`
`ey
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`(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY(PCT)
`
`(19) World Intellectual Property Organization 44D»
`
`ESS
`
`“IntemationalBurean aNED AQUAAE
`
`
`(43) International Publication Date
`(10) International Publication Number
`15 November 2007 (15.11.2007)
`WO 2007/129180 A2
`
`
`(51) International Patent Classification:
`H04B 7/005 (2006.01)
`(21) International Application Number:
`PCT/IB2007/001120
`
`(22) International Filing Date:
`
`30 April 2007 (30.04.2007)
`
`English
`(25) Filing Language:
`English
`(26) Publication Language:
`‘
`(30) Priority Data:
`US
`5 May 2006 (05.05.2006)
`_
`60/797,943
`(71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): NOKIA
`CORPORATION [FI/FI); Keilalahdentie 4, FIN-02150
`Espoo (FD.
`
`(71) Applicant (for LC only): NOKIA INC. [US/US], 6000
`Connection Drive, Irving, Texas 75039 (US).
`,
`(72) Inventors; and
`(75) Inventors/Applicants (for US only): KAIKKONEN,
`Jorma [FI/FI]; Taskilantie 27 D 15, FIN-90580 Oulu
`
`[FI/FI]; Kummelintie 9,
`(FI). VIMPARI, Anna-Mari
`FIN-90520 Oulu (FD. HINTZ-MADSEN,Mads[DK/FT];
`Luokkikuja 6, FIN-90310 Oulu (FD).
`(74) Agents: MAGUIRE,Francis, J. et al.; Ware, Fressola,
`Van Der Sluys & Adolphson LLP, 755 Main Street, P.O.
`Box 224, Monroe, Connecticut 06468 (US).
`(1) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, far every
`kind ofnational protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM,
`AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BR, BW,BY, BZ, CA, CH,
`CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES,
`FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM,GT, HN, HR, HU,ID,IL,IN,
`IS, JP, KE, KG, KM,KN,KP, KR, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR,
`LS, LT, LU, LY, MA, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX,MY,
`MZ, NA, NG,NI, NO, NZ, OM,PG,PH,PL, PT, RO, RS,
`RU,SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM,SV, SY, TJ, TM, TN,
`TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW.
`(84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every
`kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH,
`GM,KE, LS, MW, MZ, NA, SD,SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM,
`ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD,RU,TJ, T™),
`
`[Continued on next page]
`
`
`(54) Titles ENHANCED UE OUT-OF-SYNC BEHAVIOR WITH GATED UPLINK DPCCH OR GATED DOWNLINK F-DPCH
`OR DPCCH TRANSMISSION
`
`(57) Abstract: A method and corresponding equipment by which a
`wireless terminal communicatively coupled to a radio access network
`adapts to gating in respect to a downlink signal from a radio access net-
`work carrying power control commands(e.g. the F-DPCH of UTRAN
`with WCDMA),including gating by the radio access networkof ei-
`ther just the power control commandsorthe channelitself, or gating .
`of reception of the power control commandsby the user equipment.
`The adaptation can include changing values of parameters used in de-
`termining when the wireless terminal declares a radio link failure, or
`instead only changing the procedures used to determine whether a pa-
`rameter value has been achieved and thus only effectively changing
`the parameter values(or one or more of the parameters can be actually
`and effectively changed).
`
`or DPCCH
`
`Layer ¥ of
`protocol
`stack
`of Node B
`
`,
`|
`
`Data Processor
`
`(Configured to vary a procedurefor declaring radio link
`
`
`
`16b
`
`
`
`Layer 7 of
`protocol
`stack
`of UE
`(configured
`to vary
`procedure to
`declare radio
`fink fallure)
`
`
`
`gated downlink
`on F-DPCH
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`failure in case of gated downtInk of TPC commands)
`
`itWe
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`WO2007/129180A2IDMITINIININNITANIANTINNINAIH00NAN
`
`BNSDOCID: <WO.
`
`2007129180A2_I_>
`
`
`
`WO 2007/129180 A2__AVTUNIIIINTUNTTHNT00ttAAA
`
`European (AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, BE, ES, Fl,
`FR, GB, GR, HU,IE,IS, IT, LT, LU, LV, MC, MT, NL, PL,
`PT, RO,SE, SI, SK, TR), OAPI (BE, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM,
`GA, GN, GQ, GW, ML, MR,NE, SN, TD, TG).
