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EP0877512A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

A method for scheduling packet data transmission

Assignee: Nokia Oyj
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Filing: 1998-05-01
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2018-05-01
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Abstract

Abstract In a packet data transmission and reception system a media access control (MAC) message is broadcast by a base station to a plurality of mobile stations. The MAC message contains packet data transmission scheduling information which allows the base station to preemptively control mobile station access to traffic channels in order to maximize the efficiency of packet data transmissions and allow scheduling consideration including priority access, quality of service and maximum bytes per transfer. The MAC message consists of a control frame structure which comprises scheduling parameters including MAC IDs fields, activity fields, and a field representing the number of free traffic channels in a cell. These parameters enable multiple mobile stations to share, in a time multiplexed fashion, traffic channels for packet data transmission on CDMA based mobile communication systems.

Inventors

  • 👤 Zhi-Chun Honkasalo
  • 👤 Pasi Liimatainen
  • 👤 Sona Kapadia
  • 👤 John Noneman

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 19:59
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W28/00; H04W28/02; H04W28/10; H04W28/12; H04W28/14; H04W36/00; H04W36/16; H04W36/18; H04W74/00; H04W74/04; H04W8/00; H04W8/26; Y; Y02; Y02D; Y02D30/00; Y02D30/70

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim 72 words
A method for transmitting packet data from a plurality of mobile stations to a base station, comprising the steps of: broadcasting media access control (MAC) information from the base station to the plurality of mobile stations; receiving the broadcast MAC information at the plurality of mobile stations; and for a mobile station specified in the MAC information, transmitting packet data to the base station at a time specified by the MAC information.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 32 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein a set of the mobile stations transmit their respective packet data over a same traffic channel at different times, as specified by the MAC information.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the step of broadcasting uses a dedicated MAC channel.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 41 words
A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the base station transmits packet data destined for the mobile station on a forward link at the same time the mobile station transmits packet data on the reverse link.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 97 words
A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the MAC information comprises a MAC control frame structure for conveying packet data transmission scheduling information, the MAC control frame structure including a plurality of activity fields, one activity field for each active packet data mobile station within a cell, a Next MAC ID field which specifies the identification of a mobile station to be given traffic channel access in a next time slot, and a #Free Channels field which specifies a number of available traffic channels for packet data service at the base station.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 31 words
A method as in claim 5, wherein the identification of the mobile station is by a temporary number (MAC ID) that is assigned to the mobile station by the base station.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 33 words
A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein transmissions of packet data from the mobile station to the base station are preemptively controlled and scheduled by the base station.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 56 words
A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the base station transmits MAC information to a specific mobile station using a permuted electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station as a long code mask, and broadcasts MAC information to all mobile stations within a cell using a public long code mask.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 48 words
A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, wherein transmissions between the base station and mobile stations employ spreading codes, a unique spreading code to identify transmissions to each mobile station individually, and a public spreading code to identify a broadcast to all mobile stations.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 47 words
A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, wherein a base station of an original cell and a base station of a new cell both receive a transmission from a mobile station during a transition period from the original cell to the new cell.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 103 words
A cellular communication system, comprising: a plurality of base stations, each base station having an associated cell; a plurality of mobile stations located within said cells; means in each said base station for broadcasting media access control (MAC) information from said base station to mobile stations located within the base station's cell; each of said mobile stations comprising a receiver for receiving said broadcast MAC information; and each of said mobile stations further comprising a controller, responsive to said broadcast MAC information, for transmitting packet data from said mobile station to said base station at a time specified by the received MAC information.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 32 words
A system as in claim 11, wherein a set of said mobile stations transmit their respective packet data over a same traffic channel at different times, as specified by said MAC information.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 18 words
A system as claimed claim 11 or 12, wherein said means for broadcasting uses a dedicated MAC channel.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 25 words
A system as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein said receiver receives a dedicated MAC channel using a predefined spreading code.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 42 words
A system as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein said base station transmits packet data destined for said mobile station on a forward link at the same time said mobile station transmits packet data on the reverse link.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 98 words
