RU2274960C2 - Method for informing network about amount of data subject to transfer - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: mobile communications.

SUBSTANCE: when carrier radio-channels borrow signaling of ascending communication line, information capacity is borrowed from user bearing channels, network should be notified about amount of data awaiting transfer along temporal data stream, set for user bearing channels. All aforementioned can be realized with utilization of separate reverse count values for each bearing radio-channel, first value of reverse count for bearing channel, for which first temporal data stream was set, and second value of reverse count, pointing out total data volume along bearing channels, borrowing resources, or by calculating total reverse count value, pointing out total data volume along all bearing channels using temporal data stream.

EFFECT: network is provided with information, enough for distribution of resources and lifting loads on communication channels.

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Description

Technical field

The present invention relates to informing the network about the amount of data that must be transmitted on the uplink (reverse) link level 2 channel used to transmit signaling data and user data, and more particularly, about informing the network about the amount of data that must be transmitted on the uplink level 2 channel a communication link established for a carrier channel of a user plane in a mobile communication system.

State of the art

A mobile communication system basically refers to any telecommunication system that provides wireless communication when a user is in the service area of the system. Examples of such systems are cellular mobile communication systems such as GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), or corresponding systems such as PCS (Personal Communications System) or DCS 1800 (1800 MHz Digital Cellular System), third generation systems such as UMTS (Universal Mobile Communication System), and systems based on the above systems, such as GSM 2+ systems, and promising 4th generation systems. A typical example of a mobile communication system is PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network).

As the standardization of UMTS systems evolves, GSM 2+ systems are also developing in the direction of UMTS. This means that the characteristics of UMTS, which were not originally planned to be included in GSM 2+, are added to GSM 2+ systems and services. Examples of such added features are GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) or GERAN (GSM / EDGE Radio Access Network (Advanced Data Rates for Global Development)). An example of such an added feature is the provision of multiple signaling radio channels for one mobile station between the mobile station and the radio access network. In the GERAN system, version 5 lu, it was agreed that the mobile station will have 5 uplink signaling radio channels, one of which is transmitted via CCCH (common control channel) or PCCCH (common packet control channel). The data of the other four radio signal carrier channels can be multiplexed into a layer 2 channel set for the user data carrier channel. The Layer 2 channel is called TBF (Temporary Data Block Stream) in GPRS or GERAN. A layer 2 channel, hereinafter referred to as TBF, is a carrier channel (i.e., a dedicated radio resource) that supports unidirectional transfer of packet data blocks. TBF is temporary and is only supported for the duration of the data transfer.

In addition to layer 2, also called the data link layer L2, the GERAN lu system radio interface protocol architecture, called the Um interface, contains the physical layer L1 and the network layer L3. The designation “lu” indicates that the mobile stations are connected to the GERAN radio access network with lu-interfaces to the central network providing data transfer. The GERAN lu system data link layer L2 contains an RLC (radio channel control) sublayer and a MAC (media access control) sublayer, which are common to the user plane (i.e., user data) and the signaling plane (i.e. for alarm data). The layers above the RLC are PDCP (Packet Convergence Protocol) for the user plane and PRC (Radio Resource Management) for the signaling plane. Each carrier channel has an RLC instance (representative object) transmitting data of the carrier channel for peer-to-peer information exchange. An RLC instance transmits information through data blocks, called data packet blocks, via a TBF radio interface using, for example, ARQ (automatic retransmission request) procedures. Each data block comes from a specific instance (representative object) of the RLC. On the transmitting side, the RLC representative object forms RLC packet data blocks by segmenting the upper level data into data blocks to which level 2 control information is added. On the receiving side, the RLC representative object collects the RLC data blocks into upper level data.

GPRS has a procedure called the “countdown” procedure, whereby the mobile station informs the network side of how many data blocks should be transmitted over the TBF channel. The mobile station sends a countdown value in each uplink data block to indicate the current number of remaining data blocks for the uplink TBF. The network plans resources for a given TBF, for example, based on the QoS (quality of service) parameters of the user data carrier channel and the amount of data to be transmitted on the user data carrier channel. The QoS parameters indicate the properties that the user data bearer channel requires, such as delay requirements.