`Published:
`
`— without international search report and to be republished
`upon receipt of that report
`
`For two-letter codes and other abbreviations, refer to the "Guid-
`ance Notes on Codes and Abbreviations" appearingat the begin-
`ning of each regular issue of the PCT Gazette.
`
`BNSDOCID: <WoO.
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`2007129180A2_i_>
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`WO 2007/129180
`
`,
`
`PCT/1B2007/001120
`
`ENHANCED UE OUT-OF-SYNC BEHAVIOR WITH GATED UPLINK
`DPCCH OR GATED DOWNLINK F-DPCH OR DPCCH TRANSMISSION
`
`Cross REFERENCE To RELATED APPLICATION
`
`Reference is made to and priority claimed from U.S.
`provisional application Ser. No. 60/797,943 filed 5 May 2006.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`Ll.
`
`Technical Field
`
`The present invention pertains to the field of wireless
`communications. More particularly,
`the present invention
`pertains to procedures to be followed by wireless terminals in
`case of gating of transmit power by the wireless terminals.
`
`2.
`
`Discussion of related art
`
`In some wireless communications systems,
`
`in particular
`
`UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) using WCDMA
`(Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) for the air interface
`of its UTRAN (UMTS terrestrial radio access network),
`in order
`‘to save power a UE (user equipment) wireless communication
`terminal could turn its transmit power on and off, i.e. it
`could gate its transmit power according to a gating pattern
`(among other factors), i.e. according (at least in part) toa
`duty cycle having an on period and an off period. Using a
`UTRAN with WCDMA as an example, a UE sends data and/or control
`information (such as pilot bits) to a Node-B of the UTRAN, and
`the Node-B then estimates the UE uplink quality based on the
`
`control information, and commands the UE to change its
`
`If a UE were to use transmit
`transmit power accordingly.
`power gating,
`there would then be periods of time in which no
`control information would ‘be transmitted, and correspondingly,
`
`there could be periods of time in which no power change
`commands would be issued by the Node-B, or periods of time in
`
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`PCT/1B2007/001120
`which if the Node-B were to issue power change commands,
`the
`commands would be based on unreliable quality information
`(signal to interference ratio measurements, for example)
`because of no control bits having been transmitted for the
`period of time in which the quality measurements are made
`(taking into account the time it takes for a transmission from
`the UE to reach the Node-B).
`
`there are procedures according to which a UE
`At present,
`is to declare a radio link failure based on a predetermined
`threshold for minimum quality of the signal from the Node-B,
`and a predetermined value for a number of consecutive below
`threshold quality indications. These procedures and the
`predetermined threshold and number of below minimum quality
`indications assume continuous transmit power by the UE. But
`if a UE were to gate its uplink,
`then because the Node-B would
`in effect follow and gate its downlink (because of having no
`control information to estimate the uplink quality from when
`the UE is not transmitting), and because the UE uses the
`downlink as a basis for estimating the quality of the radio
`link,
`the UE could declare a radio link failure when in fact
`there would be no such failure.
`The apparent inability to
`“hear” the Node-B for a period of time would be due simply to
`the Node-B not transmitting during that period of time, not
`
`because of poor radio link quality.
`
`is a way to adapt the
`therefore,
`What is needed,
`procedure for declaring a radio link failure, and also related
`procedures,
`in case of a UE gating its uplink.
`
`UTRAN with WCDMA as the radio technology is a particular
`example of the need for a new procedure for declaring a radio
`link failure. First consider the need for gating by a UE.
`When no dedicated channels (DCHs)--and thus, no dedicated
`physical data channels (DPDCHs)
`(which carry payload as well
`as high-level signalling) --have been configured in the uplink
`
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`PCT/1IB2007/001120
`:
`.
`WO 2007/129180
`(UL), all data is transmitted on the enhanced data’ channel
`(E-
`
`DCH), which is mapped to the enhanced dedicated physical data
`
`(E-DPDCH). Control signalling associated with E-DCH
`channel
`is transmitted on E-DPCCH. E-DPDCH and E-DPCCH are
`
`discontinuous, i.e. they are transmitted only when there is
`data to be transmitted and the transmission has been granted
`
`by the network.
`
`For an E-DCH transmission, a grant is needed:
`
`a non-scheduled grant for non-scheduled MAC-d (media access
`control-d)
`flows and a serving grant
`(and an allowed, active
`
`HARQ process)
`
`for scheduled transmissions.
