ES2368727T3 - ASSIGNMENT OF THE INDICATOR OF THE COMBINATION OF TRANSPORT FORMATS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS. - Google Patents

Abstract

A telecommunications network that is provided to calculate a Combined Calculation of Transport Formats, CTFC, that is provided to be designated to at least one of a node in the network and a user equipment unit (20), the Combination of Formats of Calculated Transport, CTFC, which has a value that is coded to obtain a Combined Transport Format Indicator, TFCI, associated and thus determine the combinations of transport formats; where: The Combined Calculated Transport Formats, CTFC, is generated by the following expression: where I is a number of TrCH transport channels, where TFC (TFI1, TFI2, ..., TFII) is a combination of transport formats for which the transport channel TrCH1 has the transport format TFI1, TrCH2 has the transport format TFI2, etc., wherein where i = 1, 2, ..., I, and L0 = 1; and where Lj is a number of transport formats.

Description

Assignment of the Indicator of the Combination of Transport Formats for telecommunications.

Background

This application claims the priority and benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial Number 60 / 151,047, filed August 27, 1999.

Field of the Invention

The present invention pertains to telecommunications, and specifically to telecommunications operations in which multiple transport channels, each having multiple potential transport formats, are multiplexed for transmission.

Related technique and other considerations

In a typical cellular radio system, the mobile user equipment units (UE) communicate through a radio access network (RAN) with one or more central networks. The user equipment units (UE) can be mobile stations such as mobile phones (mobile phones and mobile phones) and in this way they can be, for example, portable, handheld, handheld mobile devices , included in the computer, or mounted in the car which communicate voice and / or data with the radio access network.

The radio access network (RAN) covers a geographic area that is divided into cell areas, with each cell area that is served by a base station. A cell is a geographical area in which radio coverage is provided by the radio base station equipment at a base station location. Each cell is identified by a unique identity, which is disseminated in the cell. The base stations communicate over the air interface (for example, radio frequencies) with the user equipment units (UE) within the range of the base stations. In the radio access network, several base stations (for example, via land lines or microwaves) are typically connected to a radio network controller (RNC). The radio network controller, also sometimes referred to as the base station controller (BSC), supervises and coordinates various activities of the multiple base stations connected to it. Radio network controllers typically connect to one or more central networks.

An example of a radio access network is the Terrestrial Radio Access Network of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) (UTRAN). UTRAN is a third generation system that in some respects is based on the radio access technology known as the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) developed in Europe. The UTRAN is a multiple access system by broadband code division (W-CDMA).

The UTRAN uses the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model. The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model describes how information moves from an application of computer programs on a computer or telecommunications node through a network medium to an application of computer programs on another computer or node. The OSI reference model is a conceptual model composed of seven layers, each specifying the particular network functions. Each layer is reasonably self contained, so that the tasks assigned to each layer can be implemented independently. The upper layers of the OSI model deal with application issues and are generally implemented only in logical components. The highest layer, that is, the application layer, is the closest to the end user. Both users and application layer processes interact with logical component applications that contain a communications component. The term upper layer is sometimes used to refer to any layer above another layer in the OSI model. The lower layers of the OSI model handle the issues of data transport. The physical layer and the data link layer are implemented in physical components and logical components. The other lower layers in general are implemented only in logical components. The lowest layer, the physical layer or layer 1, is the closest to the physical medium of the network (the network wiring, for example, and is responsible for actually placing the information in the middle).

In telephony, particular mobile telecommunications such as the Terrestrial Radio Access Network of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) (UTRAN) can multiplex multiple transport channels over an interface [comprising, for example, a transmission line or radiofrequency (s)]. Suppose, for example, that / number of TrCHi transport channels, i = 1, 2,., /, Are multiplexed, and that each TrCHi has a number of transport formats. Thus, if each TrCHi transport channel has a TFIi format indication, the TFIi format indication can take Li values, TFIi, {0,1,2, K, Li-1}. If all combinations of transport formats are allowed, the number of combinations of transport formats (TFC) will be C = L1 x L2 x. x Li. The number of combinations of the transport formats can become a more significant number, even with only a few transport channels that are multiplexed. In reality, only a subset of all CTFCs is used. For example, suppose an AMR UEP speech service with three transport channels for the three protection classes. The AMR has 9 different speeds (including DTX), so only 9 TFCs are used. However, in this scenario, C calculates with 9 x 8 x 3 = 216 combinations. Similar problems, for example, a high number of combinations, may arise when considering other