One of the problems associated with the above configuration is that when one or more carrier radio channels (and therefore RLC representative objects) borrow information capacity from a user carrier radio channel A, i.e. are multiplexed with TBF installed for user radio channel A, there is no mechanism to take into account the amount of data of other carrier channels transmitting data blocks on TBF of user radio channel A. Therefore, the network does not know how many resources and how often it should allocate for TBF.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is to provide a method and device for implementing the method in such a way as to overcome the above problems. This problem is solved by the method, the network node and the mobile station, which are characterized by the features given in the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are disclosed in the dependent claims.

The invention is based on the formulation of the problem and its solution by modifying the method for determining the countdown value for TBF so that all data blocks multiplexed in TBF are taken into account. In one embodiment, one TBF channel will have as many countdown values as there are carrier channels (and therefore RLC representative entities). In another embodiment, there are two countdown values, i.e. one for the carrier radio channel for which the TBF channel was installed, and the other for all other carrier radio channels using TBF. In yet another embodiment of the invention, one countdown value is calculated from the data blocks of all carrier radio channels using TBF.

An advantage of the invention is that the network will be provided with information sufficient to allocate resources. Another advantage of the invention is that if something else is available for transmission over TBF, the release of TBF can be avoided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is described below in more detail using preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 - the main components of the communication system;

FIG. 2 is a data block of various carrier radio channels sharing the same TBF;

FIG. 3 shows the functionality of an RLC / MAC entity on a network side in a first preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows the functionality of an RLC / MAC entity on a network side in a second preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention can be applied in any communication system that provides data transfer via a radio interface. Such systems include, for example, the above systems. In the following, the invention is described with reference to the GERAN lu system, by way of example, without any limitation of the invention to this embodiment.

In FIG. 1 shows a very simplified network architecture, illustrating only the main components of the communication system 1. For a person skilled in the art it is obvious that system 1 contains network nodes, functions and structures that do not need to be described in more detail.

The mobile station MS contains a valid terminal and a removable SIM identification card, also called a subscriber identity module. The mobile station of the invention, more specifically the RLC / MAC entity in the mobile station, calculates the countdown value (s) in at least one of the preferred embodiments of the invention described below. In this context, a mobile station basically means an entity formed by a subscriber identity module and a valid terminal. The SIM card is a smart card (smart card) that contains the identification data of the subscriber, performs authentication algorithms and stores authentication and encryption keys and user information necessary for user equipment. A valid terminal in accordance with the invention may be any equipment capable of communicating in a mobile communication system and supporting access to a plurality of carrier channels. The terminal, therefore, may be a simple terminal designed to transmit only speech, or may be a terminal for various services, acting as a service platform and supporting the downloading and execution of various functions related to services. The terminal may thus be a combination of various devices, for example a multimedia computer and a telephone connected to it with a Nokia card for providing a mobile connection.

In the example of FIG. 1, system 1 comprises a core network CN and a radio access network GERAN. The GERAN network is formed by a group of radio network subsystems (not shown in Fig. 1), such as the subsystems of the GSM base stations, which are connected to the CN base network via the so-called lu interface 2. The GERAN network can be a GSM / EDGE access network, and the CN network may be a GSM / UMTS core network. RLC / MAC objects on the network side are typically located in the network nodes of the GERAN network, but they can also be located in the serving network node of the CN, such as SGSN (serving GPRS support node). RLC / MAC objects in the network can be modified to interpret the countdown value field of the data blocks, as described below. In addition to the means known from the prior art, a system that implements the functions of the present invention, mobile stations and network nodes of this system comprise means for performing at least one of the modified definitions of the countdown value disclosed below. More specifically, the mobile station comprises a calculator for implementing at least one of the methods described below for calculating the countdown values, and the network nodes may comprise means for interpreting different countdown values and means for maintaining information on the countdown values for each TBF Current network nodes and mobile stations contain processors and memory that can be used to implement functions in accordance with the invention. All changes necessary to implement the invention can be made by adding or updating software routines and / or routines included in specialized application-oriented integrated circuits (ASICs) and / or using programmable circuits such as EPLD (electronic programmable logic devices), FPGA (gate array, user-programmable).