`
`The UL DPCCH carries control information generated at
`
`Layer-1 (i.e.
`
`the physical layer of the protocol stack).
`
`The
`
`layer-1L control information consists of e.g. known pilot bits
`
`for supporting channel estimation for coherent detection, for
`
`(TPC)
`use in the Node-B determining transmit power control
`commands to downlink (DL) on DPCH or on Fractional-DPCH (F-
`
`DPCH),
`
`feedback information (FBI), and an optional transport
`
`format combination indicator (TFCI).
`
`UL DPCCH is continuously transmitted (even if there is no
`data to transmit for awhile), and there is one UL DPCCH for
`each radio link. Continuous transmission is acceptable with
`circuit-switched services, which typically send continuously.
`For bursty packet services, however, continuous DPCCH .
`transmission is less desirable because it has substantial
`
`overhead.
`
`The uplink capacity can be increased by decreasing the
`control overhead. One possibility for decreasing control
`overhead is UL DPCCH gating, i.e., not transmitting DPCCH all
`
`the time.
`
`A pattern could (at least in part) define the DPCCH
`
`transmission time periods and/or DPCCH may depend (also) on E-
`
`(Other rules may.in
`DCH and HS-DPCCH transmission times.
`effect supercede the pattern so that from time to time the UE
`may uplink during what would ordinarily be an off-period/gap
`
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`WO2007/129180
`in the transmission, with the net resuit being irregular
`transmission, i.e. not strictly according to a pattern.)
`Gating can provide UE power saving and so longer battery life,
`depending on the duty cycle, i.e.
`the length of on period for
`DPCCH compared to the off period. Also,
`interference with
`other UEs could be reduced, and thus network capacity could be
`
`increased.
`
`F-DPCH carries TPC command bits
`to a UE determined by
`the Node-B serving the UE, based on data and/or control
`information uplinked by the UE on DPCCH.
`F-DPCH is currently
`transmitted every time slot,
`independently of the data or
`control transmission activity by the UE, i.e.
`independent of
`whether the UE gates the DPCCH. However,
`in case of UL DPCCH
`gating by the UE so that an UL DPCCH time slot does not
`contain and data and/or control transmission by the UE (i-e.
`because the UE does not transmit during that UL DPCCH time
`slot on account of its gating),
`the Node-B cannot derive a
`sensible power control command corresponding to the time slot,
`to transmit on F-DPCH. Thus, if UL DPCCH is to be gated, F-
`
`DPCH and/or DL DPCCH could also be gated and/or
`discontinuously received. Discontinuous DL transmission
`decreases downlink interference and corresponding
`discontinuous reception by the UE improves UE battery
`
`consumption.
`
`With respect to power control commands issued by the
`serving Node-B, a UE is considered out-of-syne (not
`synchronized) if the DL DPCCH quality or the quality of the
`TPC fields of the F-DPCH frame received from the serving HS-
`DSCH cell over the previous 160 ms period is worse than a
`threshold Qor defined (implicitly) by tests in 3GPP TS 25.101.
`A UE is considered in-sync (synchronized) if the UE estimates
`the quality of the DL DPCCH or the TPC fields of the F-DPCH
`Frame received from the serving HS-DSCH cell over the previous
`
`-4-
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`_ PCT/TB2007/001120
`WO 2007/129180
`160 ms period to be better than a threshold Qin also defined
`
`{implicitly) by tests in 3GPP TS 25.101.
`
`According to 3GPP TS 25.101, if a UE estimates the DPCCH
`quality or the quality of the TPC fields of the F-DPCH frame
`received from the serving HS-DSCH cell over the last 160 ms
`
`period to be worse than the threshold Qourz,
`
`the UE is to turn
`
`its power off.
`
`On the other hand, if a UE estimates the DPCCH
`
`quality or the quality of the TPC fields of the F-DPCH frame
`
`received from the serving HS-DSCH cell over the last 160 ms
`
`period to be better than the threshold Qin,
`
`the UE is to turn
`
`A UE is to determine that radio link failure
`its power on.
`has occurred if after some number N313 of consecutive out-of-
`
`syncs have been indicated (N313 being the label of a parameter
`whose value is the number),
`less than some number N315 of
`
`successive in-syncs are indicated before some number T313 of
`time periods expires (where the counting toward the number
`T313 is starting from when the N313 consecutive out-of-syncs
`
`are indicated).
