FR2812514A1 - Cellular telephone communications system uses indication in specific field of early frame to show availability of additional resources in later frame - Google Patents

Abstract

The uplink and downlink transmission system for a cellular telephone service includes allocation of additional resources in real time. This allocation is indicated by the use of a field within a specific frame, indicating the number of frames later when the additional resource will be available in the corresponding field of that later frame. The procedure provides transmission of data in real time, in packets between a network and a mobile terminal. The transmission is effected in a number of multi-frames, each comprising a predetermined number of data blocks. At least some of the blocks or the headers of these frames are provided with supplementary fields for requests and allocation of particular radio resources. Such resources may be reserved for the transmission of the signaling message and/or control blocks. The attribution or the reservation of one or more particular additional resources is specified by indicating in the corresponding field of a header of a previous frame, the number of frames separating this frame from the later frame comprising the block enclosing the signaling message and/or the corresponding control block.

Description

Real-time data transmission method and network

  Radiocommunication implementing this method The present invention relates to the field of communications management in cellular radiocommunication networks, in particular downlink transmissions to mobile stations or terminals forming part of these networks and uplink transmissions from said mobiles to said networks. The subject of the present invention is a method of transmitting data in real time in packets, presenting an allocation of additional resources for the sending of control block (s) or signaling message (s), and a cellular radiocommunication network. implementing this process. Here, the term "uplink" is used to denote a transmission or a transmission channel from one or more mobile terminals to the network ("uplink") and the term "downlink" to denote a transmission or a transmission channel. transmission from the network (or from a base station thereof)

  to one or more mobiles affiliated with it ("downlink").

  Currently, in the context of the transmission of information by

  packages, for example according to the standards known under the designations G. P.R.S.

  (for "General Packet Radio Service"), E.G.P.R.S. (for "Enhanced General Packet Radio Service") and G.E.R.A.N. (for "GSM / EDGE / Radio Access Network"), no measures are planned to ensure the conservation of a constant bit rate, necessary for real-time transmission flows, between mobile or portable stations and the network when 'A message or signaling or control data must be transmitted in any of the directions of transmission. Thus, for the G.E.R.A.N. standard, the signaling messages and the RLC user data blocks (for "Radio Link Control") are multiplexed on the same physical resource in uplink transmission and in downlink transmission. A PT indicator present in the MAC header (for "Medium Access Control") for each block received is read to determine the type of said block, ie block of data

  user or signaling and / or control block.

  This solution does not make it possible to satisfy the essential condition necessary for real-time transmission, namely the absence of variation in the routing times, since each signaling message sent -2- on a shared up or down radio resource with user data blocks will disrupt real-time transmission and adversely affect the quality of

  communication link, due to the delay variation induced.

  The object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks and to propose a solution making it possible to transmit messages of

  signaling without disturbing the real-time transmission.

  To this end, the subject of the present invention is a method of transmitting data in real time, in packets, between a network and at least one mobile radiocommunication terminal, the transmission being carried out on a plurality of multiframes each comprising a predetermined number of data blocks, characterized in that it consists in providing at least certain blocks or the headers thereof, with one or more additional field (s) for the request and the allocation of resource ( s) additional special radio (s) reserved for the transmission of message (s) from

  signaling and / or control block (s).

  Preferably, both in uplink and downlink transmission, the allocation or reservation of one or more specific additional radio resource (s) for the transmission of signaling message (s) and / or control block (s), in the form of one or

  multiple block (s), is specified by indicating in a corresponding field of a

  block head of an anterior frame, the number of frames separating the latter from the posterior frame comprising the block containing said message

  signaling and / or corresponding to said control block.

  It will be noted that the additional resources allocated, in the form of reserved blocks, can possibly also be used for the transmission of data blocks not initially planned, at the time of the establishment and configuration of the communication. However, in this case, it will be necessary to provide an indicator or a specific identifier allowing

  to indicate the nature of the contents of said additional or additional blocks.

