U.S. patent application number 11/444155 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-28 for expanded signalling capability for network element, user equipment and system.
Invention is credited to Jussi Kahtava, Esa Malkamaki, Kari Rikkinen.
Application Number | 20060291403 11/444155 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37451672 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060291403 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kahtava; Jussi ; et
al. |
December 28, 2006 |
Expanded signalling capability for network element, user equipment
and system
Abstract
Several mobile station identifiers are allocated to one mobile
station, one for each of a plurality of possible signalling channel
structures, parameters, or both. When receiving the signalling
channels, the mobile station searches for all identifiers allocated
for it in the received signalling channels. When it finds one that
matches, it may for instance check a mapping table (agreed at the
connection setup between mobile station and the network by RRC
signalling) to determine what this identifier means. The signalling
channel structure, parameters, or both, used in the transmission
may be implicitly or explicitly indicated by the identifier. The
mobile station (User Equipment) should monitor the signalling
channels in the normal way. Instead of looking for only one
identifier, however, the mobile station should monitor several
identifiers belonging to it.
Inventors: |
Kahtava; Jussi; (Mitaka-shi,
JP) ; Rikkinen; Kari; (Ii, FI) ; Malkamaki;
Esa; (Espoo, FI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WARE FRESSOLA VAN DER SLUYS &ADOLPHSON, LLP
BRADFORD GREEN, BUILDING 5
755 MAIN STREET, P O BOX 224
MONROE
CT
06468
US
|
Family ID: |
37451672 |
Appl. No.: |
11/444155 |
Filed: |
May 30, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60686852 |
May 27, 2005 |
|
|
|
60686832 |
May 27, 2005 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
370/252 ;
370/338 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 8/22 20130101; H04W
76/15 20180201; H04L 1/0083 20130101; H04L 1/1812 20130101; H04W
76/10 20180201; H04L 1/0061 20130101; H04W 8/26 20130101; H04W
28/18 20130101; H04L 1/0023 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
370/252 ;
370/338 |
International
Class: |
H04J 1/16 20060101
H04J001/16 |
Claims
1. Method, comprising: allocating a plurality of user equipment
identifiers for a single user equipment, and associating a
signalling structure, parameters, or both, for each of said
plurality of user equipment identifiers from among a plurality of
different signalling structures, parameters, or both.
2. The method of claim 1, for execution in a network element,
further comprising negotiating said identifiers with said single
user equipment.
3. The method of claim 1, for execution in said single user
equipment, further comprising negotiating said identifiers with a
network element.
4. The method of claim 1, for execution in a system, further
comprising negotiating said identifiers between said single user
equipment and a network element.
5. The method of claim 1, for execution in a network element,
further comprising providing a service from said network element to
said single user equipment on a transport channel recoverable
according to a signalling structure associated with a corresponding
one of said user equipment identifiers.
6. The method of claim 2, for execution in said network element,
further comprising providing a service from said network element to
said single user equipment on a transport channel recoverable
according to a signalling structure associated with a corresponding
one of said user equipment identifiers.
7. The method of claim 1, for execution in a network element,
further comprising providing a plurality of services from said
network element to said single user equipment on a corresponding
plurality of transport channels, each DOCKET: 944-3.3161 transport
channel recoverable according to a signalling structure associated
with a corresponding one of said user equipment identifiers.
8. The method of claim 2, for execution in said network element,
further comprising providing a plurality of services from said
network element to said single user equipment on a corresponding
plurality of transport channels, each transport channel recoverable
according to a signalling structure associated with a corresponding
one of said user equipment identifiers.
9. The method of claim 1, for execution in said single user
equipment, further comprising receiving a service from a network
element on a transport channel provided by said network element and
recoverable according to a signalling structure associated with a
corresponding one of said user equipment identifiers.
10. The method of claim 3, for execution in said single user
equipment, further comprising receiving a service from said network
element on a transport channel provided by said network element and
recoverable according to a signalling structure associated with a
corresponding one of said user equipment identifiers.
11. The method of claim 1, for execution in said single user
equipment, further comprising receiving a plurality of services
from said network element on a corresponding plurality of transport
channels, each transport channel recoverable according to a
signalling structure associated with a corresponding one of said
user equipment identifiers.
12. The method of claim 3, for execution in said single user
equipment, further comprising receiving a plurality of services
from said network element on a corresponding plurality of transport
channels, each transport channel recoverable according to a
signalling structure associated with a corresponding one of said
user equipment identifiers.
13. The method of claim 4, further comprising providing a service
from said network element to said single user equipment on a
transport channel recoverable according to a signalling structure
associated with a corresponding one of said user equipment
identifiers.
14. The method of claim 4, further comprising providing a plurality
of services from said network element to said single user equipment
on a corresponding plurality of transport channels, each transport
channel recoverable according to a signalling structure associated
with a corresponding one of said user equipment identifiers.
15. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving a service
from a network element on a transport channel provided by said
network element and recoverable according to a signalling structure
associated with a corresponding one of said user equipment
identifiers.
16. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving a
plurality of services from said network element on a corresponding
plurality of transport channels, each transport channel recoverable
according to a signalling structure associated with a corresponding
one of said user equipment identifiers.
17. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving a service
from a network element on a transport channel provided by said
network element and recoverable according to a signalling structure
associated with a corresponding one of said user equipment
identifiers.
18. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving a plurality
of services from said network element on a corresponding plurality
of transport channels, each transport channel recoverable according
to a signalling structure associated with a corresponding one of
said user equipment identifiers.
19. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving a service
from a network element on a transport channel provided by said
network element and recoverable according to a signalling structure
of a signalling channel also from said network element and
associated with a corresponding one of said user equipment
identifiers.
20. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving a plurality
of services from said network element on a corresponding plurality
of transport channels, each transport channel recoverable according
to a signalling structure of a signalling channel also from said
network element and associated with a corresponding one of said
user equipment identifiers.
21. The method of claim 1, for execution in a multi-carrier system
in which said associating comprises associating an identifier with
said single user equipment and a radio downlink carrier in said
multi-carrier system in said radio downlink.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein said associating is an explicit
indication of said carrier on which the single user equipment
should receive a payload channel.
23. The method of claim 21, wherein said associating is an implicit
indication where a channelization code is used for encoding the
signalling to indicate the carrier on which the single user
equipment should receive a payload channel.
24. The method of claim 1, wherein an identifier among said
plurality of user equipment identifiers is for association with a
signalling structure for indicating one or more physical layer
related parameters.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the one or more physical layer
related parameters are one or more hybrid automatic repeat request
process identifiers.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein the one or more physical layer
related parameters are indicative of whether a downlink shared
channel carries control information or data.
27. The method of claim 24, wherein the one or more physical layer
related parameters are indicative of whether a transmission of a
downlink shared channel is a first transmission or a
retransmission.
28. The method of claim 1, wherein said allocating comprises
allocating said plurality of user equipment identifiers to said
single user equipment to indicate some corresponding physical layer
parameters.
29. The method of claim 1, wherein each identifier among said
plurality of identifiers is used to indicate a corresponding
carrier.
30. The method of claim 1, wherein an identifier among said
plurality of identifiers is used to indicate a hybrid automatic
repeat request process.
31. The method of claim 1, wherein an identifier among said
plurality of identifiers is used to indicate control information or
data.
32. The method of claim 1, wherein an identifier among said
plurality of identifiers is used to indicate whether a transmission
is a first transmission or a retransmission.
33. The method of claim 1, wherein said associating a signalling
structure for each of said plurality of user equipment identifiers
is implicit.
34. The method of claim 1, wherein said associating a signalling
structure for each of said plurality of user equipment identifiers
is explicit.
35. Device, comprising: allocation module, responsive to a request
signal, for providing a signal indicative of a plurality of user
equipment identifiers for a single user equipment; and an
association module, responsive to said signal indicative of said
plurality of user equipment identifiers for associating a
signalling structure, parameters, or both, for each of said
plurality of user equipment identifiers from among a plurality of
different signalling structures, parameters, or both, and for
providing a signal indicative of the plurality of user equipment
identifiers and their associated signalling structures, parameters,
or both.