`
`DISCLOSURE OF LNVENTION
`
`The invention provides a method for use by a user
`
`equipment wireless communication terminal, comprising:
`
`determining on periods and off periods of a gated transmission
`
`in connection with receiving power control commands over a
`downlink channel of a radio access network; and varying a.
`
`procedure used to determine when to declare a radio link
`failure based on the gated transmission by actually and/or
`effectively varying a quality measurement period used in the
`
`procedure or a parameter value used in the procedure.’ To
`
`actually vary a parameter,
`
`the value of the parameter would be
`
`To only effectively vary a parameter, a procedure
`changed.
`using the parameter is changed but the value of the parameter
`is not changed (so that the same parameter value then has a
`
`different effect).
`
`BNSDOCID: <WO.
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`PCT/1B2007/001120
`WO 2007/129180
`including computer program
`Corresponding equipment,
`products and application specific integrated circuits are also
`provided.
`In addition, wireless terminals are provided
`including such equipment and so operative according to methods
`provided by the invention. Also, a wireless communication
`system including elements communicatively coupled to such
`wireless terminals are also provided.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The above and other objects, features and advantages of.
`the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the
`subsequent detailed description presented in connection with
`accompanying drawings,
`in which:
`
`Figure 1A is a block diagram/ flow diagram of a UE anda
`Node-B communicatively coupled via a radio link including a
`gated uplink channel and a gated downlink channel, and showing
`parameters stored in the UE for use in (among other things)
`determining when to declare a radio link failure.
`
`Figure 1B is a reduced block diagram (only portions
`relevant to the invention being shown) of the UE terminal or
`
`the Node B of Figure IA.
`
`Figure 2 is a block diagram showing a layer one (physical
`layer) of a protocol stack implemented in the UE receiving as
`inputs information indicating the gated downlink, and also the
`sync parameter values in case of no downlink gating, and
`providing changed sync parameters.
`
`Figure 3 is a flow chart of the operation of a UE,
`according to the invention.
`
`Figure 4 is a flow chart of the operation of a Node, B
`according to the invention.
`
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`:
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`
`BEST Mopr For CARRYING OuT THE INVENTION
`
`The invention provides a method by which a UE,
`communicatively coupled to a Node-B of a UTRAN (UMTS radio
`access network)
`(or coupled to a corresponding entity of a
`
`radio access network on another cellular technology), adapts
`
`to gating (so as to perform what is sometimes called
`discontinuous transmission) of a downlink channel
`(F-DPCH or
`~ DPCCH) carrying power control commands from the Node-B. As
`explained above, such gating of the downlink can be the direct
`result of gating of the uplink by the UE, or can be at least
`associated with such gating, and the downlink gating is
`
`presumed known or knowable to the UE (as a result of
`monitoring/ measurements or other mechanism not the subject of
`the invention). As also explained above,
`the UE is required
`by standards to turn its power off in case of a number of
`consecutive out-of-sync indications, each corresponding to a
`
`determination that a quality metric for receiving control
`
`commands from the Node-B is below a threshold Qout- Without
`adapting to such gating,
`the UE could turn its power off more
`than is desirable because of out-of-syne indications due
`
`simply to the Node-B not transmitting for a period of time--
`the off period of an on/off duty cycle. As indicated above,
`what is needed therefore,
`is a way to adapt the procedure for
`declaring a radio link failure, and also related procedures,
`in case of a UE gating its uplink.
`In case of gating, different options exist for how the
`out-of-synch criterion could be determined.
`In general,
`according to the invention,
`to accommodate gating by the Node-
`B,
`the UE actually and/or effectively varies one or more
`parameter values used to determine when to declare a radio
`link failure based on the downlink gating.
`To actually vary a
`
`the value of the parameter is changed. To
`parameter,
`effectively vary a parameter, a procedure using the parameter
`
`J ode
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`PCT/IB2007/001120
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`WO 2007/129180
`is changed but the value of the parameter used in the
`
`procedure is not.
`
`For example, a procedure could require a
`
`number N of occurrences of an event in a time T.
`
`To actually
`
`vary N,
`
`the value of N would be changed, but not (necessarily)
`
`the value of T.
`
`(Alternatively,
`
`the value of T could be
`
`actually changed.)
`
`To effectively vary N, how T is measured
`
`could be changed.
`
`(This can also be viewed as effectively
`
`changing the value of T.)
`
`For example,
`
`the procedure could be
`
`changed so that off-period of a duty cycle does not count in
`measuring T.
