1

A2314VI
 Europaisches Patentamt

(19) European Patent Office 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Office europeen des brevets (11) EP 0 720 805 81

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45) Date of publication and mention (51) Int Cl.7: H04Q 7/22
of the grant of the patent:
14.11.2001 Bulletin 2001/46 (86) International application number:
PCT/Fl93/00385
(21) Application number: 93920866.6
(87) International publication number:
(22) Date of filing: 24.09.1993 WO 95/08899 (30.03.1995 Gazette 1995/14)

(54) SOFT HANDOFF IN A CELLULAR TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

SANFTES WEITERREICHEN IN EINEM ZELLULAREN KOMMUNIKATIONSSYSTEM

TRANSFERT PROGRESSIF DANS UN SYSTEME DE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CELLULAIRE

(84) Designated Contracting States: (74) Representative: Akras, Tapio Juhani et al

AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL Oy Keister Ab,
PTSE lso Roobertinkatu 23,
P.O. Box 148
(43) Date of publication of application: 00121 Helsinki (Fl)
10.07.1996 Bulletin 1996/28
(56) References cited:
(73) Proprietor: Nokia Networks Oy WO-A-92/22966 WO-A-93/06663
02150 Espoo (Fl) US-A- 4 696 052

(72) Inventor: MUSZYNSKI, Peter

FIN-00390 Helsinki (Fl)

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N Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give
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notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in
0
a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art.
a. 99(1) European Patent Convention).
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Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR)
 EP O 720 805 81
Description
Field of the invention
[0001] The present invention relates to cellular tele-
communications systems. More specifically, the present
invention relates to a novel and improved handoff be-
tween a mobile station and base stations within a cellu-
lar telecommunications system.
Background of the Invention
[0002] The use of code division multiple access (CD-
MA) modulation is but one of several techniques ena-
bling digital communications among a number of mobile
users utilizing a common part of the radio spectrum, as
is the case for cellular telecommunications systems.
[0003] Other well-known radio access techniques are
time division multiple access (TOMA) and frequency di-
vision access (FDMA). The concept of soft handoff to
which the present invention is closely related, is indeed
applicable to all three of the mentioned multiple access
techniques and will result, if applied instead of the con-
ventional hard handoff schemes, in increased system
capacity and fewer dropped calls. However, soft handoff
is mandatory for CDMA, as the use of conventional hard
hand off would result in a very poor system performance.
For these reasons, the embodiment of the present in-
vention is presented for a CDMA cellular telecommuni-
cations system, however, it should be understood that
the present invention is not limited to CDMA.
[0004] An exemplary application of CDMA to cellular
telecommunications systems has been substantially de-
scribed in "On the System Design Aspects of Code Di-
vision Multiple Access (CDMA) Applied to Digital Cellu-
lar and Personal Communications Networks", Allen Sal-
masi and Klein S. Gilhousen, presented atthe 41 st IEEE
Vehicular Technology Conference on May 19-22, 1991
in St. Louis, MO
[0005] In the just mentioned publication a direct-se-
quence CDMA (OS-CDMA, or shortly, CDMA in the fol-
lowing) technique is described in which a number of user
mobile stations (MSs) communicate via CDMA radio
spread spectrum signals with base stations (BSs, also
referred to as cell sites) in the uplink (mobile station to
base station) and downlink (base station to mobile sta-
tion) direction. The base stations convert these CDMA
radio signals originating from, respectively terminating
at, the user's MS into a form appropriate for the use in
conjunction with terrestrial telecommunications trans-
mission equipment such as the commonly deployed
Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) circuit facilities. The
base stations further relay these user signals in the up-
link and downlink direction to the mobile switching cent-
er (MSC, also referred to as mobile exchanges or mobile
telephone switching office (MTSO)) for further process-
ing. Usually the user information signals are transferred
on these terrestrial links in a digital, framed format. This
2
frame structure may be derived and adapted from the
frame structure used for the radio signals which is typi-
cally defined by the voice coding process.
[0006] The just mentioned framed user communica-
5 tion signals comprise digitized voice signals and control
information (also referred to as signaling). The MSC per-
forms multiplexing and conversion operations on the
just mentioned tributaries and relays the voice signal to
the other communication user within the Public
10 Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The MSC also in-
terprets, reacts upon, and generates signaling informa-
tion, thus controlling the overall communication link be-
tween the system users. These communications link
control functions comprise the management of general
15 call related events such as call setup or tear down as
well as CDMA radio link related events such as the de-
terioration of the CDMA radio link quality and subse-
quent handoff initiation.
[0007] If CDMA is deployed within the typical medium
20 to large sized cells of land mobile telecommunications
systems then the average time delay spread of the mul-
tipath radio propagation environment is usually larger
than the chip duration of the OS-CDMA signal. This forc-
es CDMA to operate in an asynchronous mode with the
25 consequence that the orthogonality of the spread spec-
trum multiple access user signals cannot be achieved
by means of orthogonal spreading codes alone. There-
fore, the communications suffer from system self-in-
duced interference not only among signals originating
30 from different cells but in addition to that also consider-
ably within a single cell (referred to as CDMA intra-cell
interference) . For such CDMA cellular systems it is
therefore an important overall system design objective
to minimize any excessive CDMA interference among
35 the communicating users and complementary, to cap-
ture and utilize as much energy from a desired CDMA
user signal as possible. This system design require-
ment, although a generic requirement applicable to any
multiple access method within cellular telecommunica-
40 tions systems, is less stringent for FDMA and TOMA
based systems in which intra-cell interference is avoid-
ed by the intrinsic properties of the respective multiple
access method and inter-cell interference is limited by
means of pre-planned cellular frequency re-use
45 schemes. Thus, CDMA unlike FDMA or TOMA operates
in a strictly interference lirited manner. Nevertheless,
soft handoff will reduce tne inter-cell interference of a
TOMA system and therefore also improve the system
capacity, however, the gain will be less than for a CDMA
50 system. In the following, the invention is exemplified for
the case of a CDMA cellular telecommunications sys-
tem.
[0008] Several methods implementing the just men-
tioned CDMA system design objective can be readily
55 identified for the above referenced exemplary embodi-
ment of a CDMA cellular telecommunications system.
For example, the described closed loop MS transmit
power control method has the objective to continuously
2
 3 EP O 720 805 81
equalize the received qualities of all uplink CDMA sig-
nals within a single BS againstthe background of rapidly
changing radio propagation channels undergoing fast
and slow fading processes. Forth is purpose, the BS es-
timates periodically the received Eb/No, indicative of the
signal quality from each MS CDMA uplink communica-
tion and subsequently transmits an appropriate power
control command on the downlink communication chan-
nel to the MS which in turn sets the CDMA transmitter
power accordingly. Ideally, all MS CDMA uplink signals
are received at the BS with the same quality and in ad-
dition to that, minimum strength necessary in order to
maintain the communication link subject to a predeter-
mined quality threshold.
[0009] Another embodiment of the previously men-
tioned system design objective is the method of mobile
assisted soft handoff in conjunction with signal diversity
combining during an active CDMA communication
which will be summarized in the following and to which
the present invention is closely related.
[001 O] Mobile assisted soft handoff in conjunction
with signal diversity combining comprises the method of
relaying the user communication signals on the trans-
mission segment between MS and MSC synchronously
via a first and a second BS in the uplink and downlink
direction and performing signal diversity reception at the
MS and MSC in order to enhance the user signal quality.
This method is invoked by the MSC when a MS com-
municating initially with only a first BS has moved into
the overlapping coverage areas of this first BS and a
second BS and has reported the availability of a suffi-
ciently strong signal from this second BS to the MSC.
At no time instant during soft handoff in conjunction with
signal diversity combining does the MS interrupt its com-
munications with the MSC. The MSC typically deploys
post-detection/decoding, selective combining of the dig-
itally encoded speech frames.
[0011] In order to enable the reporting assistance of
the MS during soft handoff initiation all BSs may transmit
a CDMA downlink reference signal, referred to as pilot
signal. MSs, when roaming throughout the service area
of the CDMA cellular telecommunications system peri-
odically demodulate the pilot signals of the various
neighboring BSs during an ongoing communication with
a first BS and derive a corresponding pilot signal quality
indication. Again, the measured pilot Eb/No may serve
as a signal quality criteria. This indication determines a
ranked list of candidate BSs for handoff and is transmit-
ted in form of signaling information to the MSC. It should
be understood that also the first BS may perform con-
tinuously CDMA uplink signal quality measurements
and based upon these observations may give a soft
handoff request indication to the MSC.
[0012] Usually, soft handoff in conjunction with signal
diversity combining is initiated by the MSC if the MS re-
ports that the pilot signal quality of a second BS in ad-
dition to that of the first BS is sufficiently good according
to predetermined thresholds made available to the MS
4
and the MSC as well as the second BS can obtain the
required resources for the soft handoff transition. Sub-
sequently, the MS will be instructed by the MSC via the
first BS by means of signaling to enter the soft handoff
5 state and to commence signal diversity combining on
the downlink.
[0013] Moreover, the MSC initiates the additional re-
lay of the user signals via the second BS and commenc-
es diversity combining of the user signal in the uplink
10 direction. Both participating BSs invoke autonomously
the previously mentioned closed loop power control
method. The MS sets its CDMA transmit power to the
minimum of the two commanded power levels in order
to reduce excessive CDMA interference with the other
15 communication links.
[0014] Finally, when the MS is firmly established with-
in the area of the second BS and the pilot signal received
from the first BS has weakened sufficiently according to
predetermined thresholds made available to the MS it
20 will report this condition to the MSC which in turn de-
cides to terminate the soft handoff with signal diversity
combining and will use subsequently only the second
BS for maintaining the CDMA communications.
[0015] This process of soft handoff with signal diver-
25 sity combining may be repeated as the MS moves within
the service area of the CDMA cellular telecommunica-
tions system and as the measured CDMA signal
strength indications suggest.
[0016] An essential criteria for a proper soft handoff
30 with signal diversity combining is that diversity signals
received via different routes have a sufficiently small
phase difference. In prior art CDMA systems, synchro-
nized base stations are utilized and therefore the radio
link does normally not cause problems in view of the di-
35 versity combining. The differential delay times for radio
signals traversing between a MS and two different, syn-
chronized BSs are typically in the order of a few micro-
seconds. However, the diversity signals are further re-
layed via differentterrestrial transmission systems using
40 possibly different routes between the base stations and
the controlling mobile exchange MSC, whereby the
transmission delays may differ considerably on each
link. Delay differentials in the order of a few milliseconds
may be encountered in practice. This situation may
45 cause problems, especially in the downlink direction: as-
suming that the BSs and the MSC use different timing
sources, then the mobile exchange MSC will have no or
not sufficiently precise information about the radio tim-
ing at the base stations at call setup and will start send-
50 ing user information frames at an arbitrary or default
phase with regard to the BS timing. However, a small
delay in the frame arrival at the BS may cause the radio
transmission of that frame to be delayed to the next
forthcoming radio frame boundary, about 20 ms later.
55 This is an intolerable situation considering speech delay
requirements and the required synchronism during soft
handoff with diversity combining.
[0017] Prior art cellular telecommunications systems,
3
 5 EP O 720 805 81
such as e.g. the GSM system, do address the problem
of frame phase alignment between user information ra-
dio frames and the corresponding terrestrial frames. In-
deed, for the GSM system, an adaptive time alignment
procedure is specified for the user information frames
with the objective to minimize speech frame buffering
delays. This procedure works, even if the BS and the
MSC are timed independently. However, the mentioned
procedure does not support frame time alignment for
more than one participating BS, as is required during
soft handoff and covered by the present invention.
[0018] From WO 93/06663 a method for soft handoff
using data packet timing alignment is known. The
frames transmitted from the exchange to the base sta-
tions are time advanced according to the transmission
delay in an equal amount for every base station. The
delay is then compensated for by buffering the frame in
the base stations.
Summary of the Present Invention
[0019] It is an object of the present invention to pro-
vide a method and apparatus to synchronize the trans-
mission of the user signals between the participating
BSs and MS during a soft handoff with signal diversity
combining with the objective to enable reliable signal di-
versity combining within the MS, even if different timing
sources are used for the BSs and the MSCs, respec-
tively.
[0020] It is a further object to minimize buffering de-
lays of user speech signals in the downlink direction dur-
ing soft handoff.
[0021] One aspect of the invention is, a method for
soft handoff in a cellular telecommunications system in
which a user mobile station relays user communication
radio signals via at least one of a plurality of base sta-
tions and in which said base stations further relay said
user communication signals to and from a controlling
mobile exchange connected to another system user,
said further relay of user communication signals being
performed by using digital frames carried on digital
transmission connections in the uplink and downlink di-
rection, the method for soft handoff comprising the steps
of
initiating a soft handoff with diversity combining so
as to cause said controlling mobile exchange to
communicate concurrently with said mobile station
via a first base station and a second base station,
transmitting a first transmission of said user com-
munication frames in the uplink and downlink direc-
tion between the controlling mobile exchange and
said first base station on' a first digital transmission
connection,
first buffering of said downlink user communication
frames in said first base station prior to a radio trans-
mission from said first base station to said mobile
station,
6
transmitting a second transmission of said user
communication frames in the uplink and downlink
direction between the controlling mobile exchange
and said second base station on a second digital
5 transmission connection,
second buffering of said downlink user communica-
tion frames in said second base station prior to a
radio transmission from said second base station to
said mobile station, characterized by further steps
10 of
first sending of time alignment requests with regard
to said user communication frames, from said first
base station to said controlling mobile exchange,
said time alignment requests being intended for a
15 first controlling of the delay of said first buffering at
said first base station,
second sending of time alignment requests with re-
gard to said user communication frames, from said
second base station to said controlling mobile ex-
20 change, said time alignment requests being intend-
ed for a second controlling of the delay of said sec-
ond buffering at said second base station,
third buffering of downlink communication signals
from said other system user at said controlling mo-
25 bile exchange,
processing of said buffered downlink communica-
tion signals from said other system user at said con-
trolling mobile exchange, said processing resulting
in said downlink user communication frames,
30 fourth buffering of said processed downlink user
communication frames in said controlling mobile
exchange prior to said first downlink transmission
from said controlling mobile exchange to said first
base station, the frame time alignment of said first
35 downlink transmission being responsive to said first
time alignment requests,
fifth buffering of said processed downlink user com-
munication frames in said controlling mobile ex-
change prior to said second downlink transmission
40 from said controlling mobile exchange to said sec-
ond base station, the frame time alignment of said
second downlink transmission being responsive to
said second time alignment requests.
45 [0022] Another aspect of the invention is a cellular tel-
ecommunications system comprising
a plurality of mobile exchanges,
a plurality of base stations, and
50 a user mobile station relaying user communication
radio signals via at least one of said base stations,
said one of the base stations further relaying said
user communication signals to and from a control-
ling mobile exchange connected to another system
55 user, and said relay of user information being per-
formed by using digital frames carried on digital
transmission connections in uplink and downlink di-
rections,
4
 7 EP O 720 805 81
means for initiating a soft handoff with diversity
combining so as to cause said controlling mobile ex-
change to communicate concurrently with said mo-
bile station via a first base station and a second
base station,
first transmission means for transmitting said user
communication frames in the uplink and downlink
direction between the controlling mobile 'exchange
and said first base station on a first digital transmis-
sion connection,
first buffering means for buffering said downlink us-
er communication frames in said first base station
prior to a radio transmission from said first base sta-
tion to said mobile station,
second transmitting means for transmitting user
communication frames in the uplink and downlink
direction between the controlling mobile exchange
and said second base station on a second digital
transmission connection,
second buffering means for buffering said downlink
user communication frames in said second base
station prior to a radio transmission from said sec-
ond base station to said mobile station, character-
ized in that said system further comprises
first sending means for sending time alignment re-
quests with regard to said user communication
frames, from said first base station to said control-
ling mobile exchange, said time alignment requests
being intended for a first controlling of the delay of
said first buffering means at said first base station,
second sending means for sending time alignment
requests with regard to said user communication
frames, from said second base station to said con-
trolling mobile exchange, said time alignment re-
quests being intended for a second controlling of
the delay of said second buffering means at said
second base station,
third buffering means for buffering downlink com-
munication signals from said other system user at
said controlling mobile exchange,
processing means for processing said buffered
downlink communication signals from said other
system user at said controlling mobile exchange,
said processing resulting in said downlink user
communication frames,
fourth buffering means for buffering said processed
downlink user communication frames in said con-
trolling mobile exchange prior to said first downlink
transmission from said controlling mobile exchange
to said first base station, the frame time alignment
of said first downlink transmission being responsive
to said first time alignment requests,
fifth buffering means for buffering said processed
downlink user communication frames in said con-
trolling mobile exchange prior to said second down-
link transmission from said controlling mobile ex-
change to said second base station, the frame time
alignment of said second downlink transmission be-
8
ing responsive to said second time alignment re-
quests.
[0023] The basic idea of the invention is to compen-
5 sate the differential delay between two or more terres-
trial routes to two or more base stations during soft
handoff. To that purpose, a novel time alignment (TA)
procedure is employed. The base stations act as mas-
ters in the TA procedure and are therefore provided with
10 an accurate timing reference. There should therefore be
no long term drift between the timing of the base sta-
tions, although this condition is not essential for the
proper operation of the TA procedure of the present in-
vention. The time alignment of the user information
15 frames between the radio link and the terrestrial trans-
mission links for the uplink direction (from a mobile sta-
tion to an exchange) is considered to be performed in-
ternally in the base station participating in a soft handoff.
In the inventive TA procedure, each of the base stations
20 participating in a soft handoff sends independently time
alignment requests to the mobile exchange to thereby
control the frame timing of the corresponding downlink
transmission with the objective to enable reliable signal
diversity combining within the MS. The mobile exchange
25 buffers the frames for each downlink separately and per-
forms the time alignment, thereby taking into account
the TA requests from all BTSs participating in the soft
handoff with the further objective to minimize the overall
buffering delays in case of speech communications.
30
Brief description of the drawings
[0024] The features and advantages of the present in-
vention will become more apparentfrom the detailed de-
35 scription set forth below when taken in conjunction with
the drawings:
Figure 1 is a schematic overview of an exemplary
CDMA cellular telecommunications system in ac-
40 cordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a block diagram showing a preferred em-
bodiment mobile switching center for use within a
CDMA cellular telecommunications system;
Figure 3 is a block diagram showing a preferred em-
45 bodiment base station for use within a CDMA cel-
lular telecommunications system.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
50 [0025] Figure 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of
a CDMA cellular telecommunications system to which
the present invention relates. The system illustrated in
Figure 1 improves the prior art CDMA soft handoff and
macrodiversity signal combining techniques, as sub-
55 stantially described in "On the System Design Aspects
of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) Applied to
Digital Cellular and Personal Communications Net-
works", Allen Salmasi and Klein S. Gilhousen, present-
5
 9 EP O 720 805 81
ed at the 41st IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference
on May 19-22, 1991 in St. Louis, MO.
[0026] Figure 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of
a MSC used in a CDMA cellular telecommunications
system to which the present invention relates.
[0027] Digital links (120,122,124,126) connect the
mobile exchange MSC with the public switched tele-
phone network PSTN, other mobile exchanges MSC
and base stations BS, respectively. These digital links
carry the user information such as voice and, addition-
ally, signaling information. The preferred embodiment of
the present invention assumes that the signaling infor-
mation is of packetized type and is multiplexed together
with the user information onto one and the same phys-
ical transmission facility. T1 transmission facilities to-
gether with Signaling System No 7 may serve as an ex-
emplary embodiment of such a digital link arrangement.
[0028] The user information stream is switched
among the mentioned entities by means of a digital
switch 112. The corresponding signaling information is
transmitted, received and relayed by a packet switch
114. Packet switch 114 is also connected to a MSC con-
trol processor 11 Owhich acts as a signaling information
source and sink, respectively. MSC control processor
11 O interprets and reacts upon signaling messages ad-
dressed to it and may also solicit signaling messages to
other entities, whenever appropriate. MSC control proc-
essor 11 O also controls the connection arrangements
within the digital switch 112 in accordance with the call
status. Moreover, MSC control processor 11 O allocates
and de-allocates transcoder & combiner equipment 100
during call setup and tear down from a corresponding
resource pool (only one piece of this transcoder & com-
biner equipment 100 is shown in the figure). The timing
of the MSC may be derived from the timing present on
the PCM transmission facilities connected to the PSTN,
such as the link 120.
[0029] Transcoder & combiner equipment 100 is
needed in order to convert between the typically u-law
encoded voice as used in the PSTN and the low rate
digital voice coding such as CELP used on the radio
links. In addition to the transcoding function, transcoder
& combiner equipment 100 also implements the signal
diversity combing in the uplink direction and signal du-
plication in the downlink direction. Moreover, transcoder
& combiner equipment 100 synchronizes during soft
handoff with signal diversity combining the information
flows to and from the participating BSs, transmitted on
the digital links 124, 126 and switched through digital
switch 112 via circuits 130, 132 with the information flow
to and from the PSTN, switched through the digital link
120, digital switch 112 and circuit 134 (only 2-branch BS
diversity is depicted in Figure 2).
[0030] In the preferred embodiment of the present in-
vention, the user communication signals, comprising
digitized voice or data, multiplexed together with the sig-
naling information related to this connection, are carried
in a digital, framed format suitable for the terrestrial
transmission links 124, 126 between the BSs and the
MSC. These frames are subsequently referred to as
transcoder & combiner frames. In addition to this user
information, transcoder & combiner frames may also
5 contain information supplied by the BSs which is rele-
vant to the signal quality as used for the signal diversity
combining within the MSC in the uplink direction. More-
over, the transcoder & combiner frames contain digital
signals (in the following referred to as "time alignment
10 request" signals) supplied by the BSs and the MSC
which are relevant for synchronizing the simultaneous
links 124, 126 between BSs and the MSC during a soft
handoff with signal diversity combining. The transcoder
& combiner frames also have some spare capacity
15 (spare bitfields) which are used in case the transmission
of downlink transcoder & combiner frames needs to be
speeded up during the synchronization procedure of the
present invention.
[0031] These transcoder & combiner frames arriving
20 and leaving on the circuits 130, 132, 134 are buffered in
the digital memory 104 for the uplink and downlink di-
rection, respectively. Digital processor 102 reads and
writes cyclically the transcoder & combiner frames from
and to digital memory 104. In the uplink direction, a sig-
25 nal quality indication attached to the transcoder & com-
biner frames arriving from circuits 130, 132 into the
memory 104 is inspected and processor 102 performs
the diversity selection based on these indications. The
association of the multiple transcoder & combiner
30 frames arriving during a soft handoff with diversity com-
bining is thereby not a problem in the preferred embod-
iment which assumes that the transcoder & combiner
frame duration is large (20 ms) compared to the maxi-
mum expected differential delay between the multiple
35 uplink transmissions(< 5 ms). Thus, associated (i.e. to
be combined/selected) frames are characterized by ar-
riving within this short delay window on the multiple up-
links.
[0032] In the downlink direction, voice samples from
40 the other system user, arriving from circuit 134 into the
memory 104 are transcoded and packed into transcoder
& combiner frames by processor 102. During a soft
handoff these transcoder & combiner frames are buff-
ered for each downlink connection separately in mem-
45 ory 104. Processor 102 in conjunction with memory 104,
also advances or delays the transmission times (or
frame boundaries) of transcoder & combiner frames ac-
cording to the above mentioned time alignment request
signals received from the BSs in the uplink direction, in
50 order to maintain downlink synchronization of the links
124, 126 during a soft handoff with signal diversity com-
bining.
[0033] Transcoder & combiner equipment 100 by
means of the digital processor 102 also extracts, re-
55 spective inserts the user signaling information from, re-
spective into the transcoder & combiner frames and of-
fers, respective receives this signaling information to
MSC control processor 11 O via a circuit 140. By these
6
 11 EP O 720 805 81
means, MSC control processor 11 O receives MS sign-
aling information such as pilot strength measurement
reports. Thus, MSC control processor 11 O possesses
the necessary information to initiate and terminate inter-
MSC or intra-MSC soft handoffs, as well as control
handoffs. Furthermore, by these means MSC control
processor 110 can issue the appropriate handoff com-
mands to the MS via circuits 140, 130, 132 and links
124, 126 as well as via the digital packet switch 114 and
link 122 to other MSCs, should this be required.
[0034] Figure 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of
a BS used in a CDMA cellular telecommunications sys-
tem to which the present invention relates.
[0035] Block 200 shows the apparatus required to
support a single CDMA communication within a BS, re-
ferred to as CDMA channel equipment (only one is
shown).
[0036] In the uplink direction the CDMA user commu-
nication signals are received from the digital CDMA ra-
dio link 230, demodulated by the CDMA demodulator
202, de-interleaved and channel decoded by the de-in-
terleaver & decoder 206, converted into transcoder &
combiner frames and buffered for the terrestrial trans-
mission within digital memory 210 and finally transmit-
ted on the digital link 232 towards the MSC.
[0037] In the downlink direction, the transcoder &
combiner frames are received from the MSC via digital
link 232, buffered and converted into a presentation ap-
propriate for the BS within digital memory 210, channel
encoded and interleaved by encoder & interleaver 208,
CDMA modulated by the CDMA modulator 204 and fi-
nally transmitted on the digital radio link 230.
[0038] In the preferred embodiment of the present in-
vention the BS possesses a network independenttiming
source 220 which provides a reference signal of high
accuracy as required for efficient CDMA operation and
utilized by the CDMA channel equipment 200. Such a
timing source may be derived e.g. from the GPS satellit
signal and can be provided globally to each BS thus en-
abling a network of mutually synchronized BSs.
[0039] The BS further comprises a BS control proc-
essor 222. The BS control processor 222 receives and
transmits signaling information from and to digital link
232 connected to the MSC. The BS control processor
222 performs the resource management of the BS, such
as the allocation and de-allocation of CDMA channel
equipment for user connections (calls). The BS control
processor 222 thus responds to CDMA channel assign-
ment requests related to a call setup as well as to CDMA
channel assignment requests related to soft handoff re-
quests from the MSC.
[0040] Digital processor 212 in conjunction with the
buffer memory 210 performs the packing and unpacking
of the BS internal representation of the CDMA user com-
munications signal to and from transcoder & combiner
frames in the uplink, respective downlink direction. In
the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
previously mentioned transcoder & combiner frames al-
12
so contain information supplied by the de-interleaver &
channel decoder 206 and provided to the digital proc-
essor 212 which is indicative of the signal quality of the
CDMA radio frames as received from the uplink CDMA
5 radio link 230 and which is used for the signal diversity
combining within the MSC in the uplink direction. More-
over, the transcoder & combiner frames contain time
alignment request signals supplied by the digital proc-
essor 212 which are relevant for synchronizing the dig-
10 ital link 232 between the BS and the MSC during a soft
handoff with signal diversity combining.
[0041] As noted above, the present invention relates
to soft handoff and macrodiversity signal combining
techniques. Within a cellular telecommunications sys-
15 tern of the present invention soft handoff with signal di-
versity combining can be performed even in the case
that the involved BSs are connected to two different
MSCs, in the following referred to as inter-MSC soft
handoff with signal diversity combining. These MSCs
20 are assumed to be connected either permanently, or on
a circuit switched basis via digital links for the transmis-
sion of user traffic signals and inter-MSC handoff sign-
aling information Inter-MSC handoff is described more
detailed in WO 95/08897.
25 [0042] The cellular telecommunications system of the
present invention further assumes the use of the mobile
assisted soft handoff method as previously described
for prior art CDMA systems, including the transmission
of CDMA pilot signals by all BSs as a downlink signal
30 strength reference signal, appropriate CDMA pilot sig-
nal strength measurement and processing equipment
within the MS and signaling means between the MS and
the controlling MSC in order to communicate handoff
trigger conditions and handoff initiation, respective ter-
35 mination commands based upon the pilot signal
strength measurements performed by the MS.
[0043] Synchronization of transcoder & combiner
frames between base stations (BSs) and mobile ex-
change (MSC) during soft handoff
40 [0044] In the following it is assumed that MS 30 orig-
inates the communications on a first BS 24 connected
to MSC 14 which provides access to the PSTN and other
MSCs 10,12.
[0045] In the preferred embodiment the time align-
45 ment procedure for a the first base station, i.e. BS 24,
is a two-state procedure. First, a procedure of "Initial
Time Alignment" is performed by BS 24 and MSC 14
during the beginning of the call with the objective to es-
tablish a rough phase synchronism for the transcoder &
50 combiner frame timing. BS 24 tries to minimize the buff-
ering time of transcoder &combiner frames within mem-
ory 21 O.
[0046] In the initial state, the transmission of trans-
coder & combiner frames (or simple: frames in the fol-
55 lowing) in the downlink direction is only delayed by MSC
14 as commanded by the BS 24. The transcoder & com-
biner equipment 100 is able to adjust the nominal time
for transmitting the frames (nominal frame boundary) by
7
 13 EP O 720 805 81
multiples of a predetermined step size, 125 us. When
receiving the first uplink frame during the call initiation,
the transcoder & combiner equipment 100 shall start
sending downlink frames towards the BS 24 with arbi-
trary or default phase related to the uplink frame phase.
The processor 212 of the BS 24 calculates the required
timing adjustment and returns an uplink frame including
the number of steps by which the frames in the downlink
direction should be delayed. The number of steps may
be a binary number in a dedicated field ("TA request"
field) of the uplink transcoder& combinerframes. When
receiving this information, the transcoder & combiner
equipment 100 processes this data and sets a field ("TA
response" field) in the next downlink frame as ordered
and delays the subsequent frame accordingly. When a
frame is delayed due to timing adjustments, the equip-
ment 100 shall fill the gap between the frames with ap-
propriate number of bits, e.g. binary "1 ".After having ad-
justed the timing, the equipment 100 shall receive a pre-
determined number of transcoder & combiner uplink
frames before a new adjustment is made. This in order
to avoid oscillation in the regulation.
[0047] The transcoder and combiner equipment 100
shall change from the "Initial Time Alignment" state to
the "Static Time Alignment" state when it has performed
a predetermined number of subsequent timing adjust-
ments which are less than a further predetermined
threshold. In the "Static Time Alignment State" the
achieved frame phase synchronism is maintained and
a potential drift between the timing of BS 24 and MSC
14 during the ongoing call is compensated. Moreover,
in the case of a soft handoff the frame time alignment
towards the newly joining BS is performed within the
"Static Time Alignment State".
[0048] In the Static Time Alignment state, the trans-
coder & combiner equipment 100 performs timing ad-
justments in single steps of predetermined duration, e.
g. 250 µs. The transmission timing of the frame bound-
ary may be either delayed, advanced or not changed.
When receiving an time alignment request from the BS
24, equipment 100 skips or repeats (duplicates) two
PCM speech samples from the other system users
downlink speech communications within memory 104
and advances or delays the transcoding of them into a
subsequent downlink frame for buffering in memory 104
for transmission. This is done in order to avoid further
buffering delays of the downlink speech signal within
memory 104.
[0049] After having adjusted the timing, the equip-
ment 100 shall receive at least a predetermined number
of uplink frames before a new adjustment is made.
[0050] It should be understood that in this condition
the downlink frame buffering delays in memories 104
and 210 are minimized to system inherent limits. Only
unavoidable, small guard times due to processing de-
lays and the large delay caused by the speech trans-
coding process itself (20 ms) are present. However,
there are no additional delays caused by a phase mis-
14
match of the transcoder and combiner frames.
[0051] A soft handoff will be initiated by MSC 14 when
MS 30 communicating initially only with the first BS 24
has moved into the overlapping coverage areas of BS
5 24 and a neighboring BS 26 and has reported the avail-
ability of a sufficiently strong signal from BS 26 to MSC
14. In the soft handoff in conjunction with signal diversity
combining the user communication signals are relayed
on transmission segments 84,74 and 86,76 between
10 MS 30 and MSC 14 synchronously via BS 24 and BS
26, respectively, in uplink and downlink direction. MSC
14 and MS 30 perform signal diversity reception in order
to enhance the user signal quality.
[0052] Terrestrial transmission segments 74 and 76
15 between MSC 14 and BS 24 and BS 26, respectively,
may use different routes and different transmission sys-
tems, and therefore the occurring transmission delays
may differ.
[0053] Thus, according to the present invention a dif-
20 ferential transmission delay between BSs 24 and 26 is
taken into account by the inventive time alignment pro-
cedure. Towards this end, the downlink signals from the
other system user arriving via circuit 134 into memory
104 are still transcoded only once, however, the result-
25 ing downlink transcoder & combiner frames are read out
twice and independently from memory 104 for transmis-
sion towards circuits 130,132.
[0054] The time alignment between MSC 14 and BS
24 is assumed to be already in the "Static Time Align-
30 ment" state, as discussed above. Since only the small
(compared to the frame duration) differential delay be-
tween the two BSs needs to be compensated, the new
transmission circuit 86 of BS 26 goes directly into the
"Static Time Alignment" state. Both BS 24 and 26 will
35 independently send timing alignment requests to MSC
14 in order to control their own buffer delays as in the
case of a single BS connection. MSC 14, however, takes
into account time alignment requests from both BSs 24
and 26. For example, assuming that the downlink frame
40 boundary timing of BS 26 is "earlier" than that of BS 24,
processor 102 will duplicate sufficiently many PCM
speech samples from the other system users downlink
speech communications within memory 104 and there-
by advance the transcoding of them into a subsequent
45 downlink frame, so as to fulfill the request of the "earlier"
BS 26. As another example, assuming that the downlink
frame boundary timing of BS 26 is "later" than that of BS
24, processor 102 will delay the readout of frames to-
wards BS 26 accordingly, but will not change the time
50 instants for the transcoding of the other system users
downlink speech communications. In this case, no ac-
tion takes place with regard to BS 24. As a further ex-
ample, assuming that the "earlier" BS during a soft
handoff requests a delay and would remain the earlier
55 BS even after the delay is performed, processor 102 will
skip accordingly PCM samples within memory 104, de-
lay the transcoding of them into a subsequent downlink
frame, and delay the readout of frames towards this ear-
8
 15 EP O 720 805 81
lier BS accordingly.
[0055] It should be understood that this inventive pro-
cedure for user frame TA during soft handoff is optimal
in the sense that the end-to-end delay between MS and
MSC communications compared to the single link con-
figuration is increased only by the differential delay be-
tween the two MSC - BS transmission sections.
[0056] It should be also understood that this inventive
procedure for user frame TA during soft handoff is fur-
ther optimal in the sense that the downlink frame buff-
ering delays in memories 104 and 210 are minimized to
system inherent limits. Only unavoidable, small guard
times due to processing delays and the large delay
caused by the speech transcoding process itself (20 ms)
are present in addition to the differential delay on the
two MSC - BS transmission segments. However, there
are no additional delays caused by a phase mismatch
of the transcoder and combiner frames during soft hand-
off.
[0057] No other frame TA scheme can deliver a better
performance with regard to buffer delay minimization
and consequently MS - MSC end-to-end delay minimi-
zation during soft handoff, than what the inventive TA
procedure offers.
[0058] The above procedure is primarily beneficial for
speech communications as it minimizes the speech de-
lay perceived by the system users. The same procedure
can be performed also for data communications in the
uplink and downlink direction. However, the target is
here not to minimize the buffering delay of the frame
transmission but rather to provide a phase reference by
one BTS, typically the first BS 24 assigned during the
soft handoff and to provide a system and method for re-
liable diversity combining.
[0059] It should be also understood that more than
two BSs can participate during a soft handoff with signal
diversity combining. The handoff may also be a inter-
MSC soft handoff.
[0060] It should be also understood that the method
of the present invention can be readily applied to a TD-
MAcellulartelecommunications system. In a TOMA cel-
lular telecommunications system radio links 80, 82, 84,
86 of figure 1; would be embodied as TOMA radio links
in which several timeslots are used to provide commu-
nication channels to the system users. During soft hand-
off two (or more) timeslots could be used to provide the
concurrent radio channels used by the MS and BSs in-
volved in the handoff. All the other mentioned charac-
teristics of the present invention remain the same for
TOMA cellular telecommunications system.
Claims
1. A method for soft handoff in a cellular telecommu-
nications system in which a user mobile station re-
lays user communication radio signals via at least
one of a plurality of base stations and in which said
base stations further relay said user communication
signals to and from a controlling mobile exchange
connected to another system user, said further relay
of user communication signals being performed by
5 using digital frames carried on digital transmission
connections in the uplink and downlink direction,
the method for soft handoff comprising the steps of
initiating a soft handoff with diversity combining
10 so as to cause said controlling mobile ex-
change to communicate concurrently with said
mobile station via a first base station and a sec-
ond base station,
transmitting a first transmission of said user
15 communication frames in the uplink and down-
link direction between the controlling mobile ex-
change and said first base station on a first dig-
ital transmission connection,
first buffering of said downlink user communi-
20 cation frames in said first base station prior to
a radio transmission from said first base station
to said mobile station,
transmitting a second transmission of said user
communication frames in the uplink and down-
25 link direction between the controlling mobile ex-
change and said second base station on a sec-
ond digital transmission connection,
second buffering of said downlink user commu-
nication frames in said second base station pri-
30 or to a radio transmission from said second
base station to said mobile station, character-
ized by further steps of
first sending of time alignment requests with re-
gard to said user communication frames, from
35 said first base station to said controlling mobile
exchange, said time alignment requests being
intended for a first controlling of the delay of
said first buffering at said first base station,
second sending of time alignment requests with
40 regard to said user communication frames,
from said second base station to said control-
ling mobile exchange, said time alignment re-
quests being intended for a second controlling
of the delay of said second buffering at said
45 second base station,
third buffering of downlink communication sig-
nals from said other system user at said con-
trolling mobile exchange,
processing of said buffered downlink commu-
50 nication signals from said other system user at
said controlling mobile exchange, said
processing resulting in said downlink user com-
munication frames,
fourth buffering of said processed downlink us-
55 er communication frames in said controlling
mobile exchange prior to said first downlink
transmission from said controlling mobile ex-
change to said first base station, the frame time
9
 17 EP O 720 805 81
alignment of said first downlink transmission
being responsive to said first time alignment re-
quests,
fifth buffering of said processed downlink user
communication frames in said controlling mo-
bile exchange prior to said second downlink
transmission from said controlling mobile ex-
change to said second base station, the frame
time alignment of said second downlink trans-
mission being responsive to said second time
alignment requests.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein
said first time alignment request, respectively
said second time alignment request, is indica-
tive of an advance or a delay in said first,re-
spectively said second, downlink transmissions
of said downlink communication frames relative
to the setting in effect, said advance or delay
indication being according to threshold values,
said first controlling of the delay of said first
buffering and said second controlling of the de-
lay of said second buffering mean minimizing
said first and said second buffering delay,
said third buffering of said downlink communi-
cation signals from said other system user at
said controlling mobile exchange further com-
prising the step of storing said downlink com-
munication signals of said other system user in
the form of digital code words into a digital buff-
er memory,
said processing of said buffered downlink com-
munication signals further comprising the steps
of
manipulating the contents of said digital buffer
memory responsive to said first and said sec-
ond time alignment requests, and
transcoding said manipulated contents of said
digital buffer memory into said downlink user
communications signals.
3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the step of
manipulating the contents of said digital buffer
memory comprises one of the following steps
adding digital code words into said digital buffer
memory,
deleting digital code words from said digital
buffer memory,
leaving the content of said digital buffer mem-
ory unchanged.
4. A method according to claims 1 or 2 characterized
in that said forth and said fifth buffering of said proc-
essed downlink user communication frames in said
controlling mobile exchange is used to compensate
the differential time delay of said first transmission
18
of said user communication frames on said first dig-
ital transmission connection and said second trans-
mission of said user communication frames on said
second digital transmission connection.
5
5. A method according to claims 1, 2 or 4, wherein the
combined first buffering delay, comprising the de-
lays of said first buffering, said forth buffering and
said third buffering, is jointly minimized together
10 with the combined second buffering delay, compris-
ing the delays of said second buffering, said fifth
buffering and said third buffering, by means of said
first and said second time alignment requests and
said processing of said downlink communication
15 signals.
6. A method according to claims 1, 2, 4 or 5, wherein
the combined first buffering delay, comprising the
delays of said first buffering, said forth buffering and
20 said third buffering, is jointly minimized together
with the combined second buffering delay, compris-
ing the delays of said second buffering, said fifth
buffering and said third buffering, and wherein the
difference between said first combined buffering de-
25 lay and said second combined buffering delay cor-
responds to the differential time delay of said first
transmission of said user communication frames on
said first digital transmission connection and said
second transmission of said user communication
30 frames on said second digital transmission connec-
tion.
7. A method according to claims 1,2,4,5 or 6 wherein
the user communication radio signals relayed be-
35 tween said mobile station and said first and said
second base station are CDMA spread spectrum
modulated.
8. A method according to claims 1,2,4,5 or 6 wherein
40 said user communication radio signals relayed be-
tween said mobile station and said first and said
second base station are TOMA modulated.
9. A cellular telecommunications system comprising
45
a plurality of mobile exchanges,
second sending means for sending time align-
ment requests with regard to said user commu-
nication frames, from said second base station
50 to said controlling mobile exchange, said time
alignment requests being intended for a second
controlling of the delay of said second buffering
means at said second base station,
third buffering means for buffering downlink
55 communication signals from said other system
user at said controlling mobile exchange,
processing means for processing said buffered
downlink communication signals from said oth-
10
 EP O 720 805 81
er system user at said controlling mobile ex-
change, said processing resulting in said down-
link user communication frames,
forth buffering means for buffering said proc-
essed downlink user communication frames in
said controlling mobile exchange prior to said
first downlink transmission from said controlling
mobile exchange to said first base station, the
frame time alignment of said first downlink
transmission being responsive to said first time
alignment requests,
fifth buffering means for buffering said proc-
essed downlink user communication frames in
said controlling mobile exchange prior to said
second downlink transmission from said con-
trolling mobile exchange to said second base
station, the frame time alignment of said sec-
ond downlink transmission being responsive to
said second time alignment requests.
10. A system according to claim 9 wherein
said first time alignment request, respectively
said second time alignment request, is indica-
tive of an advance or a delay in said first, re-
spectively said second, downlink transmissions
of said downlink communication frames relative
to the setting in effect, said advance or delay
indication being according to threshold values,
said first and said second sending means for
said first controlling of the delay of said first
buffering means and said second controlling of
the delay of said second buffering means min-
imize the delays of said first and second buff-
ering means,
said third buffering means further comprising
means for storing said downlink communica-
tion signals of said other system user in the
form of digital code words into a digital buffer
memory,
said processing means for processing said
buffered downlink communication signals fur-
ther comprising
means for manipulating the contents of said
digital buffer memory responsive to said first
and second time alignment requests, and
means for transcoding said manipulated con-
tents of said digital buffer memory into said
downlink user communications signals.
11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said
means for manipulating the contents of said digital
buffer memory comprises one of the following func-
tions
adding digital code words into said digital buffer
memory,
deleting digital code words from said digital
20
buffer memory,
leaving the content of said digital buffer mem-
ory unchanged.
5 12. A system according to claims 9or10 characterized
in that said forth and said fifth buffering means for
processing downlink user communication frames in
said controlling mobile exchange is used to com-
pensate the differential time delay of said first trans-
10 mission means transmitting said user communica-
tion frames on said first digital transmission connec-
tion and said second transmission means transmit-
ting said user communication frames on said sec-
ond digital transmission connection.
15
13. A system according to claims 9, 10 or 12
a plurality of base stations, and
a user mobile station relaying user communi-
20 cation radio signals via at least one of said base
stations, said one of the base stations further
relaying said user communication signals to
and from a controlling mobile exchange con-
nected to another system user, and said relay
25 of user communication being performed by us-
ing digital frames carried on digital transmis-
sion connections in uplink and downlink direc-
tions,
means for initiating a soft handoff with diversity
30 combining so as to cause said controlling mo-
bile exchange communicate concurrently with
said mobile station via a first base station and
a second base station,
first transmission means for transmitting said
35 user communication frames in the uplink and
downlink direction between the controlling mo-
bile exchange and said first base station on a
first digital transmission connection,
first buffering means for buffering said downlink
40 user communication frames in said first base
station prior to a radio transmission from said
first base station to said mobile station,
second transmitting means for transmitting us-
er communication frames in the uplink and
45 downlink direction between the controlling mo-
bile exchange and said second base station on
a second digital transmission connection,
second buffering means for buffering said
downlink user communication frames in said
50 second base station prior to a radio transmis-
sion from said second base station to said mo-
bile station, characterized in that said system
further comprises
first sending means for sending time alignment
55 requests with regard to said user communica-
tion frames, from said first base station to said
controlling mobile exchange, said time align-
ment requests being intended for a first control-
11
 21 EP O 720 805 81
ling of the delay of said first buffering means at
said first base station,
characterized in that the combined first buffering
delay of said first buffering means, said forth buff-
ering means and said third buffering means is jointly
minimized together with the combined second buff-
ering delay of said second buffering means, said
fifth buffering menas and said third buffering means
by said first and said second time alignment re-
quests and said processing of said downlink com-
munication signals.
14. A system according to claims 9, 10, 12 or 13 char·
acterized in that the combined first buffering delay
of said first buffering means, said forth buffering
means and said third buffering means is jointly min-
imized together with the combined second buffering
delay of said second buffering means, said fifth buff-
ering means and said third buffering means, and in
that the difference between said first combined
buffering delay and said second combined buffering
delay corresponds to the differential time delay of
said first transmission of said user communication
frames on said first digital transmission connection
and said second transmission of said user commu-
nication frames on said second digital transmission
connection.
15. A system according to claims 9, 10, 12, 13 or 14
wherein the user communication radio signals re-
layed between said mobile station and said first and
said second base station are CDMA spread spec-
trum modulated.
16. A system according to claims 9, 10, 12, 13 or 14,
wherein said user communication radio signals re-
layed between said mobile station and said first and
second base station are TOMA modulated.
Patentanspruche
1. Verfahren zum sanften Weiterreichen in einem zel-
lularen Telekommunikationssystem, in dem eine
Benutzer-Mobilstation Benutzer-Kommunikations-
funksignale Ober zumindest eine einer Vielzahl von
Basisstationen weiterleitet und in dem die Basissta-
tionen weiterhin die Benutzer-Kommunikationssi-
gnale zu und von einer steuernden Mobilvermitt-
lung weiterleiten, welche an einen anderen System-
benutzer angeschlossen ist, wobei die weiterhin er-
folgende Weiterleitung von Benutzer-Kommunika-
tionssignalen unter Verwendung von digitalen Rah-
men durchgetohrt wird, welche auf digitalen Uber-
tragungsverbindungen in der Uplink- und Downlink-
Richtung getragen werden, wobei das Verfahren
zum sanften Weiterreichen die Schritte aufweist:
22
lnitiieren eines sanften Weiterreichens mit Di-
versity-Combining, um so die steuernde Mobil-
vermittlung zu veranlassen, mit der Mobilstati-
on gleichzeitig Ober eine erste Basisstation und
5 eine zweite Basisstation zu kommunizieren,
Ubertragen einer ersten Ubertragung der Be-
nutzer-Kommunikationsrahmen, in der Uplink-
und Downlink-Richtung zwischen der steuern-
den Mobilvermittlung und der ersten Basissta-
10 tion auf einer ersten digitalen Ubertragungsver-
bindung,
erstes Zwischenspeichern der Downlink-Be-
nutzer-Kommunikationsrahmen in der ersten
Basisstation vor einer FunkObertragung von
15 der ersten Basisstation zu der Mobilstation,
Ubertragen einer zweiten Ubertragung der Be-
nutzer-Kommunikationsrahmen in der Uplink-
und Downlink-Richtung zwischen der steuern-
den Mobilvermittlung und der zweiten Basissta-
20 tion auf einer zweiten digitalen Ubertragungs-
verbindung,
zweites Zwischenspeichern der Downlink-Be-
nutzer-Kommunikationsrahmen in der zweiten
Basisstation vor einer FunkObertragung von
25 der zweiten Basisstation zu der Mobilstation,
gekennzeichnet durch die weiteren Schritte
erstes Senden von Zeitsynchronisieranforde-
30 rungen mit Bezug auf die Benutzer-Kommun-
kations-Rahmen, von der ersten Basisstation
zu der steuernden Mobilvermittlung, wobei die
Zeitsynchronisieranforderungen tor eine erste
Steuerung der Verzogerung des ersten Zwi-
35 schenspeicherns bei der ersten Basisstation
vorgesehen sind,
zweites Senden von Zeitsynchronisieranforde-
rungen mit Bezug auf die Benutzer-Kommun-
kationsrahmen, von der zweiten Basisstation
40 zu der steuernden Mobilvermittlung, wobei die
Zeitsynchronisieranforderungen tor eine zwei-
te Steuerung der Verzogerung des zweiten
Zwischenspeicherns bei der zweiten Basissta-
tion vorgesehen sind,
45 drittes Zwischenspeichern von Downlink-Kom-
munikationssignalen von dem anderen Sy-
stembenutzer bei der steuernden Mobilvermitt-
lung,
Verarbeiten der zwischengespeicherten Down-
50 link-Kommunikationssignale von dem anderen
Systembenutzer bei der steuernden Mobilver-
mittlung, wobei die Verarbeitung zu den Down-
link-Benutzer-Kommunikationsrahmen toh rt,
viertes Zwischenspeichern der verarbeiteten
55 Downlink-Benutzer-Kommunikationsrahmen
in der steuernden Mobilvermittlung vor der er-
sten Downlink-Ubertragung von der steuern-
den Mobilvermittlung zu der ersten Basisstati-
12
 23 EP O 720 805 81
on, wobei die Rahmen-Zeitsynchronisierung
der ersten Downlink-Ubertragung auf die er-
sten Zeitsynchronisieranforderungen anspre-
chend ist,
fGnftes Zwischenspeichern der verarbeiteten
Downlink-Benutzer-Kommunikationsrahmen
in der steuernden Mobilvermittlung vor der
zweiten Downlink-Ubertragung von der steu-
ernden Mobilvermittlung zu der zweiten Basis-
station, wobei die Rahmen-Zeitsynchronisie-
rung der zweiten Downlink-Ubertragung auf die
zweiten Zeitsynch ronisieranforderu ngen an-
sprechend ist.
2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, wobei
die erste Zeitsynchronisieranforderung, bzw.
die zweite Zeitsynchronisieranforderung, ein
Voreilen oder eine Verzogerung bei den ersten
bzw. den zweiten Downlink-Ubertragungen der
Downlink-Kommunikationsrahmen bezogen
auf die wirksame Einstellung anzeigt, wobei die
Anzeige des Voreilens oder der Verzogerung
entsprechend Schwellenwerten erfolgt,
die erste Steuerung der Verzogerung der er-
sten Zwischenspeicherung und die zweite
Steuerung der Verzogerung der zweiten Zwi-
schenspeicherung eine Minimierung derersten
und zweiten Zwischenspeicherungsverzoge-
rung bedeuten,
das dritte Zwischenspeichern der Downlink-
Kommunikationssignale von dem anderen Sy-
stembenutzer bei der steuernden Mobilvermitt-
lung zudem den Schritt des Speicherns der
Downlink-Kommunikationssignale des ande-
ren Systembenutzers in der Form von digitalen
Codeworten in einem digitalen Zwischenspei-
cher aufweist,
und wobei die Verarbeitung der zwischenge-
speicherten Downlink-Kommunikationssignale
zudem die Schritte aufweist
Manipulieren der lnhalte des digitalen Zwi-
schenspeichers im Ansprechen auf die ersten
und zweiten Zeitsynchronisieranforderungen,
und
Umcodieren der manipulierten lnhalte des digi-
talen Zwischenspeichers in die Downlink-Be-
nutzer-Kommunikationssignale.
3. Verfahren nach Anspruch 2, wobei der Schritt des
Manipulierens der lnhalte des digitalen Zwischen-
speichers einen der folgenden Schritte aufweist
HinzufGgen digitaler Codeworte in den digitalen
Zwischenspeicher,
Loschen digitaler Codeworte aus dem digitalen
Zwischenspeicher,
unverandertes Belassen des In halts des digita-
24
len Zwischenspeichers.
4. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch ge-
kennzeichnet, dass
5 das vierte und das fGnfte Zwischenspeichern
der verarbeiteten Downlink-Benutzer-Kommunika-
tionsrahmen in der steuernden Mobilvermittlung
verwendet wird, um die differentielle Zeitverzoge-
rung der ersten Ubertragung der Benutzer-Kommu-
10 nikationsrahmen auf der ersten digitalen Ubertra-
gungsverbindung und der zweiten Ubertragung der
Benutzer-Kommunikationsrahmen auf der zweiten
digitalen Ubertragungsverbindung zu kompensie-
ren.
15
5. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, 2 oder 4, wobei die
kombinierte erste Zwischenspeicherungsverzoge-
rung, die die Verzogerungen des ersten Zwischen-
speicherns, des vierten Zwischenspeicherns und
20 des dritten Zwischenspeicherns umfasst, gemein-
sam zusammen mit der kombinierten zweiten Zwi-
schenspeicherungsverzogerung minimiert wird,
welche die Verzogerungen des zweiten Zwischen-
speicherns, des fGnften Zwischenspeicherns und
25 des dritten Zwischenspeicherns umfasst, wobei
dies anhand der ersten und der zweiten Zeitsyn-
chronisieranforderungen und der Verarbeitung der
Downlink-Kommunikationssignale erfolgt.
30 6. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, 2, 4 oder 5, wobei die
kombinierte erste Zwischenspeicherungsverzi:ige-
rung, die die Verzogerungen des ersten Zwischen-
speicherns, des vierten Zwischenspeicherns und
des dritten Zwischenspeicherns umfasst, gemein-
35 sam zusammen mit der kombinierten zweiten Zwi-
schenspeicherungsverzogerung minimiert wird,
welche die Verzogerungen des zweiten Zwischen-
speicherns, des fGnften Zwischenspeicherns und
des dritten Zwischenspeicherns umfasst, und wo-
40 bei die Differenz zwischen der ersten kombinierten
Zwischenspeicherungsverzogerung und der zwei-
ten kombinierten Zwischenspeicherungsverzoge-
rung der differentiellen Zeitverzogerung der ersten
Ubertragung der Benutzer-Kommunikationsrah-
45 men auf der ersten digitalen Ubertragungsverbin-
dung und der zweiten Ubertragung der Benutzer-
Kommunikationsrahmen auf der zweiten digitalen
Ubertragungsverbindung entspricht.
50 7. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, 2, 4, 5 oder 6, wobei
die Benutzer-Kommunikationsfunksignale, die zwi-
schen der Mobilstation und der ersten und der zwei-
ten Basisstation weitergeleitet werden, CDMA-
Spreizspektrum-moduliert sind.
55
8. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, 2, 4, 5 oder 6, wobei
die Benutzer-Kommunikationsfunksignale, die zwi-
schen der Mobilstation und der ersten und der zwei-
13
 25 EP O 720 805 81
ten Basisstation weitergeleitet werden, TDMA-mo-
duliert sind.
9. Zellulares Telekommunikationssystem, mit
einer Vielzahl von Mobilvermittlungen,
einer Vielzahl von Basisstationen, und
einer Benutzer-Mobilstation, die Benutzer-
Kommunikationsfunksignale Ober zumindest
eine der Basisstationen weiterleitet, wobei die
eine der Basisstationen weiterhin die Benutzer-
Kommunikationssignale zu und von einer steu-
ernden Mobilvermittlung weiterleitet, welche an
einen anderen Systembenutzer angeschlos-
sen ist, und die Weiterleitung von Benutzer-
Kommunikation unter Verwendung digitaler
Rahmen erfolgt, die auf digitalen Ubertra-
gungsverbindungen in Uplink- und Downlink-
Richtungen getragen werden,
Einrichtungen zum lnitiieren eines sanften Wei-
terreichens mit Diversity-Combining, um die
steuernde Mobilvermittlung zu veranlassen,
gleichzeitig mit der Mobilstation Ober eine erste
Basisstation und eine zweite Basisstation zu
kommunizieren,
ersten Ubertragungseinrichtungen zum Uber-
tragen der Benutzer-Kommunikationsrahmen
in der Uplink- und Downlink-Richtung zwischen
der steuernden Mobilvermittlung und der er-
sten Basisstation auf einer ersten digitalen
Ubertragungsverbindung,
ersten Zwischenspeichereinrichtungen zur
Zwischenspeicherung der Downlink-Benutzer-
Kommunikationsrahmen in der ersten Basis-
station vor einer FunkObertragung von der er-
sten Basisstation zu der Mobilstation,
zweiten Ubertragungseinrichtungen zum Uber-
tragen von Benutzer-Kommunikationsrahmen
in der Uplink- und Downlink-Richtung zwischen
der steuernden Mobilvermittlung und der zwei-
ten Basisstation auf einer zweiten digitalen
Ubertragungsverbindung,
zweiten Zwischenspeichereinrichtungen zur
Zwischenspeicherung der Downlink-Benutzer-
Kommunikationsrahmen in der zweiten Basis-
station vor einer FunkObertragung von der
zweiten Basisstation zu der Mobilstation,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das System zu-
dem aufweist
erste Sendeeinrichtungen zum Senden von
Zeitsynchronisieranforderungen mit Bezug auf
die Benutzer-Kommunikationsrahmen, von der
ersten Basisstation zu der steuernden Mobil-
vermittlung, wobei die Zeitsynchronisieranfor-
derungen tor eine erste Steuerung der Verzo-
gerung der ersten Zwischenspeichereinrich-
26
tungen bei der ersten Basisstation vorgesehen
sind,
zweite Sendeeinrichtungen zum Senden von
Zeitsynchronisieranforderungen mit Bezug auf
5 die Benutzer-Kommunikationsrahmen, von der
zweiten Basisstation zu der steuernden Mobil-
vermittlung, wobei die Zeitsynchronisieranfor-
derungen tor eine zweite Steuerung der Verzo-
gerung der zweiten Zwischenspeichereinrich-
10 tungen an der zweiten Basisstation vorgese-
hen sind,
dritte Zwischenspeichereinrichtungen zur Zwi-
schenspeicherung von Downlink-Kommunika-
tionssignalen von dem anderen Systembenut-
15 zer an der steuernden Mobilvermittlung,
Verarbeitungseinrichtungen zur Verarbeitung
der zwischengespeicherten Downlink-Kommu-
nikationssignale von dem anderen Systembe-
nutzer an der steuernden Mobilvermittlung, wo-
20 bei die Verarbeitung zu den Downlink-Benut-
zer-Kommunikationsrahmen tohrt,
vierte Zwischenspeichereinrichtungen zur Zwi-
schenspeicherung derverarbeiteten Downlink-
Benutzer-Kommunikationsrahmen in der steu-
25 ernden Mobilvermittlung vor der ersten Down-
link-Ubertragung von der steuernden Mobilver-
mittlung zu der ersten Basisstation, wobei die
Rahmen-Zeitsynchronisation der ersten Down-
link-Ubertragung auf die ersten Zeitsynchroni-
30 sieranforderungen ansprechend ist,
tonfte Zwischenspeichereinrichtungen zur Zwi-
schenspeicherung derverarbeiteten Downlink-
Benutzer-Kommunikationsrahmen in der steu-
ernden Mobilvermittlung vor der zweiten Down-
35 link-Ubertragung von der steuernden Mobilver-
mittlung zu der zweiten Basisstation, wobei die
Rahmen-Zeitsynchronisierung der zweiten
Downlink-Ubertragung auf die zweiten Zeitsyn-
chronisieranforderungen ansprechend ist.
40
10. System nach Anspruch 9, wobei
die erste Zeitsynchronisieranforderung, bzw.
die zweite Zeitsynchronisieranforderung, ein
45 Voreilen oder eine Verzogerung in den ersten,
bzw. den zweiten, Downlink-Ubertragungen
der Downlink-Kommunikationsrahmen bezo-
gen auf die wirksame Einstellung anzeigt, wo-
bei die Anzeige des Voreilens oder der Verzo-
50 gerung entsprechend Schwellenwerten erfolgt,
die ersten und die zweiten Sendeeinrichtungen
tor das erste Steuern der Verzogerung der er-
sten Zwischenspeichereinrichtungen und das
zweite Steuern der Verzogerung der zweiten
55 Zwischenspeichereinrichtungen die Verzoge-
rungen der ersten und zweiten Zwischenspei-
chereinrichtungen minimieren,
die dritten Zwischenspeichereinrichtungen zu-
14
 27 EP O 720 805 81
dem Mittel zum Speichern der Downlink-Kom-
munikationssignale des anderen Systembe-
nutzers in der Form digitaler Codeworte in ei-
nem digitalen Zwischenspeicher aufweist,
die Verarbeitungseinrichtungen zum Verarbei-
ten der zwischengespeicherten Downlink-
Kommunikationssignale zudem
Mittel zur Manipulation der lnhalte des digitalen
Zwischenspeichers im Ansprechen auf die er-
sten und zweiten Zeitsynchrenisieranforderun-
gen, und
Mittel zur Umkodierung der manipulierten ln-
halte des digitalen Zwischenspeichers in den
Downlink-Benutzer-Kommunikationssignalen
aufweist.
11. System nach Anspruch 10, wobei
die Mittel zur Manipulation der lnhalte des digitalen
Zwischenspeichers eine der folgenden Funktionen
umfassen
HinzufOgen digitaler Codeworte in den digitalen
Zwischenspeicher,
Loschen digitaler Codeworte aus dem digitalen
Zwischenspeicher,
unverandertes Belassen des In halts des digita-
len Zwischenspeichers.
12. System nach Anspruch 9 oder 1o, dadurch ge-
kennzeichnet, dass
die vierten und die fOnften Zwischenspeicher-
einrichtungen zur Verarbeitung von Downlink-Be-
nutzer-Kommunikationsrahmen in der steuernden
Mobilvermittlung verwendet werden, um die diffe-
rentielle Zeitverzogerung der ersten Ubertragungs-
einrichtungen, die die Benutzer-Kommunikations-
rahmen auf der ersten digitalen Ubertragungsver-
bindung Obertragen und der zweiten Ubertragungs-
einrichtungen, die die Benutzer-Kommunikations-
rahmen auf der zweiten digitalen Ubertragungsver-
bindung Obertragen, zu kompensieren.
13. System nach Anspruch 9, 1ooder12, dadurch ge-
kennzeichnet, dass
die kombinierte erste Zwischenspeicherungs-
verzogerung der ersten Zwischenspeichereinrich-
tungen, der vierten Zwischenspeichereinrichtun-
gen und der dritten Zwischenspeichereinrichtungen
gemeinsam zusammen mit der kombinierten zwei-
ten Zwischenspeicherungsverzogerung der zwei-
ten Zwischenspeichereinrichtungen, der fOnften
Zwischenspeichereinrichtungen und der dritten
Zwischenspeichereinrichtungen durch die ersten
und die zweiten Zeitsynchrenisieranforderungen
und die Verarbeitung der Downlink-Kommunikati-
onssignale minimiert wird.
14. System nach Anspruch 9, 10, 12oder13, dadurch
28
gekennzeichnet, dass
die kombinierte erste Zwischenspeicherungs-
verzogerung der ersten Zwischenspeichereinrich-
tungen, der vierten Zwischenspeichereinrichtun-
5 gen und der dritten Zwischenspeichereinrichtungen
gemeinsam zusammen mit der kombinierten zwei-
ten Zwischenspeicherungsverzogerung der zwei-
ten Zwischenspeichereinrichtungen, der fOnften
Zwischenspeichereinrichtungen und der dritten
10 Zwischenspeichereinrichtungen minimiert wird,
und dass die Differenz zwischen der ersten kombi-
nierten Zwischenspeicherungsverzogerung und
der zweiten kombinierten Zwischenspeicherungs-
verzogerung der differentiellen Zeitverzogerung der
15 ersten Ubertragung der Benutzer-Kommunikati-
onsrahmen auf der ersten digitalen Ubertragungs-
verbindung und der zweiten Ubertragung der Be-
nutzer-Kommunikationsrahmen auf der zweiten di-
gitalen Ubertragungsverbindung entspricht.
20
15. System nach Anspruch 9, 1o, 12, 13 oder 14, wobei
die Benutzer-Kommunikationsfunksignale, die zwi-
schen der Mobilstation und der ersten und der zwei-
ten Basisstation weitergeleitet werden, CDMA-
25 Spreizspektrum-moduliert sind.
16. System nach Anspruch 9, 10, 12, 13 oder 14, wobei
die Benutzer-Kommunikations-funksignale, die
zwischen der Mobilstation und der ersten und der
30 zweiten Basisstation weitergeleitet werden, TDMA-
moduliert sind.
Revendications
35
1. Precede pour relais transparent dans un systeme
de telecommunication cellulaire dans lequel une
station mobile d'usager relaie des signaux radioe-
lectriques de communication d'usagers par l'inter-
40 mediaire d'au moins une station de base parmi une
pluralite de stations de base, et dans lequel lesdites
stations de base relaient en outre lesdits signaux
de communication d'usagers vers et depuis un cen-
a
tral mobile de commande connecte un autre usa-
45 ger du systeme, ledit autre relais de signaux de
communication d'usagers etant execute en utilisant
des trames numeriques acheminees lors de con-
nexions de transmissions numeriques en liaison
montante et descendante, le precede pour relais
50 transparent comprenant les etapes consistant a:
declencher un relais transparent avec combi-
naison de diversite de fai;:on a amener Iedit cen-
a
tral mobile de commande communiquer si-
55 multanement avec ladite station mobile par l'in-
termediaire d'une premiere station de base et
d'une seconde station de base,
realiser une premiere transmission desdites
15
 29 EP O 720 805 81
trames de communication d'usagers dans la di-
rection montante et descendante entre le cen-
tral mobile de comm an de et ladite premiere sta-
tion de base lors d'une premiere connexion de
transmission numerique,
effectuer une premiere mise en memoire tam-
pon desdites trames de communication d'usa-
gers en liaison descendante dans ladite pre-
miere station de base avant une transmission
radioelectrique depuis ladite premiere station
de base vers ladite station mobile,
realiser une seconde transmission desdites tra-
mes de communication d'usagers en liaison
montante et descendante entre le central mo-
bile de commande et ladite seconde station de
base lors d'une seconde connexion de trans-
mission numerique,
realiser une seconde mise en memo ire tampon
desdites trames de communication d'usagers
en liaison descendante dans ladite seconde
station de base avant une transmission radioe-
lectrique depuis ladite seconde station de base
vers ladite station mobile, le precede etant ca-
racterise en outre par les etapes consistant a:
realiser un premier envoi de demandes de re-
glage de temporisation concern ant lesdites tra-
mes de communication d'usagers, depuis ladi-
te premiere station de base vers ledit central
mobile de commande, lesdites demandes de
a
reglage de temporisation etant destinees une
premiere commande du retard de ladite pre-
miere mise en memoire tampon dans ladite
premiere station de base,
effectuer un deuxieme envoi de demandes de
reglage de temporisation concernant lesdites
tram es de communication d'usagers, depuis la-
dite seconde station de base vers led it central
mobile de commande, lesdites demandes de
a
reglage de temporisation etant destinees une
seconde commande du retard de ladite secon-
demise en memo ire tampon dans ladite secon-
de station de base,
effectuer une treisieme mise en memoire tam-
pon de signaux de communication en liaison
descendante envoyes par ledit autre usager du
systeme dans ledit central mobile de comman-
de,
traiter lesdits signaux de communication en
liaison descendante en memoire tampon en-
voyes par ledit autre usager du systeme dans
ledit central mobile de commande, ledit traite-
ment ayant pour consequence lesdites trames
de communication d'usagers en liaison des-
cendante;
effectuer dans ledit central mobile de comman-
de une quatrieme mise en memoire tampon
desdites trames de communication d'usagers
en liaison descendante traitees avant ladite
30
premiere transmission en liaison descendante
depuis ledit central mobile de commande vers
ladite premiere station de base, le reglage de
temporisation de trames de ladite premiere
5 transmission en liaison descendante se faisant
en reponse auxdites premieres demandes de
reglage de temporisation,
effectuer dans ledit central mobile de comman-
de une cinquieme mise en memoire tampon
10 desdites trames de communication d'usagers
en liaison descendante traitees avant ladite se-
conde transmission en liaison descendante de-
puis ledit central mobile de commande vers la-
dite seconde station de base, le reglage de
15 temporisation de trames de ladite seconde
transmission en liaison descendante se faisant
en reponse auxdites secondes demandes de
reglage de temporisation.
20 2. Precede selon la revendication 1, dans lequel
ladite premiere demande de reglage de tempo-
risation, ou respectivement ladite seconde de-
mande de reglage de temporisation, indique
25 une avance ou un retard dans ladite premiere
ou respectivement ladite seconde transmission
en liaison descendante desdites trames de
communication en liaison descendante par
rapport au reglage en vigueur, ladite indication
30 d'avance OU de retard etant faite en fonction de
valeurs de seuils,
ladite premiere commande du retard de ladite
premiere mise en memoire tampon et ladite se-
conde commande du retard de ladite seconde
35 mise en memoire tampon signifient une limita-
tion du retard desdites premiere et seconde mi-
ses en memoire tampon,
ladite treisieme mise en memoire tampon des-
dits signaux de communication en liaison des-
40 cendante envoyes par ledit autre usager du
systeme dans ledit central mobile de comman-
de comprenant en outre l'etape consistant a
stocker dans une memoire tampon numerique
lesdits signaux de communication en liaison
45 descendante dudit autre usager du systeme
a
sous la forme de mots codage numerique,
ledittraitement desdits signaux de communica-
tion en liaison descendante en memoire tam-
pon comprenant en outre les etapes consistant
50 a
manipuler le contenu de ladite memoire tam-
pon numerique en reponse auxdites premiere
et seconde demandes de reglage de tempori-
sation, et
55 transcoder led it contenu manipule de ladite me-
mo ire tampon numerique dans lesdits signaux
de communication d'usagers en liaison des-
cendante.
16
 31 EP O 720 805 81
3. Precede selon la revendication 2, dans lequel l'eta-
pe de manipulation du contenu de ladite memoire
tampon numerique comporte l'une des etapes sui-
vantes, consistant a:
a
ajouter des mots codage numerique dans la-
dite memoire tampon numerique,
supprimer des mots a codage numerique de la-
dite memoire tampon numerique,
laisser inchange le contenu de ladite memoire
tampon numerique.
4. Precede selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caracterise
en ce que ladite quatrieme et ladite cinquieme mi-
ses en memoire tampon desdites trames de com-
munication d'usagers en liaison descendante trai-
tees dans ledit central mobile de commande ser-
a
vent compenser la difference de retard de ladite
premiere transmission desdites trames de commu-
nication d'usagers lors de ladite premiere con-
nexion de transmission numerique et ladite secon-
de transmission de trames de communication
d'usagers lors de ladite seconde connexion de
transmission numerique.
5. Precede selon la revendication 1, 2 ou 4, dans le-
quel le premier retard combine demise en memo ire
tampon, constitue par les retards de ladite premiere
mise en memo ire tampon, de ladite quatrieme mise
en memoire tampon et de ladite treisieme mise en
memoire tampon est conjointement limite avec le
second retard combine de mise en memoire tam-
pon, comportant les retards de ladite seconde mise
en memoire tampon, de ladite cinquieme mise en
memoire tampon et de ladite treisieme mise en me-
moire tampon, a l'aide desdites premiere et secon-
de demandes de reglage de temporisation et dud it
traitement desdits signaux de communication en
liaison descendante.
6. Precede selon la revendication 1, 2, 4 ou 5, dans
lequel le premier retard combine de mise en me-
moire tampon, compose des retards de ladite pre-
miere mise en memoire tampon, de ladite quatrie-
me mise en memoire tampon et de ladite treisieme
mise en memoire tampon, est conjointement limite
avec le second retard combine demise en memo ire
tampon, compose des retards de laditeseconde mi-
se en memoire tampon, de ladite cinquieme mise
en memoire tampon et de ladite treisieme mise en
memoire tampon, et dans lequel la difference entre
ledit premier retard combine de mise en memoire
tampon et ledit second retard combine de mise en
memoire tampon correspond a la difference de re-
tard de ladite premiere transmission desdites tra-
mes de communication d'usagers lors de la premie-
re connexion de transmission numerique et ladite
seconde transmission desdites trames de commu-
32
nication d'usagers Iors de ladite seconde connexion
de transmission numerique.
7. Precede selon la revendication 1, 2, 4, 5 ou 6, dans
5 lequel les signaux radioelectriques de communica-
tion d'usagers relayes entre ladite station mobile et
ladite premiere et ladite seconde stations de base
sont soumis a une modulation a etalement de spec-
tre avec acces multiple par difference de code.
10
8. Precede selon la revendication 1, 2, 4, 5 ou 6, dans
lequel lesdits signaux radioelectriques de commu-
nication d'usagers relayes entre ladite station mo-
bile et ladite premiere et ladite seconde stations de
15 base sont soumis a une modulation a AMRC.
9. Systeme de communication cellulaire, comprenant:
une pluralite de centraux mobiles,
20 une pluralite de stations de stations de base, et
une station mobile d'usager relayant des si-
gnaux radioelectriques de communication
d'usagers via au moins l'une desdites stations
de base, cette premiere station de base re-
25 layant en outre lesdits signaux de communica-
tion d'usagers vers et depuis un central mobile
de commande connecte a un autre usager du
systeme, et ledit relais de communication
d'usagers etant effectue en utilisant des trames
30 numeriques acheminees lors de connexions de
transmission numerique en liaisons montante
et descendante,
un moyen pour declencher un relais transpa-
rent avec combinaison de diversite afin d'ame-
35 ner ledit central mobile de commande a com-
muniquer simultanement avec ladite station
mobile par l'intermediaire d'une premiere sta-
tion de base et d'une seconde station de base,
un premier moyen de transmission pour trans-
40 mettre lesdites trames de communication
d'usagers en liaisons montante et descendante
entre le central mobile de commande et ladite
premiere station de base lors d'une premiere
connexion de transmission numerique,
45 un premier moyen demise en memoire tampon
pour mettre en memoire tampon lesdites tra-
mes de communication d'usagers en liaison
descendante dans ladite premiere station de
base avant une transmission radioelectrique
50 entre ladite premiere station de base et ladite
station mobile,
un second moyen de transmission pour trans-
mettre des trames de communication d'usa-
gers en liaisons montante et descendante entre
55 le central mobile de commande et ladite secon-
de station de base lors d'une seconde con-
nexion de transmission numerique,
un second moyen demise en memoire tampon
17
 33 EP O 720 805 81
pour mettre en memoire tampon lesdites tra-
mes de communication d'usagers en liaison
descendante dans ladite seconde station de
base avant une transmission radioelectrique
entre ladite seconde station de base et ladite
station mobile, ledit systeme etant en outre ca-
racterise en ce qu'il comprend:
un premier moyen d'envoi pour envoyer des
demandes de reglage de temporisation concer-
nant lesdites trames de communication d'usa-
gers, depuis ladite premiere station de base
vers Iedit central mobile de comm an de, lesdites
demandes de reglage de temporisation etant
a
destinees une premiere commande du retard
dudit premier moyen demise en memoire tam-
pon dans ladite premiere station de base,
un second moyen d'envoi pour envoyer des de-
mandes de reglage de temporisation concer-
nant lesdites trames de communication d'usa-
gers, depuis ladite seconde station de base
vers Iedit central mobile de comm an de, lesdites
demandes de reglage de temporisation etant
a
destinees une seconde commande du retard
dudit second moyen demise en memoire tam-
pon dans ladite seconde station de base,
un troisieme moyen de mise en memoire tam-
pon pour mettre en memoire tampon des si-
gnaux de communication en liaison descen-
dante envoyes par ledit autre usager du syste-
me dans led it central mobile de commande,
un moyen de traitement pour traiter lesdits si-
gnaux de communication en liaison descen-
dante en memoire tampon envoyes par ledit
autre usager du systeme dans Iedit central mo-
bile de commande, ledit traitement ayant pour
resultat lesdites trames de communication
d'usagers en liaison descendante,
un quatrieme moyen demise en memoire tam-
pon pour mettre en memoire tampon lesdites
trames de communication d'usagers en liaison
descendante traitees dans ledit central mobile
de commande avant ladite premiere transmis-
sion en liaison descendante dudit central mo-
bile de commande vers ladite premiere station
de base, le reglage de temporisation de trames
de ladite premiere transmission en liaison des-
cendante se faisant en reponse auxdites pre-
mieres demandes de reg Iage de temporisation'
un cinquieme moyen demise en memoire tam-
pon pour mettre en memoire tampon lesdites
trames de communication d'usagers en liaison
descendante traitees dans ledit central mobile
de commande avant ladite seconde transmis-
sion en liaison descendante dudit central mo-
a
bile de commande ladite seconde station de
base, le reglage de temporisation de trames de
ladite seconde transmission en liaison descen-
dante se faisant en reponse auxdites secondes
34
demandes de reglage de temporisation.
10. Systeme selon la revendication 9, dans lequel
5 ladite premiere demande de reglage de tempo-
risation, ou respectivement ladite seconde de-
mande de reglage de temporisation, indique
une avance ou un retard dans ladite premiere
ou respectivement ladite seconde transmission
10 en liaison descendante desdites trames de
communication en liaison descendante par
rapport au reglage en vigueur, ladite indication
d'avance ou de retard dependant de valeurs de
seuil,
15 lesdits premier et second moyens d'envoi pour
ladite premiere commande du retard dudit pre-
mier moyen demise en memoire tampon et la-
dite seconde commande du retard dudit se-
cond moyen de mise en memoire tampon limi-
20 tent les retards desdits premier et second
moyens demise en memoire tampon,
ledittroisieme moyen demise en memo ire tam-
pon comprenant en outre un moyen pour stoc-
ker lesdits signaux de communication en
25 liaison descendante dudit autre utilisateur du
a
systeme sous la forme de mots codage nu-
merique dans une memoire tampon numeri-
que,
Iedit moyen de traitement pour traiter lesdits si-
30 gn aux de communication en liaison descen-
dante en memo ire tampon comportant en outre
un moyen pour manipuler le contenu de ladite
memo ire tampon numerique en reponse auxdi-
tes premiere et seconde demandes de reglage
35 de temporisation, et
un moyen pour transcoder ledit contenu mani-
pule de ladite memoire tampon numerique
dans lesdits signaux de communication d'usa-
gers en liaison descendante.
40
11. Systeme selon la revendication 10, dans lequel Iedit
moyen pour manipuler le contenu de ladite memo ire
tampon numerique comporte l'une des fonctions
suivantes, consistant a
45
a
ajouter des mots code numerique dans ladite
memoire tampon numerique,
a
supprimer des mots code numerique de ladite
memoire tampon numerique,
50 laisser inchange le contenu de ladite memoire
tampon numerique.
12. Systeme selon la revendication 9 ou 10,
caracterise en ce que lesdits quatrieme et
55 cinquieme moyens de mise en memoire tampon
pour traiter des trames de communication d'usa-
gers en liaison descendante dans ledit central mo-
a
bile de commande servent compenser la differen-
18
 35 EP O 720 805 81 36