In FIG. 2 shows an example of various carrier radio channels having data blocks awaiting scheduling and transmission over one TBF. FIG. 2 is used below to explain three different ways of calculating the countdown values according to the invention.

In the following statement, it is assumed that the payload type of the RLC / MAC data block indicates whether the data block belongs to a carrier radio channel for which TBF has been set up, or to one of the carrier radio channels multiplexed with TBF. In other words, to inform the network side, the mobile station uses in the first, second and third preferred embodiments of the invention a payload type for distinguishing multiplexed data from the original data. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that some other pointers other than the type of payload can also be used for the same purpose. In other words, data from various RLC representative objects is distinguished in a preferred manner based on some field (or fields) in the RLC / MAC header. If there are several interacting (borrowing resources) carrier radio channels, they differ from each other by their identification data of the carrier radio channel in the RLC / MAC block itself. In the following, it is also assumed that the mobile station schedules various data blocks, and the network only distributes the information capacity for TBF. Typically, alarm data has a higher priority than user data.

Hereinafter “multiplexed radio carrier channel” means a radio carrier channel for which its own TBF is not set, i.e. it means the same as borrowing the resources of a radio bearer.

Abbreviations and assumptions used in the formulas:

FA = total number of RLC data blocks to be transmitted in the active period of the RLC representative entity,

BSN '= absolute BSN (block sequence number) of the RLC data block in the range from 0 to (TVS-1),

NTS = the number of time slots (slots) assigned to the uplink TBF in the destination message, in the range of 1 to 8,

BS_CV_MAX = parameter translated in the system information and representing the delay of the forward and backward propagation between peer RLC objects,

The round () rounding function rounds to the nearest larger integer,

The division operation is non-integer and gives zero only if the dividend is zero,

There are n RLC representative objects in total.

The first way to determine the countdown value

In a first preferred embodiment, a separate CV value (countdown value) is preferably calculated for each RLC representative object (ith RLC representative object, i = 1 ... n) using TBF as if there was only one object an RLC representative using TBF, i.e. using the following formula known from the prior art:

Let the integer x _i = round

Then CV _i =

For different CVs, the mobile station calculates the countdown value and adds it to the data block, as if the RLC representative to which the data block belongs would be the only one using TBF. All data blocks must have the same TBF identifier, called TBI, so that the network can recognize by which TBF the data block was transmitted.

As indicated above, the payload type is used in this example to distinguish data from different RLC representative objects. In the example of FIG. 2, the CV countdown value for the URB user radio bearer will be 3, and the payload type is “00”, indicating that the given radio bearer is the one for which TBF was installed; the CV countdown value for the signaling channel SRB1 will be 2, and the payload type is “11” to indicate that the carrier channel is multiplexed with another carrier channel; and the CV countdown value for the SRB2 signaling radio bearer will also be 2 in this example, and the payload type is “11”.

When separate CVs are used, the network side preferably maintains information on how many RLC representative objects (i.e., radio carrier channels) use TBF, and TBF can be released preferably only in response to the last RLC representative object, informing that there is nothing to transmit (i.e., countdown value CV = 0). The functionality of the RLC / MAC entity on the network side in the first preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in more detail in FIG. 3. In a first preferred embodiment of the invention, it is assumed that the RLC / MAC entity maintains information for each individual countdown value and associates them with their TBF radio channels. In FIG. 3, it is assumed, for purposes of clarity, that the data blocks transmitted on TBF 'a' are either user data blocks or multiplexed blocks, i.e. RT payload type is either “00” or “11”. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art how an RLC / MAC entity processes RLC / MAC blocks with other types of payload.

The procedure of FIG. 3 starts when, in step 301, a data block with TFI = a is received on TBF 'a'. At step 302, it is checked whether the load type is type “00”, i.e. whether this data block belongs to the user radio channel for which TBF was installed. If not, then the payload type is "11", and at step 303 it is checked whether this data block belongs to a known radio carrier RB, i.e. a carrier radio channel for which the blocks were transmitted and received on TBF. In other words, it is checked whether the RLC / MAC object already had a countdown value for this radio carrier RB. The header of the data block contains the identification data of the carrier radio channel in one field. If there is already information for this RB, then at step 304, the countdown value of the CV and possibly some other information is updated and the data block is sent to step 305.