`
`Now in a first option for how the out-of-synch criterion
`could be determined,
`the Qour ANG Qin thresholds and the
`
`measurement window (the 160 ms time period) could be kept
`unchanged, and values for the parameters N313, T7313 and N315,
`
`could be signaled to a UE to achieve the desired behavior for
`
`this has as a
`the downlink gated transmission. However,
`disadvantage lowered reliability of Qin OF Qoni. due to a lower
`
`number of samples.
`
`In addition,
`
`the parameters are currently
`
`broadcast, and so they would need to be separately set for
`
`each user having a different gated transmission.
`
`In a second option,
`
`the thresholds and parameters could
`
`be kept unchanged, but the measurement window could be
`
`increased (from 160 ms), or instead only effectively increased
`by counting only time increments when according to the gated
`
`transmission by the Node-B there is an actual downlink
`
`transmission. With both approaches-~--increasing the window or
`
`only changing how time is counted as contributing to the
`
`window-~the measurement window could be set so that the number
`
`of evaluated samples (in terms of TPC commands) would be kept
`constant. This way the reliability of Qin or Qout could be
`
`improved.
`
`the option provided by the invention
`In a third option,
`in at least some embodiments,
`the N313, T313 and N315
`
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`parameter. values would be broadcast by the network as before
`(and so known to all UEs served by the Node-B broadcasting the
`parameters). However, a UE would autonomously adjust one or
`more of the broadcast values for the N313, 1313 and/or N315
`
`parameters based on an on period and an off period of a gated
`
`transmission having an on/off duty cycle and associated with
`the transmission of the power control commands on the downlink
`channel of the radio access network, based on a predetermined
`methodology.
`In some other embodiments,
`the UE could adjust
`the values it used for the thresholds Oot and Qin.
`
`In case of a UE changing the values it uses for one or
`
`the methodology
`more of the N313, 1313 and N315 parameters,
`could, for example,
`increase the value of the T1313 value and
`so lengthen the time before a radio link failure is declared
`(and perhaps prevent declaring a radio link failure because of
`allowing more time to receive an in-syne indication after N313
`out-of-sync indications).
`For example,
`the T1313 parameter
`would be increased by the percentage of time the Node-B is not
`‘transmitting compared to the total time. Alternatively,
`the
`methodology could increase the number N313 to require a
`greater number of out-of-syne indications, and again for
`example,
`in direct proportion to the off period of the duty
`cycle compared to the whole period of the duty cycle.
`(This
`alternative starts the T313 and N315 usage and thus has the
`
`greatest impact.)
`
`In still another alternative,
`
`the
`
`methodology could decrease the number N315 and so decrease the
`
`number of consecutive in-sync indications (before T313 units
`
`of time has expired) required to prevent a declaration of
`radio link failure (after N313 consecutive out-of-syne
`|
`indications have been observed) .
`
`The invention also encompasses changing not just one of
`the N313, T313 and N315 parameters, but any combination of
`these parameters. Also,
`instead of changing a parameter value
`in direct proportion to the length of the off-period of the
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`the off-period of the duty cycle of
`gated transmission (i.e.
`the UE transmitter),
`the parameter values could be changed in
`
`some other proportion, i.e.
`
`in a non-linear way.
`
`As an alternative to changing the values of the N313,
`T313 and N315 parameters,
`the UE could change how it counts
`consecutive out-of-sync indications, and how it counts
`consecutive in-sync indications, and/or how it measures the
`time period corresponding to T313.
`The UE could, for example,
`
`only count as a consecutive out-of-syne indication an
`indication of out-of-syne occurring in a time when the Node-B
`
`gated transmission is in an on-period, i.e. when the Node-B is
`known by the UE to be transmitting. Similarly for the
`counting up to N315 in-sync indications, and similarly for
`measuring time after N313 consecutive out-of-syne indications
`
`time would be measured only when the Node-B is known to
`(i.e.
`be transmitting). Thus,
`the UE could only effectively change
`one or more of the N313, T313 and N315 parameter values, by
`changing how the UE determines whether a condition(s)
`corresponding to the one or more parameter values has
`occurred, e.g. changing the procedure used to monitor out-of-
`sync indications so as to count as a consecutive out-of-syne
`
`indication such an indication only if the out-of-sync
`
`indication occurs during the on period of the on/off duty
`
`cycle (and only if there has not been an in-syne indication
`anytime between the most recent previous out-of-syne
`indication occurring during an on period).