36. The device of claim 35, for use in a network element, further
comprising a negotiation module, responsive to said signal
indicative of the plurality of user equipment identifiers and their
associated signalling structures, parameters, or both, for
negotiating said identifiers and their associated signalling
structures, parameters, or both, with said single user
equipment.
37. The device of claim 35, for use in said single user equipment,
further comprising a negotiation module, responsive to said signal
indicative of the plurality of user equipment identifiers and their
associated signalling structures, parameters, or both, for
negotiating said identifiers and their associated signalling
structures, parameters, or both, with a network element and for
providing a negotiated signal indicative of negotiated identifiers
and associated signalling structures, parameters, or both.
38. The device of claim 36, for use in said network element,
further comprising a service module, responsive to said negotiated
signal for providing a service from said network element to said
single user equipment on a transport channel recoverable according
to said negotiated identifiers and associated signalling
structures, parameters, or both.
39. The device of claim 36, for use in a network element, further
comprising a service module, responsive to said negotiated signal
for providing a plurality of services from said network element to
said single user equipment on a corresponding plurality of
transport channels, each transport channel recoverable according to
a negotiated signalling structure, parameters, or both, associated
with a corresponding one of said user equipment identifiers.
40. The device of claim 37, for use in said single user equipment,
further comprising a service module, responsive to said negotiated
signal, for use in receiving a service from a network element on a
transport channel recoverable by said network element according to
a signalling structure, parameters, or both, associated with a
corresponding one of said user equipment identifiers.
41. The device of claim 35, wherein an identifier among said
plurality of user equipment identifiers is for association with a
signalling structure, parameters, or both, indicative of a physical
layer related parameter.
42. The device of claim 41, wherein the physical layer related
parameter is a hybrid automatic repeat request process
identifier.
43. The device of claim 41, wherein the physical layer related
parameter is indicative of whether a downlink shared channel
carries control information or data.
44. The device of claim 41, wherein the physical layer related
parameter is indicative of whether a transmission of a downlink
shared channel is a first transmission or a retransmission.
45. The device of claim 35, wherein said identifying comprises
allocating said plurality of user equipment identifiers to said
single user equipment to indicate some corresponding physical layer
parameters.
46. The device of claim 35, wherein an identifier among said
plurality of identifiers is used to indicate a carrier.
47. The device of claim 35, wherein an identifier among said
plurality of identifiers is used to indicate a hybrid automatic
repeat request process.
48. The device of claim 35, wherein an identifier among said
plurality of identifiers is used to indicate control information or
data.
49. The device of claim 35, wherein an identifier among said
plurality of identifiers is used to indicate whether a transmission
is a first transmission or a retransmission.
50. The device of claim 35, wherein said associating a signalling
structure for each of said plurality of user equipment identifiers
is implicit.
51. The device of claim 35, wherein said associating a signalling
structure for each of said plurality of user equipment identifiers
is explicit.
52. Device, comprising: means for allocating a plurality of user
equipment identifiers for a single user equipment, and means for
associating a signalling structure, parameters, or both, for each
of said plurality of user equipment identifiers from among a
plurality of different signalling structures, parameters, or
both.
53. The device of claim 52, for use in a network element, further
comprising means for negotiating said identifiers with said single
user equipment.
54. The device of claim 52, for use in said single user equipment,
further comprising means for negotiating said identifiers with a
network element.
55. The device of claim 52, for use in a system, further comprising
means for negotiating said identifiers between said single user
equipment and a network element.
56. The device of claim 52, for use in a network element, further
comprising means for providing a service from said network element
to said single user equipment on a transport channel recoverable
according to a signalling structure, parameters, or both,
associated with a corresponding one of said user equipment
identifiers.
57. The device of claim 53, for use in said network element,
further comprising means for providing a service from said network
element to said single user equipment on a transport channel
recoverable according to a signalling structure, parameters, or
both, associated with a corresponding one of said user equipment
identifiers.
58. The device of claim 52, for use in a network element, further
comprising means for providing a plurality of services from said
network element to said single user equipment on a corresponding
plurality of transport channels, each transport channel recoverable
according to a signalling structure, parameters, or both,
associated with a corresponding one of said user equipment
identifiers.
59. The device of claim 53, for use in said network element,
further comprising means for providing a plurality of services from
said network element to said single user equipment on a
corresponding plurality of transport channels, each transport
channel recoverable according to a signalling structure,
parameters, or both, associated with a corresponding one of said
user equipment identifiers.
60. The device of claim 52, for use in said single user equipment,
further comprising means for receiving a service from a network
element on a transport channel provided by said network element and
recoverable according to a signalling structure, parameters, or
both, associated with a corresponding one of said user equipment
identifiers.
61. The device of claim 54, for use in said single user equipment,
further comprising means for receiving a service from said network
element on a transport channel provided by said network element and
recoverable according to a signalling structure, parameters, or
both, associated with a corresponding one of said user equipment
identifiers.
62. The device of claim 52, for use in said single user equipment,
further comprising means for receiving a plurality of services from
said network element on a corresponding plurality of transport
channels, each transport channel recoverable according to a
signalling structure, parameters, or both, associated with a
corresponding one of said user equipment identifiers.
63. The device of claim 54, for use in said single user equipment,
further comprising means for receiving a plurality of services from
said network element on a corresponding plurality of transport
channels, each transport channel recoverable according to a
signalling structure, parameters, or both, associated with a
corresponding one of said user equipment identifiers.
64. The device of claim 52 for use in a multi-carrier code division
multiple access system in which said associating comprises
associating an identifier of said single user equipment with a
radio downlink carrier in said multi-carrier code division multiple
access system.
65. The device of claim 52, wherein an identifier among said
plurality of user equipment identifiers is for association with a
signalling structure, parameters, or both, indicative of a physical
layer related parameter.
66. The device of claim 52, wherein an identifier among said
plurality of identifiers is used to indicate a carrier.
67. The device of claim 52, wherein an identifier among said
plurality of identifiers is used to indicate a hybrid automatic
repeat request process.
68. The device of claim 52, wherein an identifier among said
plurality of identifiers is used to indicate control information or
data.
69. The device of claim 52, wherein an identifier among said
plurality of identifiers is used to indicate whether a transmission
is a first transmission or a retransmission.
70. The device of claim 52, wherein said associating a signalling
structure, parameters, or both, for each of said plurality of user
equipment identifiers is implicit.
71. The device of claim 52, wherein said associating a signalling
structure, parameters, or both, for each of said plurality of user
equipment identifiers is explicit.
72. A computer program stored on a computer readable medium for
allocating a plurality of user equipment identifiers for a single
user equipment, and for associating a signalling structure,
parameters, or both, for each of said plurality of user equipment
identifiers from among a plurality of different signalling
structures, parameters, or both.
73. System, comprising: network element for allocating a plurality
of user equipment identifiers for a single user equipment and for
associating a signalling structure, parameters, or both, for each
of said plurality of user equipment identifiers from a plurality of
different signalling structures, parameters, or both; and said user
equipment for allocating said plurality of user equipment
identifiers and for associating said signalling structure,
parameters, or both, for each of said plurality of user equipment
identifiers from among said plurality of different signalling
structures, parameters, or both.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Nos. 60/686,852 filed May 27, 2005 and
60/686,832 filed May 27, 2005.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The field of the invention is mobile communications and,
more particularly, to signalling used therein, for instance in the
Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio
Access (UTRA) of the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)
and beyond.
[0004] 2. Discussion of Related Art
[0005] In further evolution of mobile communications, for example,
in the WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) system, all
services could be implemented with HSDPA (High Speed Downlink
Packet Access)/HSUPA (High Speed Uplink Packet Access) (including
real time (RT) services which uses a very short duration frame
(transmission time interval or TTI)). Also, traditionally
circuit-switched services are moving into the packet-switched
domain. Although disclosed in the context of the current mobile
communications environment, the present invention is not limited
thereto but should be broadly seen as applicable to future
evolution thereof as well.