If the payload type was “00” (step 302), the CV countdown value and possibly some other information of the user radio carrier channel for which the TBF was set is updated at step 304 and the data block is sent to step 305.

If the RB is unknown (step 303), information on the carrier channel using this TBF, i.e. RBinfo is updated at step 304. In other words, a new radio carrier channel is added to RBinfo, and at least its countdown value is associated with it. In a first preferred embodiment, RBinfo contains information on all carrier radio channels using TBF. In another embodiment, RBinfo only contains information on multiplexed radio carrier channels.

The network uses RBinfo to modify the uplink resource allocation for TBF.

Although in FIG. 3 is not shown, in a first preferred embodiment, RBinfo is updated in response to a zero countdown value by removing the carrier radio channel to which this countdown value belongs from RBinfo, regardless of the type of payload of the radio carrier. Thus, if there is a need to free TBF, it is easy to find those TBFs whose RBinfo information is empty, i.e. those TBF that can be released. In another embodiment of the invention in which the RB is not removed from RBindo in response to a zero countdown value, the RLC / MAC entity must check the countdown values to find those TBFs that can be freed.

The individual CV counts provide the network with a good knowledge of the resources required by each individual radio carrier using TBF, and thus the network can plan uplink resources (i.e., modify the distribution of uplink resources) by not taking into account not only the amount of data to be transmitted, but also other RLC representative objects and their quality of service (QoS) class. For example, a network can, if necessary, allocate more resources for TBF.

The second way to determine the countdown value

In a second preferred embodiment of the invention, two different kinds of countdown values are used: the first CV countdown value is calculated from user data of the user radio carrier for which TBF has been set, and the second CV countdown value is calculated for other carrier radio channels using TBF.

The second countdown value, i.e. SRB_CV can be calculated using the following formula based on a formula known in the art:

Let the integer x = round

Then SRB_CV =

The first countdown value, URB_CV, which is the CV of the user radio carrier channel (URB) for which TBF is set, is calculated using the following formula known from the prior art:

Let the integer x _URB = round

Then URB_CV =

In a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mobile station calculates a second countdown value and sums it with a data block belonging to either any signaling radio carrier using this TBF or to some user radio carrier using TRF not set for it. In other words, if the data block belongs to a multiplexed (with borrowing resources) carrier radio channel, then the second countdown value is summed with it. If the data block to be transmitted belongs to a user radio carrier for which TBF has been set, the mobile station calculates URB_CV and sums it with the data block. In other words, the mobile station checks before calculating the countdown value to which carrier channel the data block belongs, and on the basis of the carrier radio channel selects the applicable formula. All data blocks will still have the same TBF identifier, called TBI, so that the network can recognize by which TBF the data block was transmitted.

According to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the countdown value URB_CV for the user radio carrier channel URB in the example of FIG. 2 will be 3, and the payload type will be “00”, indicating that this carrier radio channel is the one for which TBF was installed; the second countdown value SRB_CV for the radio carrier signaling SRB1 and SRB2 will be 4, and the payload type will be "11", indicating that this countdown value indicates the amount of data to be transmitted over the carrier radio channels multiplexed in TBF. Thus, the second countdown value reflects the total radio resources required for these multiplexed carrier channels.

When two CVs are used, the network side preferably maintains information on both countdown values, and only after they both inform that there is no information to transmit (i.e., countdown value CV = 0), TBF can be released. The functionality of the RLC / MAC entity on the network side in the second preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in more detail in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, it is assumed for clarity that the data blocks transmitted on TBF 'a' are either user data blocks or multiplexed blocks, i.e. RT payload type will be either “00” or “11”. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art how an RLC / MAC entity processes data blocks with other types of payload.