ce de retard dudit premier moyen de transmission

transmettant lesdites trames de communication
d'usagers lors de ladite premiere connexion de
transmission numerique et ledit second moyen de
transmission transmettant lesdites trames de com- 5
munication d'usagers lors de ladite seconde con-
nexion de transmission numerique.

13. Systeme selon la revendication 9, 1O ou 12,

caracterise en ce que le premier retard com- 10
bine de mise en memoire tampon dudit premier
moyen demise en memoire tampon, dudit quatrie-
me moyen demise en memo ire tampon et dudittroi-
sieme moyen demise en memoire tampon est con-
jointement limite avec le second retard combine de 15
mise en memoire tampon dudit second moyen de
mise en memoire tampon, dudit cinquieme moyen
de mise en memoire tampon et dudit troisieme
moyen de mise en memoire tampon par lesdites
premiere et seconde demandes de reglage de tern- 20
porisation et ledit traitement desdits signaux de
communication en liaison descendante.

14. Systeme selon la revendication 9, 10, 12 ou 13,

caracterise en ce que le premier retard com- 25
bine de mise en memoire tampon dudit premier
moyen demise en memoire tampon, dudit quatrie-
me moyen demise en memo ire tampon et dudittroi-
sieme moyen demise en memoire tampon est con-
jointement limite avec le second retard combine de 30
mise en memoire tampon dudit second moyen de
mise en memoire tampon, dudit cinquieme moyen
de mise en memoire tampon et dudit troisieme
moyen demise en memoire tampon, et en ce que
la difference entre le premier retard combine de mi- 35
seen memoire tampon et ledit second retard com-
bine de mise en memoire tampon correspond la a
difference de retard de ladite premiere transmission
desdites trames de communication d'usagers lors
de ladite premiere connexion de transmission nu- 40
merique et ladite seconde transmission desdites
trames de communication d'usagers lors de ladite
seconde connexion de transmission numerique.

15. Systeme selon la revendication 9, 10, 12, 13 ou 14, 45

dans lequel les signaux radioelectriques de com-
munication d'usagers relayes entre ladite station
mobile et lesdites premiere et seconde stations de
a a
base sont soumis une modulation etalement de
spectre avec acces multiple par difference de code. 50

16. Systeme selon la revendication 9, 10, 12, 13 ou 14,

dans lequel lesdits signaux radioelectriques de
communication d'usagers relayes entre ladite sta-
tion mobile et lesdites premiere et seconde stations 55
a
de base sont soumis une modulation AMRT.a

19
 EP O 720 805 81

MSC

10

12
50
MSC MSC 14

~
~6
~EJ
BS
22
BS
24
BS
26
BS

Fig. 1

20
 EP O 720 805 81

TO/FROM
TO/FROM OTHER TO/FROM
PSTN MSC BASE STATIONS

DIGITAL DIGITAL DIGITAL DIGITAL

120 LINK 122 124
LINK LINK LINK 126

, 14
I '.

_____.._
DIGITAL .'
!

SWITCH I

I ..------..,132

1'1
II
112
134

TRANSCODER & COMBINER

DIGITAL
MEMORY
1-----------J 104

MSC
~
100 102
DIGITAL ··--···· .. ·r· -~
I
i CONTROL
PROCESSOR ) l PROCESSOR
140

110

Fig. 2

21
 EP 0 720 805 81

TO/FROM
MOBILE STATION
230
DIGITAL
RADIO
LINK
200
202 'f 204

I CDMA
EMOOULATO
[_.
··-
CDMA
MODULATOR

TIMING
----·---·--·-··-·;·-··-- ··- SOURCE
'
'

206 208
DE· ENCODER
INTER LEAVER
DECODER INTERLEAVER
222

BS
____.. ·-- ----·--
_ ..., CONTROL
'
' PROCESSOR
212

DIGITAL DIGITAL
MEMORY i.----.i PROCESSOR - ....... ----- · ····- ... ······ · ·

,.----·-·--------·---,,,.. ~-----·---··-

DIGITAL
LINK 232

TO/FROM
MSC

Fig. 3

22
19/04 '02 11:21 FAX 358 9 1807 593 NOKIA CORP TRADE!IARKSTR
- _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _J_ - - @001

EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANl>AlIDS JNSTITUTE

page 1of19

ANNEXl

IPR 1NFORMA1 ION STATEMENT AND LICENSING DECLARATION

IPR Halder/Organisation

Legal Name: Nakia Corpor,ron

Sign11tory

Name: Harri Honkasal

Position: Director of IP ., Smndards _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Department: IPR _ _ _~l-------------------------------

Address: Keilalahdentie ! - 4, FJN-02150 ESPOO, P.0.Box 226, FIN-00045 NOKIA GROUP, FlNLAND _

Tel.: +358 718008QJO - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

+ 358718034· 96 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

h:m:i.honkasal @nokia.com _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

IPR information statement

In accordance wilh the ET .I IPR Policy, Article 4.1, I hereby inform ETSithat,

with reference t' !he technical proposal identified"'' UMTS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

IL is my belief that the Jl'R : listed in Annex 2 are, or are likely to became, Essential IPRs in relation to that Standard.

IPR licensing declaration

Tho SIGNATORY has Jlo .ificd ETSI that k is the proprietor of the IPRs listed in Annex 2 and has informed ETSI
that it believes that the IP s may b0 considered ESSENTIAL to the Standards listed above.
The SIGNATORY and/or its APFILIATES hereby declarn Uiat they arc prepared to granl irrevocable licenses under
the Jl'Rs on terms and cor~ltlons which are ill accOrdance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy, in respect of the
STANDARD, to the CJ(ter ·that lhc IPRs remain ESSENTIAL.
The constn1ction, validity nd perfotmance of !his DECLARATION shall be govemed by the laws ofFrnnce.
~
Place, Date: Signature~

11

Bspoa, Finland, 19 April 2002_:!--

(Signed for und 011 behalf of lh~ SIGNATORY)

Plca!le reru1'n chis form duly signed ro;

ETSI Direcror General. Karl Heinz Rosenbrook

ETSI - 650, route do> Luoiolos - F·06921 Sophia Antipolis Ccdcx - FRANCE
Foy +~~ rm4g~ Ii'\ 4716
 \

E7S«( »>' EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE

ElJrcpenn PatenL TS 25.401, TR 25,931,

page 13 ()f 19
I; ....'"
9Jn{l8£5,g
ConventilJon TR 25,'190
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TS25,4(]I. TR25.931,
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TR 25,990
961315
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00

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TR25,990 7·509SJ7 3251293
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IS 25,4()1, TR 25.931, ',",
NQ.IWil.)' 961193
TR 25,990

TS 25.401, TR25,931,
United SLIIILes 619458 5850607
TR 25.990 'z
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METHOD AND >-<

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SYNCHRONIZINO Cl
0
SPEECH FRAMES
BE'-Th'EEN BASE
STATIONS ,IND A
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MOBILE SWITCHING
Australia TS 25,402, TR 25,990 4!12l119l 686111 !;cl
;..

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FinJ.nd TS 25.402, TR 25,990 961314

Jnp[m TS 25.402, TR 25.990 7-509578 3154493

Narljl,lay TS 25,4(]2, TR 25,990 961192

J§
....
0

'-'
 出願番号等
特許出願人 発明の名称 備考（出願国名）
REGISTRATION NO./
PATENT HOLDER NAME OF PATENT REMARKS
APPLICATION NO.
ノキアテレコミュニカ セルラー遠隔通信システムのソフトハンドオフ方法 特許-3154493 Applied in Australia, European Patent
シオンスオサケユキチ Office, Finland, Norway, United States
ュア *1.00 of America
ノキアテレコミュニカ セルラー遠隔通信システムの交換機間ソフトハンドオフ方 特表平 9-505948 Applied in Australia, Norway,
シオンスオサケユキチ 法 Netherlands, Italy, United States of
ュア *1.00 America, France, Finland, Spain,
European Patent Office, Switzerland,
Austria, Germany, United Kingdom
ノキアテレコミュニカ ＴＤＭＡ移動通信システムにおけるデータ送信方法 特表平 10-511818 Applied in United States of America,
シオンスオサケユキチ Finland, Hong Kong, Italy,
ュア *1.00 Korea(South), France, Singapore,
Austria, Finland, Spain, European
Patent Office, Germany, China,
Switzerland, Canada, Australia, United
Kingdom
ノキアテレコミュニカ ＴＤＭＡ移動通信システムにおけるデータ送信方法 特表平 10-509566 Applied in Korea(South), United States
シオンスオサケユキチ of America, China, Singapore, Hong
ュア *1.00 Kong, Finland, European Patent
Office, Canada, Australia
ノキアテレコミュニカ パケット無線システム、及びパケット無線ネットワークに 特表平 10-512409 Applied in Finland, United States of
シオンスオサケユキチ おいてデータパケットをプロトコルとは独立してルート指 America, Singapore, Norway, Hong
ュア *1.00 定する方法 Kong, European Patent Office, China,
Canada, Australia
ノキアネットワークス 電気通信システムにおける測定報告 特表2002-504792 Applied in Canada, China, European
オサケユイチア *1.00 Patent Office, Finland, Japan, United
States of America, WO
ノ キ ア ネ ッ ト ワ ー ク ス テレコミュニケーションネットワークにおける情報転送ク 特表2002-501717 Applied in Australia, China, European
オサケユキチュア *1.00 オリティの保証 Patent Office, Finland, Norway, United
States of America, WO
ノキアネットワークス 移動通信システム用のアクセス制御方法 特表 2001-508276 Applied in Canada, China, European
オサケユキチュア *1.00 Patent Office, Finland, Hong Kong,
Japan, United States of America, WO,
South Africa
ノキアネットワークス 無線システムのパケット交換データ伝送 特表 2002-523934 Applied in Australia, China, European
オサケユキチュア *1.00 Patent Office, Finland, Japan, Norway,
United States of America, WO

42
 2
A2390VI
 Illlll llllllll Ill lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll 111111111111111111111111111111111
US005805301A
United States Patent r191 [11] Patent Number: 5,805,301
Rasanen [45] Date of Patent: Sep. 8, 1998

[54] FACSIMILE TRANSMISSION IN A MOBILE 4-196967 7/1992 Japan ............................... H04N 1/32
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM 9-172427 6/1997 Japan ................................ H04J 4/00
94/05114 of 0000 WIPO.
[75] Inventor: Juba Rasanen, Espoo, Finland 95/15644 6/1995 WIPO .
WO 95/31878 11/1995 WIPO .............................. H04Q 7/22
[73] Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy, Espoo, WO 96/18248 6/1996 WIPO .............................. H04B 7/26
Finland
OTHER PUBLICAfIONS
[21] Appl. No.: 732,467
CCITT Blue Book: V 110, "Data Communication over the
[22] PCT Filed: Mar. 6, 1996 Telephone Network", Sep. 1992.
[86] PCT No.: PCT/FI9 6/0013 6 CCITT Blue Book: V 24, "Data Communication over the
Telephone Network", Mar. 1993.
§ 371 Date: Nov. 5, 1996
Patent Abstract of Japan, vol. 16, No. 530, E-1287,Shigeru
§ 102(e) Date: Nov. 5, 1996 Mikami, 16 Jul. 1992.
[87] PCT Pub. No.: W096/27975
Primary Examiner---Kim Yen Vu
PCT Pub. Date: Sep. 12, 1996 Assistant Examiner---Kimberly A. Williams
Attorney, A.gent, or Firm-IP Group of Pillsbury Madison &
[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sutro LLP
Mar. 6, 1995 [FI] Finland .................................... 951020
[57] ABSTRACT
6
[51] Int. CI. ..................................................... H04N 1/333
A digital mobile communication system comprises a mobile
[52] U.S. CI........................... 358/425; 358/435; 370/536;
station(MS) with a facsimile adapter(2), a first telefax
455/450; 455/509
terminal(!) connected to the adapter, a mobile network(BSS,
[58] Field of Search ..................................... 358/409, 412,
MSC), an interworking unit(32) with a second facsimile
358/425, 435; 370/465, 468, 536; 455/426,
adapter(33). A high-speed transparent rate-adapted facsimile
450, 455, 509, 517; H04N 1/333
connection is set up between the telefax terminals. The
number of parallel traffic channels( chO-chn) allocated to the
[56] References Cited
high-speed data connection is such that the maximum data
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS rate of the data connection is higher than the allowed
maximum 10 data rate of the telefax terminals(l,10). The
4,805,167 2il989 Leslie et al. .............................. 370/84
telefax terminals may negotiate the facsimile data rate. The
5,050,004 9/1991 Morton, Jr.............................. 358/405
5,278,827 1/1994 Pound ....................................... 370/84
second facsimile adapter(33) monitors the negotiation and
5,335,225 8il994 Brax .......................................... 370/84 selects, on the basis of the negotiated facsimile data rate, the
5,583,851 12/1996 Kato et al. .............................. 370/468 most effective channel coding available for the data con-
nection.
FOREIGN PAfENT DOCUMENTS
334 669 9/1989 European Pat. Off.. 7 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets

MS BSS MSC
Radio l/F 9
2 33
,-, /-\ l\o/F ) p
cha ' ' '
TE2
I
s
I ,_,I I I 2w T
N ,,1
N
31 chn 10
 ~
•
00
•

r.FJ.
("C

9 ~
2 ....exi
8 ~
MSC/IWF \C
p \C
(Xi
Fax 1 Fax s

~
TE2 Adapt MS BSS :Adapt T
2w N
1 6 BA 10 r.FJ.