combinations of services

Layer 1 of a telecommunications system of the OSI reference model assigns signaling for a large number of combinations of transport formats. A Transport Format Combination Indicator (TFCI) informs a recipient of the combination of CCTrCH transport formats. A current TFCI assignment rule is established in Technical Specification TS 25.212 of the 3GPP ("3GPP" refers to a project known as the Third Generation Cooperation Project (3GPP), which is committed to further evolve the technologies of radio access network based on UTRAN and GSM). As soon as the TFCI is detected, the combination of the transport formats, and hence the transport formats of the individual transport channel, are known by the receiver, so that the receiver can decode the transport channels.

As a result, many combinations of transport formats are not used. Assigning Layer 1 signaling (TFCI) for a large number of combinations of transport formats, many of which are not used, leads to at least two problems. The first problem is that there may not be enough TFCI words available (64 or 1024). The second problem is that the performance of the TFCI detection depends on how many code words of the TFCI are in use. There is a significant difference in detecting 8 code words of 64 possible or detecting 64 code words of 64 possible. In addition, using a 2x code (15.5) to handle up to 1024 words of TFCI code has much worse performance than the 1x code (30.6) that handles up to 64 words of TFCI code.

Hence, from a performance point of view, one should not assign the TFCI to combinations that are not used.

The current TFCI assignment rule defined in TS 25.212 does not take into account that not all combinations of transport formats are possible. Hence, the assignment used in the specification TS 25.212 may suffer from loss of the words of the TFCI code.

WO00 / 28760, published on 05.05.2000, and the corresponding EP patent specification EP1125460, published on 02.02.2006, reveal a set of combinations of the permitted transport formats that are constructed by checking whether each combination of the transport formats is within the predefined limits. Then, the information for the construction of the combination set of transport formats allowed on the receiver side is communicated to the receiver.

WO00 / 28760 and EP1125460 are only relevant for the issue of novelty and not for the inventive step, Article 54 (3) EPC.

What is necessary, therefore, and an object of the present invention, as defined in the independent claims, is an efficient and unambiguous way of assigning each combination of the permitted transport formats (TFCs) to a certain Indicator of Combination of Transport Formats (TFCI).

Brief Summary of the Invention

A Combination of Calculated Transport Formats (CTFC) provides efficient signaling of combinations of transport formats that will be assigned TFCI values. A sequence of CTFCs is signaled from the highest layers to Node B and the user equipment unit (UE), where each CTFC in order is assigned a TFCI value. From the CTFC both Node B and the user equipment unit (UE) can determine the combinations of the exact transport formats that represent the TFCI values (used to communicate between Node B and the UE).

For // number of transport channels that are included in the combination of the transport formats, with each transport channel TrCHi, I = 1, 2,., /, Which has the transport formats, that is, the indicator of TFIi transport formats can take Li values, TFI i 0 {0, 1, 2,., Li-1}. Let TFC (TFI1, TFI2,., TFII) be the combination of transport formats for which TrCH1 has the transport format TFI1, TrCH2 has the transport format TFI2, etc. The corresponding CTFC (TFI1, TFI2,., TFII) is then calculated as:

where, where i = 1, 2,., /, and L0 = 1.

Brief description of the drawings

The aforementioned and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the

following more specific description of the preferred embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which the reference numbers refer to the same parts throughout the various views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, instead the emphasis is put on illustrating the principles of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of the parts of a communications network illustrating the signaling of a series of values of the CTFC (Combined Transport Formats Combination) for a node and a user equipment unit.

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the part of a UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network that illustrates an example context of the signaling of the series of values of the CTFC (Combined Transport Formats Combination), which show in more detail the user equipment unit (UE) station, a base station, and a radio network controller.