[0006] Even though only one frequency need be used, a UMTS operator
has multiple 5 MHz frequency blocks available for implementing
packet-switched services in the WCDMA system. It is foreseen that
different numbers of DL and UL carriers may be in use
simultaneously to meet potentially asymmetric capacity needs.
[0007] Spectrum efficiency and flexible use of available spectrum
will be elements of cost efficient future solutions. Efficient
usage of available radio resources in the DL direction requires
fast and dynamic allocation of DL carriers to different users when
multiple DL carriers are available in a system. The current WCDMA
deployment plans do not provide a signalling scheme/signal
structure to enable fast allocation of HSDPA carriers from a pool
of multiple DL carriers. WCDMA has not had multi-carrier solutions
so far.
[0008] If new features are to be introduced to HSDPA (for example,
the above-mentioned multicarrier, MIMO (multiple input multiple
output) or additional new services such as voice over internet
protocol (VoIP)), it may be that new parameters will have to be
signalled (e.g., the carrier frequency in multicarrier system,
stream identification or other stream specific parameters in case
of multi-stream MIMO) or it may be that not all parameters or not
the whole range of those parameters as presently specified may be
needed (e.g., with VoIP larger transport block sizes are never used
due to the low data rate). Then it could be necessary to change the
frame structure of the signalling channel (HS-SCCH) in order to be
able to signal the new parameters or to signal the existing
parameters more reliably (e.g., if the transport block size (TBS)
field were to be shortened for VoIP, more channel coding would be
possible).
[0009] The HS-SCCH is used to signal parameters of the high speed
data shared channel (HS-DSCH). One of the major parameters is the
user equipment identifier (UE ID) which indicates which user
equipment should decode the HS-DSCH. Currently only one UE ID is
allocated per user equipment (according to the current
specifications). The parameters and the frame structure of the
HS-SCCH is fixed.
[0010] The existing structure of the HS-SCCH (High Speed Shared
Control Channel) is specified for HSDPA in TS 25.211 and TS 25.212
of the 3GPP WCDMA specification, where a number of bit fields are
reserved for signalling to the UE. See, for example, Section 4.6 of
3GPP TS 25.212 V 6.4.0 (2005-03). However, because of the
above-mentioned evolution, in later releases of WCDMA there may
arise a need to indicate different information to the UE receiving
data on HS-PDSCH (High Speed Physical Downlink Shared Channel), or
the UE may need to receive multiple HS-DSCH (High Speed Downlink
Shared Channel) sessions simultaneously from the BS (Base Station
(called Node B in 3GPP)) MAC (Medium Access Control). There is
currently no room in the HS-SCCH signalling structure as defined in
the 3GPP specifications to indicate the frequency carrier or some
other new L1/MAC parameters that may be needed or possible.
[0011] If the problem were merely that the user equipment only
needs to receive a new set of parameters, then this could be
informed to the user equipment by RRC signaling. Then the UE would
be able to receive parameters as it currently does but assuming a
different frame structure. If, however, the UE needs to receive
multiple services, then the UE may need to receive multiple HS-SCCH
frame structures or formats depending on the service or some other
factor. There is no mechanism to tell the UE which HS-SCCH frame
structure (i.e., which parameters are signal, what is there value
range and how they are channel encoded, etc.) is being used in a
given transmission time interval (TTI).
[0012] Provisioning for more efficient use of DL (downlink)
signalling resources could be achieved by providing some new,
different HS-SCCH structures for DL HSDPA signalling. For example,
for some transmissions on HS-PDSCH not all the specified fields are
needed, potentially new signalling could be added, or a smaller
number of bits would be enough for some of the currently existing
HS-SCCH fields. Specifying another HS-SCCH structure in a later
release of the 3GPP specifications is possible, but this would have
to be a different HS-SCCH with redesigned coding, puncturing, error
detection, etc. Just adding a new HS-SCCH to the system also brings
the problem of the UE knowing which HS-SCCH structure it is to
receive with. On the other hand, as suggested above, there may be
multiple reasons for introducing new signalling structures in
WCDMA, such as VoIP services and so on.
[0013] In view of the fact that HSDPA will be widely deployed for
packet switched traffic in the near future and the need for
enhancements of HSDPA, along with enhancements for the signalling,
such as some new L1/MAC parameters, there would naturally be a
desire to avoid changes to the high speed shared control channel
(HS-SCCH). The present invention proposes how these new parameters
could be signalled without changing the HS-SCCH structure or how
the existing HS-SCCH signalling could be adapted to perform
signalling using different signalling structure in a backwards
compatible way, i.e., so as to be consistent with the existing
HS-SCCH structure.
[0014] The problem has not been solved earlier. It should be noted
again that this invention is not specifically confined to
multicarrier WCDMA or VoIP.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
[0015] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a
method comprises identifying a plurality of user equipment
identifiers for a single user equipment, and associating a
signalling structure for each of said plurality of user equipment
identifiers from among a plurality of different signalling
structures. The method can be executed in a network element or a
user equipment or both. The identifiers can be negotiated between
devices on either side of a wireless interface. Further details of
the method of the invention are disclosed below.
[0016] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a
device comprises an identification module, responsive to a request
signal, for providing a signal indicative of a plurality of user
equipment identifiers for a single user equipment, and an
association module, responsive to the signal indicative of the
plurality of user equipment identifiers for associating a
signalling structure for each of the plurality of user equipment
identifiers from among a plurality of different signalling
structures and for providing a signal indicative of the plurality
of user equipment identifiers and their associated signalling
structures. The device may be for use in a network element or user
equipment. Further details of the device according to the second
aspect of the invention are disclosed below.
[0017] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a
device comprises means for identifying a plurality of user
equipment identifiers for a single user equipment, and means for
associating a signalling structure for each of said plurality of
user equipment identifiers from among a plurality of different
signalling structures. The device according to the third aspect of
the present invention can be for use in a network element or in
user equipment.
[0018] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a
computer program stored in a computer readable medium is able to
carryout the method according to the first aspect of the present
invention. Alternatively, the computer program is for identifying a
plurality of user equipment identifiers for a single user
equipment, and for associating a signalling structure for each of
said plurality of user equipment identifiers from among a plurality
of different signalling structures.
[0019] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a
system comprises two devices according to the second aspect or
third aspect or both second and third aspects of the present
invention in any combination on both sides of a radio
interface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0020] FIG. 1A shows a device for carrying out the present
invention with a server of modules in combination.
[0021] FIG. 1B shows two devices, each similar to the device of
FIG. 1A, operating together as a system comprising a base station
and user equipment.
[0022] FIG. 2 presents the concept of how the UE ID located in
HS-SCCH part #1 may be used to indicate the HS-SCCH structure.
[0023] FIG. 3A presents an implementation A for fast carrier
assignment, where the DL carrier band (A(Core), B, C, or D) is
explicitly indicated as embedded information that HS-SCCH carries;
it presents the UE ID indicating the frequency carrier/band.
[0024] FIG. 3B shows another explicit signalling method with an
explicit DL carrier number parameter added to HS-SCCH.
[0025] FIG. 4 presents an implementation B for fast carrier
assignment, where the DL carrier is implicitly mapped from the
channelization code used on the HS-SCCH assigned for the UE.
[0026] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a series of steps which may be
carried out in a network element according to the invention.
[0027] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a series of steps which may be
carried out in user equipment according to the present
invention.