  The header used, containing the indicator field of the block (s)

  assigned, could be a control block or data block header.

  In uplink transmission, the mobile concerned advantageously firstly transmits a request for allocation of radio resource (s) for the transmission of a signaling message or of a control block by activating a corresponding indicator in the head of a block transmitted to the network, then the latter, after decoding and interpretation of the state of said indicator, 3 - specifies to the mobile a posterior block allocated to the transmission of said message of

signaling or control block.

  Advantageously, the specification of the rear block, allocated in uplink transmission when sending the signaling message or of the control block is carried out by indicating to the mobile concerned, in an existing field of a block header transmitted on the track. downlink, the number of blocks or frames that said mobile will have to wait before being able to send a block of

  signaling and / or control to the network.

  In downlink transmission, the network may notify the mobile (s) concerned of the upcoming transmission of a signaling and / or control block by indicating in a particular corresponding field of a block transmitted previously, the number frames that said at least one mobile concerned must wait for before receiving the signaling message or the control block, a

  flag indicating whether said particular field is valid or not.

  TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) frames, used in the context of the present invention, are part of multiframes which repeat in a predictable manner over time to

the mobile terminal and the network.

  Thus, the waiting period expressed in number of frames corresponds

  in fact at an equivalent defined time period.

  The process which is the subject of the present invention is described below, according to a preferred but non-limiting variant of embodiment, in relation to a

  packet transmission according to the standard known as G.E. R.A.N.

  When a mobile has to send an unplanned or planned additional control or signaling block (normal transmission of control blocks), it first requires the allocation of an additional resource by activating a new Boolean RET indicator (for "Request for Extra Transmission": request for additional transmission) inserted in the header

  MAC or RLC of a block transmitted to the network.

  After decoding of this indicator by the network, the latter will activate the existing RRBP field (for "Relative Reserved Block Period") by specifying the block reserved in uplink transmission for additional control or signaling data, I 'S / P indicator indicating

that said RRBP field is valid.

  When the network or a base station of the latter wishes to send a control and / or signaling block to one or more mobile (s), the network notifies this sending beforehand to the mobile (s) in a new 4- ESC indicator (for "Extra Sending of Control block") inserted in the MAC or RLC header, also informing it, for example by the value of said indicator, of the moment of the occurrence of said shipment in

  terms for counting frames or blocks.

  An additional indicator SS (for “Supplementary Sending”), for example boolean, is advantageously associated with said indicator ESC (for example similar to the RRBP field), for

  confirm or deny the validity of the latter.

  The invention also relates to a cellular radio telecommunication network comprising a plurality of fixed stations distributed geographically and a plurality of mobile terminals which can be put into communication with each other for an uplink transmission from the mobiles to the network and / or a downlink transmission from the network. to mobiles, said data transmissions being carried out in real time in packets over a plurality of multiframes each formed from a given number of blocks and which can each be shared between several mobile terminals, characterized in that at least certain blocks or the headers of the latter, are provided with one or more additional field (s) for the request and the allocation of additional specific radio resource (s) reserved (s) when transmitting message (s) from

  signaling and / or control block (s).

  Preferably, this network will implement the method of

  transmission described above.

  Finally, the invention also relates to a mobile cellular radio communication terminal, possibly part of a network as described above, characterized in that it is suitable for the implementation of the

  real-time data transmission method explained above.

  Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described. Modifications remain possible, in particular from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without

  however, depart from the scope of protection of the invention.

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R E V E N D I CATI ON S

  1) Method for transmitting data in real time, in packets, between a network and in the hands of a mobile radiocommunication terminal, the transmission being carried out on a plurality of multiframes each comprising a predetermined number of data blocks, characterized in that it consists in providing at least certain blocks or the headers thereof, with one or more additional field (s) for the request and allocation of additional specific radio resource (s) ( s) reserved for the transmission of message (s) from

  signaling and / or control block (s).