Fig. 3 is a flow chart showing the example steps used in the calculation and transmission of the series of values of the CTFC (Combined Transport Format Combination) from layer 1 of a radio access network for a node of base station and a user equipment unit (UE).

Fig. 4 is a flow chart showing the example steps performed by a base station node or a user equipment unit (UE) after receiving the series of values from the CTFC (Calculated Transport Format Combination) from the Layer 1 of a radio access network.

Fig. 5 is a flow chart showing the example steps performed by a base station node or a user equipment unit (UE) in determining the transport format combinations upon receipt of a TFCI value ( Indicator of the Combination of Transport Formats).

Detailed Description

In the following description, for the purposes of explanation and not limitation, specific details such as architectures, interfaces, particular techniques, etc., are set forth below to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be practiced in other embodiments that come out of these specific details. In other cases, detailed descriptions of well-known devices, circuits, and methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of the present invention in unnecessary detail.

In accordance with the present invention, different combinations of transport formats (TFCs) are assigned to a different Transport Format Combination Indicator (TFCI) in an efficient manner, so that only the combinations actually employed are noted. In particular, according to the present invention, the higher layers indicate the TFCIs used for Layer 1, so that each permitted TFC can be unambiguously assigned to a certain TFCI. To signal this assignment in an efficient manner, the higher layers calculate a value referenced herein as CTFC (Combined Transport Formats Combination). The CTFC is calculated by Expression 1:

Expression 1:

where i = 1, 2,., /, and L0 = 1; and where Lj is the number of transport formats for the transport indicator TFIj.

Let TFC (TFI1, TFI2,., TFII) be the combination of transport formats for which TrCH1 has the transport format TFI1, TrCH2 has the transport format TFI2, etc. Now, for any combination of the TFC transport formats (TFI1, TFI2,., TFII), the corresponding CTFC (TFI1, TFI2,., TFII) can be calculated as shown in Expression 2.

where I is the number of transport channels. In this way, a unique value of the CTFC is obtained for all possible combinations of TFI1, TFI2,., TFII. After calculating the value of the CTFC for all combinations of permitted transport formats, the

CTFC are marked in order. The TFCIs are assigned in the same order, that is, the first TFC indicated by their CTFC corresponds to the TFCI = 0, the next one corresponds to the TFCI = 1, etc. It is direct to calculate the TFIs of certain CTFCs of the TFC using the following logic (expressed in language C): m = CTFC;

i = I;

while (I> 0) { TFIi = floor (m / Pi); m = m% Pi; i = i -1;

} Another direct way to signal only the allowed TFCs is to signal the TFI for each transport channel for

each TFC. However, it can be shown that the number of bits required with the proposed scheme is always less than or equal to the direct signaling of the TFIs in the allowed combinations. The number of bits required to signal a TFC for the direct case is A:

For the scheme described above, the number of bits required to signal a TFC is directly related to the largest possible CTFC value, CTFCmax.

Now, the number of bits for the proposed scheme is B:

Hence, the number of bits required for the scheme described above of the invention is always less than or equal to that required with the direct scheme.

An environment for which the invention is applicable is UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access (UMTS being the Universal Mobile Telecommunication System). In this regard, see several ETSI standards concerning the UTRAN. The details of the signaling can be, for example, as described in the WG2 of the RAN.

Fig. 1 shows a telecommunications network 18 in which a user equipment unit (UE) 20 (for example, a mobile telecommunications device such as a cellular telephone or mobile computer with mobile termination) communicates with one or more stations base 22 on the air interface (for example, the radio interface) 23. Although not explicitly shown as such in Fig. 1, the base stations 22 are connected by land lines (or microwaves) to a radio network controller (RNC) [also known as a base station controller (BSC) in some networks], which in turn typically connects through a control node to switched circuit telephone networks (PSTN / ISDN) and / or switched packet networks. A higher layer 30 of the telecommunications network 18 includes a Calculated Transport Formats Combination (CTFC) generator 40 that generates a Calculated Transport Formats Combination (CTFC) as described above.