[0028] FIG. 7 shows a signal processor for carrying out the
invention.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0029] In the 3GPP WCDMA system the base station (Node B) is a
network element that sends signalling (control) information on four
different high speed shared control channels (HS-SCCHs) although
more than four are possible. The HS-SCCHs are sent in parallel
during the same recurring time interval, e.g., during a two
millisecond transmission time interval (TTI). The HS-SCCHs are sent
over the whole cell or parts thereof for monitoring by various user
equipment (UEs) which may be present in the cell. During this time
that UEs are sending back periodic (for instance every ten
milliseconds) channel quality indicator (CQI) signals to the Node
B. The control information for a given UE, according to the prior
art, is contained in one and only one of the four parallel
HS-SCCHs. If a UE is able to check all four HS-SCCHs, it tries to
find the HS-SCCH intended for it by checking its UE identifier in
one of the four possible channels. When it detects the UE ID unique
to itself in the first part of the HS-SCCH, it then reads the rest
of the information in the second part of the HS-SCCH in question in
order to be able to properly process information contained in
digital samples extracted from the HS-PDSCH (High Speed Physical
Downlink Shared Channel) which arrives a short time later. The
parameters needed to demodulate and decode (channelization
code-wise) the physical channel are contained in the first part of
each TTI, i.e., in the first third of the two millisecond
transmission time interval used for the HS-SCCH. The two
millisecond TTI is broken down into three equal duration slots, the
first part being one slot in duration (two thirds of a millisecond)
and the second part being two slots in duration (four thirds of a
millisecond) and containing information needed to further process
the demodulated and decoded information. The HS-PDSCH frame begins
after the first part of the HS-SCCH.
[0030] According to the present invention, more than one UE
identifier can be allocated or assigned for one UE and each
identifier indicates which signaling structure is being used in a
given transmission time interval, or it indicates some new
parameter value, or both.
[0031] If, according to one embodiment, more than one UE ID is
allocated or assigned for one UE and the UE ID indicates which
HS-SCCH frame structure is being used in the current TTI, it is in
this way possible to dynamically change between different
structures. For instance, if we have a need for different HS-SCCH
structures such as a first structure optimized for VoIP and another
structure for normal traffic such as what has already been
specified for other services, then two UE IDs could be allocated or
assigned according to the invention for the single UE, one for VoIP
and the other for everything else. When the Node B sends a VoIP
packet to the UE, it would use the UE ID allocated for VoIP usage
and the UE would know based on the UE ID that now (in the current
TTI) the HS-SCCH structure is the new VoIP optimized structure. And
for other data, the other UE ID and HS-SCCH frame structure would
be used.
[0032] Or, according to another embodiment, we could have a
multicarrier system where only high data rates are allocated on
some carriers (DO-DSCH) and low data rates on the carrier on the
core band. You could then have a different HS-SCCH frame structure
to support the high data rate carriers (that HS-SCCH would also
indicate the carrier/band) and the normal structure to support the
core band traffic. The UE would be allocated to two UE IDs, one for
normal operation and the other for multicarrier operation. The UE
ID would then indicate on the HS-SCCH which frame structure is
used.
[0033] Or, according to a third embodiment, a MIMO system could be
provided, where high data rates are allocated to a multi-stream
MIMO operational mode and low data rates to a normal single-stream
SIMO (single input multiple output) operational mode. The user
equipment would be allocated to two or more UE IDs, one for the
normal SIMO operational mode and the others for the multi-stream
MIMO operational mode.
[0034] The HS-SCCH structure is currently specified in 3GPP TS
25.212, V. 6.4.0 (2005-03) and it currently carries the following
parameters (see section 4.6 of TS 24.212): the modulation scheme (1
bit) and the channelization code set (7 bits) assigned for the
user, as well as the transport block size (6 bits), the HARQ
process ID (3 bits), redundancy and constellation version (3 bits),
new data indicator (NDI) (1 bit) and UE specific CRC (16 bits). The
UE specific CRC is calculated as a normal 16 bit CRC which is XORed
with the 16 bit UE ID (H-RNTI (HS-DSCH radio network temporary
identifier)). In addition to its use in conjunction with the UE
specific CRC, the UE ID is also used for UE specific masking of the
first slot of the HS-SCCH (as suggested above, the first slot of
the HS-SCCH TTI includes the modulation scheme and channelization
code set parameters). For details of UE specific masking and UE
specific CRC, see, especially the FIG. 19 coding chain of the 3GPP
specification TS25.212. Based on the UE specific masking of the
first slot of the HS-SCCH transmission, the UE is quickly able to
identify whether the transmission is for it or not. If the masking
matches, the UE starts demodulating the indicated HS-PDSCH code
channels and at the same time reads the rest of the HS-SCCH (Part 2
with the further processing info). The UE specific CRC at the end
of the HS-SCCH confirms that the transmission was intended for this
UE as well as that the parameters are correctly received (without
errors).
[0035] Further according to the present invention, the multiple UE
IDs associated with a given UE can indicate different HS-SCCH
structures, i.e., different from that just described above in the
previous paragraph.
[0036] Thus, according further to this invention, as shown for
example in FIG. 2 hereof, it is proposed not only to allocate
multiple UE IDs for one UE, e.g., one for each possible HS-SCCH
structure that the UE is able to receive, but also to make it so a
UE ID can be allocated so as to be associated with any one of
multiple possible signalling structures. The mapping between the UE
ID and the respective HS-SCCH structure can for instance be agreed
to between UE and network via RRC signalling at the connection
setup phase. The UE ID would be used on HS-SCCH in the same way as
it is used today: both for UE specific masking of the first slot as
well as for the UE specific CRC except that a given UE may have the
possibility of having more than one UE ID assigned to it.
[0037] Referring now to FIG. 1A, a device 10 is shown comprising a
receiver module 12, a signal processor 14, and a transmitter module
16. The device 10 may for instance be a network element such as
base station or Node B or may be user equipment or a mobile
station. In such cases, to which the invention is not limited, the
receiver module and transmitter module will communicate over a
radio interface via one or more antennas with another device. If
the device 10 is a base station or Node B network element, it will
communicate over the radio interface with a mobile station, known
as "user equipment" in 3 GPP specifications. If the device 10 is
user equipment then it will communicate over the radio interface
with the network element in the form of a Node B or base station.
In either event, the concept is the same and will be described
generally so that the device 10 shown in FIG. 1A can be understood
as being in whole or in part at either the core network side, for
instance at an access point, or at the user equipment side of the
radio interface. It should also be understood that although a
series of modules are shown connected in series in a certain order,
the ordering is flexible in that it can be rearranged so that the
functions identified for each module can be performed before or
after the sequence shown for any given module or any combination of
modules. It should also be understood that modules may be added or
detracted without departing from the invention. In other words, it
should also be understood that more of less modules than shown can
be used in combination with those shown to carry out the invention.
In other words, in certain embodiments, certain modules may be
omitted or certain others may be added. Moreover, the illustrated
functions can be carried out in different entities and need not be
carried out in the same "device." Therefore, the word "device"
should be understood in that sense. It might for instance be
possible even for part of a given function to be carried out in one
device while another part of the same function is carried out in
another device. When partitioning a function in this way, it is
even possible to perform part of the function on one side of the
wireless interface and another part on the other side. The
description of the signal processing carried out in the device 10
of FIG. 1A should therefore be understood as being a flexible
signal processing device or method with the capability of
performing the illustrated functions in any order or location
according to the circumstances needed or according to the
designer's choice. The device 10 of FIG. 1A will first be described
as a network element or part thereof, e.g., a base station or Node
B of the 3GPP network. The device of FIG. 1A will then be
described, in connection with the system of FIG. 1B, as fulfilling
the role of user equipment or part thereof in the same 3GPP
network.
[0038] Assuming for the moment the device 10 of FIG. 1A is a
network element such as a Node B, the receiver module 12 may
receive a request signal on a line 18 from the user equipment over
the radio interface requesting multiple services from the network.
The receiver module processes this request signal and provides a
process request signal on a line 20 to the signal processor 14 in
the network element. This function as well as others to be
described could be performed anywhere in the core network.