A system as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein said MAC information comprises a MAC control frame structure for conveying packet data transmission scheduling information, said MAC control frame structure including a plurality of activity fields, one activity field for each active packet data mobile station within said cell, a Next MAC ID field which specifies said identification of said mobile station to be given traffic channel access in a next time slot, and a #Free Channels field which specifies a number of available traffic channels for packet data service at said base station.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 34 words
A system as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 16, wherein transmissions of packet data from said mobile station to said base station are preemptively controlled and scheduled by said base station.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 57 words
A system as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 17, wherein said base station transmits MAC information to a specific mobile station using a permuted electronic serial number (ESN) of said mobile station as a long code mask, and broadcasts MAC information to all mobile stations within a cell using a public long code mask.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 50 words
A system as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 18, wherein transmissions between said base station and said mobile stations employ spreading codes, a unique spreading code to identify transmissions to each mobile station individually, and a public spreading code to identify a broadcast to all mobile stations.
Claim 20
Independent Claim 48 words
A system as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 19, wherein said base station of an original cell and said base station of a new cell temporarily receives a transmission from said mobile station during a transition period from the original cell to a new cell.
Claim 21
Independent Claim 193 words
A method of scheduling the wireless transmission of packet data between a mobile station and a base station, comprising the steps of: assigning an identification to and an activity status for each packet data service mobile station within a cell; setting the activity status of the packet data service mobile station for queuing the mobile station for packet data transmission; scheduling packet data transmission times for multiple queued mobile stations; activating with a media access control (MAC) message a queued mobile station by assigning, with the identification, a right to transmit packet data; updating the activity status and activation scheduling information in a next MAC message; broadcasting with a MAC message a packet data transmission scheduling sequence which comprises the updated activity status and activation information to each active packet data service mobile station; decoding in each active packet data service mobile station the broadcast activity status and activation information to determine the scheduling sequence; predicting a time period when the mobile station has permission to transmit packet data by evaluating the decoded activity status and activation information; and transmitting packet data during the predicted time period according to the broadcast scheduling sequence.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 34 words
A method as set forth in claim 21, wherein the step of scheduling is performed after evaluating one or more parameters including prioritized access, service quality considerations, and maximum number of bytes to transmit.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 49 words
A method as set forth in claim 21 or 22, wherein the base station identifies the mobile station with a temporary number (MAC ID), the MAC ID is valid for the base station that assigns it and multiple base stations may assign different MAC IDs to the mobile station.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 36 words
A method as set forth in claim 23, wherein a plurality of mobile stations are identified as a sub-group, each sub-group reusing MAC IDs assigned by a base station to mobile stations within a different sub-group.
Claim 25
Independent Claim 254 words
A method of scheduling transmission of channel packet data between a packet data source and a packet data sink in a wireless transmission/reception system, comprising the steps of: establishing time slots for transmitting packet data by dividing access to traffic channels allocated for packet data communication into discrete time periods; establishing an identification number (MAC ID) for packet data sources to be used for packet data transmission; associating an activity field with each MAC ID; using a MAC control frame structure to convey packet data transmission scheduling information from the packet data sink to queued packet data sources, wherein the scheduling information includes activity fields, a Next MAC ID field which specifies a packet data source having a MAC ID to be given traffic channel access in a next time slot, and a count of a number of free traffic channels available at the packet data sink; activating a queued data source by assigning the Next MAC ID field the value of the data source's MAC ID, thus granting a right to transmit packet data in the next time slot; updating the activity field of the activated data source and decreasing the count of the number of free traffic channels; broadcasting the MAC control frame structure to all packet data sources; predicting at the packet data source the time slot when a given packet data source can transmit packet data by evaluating the MAC control frame structure; and transmitting the packet data according to the access/transmission scheduling sequence defined within the MAC control frame.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 23 words
A method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the base station periodically updates the information contained in the MAC control frame structure.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 157 words
A method as set forth in claim 25 or 26, wherein the step of predicting when a given packet data source will be active further comprises the steps of: counting, in a cyclic manner, a number of zero valued bits in the activity fields of the MAC control frame structure from left to right starting from, but excluding, the position of the Next MAC ID to the MAC ID position of the given packet data source; retrieving the #Free Channels field from the MAC control frame structure; dividing the count of zero valued activity fields from the position of the Next MAC ID to the position of the given packet data source by the #Free Channels field; and adding the integer quotient from the division performed in the step above and the number one, this value plus the current slot number representing the time slot in which the predicting packet data source is to transmit packet data.
Claim 28
Independent Claim 29 words
A method as set forth in any one of claims 25 to 27, wherein the steps of transmitting occur over a code division multiple access (CDMA) packet data channel.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5257257A Cited

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