Fig. 1 shows by the arrow the CTFC that the signaling of the Combined Calculated Transport Formats (CTFC) appears from the highest layer 30 to Node B (for example, the base station 22) and to the receivers at the user equipment unit (UE) 20. The functions of the highest layer 30 can be placed, for example, in a radio network controller (RNC). From the Combination of the Calculated Transport Formats (CTFC), both Node B and the user equipment unit (UE) 20 can determine the combinations of the exact transport formats that represent the TFCI values.

In the example implementation of Fig. 2, the telecommunications network 18 takes the form of a UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network. In this regard, Fig. 2 shows the additional general aspects selected from the user equipment unit (UE) 20, and illustrative nodes such as the top layer node (illustrated as the radio network controller 30) and the base station node 22. The user equipment unit (UE) 20 shown

in Fig. 2 includes a data processing and control unit 31 to control the various operations required by the user equipment unit (UE). The data processing and control unit of the UE 31 provides the control signals as well as the data to a radio transceiver 33 connected to an antenna 35. The radio network controller example 30 and the base station 22 as shown in Fig. 2 are nodes of the radio network that each includes a data processing and control unit 36 and 37, respectively, to perform the numerous radio and data processing operations required to conduct communications between the RNC 30 and the units of the user equipment (UE) 20. Part of the equipment controlled by the data processing and control unit of the base station 37 includes multiple radio transceivers 38 connected to one or more antennas 39.

The data processing and control unit of the RNC 30 includes the CTFC generator 40 which, as described herein, generates a series of CTFC values that are communicated to both the base station 22 and the unit of the equipment of user (UE) 20. Certain basic example actions performed by the CTFC generator 40 are illustrated later in connection with Fig. 3. In the base station 22 the CTFC series of values is applied to a management subunit of the CTFC / TFCI 41. Similarly, in the user equipment unit (UE) 20 the series of CTFC values is applied to a CTFC / TFCI 42 management subunit. Several basic example actions performed by the management subunit of CTFC / TFCI 41 and the handling subunit of CTFC / TFCI 42 are illustrated later in connection with Fig. 4 and Fig. 5.

As an example scenario of the TFCI allocation scheme described above, suppose in the context of Fig. 2 that there are 3 transport channels, with TFI1, {0, 1, 2}, TFI2, {0, 1, 2}, TFI3, {0, 1}. Also, suppose that when TFI1 = 0, any combination of TFI2 and TFI3 is allowed, while when TFI1 is not equal to 0 then TFI2 and TFI3 must both be 0.

Fig. 3 shows the basic example steps involved in the CTFC generator 40 that generates a series of CTFC values that will be communicated to both the base station 22 and the user equipment unit (UE) 20. According to step 3-1, the CTFC generator 40 determines the Pi values to be used in the generation of a series of CTFC values. In connection with the example scenario described by the aforementioned assumptions, Expression 1 gives the following values for P1 -P3:

P1 = L0 = 1

P2 = L0 x L1 = 1 x 3 = 3

P3 = L0 x L1 x L2 = 1 x 3 x 3 = 9

According to step 3-2, the CTFC generator 40 calculates a CTFC value for each valid combination of transport formats. Since not all combinations of transport formats can be valid, the CTFC generator 40 calculates a CTFC value only for each combination of valid transport formats. For the above-mentioned scenario, Table 1 below lists eight valid combinations (out of a considerably larger number of possible combinations), and a CTFC calculated for each valid combination.