3
=-
("C
("C

"""'"
~

FIG. 1 0
~
N
 ~
•
00
•
~
=
......
~

=
......
MS BSS MSC
Radio J/F 9
2
,-, /-\ p
r.FJ.
("C

cha I \ \ ~
I
s
..
....exi
\ I
\ I T ~

I
N '-' \,/
N
\C
\C
(Xi
1
31 chn 32 10

r.FJ.
=-
("C
("C

V110 """'"
N
0
~
N

FIG. 2
 5,805,301
1 2
FACSIMILE TRANSMISSION IN A MOBILE
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
This application is the national phase of international
application PCT/FI96/00136, filed Mar. 6, 1996 which des-
ignated the U.S.
HELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to facsimile transmission in mobile
communication systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
ITU-T Recommendation T.30 defines procedures for
document facsimile transmission in the public switched
telephone network. The facsimile terminal<> according to this
recommendation are called Group 3 Facsimile terminals. A
characteristic of the Group 3 facsimile terminals is that they
are able to negotiate, in the beginning of a call, the facsimile
data rate that is most suitable for the connection quality. The
facsimile data rate can be renegotiated during the call if the
connection quality changes. The data rates generally used
for the Facsimile Group 3 are presently 2.4, 4.8, 7.2, 9.6,
12.0 and 14.4 Kbps. The new Facsimile Group 3 data rates
that will be supported by data modems in the near future
include 16.6, 19.2, 21.6, 24.0, 26.4 Kbps, etc. in steps of 2.4
Kbps up to 38.4 Kbps, or higher.
The present telefax terminals have been designed for fixed
telephone networks and they employ a modem interface and
a two-wire connection (modem connection) via a telephone
network. Thus all signalling between telefax terminals has
taken place over a modem connection. It has not been
necessary for the telephone network to monitor for example
the facsimile data rate negotiated by the telefax terminals or
to respond to the data rate by modifying the characteristics
of the modem connection.
In a digital cellular radio network, the telefax terminal is
located at a mobile station, whereupon the facsimile con-
nection must be established through a radio link between the
mobile station and the fixed radio network. For example in
the Recommendation 03.45, version 4.4.0, of the Pan-
European mobile system GSM (Global System for Mobile
Communications), the technical implementation of the ser-
vice supporting the terminal equipments of Facsimile Group
3 is determined by using transparent telecommunication
services of the GSM system. One full-rate GSM traffic
channel can support the facsimile data rates of 2.4, 4.8, 7.2
and 9 .6 Kbps. The equipment configuration according to the
recommendation is illustrated in FIG. 1. A telefax terminal
1 is connected with a normal two-wire modem connection to
a facsimile adapter 2 which adapts the signals of the modem
connection to a rate-adapted V.110 data connection. The
V.110 connection is established via a radio interface between
a mobile station MS 3 and a base station system BSS 6 to a
mobile services switching centre MSC and further to an
interworking function (IWF) S located at the MSC. The
interworking function S contains another facsimile adapter
SA which adapts the aforementioned data link to a conven-
tional two-wire modem connection which is established for
example via the public telephone network (PSTN) 9 to
another telefax terminal 10. As an alternative to the con-
figuration of FIG. 1, the telefax terminal 1 and the facsimile
adapter 2 may be integrated into a GSM telefax terminal
which provides an analog output. From the point of view of
the mobile station MS, the GSM telefax terminal is as the
facsimile adapter 2.
The idea of the GSM Recommendation 03.45 is to allow
the T.30 protocol to pass transparently, whenever possible,
through the adapters 2 and S at the ends of the GSM data
link. The T.30 protocol is only manipulated when it is
necessary to avoid problems resulting from the differences
between the PSTN and GSM systems. For example in a
5 GSM facsimile call, the user data rate which is determined
by the GSM network during the call set-up (on the basis of
information received from the mobile station or from the
subscriber data) is the allowed maximum data rate during
the call. However, the telefax terminals may negotiate the
10 actual facsimile data rate during the call according to the
ITU-T Recommendation T.30. This actual data rate may
vary between 2.4 Kbps and the allowed maximum data rate.
The facsimile adapter SA of the network termination moni-
tors the negotiation, and if the data rate agreed on is too high,
15 the facsimile adapter SA intervenes in the negotiation.
However, the telefax terminals typically begin negotiating
for a lower data rate when the connection quality is too low.
In such a case, the facsimile adapter SA monitors the
negotiation and adapts the GSM traffic channel to the
20 negotiated facsimile rate with a Channel Mode Modify
procedure (CMM). Decreasing the data rate also results in
better and more effective channel coding. The GSM system
utilizes convolutional coding the efficiency of which can be
indicated with a convolutional code ratio X;Y which means
25 that in the channel coding X data bits are represented by Y
code bits. In a full-rate GSM traffic channel, the convolu-
tional code ratios of 'h, 1/3 and V6 are valid at the user data
rates of 9.6 Kbps, 4.8 Kbps and 2.4 Kbps, respectively.
The GSM system cannot presently support the facsimile
30 services higher than 9.6 Kbps, however.
An arrangement by means of which higher facsimile data
rates (12 Kbps, 14.4 Kbps, etc.) can also be supported is
disclosed in a co-pending patent application of the
Applicant, W095/31878 (unpublished on the filing elate of
35
the present application). In this arrangement, two or more
parallel traffic channels (subchannels) are allocated for one
high-speed data connection over the radio path. The high-
rate data signal is divided in the transmitter into these
parallel subchannels for the transmission over the radio path,
40
to be restored in the receiver. This approach enables the
supply of data transmission services wherein the transmis-
sion rate is as high as eight-fold compared to the conven-
tional transmission rate, depending on the number of the
traffic channels allocated. For example in the GSM system,
45
the total user data rate of 19.2 Kbps is obtained by two
parallel 9.6 Kbps subchannels, each channel being rate-
adaptecl in the same manner as in the existing transparent 9 .6
Kbps bearer services of the GSM system. Correspondingly,
the user rate of 24 Kbps can be transmitted on three parallel
50
traffic channels.
When the Facsimile Group 3 service is applied to such
high-speed data transmission service, the problem is how to
utilize the ability of the Group 3 facsimile terminals to
55
renegotiate the facsimile data rate to correspond to the
quality of the traffic channel and to simultaneously provide
the user with the highest possible facsimile data rate.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
60 An obj eel of the present invention is to eliminate this
problem.
A first aspect of the invention is a method for facsimile
transmission in a digital mobile communication network, the
method comprising steps of initiating facsimile call set-up,
65 establishing a transparent rate-adapted data connection
between a facsimile adapter of a mobile station, connected
to the first telefax terminal, and a facsimile adapter in an
 5,805,301
3 4
interworking unit, selecting preliminary data rate and chan-
nel coding for the data connection, establishing an end-to-
end facsimile connection between the first and the second
telefax terminal transparently through the facsimile adapters
and the data connection, negotiating the facsimile data rate
for the facsimile connection by signalling between the
telefax terminals, changing the data rate and the channel
coding of the data connection depending on the negotiated
facsimile data rate. The method is characterized by further
steps of
allocating parallel traffic channels for said data
connection, when the maximum data rate allowed for
the telefax terminals on said data connection is higher
than the maximum data rate of an individual traffic
channel,
selecting the number of said allocated traffic channels so
that the maximum data rate of the data connection is
higher than the maximum data rate allowed for the
telefax terminals,
selecting the most effective channel coding available,
enabled by the extra transmission capacity of the data
connection, for each facsimile data rate negotiated by
the telefax terminals.
A second aspect of the invention is a mobile system
comprising a mobile station, a facsimile adapter in the
mobile station, a first telefax terminal connected to the
adapter, a mobile network, an interworking unit in the
mobile network, a facsimile adapter in the interworking unit,
the mobile network being able to set up a facsimile connec-
tion between the first telefax terminal and the second telefax
terminal via the facsimile adapter of the mobile station and
the facsimile adapter of the network termination in such a
way that between the facsimile adapters there is a transpar-
ent rate-adapted data connection and the mobile network is
able to change the channel coding in said data connection
according to the facsimile data rate negotiated by the telefax
terminals. The system is characterized in that
the mobile network is arranged to allocate for said data
link a number of parallel traffic channels (chO-chn)
when the maximum data rate allowed for the telefax
terminals on said data connection is higher than the
data rate of an individual traffic channel, said number of
the traffic channels being such that the maximum data
rate of the data connection is higher than said maxi-
mum data rate allowed for the telefax terminals,
the mobile network is arranged to select the most effective
channel coding available, enabled by the extra trans-
mission capacity of the data connection, for each fac-
simile data rate negotiated by the telefax terminals.
In the invention, the number of parallel traffic channels
allocated to a high-speed facsimile call requiring multichan-
nel data connection is higher than the number of traffic
channels necessary according to the maximum data rate of
the call. In other words, the maximum number of the traffic
channels may be higher than what is necessary in ideal
conditions, and the maximum data rate of the traffic channel
capacity available to the facsimile call may therefore be
higher than the highest facsimile data rate supported by the
telefax terminals. The extra traffic channel capacity enables
changing the channel coding on a multichannel data con-
nection to more effective one with a smaller decrease in the
facsimile data rate in comparison to a case in which only the
required minimum number of traffic channels is allocated to
the facsimile call.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TIIE DRAWINGS
In the following, the invention will be described by means
of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompa-
nying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 illustrates the equipment configuration according
to the GSM recommendations for facsimile transmission,
FIG. 2 illustrates the network architecture according to
the invention, supporting multichannel facsimile transmis-
5 sion in the GSM system.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF TIIE
INVENTION
The present invention may be applied to high-speed data
10 transmission in digital TDMA-type mobile communication
systems, such as the Pan-European digital mobile commu-
nication system GSM, DCS1800 (Digital Communication
System), the mobile communication system according to the
EWTIA Interim Standard IS/41.3, etc. The invention will
15 be illustrated below by using as an example a GSM-type
mobile system, without being restricted thereto, however.
The basic structural components of the GSM system will be
introduced very briefly below '"ith reference to FIG. 1,
without describing their characteristics or the other elements
20 of the system. For a more detailed description of the GSM
system, reference is made to the GSM recommendations and
to "The GSM System for Mobile Communications" by M.
Mouly and M. Pautet (Palaiseau, France, 1992, ISBN:2-
9507190-07-7).
25
A mobile services switching centre MSC controls the
switching of incoming and outgoing calls. It performs simi-
lar functions as the exchange of the PSTN. Further, it also
performs, together with the network subscriber registers,
functions, such as location management, that are only char-
30
acteristic of mobile telephone traffic. Mobile stations MS are
connected to the MSC via base station systems BSS. A base
station system BSS consists of a base station controller BSC
and base stations BTS, which are not shown in FIG. 1.
The GSM system is a time division multiple access
35
(TDMA) type system wherein the communication on the
radio path is time divisional and occurs in successive TDMA
frames each of which consists of several time slots. A short
information packet is transmitted in each time slot in the
form of a radio-frequency burst that has a limited duration
40
and that consists of a number of modulated bits. The time
slots are primarily used for conveying control and traffic
channels. The traffic channels are used for transferring
speech or data. The control channels are for signalling
between a base station and mobile stations.
45
A data link formed by one traffic channel is a V.110
rate-adapted, UDI-coded digital 9 .6/4.8/2.4 Kbps full-
duplex connection that is adapted to V.24 interfaces. The
V.110 connection is a digital transmission channel that was
originally developed for ISDN (Integrated Services Data
50
Network) technology, that is adapted to the V.24 interface,
and that also provides the possibility of transmitting V.24
statuses (control signals). The CCITT recommendation for a
V.110 rate-adapted connection is disclosed in the CCITT
Blue Book: V.110. The CCITT recommendation for a V.24
55
interface is disclosed in the CCITT Blue Book: V.24.
Furthermore, the traffic channel uses channel coding
which aims at decreasing the effect of transmission errors.
The GSM system utilizes convolutional coding the effi-
60
ciency of which can be detected with a convolutional code
ratio X/Y, which means that in the channel coding X data
bits are represented by Y code bits. On the full-rate GSM
traffic channel, the convolutional code ratios of Yz, 1/i and V6
are valid at the user data rates of 9.6 Kbps, 4.8 Kbps and 2.4
65 Kbps, respectively.
The GSM Recommendation 03.45, version 4.4.0 deter-
mines the technical implementation of the service support-
 5,805,301
5 6
ing the terminal equipments of Facsimile Group 3 by
utilizing the transparent telecommunication services of the
GSM system. The equipment configuration and the opera-
tion according to the invention were described above in
connection with FIG. 1. However, this recommendation
relates to Group 3 facsimile service occurring only on one
traffic channel, wherefore the highest possible facsimile data
rate is 9.6 Kbps.
The Applicant's co-pending patent applications W095/
31878 and PCT/Fl95/00673 disclose a method wherein two
or more time slots are allocated from a TOMA frame to a
mobile station MS which requires data transmission with a
higher rate than that supported by one traffic channel. The
maximum user data rate of a multichannel data connection
is the number of the parallel traffic channels multiplied by
the user data rate 9.6 Kbps of one traffic channel. For
example the user rate of 19.2 Kbps can therefore be provided
with a minimum of two 9.6 Kbps traffic channels. This
procedure is set forth in the present application as an
exemplary manner of carrying out high-speed data
transmission, based on several parallel traffic channels, in a
radio system. As regards the details of this procedure,
reference is made to the aforementioned patent applications.
It should be noted, however, that the only matter essential
for the invention is that a multichannel connection can be
established, and the present invention relates only to opti-
mizing the channel coding and the data rate when such a
multichannel connection is used for facsimile transmission.
FIG. 2 illustrates the GSM network architecture which
implements a Group 3 facsimile service utilizing several
parallel traffic channels. A telefax terminal 1 is connected
with a normal two-wire modem connection to a facsimile
adapter 2 by means of which the signals of the modem
connection are adapted to a rate-adapted data connection. A
V.110 connection is formed via a radio interface between a
mobile station MS and a base station system BSS to the
mobile services switching centre MSC and further to an
interworking function 32 (IWF) situated in the MSC. The
interworking function 32 contains a second facsimile
adapter 33 which adapts the aforementioned data connection
to a conventional two-wire modem connection which is
established, for example, via the PSJN to another telefax
terminal 10. In the preferred embodiment of the invention,
the facsimile adapters are adapters according to the GSM
Recommendation 03.45 comprising a modem unit which
provides a standard modem connection towards the telefax
terminal 1 and correspondingly towards the PSTN or the
ISON (3.1 kHz audio) or to another or the same GSM
network.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a rate-
adaptecl data connection is set up between a terminal adapter
31 in the mobile station and an interworking function IWF
32 in the fixed network by utilizing two or more parallel
GSM traffic channels chO to chn. In the mobile station, the
terminal adapter 31 operates as a divider dividing a high-
speecl facsimile signal from the facsimile adapter 2 to
parallel traffic channels chO to chn, and as a combiner
combining the low-speed signal fragments received from the
parallel traffic channels chO to chn into a high-speed fac-
simile signal which is supplied to the facsimile adapter 2.
Correspondingly, at the opposite end of the multichannel
data connection the interworking function 32 operates as a
divider dividing a high-speed facsimile signal from the
modem unit of the facsimile adapter 33 to the parallel traffic
channel5 chO to chn, and as a combiner combining the
low-speed signal fragments received from the parallel traffic
channels chO to chn into a high-speed facsimile signal which
is supplied to the modem unit of the facsimile adapter 33.
When the Group 3 facsimile service is applied to the
multichannel high-speed data link of FIG. 2, the problem is
how to fully utilize the ability of Group 3 facsimile terminals
to renegotiate the facsimile data rate to correspond to the
5 quality of the traffic channel and to simultaneously provide
the user with the highest possible facsimile data rate.
The invention allows the mobile network to allocate,
during call set-up, more parallel traffic channels than what
would be necessary on the basis of the maximum data rate
10
of the facsimile c~ll to a facsimile call requiring a multi-
channel high-speed data link. In other words, the maximum
number of the traffic channels may be higher than what is
necessary in ideal conditions, and the maximum data rate of
the traffic channel capacity available to the facsimile call
may therefore be higher than the highest facsimile data rate
15
supported by the telefax terminals. The extra traffic channel
capacity enables changing the channel coding on a multi-
channel data connection to more effective one with a smaller
decrease in the facsimile data rate than when the required
minimum number of traffic channels are used.
20 In the following, a facsimile call according to the inven-
tion will be described in the system of FIG. 2.
The mobile services switching centre MSC receives a
facsimile call from a telefax terminal 10 from the public
telephone network PSJN. The MSC performs a subscriber
25 data inquiry into the Visitor Location Register VLR (not
shown) and initiates the call set-up to the mobile station MS
according to the GSM Specifications. The MSC obtains,
from the subscriber data or from the mobile station MS,
information of the maximum data rate allowed for the
30 telefax terminal 1 in a GSM facsimile call. The MSC detects
that this allowed maximum data rate exceeds the maximum
data rate of an individual GSM traffic channel, wherefore a
multichannel data connection is required. The MSC deter-
mines the minimum number of parallel traffic channels that
35 is needed on the data connection to support the aforemen-
tioned maximum data rate, but if required, it allocates one or
several additional traffic channels for the data connection in
such a way that the maximum data rate of the data link is
significantly higher than the allowed maximum data rate of
40 the telefax terminal 1. The magnitude of the additional traffic
channel capacity is selected in such a way that effective
channel coding can be changed to the data connection with
as small a decrease as possible in the total data rate of the
data link. In principle, this would be best obtained by
45 immediately utilizing a large number of traffic channels each
of which would have a low data rate and an effective channel
coding, e.g. 4.8 Kbps and the convolutional code ratio of Yz.
However, this approach would take up too many traffic
channels, and therefore the amount of the additional traffic
50 channel capacity is a compromi5e between these two crite-
ria. The traffic load of the communication system may also
restrict the amount of the additional traffic channel capacity
available or prevent the allocation of extra traffic channels
altogether.
55 When a multichannel GSM data connection has been
established and the facsimile adapters 2 and 32, 33 have
been connected to the data connection, the MSC sets up an
encl-to-end connection between the telefax terminals 1 and
10. According to the principles of the GSM Recommenda-
60 tion 03.45, the T.30 protocol signalling is transmitted
transparently, whenever possible, through the adapters 2 and
33 at the ends of the GSM data connection. The T.30
protocol is only manipulated when it is necessary to avoid
problems resulting from the differences between the PSTN
65 and GSM systems. Therefore, the facsimile adapter 33
monitors the signalling between the telefax terminals 1 and
10.
 5,805,301
7 8
After call set-up, the telefax terminals negotiate the actual
facsimile data rate according to the ITU-TRecommendation
T.30. A similar negotiation can be repeated, if necessary,
later during the call. This actual data rate may vary between
2.4 Kbps and the allowed maximum data rate. The facsimile
adapter 33 of the network termination monitors the nego-
tiation and if a facsimile data rate exceeding the allowed
maximum data rate is agreed on, the facsimile adapter 33
intervenes in the negotiation. If the negotiated facsimile data
rate is acceptable, the facsimile adapter initiates a Channel
Mode Modify (CMM) procedure for adapting channel cod-
ing to the actual facsimile data rate, if necessary. The telefax
terminals typically begin negotiating for a rate decrease
when the quality of the transmission is too low.
Correspondingly, the aim of the negotiation can also be a
facsimile rate higher than the present one.
The facsimile adapter 33 calculates the optimum
conditions, i.e. decision values, for changing the channel
coding on traffic channels of a multichannel data link. The
calculation is based on the actual number of available traffic
channel-; and the maximum data rates of traffic channels with
different channel codings.
For this calculation, the facsimile adapter 33 has infor-
mation of the allowed maximum data rate of the facsimile
call and the number of the parallel full-rate traffic channels
allocated to the call. The adapter 33 calculates a theoretical
maximum data rate for each available channel coding with
the aforementioned number of the allocated parallel traffic
channel-;. In order to determine the optimum conditions for
changing channel coding when the telefax terminals 1 and
10 negotiate a lower facsimile data rate, the adapter 33
compares the facsimile data rate negotiated by the telefax
terminals with the maximum data rates of different channel
codings.
If the negotiated facsimile data rate is lower than the
present data rate and equal to or lower than the maximum
data rate of the channel coding that is more effective than the
present one, the adapter 33 starts the CMM procedure in
order to change the channel coding to more effective one.
If the negotiated facsimile data rate is higher than the
present data rate and higher than the maximum data rate of
the present channel coding, the adapter starts the CMM
procedure in order to change the channel coding to less
effective one.
If the negotiated facsimile data rate is lower than the
maximum data rate of the present channel coding but higher
than the maximum data rate of the next more effective
channel coding, the adapter 33 retains the present channel
coding.
If the negotiated facsimile data rate is higher than the
maximum data rate of the next more efficient channel coding
but lower than or equal to the maximum data rate of the
present channel coding, the adapter 33 retains the present
channel coding.
Two examples will be described below.
EXAMPLE 1.
Assume that the allowed maximum data rate is 14.4 Kbps.
A minimum number of traffic channels, i.e. two parallel 9.6
Kbps traffic channels, are allocated to the call. The facsimile
adapter 33 determines the following maximum data rates
and convolutional code ratios FEC to the different channel
codings:
2*9.6=19.2 Kbps, FEC=lh
2*4.8=9.6 Kbps, FE~Y3
2*2.~4.8 Kbps, FEC=Y6.
Therefore channel coding FEC=Vi is used in the beginning
of the call. If the quality of the traffic channels proves to be
too low for facsimile transmission, the telefax terminals 1
and 10 begin negotiating for a lower facsimile data rate. The
5 next highest rate is 12 Kbps which still requires the use of
the channel coding FEC=Yi, wherefore the adapter 33 does
not change the channel coding. The quality of the traffic
channel is still poor, and the telefax terminals 1 and 10 start
renegotiating for the next highest rate, which is 9 .6 Kbps. At
the rate of 9.6 Kbps, it is possible to use more effective
10
channel coding FEC= 1/J with two traffic channel-;, wherefore
the adapter 33 starts the CMM procedure for changing the
channel coding FEC= 1/J to both of the parallel traffic chan-
nels.
15 EXAMPLE 2.
Assume that the allowed maximum data rate is 19.2 Kbps.
The minimum requirement would then be two parallel traffic
channel-;, but the MSC allocates three traffic channel-;, i.e.
one extra traffic channel, according to the principles of the
20 invention. The facsimile adapter 33 determines the follow-
ing maximum data rates and convolutional code ratios FEC
for the different channel codings:
3*9. 6=28.8 Kbps, FEC='h
25 3*4.8=14.4 Kbps, FEC=\/3
3*2.4=7.2 Kbps, FEC=\16.
Therefore, channel coding FEC=Vi is used in the begin-
ning of the call. If the quality of the traffic channel proves to
30 be too poor for facsimile transmission, the telefax terminals
1 and 10 start negotiating for a lower facsimile data rate. The
next highest rate is 16.8 Kbps which still uses the channel
coding FEC=Vi, wherefore the adapter 33 does not change
the channel coding. The quality of the traffic channel is still
35
poor and the telefax terminals 1 and 10 start renegotiating
for the next highest rate, which is 14.4 Kbps. At the rate of
14.4 Kbps, it is possible to use more efficient channel coding
FEC=~"i with three traffic channel-;, wherefore the adapter 33
starts the CMM procedure for changing the channel coding
40
to all parallel traffic channels.
In both examples, the poor quality of the traffic channel
may result in new rate negotiations and the use of the
channel coding FEC=V6. On the other hand, improvement in
the quality of the traffic channel may lead to negotiations for
45
increasing the rate. In such a case, the adapter 33 does not
allow the facsimile data rate to be increased beyond the
maximum data rate, i.e. 14.4 or 19.2 Kbps, determined
during the call set-up, even though the traffic channel
capacity were higher.
Even though the invention is described above with refer-
50
ence to certain embodiments, it should be understood that
the description is intended to be only exemplary and it may
be varied and modified without deviating from the spirit and
scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.
55
I claim:
1. A method for facsimile transmission in a digital mobile
communication network, the method comprising steps of
initiating facsimile call set-up,
establishing a transparent rate-adapted data connection
between a facsimile adapter of a mobile station, con-
60
nected to the first telefax terminal, and a facsimile
adapter in an interworking unit,
selecting preliminary data rate and channel coding for a
data connection,
65 establishing an end-to-end facsimile connection between
the first and the second telefax terminal transparently
through the facsimile adapters and the data connection,
 5,805,301
9 10
negotiating the facsimile data rate for a facsimile connec-
tion by signalling between the telefax terminals,
changing a data rate and the channel coding of the data
connection depending on the negotiated facsimile data
rate,
characterized by further steps of
allocating parallel traffic channels for said data
connection, when the maximum data rate allowed for
the telefax terminals on said data connection is higher
than the maximum data rate of an individual traffic
channel,
selecting the number of said allocated traffic channels so
that a maximum data rate of the data connection is
higher than the maximum data rate allowed for the
telefax terminals,
selecting the most effective channel coding available,
enabled by the extra transmission capacity of the data
connection, for each facsimile data rate negotiated by
the telefax terminals.
2. A method according to claim 1, characterized by
selecting channel coding for the negotiated facsimile data
rate, based on said number of the available traffic
channels and the maximum data rates of the traffic
channels with different channel codings.
3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by
calculating a maximum data rate for each available chan-
nel coding when said number of parallel traffic chan-
nels are used,
comparing the facsimile data rate negotiated by the tele-
fax terminals with the maximum data rates of said
different channel codings,
changing the channel coding to more effective one if the
negotiated facsimile data rate is lower than the present
data rate and equal to or lower than the maximum data
rate of said more effective channel coding,
changing the channel coding to less effective one if the
negotiated facsimile data rate is higher than the present
data rate and higher than the maximum data rate of the
present channel coding,
maintaining the present channel coding if the negotiated
facsimile data rate is lower than the maximum data rate
of the present channel coding but higher than the
maximum data rate of the next more efficient channel
coding,
maintaining the present channel coding if the negotiated
facsimile data rate is higher than the maximum data
rate of the next more efficient channel coding but lower
than or equal to the maximum data rate of the present
channel coding.
4. A mobile system comprising a mobile station (MS), a
facsimile adapter (2) in the mobile station, a first telefax
terminal (1) connected to the adapter, a mobile network
(BSS, MSC), an interworking unit (32) in the mobile
network, a facsimile adapter (33) in the interworking unit,
the mobile network being able to set up a facsimile connec-
tion between the first telefax terminal (1) and a second
telefax terminal (10) via the facsimile adapter (2) of the
mobile station and the facsimile adapter (33) of the inter
working unit in such a way that between the facsimile
adapters there is a transparent rate-adapted data connection
(V.llOnd the mobile network is able to change the channel
5 coding used in said data connection according to a facsimile
data rate negotiated by the telefax terminals, characterized in
that
the mobile network (MSC) is arranged to allocate for said
data connection (V.110) a number of parallel traffic
10 channels (chO-chn) when the maximum data rate
allowed for the telefax terminals on said data connec-
tion is higher than a data rate of an individual traffic
channel, said number of the traffic channels being such
that the maximum data rate of the data connection is
15 higher than said maximum data rate allowed for the
telefax terminals,
the mobile network is arranged to select the most effective
channel coding available, enabled by the extra trans-
mission capacity of the data connection, for each fac-
20
simile data rate negotiated by the telefax terminals.
5. A system according to claim 4, characterized in that the
mobile network is arranged to select the channel coding for
the negotiated facsimile data rate on the basis of said number
of traffic channels and the maximum data rates of the traffic
25
channels with different channel codings.
6. A system according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that
the mobile network calculates a maximum data rate for
each available channel coding when said number of
parallel traffic channels are used,
30
the mobile network compares the facsimile data rate
negotiated by the telefax terminals with the maximum
data rates of the different channel codings,
the mobile network changes the channel coding to more
35 effective one if the negotiated facsimile data rate is
lower than the present data rate and equal to or lower
than the maximum data rate of said more effective
channel coding,
the mobile network changes the channel coding to less
40 effective one if the negotiated facsimile data rate is
higher than the present data rate and higher than the
maximum data rate of the present channel coding,
the mobile network maintains the present channel coding
if the negotiated facsimile data rate is lower than the
45 maximum data rate of the present channel coding but
higher than the maximum data rate of the next more
effective channel coding,
the mobile network maintains the present channel coding
if the negotiated facsimile data rate is higher than the
50
maximum data rate of the next more efficient channel
coding but lower than or equal to the maximum data
rate of the present channel coding.
7. A system according to claim 4, 5 characterized in that
the unit of the mobile network monitoring the negotiation of
55
the telefax terminals and changing the channel coding of the
data link is the facsimile adapter (33) of the interworking
unit.
* * * * *
.NOl<IA~ 1(1)
MOBILE PHONES W/.
c}\~6 \ \ ».;
(I.
0

ETSI Director General TELEFAX: +33-4-93 65 47 16 x\;·~-·.

ETSI Secreteriat Pages: total 14
F- 06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex
C6nfirrnation by mail
France

o4.{
IPR LICENSING DECLARATION
/'lo~ -1:

This declaration (the DECLARATION) is given on 28th of November, 1997 by NOKIA

MOBILE PHONES of Finland to the EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS
STANDARDS INSTITUTE of Sophia Antipolis France (ETSI).

The SIGNATORY has notified ETSI that it is the proprietor of the IPRs, listed in Annex
A (the IPRs) and has informed ETSI that it believes that the IPRs may be considered
ESSENTIAL to the standards designated in Annex A

The SIGNATORY and/or its AFFILIATES hereby declare that they are prepared to
grant irrevocable licences under these IPRs on terms and conditions which are in
accordance with Clause 6. 1 of the ETSI Interim IPR Policy, in respect of the
designated standards, to the extent that the IPRs are and remain ESSENTIAL.

The construction, validity and performance of this DECLARATION shall be governed

by the laws of France.

ETS
______
1
-~DEC.97-02B0S1
,_

Signed for and behalf of the SIGNATORY ENT.RY .ACHOl!i mfll --.--·l. B"'>MllK!l :
'""t!l~CW'<l~ '.I-fl :::M:-
~EAllllriC!ms.-cr.oa
r A$
Heikki Huttunen · :C;_1p1M
BY j-.'. :
'!::es
'
Position Vice President, R&D •QP
·-· : ......................... -
~

Intellectual Property .M & $ :

-~.T"""~_: ----'

Signature

D Nokia Mobile Phones 00 Nokia Mobile Phones D Nokia Mobile Phones D Nokia Mobile Phones
Metsanneidonkuja 6 Nakolankatu 8 Vattuniemenkatu 19 Tutkijantie 4
P.O. Box 47 P.O. Box 86 P.O. Box 141 P.O. Box 50
FIN-02131 ESPOO FIN-24101 SALO FIN-00211 HELSINKI FIN-90571 OULU
FINLAND FINLAND FINLAND FINLAND
 IPR Notification Annex A

Facsimile Transmission In A Mobile

i
Nokia Communication System Norway NO 964687 NO 9604687 GSM 03.45
iAT BE CH
 DE DKES
FRGB GR
,

I lE IT LI LU
'Facsimile Transmission In A Mobile MC NL PT
Nokia Communication System EPC EP 96904119 EP 759247 ,SE .GSM 03.45
Data Transmission System With
Nokia Sliding-Window Data Flow Control Finland FI952256 FI 98174 FI 'GSM 04.22
Data Transmission System With
Nokia Sliding-Window Data Flow Control ' PCT/FI96/00260 WO 9636154 GSM 04.22
Data Transmission System With
Nokia Sliding-Window Data Flow Control Australia AU 56506/96 AU 9656506 GSM 04.22
AT BE CH
DE DK ES
FR GB GR
, lE IT LI LU
Data Transmission System With I MC NL PT
Nokia Sliding-Window Data Flow Control EPC EP 96913557 EP 788702 SE GSM 04.22
Method for locking to the user's card' DE
Nokia in a portable radio telephone Germany 88306554.2 3889800.4 GSM 02.22
,

IMethod for locking to the user's card

Nokia in a portable radio telephone Denmark 4219/88 DK 169158 GSM 02.22
NL,BE,ES,
Method for locking to the user's card AT,GR,LU,
Nokia in a portable radio telephone EPC 88306554.2 EP 0301740 CH,LI. GSM 02.22
Method for locking to the user's card
Nokia in a portable radio telephone Finland 873309 FI 77550 GSM 02.22
Method for locking to the user's card ,

Nokia in a portable radio telephone France 88306554.2 FR 0301740 GSM 02.22

Method for locking to the user's card
Nokia in a portable radio telephone Great Britain 88306554.2 GB 0301740 GSM 02.22

Page 4
03/04 '00 MA 15:5B FAX +:158 9 511 38349 NTC/IPR DllPART!IENT @001

NOKIA Fax

Nokia Corporation Date: 3.4,2000

Pages: 1+17

From: Mika U. Anttila

Address: P.O. Box 226, FIN-00045 NOKIA GROUP, Finland
Fax: +356 9 1807 496

To: Director General - Karl Heinz Rosenbrock

Company: ETSI - 650, route des Lucioles - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex - FRANCE
Fax: +33 4 93 65 47 16
Cc to:
03/04 '00 llA 15; 5.6 FAX +358 9 511 38349 NTC/IPR DEPART!lENT t;1] 002

EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE

page 1 of2

ANNEX!

IPR INFORMATION AND DECLARATION STATEMENT

IPR Holder/Organisation
/1/o.t'.14 ?oll7&P.A -11 "Al
Legal Na111e: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Signatory

Na1ne:
PositiQn:
Department:
Address:

Tel.:
Fax:
E~mail:

IPR inforn1ation statement

In accordance with the ETSI IPR Policy 1 Article 4.1, I hereby infonn ETSI that,

with reference to the tcchrica] proposal identified as __().oi __-r__Ji__4__S:_Jlf

_U ______
and/or
in relation to Work Item N o . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
and/or
\vith rcforunce to ETST Stands.rd No. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

lt is my belief that the IP Rs listed ln Annex 2 are_, or arc Jikely to becorno, Essential IPRs in relation to that Standard.

IPR declaration statenient

The SIGNATORY has notified ETSI that it is the proprietor of the IPRs listed in Annex 2 and has infom1ed ETSI
that it believes thnt the IPRs may be considered ESSENTIAL to the Standards listed above.
The SIGNATORY and/or its AFFILIATES hereby di;o:clan:: that they are prepared to grant irrevocable licences under
the lPRs on terms and conditions \vhich are in accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSl lPR Policy1 in respect of the
ST.i\NDARD 1 to the extent that the IPRs remain ESSENTIAL.
The construction, validity and pe1fom1ancc of this DECLARATION shall be governed by the laws of France.

Pla~i:i. Date: Signature!

µ~
(Signet;i fQi- illld on beh~lf of the SIGNATORY)

Please retuin this fortn duly signed to'.

DIRECTOR GENERAJ.. - Kal'l He.in;>.: Rosenbrook

ETSI - 650 1 rout" des Luciolcs - "P-06921 Sophia. Antipolis Cedex FR.A.NCE
K

Fax. +33 (OJ 4 93 6> 47 16

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US006295286Bl

(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 6,295,286 Bl

Rajala (45) Date of Patent: Sep.25,2001

(54) METHOD FOR INDICATING A MULTI-SLOT FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

CHANNEL IN A TDMA RADIO SYSTEM
EP 0 399 611 11/1990 (EP) .
EP 0605 312
(75) Inventor: Jussi Rajala, Espoo (FI)
Al 7 /1994 (EP) .
WO 94/08431 4/1994 (WO) .
(73) Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones Limited, Espoo WO 94/10767 5/1994 (WO) .
(FI) WO 95/12931 5/1995 (WO) .
WO 95/31878 11/1995 (WO) .
(*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
patent is extended or adjusted under 35 * cited by examiner
U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 08/836,969 Primary Examiner-Chau Nguyen
Assistant Examiner--0 Trinh
(22) PCT Filed: Nov. 24, 1995 (74) Attorney, A.gent, or Firm-Perman & Green, LLP
(86) PCT No.: PCT/FI95/00651 (57) ABSTRACT
§ 371 Date: Aug. 4, 1997 The invention relates to a method for indicating a multi-slot
channel in signalling received over a radio terminal in a
§ 102(e) Date: Aug. 4, 1997
TDMA radio system without increasing the amount of
(87) PCT Pub. No.: W096/17447 signalling compared to normal signalling used for assigning
one slot to the channel and for defining the channel in other
PCT Pub. Date: Jun. 6, 1996 respects. In the inventive method, an element describing the
(30) Foreign Application Priority Data channel of a normal signalling message is transformed into
a code, which identifies the channel as a multi-slot channel
Nov. 25, 1994 (FI) ...................................................... 945540 and sets the number of successive slots to be included in the
(51) 7
Int. Cl. ........................................................ H04J 3/00 multi-slot channel. The element indicating the normal
timeslot for the channel is used to indicate the first timeslot
(52) U.S. Cl ............................................................... 370/337
to be included in the multi-slot channel. In the GSM system,
(58) Field of Search ..................................... 370/347, 337,
the preferred embodiment of the method replaces the 5-bit
370/311, 442, 336, 341, 345
element (CH1) of a channel description information element
defining the channel type and the subchannel with a code,
(56) References Cited
whose two first bits (bit values 1 and 1) identify the channel
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS as a multi-slot channel, and three remaining bits set the
number of timeslots. The first timeslot is indicated with the
5,239,545 * 8/1993 Buchholz ............................. 370/348 element (1N) indicating the timeslot number.
5,257,257 10/1993 Chen et al. ............................ 370/18
5,515,379 * 5/1996 Crisler et al. ........................ 370/347
5,577,024 * 11/1996 Malkamaki et al. ................. 370/337 5 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

CDIEI OCTET 1

CHT l TN OCTET 2
TSC H=1 MAIO
t------------ - - - - - - - I------------< OCTET 3
TSC H=O ARFCN
MAIO HSN
~-----------------------------~ OCTET 4
ARFCN
 ~
•
rJJ
•

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

CDIEI OCTET 1
CHT TN OCTET 2
TSC H=1 MAIO
~------------------~----------- OCTET 3
TSC H=O ARFCN
MAIO HSN
~-----------------------------~ OCTET 4
ARFCN

FIG.1
 US 6,295,286 Bl
1 2
METHOD FOR INDICATING A MULTI-SLOT
CHANNEL IN A TDMA RADIO SYSTEM
BACKGROUND OF TIIE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to indicating a multi-slot channel in
a TDMA radio system, in which the radio channel normally
consists of one timeslot in frames made up of several
successive timeslots.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In TDMA radio systems, such as many current digital
cellular mobile communication systems, the radio channel is
normally assigned to one timeslot in frames transmitted at
radio frequency, made up of several successive timeslots.
Current TDMA mobile communication systems and their
radio terminals have been devised so as to enable traffic
channels and control channels of various types to be formed
in them. For instance in a GSM system, channels of various
types, such as a traffic channel and an associated control
channel, may share the capacity of the same timeslot. Some
systems already allow more than one channel to be allocated
at the same time. The GSM system also allows simultaneous
assignment of two "half rate" traffic channels. As new
services have been developed, it has turned out that, in order
to achieve higher transmission capacity on a radio channel,
TDMA radio systems and their radio terminals should
preferably be designed to allow multi-slot channels to be
readily formed and used. The present invention is specifi-
cally concerned with accomplishing this potential improve-
ment.
EP patent specification A2 399 611 discloses a solution
relating to the improvement indicated above, describing a
system for rapidly assigning several duplex speech channels
to a radio terminal with a view to gain higher data speed in
data message transmission from the radio terminal. The
basic idea of the system described is that the terminal keeps
record of the use and the quality of the duplex speech
channels. and whenever necessary, any additional speech
channels required are directly assigned for data message
transmission on the basis of the data in this record. The radio
terminal may also utilize data provided by the base station
and the system control unit about the availability of the
speech channels, and in this conjunction, the paging or
speech forming message provided by the base station may
include data about the number of duplex speech channels
required and/or about the numerals of the suggested chan-
nels. However, this system basically does not allow for
assignment of successive physical channels. The configura-
tion of this specification is characterised by including special
provisions for swiftly making several speech channels avail-
able for rapid data transmission. The specification mentions
signalling only in passing, stating that guidance data about
the number of channels required and suggestions for chan-
nels to be assigned can be signalled to the radio terminal, the
general impression being that this is also extra signalling for
additional data transmission, apart from normal operation. In
contrast. the purpose of the present invention is specifically
to provide for signalling in the assignment of a multi-slot
channel without increasing or complicating the signalling
compared to normal operation.
OBJECT OF TIIE INVENTION
The procedure of forming a channel between a radio
terminal in a TDMA radio system and the base station
serving it usually requires a large amount of signalling. In
the GSM system, in which the preferred embodiment of the
present invention is set out, this signalling involves trans-
mitting a message or a message element describing the
channel to the radio terminal. This message element,
referred to as the Channel Description Information Element
5 in GSM, defines the channel parameters, such as the channel
type and the timeslot used. Thus, in the case mentioned
above, two half-speed traffic channels (TCH!H) being simul-
taneously assigned in GSM, signalling comprises
transmitting, to each channel, an information element
10 describing the respective channel. When several timeslots
are to be connected, signalling by assigning each timeslot
separately as though it would be a separate channel naturally
involves a great inconvenience. Thus, the purpose of the
invention is to provide a method for indicating a multi-slot
15 channel which does not increase the amount of signalling
compared to the signalling required for describing a channel
using one timeslot. The essence of the method of the
invention is that the required number of successive timeslots
in a frame are assigned to a multi-slot channel.
20
SUMMARY OF TIIE INVENTION
To achieve the above purpose of the inventive method for
indicating a multi-slot channel in signalling received over a
radio terminal in a TDMA structure, in which a radio
25
channel usually consists of one timeslot in successive frames
sent at radio frequency and made up of several successive
timeslots, and in which. in order to allocate a radio channel,
a message i'i signalled to the radio terminal, the message
containing one element describing the said one timeslot and
30
at least one second element describing the channel, the
method is characterised in that, to assign a multi-slot
channel, at least one or any element of the message describ-
ing the channel i'i replaced with a code. which identifies the
channel as a multi-slot channel and sets the number of
35
successive timeslots to be included in the multi-slot channel,
the element indicating one timeslot in the message being
used to indicate the first timeslot among the successive
timeslots to be included in the multi-slot channel.
40
The invention is applicable for instance to a channel
description information element relating to GSM channel
assignment signalling, in which the element defining the
channel type and the subchannel is replaced with a code, in
which the first numbers identify the channel as a multi-slot
channel, and the last numbers define the number of timeslots
45
to be included. Thus, the timeslot number included in the
same octet of the information element indicates the first
timeslot of the multi-slot channel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TIIE DRAWINGS
50
The invention will be described in detail below with
reference to one embodiment and to FIG. 1 in the accom-
panying drawing, which is a schematic view of a channel
description information element used in GSM signalling.
55 The message element included whenever necessary in the
signalling to a radio terminal provides the parameters of the
channel to be formed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
60
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
FIG. 1 illustrates four 8-bit octets included in the infor-
mation element mentioned above. Bits 8 ... 1 are indicated
at the upper edge of the figure and octets 1 ... 4 at the right
edge of the figure. The element CDIEI (Channel Description
65 Information Element Identifier) formed by bits 7 ... 1 in
octet 1 is an identifier informing the radio terminal that the
message element concerned, contained in the signalling
 US 6,295,286 Bl
3 4
message consisting of optional message elements, is a
channel description information element. In terms of the
embodiment of the invention described here, a substantial
part of the information element consists of a second octet. in
which the element CHT (Channel Type and TOMA Offset) 5
formed by bits 8 . . . 4 defines the channel type and the
subchannel and the element TN (Timeslot Number) formed
by the bits 3 ... 1 indicates the timeslot number. As can be
seen in the presentation of octets 3 and 4, the content of the
information element may vary. Octet 3 starts with a Training 10 timeslot in successive frames sent at radio frequency and
Sequence Code TSC. and its bit 5 determines whether
frequency hopping (H=l) is to be used or not (H=O). When
frequency hopping is applied, the element MAIO (Mobile
Allocation Index Offset), which continues into the following
octet will set the point from which frequency hopping starts, 15 ing the channel, comprising the steps of:
and the end element HSN (Hopping Sequence Number) of
octet 4 indicates the hopping sequence number. If frequency
hopping is not being used, bits 4 and 3 in octet 3 will be in
reserve and the elementARFCN (Absolute Radio Frequency
Channel Number) covering the end of octet 3 and octet 4 20
will indicate the radio frequency to be used by providing its
number.
The element CHT formed by bits 8 ... 4 in octet 2 will
be discussed below. A number of examples of the meanings
of its code and the code used for assigning the multi-slot 25
channel will be given below.
Bits
87654
00001 TCH/F + ACCHs
OOOlT TCH/H + ACCHs
OOlTI SDCCH/4 + SACCH/C4 or CECH (SDCCH/4)
OlTIT SDCCH/8 + SACCH/CS or CECH (SDCCH/8)
llnnn Multi-slot channel
TCH/F and TCH;H denote a full rate respectively a half
rate traffic channel, ACCH denotes associated control chan-
nels in general, SOCCH stands for a stand-alone dedicated 40
control channel, SACCH for a slow associated control
channel, and CBCH for a cell broadcast channel. The bits
marked T indicate the subchannel number coded in binary.
In this embodiment of the invention, the multi-slot chan-
nel is identified at the beginning of element CHT by means 45
of bit combination 11, so far not allocated for any other use
in GSM specification. The three remaining bits in element
CHT, marked n above, serve to form a binary code indicat-
ing the number of timeslots included in the multi-slot
channel. Three bits can be used to indicate eight different 50 mation element comprises bits and among the five bits
values, which is enough to define any potential multi-slot
channels in a GSM system in which a frame contains eight
timeslots.
The embodiment currently regarded as optimal has been
described above with reference to a GSM system. Other 55 in the multi-slot channel.
embodiments are of course conceivable in a GSM system, in
which a multi-slot channel can be assigned to a radio
terminal without extra signalling as compared to normal
assignment and definition of a channel using one single
timeslot. Those skilled in the art will understand that other
radio systems operating on the TOMA principle offer similar
or other embodiments of the inventive method for assigning
a multi-slot channel within the scope of the accompanying
claims.
What is claimed is:
1. A method for indicating a multi-slot channel, in sig-
nalling coming to a radio terminal in a TOMA radio system,
wherein the radio channel is normally formed of one
made up of several successive timeslots, and in which, in
order to assign a radio channel, a message is signalled to the
radio terminal, the message containing a first element indi-
cating one timeslot and at least one second element describ-
replacing, in order to assign a multi-slot channel, at least
one second element of the message describing the
channel with a coder, which identifies the channel as a
multi-slot channel and defines a number of timeslots to
be included in the multi-slot channel, and
using said first element indicating one timeslot in the
message to indicate a certain timeslot among said
number of timeslots to be included in the multi-slot
channel.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 for indicating a
multi-slot channel, wherein said second element describing
the channel is an element defining the channel type.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 for indicating a
multi-slot channel, wherein the TOMA system is a GSM
30 system, and
the message signalled to the radio terminal in order to
assign a radio channel, further comprises a channel
description information element signalled to the radio
terminal, said channel description information element
35
containing said first element indicating one timeslot
and one of said second elements describing the channel
type and the subchannel, wherein said first element is
a (TN) element and said second element is a (CHT)
element, and
the element (CHT) is replaced with a code, which iden-
tifies the channel as a multi-slot channel and sets the
number of successive timeslots to be included in the
multi-slot channel, and
the element (TN) indicating one timeslot is used to
indicate the first timeslot among the successive
timeslots to be included in the multi-slot channel.
4. A method as claimed in claim 3 for indicating a
multi-slot channel, wherein said channel description infor-
included in the element (CH1) describing the channel type
and the subchannel, the two first bits are used to identify the
channel as a multi-slot channel, and the three last ones are
used to set the number of successive timeslots to be included
5. A method as claimed in claim 4 for indicating a
multi-slot channel, wherein the first two bits identifying the
channel as a multi-slot channel are 11.
* * * * *
03/04 '00 MA 15:5B FAX +:158 9 511 38349 NTC/IPR DllPART!IENT @001

NOKIA Fax

Nokia Corporation Date: 3.4,2000

Pages: 1+17

From: Mika U. Anttila

Address: P.O. Box 226, FIN-00045 NOKIA GROUP, Finland
Fax: +356 9 1807 496

To: Director General - Karl Heinz Rosenbrock

Company: ETSI - 650, route des Lucioles - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex - FRANCE
Fax: +33 4 93 65 47 16
Cc to:
03/04 '00 llA 15; 5.6 FAX +358 9 511 38349 NTC/IPR DEPART!lENT t;1] 002

EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE

page 1 of2

ANNEX!

IPR INFORMATION AND DECLARATION STATEMENT

IPR Holder/Organisation
/1/o.t'.14 ?oll7&P.A -11 "Al
Legal Na111e: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Signatory

Na1ne:
PositiQn:
Department:
Address:

Tel.:
Fax:
E~mail:

IPR inforn1ation statement

In accordance with the ETSI IPR Policy 1 Article 4.1, I hereby infonn ETSI that,

with reference to the tcchrica] proposal identified as __().oi __-r__Ji__4__S:_Jlf

_U ______
and/or
in relation to Work Item N o . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
and/or
\vith rcforunce to ETST Stands.rd No. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

lt is my belief that the IP Rs listed ln Annex 2 are_, or arc Jikely to becorno, Essential IPRs in relation to that Standard.

IPR declaration statenient

The SIGNATORY has notified ETSI that it is the proprietor of the IPRs listed in Annex 2 and has infom1ed ETSI
that it believes thnt the IPRs may be considered ESSENTIAL to the Standards listed above.
The SIGNATORY and/or its AFFILIATES hereby di;o:clan:: that they are prepared to grant irrevocable licences under
the lPRs on terms and conditions \vhich are in accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSl lPR Policy1 in respect of the
ST.i\NDARD 1 to the extent that the IPRs remain ESSENTIAL.
The construction, validity and pe1fom1ancc of this DECLARATION shall be governed by the laws of France.

Pla~i:i. Date: Signature!

µ~
(Signet;i fQi- illld on beh~lf of the SIGNATORY)

Please retuin this fortn duly signed to'.

DIRECTOR GENERAJ.. - Kal'l He.in;>.: Rosenbrook

ETSI - 650 1 rout" des Luciolcs - "P-06921 Sophia. Antipolis Cedex FR.A.NCE
K

Fax. +33 (OJ 4 93 6> 47 16

 o ·
Proiect Company Title Country lication # Patent /I Countries o

,
ex:Finland 971269
I
,
I>< Hong Kong 98100351,6
, ()( Japan 8·511420
c/ Korea South 701980
rx' 9701460-9 39174
fl{ USA 081817963
DZ USA 8676023 +
GSM Nokia
Networks
DATA TRANSMISSION METHOD IN A TDMA MOBILE
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
1'< Finland 944488 96558 '"'
'"
'"
",: Australia 35240/95 696802
II! Canada 2200307
,), China 95195967
EPO 95932032 AT, BE,CH,

\' . DE, OK, ES,

FR, GI3, GR,
IE,IT,LU,
MG, NL, PT,
SE
'IX Finland 971270
y Hon" Konq 98100325,5
y Japan 8·511421
I'( Korea South 701981
<>(' Singapore 9701451·8 39164
'>I' USA 08/817331
"< USA CPA 081817331
GSM Nokia A METHOD FOR INDICATING A MULTI·SLOT CHANNEL IN A TDMA Finland 9£5540 99076
 Mobile
Phones
RADIO SYSTEM
\(
IV Austria A1926/95
D( Australia 39849195 695635
t( China 95197341.X
'< Germanv 19543253,3
d Spain P9502237 9502237
,X France 9513774
ex Great Britain 9522534,8 2295525

Page 4 of 12
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 4
A7272VI
 Illlll llllllll Ill lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll 111111111111111111111111111111111
US006970441Bl

(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 6,970,441 Bl

Pirhonen et al. (45) Date of Patent: Nov. 29, 2005

(54) DATA TRANSMISSION METHOD 5,430,724 A 7/1995 Fall

5,432,800 A * 7/1995 Kuroda et al. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 371/37. 7
(75) Inventors: Riku Pirhonen, Irving, TX (US); 5,438,590 A 8/1995 Tzukerman
Pekka Ranta, Nummela (FI); Jyri 5,475,686 A * 12/1995 Bach et al. ................... 370/84
5,483,531 A 1/1996 Jouin
Suvanen, Helsinki (FI)
5,563,895 A * 10/1996 Malkamaki et al. .......... 371/32
5,648,967 A * 7/1997 Schulz ....................... 370/328
(73) A5signee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy, Espoo
5,668,820 A * 9/1997 Ramesh et al. ............ 371/43.1
(FI) 5,815,809 A * 9/1998 Ward et al. ................. 455/428
6,597,917 Bl* 7/2003 Meuronen ................... 455/466
( *) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
patent is extended or adjusted under 35 FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. EP 660 558 A2 6/1995

(21) Appl. No.: 09/066,359 OTHER PUBLICATIONS

(22) PCT Filed: Oct. 31, 1996 Lee, "New Rate-Compatible Punctured Convolutional
Codes for Viterbi Decoding", IEEE Transactions on Com-
PCT/Fl96/00585 munications, vol. 42, No. 12, Dec. 1994, pp. 3073-3079.
(86) PCT No.:
Yasuda, et al, "High Rate Punctured Convolutional Codes
§ 371 (c)(l), for Soft Deceision Viterbi Decoding", IEEE Transactions on
Communications, vol. Com-32, No. 3, Mar. 1984, pp. 315-
(2), (4) Date: Aug. 18, 1998
319.
(87) PCT Pub. No.: W097/16899 * cited by examiner
PCT Pub. Date: May 9, 1997 Primary Examiner-Man U. Phan
Assistant Examiner-Toan Nguyen
(30) Foreign Application Priority Data (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw
Pittman LLP
Oct. 31, 1995 (FI) ...................................... 955206
(57) ABSTRACT
(51) Int. CI.7 ............................................... H04B 7/216
(52) U.S. CI. ....................................... 370/335; 714/786 The invention relates to a data transfer method in a digital
(58) Field of Search ................................ 370/320, 324, cellular radio network, the method comprising channel cod-
370/335,341,342,441,468,470,472,474, ing the information to be transferred for transmission. In
370/477,503,505,506,509,510,512,350, order to implement a data rate of 14.4 kbit/s in GSM type of
370/443, 476; 714/786, 789, 790, 798 cellular radio systems by employing one time slot only for
data transmission, the channel coding according to the
(56) References Cited method of the invention comprises grouping bits to be
transmitted in blocks having the minimum size of 288 bits,
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS carrying out convolutional coding for the blocks with a code
rate of 1/z by using GSM convolutional coding polynomes,
4,520,480 A * 5/1985 Kawai ........................ 370/100
and puncturing the bits obtained by deleting bits from each
4,972,411 A * 11/1990 Fushimi et al. ............. 370/522
5,029,331 A 7/1991 Heichler
block so that blocks containing no more than 456 bits will
5,208,816 A * 5/1993 Seshardi et al. .............. 371/43 be obtained.
5,377,192 A * 12/1994 Goodings et al. .......... 370/95.3
5,383,219 A 1/1995 Wheatley, III 15 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets

,a< > a
202 204

2~
~
BTS
216
\
200 206
222 220
MSC

214
U.S. Patent Nov. 29, 2005 Sheet 1 of 8 US 6,970,441 Bl

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sss s s ss s ssssssss
s s
s D D D D D D D DD D 0 D D D
D D D D D D DDD D D D D D
s D D D D D D D D D DDD DD
D D D D D 0 DD DDDDDD
s DDDDDD DD
D D D DD D DDDDD DD D
s D D D D DD D D D D D D D D
D D D D D0 DDDDD D DD
s D D D D D0 DDDD D D D D
D D D D DD D DD D D D DD
s D D D D DD DD DD D D 0 D
D D D D DD DDD D D D DD
s D D D D D D DDDD D D DD
DDDDD DDD
s D D D D DD DDDDD D DD
D D D DDD D DD D D D DD
s 0 D DDDD DDDDD DDD
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s D D D DD0 DDD D D D D D
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s D D D 0 0 D D DD D D D D D
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s DD D DD D D DDD D D 0 D
DD D D DD D D D D D D DD
s DD D D 0 D D D D D D D DD
D D D 0 0 D D DD D D D D D
s D D DD D0 DDD DD 0 DD
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s DD DDDD DDDD 0 DDD
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Fig. 1 Fig. 6
U.S. Patent Nov. 29, 2005 Sheet 2 of 8 US 6,970,441 Bl

202

216

220
MSC

' - - - - - 214

Fig. 2

218~ 220~
200 300

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U.S. Patent Nov. 29, 2005 Sheet 3 of 8 US 6,970,441 Bl

200

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300

218

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U.S. Patent Nov. 29, 2005 Sheet 4 of 8 US 6,970,441 Bl

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U.S. Patent Nov. 29, 2005 Sheet 5 of 8 US 6,970,441 Bl

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U.S. Patent Nov. 29, 2005 Sheet 6 of 8 US 6,970,441 Bl

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U.S. Patent Nov. 29, 2005 Sheet 7 of 8 US 6,970,441 Bl

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U.S. Patent Nov. 29, 2005 Sheet 8 of 8 US 6,970,441 Bl