According to an embodiment of the invention, an identification
module 22 is responsive to the processed request signal on the line
20 for identifying a plurality of user equipment identifiers for
the single user equipment that has made the request for multiple
services. For instance, the identification module 22 could assign a
separate user equipment identifier for each service requested by
the single user equipment. The result of the identification process
carried out by the identification module 22 is signalled by a
signal on a line 24 to an association module 26 which, according to
the present invention, associates a signalling structure, or
parameters, or both, for each of the plurality of user equipment
identifiers identified by the signal on the line 24. These
signalling structures, or parameters, or both, are selected by the
association module from among a plurality of different signalling
structures, or parameters, or both, available to it. The
association module may assign structures, or parameters, or both
that are appropriate for the services requested by the user
equipment. The association module 26 then provides a signal on a
line 28 indicative of the plurality of user equipment identifiers
and their associated signalling structures, or parameters, or both,
as selected by the association module and identified by the
identification module. Although shown as two distinct modules 22,
26, it should be realized that one or both of these modules may be
viewed as a single module for allocating or assigning a user
equipment identifier which indicates the HS-SCCH structure, or
parameters, or both, or which indicates the presence of certain
parameters in the existing HS-SCCH structure.
[0039] A negotiation module 30 may be provided, responsive to the
signal on the line 28 from the association module 26 for providing
a signal on a line 32 for transmission over the radio interface
back to the user equipment for the purpose of negotiating the
plurality of user equipment identifiers and their associated
signalling structures, or parameters, or both, with the user
equipment before taking them up into use. The transmitter module 16
is responsive to the signal on the line 32 for transmitting the
plurality of user equipment identifiers and their associated
signalling structures, or parameters, or both, to the user
equipment as proposed identifiers and signalling structures, or
parameters, or both, for consideration by the user equipment. If
the user equipment agrees, it may signal its acceptance back to the
device 10 over the radio interface with a signal on the line 18
received by the receiver module 12 where it is processed and
forwarded as a signal on a line 34 back to the negotiation module
30. If the user equipment has agreed with the proposed plurality of
user equipment identifiers and associated signalling structures, or
parameters, or both, the negotiation module 30 will be able to
determine that fact from the signal on the line 34 and it in turn
will then be in a position to provide a negotiated signal on a line
36 to a service module 38 which will carry out a process of
delivering the requested services over the radio interface from the
network to the user equipment via the transmitter module 16 using
the plurality of negotiated user equipment identifiers and
associated structures, or parameters, or both, using the signalling
structure indicated by the previously negotiated signalling
structures, parameters, or both, for the corresponding different
services requested by the user equipment. This is shown by a signal
on a line 40 provided from the service module 38 to the transmitter
module 16. The transmitter is shown providing the services over the
radio interface by a signal on a line 41. If the signalling back
from the user equipment during the negotiation process indicates on
the line 34 that the user equipment cannot for some reason accept
the proposed plurality of user equipment identifiers and associated
signalling structures, or parameters, or both, the negotiation
module will provide a signal on a line 42 back to the
identification module 22 signalling that fact and requesting a
repeat process which either varies the proposal or proposes it
again. In this way, a back-and-forth negotiation can take place
between the network element and the user equipment to decide upon
the plurality of user equipment identifiers and the appropriate
associated signalling structures, or parameters, or both, that can
be agreed upon on both sides. Although shown as three distinct
modules 22, 26, 30, it should be realized that one or more of these
modules may be viewed as a single module for allocating or
assigning a user equipment identifier which indicates the HS-SCCH
structure or the presence of certain parameters in he existing
HS-SCCH structure. It will be appreciated that the service module
may include two distinct modules, one for providing the signaling (
e.g., on a HS-SCCH) with associated UE identifiers, according to
the invention, and another for providing the services themselves
(e.g. on a HS-PDSCH).
[0040] It will also be appreciated that in the illustrated
embodiment the services provided by the service module and provided
on the line 40 to the transmitter module are actually delivered on
the radio interface on the signal line 41 by the transmitter module
in conjunction with an antenna using a transport channel which is
different from the signalling channel (e.g., HS-SCCH) used for the
identification (assignment of UE identifier) and association
(association of a structure, parameters, or both, with a UE ID)
processes and then the negotiation as just described. In the
context of the previously described environment of HSDPA, the
HS-PDSCH is sent after the HS-SCCH (signalling) frame has already
begun so that it will arrive at the midpoint of the second part of
the HS-SCCH TTI which is sent slightly in advance because it
contains the information needed by the receiver to demodulate and
decode (channelization code-wise) the data carried by the transport
channel. In other words, for example, the HS-PDSCH should start
arriving at the beginning of the third (last) slot of the HS-SCCH.
It bears mentioning that the HS-PDSCH frame in this embodiment has
a duration the same as the HS-SCCH TTI, i.e., two milliseconds.
Thus, although they overlap partially, the HS-SCCH TTI begins four
thirds of a millisecond before the beginning of the HS-PDSCH
TTI.
[0041] Although the device 10 of FIG. 1A has so far been described
as taking on the role of a network element, it has already been
mentioned that it could also take on the role of a user equipment
and such a role will now be described in some detail. FIG. 1B shows
the above-described network element embodiment on the left hand
side labeled as device 10a. The above described reference numerals
used in FIG. 1A have been repeated on the left hand side of FIG. 1B
except using the suffix "a". On the right is shown a user equipment
embodiment labeled on device 10b. In the system embodiment of FIG.
1B, the user equipment 10b may send the above-mentioned request for
multiple services to the network element 10a for instance by means
of a negotiation module 30b although it could be carried out by
some other (not shown) module. In the event that the negotiation
module 30b sends the request, the signal on the line 32b will carry
the request to the transmitter module 16b and transmit the request
on an uplink 17a via an antenna 17 to the network element 10a in
the form of a Node B or base station. Receipt of such a request has
already been described in connection with the network element 10a
embodiment in the description appearing immediately above in
connection with FIG. 1A. Such a request, as already described,
would be processed in the network element 10a with a resultant
negotiation process involving the user equipment 10b. If the
network element 10a proposes a plurality of user equipment
identifiers with associated signalling structures, or parameters,
or both, and signals same on a line 41a on a downlink 17b via an
antenna 17c to the user equipment, it will be received in the
receiver module 12b of the user equipment 10b embodiment and
provided on a line 34b to the negotiation module 30b. In the user
equipment embodiment 10b, the negotiation module 30b may consider
the proposed identifiers and associated signalling structures, or
parameters, or both, sent by the network element and agree to same.
In that case, the negotiation module 30b sends a signal on the line
32b to the transmitter module 16b where, in response thereto, an
acceptance signal is sent back to the network element 10a over the
radio interface. If the negotiation module 30b cannot accept the
proposal, the UE 10b could simply signal back a non-acceptance and
let the network make a new proposal as described previously. Or, it
can for instance provide a signal on the line 42b to the
identification module 22b of the user equipment 10b and the user
equipment can then propose its own plurality of user equipment
identifiers and provide an indication thereof on the signal line
24b to the association module 26b where signalling structures, or
parameters, or both, appropriate for each identifier are associated
therewith and signalled on the line 28b back to the negotiation
module 30b which can then propose same on the line 32b back to the
network element via the transmitter module 16b.
[0042] On the other hand, the user equipment in the device 10b
embodiment shown in FIG. 1B could instead itself initiate the
methodology of the present invention without first having received
a proposal from the network element 10a. In other words, the user
equipment 10b may signal to the identification module 22b by means
of some (not shown) application layer module that a service or that
a number of services are desired and the identification module will
then identify one or a corresponding plurality of user equipment
identifiers for use by the user equipment 10b and send an
indication thereof on the signal line 24b to the association module
26b where an association is made between corresponding signalling
structures, or parameters, or both, and the plurality of user
equipment identifiers, considering the services requested. Once the
plurality of user equipment identifiers and associated signalling
structures, or parameters, or both, are ready to be proposed, an
indication thereof is sent on the signal line 28b to the
negotiation module 30b which can then provide a signal on the line
32b to the transmitter module 16b for transmission on a radio
uplink to the network element 10a for consideration by the network.