`
`In order to vary (one or more of)
`
`the N313, T1313 and N315
`
`the UE must learn/
`parameters (actually or just effectively),
`determine the on period and the off period of the on/off duty
`
`cycle used by the Node-B of the radio access network in gating
`
`the downlink channel conveying the power control commands.
`
`One way for the UE to determine the on and off periods of the
`
`duty cycle is by assuming that they are the same as the on and
`off periods of the duty cycle used by the UE in gating its
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`uplink (on DPCCH), and so equating the downlink gated
`
`transmission by the Node-B to the uplink gated transmission of
`
`the UE. Another way is to monitor the downlink, observing the
`pattern of variation in received power on the gated downlink
`channel (for example,
`the F-DPCH in case of WCDMA and UTRAN),
`and equating the off period of the gated downlink pattern to
`the observed period of. low received power, and equating the on
`period to the observed period of higher low received power.
`Another way is for the UE to receive via signaling from the
`'Node-B information indicating the gated transmission used by
`the Node-B, and to determine from the signaling the on period
`and the off periodof a duty cycle.
`As mentioned, a UE could also change one or more of the
`values it uses for the thresholds Qout and/or Oin- This could
`be as an alternative to changing one or more of the N313, T313
`
`and N315 parameters, or in addition.
`
`A UE could autonomously
`
`adjust the values it uses for the thresholds Qour and/or Qin, or
`
`it could select the values of the thresholds from a predefined
`set
`(in determining when out-of-syne or in-syne occurs and
`through out-of-synec /
`in-syne indications determining when a
`radio link failure is deemed to have occurred).
`
`(and in
`Instead of gating the downlink channel
`particular, F-DPCH or DPCCH),
`the downlink channel could be
`continuously transmitted but discontinuously power controlled
`due to uplink gating, i.e. power control commands could be
`sent only in downlink time slots corresponding to uplink time
`slots when the UE is transmitting. Alternatively,
`the
`
`(F-DPCH or DPCCH) could be continuously
`downlink channel
`transmitted, but discontinuously received by the UE,
`in order
`to improve UE power consumption. Discontinuous power control
`potentially degrades performance during uplink transmission
`‘gaps and right after the gaps. Therefore methods could be
`applied similar to those described above and below (for use in
`case of a gated downlink channel)
`that treat downlink
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`transmission during periods corresponding to an uplink
`transmission gap similarly to downlink off periods (of a gated
`downlink) . Discontinuous reception is in effect the same as a
`gated downlink channel from the standpoint of F-DPCH usage in
`the UE and performance.
`
`Referring now to Figure 1A, a UE 11 is shown
`communicatively coupled to a Node-B 12a of a UTRAN 12, viaa
`radio link having an uplink and a downlink, where the downlink
`is gated according to a gated transmission, and the uplink is
`also gated (and as explained above, may cause the gating of
`the downlink). As illustrated,
`the UTRAN also includes a |
`Radio Network Controller (RNC) 12b,
`for controlling the Node-B
`in at least some respects, and for coupling the Node-B to a
`Core Network 14 (and hence ultimately to other communication
`terminals, not shown).
`The UE is shown as including a UE
`transceiver (TRX) 16a rigged for radio communication witha
`corresponding Node-B TRX 17a.
`The UE is shown as also
`including a Protocol Stack Layer-1 16b that operates the UE
`TRX 16a, and the Node-B is shown as including a peer Protocol
`Stack Layer-1 17b.
`The UE is shown as also including a data
`store 16c for holding values of the various parameters and/ or
`thresholds used in different embodiments of the invention,
`
`called here the sync parameters.
`
`Figure 1B shows some components of the UE il of Figure 1A
`from a different perspective.
`The UE is shown as including a
`suitable radio front end ila (including a wireless
`transceiver, not shown) coupled to a data processor 11b that
`in turn is coupled to a (volatile and/or non-volatile) memory .
`structure lic. The data processor can be for example a
`microprocessor, i.e. a programmable digital electronic
`component that incorporates the functions of a central
`processing unit on a single semiconducting integrated circuit.
`The radio front end may include a digital signal processor
`(not shown), or the data processor 11b may provide digital
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`signal processing.in respect to signals transmitted or
`received by the wireless terminal.
`The memory structure lic
`stores program code that is executable by the processor 11b,
`including program code that is provided to implement all or
`part of the invention.