  2) Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in uplink transmission and in downlink transmission, the allocation or reservation of one or more additional radio resource (s) specific (s) for the transmission of signaling message and / or control block (s), in the form of one or more block (s), is specified by indicating in a corresponding field of a block header of a anterior frame, the number of frames separating the latter from the posterior frame comprising the block containing said signaling message and / or corresponding to said control block. 3) Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the header of

  block is a control block header.

  4) Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the header of

  block is a data block header.

  ) Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

  characterized in that, in uplink transmission, the mobile first transmits a request for allocation of radio resource (s) for the transmission of a signaling message and / or of a control block by activating a corresponding indicator in the header of a block transmitted to the network, then the latter, after decoding and interpretation of the state of said indicator, specifies to the mobile a posterior block allocated to the transmission of said signaling message or block

control.

  6) Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the specification of the posterior block allocated in uplink transmission when sending the signaling message or the control block is carried out by indicating to the mobile concerned, in an existing field of one in - block head transmitted in downlink, the number of blocks or frames that said mobile will have to wait for

  before being able to send a signaling and / or control block to the network.

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  7) Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

  characterized in that, in downlink transmission, the network notifies the mobile (s) concerned the next transmission of a signaling and / or control block by indicating in a particular corresponding field of a transmitted block previously, the number of frames that said at least one mobile concerned will have to wait for before receiving the signaling message and / or the control block,

  an indicator indicating whether said particular field is valid or not.

  8) Method according to any one of claims l to 7,

  characterized in that the packet transmission is carried out according to the standard

  known as G.E.R.A.N.

  9) Cellular radio telecommunication network comprising a plurality of fixed stations distributed geographically and a plurality of mobile terminals which can be put into communication with each other for an uplink transmission from the mobiles to the network and / or a downlink transmission from the network to the mobiles, said transmissions of data taking place in real time in packets on a plurality of multiframes each formed from a given number of data blocks and which can each be shared between several mobile terminals, characterized in that at least certain blocks or the headers of these, are provided with one or more additional field (s) for the request and allocation of additional specific radio resource (s) reserved for transmission of message (s) from

  signaling and / or control block (s).

  ) Network according to claim 9, characterized in that the block header of an earlier frame comprises a field specifying, in uplink and downlink transmission, the allocation or reservation of one or more resources ( s) special additional radio (s) for the transmission of signaling message (s) and / or control block (s), in the form of one or more block (s), said field comprising the number of frames separating said anterior frame from the posterior frame comprising the block containing said

  signaling message and / or corresponding to said control block.

  1 1) Network according to claim 10, characterized in that the header

  block is a control block header.

  12) Network according to claim 10, characterized in that the header

  block is a data block header.

-7 -

  13) Network according to any one of claims 9 to 12,

  characterized in that, in uplink transmission, the mobile comprises means for initially transmitting a request for allocation of radio resource (s) for the transmission of a signaling message and / or of a control block in activating a corresponding indicator in the header of a block transmitted to the network, and the latter comprises means for then specifying to the mobile, after decoding and interpretation of the state of said indicator, a posterior block allocated to the transmission of said signaling message or control block. 14) Network according to claim 13, characterized in that an existing field of a block header transmitted in downlink, indicates the number of blocks or frames that said mobile will have to wait before being able to send a signaling block and / or control towards the network, so as to carry out the specification of the posterior block allocated in uplink transmission when sending the

  signaling message or control block.

  ) Network according to any one of claims 9 to 12,

  characterized in that a corresponding particular field of a previously transmitted block indicates the number of frames that said at least one mobile concerned will have to wait before receiving the signaling message and / or the control block, an indicator signaling whether said particular field is valid or not, said particular field allowing the network, in downlink transmission, to notify the mobile (s) concerned of the upcoming transmission of a signaling block

and / or control.

  16) Mobile cellular radiocommunication terminal, being part

  of a network according to any one of claims 9 to 15, characterized in that

  that it is suitable for implementing the data transmission method in

  real time according to any one of claims 1 to 8.