel con?guration at a
`speci?ed activation time denoted by a connection frame
`number CFN as part of the Radio Bearer Recon?guration
`message.
`
`[0007] Once the radio netWork controller RNC and a base
`station (Node B) making up the UMTS terrestrial radio
`access netWork UTRAN have performed these steps of
`instructing synchronous radio link recon?guration, doWn
`link transmission starts but both the mobile station (UE) and
`
`UMTS terrestrial radio access netWork UTRAN may need to
`re-run the so-called inner loop poWer control procedure
`described in the 3GPP UMTS standards due to the neW radio
`channel con?guration. This is to ensure that before user data
`is transmitted, the inner loop poWer control, Which compen
`sates for ?uctuations due to mobile station movement and
`consequential fading, is properly set up and functioning. The
`time period required for inner loop poWer control can be up
`to 7 frames (70 ms). This time period is denoted PoWer
`Control Preamble (PCP) length, and is indicated to the
`mobile station in the Radio Bearer Recon?guration message
`sent from the radio netWork controller RNC. As shoWn in
`FIG. 1, Whilst the inner loop poWer control is running (in the
`PCP length period) no user data is transmitted uplink but the
`channel designated for transmission of user data uplink is
`reserved—i.e., allocated but not used. This means that the
`channels are committed by the base station (Node B) for at
`least the duration of the PCP length period doing nothing
`(i.e., not communicating user data), Which is a Waste of
`scarce radio resources.
`
`[0008] In this teXt, uplink means from the mobile station
`to the base station, and doWnlink means from the base
`station to the mobile station.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0009] The present invention provides a telecommunica
`tions netWork comprising a base station and a mobile station
`in use in call connection on at least one uplink channel for
`communicating user data, the base station being operative
`such that folloWing receipt of a command to transfer to
`and/or add at least one other uplink channel for communi
`cating user data, the at least one other uplink channel is
`allocated to the call connection after a predetermined period
`during Which poWer level adjustment is undertaken to com
`pensate for mobile station movement.
`[0010] Advantageously the poWer level adjustment is
`uplink poWer level adjustment, and preferably comprises
`adjusting poWer of a signal transmitted by the mobile station
`in a channel for control signalling until a target accuracy for
`reception by the base station is reached, the mobile station
`being operative to note this poWer as that to be used on said
`at least one other uplink channel for user data.
`
`[0011] Advantageously the netWork is a netWork in accor
`dance With Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
`UMTS standards. The uplink channels are preferably dedi
`cated physical data channels (DPDCHs). Advantageously,
`the predetermined period is the PoWer Control Preamble
`PCP length, inner loop poWer control at the mobile station
`being undertaken during the predetermined period. The base
`station is preferably commanded to transfer to the or each
`other uplink channel by a radio netWork controller RNC,
`information as to the predetermined period being sent to the
`base station in a Radio Link Recon?guration Commit com
`mand.
`[0012] Advantages of the present invention in its preferred
`embodiments are that When the RNC sends message to base
`station (Node B) for radio link recon?guration, PCP length
`information is included such that base station (Node B) can
`commit the channel speci?ed in the message at the end of
`PCP period. This alloWs for dynamic channel allocation,
`Which ef?ciently uses the channel for other calls during the
`PCP period. This advantageously increases overall UMTS
`
`APPL-1014 / Page 5 of 7
`
`

`
`US 2003/0144021 A1
`
`Jul. 31, 2003
`
`terrestrial radio access network UTRAN capability, espe
`cially for high speed packet data, and enables further devel
`opments in the area of dynamic channel allocation.
`
`[0013] Advantageously, the base station comprises a clock
`for controlling the timing of receiving signals and the mobile
`station comprises a clock for controlling the timing of
`transmitting signals, the base station adjusting its clock
`during the predetermined period so as to bring its clock into
`synchronisation With the clock of the mobile station.
`
`[0014] The present invention also relates to corresponding
`methods.
`
`[0015] The present invention also provides a method of
`transferring to and/or adding into a call connection at least
`one other uplink channel for user data in a telecommunica
`tions netWork comprising a base station and a mobile station
`in call connection having at least one uplink channel for user
`data With the base station, the method comprising the step of
`providing a delay of at least a predetermined period betWeen
`receiving a command to transfer to or add the at least one
`other uplink channel and the at least one other uplink
`channel being allocated, poWer level adjustment to compen
`sate for mobile station movement being undertaken in the
`predetermined period.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`[0016] The present invention Will be better understood
`from reading the folloWing description of non-limiting
`embodiments, With reference to the attached draWings,
`Wherein beloW:
`
`[0017] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a prior art
`radio channel recon?guration sequence,
`
`[0018] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a UMTS
`telecommunications netWork according to the present inven
`tion, and
`[0019] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of a preferred
`radio channel recon?guration sequence.