TABLE 1

TFI1

TFI2 TFI3 CTFC TFCI

0

0

0

0x1 + 0x3 + 0x9 = 0

0

0

one  0 0x1 + 1x3 + 0x9 = 3 one

0

2  0 0x1 + 2x3 + 0x9 = 6 2

0

0

one 0x1 + 0x3 + 1x9 = 9 3

0

one one 0x1 + 1x3 + 1x9 = 12 4

0

2 one 0x1 + 2x3 + 1x9 = 15 5

one

0 0 1x1 + 0x3 + 0x9 = 1 6

2

0 0 2x1 + 0x3 + 0x9 = 2 7

As can be seen, for example, from Table 1, each valid combination causes a different CTFC. To indicate the permitted combinations, according to step 3-3 the sequence of the CTFCs (0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 1, 2) is indicated to Node B (base station 22) and to the user equipment ( UE) 20, where each CTFC in order is assigned a TFCI value. According to step 3-4, the CTFC generator 40 assigns the TFCI values to the respective CFTC values in the series, and stores it, for example, in a table or the like. The allocation and storage step 3-4 may precede the signaling in step 3-3.

Fig. 4 shows certain basic steps performed either by the base station 22 or the user equipment unit (UE) 20 upon receipt of the CTFC series of values (as noted, for example, in step 3-3). The actual receipt of the CTFC series of values is represented by step 4-1. In the same way as step 3-4, in step 4-2 the CTFC / TFCI 41 and 42 management subunits assign the TFCI values to the respective CFTC values in the series, and store the same for future reference.

From the CTFC both Node B and the UE can determine the exact combinations of transport formats that represent the TFCI values (used to communicate between Node B and the UE). In this example, the signaling of each CTFC requires 4 bits, ie the total signaling required is 8 x 4 = 32 bits. Simply signaling the TFIs of all combinations would require 8 x (2 + 2 + 1) = 40 bits. In this way, the present invention saves.

Later, when a TFCI is advised by the network, or the CTFC / TFCI 41 management subunit of the base station 22 or the CTFC / TFCI 42 of the user equipment unit (UE) 20 performs the basic steps Example illustrated in Fig. 5. Step 5-1 represents the actual receipt of the TFCI. According to step 5-2, the CTFC / TFCI management subunit uses the received TFCI to determine a corresponding CTFC value. Such determination can be made, for example, with reference to the table stored in step 4-2. According to step 5-3, the CTFC / TFCI handling subunit determines the combinations of transport formats from the value of the CTFC determined in step 5-2.

In this way, the Transport Formats Combination Indicator (TFCI) informs the recipient of the combination of CCTrCH transport formats. As soon as the TFCI is detected, the combination of the transport formats, and hence the transport formats of the individual transport channels are known, and the decoding of the transport channels can be performed. In accordance with the present invention, the TFCI indicates that a certain combination of transport formats is signaled from the higher layers using the Calculated Transport Formats Combination (CTFC). The designated CTFC is unambiguously associated with a certain value of the TFCI. How signaling is performed is described in the specifications of the highest layer. How the CTFC is composed is described in the specifications of the highest layer.

The Combined Transport Formats Combination (CTFC) in this way is a tool for efficient signaling of combinations of transport formats so that TFCI values are assigned.

It should be understood that the functions of the CTFC generator 40 and the management subunits of the TFCI 41, 42 can be performed by means of data processing and control units as illustrated, and that such data processing and control units can perform or No other tasks for the respective nodes. In addition, the functions of the CTFC generator 40 and the management subunits of the TFCI 41 and 42 can alternatively be performed by other means, such as (for example) logic circuitry configured for such purposes.

While the invention has been described in connection with what is currently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it should be understood that the invention will not be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover the various equivalent modifications and adaptations included within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (10)