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 US 6,970,441 Bl
1 2
DATA TRANSMISSION METHOD no more than 9.6 kbit/s or 4.8 kbit/s to use, depending on
whether a TCH/F9.6 or a TCH/F4.8 service is in question. At
This application is the national phase of international this moment, the user has no access to a higher data rate in
application PCT/F196/00585 filed Oct. 31, 1996 which GSM type of networks, even though high demands exist for
designated the U.S. this with data services becoming more common.
There are several apparatuses requiring higher data rates,
FIELD OF THE INVENTION because the data rates in fixed data networks have been
higher. A typical data rate employed in fixed telephone
The present invention relates to a data transmission networks is 14.4 kbit/s, which e.g. ITU V.32 bis and V.34
method in a digital cellular radio network, the method 10 modems and telefax terminals of group 3 may use.
comprising the step of channel coding the information to be In the GSM type of networks, the aim is to implement
transferred for transmission. higher data rates in the near future, and currently it is known
to apply a so-called multi-slot technique for this purpose.
PRIOR ART This means that more than one time-slot could be assigned
15 to users, with the natural result of an increased user data rate.
Requirements set for data transmission methods are con- Utilizing many time-slots is technically complicated to
tinuously increasing. This particularly concerns wireless implement, particularly in mobile stations, and especially if
data transmission systems, such as cellular communication the number of time-slots exceeds two.
systems of which ever more versatile services are required,
such as various kinds of data services. 20 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally, wireless data transmission systems have
only been used for speech transmission. An increase in the It is an object of the present invention to implement a data
number of various kinds of services to be transferred means, rate of 14.4 kbit/s in cellular radio systems of the GSM type
as far as wireless services in particular are concerned, that so that only one time-slot is used for transmitting user data.
the system must be able to transmit signals with different 25 This object is achieved by a method of the type set forth
capacities over the radio path. Consequently, an efficient in the introduction, characterized in that channel coding
operation is required of the data transmission system in an comprises grouping bits to be transmitted in blocks having
environment where transmissions of a multitude of service the minimum size of 288 bits, carrying out convolutional
types are transferred. coding for said block5 with a code rate of 1/z by using GSM
Data transmission on a radio channel with a limited 30 convolutional coding polynomes, and puncturing the bits
bandwidth is a kind of compromise between bit error rate, obtained by deleting bits from each block so that blocks
indicating transmission quality, and a net user data through- containing no more than 456 bits will be obtained.
put. The bit error rate may be decreased by increasing The method according to the invention provides a multi-
channel coding which adds redundancy, i.e. information less tude of advantages. By the method of the invention, a
important from the point of view of the user, to the infor- 35 desired data rate may be achieved without any large-scale
mation to be transmitted. If the number of bits to be modifications to existing networks. As the user needs one
transmitted in a time unit is restricted, the net user data time-slot only, the resources and capacity of the network are
throughput is reduced with redundancy. used efficiently.
For example in the GSM system, the data rate of a full rate In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the infor-
channel is 22.8 kbit/s on the radio path. The coding methods 40 mation to be transmitted is transcoded by combining two
used reduce the data rate to 12 kbit/s and 6 kbit/s, which subsequent transcoding frames into one frame, and by using
correspond to user data rates of 9.6 kbit/s and 4.8 kbit/s, i.e. some of the bits that would in case of individual frames be
the services TCH/F9.6 and TCH/F4.8. The output data to be used for synchronizing the latter frame for transferring the
transmitted over the radio path is transferred forward from information to be transmitted in this case. In a second
base stations to base station controllers and the center, and 45 preferred embodiment of the invention, the information to
the input data, in turn, from the center to a base station be transmitted is transcoded so that when generating the
controller and further to a base station for transmission over transcoding frame, comprising a group of data octets, the
the radio path. On such fixed transmission links, transmis- first bit of each data octet is used for transferring the
sion errors are much less probable than on the radio path, information to be transmitted.
and that is why there is usually no need to employ a 50
particular error-correcting coding on them. To minimize DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
transmission costs, it is beneficial to perform rate adaptation
to the lowest data rate employed by the system, for example
In the following, the invention will be described in more
to 16 kbit/s in the case of TCH/F9.6. FIG. 1 illustrates a
detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
TRAU frame which is important from the point of view of 55 which
implementing the rate adaptation, i.e. the frame in which the
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional TRAU frame described
user data is transmitted on the fixed connections between a
above,
base station and a TRAU (Transcoder/Rate Adaptation
Unit). The frame comprises 40 octets. Synchronization bits FIG. 2 illustrates a cellular radio system to which the
are marked with S, bits assigned to user data with D, and 60 method according to the invention may be applied,
control and spare bits have been left white. FIGS. 3a-3c illustrate alternative locations for the
Apart from the intentional redundancy described above, transcoding unit,
present-day GSM data services have spare data in the user FIGS. 4a and 4b illustrate transforming of data rate at
information. In a transparent service, the surplus is consti- different Abis interfaces,
tuted by flux control signalling, and in a non-transparent 65 FIG. S illustrates a new frame generated from two TRAU
service by radio link protocol (RLP) frame headers and L2R frames,
flux control. In both cases, the user will have a date rate of FIG. 6 illustrates a new type of TRAU frame,
 US 6,970,441 Bl
3 4
FIG. 7 illustrates implementing channel coding according
to the invention,
FIG. 8 illustrates a possible puncturing for the coded bits,
FIGS. 9a and 9b illustrate two frames of the new type, and
FIG. 10 illustrates a second example of a cellular radio
system to which the method of the invention may be applied.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 2 illustrates the structure of a cellular radio system
of the GSM type. The invention may advantageously be
applied to a digital cellular radio system whose channel and
frame structure resembles the GSM system. The system
comprises a group of terminal equipments 202-206 which
have a connection 208-212 to a base station 200. The base
station 200 communicates via digital transmission links 218
with a base station controller 214, which has one or more
base stations under its control. The base station controller
214, in turn, communicates via digital transmission links
220 with a mobile services switching center 216, which has
a further connection 222 to other parts of the network.
The interface 218 between the base station 200 and the
base station controller 214 is referred to as anAbis interface.
Similarly, the interface 220 between the base station con-
troller 214 and the mobile services switching center is
referred to as an A interface. There are two common ways to
implement these interfaces. What is essential to both these
ways is the transfer rate used at the Abis interface, which is
either 64 kbit/s or 16 kbit/s. For the 64 kbit/s transfer rate
employed for switching by the center 216, the signal must be
transcoded, and thus the location of the transcoding unit
TRAU in the network depends on the transfer rate employed
at the Abis interface. FIGS. 3a-3c illustrate different alter-
natives for the network structure at different transfer rates.
FIG. 3a illustrates an alternative in which the Abis inter-
face 218 between the base station 200 and the base station
controller 214 is implemented at the rate of 64 kbit/s. In such
a case, the transcoding unit TRAU 300 is located at the base
station 200. This means that the connection 220 between the
base station controller 214 and the mobile services switching
center 216 is also 64 kbit/s.
FIG. 3b illustrates an alternative in which the Abis inter-
face 218 between the base station 200 and the base station
controller 214 is implemented at the rate of 16 kbit/s. In such
a case, the transcoding unit TRAU 300 is located at the base
station controller 214. This means that the connection 220
between the base station controller 214 and the mobile
services switching center 216 has the rate of 64 kbit/s.
FIG. 3c illustrates a second alternative in which the Abis
interface 218 between the base station 200 and the base
station controller 214 is implemented at the rate of 16 kbit/s.
The transcoding unit TRAU 300 in this case is located at the
mobile services switching center 216. The connection 220
between the base station controller 214 and the mobile
services switching center 216 is thereby 16 kbit/s.
In the method according to the invention, the aim of
which is to enable a higher transfer rate for the user data in
a cellular radio system, a new way is introduced for carrying
out coding both on the radio path and in the transcoding unit
described above. The modifications caused by the new
coding on existing systems remain small, but they enable a
14.4 kbit/s transfer rate for the user. The method of the
invention will below be first examined in connection with
transcoding.
FIGS. 4a and 4b illustrate a transformation in the transfer
rate with different Abis interfaces. FIG. 4a illustrates net-
work implementation in case of a 64 kbit/s Abis interface
218. In such a case transcoding is carried out in connection
with the base station 200 and is a linear process utilizing
ITU-T V.110 rate transformation specification. The signal
received from the radio path 208 has been coded according
to specifications of the traffic channel 400 at the rate of 22.8
kbit/s. The user data rate 402 is consequently 14.4 kbit/s
which is first transformed to the rate of 32 kbit/s 404
according to V.110 recommendations, and from that further
10 to the rate of 64 kbit/s 406. As the transcoder is in this case
located at the base station 200, there is no need for separate
TRAU frames.
FIG. 4b illustrates a network implementation with a 16
kbit/s Abis interface. In this case the transcoder 300 is
15 external to the base station 200, and therefore traffic over the
Abis interface 218 takes place by TRAU frames. As there
exists no rate transformation scheme from a user rate of 14.4
kbit/s to the rate of 16 kbit/s at the Abis interface, the method
of the invention comprises a new transformation and a
20 TRAU frame corresponding thereto. The signal received
from the radio path 208 has been coded according to
specifications of the traffic channel 400 at the rate of 22.8
kbit/s. The user data rate 402 is therefore 14.4 kbit/s, which
is transformed 404 according to V.110 specifications to an
25 intermediate rate of 32 kbit/s. For the Abis interface, a new
type of 16 kbit/s TRAU frame 408 is generated which is
herein referred to as an N-TRAU frame. In the transcoding
unit the N-TRAU frame is disassembled according to V.110
recommendations via 404 an intermediate rate of 32 kbit/s to
30 the rate of 64 kbit/s 406. In the above, it is not compulsory
to use the intermediate rate of 32 kbit/s in the base station
200.
The TRAU frame is transmitted over the Abis interface at
20 ms intervals, and it contains 320 bits in all. If the desired
35 user data rate is 14.4 kbit/s, 288 bits of data bits should be
transmitted within 20 ms. There are four different known
transcoding frames used in the GSM system, one of which
is illustrated in FIG. 1. None of these frames utilizes the 16
kbit/s capacity in the best possible way. If all available data
40 bits are employed of the known frames, except the spare
control bits, 270 bits will be obtained. If 9 spare bits are
included from the control field of the data frame, 279 bits
will be obtained, which is not enough.
The method according to the invention utilizes two new
45 type of transcoding frame alternatives, in which bits
intended for synchronization are employed in data transmis-
sion. Further in the method according to the invention,
synchronization of the transcoding frame is changed so as to
obtain synchronization with a smaller number of actual
50 synchronization bits.
FIG. 5 illustrates a new frame generated from two TRAU
frames. The bits reserved for synchronizing are denoted by
the letter S, the bits reserved for the user data with the letter
D, and the control and spare bits have been left white. Each
55 conventional TRAU frame has a four-octet-long synchroni-
zation and control part positioned at the beginning of the
frame. When combining several frames, the control part may
be reduced proportionally. If two frames are combined and
transmitted together, a rate of 14.4 kbit/s requires 2*288 i.e.
60 576 bits per 40 ms. Two conventional frames in succession
provide 2*270 bits, i.e. there are 36 bits lacking. In the
solution according to the invention, the control part of the
latter frame to be combined is used for data transmission.
Furthermore, from the unused control bits of the first frame,
65 6 bits are used for data transmission. This will produce 576
bits in all, whereby there will still be 3 unused control bits.
In the solution according to the invention, as shown by FIG.
 US 6,970,441 Bl
5 6
5, a double length frame has at the beginning two full octets
of synchronization bits, one synchronization bit at the begin-
ning of the third octet, after which 8 control bits follow.
After this, all the bits arc data bits except the first bit in every
other octet, this bit being reserved for synchronization.
FIG. 6 illustrates a new 20 ms TRAD frame. The bits
reserved for synchronization are denoted by the letter S, the
bits reserved for user data with the letter D, and the control
and spare bits have been left white. In the solution according
to this embodiment, following the control part all the bits are
used for data transmission, including the first bit of every
octet. In this manner, an adequate number of bits may be
obtained for data transmission. A drawback concerning this
solution is that the actual synchronization bits are all located
at the beginning of the frame. In the solution according to the
invention it is possible to improve the synchronization so
that the transcoding frame is synchronized by using those
bits of the frame which have a known value. Such bits are
represented by frame type indicator bits (4 bits), a channel
type indicator (1 bit) and an intermediate rate adaptation
indicator (2 bits). By utilizing these bits, the functioning of
the synchronization may be ensured. A second method
according to the invention involves counting a short check-
sum for some of the data octets used for transferring the
information to be transmitted, and transferring the CRC
value thus obtained by using spare control bits, and utilizing
the CRC value in synchronizing the transcoding frame.
It is yet another embodiment of the method according to
the invention to use fill bits to break bit sequences consisting
of the same bit: such sequences could otherwise be inter-
preted as TRAD frame synchronization patterns. One way is
to use frames according to ITU recommendation V.42 or
frames modified based on that. As the V. 42 frames are so
constructed that they do not contain long sequences of ls,
the user data must be inverted prior to transmission, and
deinverted following the transmission in order for them not
to contain long sequences of zeros.
In the following, the method of the invention will be
examined in connection with channel coding. FIG. 7 offers
a block diagram illustration of implementing channel coding
according to the invention. The figure shows the two inven-
tive transcoding frames, both the 20 ms frame 700 and the
double length frame 702. In the 20 ms frame, 320 bits are
transmitted during 20 ms, and 288 payload bits are rate
adapted 408 to the rate of 14.4 kbit/s. In a similar manner,
the double length frame comprises 640 bits during 40 ms,
and 576 payload bits are rate adapted 408 to the rate of 14.4
kbit/s. Next, block coding 704 is carried out by using 288
bits as the size of the block in the solution according to the
invention. In the block coding, 4 tail bits are added. Con-
volutional coding 706 is carried out at the coding rate of llz,
by using the same GSM convolutional coding polynomes as
at the data rate of 9.6 kbit/s.
G0=1+D 3 +D 4
Gl=l +D+D 3 +D 4
After the coding, 584 bits will thereby by obtained, out of
which 128 bits will next 708 be punctured off, and the
remaining 456 bits will be fed further to be interleaved 710, 60
to burst formatting 712, to be modulated 714, and further to
the radio path 716. The puncturing is illustrated in the
example of FIG. 8, in which bits denoted with the letter Pare
deleted from the 584 bits obtained from the convolutional
coding, whereby 456 bits remain. 65
Next, the second preferred embodiment according to the
invention will be examined. In this embodiment, the infor-
mation to be transmitted is transferred in the transfer system
by generating a transcoding frame having a total length of
640 bits, and the information conveyed by which is applied
to a channel coder as two blocks having the length of 290
bits. This is illustrated in FIG. 9a. The bits reserved for
synchronization are denoted with the letter S, the bits
assigned to the user data are denoted by D, and the control
and spare bits have been left white. The frame therefore
consists of the first 900 and the second 902 block.
10 To both of the blocks, an identifier may be inserted which
indicates whether the first or the second block of the frame
is in question. The block identifier is in a predetermined
position in the block and the identifier of the second block
is advantageously formed by inverting the identifier of the
15 first block. The identifiers are illustrated in FIG. 9b. The
identifiers may advantageously be located in bits 1 and 3. It
is also possible to insert the identifiers only at the base
station to the signal transmitted to the air interface.
The first bits 1, 2, 3 and 4 of both the blocks in the frame
20 may advantageously be employed in transferring supple-
mentary information over the air interface. Such supplemen-
tary information includes synchronization of half frames,
sub-channel numbering or transferring inter-network, syn-
chronization information over the air interface. The supple-
25 mentary information bits may also be used for signalling
discontinuous transmission.
At the base station, the bit of the first block in the frame,
indicating discontinuous transmission, may advantageously
be replaced prior to channel coding by a fixed-value bit
30 which is inverse to the bit transmitted at the same position
in the latter block.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention,
channel coding comprises grouping bits to be transmitted
into blocks having the size of 290 bits, adding 4 tail bits to
35 the blocks, carrying out convolutional coding for said blocks
with a 1/z code rate by employing GSM convolutional
polynomes so that after the coding the block size is 588 bits,
and puncturing the coded bits obtained by deleting 132 bits
from each block.
40 In the following, FIG. 10 will be examined which illus-
trates the structure of cellular radio systems of the GSM
type. The figure shows a mobile station MS which commu-
nicates with a base station BTS. The base station BTS
communicates via digital transmission links with a base
45 station controller BSC which has one or more base stations
under its control. The base station controller BSC, in turn,
communicates via digital transmission links with a mobile
services switching center MSC, which further has a connec-
tion via 222 a network interworking connection 1000 to
50 other parts of the network.
As mentioned, the interface between the base station BTS
and the base station controller is referred to as an Abis
interface. The interface between the base station controller
BTS and the mobile services switching center MSC is
55 referred to as an A interface. In a solution according to a
preferred embodiment of the invention, the transfer frame is
generated at the network interworking unit 1000. The frame
is transferred over the A interface, the TRAD receives and
transmits the frame further, and the frame is transferred over
the Abis interface, and the base station receives the frame. In
a prior art solution, the frame is only generated in the TRAD
at the base station controller. In the solution according to the
present invention, the frame may also include a radio link
protocol frame (RLP frame). This is an advantageous solu-
tion, as the amount of overhead decreases, there is no need
to separate the RLP frames with a dedicated frame separator
if the TRAD frame is of equal size.
 US 6,970,441 Bl
7 8
Although the invention is in the above described with
reference to the example of the accompanying drawings, it
is obvious that it may be varied in many ways within the
inventive idea set forth in the attached claims.
What is claimed is:
1. A data transmission method in a digital cellular radio
network, the method comprising:
channel coding information to be transferred for trans-
mission, the channel coding comprising
grouping bits to be transmitted into blocks having the 10
size of 290 bits;
inserting 4 tail bits into the blocks;
carrying out convolutional coding for said block5 with
a 1/z code rate by employing GSM convolutional
polynomes so that after the coding the block size is 15 inverse value.
588 bits;
puncturing the coded bits obtained by deleting 132 bits
from each block;
transferring the information to be transmitted in a
transfer system by generating a transcoding frame 20 network, the method comprising:
having a plurality of data octets, the first two data
octets forming a synchronization pattern that con-
sists of zeros, and said transcoding frame containing
control bits and at least 288 bits of information to be
transmitted; and
calculating a short checksum for some of the data octets
used for transferring the information to be transmit-
ted, transferring a cyclic redundancy check value
obtained by using spare control bits, and employing
the cyclic redundancy check value in synchronizing 30
of the transcoding frame.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising
transferring the information to be transmitted in a transfer
system by generating one frame from two transcoding
frames by using a part of synchronization and control bit 35
positions of the latter frame in the information transfer.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising
generating the transfer frame at a network interworking unit.
4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the transfer
frame comprises a radio link protocol frame.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising
inverting each information bit prior to the transfer and
deinverting each information bit after the transfer.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising
transferring the information to be transmitted in a transfer 45
system by generating a transfer frame whose total length is
640 bits and the information transferred by which is applied
to a channel coder as two blocks with the length of 290 bits.
7. A method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising
inserting an identifier into the two blocks indicating whether so sequences comprised by the information differ from the
a first block or a second block of the frame is in question.
8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the identifier
is in a predetermined position in each block, and further
comprising inverting the identifier of the first block to form
the identifier of the second block.
9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein first bits of
both frames are employed in transferring supplementary
information over the air interface, and wherein the first bits
are supplementary information bits.
10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the supple-
mentary information bits are used for signaling discontinu-
ous transmission.
11. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising
replacing the bit indicating discontinuous transmission in
the first block of the frame at the base station with a
fixed-value bit prior to channel coding, wherein the bit to be
transmitted in the same position in the latter frame has an
12. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the supple-
mentary information bits are used for transmission of syn-
chronization information.
13. A data transmission method in a digital cellular radio
channel coding information to be transferred for trans-
mission, the channel coding comprising
grouping bits to be transmitted in blocks having a
minimum size of 288 bits;
25
carrying out convolutional coding for said blocks with
a code rate of 1/z by using GSM convolutional coding
polynomes;
puncturing the coded bits obtained, the puncturing
including deleting bits from each block so that each
block contains no more than 456 bits;
transferring the information to be transmitted in a
transfer system by generating a transcoding frame
having a plurality of data octets, the first two data
octets forming a synchronization pattern that con-
sists of zeros, and said transcoding frame containing
control bits and at least 288 bits of information to be
transmitted; and
calculating a short checksum for some of the data octets
40 used for transferring the information to be transmit-
ted, transferring a cyclic redundancy check value
obtained by using spare control bits, and employing
the cyclic redundancy check value in synchronizing
of the transcoding frame.
14. A method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising
employing bits of the frame that have a known value for
synchronizing of the transcoding frame.
15. A method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising
modifying the information to be transferred so that the bit
synchronization sequences.
* * * * *
 EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 1 of22

ANNEXl

IPR INFORMATION STATEMENT AND LICENSING DECLARATION

IPR Holder/Organisation

Legal Name: Nokia Corporation - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Signatory

Name: Harri Honkasalo _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Position: Director of IPR, Standards,_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Department: Intellectual Property Rights _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Address: Keilalahdentie 2-4, FIN-02150 ESPOO, Finland, PD.Box 226, FIN-00045 NOKIA GROUP

Tel.: +35871800 8000 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Fax: +358718034496 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~
E-mail: harri.honkasalo@nokia,com _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

IPR information statement

In accordance with the ETSI IPR Policy, Article 4.1, I hereby inform ETSI that,

with reference to the technical proposal identified as GSM. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

It is my belief that the IPRs listed in Annex 2 are, or are likely to become, Essential IPRs in relation to that Standard.

IPR licensing declaration

The SIGNATORY has notified ETSI that it is the proprietor of the IPRs listed in Annex 2 and has informed ETSI
that it believes that the IPRs may be considered ESSENTIAL to the Standards listed above.
The SIGNATORY and/or its AFFILIATES hereby declare that they are prepared to grant irrevocable licenses under
the IPRs on terms and conditions which are in accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy, in respect of the
STANDARD, to the extent that the IPRs remain ESSENTIAL.
The construction, validity and performance of this DECLARATION shall be governed by the laws of France.

Place, Dale: Signature:

Espoo, Finland, 24 July 2002

(Signed for and on behalf of the SIGNATORY)

~/E<CfJJJ D®
- 9 Sf P. 2002 Please return this form duly signed to:
ETSI Director General - Karl Heinz Rosenbrock
Rep: __
--------- ETSI - 650, route des Lucioles - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex - FRANCE
Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 47 16
 EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 4 of 22

Hong Kong 08.06 98103484.0

Japan 08.06 8-521466

Norway 08.06 973233

Singapore 08.06 9703101-7 42705

United States 08.06 08/373942 5664004

GSM  Nokia
New 14.4 Kbitls
Australia 05.03 73003/96 716158
service for GSM

ChinaP.R. 05.03 96198322.1

European Patent
05.03 96934871.3
Convention

Finland 05.03 955206

Japan 05.03 9-517098

Norway 05.03 98.1941

United States 05.03 09/066359

Please return this form duly signed to: ETSI Director General - Karl Heinz Rosenbrock

ETSI - 650, route des Lucioles - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex - France I Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 47 16
 5
A7794VI
 Illlll llllllll Ill lllll lllll US006859447Bl
lllll lllll lllll 111111111111111111111111111111111

(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 6,859,447 Bl

Ruutu et al. (45) Date of Patent: Feb.22,2005

(54) BROADBAND CELLULAR NETWORK FOREIGN PXrENT DOCUMENTS

DEVICE
DE 19535329 3/1997
EP 0660625 6/1995
(75) Inventors: Jussi Ruutu, Espoo (FI); Mikko
EP 0729282 8/1996
Martikainen, Helsinki (FI) EP 0731620 9/1996
EP 0749259 12/1996
(73) A5signee: Nokia Corporation, Espoo (FI) EP 0796022 9/1997
EP 0 801 513 Al * 10/1997
( *) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this EP 0801513 10/1997
patent is extended or adjusted under 35 GB 2265278 9/1993
U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. WO WO 97/49254 12/1997

OTHER PUBLICATIONS
(21) Appl. No.: 09/607,065
International Search Report for PCT/EP97/07351.
(22) Filed: Jun.29,2000 RFC 1987, "GSMP Protocol Specification" Aug. 1996.
Related U.S. Application Data * cited by examiner
Primary Examiner-Brian Nguyen
( 63) Continuation of application No. PCT/EP97/07351, filed on
Dec. 30, 1997. (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Squire, Sanders &
Dempsey L.L.P.
(51) Int. CI.7 .................................................. H04Q 7/24
(52) U.S. CI ..................... 370/338; 370/395.1; 370/467; (57) ABSTRACT
455/560
A broadband cellular network device comprises a base
(58) Field of Search ................................. 370/338, 328, station controller unit (1), an asynchrouous transfer mode
370/329, 395.1, 395.2, 395.5, 395.52, 401, controller (2) adapted to control the distribution of cellular
466, 467, 469, 395, 396, 347, 398, 399, traffic consisting of asynchrouous transfer mode cells in
400, 464, 465, 470, 471, 389, 392, 310, trunking mobile communication networks based on XfM
310.1, 310.2; 455/560, 561 technology, and an asynchrouous transfer mode switching
means (3) controlled by said asynchrouous transfer mode
(56) References Cited
controller (2). The base station controller unit (1), the
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS asynchrouous transfer mode controller (2) and the asyn-
chrouous transfer mode switching means (3) form an ATM
5,825,759 A * 10/1998 Liu ............................ 370/331 based base station controller (BSC) capable of performing
5,845,211 A * 12/1998 Roach, Jr. ................... 455/436 ATM switching and adapted to replace PCM based base
5,903,559 A * 5/1999 Achrya et al. .............. 370/355
5,946,634 A * 8/1999 Korpela ...................... 455/552
station controllers in base station subsystems (BSS) of
5,963,555 A * 10/1999 Takase ct al. ............... 370/395 asynchrouous transfer mode based cellular networks.
6,018,521 A * 1/2000 Timbs ct al. ................ 370/342
6,151,314 A * 11/2000 Rauhala ...................... 370/350 6 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets

BSC UNIT

l 2
ATM CONTROLLER

....
l 3
"
-"' ... ... ... .. . .., ... .,.
.....,..
...._ .. ... .......
;z .. ~::·
..... ... . ...
ATM LINKS ....- _lo.
~
,
-"'
ATM LINKS
ATM SWITCH
_,.
-,,. ............. " ............. J _,.,
,
U.S. Patent :Feb. 22, 2005 Sheet 1 of 2 US 6,859,447 Bl

Fig.1

~@~LR
DD". ......
ATM
.' ·~ ... ~ . .
' ~ .' .

Fig.2
BSC UNIT

1 2
ATM CONTROLLER

l 3
... •.•.
. ..... . • . . . . . t....._
.. .....

...... -.J--~-
... .. ..

ATM LINKS .... J -.... ~ •••• AT~ ;~;;~H· ATM LINKS

+..... - ............................. . ...

Fig.3
BSC UNIT
l 2
2a GSM RELATED LAYER
r ••.•.....•.•.••.•.••..•
2b ATM SWITCH RELATED LAYER

... ,.
J ...........
3
.. " .."' : : ...~ , -' -.......
~
... ....,,.
.. ... .. .. . . .. ................. ....._
--,
-~

ATM LINKS ATM SWITCH ATM L!NKS

.. #
.... .... .. ................................... .... -~
U.S. Patent }'eb. 22, 2005 Sheet 2 of 2 US 6,859,447 Bl

Fig.4
BSC UNIT

J 2
GSMP CONTROLLER

I 3
····· ·::::z-~·.:::······ ~
ATM LINKS -,, · · ..•. ATM SWITCH ..... · ATM LINKS
-+---++ . . . .SUPPORTING
. . . . . . . . . . .GSMP
. . . . . . . . -...,,.- - - , .

Fig.5
PRIOR ART ~--------------------,
l

(a)

1--------------------~
~----------~---------,
I
: PCM
: SWITCHING
(b) ... BSC
' •: . .,:
ATM: ~8 ATM
t:2J LJ·---
1

1--------------------~
 US 6,859,447 Bl
1 2
BROADBAND CELLUIAR NETWORK Internet. The same transformations must also be made for
DEVICE data packets traveling in the opposite direction, i.e. from the
public data networks to the base transceiver station BTS. By
This application is a continuation of international appli- use of asynchronous transfer mode procedures, this data
cation serial No. PCT/EP97/07351, filed 30 Dec. 1997. transformation can be avoided, and it is moreover possible
to directly route data packets in asynchronous transfer mode
FIELD OF THE INVENTION cells from the base station subsystem BSS to public asyn-
chronous transfer mode based networks.
The present invention relates to a device for controlling
cellular traffic in a mobile communication system based on In order to use asynchronous transfer mode in the trunk-
10 ing network of a GSM system, at least the conventional
asynchronous transfer mode technology, and also concerns
a base station controller using this device. PCM links between respective network elements must be
replaced with ATM links. In the resulting arrangement,
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ordinary PCM based GSM network elements are then con-
nected by ATM links, for which an example is shown in FIG.
In recent years, the Global System for Mobile Commu- 15 Sb.
nications (GSM) and other cellular networks have grown
Such a technique is called Circuit Emulation Services
rapidly all over the world. An accordingly increasing num-
ber of subscribers has led to a corresponding increase of (CES), which, however, is not yet an effective realization of
bandwidth in trunking networks of cellular systems such as ATM, since the base station controller BSC and, thus, the
base station subsystems (BSS) in the GSM. base station subsystem BSS do in this case not support ATM
20
switching.
FIGS. Sa and Sb schematically show examples of parts of
trunking networks in mobile communication systems. In Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to
such trunking networks, a mobile services switching center provide a device which is capable of supporting ATM
switching at base station subsystem level and, thus, imple-
MSC and an associated visitor location register VLR are
ments an effective realization of asynchronous transfer mode
linked to a base station controller BSC. The base station 25
controller BSC is in turn linked to a base transceiver station in mobile communication networks.
BTS, which is coupled with mobile stations (not shown) at In view of the future expansions expected in such mobile
respective end users. The base station controller BSC and communication networks, the present invention shall also
the base transceiver station BTS constitute a so called base provide a device which can be manufactured, installed and
station subsystem BSS, which is indicated by dashed lines in 30 maintained at low cost. A5ynchronous transfer mode tech-
FIGS. Sa and Sb. nology may also provide a big increase in capacity when
In more detail, in FIG. Sa part of a conventional pulse compared with PCM technology. Thus, the number of physi-
cal lines in base station subsystems can be reduced.
code modulation (PCM) based trunking network is
illustrated, in which the coupling links, i.e. the connections According to the present invention, this object is accom-
between network elements, and the switching in the base 35 plished by a broadband cellular network device, comprising
station controller BSC are all PCM based. a base station control unit adapted to control the distribution
However, the integration of mobile stations such as of asynchronous transfer mode cellular traffic consisting of
asynchronous transfer mode cells, an asynchronous transfer
mobile phones and data communication has recently given
rise to the introduction of new data services like e.g. the mode controller connected to and being controlled by said
40 base station control unit, and an asynchronous transfer mode
Short Message Service (SMS) or the access to the Internet
using a mobile station. Along therewith, an increasing switching means connected to and being controlled by said
asynchronous transfer mode controller and adapted to switch
demand for replacing these conventional narrow banded
asynchronous transfer mode cellular traffic.
PCM networks with broadband communication systems can
now be observed. With the above configuration, an asynchronous transfer
A<; a future data transfer technology for use in broadband 45 mode based broadband cellular network device is imple-
communication systems, asynchronous transfer mode, in mented by combining the functions of a base station con-
short also referred to as ATM, has been proposed. troller unit with an asynchronous transfer mode switch.
The basic idea of asynchronous transfer mode is to The device is capable of performing asynchronous trans-
transfer data in small data packets having a fixed size. These 50 fer mode switching in a base station subsystem and more-
data packets are called cells. A flow of such cells represents over represents an inexpensive basis for an asynchronous
a virtual channel connection VCC between respective end transfer mode based base station controller for use in asyn-
users. The virtual nature of the connection arises from the chronous transfer mode based cellular networks.
fact that cells are transferred only when there are data to be Further embodiments of the present invention are subject
sent. In contrast to known connection-oriented systems, 55 of the attached dependent claims.
therefore, resources are not used when no useful payload is Preferably, said base station unit provides either of a
present. software, hardware or mixed software/hardware implemen-
Asynchronous transfer mode is also suitable for transfer- tation of base station controller functions and comprises an
ring packet data in e.g. GSM network5. In this respect, asynchronous transfer mode controller instruction means.
General Packet Radio Services ( GPRS) have been proposed, 60 The asynchronous transfer mode controller is arranged to
in which data packets like e.g. IP traffic are transferred provide an interface for converting commands issued by the
through GSM radio interface. base station controller unit into commands causing switch-
However, with a conventional PCM based base station ing actions of the asynchronous transfer mode switching
subsystem as shown in FIG. Sa, such data packets must first means.
be transformed into PCM format in the base transceiver 65 Advantageously, the asynchronous transfer mode control-
station BTS and then retransformed into packet format ler is adapted to employ asynchronous transfer mode based
before being sent to public packet data networks like e.g. the signalling and to provide control commands for controlling
 US 6,859,447 Bl
3 4
connecting hardware of the asynchronous transfer rnode
switching means.
According to a further development, the asynchronous
transfer rnocle controller is arranged to comprise at least two
functional layers, one of the functional layers being a
cellular network related upper layer adapted to perform
cellular network related functions, and one of the functional
layers being an asynchronous transfer rnocle related lower
layer adapted to perform asynchronous transfer rnocle
switching means related functions.
Thereby, the lower functional layer of the asynchronous
transfer rnocle controller is advantageously arranged to con-
trol the switching hardware of the asynchronous transfer
rnocle switching means.
In addition, the asynchronous transfer rnode controller
rnay be adapted to be a General Switch Management Pro-
tocol controller. Then, the asynchronous transfer rnocle
switching means is adapted to support said General Switch
Management Protocol.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following, the invention will be described in greater
detail by way of preferred ernboclirnents with reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a mobile cornrnunications
network using asynchronous transfer rnocle links and asyn-
chronous transfer rnocle switching;
FIG. 2 illustrates the broadband cellular network device
according to a first preferred ernboclirnent;
FIG. 3 illustrates the broadband cellular network device
according to a second preferred ernboclirnent;
FIG. 4 illustrates the broadband cellular network device
according to a third preferred ernboclirnent;
FIG. 5a schematically shows part of a known mobile
cornrnunications network using PCM links and PCM
switching; and
FIG. 5b schematically shows part of a proposed mobile
cornrnunications network using ATM links and PCM switch- 40
ing.
BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE
INVEN110N
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates part of a mobile cornrnu-
nications network, e.g. a GSM network, substantially com-
prising the sarne basic components as those of FIGS. 5a and
5b, but this tirne providing ATM links and ATM switching
in the base station controller BSC itself.
That is, both the conventional PCM links between the
mobile services switching center MSC and associated visitor
location register VLR and the base station controller BSC
and between the base station controller BSC and the base
transceiver station BTS are replaced by ATM links. In 55 channels are to be interconnected or switched, respectively,
addition, the base station controller BSC as the central
switching element in the base station subsystem BSS is
adapted to perform ATM switching.
FIG. 2 illustrates a base station controller BSC as a
broadband cellular network device according to a first 60 band cellular network device according to a third ernbocli-
preferred ernbodirnent. The device comprises a base station
controller unit or BSC unit 1, respectively, an asynchronous
transfer rnocle or ATM controller 2 and an asynchronous
transfer rnode or ATM switch 3.
The BSC unit 1 is connected to the ATM controller 2 and 65 controllers 2 according to the first and second ernboclirnents,
rnay consist of a pure software, a pure hardware or a mixed
software/hardware irnplernentation of an ordinary base sta-
tion controller BSC. The BSC unit 1 provides for normal
base station controller functions such as handover
processing, GSM signalling etc., and also decides on the
individual interconnections of traffic channels or signalling
channels, if necessary.
The rnain difference between this BSC unit 1 and a
conventional PCM based base station controller consists in
that there are no PCM group switch and corresponding
controller functions in the BSC unit 1. Instead, the BSC unit
10
1 comprises means (not shown) for instructing the ATM
controller 2. In this respect, the BSC unit 1 can be arranged
as a pure software irnplernentation which emulates hardware
base station controller functions, or can be arranged as a
mixed irnplernentation which uses part of the hardware of an
ordinary base station controller.
15
The ATM controller 2 is connected to the ATM switch 3
and thereby provides an interface for the BSC unit 1 to issue
cornrnancls for connecting or disconnecting traffic channels
passing through the ATM switch 3. In addition, the ATM
controller 2 also provides suitable cornrnancls for the ATM
20 switch 3 in order to enable the hardware thereof to establish
the required connections, and rnay include specific original
equipment manufacturers' (OEM) adaptations required to
have the ATM switch 3 work properly.
The ATM switch 3 forms the actual ATM hardware
25
switching element. It is controlled by the ATM controller 2
either using a stanclarclizecl interface like e.g. the General
Switch Management Protocol (GSMP), or a corresponding
proprietary solution.
30
ne!~ ~il~:e~~u~~!~:e ~~ea~T~a:::~~hA~~o s~i~~~c~i:~
respective input and output ports thereof. Hence, the rnain
function of the ATM switch 3 is to connect a virtual channel
(VC) corning in at an input port to one or a plurality of
virtual channels leaving at one or a plurality of output ports
35
thereof. The port switching performed by the ATM switch 3
is, thus, capable of multicast operation, and is schematically
indicated by clotted lines.
FIG. 3 illustrates the broadband cellular network device
according to a second ernboclirnent.
While the BSC unit 1 and the ATM switch 3 fundamen-
tally correspond to those used in the above described first
ernboclirnent, the ATM controller 2 is now separated into two
functional layers. It is understood, however, that the number
45 of layers is not limited to two, but rnay be any number
suitable for realizing the functions to be performed by the
ATM controller 2.
In the shown two layer structure, the ATM controller 2
includes an upper layer 2a and a lower layer 2b. In accor-
50 dance with the GSM system serving as the example mobile
cornrnunications network, the upper layer 2a constitutes a
GSM related layer caring for the conversion of signalling
and other GSM related items, as shown in FIG. 3, and
instructs the lower layer 2b which ports and/or virtual
in the ATM switch 3. Accordingly, the lower layer 2b will
care for other, e.g. ATM switch related tasks such as main-
tenance and error handling of the ATM switch 3.
FIG. 4 illustrates the base station controller as the broad-
rnent.
While the BSC unit again corresponds to that of the first
ernboclirnent, a General Switch Management Protocol
(GSMP) controller 2 is employed here instead of the ATM
and the ATM switch 3 is adapted to support the GSMP used
by the GSMP controller 2.
 US 6,859,447 Bl
5 6
The GSMP, which has recently been published under the
reference RFC1987 by the Internet Engineering Task Force,
is a general purpose protocol which provides an interface for
controlling a hardware based ATM switch 3. The GSMP
allows a controller to establish and release connections
across the ATM switch 3, to add and delete leaves on a
point-to-multipoint connection, to manage the individual
ports of the ATM switch 3, and to request configuration
information and statistics.
According to the third embodiment, an ATM based base 10
station controller BSC is provided comprising a combina-
tion of a base station controller unit and a GSMP switch
using a GSMP controller in-between. This arrangement
provides for a fast and at the same time cheap construction
of an ATM based base station controller BSC. In this 15
construction, it is possible to combine the BSC unit 1 with
any kind of GSMP switch. In this manner, hardware of a
variety of different manufacturers can be used, and the
capacity of the underlying network can easily be scaled up
when additional base transceiver stations BTS and trans- 20
ceivers (TRX) (not shown) are introduced into the base
station subsystem BSS.
It should be understood that the above description and
accompanying figures are only intended to illustrate the
present invention. Thus, the device according to the inven- 25
tion may also be used in networks other than the GSM
referred to as an example. The preferred embodiments of the
invention may also vary within the scope of the attached
claims.
30
What is claimed is:
1. A broadband cellular network device connected to a
mobile services switching center and to one or more base
transceiver stations with asynchronous transfer mode links,
comprising:
35
a base station control unit adapted to control distribution
of asynchronous transfer mode cellular traffic consist-
ing of asynchronous transfer mode cells,
an asynchronous transfer mode controller, separate from
said base station control unit, connected to and being 40
controlled by said base station control unit, and
an asynchronous transfer mode switching means con-
nected to and being controlled by said asynchronous
transfer mode controller an adapted to switch asynchro-
nous transfer mode cellular traffic, wherein said asyn-
chronous transfer mode controller being arranged to
function between the base station control unit and the
asynchronous transfer mode switching means and
being arranged to provide an interface for converting
commands of a first communication protocol issued by
the base station control unit into commands of a second
communication protocol causing switching actions and
being configured to provide an interface for issuing
commands for connecting and disconnecting traffic
channels passing through the asynchronous transfer
mode switching means.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said base station
control unit provides either of a software, hardware or mixed
software/hardware implementation of base station controller
functions and comprises an asynchronous transfer mode
controller instruction means adapted to instruct the asyn-
chronous transfer mode controller.
3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the asynchro-
nous transfer mode controller is adapted to employ asyn-
chronous transfer mode based signalling and to provide
control commands for controlling connecting hardware of
the asynchronous transfer mode switching means.
4. Device according to claim 1, wherein the asynchronous
transfer mode controller is arranged to comprise at least two
functional layers, one of the functional layers being a
cellular network related upper layer adapted to perform
cellular network related functions, and one of the functional
layers being an asynchronous transfer mode related lower
layer adapted to perform asynchronous transfer mode
switching means related functions.
5. Device according to claim 4, wherein the lower func-
tional layers of the asynchronous transfer mode controller is
arranged to control the switching hardware of the asynchro-
nous transfer mode switching means.
6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the asynchronous
transfer mode controller is adapted to be a General Switch
Management Protocol (GSMP) controller, and wherein the
asynchronous transfer mode switching means is adapted to
support said General Switch Management Protocol.
* * * * *
 lf€lEG lJ H@
ETSI - 3 JAN. 2012
Rep: __________ _ Page 1 (version 6)
IPR Declaration reference: ISLD-201112-008

ETSI Rules of Procedure, 26 November 2008

IPR INFORMATION STATEMENT AND LICENSING DECLARATION

IPR HOLDER I ORGANISATION ("Declarant")
Legal Name: NOKIA Corporation

CONTACT DETAILS FOR LICENSING INFORMATION:

Name and Title: Mr. Kalle MOILANEN
Department: IPR
Address: P.O Box 86, Joensuunkatu 7, 24100 SALO, FINLAND,
Telephone: +358 50 366 2022 Fax: +358 7180 44275
Email kalle.moilanen@nokia.com URL

IPR INFORMATION STATEMENT

In accordance with Clause 4.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy the Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES hereby informs ETSI that it is the
Declarant's and/or its AFFILIATES' present belief that the IPR(s) disclosed in the attached IPR Information Statement Annex may be
or may become ESSENTIAL in relation to al least the ETSI Work ltem(s), STANOARD(S) and/or TECH NICAL SPECIFICATION(S)
identified in the attached IPR Information Statement Annex .

The Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES (check one box only):

ll(" are the proprietor of the IPR(s) disclosed in the attached IPR Information Statement Annex.

D are not the proprietor of the IPR(s) disclosed in the attached IPR Information Statement Annex.

IPR LICENSING DECLARATION

In accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy the Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES hereby irrevocably declares the following
(check one box only, and subordinate box, where applicable):

~ To the extent that the IPR(s) disclosed in the allached IPR Information Statement Annex are or become, and remain
ESSENTIAL in respect of !he ETSI Work Item, STANDARD and/or TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION identified in !he attached IPR
Information Statement Annex, the Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES are prepared to grant irrevocable licences under !his/these
IPR(s) on terms and conditions which are in accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy.

~ This irrevocable undertaking is made subject to the condition that those who seek licences agree to reciprocate
(check box if applicable):

D The Declaranl and/or its AFFI LIATES are not prepared to make the above IPR Licensing Declaration (reasons may be explained
in writing in the allached IPR Licensing Declaration Annex ).

The construction. validity and performance of this IPR informa tion statement and licensing declaration shall be governed by the laws
of France.
Terms in ALL CAPS on this form have the meaning provided in Clause 15 of the ETSI IPR Policy.

SIGNATUR~ t~, /.t..---

By signing this IPR Information Statement and Licensing Declaration form . you represent that you have the authority to bind the
Dectaranl and/or its AFFILIATES to !he representations and commitments provided in this form .

Name of authorized person: Mr. Kalle MOILANEN

Title of authorized person: IPR Manager
Place, Date: Salo, Finland, 29/12/2011

Please return this form duly signed to: ETSI Director-General

ETSI - 650, route des Lucio/es - F -06921 So hia Antipolis Cedex - France I Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 47 16
 ETSI .1'"['" ____ ,. ,
, Pal1S 2 ('o'efSIOJl 6)
IPR Oeclafithon reference ISLO-201 1 t2 -C06

ETS' Rule s of Procedure, 26 November 2008

IPR Information Statement Annex

r-----sTANDARD, TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION or Proprietor AppllcaUon No, Publication No. PalontiAppllcaUonTltla Country 0' FURTHER INFORMATION
--
ETSl Woric Ilem registration
Olher memb... otthls PATENT FAMilY If any •
Project or Work "em or AlustraUve VfH"Ilo
Standard name Standard No, Specific part 01 n AppllcaUon No. pubtlcatlon No. Country 01
(V:).x. registration

 UMTS TS 25.410
TS 25.426
4.1.1,5.4.2
4,6 . 1
3.8.0
3.9.0
NOKIA CORP
[FI)
US20000607065 US6859447 Bt Broadband cellular
network devico
UNITED
STATES
AT 19970954832
T
AT295664 T AUSTRIA

A U19980062065 AU6206598 A AUSTRALIA

D
_ _
DE19976033280 DE6973328012 GERMANY
T
EP19970954832 EP10445758 1 European
..-
ES 19970954832 ES224t06713 SPAIN
T
JP20000 52 8114 JP38575l4 8 2
T
WOI997EP0735 W09935863 AI Patent
1 Cooperation
Treaty
UMTS TS 24.229 5.2.4, 5.2.6 .3, 6.26.0 NOKIA CORP US 1999032962 t US6J6665981 Procedure for the UNITED
- AUSTRALIA
5.4.3.2 [NL) transmisSion of a STATES
subscrlbor number AU 19980050560 AU5056098 A AUSTRALIA

CN
D
0804!.!
- CHINA
DE19976036119 DE69736119 T2
T
EPI9970913226 EP0944983 B 1 Europ.an

JP19980526262 JP2001S060n A JAPAN

T
W01997F100729 W09826564 AJ Patent

-
(Reference: Not applied in Japan)
[[ Ver. 9.20 ]]
特許出願人 発明の名称 出願番号等 備考(出願国名)( 2)
(PATENT HOLDER) (NAME OF PATENT) (REGISTRATION NO. / REMARKS
APPLICATION NO.)
*9.20
セラ 、移動 及び移動通信方法 10-1022182 KR

*9.20
セラ 通信システム、無線通信 及び無線 785540 KR

NOKIA Method and arrangement for high-speed data US 19960675893 None

CORPRORATION *9.20
transmission in a mobile telecommunication
system
NOKIA Broadband cellular network device US 20000607065 None
CORPRORATION *9.20
NOKIA Asymmetric high-speed data transmission US 19980945387 AT, AU, BE, CA, CN, DE,
CORPRORATION *9.20
apparatus and method in a mobile communications EP, PF, GB, IT, NI, SE
network

NOKIA Mobile communication system and method for EP 19960931826 AT, AU, DE, CA, CN, DE,
CORPRORATION *9.20 establishing a data call ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK,
IE, IT, NL, NO, NZ, US
NOKIA Call set-up in mobile communications system US 19990319516 CN, DE, EP
CORPRORATION *9.20

NOKIA Procedure for the transmission of a subscriber US 19990329621 BE, CN, DE, EP, FI, FR,
CORPRORATION *9.20
number GB, IT, NI

NOKIA Call waiting in call setup US 19990408345 None

CORPRORATION *9.20

NOKIA Provision of location information US 20040502762 CN, EP, US-PCD

CORPRORATION *9.20
NOKIA Communications system and method EP 20030732938 DE, ES, FR, GB
CORPRORATION *9.20

422
 6
A7882VI
 Europaisches Patentamt

(19) European Patent Office 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Office europeen des brevets (11) EP 1 068 762 81

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45) Date of publication and mention (51) Int Cl.7: H04Q 7/38
of the grant of the patent:
28.09.2005 Bulletin 2005/39 (86) International application number:
PCT/Fl1999/000264
(21) Application number: 99945702.1
(87) International publication number:
(22) Date of filing: 30.03.1999 WO 1999/053707 (21.10.1999 Gazette 1999/42)

(54) METHOD OF MEASURING TIME DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRANSMITTERS, AND RADIO

SYSTEM
VERFAHREN ZUR MESSUNG DER ZEITDIFFERENZ ZWISCHEN SENDERN SOWIE
FUNKSYSTEM
PROCEDE DE MESURE D'UNE DIFFERENCETEMPORELLE ENTRE EMETTEURS ET SYSTEME
RADIO

(84) Designated Contracting States: • ALANEN, Marko

AT BE CH DE Fl FR GB IT LI NL SE FIN-33820 Tampere (Fl)
• GUNNARSSON, Gudni
(30) Priority: 31.03.1998 Fl 980724 FIN-02130 Espoo (Fl)
• HYVARINEN, Olli
(43) Date of publication of application: FIN-33820 Tampere (Fl)
17.01.2001 Bulletin 2001/03
(7 4) Representative: Karppinen, Olavi Arto et al
(73) Proprietor: Nokia Corporation Keister Oy Ab,
02150 Espoo (Fl) P.O. Box 148,
lso Roobertinkatu 23
(72) Inventors: 00121 Helsinki (Fl)
• RUUTU, Ville
FIN-02210 Espoo (Fl) (56) References cited:
• RANTALAINEN, Timo, M. WO-A 1-96/35306 WO-A2-89/04002
FIN-00200 Helsinki (Fl)