`[0020] It should be emphasiZed that the draWings of the
`instant application are not to scale but are merely schematic
`representations, and thus are not intended to portray the
`speci?c dimensions of the invention, Which may be deter
`mined by skilled artisans through examination of the dis
`closure herein.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`[0021] As shoWn in FIG. 2, the preferred UMTS telecom
`munications netWork consists of a UMTS terrestrial radio
`access netWork UTRAN and a number of mobile stations
`UE. The UMTS terrestrial radio access netWork UTRAN
`consists of several base stations (Node B’s) each commu
`nicating With and under the control of a radio netWork
`controller RNC. Each base station has a coverage area and
`communicates by radio With mobile stations UEs Within its
`coverage area by calls set up over radio channels.
`
`[0022] As shoWn in FIG. 3 in Which the steps as numbered
`beloW are shoWn, the message sequence involved in radio
`channel recon?guration, i.e., transferring to other uplink and
`doWnlink radio channels starts after
`[0023] (1) control-signalling betWeen a radio netWork
`controller RNC, a base station Node B, and a mobile
`station UE has been established.
`
`[0024] (2) A Radio Link Recon?guration Prepare mes
`sage is then sent from the radio netWork controller
`RNC to the base station (Node B), that message includ
`ing an enquiry information element in respect of its
`synchronisation capability, namely hoW much time
`Would be required to adjust its reception timer so as to
`bring its capturing of received data from the mobile
`station into line With the timing of the data transmitted
`from the base station.
`
`[0025] (3) The base station responds to the RNC With a
`Radio Link Recon?guration Ready message indicating
`the synchronisation capability of the base station.
`
`[0026] (4) The RNC determines the time required for
`rerunning a poWer control loop, this being the PoWer
`Control Preamble time period (PCP length). This time
`is more than the time required for synchronisation
`(synchronisation capability).
`[0027] (5) The RNC sends a Radio Link Recon?gura
`tion Commit message to the base station including
`information indicating the required PCPlength and acti
`vation time, ie When the radio channel to the mobile
`station should be recon?gured.
`
`[0028] (6) A Radio Bearer Recon?guration message
`including information elements indicative of PoWer
`Control Preamble length (PCP length, in milliseconds)
`and activation time is then sent from the RNC passed
`via the base station to the mobile station. As mentioned
`previously, PoWer Control Preamble (PCP) length is
`the time required for inner loop poWer control, Which
`compensates for ?uctuations due to mobile station
`movement and consequential fading. This time period
`can be up to 7 frames (70 ms).
`
`[0029] (7) The mobile station responds With a Radio
`Bearer Recon?guration Complete message passed by
`the base station back to the RNC.
`
`[0030] (8) A process of adjusting the mobile station to
`the neW radio channels then starts With doWnlink (i.e.,
`to the mobile station) transmission from the base sta
`tion on the neW doWnlink radio channel,
`[0031] (9) the mobile station adjusts its reception timer
`so as to bring its capturing of received data into line
`With the timing of the data transmitted from the base
`station, and then
`[0032] (10) starts transmitting control signalling uplink
`to the base station on a dedicated physical control
`channel DPCCH, Which
`
`[0033] (11a) starts inner loop poWer control by the base
`station during the PCP length period and (11b) causes
`the base station to adjust its reception timer so to bring
`its capturing of received data into synchronisation With
`the timing of the data transmitted from the mobile
`station.
`
`[0034] (12) Only after a time period of the PoWer
`Control Preamble (PCP length) has passed from the
`start of uplink dedicated physical control channel sig
`nalling (step 10 above), a dedicated uplink physical
`channel, including associated channel elements such as
`code division multiple access CDMA code, is allocated
`by the base station alloWing uplink transmission of user
`
`APPL-1014 / Page 6 of 7
`
`

`
`US 2003/0144021 A1
`
`Jul. 31, 2003
`
`data to start. Before then that data channel resource is
`available for other users and other call connections.
`
`[0035] While the particular invention has been described
`With reference to illustrative embodiments, this description
`is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. It is
`understood that although the present invention has been
`described, various modi?cations of the illustrative embodi
`ments, as Well as additional embodiments of the invention,
`Will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon
`reference to this description Without departing from the
`spirit of the invention, as recited in the claims appended
`hereto. Consequently, the method, system and portions
`thereof and of the described method and system may be
`implemented in different locations, such as netWork ele
`ments, the Wireless unit, the base station, a base station
`controller, a mobile sWitching center and/or a radar system.