1. A telecommunications network that is provided to calculate a Combined Calculation of Transport Formats, CTFC, that is provided to be signaled to at least one of a node in the network and a user equipment unit (20), the Combination of Calculated Transport Formats, CTFC, which has a value that is coded to obtain an associated Transport Format Combination Indicator, TFCI, associated and thereby determine the combinations of transport formats; where: The Combined Calculated Transport Formats, CTFC, is generated by the following expression: where I is a number of TrCH transport channels, where TFC (TFI1, TFI2,., TFII) is a combination of the 10 transport formats for which the transport channel TrCH1 has the transport format TFI1, TrCH2 has the TFI2 transport format, etc., where where i = 1, 2,., // and L0 = 1; and where Lj is a number of transport formats. 2. The telecommunications network of claim 1, wherein the Combined Transport Format Combination, CTFC, is generated by a generator in a node of the network. 3. The telecommunications network of claim 1, wherein the network is provided to calculate a sequence of the values of the Calculated Transport Formats Combination, CTFC, the sequence that includes the values of the Calculated Transport Formats Combination , CTFC, only for the valid combination of transport formats. The telecommunication network of claim 1, wherein a sequence of the CTFCs is signaled for at least one of a node of the network and the unit of the user equipment, and in which the at least one of the node network and the user equipment unit assigns the TFCIs in the same order. 5. A method of operation of a telecommunications network comprising: calculate a Combined Calculation of Transport Formats, CTFC; 25 to indicate the Combination of Calculated Transport Formats, CTFC, to at least one of a node in the network and a unit of user equipment; decode the Combined Transport Formats Combination, CTFC, to obtain an associated Transport Formats Combination Indicator, TFCI, and thereby determine the combinations of transport formats; 30 generate the Combined Calculated Transport Formats, CTFC, by the following expression: where I is a number of TrCH transport channels; where TFC (TFI1, TFI2,., TFII) is a combination of the transport formats for which the transport channel TrCH1 has the transport format TFI1, TrCH2 has the transport format TFI2, etc., where where i = 1, 2,., // and L0 = 1; and where Lj is a number of transport formats.

6.

The method of claim 5, which further comprises using a generator in a network node to generate the Calculated Transport Formats Combination, CTFC.

7.

The method of claim 5, which further comprises calculating a sequence of the values of the Calculated Transport Formats Combination, CTFC, the sequence that includes the values of the Calculated Transport Formats Combination, CTFC, only for the valid combination of The transport formats.

8.

The method of claim 5, which further comprises:

signal a CTFC sequence in order to at least one of the network node and the user equipment unit, and assign the TFCIs in the same order in at least one of the network node and the user equipment unit. 9. A base station node (22) of a telecommunications network comprising: the means to receive a Transport Format Combination Indicator, TFCI, from a higher level node of the telecommunications network; a CTFC / TFCI management subunit (41) that is arranged to use the Transport Format Combination Indicator, TFCI, received to determine a corresponding value of the Calculated Transport Formats Combination, CTFC, and also provided to determine, based on the value of the Combined Transport Formats Combination, CTFC, the combinations of transport formats to be used in communicating with a user equipment unit, wherein the CTFC / TFCI management subunit is arranged to use the Transport Format Combination Indicator, TFCI, received to determine a corresponding Calculated Transport Format Combination, CTFC, which has been calculated by the following expression: where I is a number of TrCH transport channels; where TFC (TFI1, TFI2,., TFII) is a combination of the transport formats for which the transport channel TrCH1 has the transport format TFI1, TrCH2 has the transport format TFI2, etc., where where i = 1, 2,., // and L0 = 1; and where Lj is a number of transport formats.

10.

The base station of claim 9, wherein the CTFC / TFCI subunit is arranged upon receipt of a series of CTFC values to assign the respective TFCI values to assign the TFCI values and store the TFCI values respective.

eleven.

A user equipment unit (20) that is in radio communication with a base station node of a telecommunications network, the user equipment unit comprising:

the means to receive a Transport Format Combination Indicator, TFCI, from a higher level node of the telecommunications network; a CTFC / TFCI management subunit (42) that is arranged to use the Transport Format Combination Indicator, TFCI, received to determine a corresponding value of the Calculated Transport Formats Combination, CTFC, and also provided to determine, from the value of the Combination of Transport Formats, CTFC, the combinations of the transport formats to be used in communicating with a user equipment unit, wherein the CTFC / TFCI management subunit is arranged to use the Transport Format Combination Indicator, TFCI, received to determine a corresponding Calculated Transport Format Combination, CTFC, which has been calculated by the following expression: where I is a number of TrCH transport channels; where TFC (TFI1, TFI2,., TFII) is a combination of the transport formats for which the transport channel TrCH1 has the transport format TFI1, TrCH2 has the transport format TFI2, etc., where where i = 1, 2,., /, and L0 = 1; and where Lj is a number of transport formats.