`The UE 11, as shown, can also include
`one or more application specific integrated circuits 11d, for
`providing some or all of the functionality of the UE, as an
`alternative to providing the functionality via stored |
`instructions executed by the processor. Finally,
`the UE 11,
`as shown,
`includes a user interface (UI) lle {usually
`including, among other things, a display, a keypad, a
`microphone, and a speaker), coupled to the data processor and
`possibly also to one or more of the one or more ASICs.
`The UE
`TRK 16a of Figure 1A is a component of the radio front end
`lla.
`‘The UE Protocol Stack Layer-1 16b of Figure 1A can be
`implemented so as to include one or more ASICs lid, and/or
`program code stored in the memory structure llc executable by
`the data processor ilb, and/or one or more components of the
`
`radio front end ila.
`
`Although not illustrated in the drawings, it will be
`appreciated that each Node-B 12a also includes a radio front
`end and a data processor and a memory structure and may
`include one or more ASICs coupled as shown in Figure 1B, and
`the RNC 12b also includes a data processor and a memory
`
`structure and possibly one or more ASICs.
`
`the various embodiments of the UE 11 can
`In general,
`include, but are not limited to, cellular telephones, personal
`digital assistants (PDAs) having wireless communication
`capabilities, portable computers having wireless communication
`capabilities,
`image capture devices such as digital cameras
`having wireless communication capabilities, gaming devices
`having wireless communication capabilities, music storage and
`playback appliances having wireless communication
`capabilities, Internet appliances permitting wireless Internet
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`access and browsing, as well as portable units or terminals
`that incorporate combinations of such functions.
`
`Referring now also to Figures 2 and 3,
`in a first step
`the UE determines that the downlink is gated, and then in
`31,
`a next step 32 adjusts values of one or more of the sync
`
`parameters it uses (actually or only effectively, as described
`above) compared to values used in case of no gating of the
`downlink.
`The term “sync parameter” is used here to indicate
`any one or more of the N and T parameters (N313, T7313 and
`N315), and/ or any one or more of the thresholds (Qour and Qin).
`
`The adjustment is based on the downlink gated transmission.
`(As explained above,
`the adjustment may be based on, or may be
`proportional to,
`the off period of the on/off duty cycle of
`
`the gated transmission.)
`
`In Figure 2,
`
`the UE is shown
`
`(optionally) obtaining original values of the procedures and
`then storing the changed sync parameters (i.e. their values)
`in a data store of the UE for use for example in determining
`
`when to declare a radio link failure (or otherwise responding
`to out-of-sync or in-sync indications). As indicatedin
`Figures 1 and 2,
`the functionality for changing the sync
`
`parameters can reside in the layer one (physical layer)
`
`implementation (in hardware or software) of the UE protocol
`
`stack.
`
`Referring now to Figure 4,
`the Node-B is indicated there
`as operative according to a first step 41 in which the Node-B
`determines that the UE is gating its uplink.
`The Node-B can
`
`make such a determination by for example monitoring the power
`
`received on the uplink channel in case of a dedicated channel.
`
`In a next step 42,
`
`the Node-B gates its downlink to correspond
`
`to the uplink gating by the UE.
`
`For example, as explained
`
`the Node-B can simply respond to power change requests
`above,
`actually received (during an on period of the UE uplink gated
`
`transmission), and even turn off its receiver during the off
`
`period of the UE uplink.
`
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`The functionality described above as provided by the
`invention can be implemented as software modules stored ina
`non-volatile memory of a device such as a mobile station, and
`executed as needed by the device (or more specifically, an.
`operating system of the device) copying all or part of the
`
`software into executable RAM (random access memory) .
`Alternatively,
`the logic provided by such software can also be
`provided by an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit).
`In case of a software implementation,
`the invention provided
`as a computer program product including a computer readable
`storage structure embodying computer program code--i.e.
`the
`software--thereon for execution by a computer processor.
`
`It is to be understood that the above-described
`arrangements are only illustrative of the application of the
`principles of the present invention. Numerous modifications
`and alternative arrangements may be devised by those skilled
`in the art without departing from the scope of the present
`invention, and the appended claims are intended to cover such
`
`modifications and arrangements.
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`What is claimed is:
`
`‘
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`PCT/IB2007/001120
`
`1.
`
`A method for use by a user equipment wireless communication
`
`terminal, comprising:
`
`determinin