`Moreover, processing circuitry required to implement and
`use the described system may be implemented in application
`speci?c integrated circuits, softWare-driven processing cir
`cuitry, ?rmWare, programmable logic devices, hardWare,
`discrete components or arrangements of the above compo
`nents as Would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the
`art With the bene?t of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art
`Will readily recogniZe that these and various other modi?
`cations, arrangements and methods can be made to the
`present invention Without strictly folloWing the exemplary
`applications illustrated and described herein and Without
`departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention
`It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims Will
`cover any such modi?cations or embodiments as fall Within
`the true scope of the invention.
`
`We claim:
`1. A telecommunications netWork comprising a base
`station and a mobile station in use in call connection on at
`least one uplink channel for communicating user data, the
`base station being operative such that folloWing receipt of a
`command to transfer to and/or add at least one other uplink
`channel for communicating user data, the at least one other
`uplink channel is allocated to the call connection after a
`predetermined period during Which poWer level adjustment
`is undertaken to compensate for mobile station movement.
`2. A telecommunications netWork according to claim 1, in
`Which the poWer level adjustment is uplink poWer level
`adjustment.
`3. A telecommunications netWork according to claim 2, in
`Which the poWer level adjustment comprises adjusting
`poWer of a signal transmitted by the mobile station in a
`channel for control signalling until a target accuracy for
`reception by the base station is reached, the mobile station
`being operative to note this poWer as that to be used on said
`at least one other uplink channel for user data.
`4. A telecommunications netWork according to claim 1,
`being a netWork in accordance With Universal Mobile Tele
`communications System UMTS standards.
`5. A telecommunications netWork according to claim 4, in
`Which the uplink channels are dedicated physical data chan
`nels (DPDCHs).
`6. A telecommunications netWork according to claim 4, in
`Which the predetermined period is the PoWer Control Pre
`
`amble PCP length, the poWer level adjustment being inner
`loop poWer control at the mobile station.
`7. A telecommunications netWork according to claim 4, in
`Which the base station is commanded to transfer to said at
`least one other uplink channel by a radio netWork controller
`RNC, information as to the predetermined period being sent
`to the base station in a Radio Link Recon?guration Commit
`command.
`8. Atelecommunications netWork according to claim 1, in
`Which the base station comprises a clock for controlling the
`timing of receiving signals and the mobile station comprises
`a clock for controlling the timing of transmitting signals, the
`base station adjusting its clock during the predetermined
`period so as to bring its clock into synchronisation With the
`clock of the mobile station.
`9. A method of transferring to and/or adding into a call
`connection at least one other uplink channel for user data in
`a telecommunications netWork comprising a base station and
`a mobile station in call connection having at least one uplink
`channel for user data With the base station, the method
`comprising the step of providing a delay of at least a
`predetermined period betWeen receiving a command to
`transfer to or add the at least one other uplink channel and
`the at least one other uplink channel being allocated, poWer
`level adjustment to compensate for mobile station move
`ment being undertaken in the predetermined period.
`10. A method according to claim 9, in Which the poWer
`level adjustment is uplink poWer level adjustment.
`11. A method according to claim 10, in Which the poWer
`level adjustment comprises adjusting poWer of a signal
`transmitted by the mobile station in a channel for control
`signalling until a target accuracy for reception by the base
`station is reached, and noting this poWer as that to be used
`on the at least one other uplink channel for user data.
`12. A method according to any of claim 9, in Which the
`netWork operates in accordance With Universal Mobile
`Telecommunications System UMTS standards.
`13. A method according to claim 12, in Which the uplink
`channels are dedicated physical data channels (DPDCHs).
`14. A method according to claim 12, in Which the prede
`termined period is the PoWer Control Preamble PCP length,
`the poWer level adjustment undertaken being inner loop
`poWer control at the mobile station.
`15. A method according to claim 12, in Which a radio
`netWork controller RNC commands the base station to
`transfer to or add at least one other uplink channel, infor
`mation as to the predetermined period being sent to the base
`station in a Radio Link Recon?guration Commit command.
`16. A method according to claim 9, in Which the base
`station comprises a clock for controlling the timing of
`receiving signals and the mobile station comprises a clock
`for controlling the timing of transmitting signals, the base
`station adjusting its clock during the predetermined period
`so as to bring its clock into synchronisation With the clock
`of the mobile station.
`
`APPL-1014 / Page 7 of 7