The procedure of FIG. 4 begins when a data block with TFI = a is received at step 401. At step 402, it is checked whether the payload type is “00”, i.e. Does this data block belong to the user radio bearer for which TBF was installed. If this is not the case, then the payload type is “11”, and the second countdown value SRB_CV is updated at step 403, and the data block is sent at step 404. At step 403, some other information may also be updated or stored.

If the payload type is “00” (step 402), the first countdown value URB_CV is updated at step 405, and the data block is sent at step 404. At step 405, some other information related to the user radio bearer for which TBF was set may also be updated.

In one embodiment of the invention, where only the signaling radio channels can be multiplexed, the second countdown value indicates the amount of signaling data. In this embodiment, the network can schedule uplink resources, taking into account not only the amount of data to be transmitted, but also an RLC representative object of user data with its QoS class and signaling data representative objects with such a QoS such that for For distribution purposes, the general QoS parameter for signaling radio channels can be used.

In another embodiment of the invention, a second countdown value is calculated from the data blocks of the radio carrier signaling, and a third countdown value corresponding to the second countdown value is calculated from the data blocks of the user radio channel using TBF not set for them. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the second countdown value is calculated from the data blocks of the signaling radio carrier channels, and the separate countdown value disclosed in the first embodiment of the invention is calculated from the user data carrier channels.

The third way to determine the countdown value

In a third preferred embodiment of the invention, only one countdown value, called the common countdown value CV, is calculated for all carrier radio channels using TBF and is included in each RLC data block. The following formula is used:

Let the integer x = round

Then SRB_CV =

In a third preferred embodiment of the invention, the mobile station calculates the total countdown value and sums it with the data block, regardless of whether it belongs to a user radio carrier for which TBF has been set up, or to some other radio carrier channel multiplexed with TBF.

According to a third preferred embodiment of the invention, the total countdown value for all carrier radio channels, i.e. the user radio carrier channel URB and the radio carrier signaling SRB1 and SRB2 will be 7 in the example of FIG. 2, assuming that BS_CV_MAX is greater than 7. When using one common countdown value, the network should not be informed about whether the countdown value belongs to the carrier radio channel for which TBDF has been set up or to the carrier radio channel multiplexed with TBF. However, the payload type “00” can be used to indicate that the data block belongs to the carrier channel for which TBF has been set, and the payload “11” indicates that this data block belongs to the carrier channel multiplexed with TBF.

In a third preferred embodiment of the invention, the network side may be a network component known in the art.

Although the invention has been described above under the assumption that the countdown value indicates the number of data blocks to be transmitted, those skilled in the art should understand that the countdown value may indicate something else that can be used to estimate the amount of data to be transmitted . For example, the current data value may be used.

It is also obvious to those skilled in the art that the above formulas are only an example and disclose a possible way to calculate the countdown value according to the invention.

It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that as the technology develops, the principle underlying the invention can be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments are not limited to the examples described above, but may vary within the scope of the claims.

Claims (12)