,....
m
N
(0
I'
co
(0
0 Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give
,.... notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in
a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art.
a. 99(1) European Patent Convention).
w
Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR)
 EP 1 068 762 81
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a method of measuring
a time difference, the method being used in a radio sys-
tem comprising at least two base stations and a termi-
nal, in which radio system an observed time difference
OTO of the base stations is measured and a geometrical
time difference GTD is calculated.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In known radio systems timing of a signal com-
ing from a transmitter to a receiver can be measured
particularly for the purpose of locating a terminal. The
document WO 9635306 presents a cellular radio loca-
tion system. In a terminal location system based on
measuring a signal of a base station, the terminal meas-
ures an observed time difference OTO of the arrival of
signals of at least two, or preferably at least three, base
station pairs. By assuming that the base stations trans-
mit synchronously, i.e. the same signals leave the base
stations simultaneously, the observed time difference at
reception of the signals which arrive from the two base
stations corresponds to the distances of the base sta-
tions, i.e. the observed time difference is a geometrical
time difference GTD. In that case, as the location of the
base stations is typically fixed and known, hyperbolas
can be formed by means of the differences in signal
propagation times, and the terminal is to be located at
the intersection of the hyperbolas on the basis of the
measurements. A drawback of such a measurement is
that the transmissions of the base stations are not com-
pletely synchronous.
[0003] Signals of base stations can be measured by
means of time difference units which have a known lo-
cation and can be used for determining a real time dif-
ference of the transmissions of the base stations. The
RTD in question can be further utilized when the termi-
nal measures the observed time difference OTO of the
base stations, since the real time difference RTD of the
base stations can be subtracted from the observed time
difference OTO measured by the terminal. However,
since the observed time difference OTO measured by
the terminal and the real time difference RTD of the base
stations, measured by the time difference unit, are
measured at different times due to a delay created by a
data transmission channel, for example, the measure-
ment of the geometrical time difference GTD still con-
tains errors, which brings about inaccuracy in the loca-
tion determination of the terminal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0004] An object of the invention is thus to provide a
method of measuring a time difference and a radio sys-
tem implementing the method so as to solve the above
2
problems associated with the accuracy of the time dif-
ference.
[0005] This is achieved with a method of the type pre-
sented in the introduction, which is characterized in that
5 a time difference unit measures the observed time dif-
ference OTO and transmits information on the observed
time difference OTO to a time difference centre which
forms the real time difference RTD of the transmissions
of the base stations as a function of time by time stamp-
10 ing the formed real time difference RTD of the base sta-
tions with the moment of occurrence.
[0006] The invention also relates to a radio system
comprising at least two base stations and a terminal, a
time difference unit arranged to measure an observed
15 time difference OTO of the base station, and a time dif-
ference centre whereto the time difference unit is ar-
ranged to transmit its measuring information, and which
radio system has information available on geometrical
time differences GTD of the base stations. The radio
20 system is characterized in that a time difference unit is
arranged to measure the observed time difference OTO
and to transmit information on the observed time differ-
ence OTO to a time difference centre which is arranged
to form a real time difference RTD of the transmissions
25 of the base stations as a function of time by time stamp-
ing the formed real time difference RTD of the base sta-
tions with the moment of occurrence.
[0007] The method and system of the invention pro-
vide many advantages. The measurement of the real
30 time difference RTD and the observed time difference
OTO measured by the terminal can be matched in time,
thereby making it possible to reduce the error caused
by the real time difference RTD. Hence, the terminal can
be located more accurately as compared with the prior
35 art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] In the following, the invention will be described
40 in more detail by means of preferred embodiments with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 shows a radio system,
Figure 2 shows the change of a real time difference
45 of a base station as a function of time,
Figure 3A shows a slow change of a real time dif-
ference of the base station as a function of time and
the need for measurement, and
Figure 3B shows a rapid change of a real time dif-
50 ference of the base station as a function of time and
the need for measurement.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
55 [0009] Figure 1 shows a radio system of the invention,
such as a GSM radio system without, however, restrict-
ing to it. The radio system comprises base stations 100
to 104, time difference units 106 to 110, a time difference
2
 3 EP 1 068 762 81
centre 112 and terminals 114, 116. The time difference
units 106 to 11 O are typically immobile receivers which
listen to the transmission of the base stations 100 to 104
and measure an observed time difference of the base
stations. The observed time difference OTO is formed
of a real time difference RTO and a geometrical time
difference GTO according to formula (1):
(1) OTO= RTO + GTO.
The real time difference arises from the wrong timing of
the operation of the base station 100 to 104. If the base
stations 100 to 104 operated completely synchronously,
the real time difference RTO would then be zero. The
geometrical time difference GTO arises from the dis-
tances between the base stations 100 to 104 and time
difference units 106 to 110. As the location of the base
stations 100 to 104 and the time difference units 106 to
110 is known, the geometrical time difference GTO can
be once calculated theoretically or on the basis of prac-
tical measurements, whereupon the same result is al-
ways available in the time difference centre 112, for ex-
ample. The time difference centre 112 receives the ob-
served time differences OTO measured by the time dif-
ference units 106 to 11 O and forms the real time differ-
ence RTO of each base station pair 100 to 104 by sub-
traction. The time difference centre 112 also connects
the moment of occurrence of the real time difference,
possibly the measurement time or the like, to each real
time difference RTO formed. This specifies information
of the real time difference RTO of the base station 100
to 104 and at the same time it is also possible to specify
other information formed by means of the real time dif-
ference RTO as compared with he prior art. When de-
termining the moment of occurrence, the time difference
centre 112 may also utilize the occurrence of the ob-
served time difference OTO in the time difference unit
106 to 110, in which case the time difference unit 106 to
11 O informs the time difference centre 112 of the ob-
served time difference OTO and the measurement time.
[0010] The time difference unit 106 to 110 is prefera-
bly so located in a cell that it can directly communicate
with an antenna of the base station 100 to 104. The cell
may comprise one or more time difference units 106 to
110. The antenna, or antennas, of the time difference
unit 106 to 11 O may be nondirectional or directional, by
means of which the time difference unit 106 to 11 O lis-
tens to all transmissions of the base station 100 to 104
by using a digital broadband receiver.
[0011] The time difference centre 112 is typically also
a location centre of the terminal 114, 116 and is prefer-
ably located in a mobile services switching centre (not
shown in Figure 1). The time difference centre 112 con-
trols the time difference units. Consequently, the time
difference units 106 to 11 O and the time difference cen-
tre 112 form a real time difference RTO determination
system, and the system together with the location centre
4
and the units (such as terminals, base stations or time
difference units which, in addition to the base stations,
can receive transmissions from the terminal) carrying
out actual location measurements can form a location
5 system for the terminal 114 to 116. The location system
can utilize the real time difference of the base station in
a manner such that the location system utilizes the ob-
served time difference OTO of the base station 100 to
104, measured by each subscriber terminal 114, 116,
10 and the location system, i.e. preferably the time differ-
ence centre 112, subtracts the real time difference RTO
from the observed time difference OTO so as to form
the geometrical time difference GTO of the terminal 114,
116. When the location system knows the geometrical
15 time difference GTO associated with at least two of the
base stations 100 to 104, the location co-ordinates of
the subscriber terminal 114, 116 can be determined in
accordance with the prior art by means of the location
co-ordinates of the base stations 100 to 104 and the ge-
20 ometrical time difference GTO.
[0012] The time difference unit 106 to 11 O preferably
comprises a specific clock 120 by means of which the
time difference unit 106 to 110 is arranged to measure
the observed time difference OTO. If the clocks 120 of
25 the different time difference units are synchronised with
a sufficient accuracy, the measurementtime can be con-
nected to each observed time difference measurement
OTO. Instead of the clock 120, or in addition thereto,
frame numbers can preferably be used in the radio sys-
30 tern, and the time difference unit 106 to 110 time stamps
the measurements by means of the frame numbers.
Time information can also be transmitted in the radio
system on a control channel, for example, whereupon
the time difference unit 106 to 110 is able to time stamp
35 the measurements by means of the time information.
[0013] Figure 2 graphically shows a typical series of
measurement carried out by the time difference centre
112. The time difference centre 112 interpolates and ex-
trapolates, by means of real time differences RTO meas-
40 ured, the behaviour of the real time difference RTO of
the base station 100 to 104 attimes other than the meas-
urement time. The processing of the real time difference
RTO results is possible and effective, because each real
time difference RTO result forms a pair with a given time
45 instant. In other words, the measurements of the real
time difference RTO take place as a function of time and
therefore do not form a set of real time difference RTO
results without a connection to time. A white dot 200 in-
dicates an interpolated value of the real time difference
50 RTO between measuring points 202 and 204. A white
square 208, in turn, represents an extrapolated value of
the real time difference RTO after the last measuring
point 206 of a time window. The time difference centre
112 preferably also filters and averages the measured
55 real time differences RTO in a predetermined time win-
dow. This can be done only because the measurement
results of the real time difference RTO are functions of
time. A dashed line indicates the mean value of the real
3
 5 EP 1 068 762 81
time difference RTO as a function of time, and it can be
calculated in a known manner as a least-squares sum
which can be indicated by a straight line. The location
system of the terminal may use the measured real time
difference RTO of the base station 100 to 104 with the
closest moment of occurrence, or the interpolated or ex-
trapolated value of the real time difference RTO.
[0014] In Figure 3A the real time difference RTO of
the base station 100 to 104 changes slowly as a function
of time. In that case, the time difference unit 106 to 11 O
has to measure the real time difference RTO regularly
but relatively seldom. In figure 3A, two arrows indicate
measuring times. In Figure 3B the real time difference
of the base station 100 to 104 changes rapidly as a func-
tion of time. In that case the time difference unit 106 to
110 has to measure the real time difference RTO irreg-
ularly and, at least sometimes, rather frequently. In Fig-
ure 3B, arrows indicate measuring times. The time dif-
ference centre 112 decides on the basis of its measure-
ments how often and how regularly the time difference
unit 106 to 11 O measures each base station 100 to 104.
The frequency of measurements may be based on the
rate at which the mean value of the real time difference
RTO changes, for example. A possibility of changing the
frequency of measurements reduces the need for sig-
nailing of the measurement results and, consequently,
the signalling load of the radio system.
[0015] In the GSM radio system the time difference
centre 112 may transmit the real time difference infor-
mation and information on the moment of occurrence of
the time difference in a short message, for example, to
the network elements requiring the information. In addi-
tion to the time difference information, or instead of
them, the message may comprise information on the lo-
cation of the terminal 114, 116. In the solution of the in-
vention the time difference units 106 to 110 and the time
difference centre 112 can be placed in the radio system
in a desired manner, in connection with base stations,
for example. The functions of the time difference centre
112 can at least to some extent be distributed over the
time difference units 106 to 110.
[0016] Although the invention is described above with
reference to the example according to the accompany-
ing drawings, it is obvious that the invention is not re-
stricted thereto but can be modified in many ways within
the inventive idea disclosed in the attached claims.
Claims
1. A method of measuring a time difference, the meth-
od being used in a radio system comprising at least
two base stations (100 to 104) and a terminal (114,
116), in which radio system an observed time differ-
ence OTO of the base stations (100 to 104) is meas-
ured and a geometrical time difference GTO is cal-
culated, characterized in that a time difference unit
(106 to 110) measures the observed time difference
6
OTO and transmits information on the observed
time difference OTO to a time difference centre
(112) which forms the real time difference RTO of
the transmissions of the base stations (100 to 104)
5 as a function of time by time stamping the formed
real time difference RTO of the base stations (100
to 104) with the moment of occurrence.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in
10 that the real time difference RTO is utilized in the
location of the terminal (114, 116) in a manner such
that the subscriber terminal (114, 116) measures
the observed time difference OTO of the base sta-
tions (100 to 104), and the real time difference RTO
15 corresponding thereto in time is subtracted from the
OTO.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in
that the radio system comprises at least a time dif-
20 ference unit (106 to 110) and a time difference cen-
tre (112) from which the time difference unit (106 to
110) measures the observed time difference OTO
and transmits information on the observed time dif-
ference OTO to the time difference centre (112)
25 which forms the real time difference RTO of the
base station (100 to 104) by means of the observed
time difference and the geometrical time difference
GTO as a function of time, and the time difference
centre (112) interpolates and extrapolates by
30 means of the real time differences RTO the behav-
iour of the measured real time difference RTO of the
base station (100 to 110) at times other than the mo-
ment of occurrence.
35 4. A method as claimed in claim 3, characterized in
that the time difference unit (106 to 110) comprises
a clock (120) by means of which the time difference
unit (106 to 110) measures the real time difference
RTO of the base station (100 to 104) and by which
40 the moment of occurrence of the real time difference
RTO is determined.
5. A method as claimed in claim 3, characterized in
that the time difference centre (112) filters and av-
45 erages the measured real time differences RTO in
a predetermined time window.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in
that the real time difference RTO of the base station
50 (100 to 104) is measured in accordance with the
rate at which the average value of the real time dif-
ference RTO changes.
7. A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in
55 that in the GSM radio system the time difference
centre (112) transmits information on the real time
difference RTO measured, information on the mo-
ment of occurrence of the real time difference RTO
4
 7 EP 1 068 762 81
and/or information on the location of the terminal
(114, 116) in a short message.
8. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in
that in the radio system, transmission is carried out
in frames and in timing frame numbers are used by
means of which the moment of occurrence of the
real time differences RTO of the base stations (100
to 104) is determined.
9. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in
that in the radio system, information is transmitted
on a control channel, by means of which the time
difference unit (106 to 110) measures the real time
difference RTO and by which the moment of occur-
rence of the real time difference RTO is determined.
10. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in
that the real time difference RTO is measured reg-
ularly.
11. A method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in
that in when the terminal (114 to 116) is located, the
real time difference RTO of the base stations (100
to 104), which has the closest moment of occur-
rence, is used.
12. A radio system comprising at least two base sta-
tions (100 to 104) and a terminal (114, 116), a time
difference unit (106 to 110) arranged to measure an
observed time difference OTO of the base station
(100 to 104), and a time difference centre (112)
whereto the time difference unit (106 to 104) is ar-
ranged to transmit its measuring information, and
which radio system has information available on ge-
ometrical time differences GTO of the base stations
(100 to 104), characterized in that a time differ-
ence unit (106 to 110) is arranged to measure the
observed time difference OTO and to transmit infor-
mation on the observed time difference OTO to a
time difference centre (112) which is arranged to
form a real time difference RTO of the transmissions
of the base stations (100 to 104) as a function of
time by time stamping the formed real time differ-
ence RTO of the base stations (100 to 104) with the
moment of occurrence.
13. A radio system as claimed in claim 12, character-
ized in that the radio system comprises a location
system of the terminal (114, 116) and the location
system is arranged to utilize the real time difference
RTO of the base stations (100 to 104) in a manner
such that the terminal (114, 116) is arranged to
measure the observed time difference OTO of the
base stations (100 to 104), and the location system
is arranged to subtract the real time difference RTO
from the observed time difference OTO so as to
form the geometrical time difference GTO of the ter-
8
minal (114, 116) and determine the location of the
terminal (114, 116).
14. A radio system as claimed in claim 12, character-
s ized in that the time difference unit (106 to 110)
comprises a clock (120) by means of which the time
difference unit (106 to 110) is arranged to measure
the real time difference RTO.
10 15. A radio system as claimed in claim 12, character-
ized in that the time difference centre (112) is ar-
ranged to interpolate and extrapolate by means of
the measured real time differences RTO the behav-
iour of the real time difference RTO of the base sta-
15 tions (100 to 104) at times other than the moment
of occurrence.
16. A radio system as claimed in claim 12, character-
ized in that the radio system is arranged to use
20 frame numbers by means of which the time differ-
ence unit (106 to 110) is arranged to time stamp the
measurement of the real time difference RTO.
17. A radio system as claimed in claim 12, character-
25 ized in thatthe radio system is arranged to transmit
time information on a control channel and the time
difference unit (106 to 110) is arranged to time
stamp the measurement of the real time difference
RTO by means of the time information.
30
18. A radio system as claimed in claim 12, character-
ized in that the time difference centre (112) is ar-
ranged to measure the real time difference RTO
regularly.
35
19. A radio system as claimed in claim 12, character-
ized in that the time difference centre (112) is ar-
ranged to filter and average the measured real time
differences RTO in a predetermined time window.
40
20. A radio system as claimed in claim 12, character-
ized in that the time difference centre (112) is ar-
ranged to measure the real time difference RTO of
the base station (100 to 104) in accordance with the
45 rate at which the average value of the real time dif-
ference RTO changes.
21. A radio system as claimed in claim 13, character-
ized in thatthe radio system is a GSM radio system
so in which short messages are transmitted and the
time difference centre (112) is arranged to transmit
a short message which comprises the real time dif-
ference RTO measured, the measurement time as-
sociated with the time difference and/or the location
55 of the terminal (114, 116).
22. A radio system as claimed in claim 13, character-
ized in thatthe location system of the terminal (114,
5
 9 EP 1 068 762 81
116) is arranged to use the real time difference of
the base station (100 to 104) that is closest in time.
Patentanspri.iche
1. Verfahren zum Messen einer Zeitdifferenz, wobei
das Verfahren in einem Funksystem eingesetzt
wird, umfassend mindestens zwei Basisstationen
(100 bis 104) und ein Endgerat (114, 116), wobei in
dem Funksystem eine beobachtete Zeitdifferenz
OTO der Basisstationen (100 bis 104) gemessen
wird und eine geometrische Zeitdifferenz GTO be-
rechnet wird,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass
eine Zeitdifferenzeinheit (106 bis 110) die beobach-
tete Zeitdifferenz OTO misst und Information Ober
die beobachtete Zeitdifferenz OTO an ein Zeitdiffe-
renz-Center (112) Obertragt, welches die reale Zeit-
differenz RTO der Ubertragungen der Basisstatio-
nen (100 bis 104) als eine Funktion der Zeit bildet,
indem die gebildete reale Zeitdifferenz RTO der Ba-
sisstationen (100 bis 104) mit einem Zeitstempel
des Zeitpunkts des Auftretens versehen wird.
2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekenn-
zeichnet, dass die reale Zeitdifferenz RTO bei ei-
ner Standortbestimmung des Endgerats (114, 116)
in einer Weise verwendet wird, wobei das Teilneh-
merendgerat (114, 116) die beobachtete Zeitdiffe-
renz OTO der Basisstationen (100 bis 104) misst,
und die reale Zeitdifferenz RTO, die dieser in der
Zeit entspricht, von der OTO abgezogen wird.
3. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekenn-
zeichnet, dass das Funksystem mindestens eine
Zeitdifferenzeinheit (106 bis 110) und ein Zeitdiffe-
renz-Center (112) umfasst, wobei die Zeitdifferenz-
einheit (106 bis 110) die beobachtete Zeitdifferenz
OTO misst und Information Ober die beobachtete
Zeitdifferenz OTO an das Zeitdifferenz-Center (112)
Obertragt, welches die reale Zeitdifferenz RTO der
Basisstationen (100 bis 104) mittels der beobach-
teten Zeitdifferenz und der geometrischen Zeitdiffe-
renz GTO als eine Funktion der Zeit bildet, und das
Zeitdifferenz-Center (112) mittels der realen Zeitdif-
ferenz RTO das Verhalten der gemessenen realen
Zeitdifferenz RTO der Basisstationen (100 bis 110)
zu anderen Zeiten als dem Zeitpunkt des Auftretens
interpoliert und extrapoliert.
4. Verfahren nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekenn-
zeichnet, dass die Zeitdifferenzeinheit (106 bis
110) eine Uhr (120) umfasst, mittels derer die Zeit-
differenzeinheit (106 bis 110) die reale Zeitdifferenz
RTO der Basisstationen (100 bis 104) misst, und
durch welche der Zeitpunkt des Auftretens der rea-
len Zeitdifferenz RTO bestimmt wird.
5. Verfahren nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekenn-
zeichnet, dass das Zeitdifferenz-Center (112) die
gemessenen realen Zeitdifferenzen RTO filtert und
mittelt, in einem vorbestimmten Zeitfenster.
5
6. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekenn-
zeichnet, dass die reale Zeitdifferenz RTO der Ba-
sisstationen (100 bis 104) in Ubereinstimmung mit
der Rate gemessen wird, mit der sich der Mittelwert
10 der realen Zeitdifferenz RTO verandert.
7. Verfahren nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekenn-
zeichnet, dass in dem GSM-Funksystem das Zeit-
differenz-Center (112) Information Ober die gemes-
15 sene reale Zeitdifferenz RTO, Information Ober den
Zeitpunkt des Auftretens der realen Zeitdifferenz
RTO und/oder Information Ober den Standort des
Endgerats (114, 116) in einer Kurznachricht Ober-
tr agt.
20
8. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekenn-
zeichnet, dass in dem Funksystem die Ubertra-
gung in Rahmen ausgefOhrt wird und bei der Zeit-
koordinierung Rahmennummern verwendet wer-
25 den, mittels derer der Zeitpunkt des Auftretens der
realen Zeitdifferenzen RTO der Basisstationen (100
bis 104) bestimmt wird.
9. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekenn-
30 zeichnet, dass in dem Funksystem Information auf
einem Steuerkanal Obertragen wird, mittels der die
Zeitdifferenzeinheit (106 bis 110) die reale Zeitdif-
ferenz RTO misst, und durch die der Zeitpunkt des
Auftretens der realen Zeitdifferenz RTO bestimmt
35 wird.
10. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekenn-
zeichnet, dass die reale Zeitdifferenz RTO regel-
maBig gemessen wird.
40
11. Verfahren nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekenn-
zeichnet, dass, wenn der Standort des Endgerats
(114 bis 116) bestimmt wird, die reale Zeitdifferenz
RTO der Basisstationen (100 bis 104) verwendet
45 wird, welche den am nachsten liegenden Zeitpunkt
des Auftretens aufweist.
12. Funksystem, umfassend mindestens zwei Basis-
station en (100 bis 104) und ein Endgerat (114, 116),
50 eine Zeitdifferenzeinheit (106 bis 110), die ange-
passt ist, um eine beobachtete Zeitdifferenz OTO
der Basisstationen (100 bis 104) zu messen, und
ein Zeitdifferenz-Center (112), wobei die Zeitdiffe-
renzeinheit (106 bis 110) eingerichtet ist, um ihre
55 Messinformation zu Obertragen, und wobei dem
Funksystem Information Ober geometrische Zeitdif-
ferenzen GTO der Basisstationen (100 bis 104) zur
VerfOgung steht,
6
 11 EP 1 068 762 81
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass
eine Zeitdifferenzeinheit (106 bis 110) eingerichtet
ist, um die beobachtete Zeitdifferenz OTO zu mes-
sen, und um Information Ober die beobachtete Zeit-
differenz OTO an ein Zeitdifferenz-Center (112) zu
ubertragen, das eingerichtet ist, um eine reale Zeit-
differenz RTO der Obertragungen der Basisstatio-
nen (100 bis 104) als eine Funktion der Zeit zu bil-
den, indem die gebildete reale Zeitdifferenz RTO
der Basisstationen (100 bis 104) mit einem Zeit-
stempel des Zeitpunkts des Auftretens versehen
wird.
13. Funksystem nach Anspruch 12, dadurch gekenn·
zeichnet, dass das Funksystem ein Standortbe-
stimmungssystem des Endgerii.ts (114, 116) um-
fasst, und das Ortungssystem eingerichtet ist, um
die reale Zeitdifferenz RTO der Basisstationen (100
bis 104) in einersolchen Weise zu verwenden, dass
das Endgerii.t (114, 116) eingerichtet ist, um die be-
obachtete Zeitdifferenz OTO der Basisstationen
(100 bis 104) zu messen, und das Standortbestim-
mungssystem eingerichtet ist, die reale Zeitdiffe-
renz RTO von der beobachteten Zeitdifferenz OTO
abzuziehen, um die geometrische Zeitdifferenz
GTO des Endgerii.ts (114, 116) zu bilden und den
Standort des Endgerii.ts (114, 116) zu bestimmen.
14. Funksystem nach Anspruch 12, dadurch gekenn·
zeichnet, dass die Zeitdifferenzeinheit (106 bis
110) eine Uhr (120) umfasst, mittels der die Zeitdif-
ferenzeinheit (106 bis 110) eingerichtet ist, die reale
Zeitdifferenz RTO zu messen.
15. Funksystem nach Anspruch 12, dadurch gekenn-
zeichnet, dass das Zeitdifferenz-Center (112) ein-
gerichtet ist, mittels der gemessenen realen Zeitdif-
ferenz RTO das Verhalten der realen Zeitdifferenz
RTO der Basisstationen (100 bis 104) zu anderen
Zeiten als dem Zeitpunkt des Auftretens zu interpo-
lieren und extrapolieren.
16. Funksystem nach Anspruch 12, dadurch gekenn·
zeichnet, dass das Funksystem eingerichtet ist,
Rahmennummern zu verwenden, mittels derer die
Zeitdifferenzeinheit (106 bis 110) eingerichtet ist,
die Messung der realen Zeitdifferenz RTO mit ei-
nem Zeitstempel zu versehen.
17. Funksystem nach Anspruch 12, dadurch gekenn·
zeichnet, dass das Funksystem eingerichtet ist,
um Zeitinformation auf einem Steuerkanal zu uber-
tragen, und die Zeitdifferenzeinheit (106 bis 110)
eingerichtet ist, um die Messung der realen Zeitdif-
ferenz RTO mittels der Zeitinformation mit einem
Zeitstempel zu versehen.
18. Funksystem nach Anspruch 12, dadurch gekenn·
12
zeichnet, dass das Zeitdifferenz-Center (112) ein-
gerichtet ist, um die reale Zeitdifferenz RTO regel-
mii.Big zu messen.
5 19. Funksystem nach Anspruch 12, dadurch gekenn-
zeichnet, dass das Zeitdifferenz-Center (112) ein-
gerichtet ist, um die gemessenen realen Zeitdiffe-
renzen RTO zu filtern und zu niitteln, in einem vor-
bestimmen Zeitfenster.
10
20. Funksystem nach Anspruch 12, dadurch gekenn·
zeichnet, dass das Zeitdifferenz-Center (112) ein-
gerichtet ist, die reale Zeitdifferenz RTO der Basis-
stationen (100 bis 104) in Ubereinstimmung mit der
15 Rate zu mess en, mit der sich der M ittelwert der rea-
len Zeitdifferenz RTO verii.ndert.
21. Funksystem nach Anspruch 13, dadurch gekenn·
zeichnet, dass das Funksystem ein GSM-Funksy-
20 stem ist, in dem Kurznachrichten ubertragen wer-
den, und dass das Zeitdifferenz-Center (112) ein-
gerichtet ist, eine Ku rznachricht zu ubertragen, wel-
che die gemessene reale Zeitdifferenz RTO, die der
Zeitdifferenz zugeordnete Messzeit und/oder den
25 Standort des Endgerii.ts (114, 116) umfasst.
22. Funksystem nach Anspruch 13, dadurch gekenn-
zeichnet, dass das Standortbestimmungssystem
des Endgerii.ts (114, 116) eingerichtet ist, um die
30 reale Zeitdifferenz der Basisstation (100 bis 104) zu
verwenden, die in der Zeit am nii.chsten liegt.
Revendications
35
1. Precede de mesure d'une difference de temps, le
precede etant utilise dans un systeme radio com-
prenant au moins deux stations de base (100 a 104)
et un terminal (114, 116), systeme radio dans lequel
40 une difference observee de temps OTO des sta-
tions de base (1ooa104) est mesuree et une diffe-
rence geometrique de temps GTO est calcule, ca·
racterise en ce qu'une unite de difference de
temps (106 a 110) mesure la difference observee
45 de temps OTO et emet une information sur la diffe-
a
rence observee de temps OTO un centre de dif-
ference de temps (112) qui ferment la difference
reel le de temps RTO des emissions des stations de
base (100 a 104) en fonction du temps en fixant
50 temporellement «time stamping »la difference
reelle de temps formee RTO des stations de base
(100 a 104) avec I' instant de !'occurrence.
2. Precede selon la revendication 1, caracterise en
55 ce que la difference reelle de temps RTO est utili-
see dans !'emplacement du terminal (114, 116) de
telle maniere que le terminal d'abonne (114, 116)
mesure la difference observee de temps OTO des
7
 13 EP 1 068 762 81
a
stations de base (100 104), et la difference reelle
de temps RTO correspondante, est soustraite a
temps de l'OTO.
3. Precede selon la revendication 1 , caracterise en
ce que le systeme radio comprend au moins une
a
unite de difference de temps (106 11 O) et un cen-
a
tre de difference de temps (112) partir desquels
a
l'unite de difference de temps (106 11 O) mesure
la difference observee de temps OTO et emet !'in-
formation sur la difference observee de temps OTO
au centre de difference de temps (112) qui forme la
difference reel le de temps RTO de la station de ba-
se (1 oo a 104) a l'aide de moyens utilisant la diffe-
rence observee de temps et la difference geometri-
que de temps GTO en fonction du temps, et le cen-
tre de difference de temps (112) interpole et extra-
a
pole I' aide de moyens utilisant les differences reel-
les de temps RTO le comportement de la difference
reelle de temps RTO mesuree de la station de base
a a
(100 11 O) un moment autre que celui de l'occur-
rence.
4. Precede selon la revendication 3, caracterise en
a
ce que I' unite de difference de temps (106 110)
comprend une horloge (120) au moyen de laquelle
a
l'unite de difference de temps (106 110) mesure
la difference reelle de temps RTO de la station de
a
base (100 104) et par lesquels !'instant de !'occur-
rence de la difference reel le de temps RTO est de-
termine.
5. Precede selon la revendication 3, caracterise en
ce que le centre de difference de temps (112) filtre
et fait la moyenne des differences reelles de temps
mesurees RTO dans une fenetre predeterminee de
temps.
6. Precede selon la revendication 1 , caracterise en
ce que la difference reelle de temps RTO de la sta-
a
tion de base (100 104) est mesuree suivant la ca-
a
dence laquelle la valeur moyenne de la difference
reelle de temps RTO change.
7. Precede selon la revendication 2, caracterise en
ce que dans le systeme radio GSM le centre de dif-
ference de temps (112) emet I' information sur la dif-
ference reel le de temps RTO mesuree, !'information
de !'instant de !'occurrence de la difference reelle
de temps RTO et/ou I' information su r I' emplacement
du terminal (114, 116) dans un message court.
8. Precede selon la revendication 1 , caracterise en
ce que dans le systeme radio, une emission est ef-
fectuee dans des trames et dans une trame de syn-
chrenisation, on utilise des numeres au moyen des-
quels !'instant de !'occurrence des differences reel-
les de temps RTO des stations de base (100 104)a
14
est determine.
9. Precede selon la revendication 1, caracterise en
ce que dans le systeme radio, !'information est emi-
5 se sur un canal de commande, grace auquel l'unite
a
de difference de temps (106 11 O) mesure la diffe-
rence reel le de temps le RTO et par lequel !'instant
de !'occurrence difference reelle de temps du RTO
est detennine.
10
10. Precede selon la revendication 1, caracterise en
ce que difference reelle de temps RTO est mesure
regulierement.
15 11. Precede selon la revendication 2, caracterise en
a
ce que quand le terminal (114 116) est localise,
la difference reelle de temps RTO des stations de
a
base (100 104), qui a le plus preche instant d'oc-
currence, est utilisee.
20
12. Systeme radio comprenant au moins deux stations
a
de base (100 104) et un terminal (114, 116), une
unite de difference de temps (106 a
110) prevue
pour mesurer une difference observee de temps
25 a
OTO des stations de base (100 104), et un centre
de difference de temps (112) dans lequel I' unite de
difference de temps (106 a
104) est prevue pour
emettre son information de mesure, et lequel sys-
teme radio a une information disponible sur les dif-
30 ferences geometriques de temps GTO des stations
a
de base (100 104), caracterise en ce qu'une uni-
a
te de difference de temps (106 110) est prevue
pour mesurer la difference observee de temps OTO
et non emettre !'information sur la difference obser-
35 vee de temps OTO a un centre de difference de
temps (112) qui est prevu pour former une differen-
ce reel le de temps RTO des emissions des stations
a
de base (100 104) en fonction du temps en cou-
plant temporellement la difference reel le de temps
40 a
RTO formee des stations de base (100 104) avec
!'instant de !'occurrence.
13. Systeme radio selon la revendication 12, caracte-
rise en ce que le systeme radio comprend un sys-
45 teme de localisation du terminal (114, 116) et le sys-
teme de localisation est prevu pour utiliser la diffe-
rence reelle de temps RTO des stations de base
a
(100 104) de telle maniere que le terminal (114,
116) est prevu pour mesurer la difference observee
50 de temps OTO des stations de base (100 104), et a
le systeme de localisation est prevu pour soustraire
la difference reelle de temps RTO de la difference
observee de temps OTO afin de former la difference
geometrique de temps GTO du terminal (114, 116)
55 et de determiner !'emplacement du terminal (114,
116).
14. Systeme radio selon la revendication 12, caracte-
8
 15 EP 1 068 762 81

rise en ce que l'unite de difference de temps (106
a 110) comprend une horloge (120) aI' aide de
moyens par lesquels l'unite de difference de temps
a
(106 110) est prevue pour mesurer la difference
reelle de temps RTD.
nal (114, 116) est prevu pour utiliser la difference
a
reel le de temps de la station de base (100 104)
qui est le plus proche en temps.
5

15. Systeme radio selon la revendication 12, caracte-

rise en ce que le centre de difference de temps
a
(112) est prevu pour interpoler et extrapoler, l'aide
de moyens de differences reelles de temps RTD 10
mesurees, le comportement de la difference reelle
a
de temps RTD des stations de base (100 104) par-
a
fois des instants autres que celui de !'occurrence.

16. Systeme radio selon la revendication 12, caracte- 15

rise en ce que le systeme radio est prevu pour uti-
liser les numeros detrame au moyen desquels l'uni-
a
te de difference de temps (106 11 O) est prevue en
fixant temporellement la mesure de la difference
reelle de temps RTD. 20

17. Systeme radio selon la revendication 12, caracte-

rise en ce que le systeme radio est prevu pour
emettre !'information de temps sur un canal de com-
a
mande et l'unite de difference de temps (106 110) 25
est prevue pour fixer temporellement la mesure de
la difference reelle de temps RTD a l'aide de
a
moyens relatifs I' information de temps.

18. Systeme radio selon la revendication 12, caracte- 30

rise en ce que le centre de difference de temps
(112) est prevu pour mesurer la difference reel le de
temps RTD regulierement.

19. Systeme radio selon la revendication 12, caracte- 35

rise en ce que le centre de difference de temps
(112) est prevu pour filtrer et faire la moyenne des
differences reelles de temps mesurees RTD dans
une fenetre predeterminee de temps.
40
20. Systeme radio selon la revendication 12, caracte-
rise en ce que le centre de difference de temps
(112) est prevu pour mesurer la difference reel le de
a
temps RTD de la station de base (100 104) selon
a
la cadence laquelle la valeur moyenne de la dif- 45
ference reel le de temps RTD change.

21. Systeme radio selon la revendication 13, caracte-

rise en ce que le systeme radio est un systeme ra-
dio de GSM dans lequel des messages courts sont 50
emis et le centre de difference de temps (112) est
prevu pour emettre un message court qui comp rend
la difference reelle de temps RTD mesuree, le
temps de mesure associe avec la difference de
temps et/ou !'emplacement du terminal (114, 116). 55

22. Systeme radio selon la revendication 13, caracte-

rise en ce que le systeme de localisation du termi-

9
 f;o
f}2
B 114

.,,.....m
..... 0
0
m
~
m
.....
Rf D
CENTER

~4
~
L:J1:6
FIG. l 120
 EP 1 068 762 81

RID
208

FIG. 2

RID

FIG. 3 A

RID

FIG. 3 B

11
 EAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 1 of14
·-· '.l JAN. 2003
Rep: __________ _ ANNEXl

IPR INFORMATION STATEMENT AND LICENSING DECLARATION

IPR Holder/Organisation

Legal Name: Nokia C o r p o r a t i o n - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Signatory

Name: Kalle Moilanen _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Position: IPRManager_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Department: IPR _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Address: Jocnsuunkatu 7, FIN-24101 SALO, P.0.Box 86, FIN-00045 NOKIA GROUP, FINLAND _ __

Tel.: +358718045008 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~
Fax: +358718044275 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~
E-mail: kalle.moilanen@nokia.com _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

IPR information statement

In accordance with the ETSI IPR Policy, Article 4.1, I hereby inform ETSI that,

with reference to the technical proposal identified as UMTS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

It is my belief that the IPRs listed in Annex 2 are, or are likely to become, Essential IPRs in relation to that Standard.

IPR licensing declaration

The SIGNATORY has notified ETSI that it is the proprietor of the IPRs listed in Annex 2 and has informed ETSI
that it believes that the IPRs may be considered ESSENTIAL to the Standards listed above.
The SIGNATORY aod/or its AFFILIATES hereby declare that they are prepared to grant irrevocable licenses under
the IPRs on tenns and conditions which are in accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy, in respect of the
STAND ARD, to the extent that the IPRs remain ESSENTIAL.
TI1e construction, validity and performance of this DECLARATION shall be governed by the laws ofFraoce.

Place, Date: Signature:

/~ ~/(_ _____
Salo, Finland, 19 December 2002 _ Kalle Moilanen _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
(Signed for and on behalf of the SIGNATORY)

Please return this form duly signed to:

ETSI Director General - Karl Heinz Rosenbrock

ETSI - 650, route des Lucioles - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex- FRANCE
Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 47 16
 EJS«E=:J) EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 8 of 14

TRACKING OF
 REAL TIME AND
OBSERVED
UMTS Nokia TIME Norway 20004893
DIFFERENCE
VALUES IN
TIME

China P.R. 99804679.5

United States 10/200930

United States 09/677114 6456237

European Patent
99945702.1
Convention

Australia 59468/99

Finland 980724 106602

Japan 2000-544146

MULTIMEDIA
MESSAGING
CENTER,
UMTS Nokia China P.R. 99816578.6
CAPABILITIES
USER PROFILE
MANAGEMENT

Please return this fonn duly signed to: ETSI Director General - Karl Heinz Rosenbrock

EIS] - 650, route des Lucioles - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex - France / Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 47 16
'
;,_ EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page I of?

ANNEX I

IPR INFORMATION STATEMENT AND LICE

IPR Holder/Organisation

Legal Name: Nokia Corporation - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Signatory

Nan1e: Harri Honkasalo - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Position: Director of!PR, S t a n d a r d s - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Department: IPR._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Address: Keilalahdentie 2-4, FIN-02150 ESPOO, P.O.Box 226, FIN-00045 NOKIA GROUP, Finland_ _

Tel.: +358 71800 8000

fax: +358 7180 34496 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

E-n1ail: harri.honkasalo@nokia.com _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

IPR information statement

In accordance with the ETSI IPR Policy, A1ticle 4.1, I hereby inform ETSI that,

with reference to the technical proposal identified as GSM.

It is my belief that the IPRs listed in Annex 2 are, or are likely to become, Essential IPRs in relation to that Standard.

IPR licensing declaration

The SIGNATORY has notified ETSI that it is the proprietor of the IPRs listed in Annex 2 and has informed ETSI
that it believes that the IPRs may be considered ESSENTIAL to the Standards listed above.
The SIGNATORY and/or its AFFILIATES hereby declare that they are prepared to grant irrevocable licenses under
the IPRs on terms and conditions which are in accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy, in respect of the
STANDARD, to the extent that the IPRs remain ESSENTIAL.
The constrnction, validity and performance of this DECLARATION shall be governed by the laws of France.

Place, Date: Signature:

Espoo, Finland, 8 January 2003 _ _

(Signed for and on behalf of the SIGNATORY)

Please return this fonn duly signed to:

ETSI Director General - Karl Heinz Rosenbrock

ETSI - 650, route des Lucioles - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Ced ex - FRANCE
Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 47 16
 EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 4 of7

TS45.001, v.5.2.0
Australia TS45.010, vA.2.0 50975/00
TS45.002, v.5A.0
TS45.001, v.5.2.0
China P.R. TS45.010, vA.2.0 808273.1
TS45.002, v.5A.0
TS45.001, v.5.2.0
European Patent
TS45.010, v.4.2.0 935436.6
Convention
TS45.002, v.5A.0
TS45.001, v.5.2.0
India TS45.010, v.4.2.0 2001/01486
TS45.002, v.5A.0
TS45.001, v.5.2.0
Japan TS45.010, v.4.2.0 2001-500584
TS45.002, v.5A.0
TS45.001, v.5.2.0
Russian
TS45.01 0, vA.2.0 2001135850
Federation
TS45.002, v.5.4.0
Patent TS45.001, v.5.2.0
Cooperation TS45.010, vA.2.0 PCTIIBOOI00825
Treaty TS45.002, v.5A.0
METHOD AND
APPARATUS FOR
PERFORMING
NEIGHBOR CELL
SIGNAL
STRENGTH
GSM Nokia MEASUREMENTS United States TS 05.08, v.8.7.1 09/884678
FOR
DISCONTINUOUS
LY
TRANSMITTING
BROADCAST
CARRIERS
TRACKING OF
GSM  Nokia
REAL TIME AND
OBSERVED TIME
Norway TS 03.71, v.7.9.0 NO 20004893;
DIFFERENCE
Please return thIS form duly SIgned to: ETSI DIrector General - Karl Hemz Rosenbrock

ETSI - 650, route des Lucioles - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex - France 1Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 47 16
 特許出願人 発明の名称 出願番号等 備考（出願国名）
PATENT HOLDER NAME OF PATENT REGISTRATION NO./ REMARKS
APPLICATION NO.
ノキアネットワーク (8)パケット無線ネットワークにおける サー ス 特表2002-529031 Applied in China, European
スオサケユキチュ Patent Office, Finland, Japan,
ア*2.00 United States of America, WO
ノキアネットワーク (9)フレームの制御方法及び 特表2002-527942 Applied in Canada, China,
スオサケユキチュ European Patent Office, Japan,
ア*2.00 United States of America, WO
ノキアネットワーク (10)ワイ レステレコミュニケーションネットワークにおける 特表2002-525996 Applied in Canada, China,
スオサケユキチュ European Patent Office, Finland,
の 立 Japan, United States of America,
ア*2.00
WO
ノキアネットワーク (11)データ送信のサー スクオリティを制 する方法及びシステ 特表2002-533030 Applied in Brazil, Canada,
スオサケユキチュ China, European Patent Office,
ム Finland, Japan, United States of
ア*2.00
America, WO
ノキアネットワーク (12) 間 測定方法及び無線システム 特表2002-511724 Applied in Norway, China,
スオサケユキチュ United States of America,
ア*2.00 European Patent Office,
Australia, Finland
ノキアネットワーク (13) ッセー を送出する方法 特表2002-542548 Applied in China, European
スオサケユキチュ Patent Office, Japan, United
ア*2.00 States of America, WO
ノキアネットワーク (14) アラ特 を制御する の方法 特表2002-530027 Applied in Brazil, Canada,
スオサケユキチュ China, European Patent Office,
ア*2.00 Finland, Japan, United States of
America, WO
ノキアネットワーク (15)移動機 を動 る方法、移動機 お び電 データ 特 2001-16634 Applied in Brazil, China,
スオサケユキチュ European Patent Office, Hong
ュール Kong, India, Japan,
ア*2.00
Korea(South), United States of
America
ノキアネットワーク (16) 間ハンドオー を 備する方法、移動 及びネットワ 特 2001-224053 Applied in Brazil, Canada,
スオサケユキチュ China, European Patent Office,
ーク Finland, Japan, Korea(South),
ア*2.00
Singapore, United States of

65
 7
A14028VI
 Europaisches Patentamt

(19) European Patent Office 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Office europeen des brevets (11) EP 0 956 714 81

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45) Date of publication and mention (51) Int Cl.7: H04Q 3/00
of the grant of the patent:
15.12.2004 Bu II et in 2004/51 (86) International application number:
PCT/Fl1998/000831
(21) Application number: 98950132.5
(87) International publication number:
(22) Date of filing: 26.10.1998 WO 1999/029121 (10.06.1999 Gazette 1999/23)

(54) METHOD AND APPARATUS OF EXITING A COLLECTING INFORMATION PHASE IN AN

INTELLIGENT NETWORK
VERFAHREN UNO VORRICHTUNG ZUM VERLASSEN EINER INFORMATIONSSAMMELSTELLE
IN INTELLIGENTEN NETZEN
SORTIE DE LA PHASE DE RECUEIL D'INFORMATION DANS UN RESEAU INTELLIGENT

(84) Designated Contracting States: • KRUGER, Andrei

AT BE CH CY DE DK ES Fl FR GB GR IE IT LI LU FIN-00360 Helsinki (Fl)
MC NL PT SE
(74) Representative: Akras, Tapio Juhani et al
(30) Priority: 30.10.1997 Fl 974100 Oy Kolster Ab,
lso Roobertinkatu 23,
(43) Date of publication of application: P.O. Box 148
17.11.1999 Bulletin 1999/46 00121 Helsinki (Fl)

(73) Proprietor: Nokia Corporation (56) References cited:

02150 Espoo (Fl) EP-A2- 0 667 722 WO-A 1-97/36431

(72) Inventors:
• TUUNANEN, Heikki
FIN-02630 Espoo (Fl)