If the network agrees, an acceptance signal can be sent on a radio
downlink 17b which is received by the user equipment 10b antenna 17
and then provided on the line 18b to the receiver module 12b where
it is processed and provided on the line 34b back to the
negotiation module 30b of the user equipment 10b. Once the
plurality of user equipment identifiers and associated signalling
structures, or parameters, or both, are agreed upon by both the
user equipment and the network element, the negotiation module 30b
can signal the successfully negotiated plurality of user equipment
identifiers and associated signalling structures, or parameters, or
both, on the signal line 36b to the service module 38b which
processes that information before participating with the network
element in the delivery and consumption of network services which
may involve both the transmission of information on the line 40b on
an uplink via the antenna 17 to the network element as well as
reception of services on a line 18b from the device 10a transmitted
on a downlink 17b from the network element 10a to the user
equipment 10b. Before the service module sends a service in the
form of a data payload packet on the HS-PDSCH, it will send the
corresponding signaling on the HS-SCCH using the UE identifier
previously assigned corresponding to the service. The receiver 12b
receives the HS-SCCH signaling and provides it to the
identification module 22b where it is checked and recognized as
belonging (having been previously assigned) to the particular
single UE 10b. It then signals the particular UE ID to the
association module 26b where the corresponding structure, or
parameters, or both, are determined. This information can then be
provided directly to the service module for use in interpreting the
subsequently incoming service packet with the payload data. The
receiver module 12b can then receive the service packet delivered
on the downlink on the line 18b and provide the downloaded service
packet on a line 43 directly to the service module 38b for
interpretation and consumption i.e., at higher layers within the UE
10b.
[0043] It bears mentioning that although the network element and
user equipment embodiments discussed above in connection with FIG.
1A and 1B are shown as hardware comprising various modules in
combination, these modules may also be viewed as comprising means
for carrying out the functions identified so that the
identification module corresponds to means for identifying a
plurality of user equipment identifiers for a single user
equipment, the association module corresponds to means for
associating a signalling structure, or parameters, or both, for
each of the plurality of user equipment identifiers from among a
plurality of different signalling structures, or parameters, or
both, the negotiation module can be viewed as negotiation means for
negotiating the identifiers and the service module can be viewed as
means for providing, consuming or participating in a service
communicated over a radio interface. Such services may include real
time services such a voice over IP, data services which are not as
delay sensitive as the real time services, or the like. It should
also be understood that such means should also be understood as
embracing the functions described below in connection with the
flowcharts of FIGS. 5 and 6 as carried out by coded instructions
executed by the signal processor of FIG. 7 or by an equivalent
hardware structure such as an ASIC or DSP.
[0044] Although not limited thereto, an embodiment of this
invention for use in an HSDPA environment requires that the first
part of the HS-SCCH is unchanged from the current state of the art,
i.e., the number of control bits (=8) is the same as well as the
channel coding, puncturing and UE specific masking. The content of
these eight control bits may be UE ID dependent. The second part
can be changed, i.e., even the number of control bits and thus the
channel coding, puncturing, etc. can be different and is therefore
future-proof as shown for example in FIG. 2. As described earlier,
the Part 1 of HS-SCCH contains eight bits, 1 bit for modulation
scheme and 7 bits for channelization code set. These are
convolutional encoded and masked with a sequence derived from the
UE id. For the VoIP or some other low bit rate service, the amount
of bits to be transmitted can be so low that typically only QPSK
modulation is used and only a few channelization codes (i.e.,
HS-PDSCHs) are needed, say only one or two. Then if only QPSK is
used for this service or user, no modulation scheme needs to be
indicated on HS-SCCH. Similarly, if only a maximum of two
channelization codes were needed, the channelization code set could
be indicated with 5 bits (4 bits to indicate the starting point of
the codes and 1 bit to indicate the number of codes, i.e., 1 or 2).
Then three remaining bits of HS-SCCH part 1 could be used for other
purposes (e.g. signaling other parameters). If the amount of
possible channelization codes were smaller, e.g., only 8, then only
3 bits would be needed to indicate the starting point of the codes.
In this case totally only 4 bits would be needed and then their
performance could be improved by simply repeating the bits twice
before convolutional encoding. Instead of repetition code, other
more powerful block codes could be used to improve the performance
of the signaling bits of the part 1 without changing the masking
and convolutional coding structure. The UE would know which
parameters are signaled with the 8 bits of the Part 1 based on the
UE id (that is used for masking of Part 1). Furthermore, after
receiving the Part 1 and based on the detected UE id (that was used
for masking the Part 1), UE knows how to interpret the Part 2 of
HS-SCCH. Now it is possible to change the Part 2 completely: the
number of signaling bits can be different as well as the meaning of
those bits. Even the channel coding can be different from the one
used in the current specifications. For instance, in the VoIP case
the transport block size (TBS) is more limited and less than 6 bits
could be allocated for it. Furthermore, the number of redundancy
versions could be less, etc. With less signaling bit stronger
channel coding can be applied and thus less transmit power is
needed. Alternatively, more or other signaling parameters can be
sent.
[0045] Thus, as explained in more detail above, one example case
where this invention could be very much needed is VoIP transmission
on HS-DSCH. VoIP packets are typically rather small, implying that
not all control bits specified currently for HS-SCCH may be needed.
One could specify a more optimized HS-SCCH structure for VoIP
(e.g., with stronger channel coding for the second part). Then a UE
receiving both VoIP traffic and other data traffic would be
configured with two UE IDs, one for VoIP and the other for the
other data traffic. When a VoIP packet is transmitted to the UE,
then the VoIP specific UE ID and corresponding HS-SCCH structure is
used and when other data is transmitted to the UE, then the normal
HS-SCCH structure with the other UE ID would be used.
[0046] FIG. 2 tries to show that depending on the UE ID based mask
used for HS-SCCH Part 1 indicates which structure (A, B or C) is
used for HS-SCCH Part 2. For instance, A could be the currently
specified structure (including the specified parameters and their
value ranges and interpretation as well as the channel coding), B
could be a new structure specified, e.g., for VoIP (as explained
above), C could be a new structure specified, e.g., for
multicarrier transmission. Then three different UE IDs would be
allocated for a single UE if that UE is supposed to receive normal
(current spec) HS-SCCH transmission, VoIP transmissions and
multicarrier transmissions. If some UE only receives normal
transmissions, then only one UE ID would be allocated for it.
[0047] Another embodiment of the present invention involves using
the same frame structure as already defined in the specifications
for the HS-SCCH (same parameters with the same value ranges and
same channel coding) but to use the UE ID to indicate some new
parameter value, e.g., frequency carrier for multicarrier system or
stream ID for multistream MIMO or additional HARQ process IDs. The
frequency carrier or stream ID examples are new parameters while
the additional HARQ process IDs example is an extension of the
value range of an existing parameter. For instance, if we have a
multicarrier system with four carriers, then each multicarrier UE
would be allocated for UE IDs. Then, depending on which
carrier/band is used to send data for this UE, the corresponding UE
ID is being used. This can for instance be done explicitly or
implicitly.
[0048] Thus, this embodiment of the invention uses the same frame
structure for the HS-SCCH as presently specified with the same
parameters and with the same value ranges and the same channel
coding. However, the different UE IDs are used to indicate some new
parameter values.
A) Explicit Method (see FIG. 3A):
[0049] FIG. 3A presents an implementation A for fast carrier
assignment, where the DL carrier band (A(Core), B, C, or D) is
explicitly indicated as embedded information that HS-SCCH carries;
it presents the UE ID indicating the frequency carrier/band.
[0050] In FIG. 3A, UE ID number 1 is used for explicitly indicating
band D, UE ID number 2 for explicitly indicating band C, etc. In
this way, there is no need to change the HS-SCCH frame structure to
be able to send some new parameter or to extend the value range of
some parameter while at the same time having the ability to
allocate more than one UE ID for one UE so that it is possible to
dynamically change between different parameters used for different
transmission time intervals (TTIs).