1. A method of informing the network side of the amount of data to be transmitted by data blocks in a wireless communication system comprising at least a mobile station and a network, the method comprising the steps of assigning a first wireless uplink carrier channel for communication between the mobile station and the network, moreover, the first carrier channel is assigned for sending user data, establishing a first temporary data block stream (TBF) for the first carrier channel for sending data blocks to the values of at least one second uplink wireless carrier channel for the connection between the mobile station and the network, the second carrier channel being assigned using the first TBF to forward data blocks, adding a countdown value to each data block transmitted on the first TBF indicating at least the amount of data awaiting transmission on the corresponding carrier channel. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first carrier channel is a user radio carrier channel, and the second carrier channels are signaling radio channels, the method further comprising the step of allocating resource assignments of the first TBF at least based on values down counts defined for various types of carrier channels. 3. A method of informing the network side of the amount of data to be transmitted by data blocks in a wireless communication system comprising at least a mobile station and a network, the method comprising the steps of assigning a first wireless uplink carrier channel for communication between the mobile station and the network, wherein the first carrier channel is assigned for sending user data, establishing a first TBF for the first carrier channel for sending data blocks, assigning at least one second a wireless uplink carrier channel for connecting between the mobile station and the network, the second carrier channel being a carrier channel using the first TBF to send data blocks, adding to the data block belonging to the first carrier channel a first countdown value, indicating the amount of data awaiting transmission on the first carrier channel, and adding to the data block of each second carrier channel a second countdown value indicating the amount of data awaiting transmission on the second m bearers. 4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the first carrier channel is a user radio carrier channel, and the second carrier channels are signaling radio channels, the method further comprising the step of allocating resources for the first TBF based at least on the values down counts defined for various types of carrier channels. 5. A method of informing the network side of the amount of data to be transmitted by data blocks in a wireless communication system comprising at least a mobile station and a network, the method comprising the steps of assigning a first wireless uplink carrier channel for communication between the mobile station and the network, wherein the first carrier channel is assigned for sending user data, establishing a first TBF for the first carrier channel for sending data blocks, assigning at least one second a wireless uplink carrier channel for the connection between the mobile station and the network, the second carrier channel being a carrier channel using the first TBF to send data blocks, adding a count down value to each data block indicating the amount of data to be transmitted on carrier channels using the first TBF. 6. A mobile station in a wireless communication system in which data is transmitted via data blocks via radio carrier channels, the mobile station comprising first means for transmitting data blocks via a first TBF established for the first carrier radio channel to which the data blocks belong, second means for transmitting data blocks of at least one second carrier channel on the first TBF, third means for calculating a countdown value added to the data block transmitted on the first TBF, wherein countdown indicating at least the amount of data waiting for transmission on the corresponding bearer, and a fourth means for adding the countdown value to the data block. 7. A mobile station in a wireless communication system in which data is transmitted via data blocks via radio carrier channels, the mobile station comprising first means for transmitting data blocks via a first TBF established for the first carrier radio channel to which the data blocks belong, second means for transmitting the data blocks of at least one second carrier channel on the first TBF, third means for calculating at least the first and second countdown values added to the data block is transmitted for the first TBF, the first countdown value indicating at least the amount of data awaiting transmission on the first carrier channel, and the second counting value indicating the amount of data awaiting transmission on the second carrier channels, and the fourth means for adding the first countdown value counting to the data block of the first carrier channel and the second countdown value to the data block of each second carrier channel. 8. A mobile station in a wireless communication system in which data is transmitted via data blocks via radio carrier channels, the mobile station comprising first means for transmitting data blocks via a first TBF established for the first carrier radio channel to which the data blocks belong, second means for transmitting data blocks of at least one second carrier channel on the first TBF, third means for calculating a countdown value added to the data block transmitted on the first TBF, wherein countdown indicating at least the amount of data waiting for transmission on each second bearer using the first TBF, and fourth means for adding the countdown value to the data block. 9. A network node in a wireless communication system in which data is transmitted via data blocks via radio carrier channels, the network node comprising first means for receiving data blocks via a first TBF established for the first carrier radio channel to which the data blocks belong contain a countdown value indicating at least the amount of data awaiting transmission on the first carrier channel, second means for receiving data blocks of at least one second carrier channel on the first TBF, In fact, the data blocks contain a countdown value indicating at least the amount of data awaiting transmission on the corresponding carrier channel, third means for identifying the carrier radio channel to which the data blocks belong and maintaining information on the countdown values of the various carrier channels using the first TBF 10. The network node of claim 9, further comprising fourth means for modifying the resource assignment of the first TBF based at least on the countdown values of the first TBF. 11. A network node in a wireless communication system in which data is transmitted by data blocks via radio carrier channels, the network node comprising first means for receiving data blocks via a first TBF set for the first carrier radio channel to which the data blocks belong contain a first countdown value indicating at least the amount of data awaiting transmission on the first carrier channel, second means for receiving data blocks of at least one second carrier channel per ohm TBF, the data blocks containing a second countdown value indicating at least the amount of data awaiting transmission on each second carrier channel using the first TBF, and third means for identifying the carrier radio channel to which the data blocks belong and maintaining information about first and second countdown values. 12. The network node of claim 11, further comprising fourth means for modifying the resource assignment of the first TBF based at least on the countdown values of the first TBF.

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