,....
m
"=:t'
,....
I'
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Lt)
0) Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give
notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in
0
a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art.
a. 99(1) European Patent Convention).
w
Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR)
 EP O 956 714 81
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to set-up of a call using
an intelligent network service and in particular to a
phase in the call set-up in which information is collected
from a subscriber.
[0002] By means of an intelligent network (IN) a large
number of different services can be offered to the sub-
scriber to a telecommunication network, for instance a
fixed telephone network or a mobile telephone network.
These services comprise, for instance, a virtual private
network (VPN), which enables the use of private num-
bers, and a personal number, in which the IN re-routes
calls made to the personal number in a manner control-
led by the subscriber. One example of the IN of this kind
is described in the ITU-T (the International Telecommu-
nications Union) recommendations of Q.1200 series.
The invention and its background will be described in
the following by using the Corel NAP terminology of the
standard ETS 300 374-1, but the invention can also be
applied to intelligent networks implemented by other IN
standards. Document WO-A-9 736 431 discloses a con-
ventional method for controlling a call attempt by using
an intelligent network.
[0003] In the intelligent network, connection arrange-
ments and service control are separated from one an-
other, so that the IN services will be made independent
of the connection arrangements. Equipment or a net-
work element performing tasks assigned by the IN serv-
ice control function or functions SCF (Service Control
Function) is called a service control point SCP (Service
Control Point). Within the scope of the present applica-
tion the SCF and SCP are equal and hereinafterthe term
SCP will be used. The SCP gives call set-up instructions
to the switching centre or the switching centre may que-
ry the SCP about call set-up instructions. Switching cen-
tres that are in charge of the intelligent network switch-
ing are called service switching points SSP (Service
Switching Point). They comprise at least a service
switching function SSF (Service Switching Function)
and a call control function CCF (Call Control Function).
The call control function CCF is not an IN-related func-
tion, but it is a standard switching centre function com-
prising high-level call processing functions, such as es-
tablishment and release of transmission connections.
The service switching function SSF is an interface be-
tween the call control function CCF and the service con-
trol point SCP. Within the scope of the present applica-
tion, the service switching point SSP is equal in value to
the functional entity formed by the CCF and SSF, and
hereinafter the term SSP will be used.
[0004] In the conventional call set-up, effected without
the assistance of the intelligent network, the switching
centres make independently all the deductions about
call routing. In the intelligent network, deductions about
routing are also made by the SCP. A basic call state
2
model BCSM defined in connection with the intelligent
network describes different phases of the call set-up. In
the intelligent network specifications, call processing
procedures to be effected at a switching point are rough-
5 ly grouped into phases which are called 'points in call'
PIC. When the phase PIC terminates, a detection point
DP is in general encountered. Call set-up or release can
be temporarily stopped atthese detection points and fur-
ther call processing instructions can be requested from
10 the service control point SCP. Call control can be trans-
ferred to the service control point at these detection
points. When a transition is made from the detection
point DP to the phase PIC, the call control transfers to
a switching point. In addition to PICs and detection
15 points DPs, the basic call state model BCSM comprises
transitions and events. The transitions indicate proceed-
ing of the basic call set-up from one PIC to another. The
events cause transitions into and from the PIC. Messag-
es between the service switching point and the control
20 point are called operations. For instance, the SSP may
involve a determination to continue, in response to a
Collectlnformation operation, the call set-up from PIC2
where information from the subscriber is collected. In
connection with activation of an intelligent network serv-
25 ice the SCP sends the SSP a RequestReportBCS-
MEvent operation, by means of which the SCP desig-
nates the detection points where it wishes to stop the
call processing at a later stage of the call set-up and to
assume the call control at that point for giving instruc-
30 tions to the switching point.
[0005] Collect Information PIC2 is one phase in the
call set-up. It is normally encountered in the call set-up,
when a phase is achieved where it has to be made sure
that information has been obtained sufficiently. PIC2 is
35 also encountered when the SCP requests to collect ad-
ditional information with the Collectlnformation opera-
tion. In this case, prior to the Collectlnformation opera-
tion the control point SCP has transmitted the number
of digits to be collected in the RequestReportBCS-
40 MEvent operation. This number indicates the maximum
number of digits to be collected, which term will be used
for it hereinafter. One digit refers to any one of figures 0
to 9 or some other character that can be used for call
routing.
45 [0006] In PIC2 information is collected from the calling
party from the sequence of dialled numbers. Such infor-
mation includes e.g. service codes, prefixes, dialled ad-
dress digits, et cetera. The switching point examines the
received information. Phase exit events include: recep-
50 tion of complete information, collect time out, collect info
failure, invalid information and calling party terminates
the call. The reception of complete information is detect-
ed when the requisite number of dialled digits is collect-
ed or a string of digits ends in an end mark. The requisite
55 number is either the maximum number transmitted in
the Collectl nformation operation by the SCP or a param-
eter determined for the SSP. The detection of this event
results in encountering Information Collected DP2. Call
2
 3 EP O 956 714 81
processing is interrupted, the collected information is
conveyed to the service control point, call control is
transferred to the control point and the switching point
remains waiting for instructions on how the call set-up
will be continued. The Collect Time Out event is detect-
ed when a normal inter-digit timer expires and the max-
imum of additional information requested by the SCP
has not been received in the course of the collecting
time. The detection of this event causes a direct transi-
tion to PIC6 (Exception), in which the call is released.
The Collect Info Failure event is detected when there is
no digit receiver available at the service switching point,
i.e. the resources of the switching point are engaged.
The detection of this event will also lead to a direct tran-
sition to PIC6, in which the call is released. The Invalid
Information event is detected when an error is found in
the information received from the calling party. The de-
tection of this event will also lead to a direct transition
to PIC6, in which the call is released. The detection of
the Calling Party Terminates the Call event results in en-
countering the detection point DP1 O (0-Abandon) and
the call will be released.
[0007] The above-described arrangement of Collect
Information phase PIC2 has a drawback thatthe Collect
Time Out event automatically releases the call without
the service control point being able to interfere. The DP2
is designated as a detection point prior to a command,
and the only way by which the SCP can interfere with
the encounter is the maximum number of additional in-
formation digits. If the SCP service is based on the
length of the dialled number and if signalling between
the local switching centre and the switching point that
relays the numbers does not support the All Information
Received mark, the IN services utilizing the number of
dialled digits operate only within the areas of specific
switching centres.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The object of the invention is to provide a meth-
od and equipment implementing the method in such a
way that the above drawbacks can be solved. The ob-
jects of the invention are achieved with the method of
exiting collect information phase performed at a service
switching point of an intelligent network, the method be-
ing characterized in that a maximum collecting time,
which defines how long information collecting is allowed
to take at most, is set as a condition in the collect phase,
time consumed in the collect phase is compared with
the maximum collecting time, the collect phase is exited
in response to the expiring maximum collecting time and
the call connection set-up control is transferred from the
IN service switching point to the control point in re-
sponse to the exit.
[0009] The invention further relates to a method of ex-
iting collect information phase performed at the IN serv-
ice switching point, the method being characterized in
that the minimum number, which defines how many dig-
4
its at least have to be collected, is set as a condition in
the collect phase, the number of the collected digits is
compared with the minimum number when exiting the
collect phase and the call connection set-up control is
5 transferred from the IN service switching point to the
control point, if there is at least the minimum number of
collected digits.
[0010] The invention also relates to an intelligent net-
work, to which the method of the invention can be ap-
10 plied. The intelligent network of the invention is charac-
terized in that the service control point is arranged to
determine the maximum collecting time it can wait for
the information and to transmit the maximum collecting
time to the service switching point, and the service
15 switching point is arranged to receive the maximum col-
lecting time and, in response to the expiring maximum
collecting time, to send the collected information to the
service control point and to transfer the call control to
the service control point.
20 [0011] The invention further relates to an IN service
switching point which can be utilized in the method and
intelligent network in accordance with the invention. The
IN service switching point of the invention is character-
ized by comprising reception means for receiving the
25 condition of the information collecting operation from the
service control point, the condition being the maximum
duration for monitoring information collecting time of a
timer, setting means for setting the timer value to con-
form to the maximum time received from the control
30 point, and transfer means responsive to the timer for
transferring call control to the service control point.
[0012] Additionally, the invention further relates to an
IN service switching point which can be utilized in the
method and intelligent network in accordance with the
35 invention. The IN service switching point of the invention
is characterized by comprising reception means for re-
ceiving the condition of the information collecting oper-
ation from the service control point, the condition being
the minimum length of the information to be collected,
40 comparison means (CCF) for comparing the length of
the collected information with the minimum length, and
transfer means (SSF-FSM) responsive to the compari-
son means for transferring call control to the service
control point.
45 [0013] Also, the invention further relates to an IN serv-
ice control point which can be utilized in the method and
intelligent network in accordance with the invention. The
IN service control point of the invention is characterized
by comprising determination means for determining the
50 collecting time, which indicates for how long information
will be collected atthe service switching point, and trans-
mission means are arranged to transmit the collecting
time to the service switching point.
[0014] The invention is based on the idea that call
55 control is returned to the service control point SCP even
when in PIC2 the received information is not the maxi-
mum requested as additional information by the SCP.
This enables the service control point to decide how the
3
 5 EP O 956 714 81
call will be continued. According to the prior art, the call
is always released in these cases. Thus, an advantage
of the invention is that the service control point can al-
ways make a decision on how the call will be continued
on the basis of the received information irrespective of
whether the requested amount of information is re-
ceived or not. One more advantage of the invention is
that its implementation only requires relatively insignifi-
cant changes at the IN service control point SCP and
service switching point SSP.
[0015] In one preferred embodiment of the invention,
the service control point SCP is able to influence how
long the information will be waited for. This enables e.
g. the IN services where a different amount of informa-
tion in a specific time leads to a different facility, irre-
spective of whether, for instance, the relaying switching
centre supports the All Information Received mark or
not. One more advantage of this embodiment is that it
makes it possible to standardize the waiting time of col-
lect information. The time of expiry of an inter-digit timer
depends on the inter-exchange signalling and different
signallings employ different times of expiry. Since the
switching centre receives calls through various incom-
ing circuits, using different signallings, the waiting time
of collect information varies in prior art solutions without
the SCP having any influence on the collecting time.
[0016] In one preferred embodiment of the invention
the service control point determines the minimum of the
information to be collected. The minimum indicates how
many digits the control point needs at least for continu-
ation of the call set-up. When information collecting ter-
minates, for instance, because the All Information Re-
ceived mark was received or the inter-digit timer ex-
pired, call processing at the service switching point SSP
is interrupted and it is checked whether information was
received at least the minimum sent by the control point.
Call control is transferred to the control point and the
switching point will remain waiting for instructions from
the service control point only if at least the minimum
amount of information is received. If information is re-
ceived less than that, a transition to PIC6 is performed
and the call will be released. This embodiment has an
advantage that unnecessary signalling in the network is
avoided in situations that result in releasing the call due
to insufficient information.
[0017] The preferred embodiments of the method, in-
telligent network, IN service switching point and control
point in accordance with the invention appear from the
accompanying dependent claims 2, 4, 6, 8 and 11.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] In the following the invention will be described
in greater detail in connection with preferred embodi-
ments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which
Figure 1 illustrates an intelligent network (IN),
6
Figure 2 illustrates signalling in a first preferred em-
bodiment of the invention, and
Figure 3 is a flow chart of the first preferred embod-
iment of the invention,
5 Figure 4 is a flow chart of a third preferred embod-
iment of the invention,
Figure 5 illustrates an IN service switching point,
and
Figure 6 illustrates an IN service control point.
10
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] Figure 1 illustrates an intelligent network IN
and a few examples of telecommunication systems re-
15 lated thereto. Figure 1 illustrates elements and functions
that are essential from the viewpoint of IN services. Net-
work elements which comprise a service switching func-
tion SSF and a call control function CCF are called serv-
ice switching points SSPs. The call control function CCF
20 is not an IN-related function, but it is a standard switch-
ing centre function comprising the high-level call
processing functions, such as establishment and re-
lease of transmission connections. The service switch-
ing function SSF is an interface between the call control
25 function CCF and the service control point SCP. The
SSF interprets the requests sent by the SCF and relays
them to the CCP which starts the necessary call control
functions. Correspondingly, the call control function
CCF employs the SSF to request instructions from the
30 SCF. The SSF is tightly coupled to the CCF whose in-
terface it is. So each SSF together with the CCF is lo-
cated at the same switching centre. A service switching
point of the invention is described in greater detail in
connection with Figure 5.
35 [0020] Network elements which comprise the service
control function SCF are called a service control point
SCP. The service control function is a centralized au-
thority in the intelligent network comprising, for instance,
an execution environmentfor service logic programs. In
40 connection with an IN service, a service logic program
is started at the service control point SCP and the oper-
ation of this program determines the instructions which
the SCP transmits to the SSP in each call phase. Each
program may have a plurality of instances to be execut-
45 ed. The service control point of the invention is de-
scribed in greater detail in Figure 6. The service control
point SCP of Figure 1 illustrates the service control point
at its simplest, since it only comprises the service control
function SCF and the necessary connections.
50 [0021] A service data function SDF is a database em-
ployed by the SCF. The service logic programs may que-
ry and update SDF information. For instance, subscrib-
er-specific or service-number-specific information can
be stored in the SDF. The SDF can be either a database
55 management system at the service control point SCP
or, as illustrated in Figure 1, a separate database point
SOP (Service Data Point) which supports the SCF-SDF
interface and comprises a database DB.
4
 7 EP O 956 714 81
[0022] A specialised resource function SRF of the in-
telligent network is an interface for such network mech-
anisms that relates to interaction with the subscriber.
The SRF can be associated with intelligent peripherals
I Ps which comprise more developed speech processing
functions than the switching centres or it can be located
at the service switching point SSP.
[0023] In addition, Figure 1 illustrates an exchange
EX, not pertaining to the intelligent network, which, in
addition to the CCF, comprises a call control agent func-
tion CCAF providing the users with access to the net-
work. Because the EX comprises the CCAF, it may be
e.g. a local exchange of a fixed telephone network or a
mobile telephone exchange controlling a base station
subsystem BSS of a mobile network PLMN. The CCAF
may also be located at the service switching point.
[0024] In Figure 1, the network elements are intercon-
nected by means of a signalling network SS?. Other net-
works, such as ISDN, can also be used.
[0025] Figure 2 illustrates a Collectlnformation oper-
ation, which requests information to be collected, in a
first preferred embodiment of the invention. At point 2-1
the service control point SCP transmits the Collectlnfor-
mation operation to the service switching point SSP. Un-
like the prior art, the operation comprises parameters.
In the first preferred embodiment these parameters are:
collectTimer, which determines the maximum time for
information collecting; and minNumberOfDigits, which
indicates the minimum number of digits to be collected.
When the SSP receives the operation, it assumes the
call set-up control and performs a transition to PIC2 Col-
lectinglnformation. In addition to the prior art exit events
(not shown in the figure), the SSP provides for exiting
PIC2 an exit event EE in which the maximum collecting
time defined by the control point has expired and at least
the minimum number of digits has been collected. The
detection of the exit event EE causes the service switch-
ing point to exit PIC2 and to encounter the detection
point DP2. The encounter with the detection point caus-
es interruption in call processing atthe service switching
point SSP. At point 2-2 the service switching point SSP
sends a prior art response operation EventReportBSCM
to the service control point SCP, whereafterthe call con-
trol transfers to the service control point and the SSP
remains waiting for instructions from the service control
point SCP. The parameter calledPartyNumber of the re-
sponse operation includes the digits that were received
within the maximum collecting time.
[0026] In a second preferred embodiment of the in-
vention the exit event EE is detected when at least the
minimum number of digits has been collected and either
the inter-digit timer expires or the maximum collecting
time is up. Otherwise the second preferred embodiment
does not differ from the first preferred embodiment.
[0027] In a third preferred embodiment of the inven-
tion, only a maximum collecting time, collectTimer, is the
parameter of the operation transmitted at point 2-1. In
this case, the exit event EE is detected when the maxi-
8
mum collecting time is expired. Irrespective of the
number of collected digits, a transition from PIC2 to the
detection point DP2 is performed. Otherwise the third
preferred embodiment does not differ from the first one.
5 [0028] In a fourth preferred embodiment of the inven-
tion, only a minimum number minNumberOfDigits is the
parameter of the operation transmitted at point 2-1. In
this case, the exit event EE is detected when at least
the minimum number of digits has been collected and
10 either the inter-digit timer expires or the string of digits
ends in an end mark. Otherwise the third preferred em-
bodiment does not differ from the first preferred embod-
iment.
[0029] The parameters transmitted in the operation of
15 point 2-1, or one of them, could be relayed to the service
switching point also in the initialization operation Re-
questReportBCSMevent by adding new parameters
thereto. By sending the parameters in the Collectlnfor-
mation operation the advantage is achieved that they
20 are not sent until they are actually needed.
[0030] The flow chart of Figure 3 illustrates the IN op-
eration in accordance with the invention at the service
switching point SSP in the first preferred embodiment.
It is assumed in the figure that the calling party does not
25 disconnect the call, does not give invalid information,
and that there are available resources at the service
switching point. At point 301 the Collectlnformation op-
eration is received, whereafter, at point 302, conditions
of the exit event of the invention are setforthe maximum
30 collecting time T COL' which will have the parameter val-
ue of the maximum collecting time collectTimer de-
scribed in connection with Figure 2, and forthe minimum
number to be collected min#, which will have the param-
eter value of the minimum number of digits to be collect-
35 ed minNumberOfDigits described in connection with
Figure 2. Thereafter, the call control is transferred to the
function CCF and at point 303 collection of information
is started in a normal manner. Next, checking of points
304, 305, 306 and 307 is repeated until one of the con-
40 ditions of the points is fulfilled. At point 304, it is checked
whether the time T SPE spent for collecting information
is at least the maximum collecting time T COL· If T SPE is
less than T COL' a transition is performed to point 305,
where it is checked, whether the number is the same or
45 larger than the required number max#. The required
number is eitherthe maximum number of requisite digits
sent in the RequestReportBCSM Event operation by the
control point or, if that is not received, the required
number of digits set by the service switching point itself.
50 If the number is less than max#, a transition is performed
to point 306, where it is checked, whether the received
information includes an acknowledgement SC (Send
Completed), which indicates that the calling party has
already given complete information. If the received in-
55 formation does not include the acknowledgement, a
transition is performed to point 307, where it is checked,
whether the time T SPE spent for collecting information
is at least the time T NET which triggers the inter-digit tim-
5
 9 EP O 956 714 81
er for transmission network signalling. If not, a return to
point 304 is performed.
[0031] If it is detected at point 304 that the maximum
collecting time, i.e. TspE2Tc 0 L, wasspentforcollecting
information, a transition is performed to point 308, where
it is checked, whether information was collected at least
the minimum amount needed by the service control
point, i.e. nr 2 min#. If a sufficient number of digits was
collected, a transition is performed to point 309, where
a detection point DP2 lnformation_Collected is encoun-
tered. In accordance with the prior art, from point 309
the process continues by sending the collected digits to
the control point and by transferring the call control to
the control point. Point 309 is also entered from point
305, if the number of collected digits is at least the
number required, i.e. nr 2 max#, and from point 306 if
the SC is received.
[0032] If the number of digits collected at point 308 is
insufficient, i.e. nr <min#, the process will be continued
from point 310. At point 310, a transition is made to PIC6
of the BCSM, where the call will be released. Point 31 O
can also be entered from point307 ifthetime TsPE spent
for collecting information is at least the time T NET which
triggers the inter-digittimerfortransmission network sig-
nalling.
[0033] In the second preferred embodiment the proc-
ess proceeds as described above, with the exception
thatfrom point 307 a transition is performed to point 308,
and notto point 310, if the time T SPE spentfor collecting
information is at least the time T NET which triggers the
inter-digit timer for transmission network signalling. This
enables the encounter with the detection point DP2
when the inter-digit timer expires, if digits have been col-
lected sufficiently when the time which triggers the inter-
digit timer is shorter than the maximum collecting time.
[0034] In the third preferred embodiment the process
proceeds as in the first preferred embodiment, with the
exception that at point 302 only a value of the maximum
collecting time T coL is given, and no checking on the
number of collected digits is performed at point 308.
[0035] The flow chart of Figure 4 illustrates the IN op-
eration in accordance with the invention at the service
switching point SSP in a fourth preferred embodiment.
It is assumed in the figure that the calling party does not
disconnectthe call, does not give invalid information and
that there are available resources at the service switch-
ing point. At point 401 the Collectlnformation operation
is received, whereafter at point 402 a condition of the
exit event of the invention is set for the minimum number
min# to be collected, which will have the parameter val-
ue of the minimum number of digits to be collected min-
NumberOfDigits described in connection with Figure 2.
Thereafter the call control is transferred to the function
CCF and at point 403 collection of information is started
in a normal manner. Next, checking of points 405, 406
and 407 is repeated, until any one of the conditions of
the points is fulfilled. At point 405 it is checked whether
the number of collected digits nr is the same or larger
than the required number max#. The required number
is either the maximum number of requisite digits sent in
the RequestReportBCSMEvent operation by the control
point or, if that is not received, the required number of
5 digits set by the service switching point itself. If the
number is less than max#, a transition is performed to
point 406, where it is checked, whether the received in-
formation includes an acknowledgement SC (Send
Completed), which indicates that the calling party has
10 already given complete information. If the received in-
formation does not include the acknowledgement, a
transition is performed to point 407, where it is checked,
whether the time T SPE spent for collecting information
is at least the time T NET which triggers the inter-digit tim-
15 er for transmission network signalling. If not, a return to
point 405 is performed.
[0036] If it is detected at point 406 that the SC is re-
ceived, a transition is performed to point 408, where it
is checked, whether information was collected at least
20 the minimum amount needed by the service control
point, i.e. nr 2 min#. Point 408 can also be entered from
point 407, if the time T SPE spent for collecting informa-
tion is at least the time T NET which triggers the inter-digit
timer for transmission network signalling. If it is detected
25 at point 408 that a sufficient number of digits was col-
lected, a transition is performed to point 409, where a
detection point DP2 lnformation_Collected is encoun-
tered. In accordance with the prior art, from point 409
the process continues by sending the collected digits to
30 the control point and by transferring the call control to
the control point. Point 409 is entered directly from point
405, if the number of collected digits is at least the
number required, i.e. nr 2 max#.
[0037] If it is detected at point 408 that the number of
35 collected digits is not sufficient, i.e. nr < min#, the proc-
ess continues from point 410. At point 410, a transition
is made to PIC6 of the BCSM, in which the call will be
released.
[0038] In another embodiment in accordance with the
40 invention the point 408 can be entered either from point
406 or from point 407 but not from both.
[0039] The order of points in Figures 3 and 4 may de-
viate from what has been described in the above and
they may occur in parallel. In addition, other checks,
45 such as checking of invalid information, can be carried
out. Furthermore, it is possible to combine the above-
described embodiments. The service switching point
can be arranged to give T coL a value which exceeds
T NET and to give min# the value zero when said service
50 switching point receives the Collectlnformation opera-
tion in which the corresponding parameter has no value.
Hence the service switching point can be connected to
such service control points that do not support operation
in accordance with the invention.
55 [0040] Figure 5 illustrates the service switching point
SSP and its essential functions from the viewpoint of the
invention. The SSP can be implemented in conventional
exchanges, provided that the exchange makes a dis-
6
 11 EP O 956 714 81
tinction between the basic call control and the IN service
control. The service switching point SSP comprises an
exchange terminal SSP-ET for receiving signalling from
other network nodes and for transmitting signalling to
other network nodes and an application part SSP-AP
which controls the exchange terminal. The application
part SSP-AP comprises the actual functions of the ex-
change, i.e. the service switching function SSF and the
call control function CCF, and depending on the ex-
change type, possibly also the CCAF. These functions
are described in greater detail in connection with Figure
1. The application part SSP-AP comprises a separate
state model instance BCSM for each call, the BCSM be-
ing described in the above general part of the specifica-
tion, and interface instances SSF-FSM (SSF Finite
State Model instance). When IN service is needed, an
SSF-FSM for relaying call processing instructions be-
tween the BCSM and the SCP is created for the call for
an SCP connection. When the IN service is completed,
the SSF-FSM will be terminated. The same state model
instance BCSM may need a new IN service at some oth-
er call set-up phase, and consequently a new interface
instance SSF-FSM will be created for it. The interface
instances SSF-FSM related to the calls may occur in
parallel and asynchronously.
[0041] The application part SSP-AP comprises a
service switching management entity SSME for per-
forming operations received from the IN service control
point, for responding to them and for requesting instruc-
tions. The management entity SSME comprises a con-
trol unit SSME-C (SSME-Control) which maintains dia-
logue, on behalf of the interface instances SSF-FSM,
with other parts of the switching point and other network
nodes or functions, such as the service control point, of
the intelligent network. It is in charge of the creation, in-
vocation and maintenance of the interface instances
SSF-FSM. The SSME-C directs the received operation
to the relevant instance and creates an instance, if nee-
essary.
[0042] In the first and second preferred embodiments
of the invention the application part SSP-AP comprises
a timer Tc for the maximum information collecting time
and a memory M for storing the minimum number min#
of information for comparison. In the third preferred em-
bodiment of the invention the SSP-AP does not need
the memory M for storing the minimum number of infor-
mation. Correspondingly, in the fourth preferred embod-
iment of the invention the SSP-AP does not need the
timer Tc· The application part of the switching point is
in charge of giving the timer Tc the value of the maxi-
mum collecting time received from the control point and/
or of storing the minimum in the memory M.
[0043] Instead of the timer TC• the timer T ssF of the
application of the service switching point can also be
employed. However, a separate timer allows more ver-
satile operations, for instance, when sending the Col-
lectlnformation operation twice in succession, since by
using the separate timer, the timer value can be set for
12
each time separately, and if necessary, to have a differ-
ent value. If the timer of the application were used, the
timer value could not be changed, since according to
the prior art, only one value for one operation can be
5 given to the timer of the application. Moreover, the use
of the separate timer is simpler, since according to the
prior art, the Collectlnformation operation transfers the
SSF-FSM to a state in which the timer of the application
is not used. Also other operations result in a transfer to
10 the same state, and they do not employ the timer.
[0044] Figure 6 illustrates the service control point
SCP and its essential functions from the viewpoint of the
invention. The SCP comprises at least a terminal part
SCP-TP for receiving signalling from other network
15 nodes and for sending signalling to other network
nodes, and an application part SCP-AP which controls
the terminal part.
[0045] The application part SCP-AP comprises at
least one service logic program SLP used for providing
20 IN services and the service control function SCF de-
scribed in connection with Figure 1. In addition, the ap-
plication part SCP-AP comprises SCF Call State Model
instances SCSM. Every IN service request leads to cre-
ation of a call state model instance SCSM in accordance
25 with the service logic program. The SCSM maintains di-
alogue with the SSF on behalf of the IN service logic
program SLP with regard to that service of the call which
resulted in creation of the call state model instance SC-
SM. The call state model instances SCSM related to dif-
30 ferent calls may occur in parallel and asynchronously.
The application part SCP-AP additionally comprises a
service control management entity SCME, which com-
prises a control unit SCM E-C (SCME-Control), for send-
ing operations to the service switching point. In a cen-
35 tralized mannerthe SCME-C is in charge of the dialogue
of all IN-services-related instances SCSM with other
parts of the control point and with other network nodes
of the IN, such as the service switching point SSP and
the service data function SDF. It is in charge of creating,
40 invoking and maintaining the call state model instances
SCSM.
[0046] In the embodiments of the invention, the appli-
cation part SCP-AP comprises a software routine which
takes care that the SCSM adds to the Collectlnformation
45 operation the parameters in accordance with the inven-
tion used in the embodiment, for instance, in the first
and second preferred embodiments, the parameters
shown in Figure 2; in the third preferred embodiment,
only the first of the parameters shown in Figure 2, i.e.
50 the timer value; and in the fourth preferred embodiment,
only the latter of the parameters shown in Figure 2, i.e
the minimum number.
[0047] It is to be understood that the above specifica-
tion and the drawings related thereto are only intended
55 to illustrate the present invention. It is obvious to the per-
son skilled in the art that the invention can be varied and
modified in a variety of ways without deviating from the
scope of the invention disclosed in the appended claims.
7
 13 EP O 956 714 81
Claims
1. A method of exiting collect information phase per-
formed at a service switching point of an intelligent
network, the method comprising the steps of
determining a maximum collecting time as a
condition for the collecting phase, which defines
how long the information collecting is allowed to
take at most,
comparing the time spent at the collecting
phase with the maximum collecting time (304),
exiting the collect information phase in re-
sponse to the expiration of the maximum collecting
time, and
transferring call set-up control from an intelli-
gent network service switching point to a control
point in response to the exit.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized by
further comprising the steps of:
determining a value of the maximum collecting
time at the service control point,
sending said value in an operation related to
the collection of information to the service
switching point and
setting said value (302) as the maximum col-
lecting time of the collect information phase.
3. A method of exiting the collect information phase
performed at the intelligent network service switch-
ing point, the method comprising the steps of
determining a minimum number as a condi-
tion for the collecting phase, which defines how
many digits at least have to be collected,
comparing the number of collected digits with
the minimum number when exiting (408) the collect
information phase, and
transferring the call set-up control from the in-
telligent network service switching point to the con-
trol point if the number of collected digits is at least
the minimum number.
4. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising
the steps of:
characterized by
determining the value of the minimum number
at the service control point,
sending said value in an operation (2-1) relat-
ed to the collection of information to the service
switching point, and
setting said value as the minimum number
(302).
5. An intelligent network (IN) which comprises a serv-
ice switching point (SSP) for connecting the intelli-
gent network to other data communication networks
and a service control point (SCP) for producing in-
14
telligent network services, which service control
point requests the service switching point to collect
information for continuing the call set-up requesting
intelligent network service, wherein
5 the service control point (SCP) is arranged to
determine the maximum collecting time it is able to
wait for the information and to send the maximum
collecting time to the service switching point, and
the service switching point (SSP) is arranged
10 to receive the maximum collecting time and in re-
sponse to the expiration of the maximum collecting
time to send the collected information to the service
control point and to transfer call control to the serv-
ice control point.
15
6. An intelligent network as claimed in claim 5, wherein
characterized in that
the service control point (SCP) is further ar-
ranged to determine the minimum length of the in-
20 formation to be collected and to send it to the serv-
ice switching point, and
the service switching point (SSP) is arranged
to receive the minimum length of the collected in-
formation and in response to the expiration of the
25 maximum collecting time to send the collected in-
formation to the service control point and to transfer
call control to the service control point, if the length
of the information collected by the service switching
point is at least said minimum length.
30
7. An intelligent network service switching point (SSP)
which comprises a connection to the intelligent net-
work service control point and collecting means for
collecting information from the calling party in re-
35 sponse to the collect information operation received
from the control point, wherein the switching point
further comprises
reception means (SSP-ET) for receiving a
condition of the collect information operation from
40 the service control point, the condition being the
maximum length,
a timer (Tc) for monitoring the information col-
lecting time,
setting means for setting the timer value to
45 conform to the maximum time received from the
control point, and
transfer means (SSF-FSM) responsive to the
timer for transferring the call control to the service
control point.
50
8. An intelligent network service switching point as
claimed in claim 7, characterized by additionally
comprising transmission means (SSP-ET) respon-
sive to the transfer means (SSF-FSM) for transmit-
55 ting the information collected in the course of the
maximum time to the service control point.
9. An intelligent network service switching point (SSP)
8
 15 EP O 956 714 81
which comprises a connection to the intelligent net-
work service control point and collecting means for
collecting information from the calling party in re-
sponse to the collect information operation received
from the control point, the switching point further
comprising
reception means (SSP-ET) for receiving a
condition of the collect information operation from
the service control point, the condition being the
minimum length of the information to be collected,
comparison means (CCF) for comparing the
collected information with the minimum length, and
transfer means (SSF-FSM) responsive to the
comparison means for transferring the call control
to the service control point.
10. An intelligent network service control point (SCP)
which comprises a connection to the service switch-
ing point, control means for controlling the set-up of
a call using an intelligent network service and trans-
mission means for transmitting instructions and in-
formation requests to the service switching point,
wherein
the service control point further comprises de-
termination means (SCSM) for determining the col-
lecting time which indicates for how long informa-
tion will be collected at the service switching point,
and
transmission means (SCP-ET) are arranged
to transmit the collecting time to the service switch-
ing point.
11. An intelligent network service control point as
claimed in claim 10, characterized in that wherein
the determination means (SCSM) are ar-
ranged to determine the minimum number that de-
fines how many digits have to be collected at least,
in order that the control point could continue the call
set-up,
the transmission means (SCP-ET) are ar-
ranged to transmit the minimum number to the serv-
ice switching point.
Patentanspruche
1. Verfahren zum Verlassen einer bei einem Dienste-
vermittlungspunkt eines intelligenten Netzes aus-
gefi.ihrten Phase des Sammelnsvon lnformationen,
mit den Schritten
Bestimmen einer maximalen Sammelzeit, die
definiert, wie lange das lnformationssammeln
hochstens dauern darf, als einer Bedingung fi.ir die
Sammelphase,
Vergleichen der in der Sammelphase ver-
brauchten Zeit mit der maximalen Sammelzeit
(304),
Verlassen der Phase des Sammelns von In-
16
formationen im Ansprechen auf den Ablauf der ma-
ximalen Sammelzeit, und
Ubergeben einer Rufaufbausteuerung von ei-
nem Dienstevermittlungspunkt an einen Dienste-
5 steuerungspunkt des intelligenten Netzes im An-
sprechen auf das Verlassen.
2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, ferner mit den Schrit-
ten:
10
Bestimmen eines Werts der maximalen Sam-
melzeit bei dem Dienstesteuerungspunkt,
Senden des Werts zu dem Dienstevermitt-
lungspunkt in einer auf das Sammeln von lnfor-
15 mationen bezogenen Operation, und
Einstellen des Werts (302) als die maximale
Sammelzeit der Phase des Sammelns von ln-
formationen.
20 3. Verfahren zum Verlassen der bei dem Dienstever-
mittlungspunkt des intelligenten Netzes ausgefi.ihr-
ten Phase des Sammelns von lnformationen, mit
den Schritten
Bestimmen einer minimalen Anzahl, die defi-
25 niert, wie viele Stellen zumindest gesammelt wer-
den mussen, als einer Bedingung fi.ir die Sammel-
phase,
Vergleichen der Anzahl von gesammelten
Stellen mit der minimalen Anzahl, wenn die Phase
30 des Sammelns von lnformationen verlassen wird
(408), und
Ubergeben der Rufaufbausteuerung von dem
Dienstevermittlungspunkt an den Dienstesteue-
rungspunkt des intelligenten Netzes, falls die An-
35 zahl von gesammelten Stellen zumindest die mini-
male Anzahl ist.
4. Verfahren nach Anspruch 3, ferner mit den Schrit-
ten:
40
Bestimmen des Werts der minimalen Anzahl
bei dem Dienstesteuerungspunkt,
Senden des Werts zu dem Dienstevermitt-
lungspunkt in einer auf das Sammeln von lnfor-
45 mationen bezogenen Operation (2-1), und
Einstellen des Werts als die minimale Anzahl
(302).
5. lntelligentes Netz (IN), das einen Dienstevermitt-
50 lungspunkt (SSP) zum Verbinden des intelligenten
Netzes mit anderen Datenubertragungsnetzen und
einen Dienstesteuerungspunkt (SCP) zum Erzeu-
gen von Diensten des intelligenten Netzes umfaBt,
wobei der Dienstesteuerungspunkt den Dienstever-
55 mittlungspunkt zum Sammeln von lnformationen
zum Fortsetzen des einen Dienst des intelligenten
Netzes anfordernden Rufaufbaus auffordert, wobei
der Dienstesteuerungspunkt (SCP) zum Be-
9
 EP O 956 714 81
stimmen der maximalen Sammelzeit, die er auf die
lnformationen warten kann, und zum Senden der
maximalen Sammelzeit zu dem Dienstevermitt-
lungspunkt ausgelegt ist, und
der Dienstevermittlungspunkt (SSP) zum
Empfangen der maximalen Sammelzeit und im An-
sprechen auf den Ablauf der maximalen Sammel-
zeit zum Senden der gesammelten lnformationen
zu dem Dienstesteuerungspunkt und zum Uberge-
ben einer Rufsteuerung an den Dienstesteuerungs-
punkt ausgelegt ist.
6. lntelligentes Netz nach Anspruch 5, wobei
der Dienstesteuerungspunkt (SCP) ferner
zum Bestimmen der minimalen Lange der zu sam-
melnden lnformationen und zu ihrem Senden zu
dem Dienstevermittlungspunkt ausgelegt ist, und
der Dienstevermittlungspunkt (SSP) zum
Empfangen der minimalen Lange der gesammelten
lnformationen und im Ansprechen auf den Ablauf
der maximalen Sammelzeit zum Senden der ge-
sammelten lnformationen zu dem Dienstesteue-
rungspunkt und zum Ubergeben einer Rufsteue-
rung an den Dienstesteuerungspunkt, falls die Lan-
ge der durch den Dienstevermittlungspunkt gesam-
melten lnformationen zumindest die minimale Lan-
ge ist, ausgelegt ist.
7. Dienstevermittlungspunkt (SSP) eines intelligenten
Netzes, der eine Verbindung mit dem Dienstesteue-
rungspunkt des intelligenten Netzes und eine Sam-
meleinrichtung zum Sammeln von lnformationen
von dem rufenden Teilnehmer im Ansprechen auf
die von dem Steuerungspunkt empfangene Opera-
tion des Sammelns von lnformationen umfaBt, wo-
bei der Vermittlungspunkt ferner umfaBt
eine Empfangseinrichtung (SSP-ET) zum
Empfangen einer Bedingung der Operation des
Sammelns von lnformationen von dem Dienste-
steuerungspunkt, wobei die Bedingung die maxi-
male Lange ist,
einen Zeitgeber (Tc) zum Uberwachen der ln-
formationssammelzeit,
eine Einstellungseinrichtung zum Einstellen
des Zeitgeberwerts derart, daB er der von dem
Steuerungspunkt empfangenen maximalen Zeit
entspricht, und
eine auf den Zeitgeber ansprechende Uber-
gabeeinrichtung (SSF-FSM) zum Ubergeben der
Rufsteuerung an den Dienstesteuerungspunkt.
8. Dienstevermittlungspunkt eines intelligenten Net-
zes nach Anspruch 7, der zusatzlich eine auf die
Ubergabeeinrichtung (SSF-FSM) ansprechende
Ubertragungseinrichtung (SSP-ET) zum Ubertra-
gen der wahrend der maximalen Zeit gesammelten
lnformationen zu dem Dienstesteuerungspunkt um-
faBt.
18
9. Dienstevermittlungspunkt (SSP) eines intelligenten
Netzes, der eine Verbindung mit dem Dienstesteue-
rungspunkt des intelligenten Netzes und eine Sam-
meleinrichtung zum Sammeln von lnformationen
5 von dem rufenden Teilnehmer im Ansprechen auf
die von dem Steuerungspunkt empfangene Opera-
tion des Sammelns von lnformationen umfaBt, wo-
bei der Vermittlungspunkt ferner umfaBt
eine Empfangseinrichtung (SSP-ET) zum
10 Empfangen einer Bedingung der Operation des
Sammelns von lnformationen von dem Dienste-
steuerungspunkt, wobei die Bedingung die minima-
le Lange der zu sammelnden lnformationen ist,
eine Vergleichseinrichtung (CCF) zum Ver-
15 gleichen der gesammelten lnformationen mit der
minimalen Lange, und
eine auf die Vergleichseinrichtung anspre-
chende Ubergabeeinrichtung (SSF-FSM) zum
Ubergeben der Rufsteuerung an den Dienstesteue-
20 rungspunkt.
10. Dienstesteuerungspunkt (SCP) eines intelligenten
Netzes, der eine Verbindung mit dem Dienstever-
mittlungspunkt, eine Steuerungseinrichtung zum
25 Steuern des Aufbaus eines Rufs unter Verwendung
eines Dienstes des intelligenten Netzes und eine
Ubertragungseinrichtung zum Ubertragen von An-
weisungen und lnformationsanforderungen zu dem
Dienstevermittlungspunkt umfaBt, wobei
30 der Dienstesteuerungspunkt ferner eine Be-
stimmungseinrichtung (SCSM) zum Bestimmen der
Sammelzeit, die angibt, fUrwie lange lnformationen
bei dem Dienstevermittlungspunkt gesammelt wer-
den, umfaBt, und
35 die Ubertragungseinrichtung (SCP-ET) zum
Ubertragen der Sammelzeit zu dem Dienstevermitt-
lungspunkt ausgelegt ist.
11. Dienstesteuerungspunkt eines intelligenten Netzes
40 nach Anspruch 10, wobei
die Bestimmungseinrichtung (SCSM) zum
Bestimmen der minimalen Anzahl, die definiert, wie
viele Stellen zumindest gesammelt werden mus-
sen, damit der Steuerungspunkt den Rufaufbau
45 fortsetzen kann, ausgelegt ist,
die Ubertragungseinrichtung (SCP-ET) zum
Ubertragen der minimalen Anzahl zu dem Dienste-
vermittlungspunkt ausgelegt ist.
50
Revendications
1. Precede pour sortir d'une phase de collecte d'infor-
mations effectuee au niveau d'un commutateur
55 d'acces au service d'un reseau intelligent, le prece-
de comprenant les etapes consistant a:
determiner un temps maximal de collecte en
10
 EP O 956 714 81
tant que condition pour la phase de collecte, qui
definit pendant combien de temps au plus la
collecte des informations est permise,
comparer le temps passe pour la phase de col-
lecte au temps maximal de collecte (304),
sortir de la phase de collecte d'informations en
a
reponse !'expiration du temps maximal de col-
lecte, et
transferer une commande d'etablissement d'un
a
appel partir d'un commutateur d'acces au ser-
vice d'un reseau intelligent vers un point de
a
commande en reponse la sortie.
2. Precede selon la revendication 1 , comprenant en
outre les etapes consistant a:
determiner une valeur du temps maximal de
collecte au niveau du point de commande de
service,
envoyer ladite valeur dans une operation liee a
la collecte d'informations au commutateur d'ac-
ces au service et
definir ladite valeur (302) comme le temps
maximal de collecte de la phase de collecte d'
informations.
3. Precede pour sortir de la phase de collecte d'infor-
mations effectuee au niveau du commutateur d'ac-
ces au service d'un reseau intelligent, le precede
comprenant les etapes consistant a:
determiner un nombre minimum en tant que
condition pour la phase de collecte, qui definit
combien de caracteres au moins doivent etre
collectes,
comparer le nombre de caracteres collectes au
nombre minimum lors de la sortie (408) de la
phase de collecte d'informations, et
transferer la commande d'etablissement d'un
a
appel partir du commutateur d'acces au ser-
vice d'un reseau intelligent vers le point de
commande si le nombre de caracteres callee-
tes est au moins le nombre minimum.
4. Precede selon la revendication 3, comprenant en
outre les etapes consistant a:
determiner la valeur du nombre minimum au ni-
veau du point de commande de service,
envoyer ladite valeur dans une operation (2-1)
lieea la collecte d'informations au commuta-
teur d'acces au service, et
definir ladite valeurcomme le nombre minimum
(302).
5. Reseau intelligent (IN) qui comprend un commuta-
teur d'acces au service (SSP) pour connecter le re-
a
seau intelligent d'autres reseaux de communica-
20
tion de donnees et un point de commande de ser-
vice (SCP) pour preduire des services de reseau
intelligent, ce point de commande de service de-
mande au commutateur d'acces au service de col-
5 lecter des informations pour continuer l'etablisse-
ment d'un appel demandant le service du reseau
intelligent, dans lequel
le point de commande de service (SCP) est
dispose pour determiner le temps maximal de col-
10 lecte durant lequel ii peut attendre les informations
et pour envoyer le temps maximal de collecte au
commutateur d'acces au service, et
le commutateur d'acces au service (SSP) est
dispose pour recevoir le temps maximal de collecte
15 a
et, en reponse !'expiration du temps maximal de
collecte, pour envoyer les informations collectees
au point de commande de service et pourtransferer
la commande d'appel au point de commande de
service.
20
6. Reseau intelligent selon la revendication 5, dans le-
quel
le point de commande de services (SCP) est
en outre dispose pour determiner la longueur mini-
25 a
male des informations collecter et pour les en-
voyer au commutateur d'acces au service, et
le commutateur d'acces au service (SSP) est
dispose pour recevoir la longueur minimale des in-
a
formations collectees et, en reponse !'expiration
30 du temps maximal de collecte, pour envoyer les in-
formations collectees au point de commande de
service et pour transferer la commande d'appel au
point de commande de service, si la longueur des
informations collectees par le commutateur d'acces
35 au service est au moins ladite longueur minimale.
7. Commutateur d'acces au service (SSP) d'un reseau
intelligent network qui comprend une connexion au
point de commande de service du reseau intelligent
40 et un moyen de collecte pour collecter des informa-
a
tions prevenant d'un appelant en reponse l'ope-
ration de collecte d'informations rei;:ue depuis le
point de commande, dans lequel le commutateur
d'acces comprend en outre :
45
des moyens de reception (SSP-ET) pour rece-
voir une condition de !'operation de collecte
d'informations depuis le point de commande de
service, la condition etant la longueur maxima-
50 le,
un temporisateur (Tc) pour contr61er le temps
de collecte d'informations,
des moyens de reglage pour regler la valeur du
temporisateur pour qu'elle soit conforme au
55 temps maximal rei;:u depuis le point de com-
mande, et
des moyens de transfert (SSF-FSM) sensibles
au temporisateur pour transferer la commande
11
 21 EP O 956 714 81 22

d'appel au point de commande de service.

8. Commutateur d'acces au service d'un reseau intel-

ligent selon la revendication 7, comprenant en outre
des moyens d'emission (SSP-ET) sensibles aux 5
moyens de transfert (SSF-FSM) pour emettre les
informations collectees au cours du temps maximal
vers le point de commande de services.

9. Commutateur d'acces au service (SSP) d'un reseau 10

intelligent network qui comprend une connexion au
point de commande de service du reseau intelligent
et des moyens de collecte pour collecter des infor-
mations provenant d'un appelant en reponse a
!'operation de collecte d'informations rei;:ue depuis 15
point de commande, le commutateur d'acces com-
prenant en outre
des moyens de reception (SSP-ET) pour re-
cevoir une condition de !'operation de collecte d'in-
formations depuis le point de commande de servi- 20
ce, la condition etant la longueur minimale des in-
formations a collecter,
des moyens de comparaison (CCF) pour
comparer les informations collectees a la longueur
minimale, et 25
des moyens de transfert (SSF-FSM) sensi-
bles aux moyens de comparaison pour transferer la
commande d'appel au point de commande de ser-
vice.
30
10. Point de com man de de services (SCP) d'un reseau
intelligent qui comprend une connexion au commu-
tateur d'acces au service, des moyens de comman-
de pour commander l'etablissement d'un appel en
utilisant un service de reseau intelligent et des 35
moyens d'emission pour emettre des instructions et
des demandes d'informations vers le commu-
tateur d'acces au service, dans lequel
le point de commande de services comprend
en outre des moyens de determination (SCSM) 40
pour determiner le temps de collecte qui indique
pendant combien de temps les informations seront
collectees au niveau du point de commande de ser-
vices, et
des moyens d'emission (SCP-ET) sont dispo- 45
ses pour transmettre le temps de collecte au com-
mutateur d'acces au service.

11. Point de commande de service d'un reseau intelli-

gent selon la revendication 10, dans lequel 50
les moyens de determination (SCSM) sont
disposes pour determiner le nombre minimum qui
definit combien de caracteres au moins doivent etre
collectes, afin que le point de commande puisse
continuer l'etablissement de l'appel, 55
les moyens d'emission (SCP-ET) sont dispo-
ses pour transmettre le nombre minimum au com-
mutateur d'acces au service.

12
 EP 0 956 714 81

EX
1-.J

FIG. 1

SSP SCP FIG. 2

1
2-1. Co!lectlnformatlon(coHectTimer, rninNumberOfDigits)

j DP j ~----•L 1 2-2. EventReportBCSM(calledPartyNumber)

2

13
 EP O 956 714 81

301
receive Collectlnformation-operation

set TCOL =collectTimer

302
min# =minNumberOfDigits

start collecting information

303 FIG.3

yes no

no yes

yes encounter with 309

detection point OP2

ei

yes

no

310

yes transition to
phase PIC6

14
 EP O 956 714 81

401
receive CollectlnformationMoperation

402
set min# =minNumberOfDigits

403 F/G.4
start collecting information

409
yes encounter with
end
detection point DP2

no

410
yes
transition to
phase PIC6

no
yes

no yes

15
 EP 0 956 714 81

SSP
\....-,

- SSME
I

r-~-----------------
: l
I l
:
:
SSME-C I :
l___ ________________ JI
I

FIG.5

CCF

- I

J SCP
~

SCP-AP
SCP-ET SLP
- SCME
~--------------------------
I I

l
I~:
!

SCME-C I
l

I I
I I

'------;------------------1

SCF
8 FIG.6

16
 EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 1 of22

ANNEXl

IPR INFORMATION STATEMENT AND LICENSING DECLARATION

IPR Holder/Organisation

Legal Name: Nokia Corporation - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Signatory

Name: Harri Honkasalo _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Position: Director of IPR, Standards,_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Department: Intellectual Property Rights _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Address: Keilalahdentie 2-4, FIN-02150 ESPOO, Finland, PD.Box 226, FIN-00045 NOKIA GROUP

Tel.: +35871800 8000 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Fax: +358718034496 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~
E-mail: harri.honkasalo@nokia,com _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

IPR information statement

In accordance with the ETSI IPR Policy, Article 4.1, I hereby inform ETSI that,

with reference to the technical proposal identified as GSM. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

It is my belief that the IPRs listed in Annex 2 are, or are likely to become, Essential IPRs in relation to that Standard.

IPR licensing declaration

The SIGNATORY has notified ETSI that it is the proprietor of the IPRs listed in Annex 2 and has informed ETSI
that it believes that the IPRs may be considered ESSENTIAL to the Standards listed above.
The SIGNATORY and/or its AFFILIATES hereby declare that they are prepared to grant irrevocable licenses under
the IPRs on terms and conditions which are in accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy, in respect of the
STANDARD, to the extent that the IPRs remain ESSENTIAL.
The construction, validity and performance of this DECLARATION shall be governed by the laws of France.

Place, Dale: Signature:

Espoo, Finland, 24 July 2002

(Signed for and on behalf of the SIGNATORY)

~/E<CfJJJ D®
- 9 Sf P. 2002 Please return this form duly signed to:
ETSI Director General - Karl Heinz Rosenbrock
Rep: __
--------- ETSI - 650, route des Lucioles - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex - FRANCE
Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 47 16
 EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 11 of 22

Sweden TS 48.008 9903029-8

United States TS 48.008 09/028726

Method of
 exiting collect
infonnation
GSM Nokia Canada TS 23.121 2276374
phase in
intelligent
network

China P.R. TS 23.121 98802213.3

European Patent
TS 23.121 98950132.5
Convention

Finland TS 23.121 974100 105981

Hong Kong TS 23.121 00102926.5

Japan TS 23.121 11-530114

United States TS 23.121 09/331874 6393121

Rate adaptation TS 04.21, TS

of edge traffic 08.20, TS
GSM Nokia Canada 2295608
channel in GSM 29.007, TS
network 27.001

Please return this fann duly signed to: ETSI Director General- Karl Heinz Rosenbrock

ETSI - 650, route des Lucioles - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex - France / Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 47 16
 28
A14268VI
 Illlll llllllll Ill lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll 111111111111111111111111111111111
US007792092B 1

02) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 7,792,092 Bl

Olkkonen et al. (45) Date of Patent: Sep. 7,2010

(54) DATA TRANSMISSION METHOD AND A 4,958,341 A 9/1990 Hemmady et al.

NETWORK ELEMENT 5,014,268 A * 5/1991 Tyrrell et al. ................ 370/374
5,029,200 A * 7/1991 Haas et al. ............... 379/88.18
(75) Inventors: Mikko Olkkonen, Kirkkonummi (FI); 5,168,498 A * 12/1992 Adams et al. ............... 370/349
Senthil Sengodan, Woburn, MA (US); 5,331,631 A * 7/1994 Teraslinna .................. 370/392
Jarno Rajahalme, Kirkkonummi (FI); 5,535,199 A * 711996 Arnri et al. .................. 370/392
Jyri Suvanen, Espoo (FI); Johan
Ilaeggstriim, Helsinki (FI)
(Continued)
(73) Assignee: Nokia Corporation, Espoo (FI) FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
( *) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the tenn ofthis WO WO 97/28628 8/1997
patent is extended or adjusted under 35
U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(Continued)
(21) Appl. No.: 09/868,819 OTHER PUBLICATIONS
(22) PCT Filed: Dec. 23, 1999 Cisco Systems, Inc., "Understanding TCP/IP", "http://www.cisco.
com/univercd/cc/td/ doc/product/iaabu/centri4/user/ scf4ap l .htm",
(86) PCT No.: PCT/US99/30845 1992-2002.*

§ 371 (c)(l), (Continued)

(2), (4) Date: Oct. 4, 2001 Primary Examiner-] Bret Dennison
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Foley & Lardner LLP
(87) PCT Pub. No.: W000/39970
(57) ABSTRACT
PCT Pub. Date: Jul. 6, 2000

(30) Foreign Application Priority Data The invention is concerned with transmission of speech infor-
mation over mixed networks, particularly over a segment
Dec. 29, 1998 (FI) ...................................... 982811
using packet transmission in an otherwise circuit switched
data transmission network. According to the invention, PCM
(51) Int. Cl.
transmission lines are connected with a packet based network
H04L 12166 (2006.01)
such as an IP network in such a way, that data from one or
G06F 15116 (2006.01)
more channels of a first PCM transmission line is collected in
(52) U.S. Cl........................................ 370/352; 709/236
the payload part of a data packet. Further, the destination
(58) Field of Classification Search .... ...... ....... 709/236, address of the data packet is constructed in such a way, that
709/246~247; 370/352~359
the packet network entity being connected to the second PCM
See application file for complete search history. transmission line can determine based on the destination
(56) References Cited address of the packet, to which channel or channels of the
second PCM transmission line the data should be transmitted.
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
4, 707 ,827 A * 11/ 1987 Bi one et al. ................. 3 70/405 25 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets

160

301
302 <-802
303 303

310 310
~
315 315
 US 7, 792,092 Bl
Page 2

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 6,757,286 Bl* 612004 Stone .................... 370/395.53

6,987,756 Bl* 1/2006 Ravindranath et al. ...... 370/352
5,608,786 A 3/1997 Gordon ...................... 379/100 7,145,898 Bl* 12/2006 Elliott ........................ 370/352
5,610,910 A * 3/ 1997 Focsaneanu et al. ........ 3 70/3 51 7,564,840 B2 * 712009 Elliott et al. ................ 370/356
5.796,742 A * 8/1998 Klotzbach et al. ........... 370/466 2002/0122425 Al* 9/2002 Gullicksen ............... 3 70/395 .1
5,845,086 A * 12/1998 Doebrich et al ............. 709/238 200410017799 Al * 1/2004 Pulkka ....................... 370/352
5,867,494 A 2/1999 Krishnaswamy et al. .... 370/352 2005/0058149 Al* 3/2005 Howe ......................... 370/428
5,949,788 A * 9/1999 Friedman et al. ............ 370/431 2005/0152340 Al* 7/2005 Voit et al. ................... 370/352
5,978,386 A * 11/1999 Hamalainen et al. ........ 370/466 2005/0232246 Al* 10/2005 Dowling ..................... 370/352
6,038,608 A * 3/2000 Katsumata .................. 709/238 2006/0098635 Al* 5/2006 Ravindranath et al. ...... 370/352
6,044,065 A * 3/2000 Andersson et al. .......... 370/251 2007/0206576 Al* 9/2007 Radulovic ................... 370/352
6,049,528 A * 412000 Hendel et al. ............... 370/235 2008/0013531 Al* 1/2008 Elliott et al. ................ 370/356
6,065,049 A * 512000 Beser et al. ................. 709/218 2008/0025295 Al* 1/2008 Elliott et al. ................ 370/356
6,067,440 A * 5/2000 Diefes ......................... 725/27 2008/0049726 Al * 212008 Iwami et al. ................ 370/352
6,081,524 A * 612000 Chase et al. ................ 370/389 2008/0049727 Al * 2/2008 Iwami et al. ................ 370/352
6,104,717 A * 8/2000 Coile et al. ................. 370/401 2008/0049728 Al * 2/2008 Iwami et al. ................ 370/352
6,167,248 A * 12/2000 Hamalainen ct al. ........ 455/403 2008/0049729 Al * 2/2008 Iwami et al. ................ 370/352
6,195,688 Bl* 212001 Caldwell et al. ............ 709/208 2008/0049730 Al * 2/2008 Iwami et al. ................ 370/352
6,252,955 Bl * 612001 Antila et al. ................ 379/219 2008/0049732 Al * 2/2008 Gallant et al ................ 370/352
6,324,175 Bl * 11/2001 Shiomoto et al. ........... 370/357 2008/0062973 Al * 3/2008 Wilkes et al. ............... 370/352
6,330,614 Bl* 12/2001 Aggarwal et al. ........... 709/236
6,337,863 Bl* 1/2002 Nair et al. .............. 370/395.53 FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
6,347,087 Bl* 212002 Ganesh et al. .............. 370/392
WO WO 98/44704 10/1998
6,449 ,278 B2 * 912002 Rose .......................... 3 70/397
6,457,061 Bl* 912002 Bal et al. .................... 709/245 OTHER PUBLICATIONS
6,483,833 Bl* 11/2002 Jagannath et al ............ 370/392
6,542,501 Bl* 4/2003 Tikka ......................... 370/389 FOLDOC, "X.25", "http://fol doc .org/foldoc/foldoc .cgi?X.25", Aug.
6,581,107 Bl* 6/2003 Deac .......................... 7091245 10, 1996.*
C. Yang, "INET Phone: Telephone Services and Servers on Internet"
6,618,762 B2 * 9/2003 Fee et al. .................... 709/245
RFC 1789, University of North Texas, Apr. 1995, pp. 1-6.
6,650,632 Bl * 11/2003 Volftsun et al. ............. 370/352
Office Action dated Jul. 7, 2006 in corresponding EPO Application
6,711,161 Bl* 3/2004 Erimli ........................ 370/360
No. 99 9657 599.4.
6,728,238 Bl * 412004 Long et al. .................. 370/352
6,751,209 Bl* 6/2004 Hamiti et al. ............... 370/349 * cited by examiner
U.S. Patent Sep. 7,2010 Sheet 1of2 US 7,792,092 Bl

205
COLLECTING DATA FROM PCM r
LINE
210
·~ COMPRESSED
I EXTRACTION OF
SPEECH PARAMETERS
215
~
DETERMINATION OF
DESTINATION IP ADDRESS
( 220
••
CONSTRUCTION OFAN IP
DATAGRAM
225
i
TRANSMISSION OF THE IP
DATAGRAM

I
•
EXTRACTION OF DATA FROM
THE IP DATAGRAM
230

•
GENERATION OF SPEECH
SIGNALS FROM COMPRESSED
235

SPEECH PARAMETERS
240
~ v/
TRANSMISSION OF DATA TO
PCM LINE I
I

Fig. 1

160 160

MSC MSC
300 300

.,_302
303

315 310 310 315

Fig. 2
U.S. Patent Sep. 7,2010 Sheet 2of2 US 7,792,092 Bl

Fig~ 3

400

170

Fig. 4

GENERATION OF A MESSAGE LISTING /"