[0051] Thus, the DL HS-SCCH carries information embedded in it
explicitly indicating the frequency band (for instance A (Core), B,
C, or D) where the UE will receive the high speed physical downlink
shared channel (HS-PDSCH). After the UE deciphers the embedded
information it can start receiving signal on a DL carrier different
from the core carrier. In such a case, a UE ID could indicate that
HS-SCCH uses `multicarrier` structure. This could for instance mean
that the Part 1 carries frequency carrier info instead of
modulation and channelization code info. This would enable the
possibility that the UE could start buffering the data at the
indicated frequency band (carrier). The `multicarrier` structure
could further mean that Part 2 is transmitted together with the
data on the new carrier. If there are a maximum of four frequency
carriers, then two bits are needed to indicate the carrier
frequency. Then only six bits were left for modulation scheme and
channelization code set. This could be enough if the other data
carriers (DO-DSCH=data only downlink shared channel) were assumed
to be allocated for high bit rates only (no need to indicate, e.g.,
single codes). The other possibility is that part of that
information is sent in Part 2 together with other parameters. It is
also possible that all the HS-SCCH information is sent core band,
as shown in FIG. 3. Then the UE has to be able to receive
simultaneously on multiple bands: HS-SCCH on core band and the data
channel (DO-DSCH) on the other band and the band to be used for the
data transmission is determined by the UE id used on HS-SCCH.
[0052] Another explicit signaling method is depicted in the
embodiment of FIG. 3B. Here an explicit DL carrier parameter is
added to HS-SCCH, preferably in the Part 1 which is sent before the
data channel (DO-DSCH). This implies that the HS-SCCH frame
structure or the parameter fields need to be changed. The changed
HS-SCCH structure can be told to the UE, e.g., by RRC signaling.
Thus unlike the other embodiments only one UE ID is needed in this
case. UE would normally detect and decode HS-SCCH channels and when
it finds HS-SCCH with a matching UE ID mask, it reads the
parameters from HS-SCCH. Now, the new parameter for DL carrier sent
on HS-SCCH would tell the band to be used for data
transmission/reception.
B) Implicit Method (see FIG. 4):
[0053] FIG. 4 presents an implementation B for fast carrier
assignment, where the DL carrier is implicitly mapped from the
channelization code used on the HS-SCCH assigned for the UE.
[0054] DL HS-SCCH channelization code is implicitly matched into a
DL carrier number (this mapping has for instance been previously
agreed to by the BS and UE via RRC signalling). When the UE detects
information for it on a HS-SCCH with a given channelization code,
it switches to the DL carrier for receiving the HS-PDSCH as
indicated by the implicit relationship between the channelization
code and DL carrier number according to the previously agreed
mapping. For instance, if UE decodes the HS-SCCHs of FIG. 4 and
notices that the UE id allocated for it matches with the UE id mask
used on channelisation code C, then the UE knows that it has data
transmission on band C. Similarly, if data is transmitted on band D
then the associated control is transmitted on HS-SCCH using
channelisation code D.
[0055] As described above, according to this invention it is
proposed to allocate multiple UE IDs for one UE, one for each
possible new L1 parameter. Some examples follow.
[0056] UE ID to Indicate DL Carrier
[0057] This example has already been mentioned in connection with
FIGS. 3 and 4 but will now be further elaborated upon here,
especially as the invention pertains to the communication of
multiple services at the same time. According to this embodiment of
the invention it is proposed to allocate multiple UE IDs for one
UE, for example, one for each possible frequency carrier allocated
for the UE. As previously mentioned, the mapping between the UE ID
and the carrier frequency can for instance be agreed upon between
UE and network via RRC signalling at the connection setup phase.
The UE ID continues to be used on the HS-SCCH in the same way as it
is used today: both for UE specific masking of the first part of
the HS-SCCH TTI as well as for the UE specific CRC.
[0058] When the Node B scheduler allocates for a UE some HS-PDSCH
code channels on a given frequency carrier, it sends the
corresponding parameters on HS- SCCH using the UE ID which
corresponds to this carrier, i.e., which is associated with this
carrier by the above mentioned mapping.
[0059] The UE receives the HS-SCCH channels as usual, searching for
its UE ID. Now, according to this invention, the UE has to check
several UE IDs and if it finds one (or several) UE ID(s) allocated
for it, the UE then knows to start receiving on the carrier(s)
indicated by the received UE ID(s) using the parameter values given
on HS-SCCH. Thus a new way of searching for the UE is that instead
of searching for only one UE ID, as in the prior art, it has to
search for several UE IDs. Based on the UE specific masking of the
first part of the HS-SCCH TTI, the UE now knows the modulation
scheme, channelization code set and also the DL carrier.
[0060] As pointed out already above, the same mechanism can be used
to indicate several carriers at the same time. If the UE is capable
of receiving data on multiple carriers simultaneously, this same
mechanism can be used to indicate those carriers: Node B will
signal to this one UE using several HS-SCCHs simultaneously, using
corresponding different UE IDs on each HS-SCCH (i.e., one HS-SCCH
and one UE ID per carrier). The data transmitted on different
HS-PDSCH carriers may belong to one transport block or to several
transport blocks. If they belong to one transport block, the
transport block size should be the sum of the transport block sizes
signaled on the corresponding HS-SCCHs. If the data is transmitted
in several transport blocks, then there should be one transport
block per carrier and each HS-SCCH carries information about one
carrier only.
UE ID to Indicate HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request) Process
ID
[0061] If more than one transport block is transmitted to one UE
during one TTI (either on separate carriers or on a separate data
stream (e.g., MIMO)), separate HARQ processes need to be allocated
to each of them. This is because, for each process, data blocks can
become available at the receiver out of sequence due to the
propagation channel or path quality and they need to be reordered
by such means. Node B could signal to this one UE using several
HS-SCCHs simultaneously, using corresponding different UE IDs on
each HS-SCCH. Now the UE IDs on each HS-SCCH uniquely identify the
correct HARQ process for the relevant transport block. Effectively
this would mean that the UE id identifies the data stream. The UE
ID would tell the set of HARQ processes and HARQ process ID the
actual ID within the set. This effectively results in HARQ
processes 1A and 1B, 2A and 2B, etc., i.e., two HARQ process sets A
and B and eight processes within each set. Alternatively, the eight
HARQ processes (as is possible in the prior art with a three bit
HARQ process ID) may not be enough. By allocating two UE IDs for
one UE, the number of HARQ processes can be doubled.
UE ID to Separate Control and Data
[0062] It would be useful to be able to distinguish data and
control (e.g., SRBs) already at the physical layer, i.e., at the
earliest stage. This would allow different routing of data and
control immediately at the lowest layer, e.g., high data rate data
could be routed directly to some output port without processing
every PDU in the MAC layer processor. Or SRBs could easily be given
higher priority at every processing stage when they could be
distinguished from other data.
UE ID to indicate First Transmission and Retransmission
[0063] Another example could be to indicate with the UE ID whether
the transmission is the first transmission or a retransmission of a
transport block. This is currently done partly with NDI (new data
indicator), but if UE misses the first transmission, it does not
know whether the transmission is a first transmission or a
retransmission (NDI tells whether to combine it with the previous
or not). For some applications this could be useful.
[0064] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a series of steps which
may be carried out by the signal processor 14a in the network
element 10a of FIG. 1B, similar to the process already described in
connection with both FIGS. 1A and 1B. After entering in a step 500,
a step 502 is executed in which a request is received from the UE
10b for a service or for plural services. The receiver module 12a
processes the request in a step 504 and provides the processed
request signal on the line 20a to the identification module 22a.