SUPPORTED CODING MODES IN AN ORDER OF f/
PREFERENCE

J
TRANSMISSION OF THE MESSAGE
DESCRIBING SUPPORTED CODING MODES
v 520

~
METHOD OF FIG. 1

Fig. 5
 US 7,792,092 Bl
1 2
DATA TRANSMISSION METHOD AND A
NETWORK ELEMENT
This is a U.S. national stage of PCT application No. PCT/
US99/30845, filed on Dec. 23, 1999. Priority is claimed on
that application and on patent application No. 982811 filed in
Finland on Dec. 29, 1998.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF TITLE INVENTION
The invention is concerned with transmission of speech
information over mixed networks, particularly over a seg-
ment using packet transmission in an otherwise circuit
switched data transmission network. The invention is directed
to a method according to the preamble of claim 1.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In conventional telephony, a basic channel format is the 64
kbit/s channel, in which a single speech connection is trans-
mitted. The 64 kbit/s channel transmits 8000 samples per
seconds, each sample having 8 bits. Typically, a plurality of
64 kbit/s channels are transmitted in a single transmission line
to form 1544 kbit/s, 2048 kbit/, and higher transmission rates.
In a 2048 kbit/s transmission link, a 256 bit i.e. 32 byte frame
is transmitted 8000 times per second. The 32 groups of8 bits,
i.e. bytes of the frame are referred to as time slots. The terms
PCM transmission line and trunk line are commonly used to
refer to a comm1mication link transmitting a plurality of 64
kbit/s channels. Therefore, to identify a certain speech chan-
nel transmitted within a group of trunk lines, one needs to
indicate the time slot number of the channel and a trunk line
identifier. The tern1 trunk line is sometimes used also to
denote a basic 1544 kbit/s or 2048 kbit/s unit of transmission
even in a case, when a plurality of such transmission units are
transmitted in a single physical transmission meditilll i.e. in a
single physical transmission line. Although the acronym
PCM strictly considered denotes pulse code modulation,
which is typically used in trunk lines, the term PCM trans-
mission line is generally used by a person skilled in the art and
specifically in this specification to refer to aforementioned
logical group of channels or a group of groups of channels and
not to a specific modulation method.
Further, packet based transmission networks are presently
in widespread use, a prominent example being the Internet. A
common packet transmission protocol is the Internet Protocol
(IP). The IP protocol version 4 is described in detail in the
specification RFC 791. The next version of the IP protocol,
known as IPv6, is described in the specification RFC 1883.
The increasing importance and use of teleconmmnication
drives toward interconnection of different types of networks.
For example, the Internet is already used for transmitting
voice using so called Internet telephony. As the data trans-
mission capacity of the Internet increases, the use of Internet
as a replacement of conventional telephones will become
common. Some telephone operators already provide long
distance calls via the Internet with a reduced rate.
Different schemes for interconnecting cellular telecommu-
nication networks with the Internet are presently under devel-
opment. The complicity of cellular telecommunication net-
works and the wide variety of services they provide create
new and extensive fields of problems in the interconnection of
different networks. One example of a feature tmique to cel-
lular telecommunication networks is the compression of
speech, which is needed due to limitations of the capacity of
the radio interface. A mobile station codes the speech of the
user using one of the available codecs, and transmits the
resulting coded speech parameters over the radio interface to
the base station of the cellular network. The coded speech
parameters are decoded back to a speech signal in the cellular
network. However, typical compression methods used do not
transmit all data in the speech signal, since the compression
methods take advantage of the fact, that speech perception of
a typical listener is very sensitive to certain features of a
speech signal, while being less sensitive, even insensitive to
some other features. Therefore, typical compression methods
10 leave out those parts of a speech signal, which are not impor-
tant to the perceived quality of transmitted speech. However,
when coding and decoding is performed more than once, such
as in a mobile-to-mobile connection in a cellular telecommu-
nication network, speech quality may be drastically reduced
15 due to the double coding and decoding. This problem can be
avoided for example by using the so called tandem free opera-
tion (TFO) mode of transmission. In TFO mode, the cellular
network element perforn1ing the decoding of the coded
speech paran1eters received from the mobile station, inserts
20 the original received coded speech parameteres into the
decoded speech signal which is forwarded to the receiver. The
speech paran1eters are typically inserted into the least signifi-
cant bits of the speech samples of the speech signal, whereby
they are perceived as a slight increase of background noise by
25 a receiver of the speech signal, if the receiver does not utilize
the embedded speech parameters. In case of a mobile to
mobile TFO mode call, the network element at the receiving
end performing the encoding of the speech signal for trans-
mission to the receiving mobile station extracts the embedded
30 speech parameters, and transmits those to the mobile station
without performing a second coding operation. The receiving
mobile station then decodes the speech parameters into a
speech signal. In the TFO mode, a speech signal is coded only
once, i.e. in the transmitting mobile station, and the receiving
35 mobile station receives the coded speech parameters prepared
by the transmitting mobile station, whereby double coding is
avoided. This significantly improves the speech quality
because without TFO, the original speech signal is coded
twice with the lossy speech compression algorithm which
40 degrades the speech quality each time the compression is
applied. The difference between the single encoding and the
tandem encoding becomes even more important when the
bit-rate of a speech codec is very low. The old high bit-rate
speech coding standards, as exemplified by the G.711 stan-
45 dard of 64 kbits PCM coding, are very robust to successive
coding. However, the state of the art speech coders operating
in a range of 4 kbits to 16 kbits are quite sensitive to more than
one successive coding.
A nun1ber of problems arises when different types oftrans-
50 mission networks participate in transmission of connections,
especially when different connections have different param-
eters such as the data transmission rate and whether compres-
sion is used or not. One problem, for example, is how to
optimize the data transmission in the case, when some of the
55 data transmission channels are compressed and some trans-
mission channels are not compressed. A further problem is
how to efficiently connect PCM transmission lines with an
packet based network such as an IP network.
60 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to realize a transmission
method, which allows the use of packet based networks in
transmission of circuit switched connections. An object of the
65 invention is also to provide a way for connecting two PCM
transmission lines with a packet based network such as an IP
or an X.25 network. A further object of the invention is to
 US 7,792,092 Bl
3 4
provide such a method, which allows the transmission of both
compressed and noncompressed traffic. A still further object
of the invention is to provide such a method, which optimizes
the use of data transmission capacity for both compressed and
noncompressed traffic.
The objects are reached by inserting a number of samples
from at least one channel of a PCM transmission line into the
payload part of a data packet, and indicating the destination
PCM transmission line and the channel within the transmis-
sion line in the destination packet address.
The method according to the invention is characterized by
that, which is specified in the characterizing part of the inde-
pendent method claim. The network element according to the
invention is characterized by that, which is specified in the
characterizing part of the independent claim directed to a
network element. The dependent claims describe further
advantageous embodiments of the invention.
According to the invention, PCM transmission lines are
connected with a packet based network such as an IP or an
X.25 network in such a way, that data from one or more
channels of a first PCM transmission line is collected in the
payload part ofa data packet. Further, the destination address
of the data packet is constructed in such a way, that the packet
network entity being connected to the second PCM transmis-
sion line can detem1ine based on the destination address of the
packet, to which channel or channels of the second PCM
transmission line the data should be transmitted.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is described in more detail in the following
with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which
FIG. 1 describes a method according to an advantageous
embodiment of the invention,
FIG. 2 illustrates a network element according to an advan-
tageous embodiment of the invention,
FIG. 3 illustrates a further advantageous embodiment of
the invention,
FIG. 4 illustrates a still further advantageous embodiment
of the invention, and
FIG. 5 illustrates a method according to an advantageous
embodiment of the invention.
Same reference m1merals are used for similar entities in the
figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A. An Exan1ple of Transmission of a TFO Mode
Channel
In one advantageous embodiment of the invention, the
processing is performed by a network element connected to
one or more PCM data transmission lines and a IP network.
Such a network element is hereafter referred to as a packet
network gateway. The packet network gateway receives 64
kbit/s data transmission cham1els from the PCM data trans-
mission lines. Each of these 64 kbit/s cham1els may transmit
for example speech or a data or a fax transmission. The PCM
transmission line is connected to a network element of a
cellular telecommunications network, such as a MSC (mobile
services switching center) of a GSM or a UMTS network. In
this example, the processing of a TFO mode call is described.
In a TFO mode call, the 64 kbit/s speech signal comprises in
addition to the speech signal itself, the compressed speech
information in the least significant bits of the speech signal. In
this example, the packet network gateway extracts the com-
pressed speech information from the incoming signal. The
packet network gateway collects a predetermined an1ount of
this compressed speech information, for example a certain
amount of bits corresponding to an amount of bytes, which
amount of bytes is large enough for efficient transmission and
small enough for not producing a too large packetizing delay.
When the predetennined amount of speech parameter infor-
mation is collected, the information is inserted in an IP
packet, which is given a destination address corresponding to
the packet network gateway associated with the destination
MSC. The packet is then trm1smitted through the IP network
to the destination packet network gateway.
The destination packet network gateway then receives the
10
packet and extracts the speech parm11eter infomiation from
the packet. Next, the destination packet network gateway
creates a speech signal according to the speech parameter
information, and embeds the speech parmneter information in
the lowemrnst bits of the speech signal as in conventional
TFO mode. The resulting signal is then sent to a 64 kbit/s
15 PCM channel towards the destination MSC.
B. Channel Identification Information
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the chan-
20 nel information identifying the PCM channel at the receiving
end is included in the packets of the packet network such as an
IP or a X.25 network. In the following, an example of an
embodiment of the invention as applied in an IP network is
described. The cham1el identification information may for
25 exmnple be defined by the destination IP address, or be
included in the IP datagrmn in an extra option field or in the
data part of the datagram.
In such an embodiment, in which the destination IP address
defines the channel identification information, a predefined
30
rule may be used for generating the IP address and deducing
the channel identification infonnation from the IP address.
For example, the 64 kbit/s channels in the PCM transmission
line com1ected to the destination packet network gateway
may be numbered consecutively, in which case the IP address
of a channel cm1 be found by adding the number of the
35
cham1el to the base address of the packet network gateway.
This is only one example of a rule, and does not limit the
invention in any way, since many other types of rules may be
used in various embodiments of the invention. For example,
the time slot numbers of the chmmels may be used as well. If
40 the packet network gateway is connected to more than one
2048 kbit/s PCM tnmk line, the tnmk lines may be numbered
consecutively, in which case the IP number may be derived
from both the time slot number and the tnmk line number. For
exmnple, the following equation may be used:
45 IP address=base address+(Nn·trunk line number)+
time slot number
The term Nrs denotes the number of time slots in one frame
of the trunk line.
A 1544 kbit/s PCM trunk line has 24 time slots, whereas a
50
2048 kbit/s PCM trunk line has 32 time slots. For exmnple, if
a packet network gateway has as its base address
1.313.42.100, the IP addresses of32 time slots ofa first 2048
kbit/s trunk line would then be 1313.42.100 to 1.313.42.131
and addresses of the time slots of a second 2048 kbit/s trunk
55 line would then be 1.313.42.132 to 1.313.42.163, assuming
that the numbering of time slots and trunk lines starts with
zero. The opposite procedure, i.e. computing the trunk line
number and the time slot number, can be done for exmnple
according to the following equations:
60
time slot number=(IP address-base address)MOD N TS
trunk line number=INT((IP address-base address)/
Nrs)
65 where the function m MOD n is the modulo function, and the
function INT(x) returns the integral part ofx. The man skilled
in the art knows many other straightforward ways how to
 US 7,792,092 Bl
5 6
proceed in the opposite way, i.e. how to compute the time slot these bits can indicate the number of bits used for transmis-
number and the trunk line number from the IP address, when sion of the particular sample of the cham1el. For example, if a
the base address is known. Therefore, these ways are not chaimel is transmitted Ullcompressed, the sample length
described here in further detail. would be 8 bits. If a channel transfers compressed speech
The invention is not limited to the previous example of parameters, three bits may be enough to represent a sample of
forming the IP address corresponding to a cham1el, since the compressed speech signal. depending on the compression
many other IP address forming rules can be used. For method used. If the channel is inactive, no bits need to be used
example, in a further advantageous embodiment of the inven- to trai.1smit that channel. In the example of 16 samples from 64
tion, the IP address is formed by concatenating the time slot channels being packed in one IP datagram, 64 times 4 bits i.e.
number to a prefix value associated with the packet network 10 32 bytes of status information needs to be inserted in the
gateway. datagram. This embodiment has the advantage, that while the
The previous addressing examples require that the neces- capacity savings brought about by compressed traffic can be
sary address space, i.e. one IP number per channel is avail- obtained, uncompressed and mixed traffic can be transmitted
able. In an IPv6 network this should not be a problem. On the using the same mechanism. Preferably, the destination IP
other hand, an IPv4 network might not have enough free 15 address and the sender IP address are used to indicate the
addresses. In such an embodiment it is desirable, that the PCM trunk line or lines, whose data is carried by the data-
cham1el identification infonnation is specified in some other gram. The position of each sample in the datagram specifies
way than through the IP address. As previously mentioned, the time slot i.e. chatmel corresponding to the sample.
the channel identification information may also be encoded in Preferably, information about the number of chai.mels
an extra options field in the header of the IP datagram, or 20 transferred by an IP datagrams is included in the datagram,
preferably, in a predefined way in the data part of the IP for example in the beginning of the chai.mel status informa-
datagram. tion header described in the previous paragraph.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the C.2 Nonconsecutive Chaimels
cham1el identification information at the sending packet net- A further advantageous embodiment of the invention pro-
work gateway is included in the IP datagram. The channel 25 vides for transmission of data from nonconsecutive time slots
identification information can be specified in the form of an IP in a single datagram. Such ai.1 embodiment can be realized by
address for example according to previous examples, which inserting status information into the datagrai.11, which status
address is used as the sender's IP address in the IP datagram. information in this embodiment can comprise for example
The chm.me! identification information may also be encoded five bits for each time slot: one bit indicating whether the
in an extra options field or in the data part of the IP datagram 30 chaimel is active or inactive, three bits indicating the length of
in a predefined way. the samples of the channel, and one bit indicating whether
channel information is defined by the datagram or not.
C. Combining of Multiple Chai.mels Thereby the header can indicate separately for each time slot,
whether the datagram carries the corresponding chai.mel or
In further advantageous embodiments of the invention, 35 not. If the datagram does not carry the corresponding chai.mel,
speech data from more than one chai.mel is transmitted in one the receiving packet network gateway can receive data to that
datagram of the network level protocol such as the IP or the chaimel from other sources from the IP network. This
X.25 protocol. One datagran1 may contain data for exan1ple embodiment allows the transmission of any number of time
from a plurality of consecutive time slots, or from a plurality slots from one frame, regardless of whether they are consecu-
of at least partly non-consecutive time slots. Some examples 40 tive or not. This embodiment has the advantage, that different
of such embodiments are presented in the following para- time slots of a single PCM trunk line can receive data from
graphs. different packet network gateways. For example, a first
C. l. Consecutive Channels packet network gateway may send data to time slots 5 to 10 of
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, data 45 a 2048 kbit/s PCM trunk line at a second packet network
from all time slots of one or more consecutive frai.nes are sent gateway, while a third packet network gateway may send data
to the rest of the time slots of the same PCM trunk line.
in one datagram of the network level protocol such as the IP
or the X.25 protocol. For example, a frame of a 2048 kbits Further, this embodiment allows the destination packet net-
PCM line contains 32 time slots. Since each time slot contains work gateway to receive a group of channels from ai.1other
8 bits, one frame corresponds to 32 bytes of payload in an IP 50 packet network gateway, and single channels separately from
datagram, if no compression is used. For example, if 32 one or more other sources, such as IP telephones.
consecutive frames are sent in one IP datagram, the IP data- C.3 IP Address Determination in Case of Multiple Chai.mels
gram would have 1024 bytes of uncompressed speech data. The IP address determination can be performed in roughly
However, packing of 32 consecutive frames i.e. 32 samples similar way as in the case of a single channel being transferred
from each of32 channels introduces a 4 ms packetizing delay. 55 in an IP datagram. The IP address may be advantageously
To obtain shorter delays, frames can be collected from more determined based on the time slot number of the first time
than one PCM trunk lines. For example, collecting 16 con- slot, whose data is transferred in the datagrai.11, and the time
secutive frames from each of two 2048 kbit/s PCM lines i.e. slot for each of the rest of the data samples in the datagram is
16 samples from each of 64 channels, would result in the same specified by its position relative to the first time slot.
ammmt of data, but only in a 2 ms delay. 60
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, D. Selection of Coding Mode
one or more of the plurality of consecutive channels can be
transmitted in compressed fom1. This can be realized for In some advantageous embodiments of the invention, the
example by adding status information of the transmitted packet network gateway does not perform any coding mode
channels to the IP packet. The status information can for 65 negotiations with other network elements. In such embodi-
example comprise four bits per channel. One of these bits can ments, the packet network gateway transparently transfers
denote the active/inactive status of the channel, and three of uncompressed chai.mels, and transmits through the packet
 US 7,792,092 Bl
7 8
network only the compressed speech parameters for any TFO
mode signals present. However, in other embodiments of the
invention, the packet network gateway can take part in coding
mode negotiations between various network elements, and
two packet network gateways can negotiate about compres-
sion modes to be used between them. Such fanctionality
brings considerable advantages for example when different
types of communication networks are connected using a
packet network. Some exemplary embodiments of the inven-
tion, in which packet network gateways perform or partici-
pate in coding mode decisions and negotiations are described
in the following paragraphs.
In one advantageous embodiment, a first packet network
gateway is com1ected to a cellular telecommm1ications net-
work such as a GSM network or an UMTS network, and a
second packet network gateway is com1ected to a conven-
tional telephone system. In such a case, the first and second
packet network gateways can negotiate to select the same
coding mode for a connection, which is used by the mobile
station of the cellular telecommunications network. Conse-
quently, the com1ection can betreated by the cellular telecom-
munications network as a TFO connection. The first packet
network gateway simply transmits the compressed speech
parameters to the second packet network gateway as
described previously, and the second packet network gateway
compresses the speech signal from the conventional tele-
phone network, before transmission of the compressed signal
to the first packet network gateway and the cellular telecom-
munications network. Further, in this case the second packet
network gateway does not need to embed the compressed
speech parameters in the decompressed speech signal sent to
the conventional telephone network, since most likely the
compressed speech parameters would not be used in any way
in the conventional telephone network.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, an
packet network gateway can in addition to coding implement
other conventional features used typically in cellular telecom-
munication systems to reduce data transmission, such as dis-
continuous transmission. In such an embodiment, a voice
activity detector of the packet network gateway monitors the
transmitted speech signal, and ifno voice activity is detected,
no data is transmitted over the packet network. Preferably,
silence descriptor infomiation is transmitted before a trans-
mission pause, in order to enable the receiving packet net-
work gateway to generate comfort noise.
In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, in which a
mobile-to-mobile call is routed from one MSC via a first
packet network gateway, a packet network, and a second
packet network gateway to a second MSC, the coding mode
negotiations can be perfom1ed for example as follows. During
call set up, TFO connections are first set up between the
transcoder unit and the packet network gateway at both ends,
after which the packet network gateways negotiate the coding
mode between them. If the same coding mode was selected at
both ends, the establishment of the cmmection can be contin-
ued. If different coding modes were selected, one of the
packet network gateways can renegotiate the coding mode
selected at the corresponding end of the connection. Alterna-
tively, one of the packet network gateways can perform
transcoding, i.e. conversion between the coding modes.
In a farther advantageous embodiment of the invention,
two packet network gateways can negotiate between them-
selves about compressing a signal transmitted between them,
even if the systems at either end of the connection do not use
or support compression. Preferably this is performed only in
the case that during call set up, the packet network gateways
receive infonnation indicating that the call is a speech con-
nection, and not a data or a fax call.
E. Protocols
In a farther advantageous embodiment, a higher level
transmission protocol is used on top of the packet network
level protocol between the two communicating packet net-
work gateways. For example, the IP protocol does not guar-
10 antee delivery of data, and the IP protocol has no mechanisms
for replacement of faulty or missing datagrams. Neither does
the IP protocol guarantee the correct receive order of data-
grams. Therefore, a second protocol is advantageously used
on top of the packet network level protocol such as the IP or
15 the X.25 protocol to enhance the reliability of data transmis-
sion between the packet network gateways. In such an
embodiment of the invention, the data is inserted in a packet
of the higher level protocol, after which the packet of the
higher level protocol is inserted into one or more packet
20 network level protocol datagrams for transmission over the
packet network. The packet network gateways execute the
higher level protocol, generating messages and replying to
messages as required by the specifications of the particular
protocol. However, it is also possible in other embodiments of
25 the invention to implement the execution of the higher level
protocols using a separate network element between an
packet network gateway and the packet network.
If the packet network gateway receives a packet network
level protocol datagram addressed to an address within the
30
plurality of addresses managed by the packet network gate-
way, and which datagram does not contain data which the
packet network gateway recognizes as valid speech data and
does not contain any messaging data pertinent to a protocol
used in the transmission of the speech data, the packet net-
35 work gateway preferably discards the packet.
In one embodiment of the invention, the well known TCP
protocol (Transmission Control Protocol) is used. However,
the TCP protocol is not very well suited for real time trans-
mission, wherefore other protocols are preferred. A further
40
alternative is the UDP protocol (User Datagram Protocol) or
the RIP protocol (Real Time Protocol), which is designed for
transmission of real time data. The TCP protocol is defined by
the specification RFC 791, UDP by RFC 768, and RIP by
RFC 1889. Other suitable protocols are the PPP protocol
45
(Point-to-Point Protocol) defined in RFC 1661, PPP protocol
in HDLC-like fran1ing as defined in RFC 1662, orthe V.110
or V.120 protocols.
Further, more than two protocols can be used on top of each
50
other. For exan1ple, the RIP protocol is preferably used on top
of the UDP protocol, which is used on top of the IP protocol.
These protocols are well known by a man skilled in the art,
wherefore they are not described in further detail in this
specification.
55
F. An Example of a Method
FIG. 1 illustrates a method according to an advantageous
embodiment of the invention for transmission of data arriving
60 from a PCM transmission line through an IP network to
another PCM transmission line. First, in step 205, data is
collected from the PCM line, from one or more channels i.e.
time slots. If any of the channels contains a TFO mode signal,
the compressed speech parameters are extracted from the data
65 at step 210. In the following step 215, the IP address for the IP
datagram is determined for example in some of the ways
described previously.
 US 7,792,092 Bl
9 10
Preferably, the IP address is stored in a memory means for
later use. Thereafter, when another IP datagram containing
data from the same channel or channels is to be sent, the
determination step 215 can simply comprise fetching of the
previously determined IP address from the memory means.
In the following step 220, the IP datagram is constructed,
whereafter the datagram is transmitted through the IP net-
work in step 225. After the destination packet network gate-
way receives the datagram, it extracts the data samples from
the datagram in step 230. In case that the data contains com-
pressed speech parameters, the compressed speech param-
eters are decompressed to speech signal data in step 235. In
the next step, the received and/or decompressed data are sent
to corresponding channels of the PCM line connected to the
destination packet network gateway.
The method shown in FIG. l is only an example of an
embodiment of the invention. The invention can be realized in
many other ways as well. For example, the ordering of steps
210, 215, and 220 can be different from that shown in FIG. l
in various embodiments of the invention.
G. An Example of a Network Element
FIG. 2 illustrates one example of an embodiment of the
invention, in which the inventive functionality is realized in a
network element 300 located between a MSC 160 and a IP
network 170. The network element preferably comprises a
processor unit 310 such as a digital signal processor 310 for
realizing the functions of the network element. For example,
the network element may comprise an IP address generating
unit 301 for generating IP addresses for IP packets based at
least partly on parameters identifying at least one channel of
the PCM transmission line. Further, the network element may
comprise a compressed speech parameter extraction unit 302
for extracting compressed speech parameters from at least
one signal from the PCM transmission line, which signal
comprises both an uncompressed speech signal part and com-
pressed speech parameters. The network element may also
comprise a compression unit 303 for compressing the signal
of at least one channel from the PCM transmission line before
transmission over the data transmission network. The address
generating unit 301, speech parameter extraction unit 302 and
the compression unit 303 may advantageously be realized
using software programs executed by the processing unit 310
stored in a memory means 315 in the network element 300.
H. Call Set-Up
The information about the packet network level protocol
address of the destination packet network gateway can be
obtained by the sending packet network gateway for example
during call set up. In the following, one example of call setup
signalling according to an advantageous embodiment of the
invention as applied to an IP network is described. In this
embodiment, the switching centers supporting IP traffic are
implemented in such a way, that they return an IP address
instead of a conventional E.164 telephone number as a
response to a routing info request from another switching
center.
In this example, it is assumed that switching centers having
IP traffic capability can be recognized by the telephone num-
bers corresponding to the SC:s. The switching centers may
for example have a database specifying which other switch-
ing centers support IP traffic.
In this example, messaging between switching centers
(SC) A and B is described. In the case of a cellular telecom-
munications network, the two switching centers can be
mobile services switching centers (MSC:s).
When a subscriber makes a call, SC A receives a SETUP
message of the ISUP protocol. The SETUP message com-
prises the number of the other party, which the subscriber
wishes to call. Switching center A examines the number, and
if the analysis of the digits implies that SC B can receive IP
traffic, SC A interrogates SC B by sending e.g. a "Send
Routing Info" command to SC B using the signalling system
10
SS7. Upon receiving the command, SC B locates a free
incoming channel in the transmission line between SC B and
its local packet network gateway, generates an IP address
corresponding to the channel, and sends the IP address back
15 as a response to the command. When SC A receives the IP
address, it switches the connection to the packet network
gateway associated with SC A, and sends the IP address to the
packet network gateway to be used as the destination IP
address. The packet network gateway of SC B can subse-
20 quently obtain the IP address of the channel in the packet
network gateway of SC A from the source IP address of IP
datagrams sent by the packet network gateway of SC A.
The interrogation command mentioned in the previous
paragraph can be specific to IP traffic supporting switching
25 centers, in which case a SC receiving such an interrogation
command always knows that the sender of the conunand also
supports IP traffic. Consequently, a SC can always reply to
such a command by sending an IP address instead of an E.164
telephone number. According to another embodiment of the
30 invention, a second switching center receiving such an inter-
rogation command from a first switching center examines
infonnation identifying the first switching center, e.g. the
telephone number of the calling party. If the telephone num-
ber identifies that the first switching center supports IP traffic,
35 the second SC can reply by sending an IP address. Otherwise,
the second SC replies in the conventional way by sending an
E.164 telephone number.
I. Further Advantageous Embodiments of the
40
Invention
In a further advantageous embodiment, the packet network
gateways also comprise functionality necessary for transcod-
ing between various encoding modes. Such a functionality in
45
addition to the previously described negotiation functions are
in the present embodiment used for optimizing of the number
of transcodings within the transmission path.
In the present embodiment, the object of minimization is
50 the number of transcodings, if any, in the end-to-end trans-
mission path. For obtaining this aim, a special ordering is
used in the messages transmitted between the various net-
work elements for describing the capabilities of the elements
regarding supported coding modes. Such messages are often
55 called terminal capability set (TCS) messages. Such mes-
sages typically list the coding modes which the sender of the
message can receive and which ones the sender can transmit.
In this application, the item describing a coding mode is
denoted a capability descriptor, a tenn which is also used for
60 this purpose in some specifications of cellular telecommuni-
cation systems. The available coding modes may be different
for different directions. In the present inventive embodiment,
the order in which the capabilities is listed in a tenninal
capability set message is given significance, i.e. the listing
65 order signifies an order of preference.
The order of the capability descriptors is defined by certain
set of rules, which the network elements follow when trans-
 US 7,792,092 Bl
11
mitting a terminal capability set message to the next network
element along a transmission path. Basic considerations for
these rules are the following:
111ose coding modes, which the previous network node
supports and which the current network node supports,
have highest preference. Preferably, the current network
node maintains the preference order of the previous
network node if the following considerations do not
require a change in the order, and at least partially, if the
order needs to be changed.
After these, those coding modes have the next highest
preference, which coding modes the previous network
node does not support, but which coding modes are
supported by the current network node, and for which
modes the current network element can act as a l5
transcoder, transcoding to/from a coding mode sup-
ported by the previous network node.
Symmetrical encodings are preferred over asymmetrical
encodings. In symmetrical encoding, the same codecs
are used for transmission and for reception.
As an example, let us consider the flow ofTCS messages in
a network as shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows schematically a
first terminal TA 400, a first packet network gateway Gl 300,
a packet network 170, a second packet network gateway G2 25
300, and a second terminal. TB 400. Let us consider a situa-
tion, in which the first terminal TA communicates its capa-
bilities to the other terminal TB. Similar procedure applies in
the reverse direction, but for, clarity, we discuss here only the
direction from TA to TB.
First, the terminal TA transmits a TCS message to Gl,
listing the capability descriptors in a desired order of prefer-
ence.
Next, the first gateway Gl receives the message, and pre-
pares a new TCS message for transmission to gateway G2. 35 from gateway G2, and preferably selects for reception a cod-
Gateway Gl arranges the capability descriptors in the follow-
ingway:
those capability descriptors which TA sent and which Gl is
capable of supporting form a first set of capability
descriptors
among these capability descriptors in the first set, the capa-
bility descriptors of symmetrical coding modes form a
second set, while the rest of the capability descriptors of
the first set form a third set
the second set is ordered in the same order in which these 45
capability descriptors were in the TCS message received
byGl
the third set is ordered in the same order in which these
capability descriptors were in the TCS message received
byGl
a fourth set of capability descriptors is formed by those
capability descriptors, which correspond to reception
coding modes supported by G1 and not supported by TA,
but which modes the gateway Gl can receive and which 55 network 170 to another packet network gateway 300 and
modes Gl can transcode to a coding mode supported by
TA
a fifth set of capability descriptors is formed by those
capability descriptors, which correspond to transmis-
sion coding modes supported by G1 and not supported 60 also in this embodiment. The previously described scheme
by TA, but which modes the gateway G1 can transmit
and to which G1 can transcode from a coding mode
supported by TA.
111e TCS message transmitted by the G1 then comprises
the second, third, fourth and fifth sets of capability descrip- 65 for transmission of speech data. Further, the previously
tors, in that preference order. However, the order of the fourth
and fifth sets can also be the other way around.
12
Next, the second gateway G2 receives the message, and
prepares a new TCS message for transmission to the second
terminal TB. Gateway G2 arranges the capability descriptors
in the following way:
those capability descriptors which Gl sent and which G2 is
capable of supporting form a first set of capability
descriptors
among these capability descriptors in the first set, the capa-
bility descriptors of symmetrical coding modes form a
10 second set, while the rest of the capability descriptors of
the first set form a third set
the second set is ordered in the same order in which these
capability descriptors were in the TCS message received
byG2
the third set is ordered in the same order in which these
capability descriptors were in the TCS message received
byG2
a fourth set of capability descriptors is formed by those
capability descriptors, which correspond to reception
20 coding modes supported by G2 and not supported by G1,
but which modes the gateway G2 can receive and which
modes G2 can transcode to a coding mode supported by
Gl
a fifth set of capability descriptors is formed by those
capability descriptors, which correspond to transmis-
sion coding modes supported by G2 and not supported
by Gl, but which modes the gateway G2 can transmit
and to which G2 can transcode from a coding mode
supported by Gl.
30 The TCS message transmitted by the G2 then comprises
the second, third, fourth and fifth sets of capability descrip-
tors, in that preference order. However, the order of the fourth
and fifth sets can also be the other way around.
Finally, the second terminal TB receives the TCS message
ing mode which it can receive, and of those coding modes, the
one having the highest preference.
One natural way oflisting the capability descriptors is that
the most preferred capability descriptor is listed first of all
40 capability descriptors in the tem1inal capability set message,
and following the most preferred one, the other ones in a
decreasing order of preference. As a man skilled in the art
perceives, the correspondence of the listing order and the
preference order can also be defined the other way around.
FIG. 4 illustrates one configuration of the transmission
path according to an advantageous embodiment of the inven-
tion. This embodiment illustrates the possibility, that more
than two network element within the transmission path have
transcoding capability, i.e. can take part in negotiating and
50 effecting TFO mode operation. In this embodiment, the ter-
minals TAand TB 400 are mobile communication means. The
speech data in this exan1ple traverses from one terminal
through a TRAU (Transcoder and Rate Adaptor Unit) 410 to
a packet network gateway 300, and through the packet data
TRAU 410, and finally to the other terminal 400. In this
embodiment, both gateways Gl, G2 and both TRAU units
410 have transcoding capability. The ordering scheme
according to preference described in relation to FIG. 3 is used
for ordering the capability descriptors in the terminal capa-
bility set messages ensures, that if there is at least one coding
mode supported by all of these network elements having
transcoding capability, such a coding mode will be selected
described scheme also minimizes the number of transcod-
ings, if one common transcoding mode cannot be found.
 US 7,792,092 Bl
13
Since the preference order is carried within the TCS message,
no other signalling about the preference order needs to be
performed in order to optimize the transmission.
FIG. 5 illustrates a method according to an advantageous
embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5 illustrates steps during
connection setup phase, when tenninal capability set mes-
sages are sent. According to this embodiment, a message
listing supported coding modes in an order of preference is
generated 510. Next, the message listing supported coding
modes is transmitted from a network element to the next
network element in the transmission path. After these steps,
other steps necessary for setting up a com1ection can advan-
tageously be performed, before begim1ing the transmission of
actual speech data. Transmission of speech data can for
example be performed according to the method shown in FIG.
1.
J. Further Considerations
TI1e invention has several advantages. For example, the
collection of data from a plurality of ch3llllels to a single data
packet reduces the packetizing delay for a single ch3llllel, i.e.
the time needed for collecting enough samples for filling the
data packet. Consequently, the size of the packets can be
large, which assists in optimization of the effectivity of data
transfer over the packet network, without the large size of the
packets increasing the packetizing delay by an inordinate
amount. Further, the number of packet connections can be
lower than the number of transmitted channels, which
reduces the amount of transmission overhead per a transmit-
ted cham1el.
The packet network may be in various embodiments of the
invention for example an internal network of a building or an
organization, i.e. an intranet, or a large network, such as the
world-wide Internet network. The invention is not limited to
any specific packet network. The packet network may for
exan1ple be a network employing the IP protocol, the X.25
protocol, or for example the CLNP (Connectionless Network
Protocol) protocol as the network level protocol.
A single MSC can in various embodiments of the invention
be com1ected to more than one packet network gateway. Also,
the functionality of more than one packet network gateway
may be realized within a single MSC.
As described in the prior art, the tem1 PCM transmission
line is used in this specification to refer to a transmission line,
which comprises a plurality of channels. The transmission
line may be for example a 2048 kbit/s trunk line or a 1544
kbit/s trunk line, or a higher level line comprising a plurality
of such trunk lines. The invention is not limited to any specific
transmission line type. The tem1 PCM transmission line is
used only as an example of a transmission line with the
intention of presenting an as clear description of the invention
as possible, which term is well known by a person skilled in
the art and which term is commonly used for a general trans-
mission line in the jargon of the art. However, for reasons of
clarity and accuracy the term circuit switched transmission
line is used in the claims for denoting such a transmission line
comprising a plurality of channels. Correspondingly, a chan-
nel of such a transmission line is in the claims referred to as a
circuit switched cham1el.
In various embodiments of the invention, the previously
described functionality described as associated with a packet
network gateway can be realized using also other network
elements as a packet network gateway. For example, the cre-
ation of data packet payloads comprising data from com-
pressed data channels can also be realized in a transcoder unit
(TRCU), which converts ch3llllels from a 16 kbit/s channel
14
used in a base station subsystem (BSS) to a 64 kbit/s channel,
which is the basic transmission channel handled by a MSC.
Since transcoder units typically participate in the TFO mode
negotiations, the creation of data packet payloads comprising
compressed data in the transcoder units would simplify the
arrangements necessary for the TFO mode negotiations, i.e.
could even remove the need of packet network gateways to
participate in the TFO mode negotiations.
Most of the packet network gateway fonctionality may as
10 well be implemented in the TRCU. In such an embodiment,
the TRCU creates the data packets and forwards the data
packets to the MSC in a normal circuit switched com1ection.
The MSC switches the signal to a network element of the
packet network. This network element extracts the packets
15 from the circuit switched data stream and sends them forward
in the packet network layer protocol format as described
previously. In such an embodiment, the TRCU can create also
higher level protocol structures used in the transmission of
data over the packet network, i.e. for example PPP protocol
20 structures carried in network level protocol packets.
Previously, some examples were presented of a predefined
rule for generating an IP address based on PCM channel
information. In an advantageous embodiment of the inven-
tion, network elements participating in the data transmission
25 negotiate between themselves, which rule will be used.
Advantageously, the negotiation may be performed between
the packet network gateways. In a farther advantageous
embodiment of the invention, the rule is negotiated by the
MSC:s connected to the packet network gateways.
30 The name of a given functional entity, such as the base
station controller, is often different in the context of different
cellular telecommunication systems. For example, in the
UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) sys-
tem the functional entity corresponding to a base station
35 controller (BSC) is the radio network controller (RNC).
Therefore, the particular terminology used to denote various
fonctional entities in this specification are only examples
according to the GSM system, and do not limit the invention
in anyway.
40 The invention can be used in many different cellular tele-
communication systems, such as the GSM or the UMTS
systems.
In view of the foregoing description it will be evident to a
person skilled in the art that various modifications may be
45 made within the scope of the invention. While a preferred
embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, it
should be apparent that many modifications and variations
thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and
scope of the invention.
50
The invention claimed is:
1. A method, comprising:
transmitting data over a data transmission network from a
first circuit switched transmission line through a first
55 circuit switched network node towards a second circuit
switched network node that is coupled to a second circuit
switched transmission line;
employing, in the data transmission network, an IP proto-
col for transmissions from said first circuit switched
60 network node, which receives data from said first circuit
switched transmission line, towards said second circuit
switched network node, said data being destined for
transmission into said second circuit switched transmis-
sion line;
65 using an IP protocol datagram to transmit data received
from the first circuit switched transmission line towards
the second network node;
 US 7,792,092 Bl
15
fom1ing a header for said IP protocol datagram based at
least partly on circuit switched cham1el identifying
parameters, which identify at least one chailllel in the
second circuit switched transmission line, and an IP
protocol address of the second network node; and
indicating within said IP protocol datagram separately for
each of a plurality of time slots known to at least one of
said first and second circuit switched network nodes,
whether the IP protocol datagram carries data belonging
to a chailllel corresponding to the time slot, and when it 10
is indicated that the IP protocol datagram does not carry
data belonging to the channel, the second circuit
switched network node enables the reception of data to
that chailllel from other sources from an IP-network in a
non-consecutive mailller.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein data from at
least one cham1el of the first circuit switched transmission
line is transmitted as compressed data over the data transmis-
sion network.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein only com- 20
pressed speech signal parameters of a signal received from
said at least one cham1el of the first circuit switched transmis-
sion line are transmitted over the data transmission network;
wherein said received signal comprises an uncompressed
speech signal part and compressed speech parameters.
4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the received
signal of said at least one chailllel of the first circuit switched
transmission line is compressed in the first network node.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein samples of
data from more than one channel of the first circuit switched 30
transmission line are transmitted over the data transmission
network in one IP protocol datagram.
6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
transmitting a message which describes supported coding
modes for compressed speech parameters from the first 35
circuit switched network node to the second circuit
switched network node, and
describing said supported coding modes in said transmitted
message in an order of preference for optimizing speech
data transmission.
7. The method according to claim L further comprising:
inserting status information into the datagram.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein said status information
comprises at least an indicator to indicate activity of the at
least one channel, a length of samples of the at least one 45 pressing a signal of at least one chailllel of the first circuit
channel and whether chailllel information definition is com-
prised in the IP protocol datagram.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said forming
of a header for said IP protocol datagram is based at least
partly on a time slot number that at least one of said first and 50
second network nodes knows is associated with data which is
transferred in the IP protocol datagram.
10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
inserting a number of samples from at least one channel of
said first transmission line into a payload portion of said 55 at least one of said first and second network nodes knows is
IP protocol datagram.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises
transmitting the number of time slots in the corresponding
frame.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein a first packet network 60 samples from said at least one channel of said first transmis-
gateway acts as said first circuit switched network node and
sends data to a second packet network gateway that acts as
said second circuit switched network node, and said first
packet network gateway uses headers of transmitted IP pro-
tocol datagrams to identify time slots 5 to 10 of a PCM trunk 65
line operating at least at the rate 2048 kbit/s as destinations of
transmitted data at said second packet network gateway.
16
13. The method of claim 12, wherein a third packet net-
work gateway is arranged to send data to the second packet
network gateway and to use headers of transmitted IP proto-
col datagrams to identify the rest of the time slots of the same
PCM tnmk line as destinations of data transmitted from said
third packet network gateway to said second packet network
gateway.
14. A network element, comprising:
a first coilllection for coilllecting to a first circuit switched
transmission line;
a second connection for connecting to a data transmission
network employing an IP protocol, and
a hardware processor configured to implement an IP pro-
tocol address generating unit for generating IP protocol
15 addresses for IP protocol datagrams to be transmitted
over said data transmission network to a second network
element;
wherein said IP protocol address generating unit is config-
ured to form a header of an IP protocol datagram based
at least partly on circuit switched channel identifying
parameters, which identify at least one channel in a
second circuit switched transmission line coupled to the
second network element, and an IP protocol address of
the second network element; and
25 wherein the network element is configured to indicate
within said IP protocol datagram separately for each of a
plurality of time slots known to at least one of said first
and second network elements, whether the IP protocol
datagram carries data belonging to a chailllel corre-
sponding to the time slot, and when it is indicated that
the IP protocol datagram does not carry data belonging
to a channel, the second circuit switched packet network
element enables the reception of data to that chailllel
from other sources from an IP-network in a non-con-
secutive manner.
15. The network element according to claim 14, wherein
the network element comprises a compressed speech param-
eter extraction unit for extracting compressed speech param-
eters from at least one signal from the first circuit switched
40
transmission line, said at least one signal comprising an
uncompressed speech signal part and compressed speech
parameters.
16. The network element according to claim 14, wherein
the network element comprises a compression unit for com-
switched transmission line before transmission over the data
transmission network.
17. The network element according to claim 14,
wherein the network element is configured to insert status
information into the IP protocol packet.
18. The network element according to claim 14, wherein
the network element is configured to determine said IP pro-
tocol address based at least partly on a time slot number that
associated with data which is transferred in the IP protocol
datagram.
19. The network element according to claim 14, wherein
the network element is configured to insert a number of
sion line into a payload portion of said IP protocol datagram.
20. A method, comprising:
receiving data over a data transmission network, said data
coming from a first circuit switched transmission line
through a first circuit switched network node, at a second
circuit switched network node that is coupled to a second
circuit switched transmission line;
 US 7,792,092 Bl
17
employing, in the data transmission network, an IP proto-
col for transmissions from said first circuit switched
network node to said second circuit switched network
node, said data originating from said first circuit
switched transmission line and being destined for trans-
mission into said second circuit switched transmission
line;
using an IP protocol datagram to receive data transmitted
from the first circuit switched transmission line at the
second network node;
reading a header from said IP protocol datagram, said
header being based at least partly on circuit switched
channel identifying parameters, which identify at least
one channel in the second circuit switched transmission
line, and an IP protocol address of the second network
node; and
reading from said IP protocol datagram an indication sepa-
rately for each of a plurality of time slots known to at
least one of said first and second circuit switched net-
work nodes, whether the IP protocol datagram carries
data belonging to a channel corresponding to the time
slot, and when it is indicated that the IP protocol data-
gram does not carry data belonging to the channel, the
second circuit switched network node enables the recep-
tion of data to that channel from other sources from an
IP-network in a nonconsecutive manner.
21. The method according to claim 20, wherein com-
pressed speech parameters received from the first network
node are decompressed into an uncompressed speech signal
before transmission into the second circuit switched trans-
mission line.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein the method comprises
receiving data of different time slots of a single PCM trunk
line from different packet network gateways.
23. The method of claim 20, wherein a destination packet
network gateway acts as said second circuit switched network
18
node and receives data destined to a group of cham1els in the
second circuit switched transmission line from another
packet network gateway.
24. The method of claim 20, wherein said second circuit
switched network node receives data destined to individual
channels in the second circuit switched transmission line
separately from one or more other sources, such as IP tele-
phones.
25. A second network element, comprising:
10 a first connection for connecting to a data transmission
network employing an IP protocol,
a second connection for connecting to a second circuit
switched transmission line, and
a hardware processor configured to implement an IP pro-
15 tocol address reading unit for reading IP protocol
addresses from IP protocol datagrams received over said
data transmission network from a first network element;
wherein said IP protocol address reading unit is configured
to read a header from an IP protocol datagram based at
20 least partly on circuit switched channel identifying
parameters, which identify at least one channel in the
second circuit switched transmission line coupled to the
second network element, and an IP protocol address of
the second network element; and
25 wherein the network element is configured to read from said
IP protocol datagram an indication separately for each of a
plurality of time slots known to at least one of said first and
second network elements, whether the IP protocol datagram
carries data belonging to a channel corresponding to the time
30 slot, and when it is indicated that the IP protocol datagram
does not carry data belonging to a cham1el, the second circuit
switched packet network element enables the reception of
data to that channel from other sources from an IP-network in
a non-consecutive mam1er.
35
* * * * *
IPR Details - Nokia Corporation's Statement about IPR related to RFC 5087 https://datatracker.ietf.org/ipr/1796/

Disclosure History

Only those sections of the relevant entry form where the submitter provided information are displayed.

Update this IPR disclosure. Note: Updates to IPR disclosures must only be made by authorized representatives of the
original submitters. Updates will automatically be forwarded to the current Patent Holder's Contact and to the Submitter of
the original IPR disclosure.

Submitted Date: June 8, 2012

'I'. Patent Holder/Applicant ("Patent Holder")

Legal Name: Nokia Corporation

'II'. Patent Holder's Contact for License Application

Name: Kalle Moilanen
Email: kalle.moilanen@nokia.com
Other Info:
(address,phone,etc) T: +358 50 366 2022

'III'. Contact Information for the IETF Participant Whose Personal Belief Triggered this Disclosure:
Name: Markus Isomäki
Email: markus.isomaki@nokia.com
Other Info:
(address,phone,etc) T: +358 50 522 5984

'IV'. IETF Document or Other Contribution to Which this IPR Disclosure Relates:
RFC: "Time Division Multiplexing over IP (TDMoIP)"
(RFC5087)

 'V'. Disclosure of Patent Information (i.e., patents or patent applications required to be disclosed by Section
6 of RFC 3979)
A. For granted patents or published pending patent applications, please provide the following information:
Patent, Serial,
Publication, US7792092
Registration, or Date: 7th of Sept 2010
Application/File Country: US, EP, JP
number(s):
B. Does this disclosure relate to an unpublished pending patent application?: no

'VI'. Licensing Declaration

The Patent Holder states that its position with respect to licensing any patent claims contained in the patent(s) or
patent application(s) disclosed above that would necessarily be infringed by implementation of the technology
required by the relevant IETF specification ("Necessary Patent Claims"), for the purpose of implementing such
specification, is as follows(select one licensing declaration option only):
See Text Below for Licensing Declaration
Licensing information, comments, notes, or URL for further information:

1 of 2 4/8/2015 12:52 PM
IPR Details - Nokia Corporation's Statement about IPR related to RFC 5087 https://datatracker.ietf.org/ipr/1796/

This is to advise the IETF, in accordance with the IETF RFCs 3979 and 4879 that Nokia
Corporation believes the Nokia patent " Data transmission method and a network
element” (US7792092) (the “Disclosed Patents”), may be required to implement the
following IETF contribution ” RFC5087” (the “Contribution”).

To the extent that the Contribution is incorprorated in an IETF RFC, Nokia Corporation
informs that Nokia Corporation and its Affiliates will make a license available on fair,
reasonable and non-discriminatory (“FRAND”) terms and conditions based on
reciprocity to all persons desiring to implement such IETF RFC for those claims of the
Disclosed Patents only that would, in the absence of a license, be necessarily
infringed by the use of a right (e.g. making, using, selling, importing, distribution,
copying,etc) with respect to a technology implementing such IETF RFC (the
“License”). In this context, “necessarily infringed” means that such claims are
technically necessary to implement the IETF RFC in question.

“Affiliate” of Nokia Corporation means any legal entity that is for the time being
directly or indirectly controlled by Nokia Corporation. Notwithstanding the foregoing
Nokia Siemens Networks B.V (the joint venture of Nokia Corporation and Siemens AG)
and the companies controlled by Nokia Siemens network B.V shall not be deemed to
be Affiliates of Nokia Corporation. Control in this context, exists where one entity
owns more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting stock or equity in another entity, or
regardless of stock or equity ownership, is otherwise able to direct its affairs or to
appoint a majority of the members of the board of directors or an equivalent body to
determine the course of action of the entity by virtue of its voting or other rights. Such
entities shall only be deemed to be Affiliates hereunder for as long as such control
exists.

Note: The individual submitting this template represents and warrants that he or she is authorized by the
Patent Holder to agree to the above-selected licensing declaration.

'VII'. Contact Information of Submitter of this Form

Name: Kalle Moilanen
Email: kalle.moilanen@nokia.com

2 of 2 4/8/2015 12:52 PM
 8
A14734VI
 Illlll llllllll Ill lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll 111111111111111111111111111111111
US007072358B2

02) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 7,072,358 B2

Su van en (45) Date of Patent: Jul. 4, 2006

(54) TRANSMISSION AND INTERCONNECTION WO 0054526 912000

METHOD WO 0074411 12/2000
WO 0137606 5/2001
(75) Inventor: Jyri Suvanen, Helsinki (FI)
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
(73) Assignee: Nokia Corporation, Espoo (FI) EIS 300 979, GSM "Digital Cellular Telecommunications
System; Inband Control of Remote Transcoders and Rate
( *) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this Adaptors for Half-Rate Traffic Channels" (BSM 08.61 v
patent is extended or adjusted under 35 5.0.1, May 1997.
U.S.C. 154(b) by 925 days. EIS 300 737, GSM 08.60 v 5.1.1, "Digital Cellular
Telecommuni-cations System (Phase 2+ ); Inband Control of
(21) Appl. No.: 09/997,200 Remote Transcoders and Rate Adaptors for Enhanced Full
Rate (EFR) and Full Rate Traffic Cham1els", 2nd Ed., Feb.
(22) Filed: Nov. 28, 2001 I998.
ETSI TS 101 504 v 4 7.1.0 (Apr. 2000), "Digital Cellular
(65) Prior Publication Data
Tele-communicatios System (Phase 2+ ); Inband Tandem
US 2002/0086667 Al Jul. 4, 2002 Free Operation (TFO) of Speech Codecs; Service Descrip-
tion; Stage 3", GSM 06.8 v 7.1.0 Release 1998.
Related U.S. Application Data
(Continued)
(63) Continuation of application No. PCT/EP99/03764,
filed on May 31, 1999.
Primary Examiner-Due Ho
Assistant Examiner-Thien D. Tran
(51) Int. Cl.
H04J 3116 (2006.01) (57) ABSTRACT
(52) U.S. Cl. ....................................... 370/465; 370/328 Data are transmitted between a core network (CN) and at
(58) Field of Classification Search ..................... None least one access system (BSS) of a GSM based access
See application file for complete search history. system type via an Iu interface (Iu-I/F). Also, the present
invention aims to provide accordingly adapted network
(56) References Cited elements. By virtue of the present invention, substantial
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS savings concerning resources can be obtained by supporting
data formats of GSM coded speech on the open, i.e., not
6,301.250 Bl 10/2001 Schmitz ...................... 370/395 network operator proprietary, Iu interface according to
6,308,063 Bl 10/2001 Koistinen et al ............ 455/422 UMTS/3rd generation specifications. Thus, GSM transcod-
6,445,917 Bl * 9/2002 Bark et al. .................. 455/423
ers and 3rd generation transcoders as well as GSM base
6,466,556 Bl * 10/2002 Boudreaux .................. 370/331
6,725,038 Bl* 4/2004 Subbiah ...................... 455/436
station controllers and 3rd generation radio network control-
6,807,421 Bl* 10/2004 Ahmavaara ................. 455/438 lers can be integrated, so that the same hardware resources
can be used for both systems, i.e., for GSM as well as for 3rd
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS generation.
WO WO 99/21383 411999
WO 0051387 8/2000 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets

MSC MSC GW
GSM-TC

~ PCM
'---.....----13G-TC
\ 64 kbit/s
Iu-I/F ...__ __.

.......................................................
:· ......... --··~·- ...... -·~··. -. ········-~-·+· .................... .
CN
RAN BSS

AN
........ JG"RMIO.:.:··--···----·
GSM RADIO-
I/F
I /F

.____3G____,MS II,_____ MS____,

 US 7,072,358 B2
Page 2

OTHER PUBLICATIONS "GRAN' -A New Concept for Wireless Access in UMTS",

"Research Activities on UMTS Radio Interface, Network
Architectures, and Planning", E. Bem1to et al, IEEE Com-
muni-cations Magazine, Feb. 1998, pp. 82-95.
A. Schieder et al, XVI World Telecom Congress Proceedings,
Pub. Sep. 29, 1997, pp. 339-345.
* cited by examiner
U.S. Patent Jul. 4, 2006 Sheet 1 of 6 US 7,072,358 B2

Fig. 1
(PRIOR ART)

MSC

..--A-I/F

TC

- - Ater-I/F

BSC

---- Abis-I/F

BS

--Um-I/F
(RADIO-
I/F)

MS
U.S. Patent Jul. 4, 2006 Sheet 2 of 6 US 7,072,358 B2

Fig. 2
(PRIOR ART)

MSC

A-I/F A-I/F

IWU/TC TC

- - Ater-I/F
Iu-I/F

RNC BSC

Abis-I/F

BS BS

Um-I/F
3G RADIO- I_ (RADIO
I/F --/1 -I/F)

I'--- II-3G ___,MS MS___,,

~
3G PART
~
GSM PART
U.S. Patent Jul. 4, 2006 Sheet 3 of 6 US 7,072,358 B2

Fig. 3

r-----------
1
------------- .... I
I
:,.-- CN
•I (
I MSC
I
I
t
•I A-I/F A-I/F
I
I
I
I
I I
I

''
I
IWU I TC I
l
I I
I -- AN
·--------- --~u:.::17F----------- ------111:.rfF' ,'
r-------- ---------------------
' _.............. . ................... ·- ......... --------------~------
.. .... ............... . .............. ········ I
1 : : I
I: I :
I ; : I
I
I
i
:
•
·
RNC z~ BSC : f
:
•I
I
f : : I
I : : I
I: ; I
I: : I
I . : J
I : · I
r: : 1
I: . . BSS :I
I: RAN : :.···· :l
I ! I
t : • I
I • : I
I : : I
I: : I
I : : I
I: BS BS . I
I : : I
i • ; I
I : . • • I

L':·j~~ iii~i_:.-:·:·:-~ ~t,:.::.:.:.:_::..::.::.:.:.:::: .: :.:.·.:.::::::.::.-.::.·.:.-...::..tr=::.:.:::.::..::..::::.:.::.·.:.::::.::::JJ

· _/ GSM RADIO-
! 1F I/F

l.____3G__,MS I l_MS~I
U.S. Patent Jul. 4, 2006 Sheet 4 of 6 US 7,072,358 B2

Fig. 4

GSM-TC
3G-TC : \
~ \_ 64 kbit/s
- Iu-I/F PCM

···-·----------····-~ ·-... CN

BSS :
.:·-.___ AN

1~3G ____.MS II"'-- I MS

______
U.S. Patent Jul. 4, 2006 Sheet 5 of 6 US 7,072,358 B2

16 kbit/s TRAU FRAME

OCTET BIT 1 BIT2 BIT3 BIT4 BITS BIT6 BIT7 BITS

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 1 C1 C2 C3 C4 cs C6 C7
3 CB C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15
4 1 D1 02 03 04 05 06 07
5 DB 09 010 011 012 013 014 015
. -
. .
- .
36 1 DZ41 0242 0243 0244 0245 0246 0247
37 0248 0249 0250 0251 0252 0253 0254 0255
38 1 0256 0257 0258 0259 0260 C16 C17
39 C18 C19 C20 C21 11 T2 T3 T4

OCTET BIT 1 BIT2 BIT3 BJT4 BITS BrT6 BIT7 BITS

0 01 02 03 D4 05 DS 07 08
1 09 010 011 012 013 014 015 016
. .
. .
. .
31 0249 0250 0251 0252 0253 0254 0255 0256
32 0257 0258 0259 0260 C1 C2 C3 C4
33 cs C6 C7 ca C9 C10 C11 C12
34 C13 C14 C15 C17 DS1 S1 S2 S3

FIG. 6
U.S. Patent .Jul. 4, 2006 Sheet 6 of 6 US 7,072,358 B2

8 kbitls :-fRAU FRAME

OCTET BIT 1 BIT2 BIT3 BIT4 BITS BITS BIT7 BIT8

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 1 C1h C2h C3h C4h C5h XC1 XC2
3 0 1 XC3 XC4 XC5 XC6 D1h D2h
4 1 03h D4h 05h D6h D7h DBh D9h
5 1 D10h D11h D12h D13h 014h 015h D16h
. .
. .
. .
9 1 CRC2 CRC1 CRCO D45b D46h D47h D48h
11 1 D49h DSOh D51h D52h D53h D54h D55h
. .
. .
. .
18 1 D105h 0106h 0107h D108h 0109h D110h D111h
19 1 D112h C6h C7h C8h C9h T1 T2

FIG.1

OCTET BIT1 BIT2 BIT3 BIT4 BITS BITS BrT7 BIT8

0 D1h D2h D3h D4h D5h D6h D7h D8h
1 D9h D10h D11h 012h D13h 014h 015h D16h
. .
. .
. .
13 D102h D103h 0104'1 D105h D106h 0107h D108h D109h
14 D110h D111h D112h C1h C2h C3h C4h C5h
15 XC1 XC2 XC3 XC4 XC5 XC6 TAC C6h
16 C7h C8h C9h DS1 S1 S2 S3 S4