The identification module carries out a step of allocating or
assigning the user equipment an identifier for one of the services
requested. In a step 508, the network element 10a determines if
more services have been requested by the UE 10b. If so, the
identification module carries out an additional assignment of an
identifier for another service requested or even for the same
service. More services can be determined in the step 508 and
additional UE identifiers assigned in the step 506 until no more
services are determined as being requested. Once all of the
services have had assignments of identifiers made, a step 510 is
executed to signal the resultant user equipment identifiers and
services to the association module 26a. Of course, the process can
be done one at a time instead of all at once as described. Once the
association module 26a receives the user identifiers assigned for
each service requested, it associates to each identifier a
signalling structure, or parameters, or both, appropriate for the
requested service. If multiple user equipment identifiers have been
provided to the association module 26a, it can make such a
determination in a step 514 and continue to associate signalling
structures, or parameters, or both, as appropriate, to each user
equipment identifier. Once it is determined that there are no more
user equipment identifiers that need to have signalling structures,
or parameters, or both, associated therewith, a negotiation process
begins in a step 516 so that the user equipment can be made
agreeable to the signalling structures, or parameters, or both, and
associated user equipment identifiers before the actual services
are delivered on another payload channel. This process can take
place between peer RRC layer entities at the UE and the network
sides. Once the negotiation is completed as determined in a step
518, the services may be provided for instance as indicated in the
step 520 using parameters carried in the signalling structures
associated with the user identifier that is assigned for a given
service. A return is then made in a step 522.
[0065] FIG. 6 shows a series of steps that may be carried out in
the user equipment 10b of FIG. 1B, but as is also the case for FIG.
6, it is only an example and the invention is not limited by the
specific steps shown or their specific order and can moreover be
carried out in a distributed fashion by different modules or
entities. After entering in a step 600, the decision is made in the
user equipment 10b that the user equipment needs services as
indicated in a step 602. This might be carried out in an
application layer that is not illustrated in FIG. 1B. However, such
an application layer process can signal to the identification
module 22b of the need for services and the identification module
22b will then assign a user equipment identifier for each such
service (or even for a single service) that is needed as indicated
in the step 604. The identification module 22b will then indicate
to the association module 22b by means of the signal on the line
24b of the assigned user equipment identifiers. The association
module 26b will then carry out a step 606 to associate each
assigned user equipment identifier to a signalling structure, or
parameters, or both, appropriate for the given needed service. The
assigned user identifiers with associated signalling structures, or
parameters, or both, are then communicated on the line 28b to the
negotiation module 30b which then sends a request from the user
equipment over the wireless interface to the network for the needed
services as indicated in a step 608. As discussed previously in
connection with FIG. 1B, this request can be sent on the signal
line 32b via the transmitter module 16b and the antenna 17 over the
wireless interface to the network element 10a for negotiation. It
should also be mentioned that the step 604, 606 can be skipped if
it is desired to have the network element do the assignment of the
user equipment identifiers and the association of signalling
structures, or parameters, or both,. In any event, the previously
described negotiation process can then be carried out as indicated
in a step 610 in FIG. 6. Once it is determined in a step 612 that
the negotiation process is complete, a step 614 is executed to
receive the services provided by the network on physical channels
delivered using parameters signaled by means of the signalling
structures, or parameters, or both, associated with the assigned
user equipment identifiers. A return is then made in a step
616.
[0066] FIG. 7 shows a general purpose signal processor 700 which
may be used to carry out the steps shown in FIGS. 6 or 7. As such,
it would take the place of processor 14a or 14b, or both 14a and
14b. It may be comprised of components constituting a general
purpose signal processor including a central processing unit 702, a
random access memory 704, a read only memory 706, an input/output
device 708, a clock 710, and other components 712, all
interconnected by data, address and control lines 714. It will be
appreciated that the steps of FIG. 5 or the steps of FIG. 6 can be
encoded using a computer programming language and stored for
execution in the read only memory 706 of the signal processor 700.
The central processing unit 702 would then execute the coded
instructions, storing certain results of computation in the random
access memory 704 and interchanging data over the bus 714 with the
input/output device 708 which in turn communicates with the
receiver module 12 or the transmitter module 16 of FIG. 1A. In
addition to the signal processor shown in FIG. 7, it will be
appreciated by any person of skill in the art that one or more of
the modules 22, 26, 30, 38 of FIG. 1A can be incorporated into an
integrated circuit or set of integrated circuits which in
combination are capable of carrying out the above-described
invention.
[0067] Referring to FIG. 1B and FIG. 5, the already described steps
502, 504, 506, 508 and 510 shown in FIG. 5 can be viewed, when
coded using a computer programming language stored in the signal
processor 700 of FIG. 7 as means for carrying out the assignment
function of the identification module 22a function of FIG. 1B.
Similarly, the steps 512 and 514 of FIG. 5 can also be encoded in a
computer programming language and stored in the signal processor
ROM 706 of FIG. 7 and executed by the signal processor 700 to
carryout the function of the association module 26a of FIG. 1B. As
such, the steps 512, 514 of FIG. 5 constitute means for associating
a signalling structure, or parameters, or both, for each of the
plurality of user equipment identifiers from among the plurality of
different signalling structures, or parameters, or both,. Not shown
in FIG. 5 is another step that may be carried out as well, i.e., a
step of signalling from the association module 26a to the
negotiation module 30a with the signal on the line 28a. Such a
function may also be carried out by the encoded instructions stored
in the ROM 706 of the signal processor 700 and be a part of the
association module or means function. Likewise, the negotiation
module 30a of FIG. 1B may be carried out by the signal processor
700 of FIG. 7 using encoded instructions according to a signal
processing language selected by the designer for carrying out the
steps 516, 518 of FIG. 5 in a network element such as the network
element 10a of FIG. 1B. The step 520 of FIG. 5 of course
corresponds to the service module 38a function shown in FIG. 1B
when carried out in the signal processor 700 of FIG. 7 according to
the code stored in the ROM 706 and written according to the
selected programming language.
[0068] Referring to the right hand side of FIG. 1B, and in
particular to the signal processor modules shown within the signal
processor block 14b, the functions of the modules 22b, 26b, 30b,
and 38b may also be viewed as capable of being carried out by a
signal processor such as the signal processor 700 shown in FIG. 7
in a manner similar to that which has just been described above in
connection with the left hand side of FIG. 1B. Thus, the signal
processor 700 of FIG. 7 can be viewed as including means for
assigning the plurality of user equipment identifiers for a single
user equipment corresponding to the identification module function
22b of FIG. 1B and carried out for example according to the step
604 of FIG. 6 in the environment shown in FIGS. 1B & 6 where
the UE 10b decides in the step 602 that services are needed.
Similarly, the signal processor 700 can be viewed as including
means for associating a signalling structure for each of the
plurality of user equipment identifiers from among a plurality of
different signalling structures such as illustrated in the step 606
of FIG. 6. The functions of the service module 38b of FIG. 1B can
also be carried out by the signal processor 700 by means of a
computer program stored in the signal processor 700 for carrying
out the step 614 shown in FIG. 6. As for the negotiation module 30b
of FIG. 1B, the functions shown by the steps 608, 610, 612 of FIG.
6 can be encoded in a computer programming language and stored in
the ROM 706 of the signal processor 700 of FIG. 7 for execution by
the signal processor. As such, the signal processor 700 may be
viewed as including means for negotiating the identifiers with the
user equipment according to the steps shown in FIG. 6 and/or FIG.
1B.
[0069] Although the invention has been shown and described with
respect to a best mode embodiment thereof, it will be evident to
those of skill in the art that various other devices and methods
can be provided to carry out the objectives of the present
invention while still falling within the coverage of the appended
claims. While there have been shown and described and pointed out
fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to preferred
embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions
and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the
devices and methods described may be made by those skilled in the
art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For
example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those
elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same
function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results
are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be
recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps
shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or
embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other
disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general
matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be
limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended
hereto. Furthermore, in the claims means-plus-function clauses are
intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the
recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also
equivalent structures. Thus although a nail and a screw may not be
structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface
to secure wooden parts together, whereas a screw employs a helical
surface, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail and a
screw may be equivalent structures.
* * * * *