FIG.8
 US 7,072,358 B2
1 2
TR<\.NSMISSION AND INTERCONNECTION
METHOD
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
APPLICATION 5 decoded in the network. Thus, the speech data are present in
TI1is application is a continuation of International Appli-
cation PCT/EP99/03764 having an international filing date
of3 l May 1999 and from which priority is claimed under all
applicable sections of Title 35 of the United States Code 10
including, but not limited to, Sections 120, 363 and 365(c).
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a transmission and inter-
15
com1ection method for transmitting data in a telecommuni-
cation network and also to a corresponding telecommuni-
cation network. Still further, the present invention also
concerns corresponding network elements to be used in
and/or forming part of such a telecommunication network.
20
Particularly, the present invention relates to mobile telecom-
munication networks based on radio telecommunication.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In currently used mobile radio telecommunication sys- 25
tems such as the existing GSM system, radio resources are
limited due to the limited radio spectrnm available and/or
reserved for such purposes. T11e saving of radio resources is
achieved by the usage of codecs (encoding-decoding
devices) which operate at low bit rates. Nanlely, with such 30
low-bit-rate codecs, the transmission rate on a radio inter-
face is reduced to/expanded from 13 kbps in current GSM
systems.
Furthermore, existing mobile radio teleconmmnication
networks like GSM networks have to co-operate with exist- 35
ing public switched telephone networks PSTN such as the
currently spreading ISDN network (Integrated Services
Digital Network).
However, ISDN-PSTN networks primarily use a repre-
sentation for speech data of 64 kbps in pulse code modula- 40
tion (PCM), while the mobile radio teleconnnunication
network uses the above mentioned 13 kbps representation.
Hence, interoperability at an interface I/F between the two
types of networks has to be provided for, which is achieved
by an interworking function unit also referred to as IWF unit 45
or gateway unit (GW).
In case a call is forwarded from the ISDN-PSTN network
to a mobile station MS as a radio terminal device of the radio
telecommunication network (and vice versa), a speech cod-
ing functionality is required on both sides, i.e., on the 50
network side and on the tenninal device side. Namely,
speech data of a call forwarded from the ISDN-PSTN
network have to be coded in the network side for transmis-
sion via the radio interface (air interface Um), and if speech
data of"an answer" are transmitted from the terminal device 55
side, the speech data have likewise to be coded for trans-
mission via the air interface.
Such a transmission of coded speech using time divisional
multiplexing (TDM) between the radio access part or access
network of the telecommunication network (e.g., a base 60
transceiver station) and a speech codec part (e.g., transcoder
and/or Transcoding Rate and Adaptation Unit (TRAU))
associated to, for example, a Mobile Services Switching
Center (MSC) as a part of a core network of the telecom-
munication network, according to GSM, is effected using 65
so-called TRAU frames (for details, reference is made to
GSM 08.60).
Now, if a call is established between two tern1inal devices
MS_Aand MS_B, speech data transmitted there between are
normally transcoded twice. Namely, firstly speech is
encoded in the tenninal device MS_A and subsequently
the 64 kbps PCM format. Thereafter, the speech is encoded
again in the network for transmission to the terminal MS_B,
where it is decoded upon being received.
Thus, the coding is performed twice, while such double
coding adversely affects the quality of transmitted speech,
which of course, is undesirable.
FIG. 1 shows known teleconnnunication system accord-
ing to GSM specification. A mobile services switching
center MSC is connected to a transcoder TC via the A
interface A-I/F. The transcoder TC in turn is connected to the
base station controller BSC as a transceiver control device
via an Ater interface Ater-I/F. The base station controller in
turn is connected to a transceiver device or base station BS
via an Abis interface Abis-I/F. Such a base station (base
transceiver station) BS communicates with a subscriber
terminal such as a mobile station MS via an air interface or
radio interface RADIO-I/F also referred to as Um interface
Um-I/F.
In the above described network, at least the MSC forms
part of a so-called core network, while at least the BSC and
BS constitute an access network (radio access network). As
regards the transcoder TC, which provides the TRAU func-
tionality that includes speech coding and data rate adapta-
tion, according to GSM, this transcoder is logically associ-
ated to the access network side, i.e. to the base station system
BSS (formed by the BSC and BS) connnunicating with the
core network, i.e. the MSC via the A interface A-I/Fas an
open interface.
It is to be noted that the present description distinguishes
between an open interface on one hand and a proprietary
interface on the other hand. The term "proprietary interface"
is intended to designate an interface specific for an indi-
vidual network and thus dependent on a network operator,
while the tenn "open interface" is intended to designate an
interface independent of individual networks and thus inde-
pendent of network operators that can be accessed from
different networks, presumably also run by different opera-
tors.
Thus, referring back to the transcoder TC, the above
means that the base station system BSS is controlling the
operation of the transcoder TC. However, data such as
speech and/or other data is present in a 64 kbit/s PCM mode
at the A interface A-I/F. Transmission at such an elevated or
high data rate, however, is rather expensive, and therefore,
the transcoder is physically located at the core network side,
i.e., close to the MSC as a core network control device,
thereby reducing the data rate already in the core network.
Thus, speech and/or other data to be transmitted are trans-
mitted via a physically actually long transmission path from
the transcoder and the base station controller BSC in coded
format, which transmission path is referred to as Ater
interface Ater-I/F.
Recently, however, new telecommunication systems are
currently being developed, which systems are referred to as
third generation systems (in short 3G systems). Specific
examples for such 3G systems are the UMTS (Universal
Mobile Telecommunication System) and/or the IMTS-2000
(International Mobile Teleconnmmication System for the
year 2000).
In those 3G telecommunication networks, the transcoder
TC is also logically associated to (and mostly also physically
located in) the core network side and communicates with the
 US 7,072,358 B2
3 4
corresponding 3G access network via an open Iu interface
Iu-I/F. That is, data/speech is transmitted in coded fomiat
over this interface based on ATM transmission principles
(Asynchronous Transmission Mode).
FIG. 2 shows a specific implementation of a telecommu-
nication network, which is adapted to establish communi-
cation with a GSM based terminal such as a mobile station
MS as well as with a third generation based terminal denoted
in FIG. 2 by 3G_MS. Those parts which are similar or
identical to those illustrated in connection with FIG. 1
explained above are denoted with the same reference signs
and their explanation is not repeated in com1ection with FIG.
2.
The specific configuration shown in FIG. 2 illustrates a
case, in which the 3G core network is based on GSM
technology, i.e. uses a GSM based core network control
device MSC. In this case, the same MSC can handle/manage
communication via GSM as well as via 3G (e.g. UMTS)
radio networks via the open A interface A-I/F.
Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 2, there has to be pro-
vided an interworking unit IWU for the 3G part of the
system, adapted to perform an adaptation between the A
interface A-I/F and the Iu interface Iu-I/F. Thus, the 3G
transcoder TC must be located in association with the
interworking unit IWU, as shown in FIG. 2. (In an alterna-
tive case, (not shown in the figure), the transcoder could be
located in association with the 3G radio network controller
RNC without Iu interface).
Anyway, in any such a case the transcoder TC for the
GSM part has to be purchased from the same manufacturer
as the rest of the base station system BSS (comprising BSC
& BS's), since the Ater interface Ater-I/F is a proprietary
interface uniquely adapted to each respective manufacturer
and/or network operator. However, for the transcoder for the
3G network part IWU/TC this is not the case, and this
transcoder does not underlay special requirements in terms
of the manufacturer which has to supply the transcoder.
Thus, due to the imposed restrictions as set out above,
such a teleconummication system suffers from a reduced
flexibility and a degraded compatibility of network compo-
nents. In addition, different transcoding hardware resources
have to be provided for.
In a current implementation, data are transmitted via the
Ater interface for GSM in a data fomiat used for the Abis
interface, i.e. in TRAU frames. However, these frames have
been specified only for TDM (PCM transmission) and the
respective implementations are also proprietary.
Thus, also these implementations suffer from the above
described drawbacks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Hence, it is an object of the present invention to provide
a transmission method, a telecommunication network, and
corresponding network elements which overcome the above 55
problems, respectively.
According to the present invention, this object is achieved
by a transmission method for transmission of data in a
telecommunication network, said network comprising a core
network and an access network, with said access network 60
comprising at least one access system of a GSM based
access system type; wherein data are transmitted between
said core network and said at least one access system of a
GSM based access system type of said access network via an
Iu interface.
Also, according to the present invention this object is
achieved by a teleconununication network, comprising a
core network and an access network, with said access
network comprising at least one access system of a GSM
based access system type; wherein said core network is
com1ected to said at least one access system of a GSM based
access system type of said access network via an Iu inter-
face.
Still further, the present invention concerns accordingly
adapted network elements to be used in and/or forming part
of said telecommunication network.
10 Favorable further refinements of the present invention are
defined in the dependent claims.
Thus, with the present invention being implemented dif-
ferent radio systems such as GSM based and UMTS based
radio systems or radio access networks can be connected to
15 the same core network element.
Thereby, both access systems can share as much hardware
and transmission capacity resources as possible.
Particularly, due to the GSM speech/circuit switched data
format being supported by the 3G (open) Iu interface, this
20 enables substantial savings as a GSM based transcoder and
a third generation based transcoder can be integrated, thus
being implemented in the same network node. Stated in
other words, the same transcoder TC resources can be used
for both access systems.
25 Also, a GSM based base station controller and a third
generation radio network controller can be integrally pro-
vided as the same network element. This "merging" of
previously separate network elements yields an advantage in
that it is easier to connect GSM based transceiver devices
30 and/or base stations and third generation based base stations
to the teleconununication network at the same time.
According to a further embodiment, the transcoder can
even be located at the gateway position/gateway node of the
teleconununication network establishing a com1ection to
35 other networks. This will enable further transmission opti-
mization possibilities, particularly those possibilities as pre-
sented in applicants former patent application PCT/EP99/
01615 can be applied to the then obtained network structure.
Still further, also GSM based transceiver devices (base
40 stations) and third generation based transceiver devices
(based on WCDMA (=Wideband Code Division Multiple
Access) transmission principles could be integrated or
merged, so that the Iu interface could even be extended from
the transceiver devices up to the core network, so that an
45 RNC/BSC based on ATM (as used in third generation) could
forward coded speech/data directly via the Iu interface up
the transceiver devices, i.e. base stations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
50
The present invention will be more readily understood
with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 schematically shows a prior art teleconununication
system according to GSM specification;
FIG. 2 shows a prior art telecommunication system com-
prising a teleconununication subsystem adapted to be oper-
ated according to GSM specification and a telecommunica-
tion subsystem adapted to be operated according to a third
generation (3G) specification such as UMTS;
FIG. 3 shows a telecommunication network comprising
access systems confonning to GSM and UMTS specifica-
tion, respectively, according to a first embodiment of the
present invention;
FIG. 4 shows a telecommunication network comprising
65 access systems conforming to GSM and UMTS specifica-
tion, respectively, according to a second embodiment of the
present invention;
 US 7,072,358 B2
5 6
FIG. 5 illustrates a structure of a 16 kbit/s TRAU frame; times referred to as "Node B") to the network at the same
FIG. 6 illustrates a first frame type used on an ATM time, since they can share the same controller resources.
connection (Iu interface); Nevertheless, the RNC/BSC network element can also be
FIG. 7 illustrates a structure of a 8 kbit/s TR.AU frame; physically separated, though functionally and/or logically
and 5 combined. In such a case, however, the BSC part thereof
FIG. 8 illustrates a second frame type used on an ATM should be provided with an ATM based connection to the Iu
connection (Iu interface). interface Iu-I/F. In this instance, ifthe BSC is a stand alone
entity and is provided with an ATM connection to the Iu
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED interface, but not to the Abis interface (based on TDM
EMBODIMENTS 10 transmission), the BSC is adapted to perfonn a conversion
between TDM based data transmission fonnats (e.g. TR,L\.U
The present invention will now be described in detail with frames as specified in GSM reconnnendation 08.60) and
reference to the drawings. ATM frame fonnats used in the Iu interface. This function-
According to the present invention, due to transmitting ality is then preferably also located in the BSC.
GSM coded speech and/or circuit switched data over the 15 Further, although the IWU/TC element and RNC/BSC
open Iu interface according to a third generation specifica- element are both shown as integrated network elements in
tion in addition to "nonnal" third generation data/speech FIG. 3, only one of them could be provided as an integrated
formats, the Ater interface previously necessary for GSM network element in a network.
based parts of telecommunication networks, can be dis- In a modification (not shown) of the illustrated embodi-
pensed with. The data/speech is transmitted via the Iu 20 ment, it is also conceivable that a respective of said trans-
interface using specified transport frames supporting the ceiver devices BS is connected to a said associated trans-
transport of GSM speech/circuit switched data via the Iu ceiver control device RNC/BSC via said interface of said
interface. same interface type Iu-I/F. Stated in other words, the trans-
FIG. 3 shows a network architecture for a telecommuni- mission between BS and RNC/BSC should use the same
cation network according to a first embodiment of the 25 medium/transmission principle such as ATM, so that the Iu
present invention. This particular example assumes that a interface is extended from the core network CN (and
core network control device, i.e., an MSC as a mobile through the access network parts) up to the transceiver
services switching center, is GSM based. stations BS.
TI1e network comprises a core network CN and an access FIG. 4 shows a network architecture for a teleconnnuni-
network AN. The core network may communicate via a 30 cation network according to a second embodiment of the
gateway network element (not shown) with external com- present invention. This particular example assumes that a
munication networks (not shown) such as the PSTN/ISDN core network control device, i.e., an MSC as a mobile
or an intelligent network (IN) such as the Internet. services switching center, is based on a third generation
The core network comprises, as shown in FIG. 3, a core specification.
network control device such as a mobile services switching 35 As illustrated in FIG. 4, the core network CN consists of
center MSC. However, more than one MSC can be included two MSCs in this specific example, with one of the MSCs
in a core network, and also one of such MSCs is adapted to being additionally provided with a gateway functionality
provide a gateway functionality, thus representing a gateway GW for enabling a collll11unication with an external com-
MSC (GMSC). munication network such as the PSTN/ISDN in the illus-
The MSC as shown in FIG. 3 communicates via the A 40 trated example. Due to the MSC's conforming to third
interface A-I/F with a network element IWU/TC which generation specifications, there is no need for a separate
combines the functionalities of an interworking unit IWU IWU functionality. Therefore, the transcoder functionality
with those of a transcoder TC. TI1e interworking unit IWU TC can be located at the gateway functionality. The
functionality is adapted to perform an adaptation of the A transcoder functionality TC comprises a GSM based
interface A-I/F to the Iu interface Iu-I/F, while the transcod- 45 transcoder functionality GSM-TC as well as third generation
ing TC functionality is a combined transcoding functionality based transcoder functionality 3G-TC.
for the GSM based and 3G based network parts, which The core network CN is connected to the access network
transcoding functionality resource is thus shared by both via the Iu interface only, as in the first embodiment. The
systems, GSM and 3G. access network is illustrated in a simplified mam1er as
Thus, the core network collll11unicates via the Iu interface 50 compared to the first embodiment in that only the third
Iu-I/F with the access network AN. generation based access network part RAN and the GSM
The access network AN comprises at least two access based access network part BSS as different access system
systems denoted with RAN, BSS, respectively, of different types are depicted in the Figure. The remaining parts of the
access system types. Namely, RAN specifies a radio access illustrated embodiment denoted with the same reference
system conforn1ing to third generation standards, while BSS 55 signs as in the first embodiment denote the like components
specifies a base station system conforming to GSM stan- and/or network elements and functionalities and a detailed
dards. repeated description thereof can be dispensed with. Note that
In particular, the Iu interface Iu-I/F extends from the core in the core network CN in FIG. 4, an interface between
network to an access network control device denoted by different individual MSCs is constituted by a so-called E
RNC/BSC in FIG. 3. This indicates that the control func- 60 interface denoted with E-I/F.
tionalities for both access system types are integrated in one Particularly, it should be noted that a RAN and a BSS
and the same network element RNC/BSC. This network access network system could be connected to each of the
element RNC/BSC combines the functionalities of a third MSCs shown in FIG. 4, i.e., a single MSC can cope with the
generation radio network controller RNC with those func- control of two different access network systems, similar to
tionalities of a GSM based base station controller BSC. 65 the case shown in FIG. 3.
Thus, it is much easier to connect GSM based base stations In the case illustrated in FIG. 4, transmission savings can
BS and third generation based base stations BS (also some- be obtained within the whole PLMN (Public Land Mobile
 US 7,072,358 B2
7 8
Network) also if GSM access is used. Nevertheless, for an interfaces (not shown). Iub denotes the interface between a
MS-MS call within such a network, the speech codecs used third generation base station and the RNC. Iur denotes the
in the terminal devices, i.e. in the mobile stations MS, must interface between two RNC's. This means that within an
be the same in both mobiles. access network AN the user-plane (frame) formats are then
Also, in the second and first embodiments, the transport the same as those adopted for the Iu interface.
frame for speech data/circuit switched data transmission can Accordingly, as has been described herein before, the
be a speech frame, an O&M frame, a data frame, or an present invention proposes a transmission method for trans-
extended data frame based on the specification in GSM mission of data in a telecommunication network, said net-
recommendation GSM 08.60, GSM 08.61 or GSM 08.62 work comprising a core network CN and an access network
(specifying Tandem Free Operation TFO). These recom- 10 AN, with said access network AN comprising at least one
mendations include GSM coded speech format specifica- access system RAN; BSS of a GSM based access system
tions, and particularly the latter one describes frame formats type; wherein data are transmitted between said core net-
for an open A interface. work CN and said at least one access system BSS of a GSM
In particular, FIG. 5 illustrates the strncture of a 16 kbit/s based access system type of said access network AN via an
TRAU frame. The structure of the speech frame of FIG. 5 is 15 Iu interface Iu-I/F. Also, the present invention aims to
specified in section 08.60 of the GSM specifications. Bits provide accordingly adapted network elements. By virtue of
Dl-D260 in octets 4-38 are used for transmitting the actual the present invention, substantial savings concerning
speech parameters. The bits in the first two octets are coded resources can be obtained by supporting data formats of
"O". The bits in question and the first bits (coded nl") in GSM coded speech on the open, i.e., not network operator
octets 2, 4, 6, ... , 36 and 38 are synchronization bits. In 20 proprietary, Iu interface according to UMTS/3rd generation
accordance with the invention, the bits in question are not specification. Thus, GSM transcoders and 3rd generation
transmitted over the ATM connection, since they are not transcoders as well as GSM base station controllers and 3rd
needed on that connection. The last four bits Tl to T4 (stop generation radio network controllers can be integrated, so
bits) and spare bits Cl8-C21 of the TRAU frame in question that the san1e hardware resources can be used for both
are not transmitted over the ATM connection either. Fur- 25 systems, i.e., for GSM as well as for 3rd generation.
thermore, a flag, i.e., a bit Cl6, used in the TRAU frame for It should be understood that the above description and
indicating speech is not transmitted to the ATM connection, accompanying figures are merely intended to illustrate the
because its value can be detected at the receiving end on the present invention by way of example only. The preferred
basis of the value of a silence descriptor SID flag C13-Cl4. embodiments of the present invention may thus vary within
In FIG. 5, the bits that are transmitted over the ATM 30 the scope of the attached claims.
connection in accordance with the invention are shown in The invention claimed is:
bold text, and the bits that are excluded are shown in normal 1. A transmission method for transmission of data in a
text. (Note that ATM connection here stands for the trans- telecmrummication network,
mission via the Iu interface.) said network comprising a core network (CN) and an
FIG. 6 illustrates a first frame type which is used on the 35 access network (AN),
ATM connection (Iu interface Iu-I/F) and, on that connec- with said access network (AN) comprising
tion, substitutes in accordance with the invention the TRAU at least one access system (RAN, BSS) of a GSM
frame presented in FIG. 5. The frame of FIG. 6 can be used based access system type;
in the uplink (from base station system towards mobile wherein data are transmitted between said core network
services switching center) and in the downlink (from mobile 40 (CN) and said at least one access system (BSS) of a GSM
services switching center towards base station system) direc- based access system type of said access network (AN) via an
tions. Iu interface (Iu-I/F) wherein each of said at least one access
In the frame of FIG. 6, bits Dl-D260 are used for systems (RAN, BSS) comprises at least one transceiver
transmitting speech paran1eters. Bits Cl-CS indicate the device (BS) and an associated transceiver control device
frame type. Bits C6-Cll are timing bits. A bit Cl2 is used 45 (RNC/BSC), and wherein data are transmitted within each
for bad frame indication BFI. Bits C13 and C14 form a SID of said access systems (RAN, BSS) via an Iub and/or an Iur
flag. A bit ClS forms a TAF flag. A bit Cl 7 is used in the interface in a frame fomiat which is the same as the one
uplink direction for controlling discontinuous transmission adopted for said Iu interface (Iu-IF).
of the downlink direction. The bit in question is a spare bit 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein data are
in the downlink direction. A bit DSl is used for indicating 50 transmitted via said interface as coded data which are coded
if the frame in question originates from the transcoder unit as specified by the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommu-
or from the base station system. Bits Sl-S3 are spare bits. nication System) specifications or as coded data which are
FIG. 7 illustrates the structure of an 8 kbit/s TRAU frame. coded according to GSM specifications.
In the submultiplexed 8 kbit/s speech frame of FIG. 7, the 3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said transmit-
bits that are transmitted in accordance with the invention 55 ted data coded according to GSM specifications are trans-
over the ATM connection are shown in bold text. It can be mitted via said interface using a specified transport fran1e
detected from FIG. 7 that the bits to be excluded include adapted to the transmission of GSM speech data and circuit
synchronization bits, for example. switched data.
FIG. 8 illustrates a second frame type which is used on the 4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said transport
ATM connection and, on that connection, substitutes in 60 frame is a speech frame, an O&M frame, a data frame, or an
accordance with the invention the TRAU frame of FIG. 7. extended data frame based on the specification in GSM
CRC bits CRC2-CRCO are transmitted in their nomial recommendation GSM 08.60, GSM 08.61, or GSM 08.62.
places between bits D44h and D45h. 5. A teleconmmnication network, comprising
Moreover, although the foregoing description has mainly a core network (CN) and an access network (AN),
focused on the transmission GSM coded speech/data over 65 with said access network (AN) comprising
the (open) Iu interface, basically the same applies for at least one access system (RAN, BSS) of a GSM
transmission of GSM coded speech/data over the Iub and Iur based access system type;
 US 7,072,358 B2
9 10
wherein said core network (CN) is connected to said at least for connection to said access network (AN) and is provided
one access system (RAN, BSS) of a GSM based access with an A interface (A) for com1ection to a core network
system type of said access network (AN) via an Iu interface control device (MSC).
(Iu-I/F) wherein each of said at least one access systems 8. A network according to claim 6, wherein said network
(RAN, BSS) comprises at least one transceiver device (BS) s element (IWU/TC) is a gateway (GW) network element of
and an associated transceiver control device (RNC/BSC), said core network (CN) associated to a core network control
and wherein data are transmitted within each of said access device (MSC).
systems (R,i\.N, BSS) via an mb and/or an Iur interface in a 9. A network according to claim 5 wherein said trans-
frame format which is the same as the one adopted for said ceiver control device (RNC/BSC) is adapted to perform a
Iu interface (Iu-IF). 10 control functionality (BSC) according to GSM specification
6. A network according to claim 5, wherein said core as well as a control fm1ctionality (RNC) according to UMTS
network (CN) comprises a network element (IWU/TC) specification.
adapted to perform transcoding functionality (TC) according 10. A network according to claim 9, wherein said trans-
to GSM specification as well as a transcoding functionality ceiver control device (RNC/BSC) is provided with said Iu
(IWU) according to UMTS specification. 15 interface (Iu-I/F) for connection to said core network (CN).
7. A network according to claim 6, wherein said network
element (IWU/TC) is provided with said Iu interface (Iu-I/F) * * * * *
 EAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 1 of14
·-· '.l JAN. 2003
Rep: __________ _ ANNEXl

IPR INFORMATION STATEMENT AND LICENSING DECLARATION

IPR Holder/Organisation

Legal Name: Nokia C o r p o r a t i o n - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Signatory

Name: Kalle Moilanen _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Position: IPRManager_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Department: IPR _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Address: Jocnsuunkatu 7, FIN-24101 SALO, P.0.Box 86, FIN-00045 NOKIA GROUP, FINLAND _ __

Tel.: +358718045008 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~
Fax: +358718044275 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~
E-mail: kalle.moilanen@nokia.com _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

IPR information statement

In accordance with the ETSI IPR Policy, Article 4.1, I hereby inform ETSI that,

with reference to the technical proposal identified as UMTS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

It is my belief that the IPRs listed in Annex 2 are, or are likely to become, Essential IPRs in relation to that Standard.

IPR licensing declaration

The SIGNATORY has notified ETSI that it is the proprietor of the IPRs listed in Annex 2 and has informed ETSI
that it believes that the IPRs may be considered ESSENTIAL to the Standards listed above.
The SIGNATORY aod/or its AFFILIATES hereby declare that they are prepared to grant irrevocable licenses under
the IPRs on tenns and conditions which are in accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy, in respect of the
STAND ARD, to the extent that the IPRs remain ESSENTIAL.
TI1e construction, validity and performance of this DECLARATION shall be governed by the laws ofFraoce.

Place, Date: Signature:

/~ ~/(_ _____
Salo, Finland, 19 December 2002 _ Kalle Moilanen _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
(Signed for and on behalf of the SIGNATORY)

Please return this form duly signed to:

ETSI Director General - Karl Heinz Rosenbrock

ETSI - 650, route des Lucioles - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex- FRANCE
Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 47 16
 EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 12 of 14

Korea South 7015506/2001

Great Britain 9912846.4

European Patent
00931178.8
Convention

China P.R. 00809632.5

Canada PCT/EPOO/04230

Brazil P10011099-0

United States 09/980377

PACKET RADIO
UMTS Nokia TELEPHONE United States 09/189590
SERVICES

Finland 974290

European Patent
98947586.8
Convention

Japan 2000-520596

TRANSMISSION
 AND
2374847
UMTS Nokia Canada
INTERCONNEC
TION METHOD
Please return thIS form duly sIgned to. ETSI DIrector General - Karl Hemz Rosenbrock

ETSI - 650, route des Lucio1es - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex - France / Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 47 16
'
;,_ EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page I of?

ANNEX I

IPR INFORMATION STATEMENT AND LICE

IPR Holder/Organisation

Legal Name: Nokia Corporation - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Signatory

Nan1e: Harri Honkasalo - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Position: Director of!PR, S t a n d a r d s - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Department: IPR._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Address: Keilalahdentie 2-4, FIN-02150 ESPOO, P.O.Box 226, FIN-00045 NOKIA GROUP, Finland_ _

Tel.: +358 71800 8000

fax: +358 7180 34496 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

E-n1ail: harri.honkasalo@nokia.com _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

IPR information statement

In accordance with the ETSI IPR Policy, A1ticle 4.1, I hereby inform ETSI that,

with reference to the technical proposal identified as GSM.

It is my belief that the IPRs listed in Annex 2 are, or are likely to become, Essential IPRs in relation to that Standard.

IPR licensing declaration

The SIGNATORY has notified ETSI that it is the proprietor of the IPRs listed in Annex 2 and has informed ETSI
that it believes that the IPRs may be considered ESSENTIAL to the Standards listed above.
The SIGNATORY and/or its AFFILIATES hereby declare that they are prepared to grant irrevocable licenses under
the IPRs on terms and conditions which are in accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy, in respect of the
STANDARD, to the extent that the IPRs remain ESSENTIAL.
The constrnction, validity and performance of this DECLARATION shall be governed by the laws of France.

Place, Date: Signature:

Espoo, Finland, 8 January 2003 _ _

(Signed for and on behalf of the SIGNATORY)

Please return this fonn duly signed to:

ETSI Director General - Karl Heinz Rosenbrock

ETSI - 650, route des Lucioles - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Ced ex - FRANCE
Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 47 16
 EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 5 of7

VALUES IN TIME

United States TS 03.71, v.7.9.0 10/200930 6456237

United States TS 03.71, v.7.9.0 09/677114

Finland TS 03.71, v.7.9.0 980724 106602

European Patent
TS 03.71, v.7.9.0 99945702.1
Convention

China P.R. TS 03.71, v.7.9.0 99804679.5

Australia TS 03.71, v.7.9.0 59468/99 755890

Japan TS 03.71, v.7.9.0 2000-544146

TRANSMISSION
GSM  Nokia
AND
Japan TS 23.002, v.5.5.0 2001-500582
INTERCONNECTI
ON METHOD

Korea South TS 23.002, v.5.5.0 7015377/2001

European Patent
TS 23.002, v.5.5.0 99927811.2
Convention

China P.R. TS 23.002, v.5.5.0 999816695.2

Please return this form duly signed to: ETSI Director General - Karl Heinz Rosenbrock

ETSI - 650, route des Lucioles - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex - France / Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 47 16
 特許出願人 発明の名称 出願番号等 備考（出願国名）
REGISTRATION NO./
PATENT HOLDER NAME OF PATENT REMARKS
APPLICATION NO.
Nokia Corporation*3.00 HYBRID AUTOMATIC REPEAT REQUEST (HARQ) SCHEME WO02/096006 BR CA CN EP JP KR SG US WO ZA
WITH IN-SEQUENCE DELIVERY OF PACKETS
Nokia Corporation*3.00 CHARGING IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK WO02/098099 AU BR CA CN EP IN JP KR MX RU US
WO ZA
Nokia Corporation*3.00 METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR BEARER AUTHORIZATION IN A WO03/003690 BR CA CN EP JP KR US WO
WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORK
Nokia Corporation*3.00 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING WO03/019795 BR CA CN EP JP KR SG US WO ZA
TRANSMISSION OF PACKETS IN A WIRELESS
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
Nokia Corporation*3.00 `TRANSMISSION OF DATA WITHIN A COMMUNICATIONS WO03/019960 CA EP JP KR WO ZA
NETWORK
Nokia Corporation*3.00 METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CHANGING A SUBSCRIPTION WO03/061236 WO
Nokia Corporation*3.00 COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD WO03/081876 GB WO
Nokia Corporation*3.00 A METHOD OF REGISTERING AND DEREGISTERING A USER WO03/081937 US WO
Nokia Corporation*3.00 METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RE-AUTHENTICATION IN IP WO03/084257 US WO
MULTIMEDIA CORE NETWORK SYSTEM (IMS)
Nokia Corporation*3.00 PDP CONTEXT ERROR HANDLING METHOD WO03/084262 GB WO
Nokia Corporation*3.00 SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HANDLING SESSIONS OF WO03/094563 WO
SPECIFIC TYPE IN COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
Nokia Corporation*3.00 METHOD AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING WO03/096603 US WO
SECURITY ASSOCIATION LIFETIME
ノキアコー レイシ 送信及び 方法 特表2003-501906 Applied in Brazil, Canada, China,
ョン*3.00 European Patent Office, Japan,
Korea(South), United States of America,
WO
ノキアネットワーク 無線送信 と を 無線ネットワークとの間のタイミ 特表2001-525135 Applied in Australia, China, European
スオサケユキチュ ン を 定する方法 Patent Office, Norway, United States of
ア*3.00
America, WO
ノキアネットワーク 移動通信システムにおけるサー ス オン デ ンド 特表2002-511670 Applied in China, European Patent
Office, Finland, Japan, United States of
スオサケユキチュ America, WO
ア*3.00

79
 9
A15038VI
 I
(19) Europilsches
Patentamt
European 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
Patent Office
Office europeen
des brevets
(11) EP 1 212 919 81
(12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45) Date of publication and mention (51) Int Cl.:

of the grant of the patent: H04W 36/12r2009· 01J
08.09.2010 Bulletin 2010/36
(86) International application number:
(21) Application number: 00966045.7 PCT/EP2000/009100

(22) Date of filing: 13.09.2000 (87) International publication number:

WO 2001/020938 (22.03.2001 Gazette 2001/12)

(54) RELOCATION IN A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

UMLENKUNG IN EINEM KOMMUNIKATIONSSYSTEM
DEPLACEMENT DE PROTOCOLE DANS UN SYSTEME DE COMMUNICATION

(84) Designated Contracting States: (72) Inventor: AHMAVAARA, Kalle,

AT BE CH CY DE DK ES Fl FR GB GR IE IT LI LU Nokia Japan Co Ltd
MC NL PT SE Tokyo 100-0014 (JP)

(30) Priority: 14.09.1999 GB 9921706 (74) Representative: Ruuskanen, Juha-Pekka et al

Page White & Farrer
(43) Date of publication of application: Bedford House
12.06.2002 Bulletin 2002/24 John Street
London
(60) Divisional application: WC1 N 2BF (GB)
10170344.5
(56) References cited:
(73) Proprietor: Nokia Corporation EP-A- 0 898 438 WO-A-99/51051
02150 Espoo (Fl) CH-A- 682 867

T"'"
cc
0)
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0)
N
T"'"
N Note: Within nine months of the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent in the European Patent
Bulletin, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to that patent, in accordance with the
T"'"
Implementing Regulations. Notice of opposition shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been
a. paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).
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Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR)
 EP 1 212 919 81
Description
Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to relocation in a
communication system and in particular, but not exclu-
sively, to relocation of a protocol termination point.
Background of the Invention
[0002] Communication networks typically operate in
accordance with a given standard which sets out what
the elements of the network are permitted to do and how
that should be achieved. The communication in the net-
works follows predefined rules which are referred to in
the following as protocols. The protocols to be used are
defined in the associated standard. The protocols can be
used for controlling various events and functionalities in
a connection provided through the communications net-
work. Several protocols may be simultaneously in an ac-
tive state for providing control of a connection. During an
ongoing i.e. active connection a protocol is having a ter-
mination point in the network element controlling the con-
nection. For example, a protocol may have termination
points in a telephone terminal and in a network controller
controlling the connection.
[0003] A communication network is a cellular radio net-
work consisting of cells. In most cases the cell can be
defined as a certain area covered by one or several base
transceiver stations (BTS) serving mobile stations (MS)
via a radio interface and connected to a base station sub-
system (BSS). Several cells cover a larger area, and form
the coverage area of a cellular radio network. The cell
(or group of cells) and thus the mobile station (MS) or
similar user equipment (UE) within one of the cells of the
system can be controlled by a node providing controller
functionality, for example by a radio network controller
(RNC) or a mobile switching center (MSC). The controller
can be connected further to a gateway or linking node,
for example a gateway GPRS support node (GGSN) or
gateway mobile switching center (GSMC), linking the cell
to the other parts of the communication system and/or
other communication networks, such as to a PSTN (Pub-
lic Switched Telecommunications Network) or to a data
network, such as to a X.25 based network or to a TCP/IP
(Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) based
network.
[0004] European Patent Application EP-A-0 898 438
describes a radio network controller system whose con-
trol is headed over to base station that belongs to another
radio network controller.
[0005] The mobile station MS may be controlled by
only one controller at time. However, the MS may also
be simultaneously controlled by several controller nodes.
This may occur e.g. when the cells overlap or in so called
soft handoff mode, where the MS may be in communi-
cation with two base stations and those base stations
may be connected to different controllers, or when one
2
controller is controlling another controller controlling the
MS. One controller of the plurality of controllers in the
system can be defined as a serving (main) controller
whereas the others may act as secondary controllers.
5 The responsibility of controlling a connection between
the mobile station and the network may change during
an ongoing connection. It is therefore necessary to relo-
cate at least part of functionalities associated with the
connection such that the connection will not become dis-
10 connected and/or that the quality of the connection re-
mains in an acceptable level. It is to be appreciated that
in addition or as an alternative to relocating functionalities
of the controller node, the functionality to be relocated
may also be located in any other of the network elements,
15 for example in the base station, base station subsystem,
in the gateway and so on.
[0006] When relocation is decided to be performed,
the serving controller or another node of the communi-
cation system may initiate the necessary proceeding for
20 replacing one or several of the network nodes with a new
corresponding node or nodes.
[0007] In case of an active i.e. ongoing connection,
one of the features that should to be relocated is the state
of a protocol termination point. Although it is not always
25 necessary, in a usual case the status of the protocol ter-
mination point at the new "replacing" network element or
node should be such that it may take over the functions
of the old "replaced" network node. At the present the
parameters which need to be transferred have to be de-
30 fined also in the protocols which are used to convey the
information from the old termination point to the new ter-
mination point. For example, if parameters of a Radio
Resource Control (RRC) or Medium Access Control
(MAC) or Radio Link Control (RLC) protocols are to be
35 relocated in a system that would use radio network sub-
system application part (RNSAP) for communication be-
tween the network controller nodes, this would mean that
a lot of "external" parameters would have to be defined
for the RNSAP. This would increase the complexity of
40 the RNSAP. In addition, if several additional parameters
of a protocol are to be defined for the another protocol,
it makes these two different protocols very dependent on
each other. The independent evolution of them would
thus become more difficult to manage.
45
Summary of the Invention
[0008] It is an aim of the embodiments of the present
invention to address one or several of the above prob-
50 lems.
[0009] According to one aspect of the present inven-
tion, there is provided a method in a communication sys-
tem for relocating a protocol termination point, compris-
ing:
55
using a first protocol to define a protocol initialization
unit at a first termination point of a first protocol, said
protocol initialization unit containing predefined in-
2
 3 EP 1 212 919 81
formation pertaining to initialization of a second ter-
mination point of said first protocol;
transferring the protocol initialization unit from the
first termination point to a second termination point
by a second protocol; and
initializing the second termination point based on the
protocol initialization unit.
[001 O] According to another aspect of the present in-
vention there is provided a communication system, com-
prising:
a first protocol termination point;
a second protocol termination point;
control means for relocating a first protocol from the
first protocol termination point to the second protocol
termination point, said control means being arranged
to form a protocol initialization unit containing pre-
defined information of the first protocol at the first
protocol termination point;
communication path based on a second protocol be-
tween the first and the second termination points for
transferring the protocol initialization unit; and
control means for initializing the second protocol ter-
mination point based on the protocol initialization
unit.
[0011] According to a still another aspect of the present
invention there is provided a network element for use in
a communication network, comprising:
a protocol termination point;
control means for relocating a first protocol from the
protocol termination point to another protocol termi-
nation point, said control means being arranged to
form a protocol initialization unit containing prede-
fined information of the first protocol at the protocol
termination point; and
interface to said other protocol termination point
based on a second protocol for transferring the pro-
tocol initialization unit from the first termination point
by means of the second protocol.
[0012] According to a still another aspect of the present
invention there is provided a network element for use in
a communication network, comprising:
a protocol termination point of a first protocol;
interface to another protocol termination point for re-
ceiving a protocol initialization unit containing pre-
defined information of the first protocol at said other
termination point, wherein the interface is based on
a second protocol; and
control means for initializing the protocol termination
point based on the received protocol initialization
unit.
[0013] According to a more specific embodiment, the
4
protocol initialization unit may contain state information
of the first protocol termination point.
[0014] The first termination point may also be located
at a first network element of the communication system
5 and the second termination point may be located at a
second network element of the communication system.
The second network element may, upon receiving the
protocol information unit, generate and transmit a re-
sponse to the first network element by means of the sec-
10 ond protocol.
[0015] The protocol initialization unit may be encapsu-
lated in a message transmitted between the first termi-
nation point and the second termination point. The pro-
tocol initialization unit may also be transparent for the
15 second protocol.
[0016] The protocol initialization unit may be transmit-
ted via a network element of a core network of the com-
munication system. This may be accomplished by means
of a radio access network application part (RANAP) pro-
20 tocol. According to an embodiment, the protocol initiali-
zation unit may be transmitted directly between the ter-
mination points. This may be accomplished by means of
a radio network subsystem application part (RN SAP) pro-
tocol.
25 [0017] The protocol initialization unit may contain in-
formation of at least one further protocol. According to
an embodiment at least one further protocol initialization
unit may be defined containing predefined information of
a further protocol by the further protocol, whereafter the
30 further protocol initialization unit is transferred from the
first termination point to the second termination point.
The further protocol initialization unit may be transferred
between the termination points by a protocol that is dif-
ferent to the second protocol.
35 [0018] The parameters of the second termination point
may be set into a state that is relatively similar to the state
of parameters of the first termination point before or at
the time the relocation procedure was initiated during the
initialization procedure.
40 [0019] The embodiments of the invention provide sev-
eral advantages. One of the benefits is that a need for
defining a great number of parameters of one protocol in
another protocol is avoided. This provides clear benefits
in updating and maintenance of the protocols.
45
Brief Description of Drawings
[0020] For better understanding of the present inven-
tion, reference will now be made by way of example to
50 the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a cellular
radio network system in which embodiments of the
invention can be implemented;
55 Figure 2 shows the hierarchy of various elements of
the network of Figure 1;
Figure 3 shows two possible interfaces between net-
work nodes; and
3
 5 EP 1 212 919 81
Figure 4 is a flow chart for operation in accordance
with one embodiment.
Description of Preferred Embodiments of the Invention
[0021] Reference will be first made to Figure 1 in which
three cells 1,2,3 of acellulartelecommunications network
are shown. Each cell 1,2,3 is served by a respective base
transceiver station (BTS) 4',4,5. Each base transceiver
station (BTS) is arranged to transmit signals to and re-
ceive signals from the mobile stations (MS) 6 located in
the cell associated with the given base transceiver sta-
tion. Likewise, each mobile station 6 is able to transmit
signals to and receive signals from the respective base
transceiver station 4' ,4,5, and also able to move from the
coverage area of one cell to the coverage area of another
cell, e.g. from cell 2 to cell 3.
[0022] The exemplifying cellular telecommunications
network will be described in more detail in the following
by using the terminology of a proposed Universal Mobile
Telecommunications System (UMTS) standard. Howev-
er, it is to be appreciated thatthe invention is not restricted
to UMTS but can be implemented in any standard. Ex-
amples of these include, without any intention to restrict
the possible communication systems to these, any of the
code division multiple access (COMA) based systems or
any of the time division multiple access (TOMA) based
systems or any of the frequency division multiple access
(FDMA) based systems or any hybrids thereof.
[0023] Reference is now made to Figure 2 which
shows the hierarchy of a cellular communication system.
As can be seen, the mobile station 6 is in wireless com-
munication with one of the base stations. Typically a
number of mobile stations will be in communication with
each base station although only one mobile station is
shown in Figure 2 for clarity. A first base station 4 is con-
nected to a first network controller, which in Figure 2 is
a serving radio network controller SRNC 10. Again, more
than one base station is usually connected to each con-
troller 1Oalthough only one is shown for clarity. Typically
more than one controller is also provided in a network.
The SRNC 10 is connected to other elements of the net-
work 12 via a suitable linking or gateway apparatus, such
as a serving GPRS (General Packet radio Service) Sup-
port Node (SGSN) 14.
[0024] The SRNC 10 is arranged to control the base
station, either directly or through an intermediate node
(not shown). The controller 1Opasses on data to be trans-
mitted to the mobile station by the base station. The con-
troller 1O will also receive from the base station data
which the base station has received from the mobile sta-
tion. The implementation of the communication between
the base station, the mobile station and the controller is
known, and will thus not be discussed in detail herein. It
is sufficient to note that the interface may comprise chan-
nels in both uplink and downlink directions. The data may
be sent between the mobile station and the controller in
any suitable format. The messages sent from the mobile
6
stations may include information identifying the mobile
station (for instance, MS ID and/or IMSI (Mobile Station
Identity and/or International Mobile Subscriber Identity,
respectively)).
5 [0025] In addition to the serving controller (RNC 10),
the cellular telecommunications system of Figure 2 in-
cludes another controller RNC 11 controlling the base
station 5 of cell 3 of Figure 2. It is, again, noted that the
second controller may also control more than one base
10 station. The second controller may also sometimes be
referred to as a drift controller (DRNC). The SNRC 10
and DRNC 11 may communicate with each other over
an open lur interface 18 established between them.
[0026] Figure 2 illustrates one possible relocation sit-
15 uation wherein the mobile station MS 6 or similar user
equipment communicates firstly via the BTS 4 over a
radio interface designated by a solid line and then switch-
es to communicate via a new BTS 5, as designated by
the dashed radio interface. According to one possibility
20 the change from one base station to another may occur
after the mobile station 6 has moved into the service or
illumination area of the second base station 5. However,
it is to be appreciated that in addition to the movement
of the mobile station, there are also other possible rea-
25 sons for triggering the relocation of the connection to an-
other base station or to another network element, such
as network optimization, load balancing, hardware con-
gestion, connection quality improvement, fault in the sys-
tem or base station and so on.
30 [0027] In order to ensure a proper operation of the sys-
tem and to avoid disconnecting a possibly ongoing call,
at least some of the functionalities of the network ele-
ments have to be relocated for the connection. For ex-
ample, when a SRNC functionality is to be located from
35 a first RNC to a second RNC some protocol termination
points of an ongoing connection (such as RRC, RCL
and/or MAC protocols) need to be changed from the first
RNC to the second RNC.
[0028] Before explaining an embodiment for the relo-
40 cation in more detail, a brief explanation will given of the
protocol termination point with reference to Figure 3
showing a block diagram of the source RNC 10 and the
target RNC 11. The exemplifying protocol termination
point is illustrated to comprise a radio resource control
45 (RRC) protocol. However, it is to be appreciated that the
described RRC protocol is only an example, and that the
embodiments can be implemented for any other protocol
used fora connection in a communication system as well.
These other protocols include, without any restriction to
50 these, medium access control (MAC) protocol, radio link
control (RLC) protocol and packet data convergence pro-
tocol (PDCP).
[0029] The SRNC 10 and DRNC 11 each are provided
with a Radio Resource Controller functionality RRC 24
55 and 26, respectively. When the MS 6 is communication
with the controller 10, the RRC protocol has its other ter-
mination point correspondingly at the controller 10, while
the other termination point is at the mobile station. How-
4
 7 EP 1 212 919 81
ever, should the controller change, the termination point
of the RRC protocol should also be changed correspond-
ingly. More precisely, the new controller 11 should be
provided with a similar termination point functionality us-
ing similar parameters as the previous controller had.
These functionalities will be controlled by a control unit
20 at the source controller 1O and by a control unit 21 at
the target controller 11.
[0030] Figure 3 shows further an lur interface 18 be-
tween the DRNC 1O and the SRNC 11. For example, a
RNSAP (Radio Network Subsystem Application Part)
protocol can be used for the direct signalling between
the two RN Cs. A RANAP (Radio Access Network Appli-
cation Part; in the control plane) protocol can used for L3
(Layer 3) signalling over the lu interface between the
RN Cs and an appropriate element 14 of the core network
14. The core network element 14 can be e.g. a mobile
switching center or a serving GPRS support node.
[0031] A reference will now be made to the flow chart
of Figure 4 showing in more detail an embodiment for
moving the required state information of a protocol ter-
mination point from one termination point at a first net-
work element (NE) to another termination point in a sec-
ond network element. As illustrated by step 30, the pro-
tocol termination point is to be moved between the ter-
mination points during an active state of the protocol be-
tween the servicing network controller and the mobile
station. After the relocation procedures are initiated at
step 32, the "old" protocol termination point in the source
network element produces at step 34 a special protocol
data unit (POU) containing predefined necessary proto-
col parameters for initialization of the second termination
point before relocation of the connection. The POU is
passed at step 36 to the new termination point with help
of a second protocol. The second protocol is used for
signaling between the different network elements or
nodes. The passed information can be transparent to the
second protocol used for the transmission of the POU.
Examples of the protocols which may be used for the
transmission of the POU will be discussed in more detail
later in this specification. The new termination point re-
ceives the POU and it is initialized at step 38 based on
the information received from the old termination point.
After the initialization procedure the termination point will
be relocated at step 40 to the new network element and
the operation of the system continues as before except
that the protocol termination point of the active protocol
is now situated in the new network element.
[0032] In other words, an explicit protocol message will
be passed between the old termination point and the new
termination point of a protocol in case of relocation of the
protocol termination point. The specified POU (or mes-
sage) is used within a protocol peer between the old and
the new termination point of the protocol. In a preferred
embodiment a single protocol defines the information to
be transferred between the protocol peers and the infor-
mation to be transmitted within one peer. By means of
this it is possible to avoid a need for defining a great
8
number of parameters of one protocol in another proto-
col. For example, by the embodiment described in the
following about 100 RRC parameters in the RANAP pro-
tocol are avoided.
5 [0033] Referring again to Figure 3, a more detailed ex-
ample of the relocation procedure will now be given in
context of relocating a radio interface L3 protocol (i.e. a
radio resource control; RRC) protocol from a first or
source controller (e.g. RNC 1O of Figure 3) to a second
10 or target controller (e.g. RNC 11 of Figure 3). The exem-
plifying RRC protocol is known, and is not described in
more detail. It is sufficient to note that the RRC provides
common controlling and signaling over the air interface
between the serving RNC and the mobile station and that
15 the RRC can be shared with circuit switched traffic and
packet switched traffic.
[0034] The control unit 20 of the first (source) RNC 10
produces the special protocol initialization unit which in
this instance will be referred to as a RRC POU. The RRC
20 POU contains all such predefined RRC parameters that
have to be known by the new termination point in order
to receive and continue the connection. These parame-
ters may include information concerning e.g. one or sev-
eral of the following: radio bearer(s), transport channel
25 (s), radio link(s) and their physical channels, capability
information as well as user equipment capabilities and
measurements being reported by the user equipment
and so on. According to a preferred embodiment the RRC
POU contains all such RRC parameters that are required
30 by the termination point at the target RNC to start the
RRC protocol in a relatively similar state and conditions
that existed in the old termination point.
[0035] According to an embodiment the generated
RRC POU can be transferred from the first RNC to the
35 second RNC by means of a RN SAP (Radio Network Sub-
system Application Part) over an open interface lur 18
provided between the first controller 10 and the second
controller 11. The termination point at the second RNC
receives the RRC POU and subsequently decodes the
40 received RRC POU. The termination point26 is initialized
based on the received and decoded information. The in-
itialization procedure can be controlled by the control unit
21.
[0036] According to another embodiment the POU is
45 firstly moved from the source RNC 1Oto the core network
(CN) 14 over an lu interface 19 by a RANAP (Radio Ac-
cess Network Application Part) message 'RELOCATION
REQUIRED' and subsequently from the core network to
the target RNC 11 by an lu RANAP message 'RELOCA-
50 TION REQUEST'.
[0037] The RRC POU can be encapsulated within a
message in the second protocol as there is no need for
the contents of the RRC POU to be visible for the func-
tionality of the second protocol, such as to the RANAP
55 or the RNSAP. The encapsulation of protocol messages
transparently to a message of another protocol is a known
technique and will thus not be discussed in more detail
herein
5
 9 EP 1 212 919 81
[0038] It should be appreciated that the status of any
other protocol, such as the MAC protocol or RLC protocol
referred to above, could also be conveyed by the RRC
protocol. In more general terms, a protocol may "collect"
required information for several protocols and generate
a POU containing required information for all or at least
more than one of the protocols to be relocated. According
to an embodiment a separate or further protocol initiali-
zation unit POU is used for each of the protocols to be
relocated or at least some of the protocols to be relocated.
The different protocol initialization units can be trans-
ferred between the termination point by protocols that
are different to each other.
[0039] It should also be appreciated that some embod-
iments do not require an identical or relatively similar pro-
tocol termination point at the old and the new network
element. However, it is preferred that the information in-
cluded in the protocol initialization unit is such that that
the functionalities of the communication system may con-
tinue without disconnecting the user equipment from the
communication system.
[0040] According to one possibility the termination
point is not relocated from a network element or node to
another node but within the node.
[0041] It is noted that in some embodiments of the in-
vention, the relocation of some or all functionalities may
also be triggered even in such conditions where the com-
munication could continue without any relocation pro-
ceedings, e.g. in order to optimize the operation of the
system or balance the load distribution in the system. In
addition, the mobile station 6 of Figure 2 may be in com-
munication with both controllers 1Oand11. Furthermore,
it may not be necessary to relocate the entire protocol or
all protocols used for a connection, but instead only a
part of the information concerning the protocols is trans-
mitted between the network elements. For example, a
user plane communication may be enabled via the lur
interface 18 of Figure 2, whereby the mobile station 6
within the service area of the controller 11 could still be
controlled by the old servicing controller 1O via the con-
troller 11.
[0042] According to a further embodiment the initiali-
zation is a bidirectional process. In other words, instead
of only transmitting information from the first network el-
ement (node) to the second element, the new network
element may send a respond to the first element or ac-
complish a transmission to a further network element.
The respond may include a message such as "unable to
initialize", "overload", "all parameters not received" and
so on. Upon receiving the response, the first network
element may modify its state and/or take some other ac-
tions towards the new termination point. For example,
transmit modified parameter or parameters, or use dif-
ferent transmission route, or try to relocate the connec-
tion to another network element.
[0043] It should also be appreciated that whilst embod-
iments of the present invention have been described in
relation to a connection between the network nodes and
10
a mobile station, embodiments of the present invention
are applicable to any other suitable type of connections
terminating to one node. It should also be appreciated
that base stations can sometimes be referred to as node
5 B.
[0044] There are also other possible reasons for initi-
ating the relocation procedure that movement of the mo-
bile station into a new service area. For example, the
network element in question may become overloaded or
10 a failure in the system of the network element itself may
force the system to relocate at least a part of the func-
tionalities, network optimization, load balancing and so
on.
[0045] The exemplifying embodiments of the invention
15 have discussed protocols terminated to a network con-
troller. Embodiments of the present invention can be ap-
plicable to other network elements as well where appli-
cable.
[0046] It is also noted herein that while the above de-
20 scribes one exemplifying embodiment of the invention,
there are several variations and modifications which may
be made to the disclosed solution without departing from
the scope of the present invention as defined in the ap-
pended claims.
25
Claims
1. A method in a communication system for relocating
30 a protocol termination point, characterised in the
steps of:
using a first protocol to define a protocol initial-
ization unit (20) at a first termination point of a
35 first protocol (34), said protocol initialization unit
containing predefined information pertaining to
initialization of a second termination point (36)
of said first protocol;
transferring the protocol initialization unit from
40 the first termination point to a second termination
point by a second protocol; and
initializing the second termination point based
on the protocol initialization unit (38).
45 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the protocol
initialization unit (20) contains state information of
the first protocol termination point.
3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first
50 termination point is located at a first network element
(1 O) of the communication system and the second
termination point is located at a second network (11)
element of the communication system.
55 4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the second
network element (11 ), upon receiving the protocol
information unit (20), generates and transmits a re-
sponse to the first network element by means of the
6
 11 EP 1 212 919 81
second protocol.
5. A method according to any of the preceding claims,
wherein the protocol initialization unit (20) is encap-
sulated in a message transmitted between the first
termination point and the second termination point
by the second protocol.
6. A method according to any of the preceding claims,
wherein the protocol initialization unit (20) is trans-
parent for the second protocol.
7. A method according to any of the preceding claims,
wherein the protocol initialization unit is transmitted
via a third network element between the termination
points.
8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the trans-
mission is based on a radio access network applica-
tion part (RANAP) protocol.
9. A method according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein
the protocol initialization unit (20) is transmitted by
a direct connection between the termination points.
10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the trans-
mission is based on a radio network subsystem ap-
plication part (RNSAP) protocol.
11. A method according to any of the preceding claims,
wherein the predefined information of the first proto-
col comprise one or several parameters of a radio
resource control protocol (RRC), medium access
control protocol (MAC), radio link control protocol
(RLC), and/or packet data convergence protocol
(PDCP).
12. A method according to any of the preceding claims,
wherein the protocol initialization unit contains infor-
mation of at least one further protocol.
13. A method according to any of the preceding claims,
comprising steps of:
defining at least one further protocol initialization
unit containing predefined information of a fur-
ther protocol by the further protocol; and
transferring the further protocol initialization unit
from the first termination point to the second ter-
mination point.
14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the further
protocol initialization unit is transferred between the
termination points by a protocol that is different to
the second protocol.
15. A method according to any of the preceding claims,
wherein at least one of the termination points is lo-
12
cated at one of the following: a base station control-
ler, a radio network controller, a base station, a gate-
way.
5 16. A method according to any of the preceding claims,
wherein the step of initializing the second termination
point comprises setting the parameters of the second
termination point into a state that is similar to the
parameters of the first termination point before or at
10 the time the relocation procedure was initiated.
17. A communication system, characterized in com-
prising:
15 a first protocol termination point (1 O);
a second protocol termination point (11);
control means for relocating a first protocol from
the first protocol termination point to the second
protocol termination point, said control means
20 being arranged to form a protocol initialization
unit (20) containing predefined information of
the first protocol at the first protocol termination
point;
communication path (18) based on a second
25 protocol between the first and the second termi-
nation points for transferring the protocol initial-
ization unit; and
control means for initializing the second protocol
termination point based on the protocol initiali-
30 zation unit.
18. A communication system according to claim 17,
wherein the protocol initialization unit (20) contains
state information of the first protocol termination
35 point.
19. A communication system according to claim 17 or
18, wherein the control means for relocating are ar-
ranged to encapsulate the protocol initialization unit
40 (20) into a message to be transmitted from the first
termination point to the second termination point.
20. A communication system according to any of claims
17 to 19, wherein the first termination point is located
45 at a first network element (1 O) of the communication
system and the control means for relocating are ar-
ranged in connection with the first network element.
21. A communication system according to any of claims
50 17 to 20, wherein the second termination point is
located at a second network element (11) of the com-
munication system and the control means for initial-
izing are arranged in connection with the second net-
work element.
55
22. A communication system according to any of the
claims 17 to 21, wherein the protocol initialization
unit contains information of at least one further pro-
7
 13 EP 1 212 919 81
tocol.
23. A network element for use in a communication net-
work, comprising:
a protocol termination point;
control means for relocating a first protocol from
the protocol termination point to another proto-
col termination point, characterized in said
control means being arranged to form a protocol
initialization unit (20) containing predefined in-
formation of the first protocol at the protocol ter-
mination point; and
interface to said other protocol termination point
based on a second protocol for transferring the
protocol initialization unit from the first termina-
tion point by means of the second protocol.
24. A network element according to claim 23, wherein
the network element comprises a controller of a eel-
lular communication network.
25. A network element according to claim 23 or 24,
wherein the control means for relocating are ar-
ranged to encapsulate the protocol initialization unit
into a message to be transmitted from the first ter-
mination point by means of the second protocol.
26. A network element according to any of claims 23 to
25, wherein the protocol initialization unit contains
information of at least one further protocol.
27. A network element for use in a communication net-
work, comprising:
a protocol termination point of a first protocol;
interface to another protocol termination point
characterise in being adapted to receive a pro-
tocol initialization unit containing predefined in-
formation of the first protocol at said other ter-
mination point, wherein the interface is based
on a second protocol; and
control means for initializing the protocol termi-
nation point based on the received protocol ini-
tialization unit.
28. A network element according to claims 27, wherein
the network element comprises a controller of a cel-
lular communication network.
Patentanspruche
1. Verfahren in einem Kommunikationssystem zum
Verlagern eines Protokollendpunkts, gekennzeich-
net durch:
Verwenden eines ersten Protokolls, um eine
14
Protokollinitialisierungseinheit (20) an einem er-
sten Endpunkt von einem ersten Protokoll (34)
zu bestimmen, wobei die Protokollinitialisie-
rungseinheit eine vorbestimmte Information ent-
5 halt, die eine lnitialisierung eines zweiten End-
punkts (36) des ersten Protokolls betrifft;
Ubertragen der Protokollinitialisierungseinheit
von dem ersten Endpunkt zu einem zweiten
Endpunkt durch ein zweites Protokoll; und
10 lnitialisieren des zweiten Endpunkts basierend
auf der Protokollinitialisierungseinheit (38).
2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, bei welchem die Proto-
kollinitialisierungseinheit (20) eine Zustandsinfor-
15 mation des ersten Protokollendpunkts enthalt.
3. Verfahren nach einem der Anspruche 1 oder 2, bei
welchem sich der erste Endpunkt an einem ersten
Netzwerkelement (10) des Kommunikationssy-
20 stems befindet und sich der zweite Endpunkt an ei-
nem zweiten Netzwerkelement (11) des Kommuni-
kationssystems befindet.
4. Verfahren nach Anspruch 3, bei welchem das zweite
25 Netzwerkelement (11) nach einem Empfang der
Protokollinformationseinheit (20) eine Antwort an
das erste Netzwerkelement mittels des zweiten Pro-
tokolls erzeugt und Obertragt.
30 5. Verfahren nach einem dervorstehenden Anspruche,
bei welchem die Protokollinitialisierungseinheit (20)
in einer Nachricht gekapselt ist, die zwischen dem
ersten Endpunkt und dem zweiten Endpunkt durch
das zweite Protokoll Obertragen wird.
35
6. Verfahren nach einem dervorstehenden Anspruche,
bei welchem die Protokollinitialiserungseinheit (20)
tor das zweite Protokoll transparent ist.
40 7. Verfahren nach einem dervorstehenden Anspruche,
bei welchem die Protokollinitialisierungseinheit Ober
ein drittes Netzwerkelementzwischen den Endpunk-
ten Obertragen wird.
45 8. Verfahren nach Anspruch 7, bei welchem die Uber-
tragung auf einem Funkzugangsnetzwerkanwen-
dungsteil-Protokoll (RANAP) basiert.
9. Verfahren nach einem der Anspruche 1 bis 6, bei
50 welchem die Protokollinitialisierungseinheit (20)
durch eine direkte Verbindung zwischen den End-
punkten Obertragen wird.
10. Verfahren nach Anspruch 9, bei welchem die Uber-
55 tragung auf einem Funknetzwerkuntersysteman-
wendungsteil-Protokoll (RNSAP) basiert.
11. Verfahren nach einem dervorstehenden Anspruche,
8
 15 EP 1 212 919 81
bei welchem die vorbestimmte Information des er-
sten Protokolls einen oder mehrere Parameter eines
Funkressourcensteuerprotokolls (RRC), eines Me-
diumzugriffssteuerprotokolls (MAC), eines Funkver-
bindungssteuerprotokolls ( RLC) und/oder eines Pa-
ketdatenkonvergenzprotokolls (PDCP) umfasst.
12. Verfahren nach einem dervorstehenden Anspruche,
bei welchem die Protokollinitialisierungseinheit eine
Information von wenigstens einem weiteren Proto-
koll enthalt.
13. Verfahren nach einem dervorstehenden Anspruche,
umfassend:
Definieren wenigstens einer weiteren Protokol-
linitialisierungseinheit, die eine vorbestimmte
Information eines weiteren Protokolls enthalt,
durch das weitere Protokoll; und
Obertragen der weiteren Protokollinitialisie-
rungseinheit von dem ersten Endpunkt an den
zweiten Endpunkt.
14. Verfahren nach Anspruch 13, bei welchem die wei-
tere Protokollinitialisierungseinheit zwischen den
Endpunkten durch ein Protokoll Obertragen wird, das
sich von dem zweiten Protokoll unterscheidet.
15. Verfahren nach einem dervorstehenden Anspruche,
bei welchem sich wenigstens einer der Endpunkte
bei einem der folgenden befindet:
einer Basisstationssteuerung, einer Funknetz-
werksteuerung, einer Basisstation, einem Gate-
way.
16. Verfahren nach einem dervorstehenden Anspruche,
bei welchem das lnitialisieren des zweiten End-
punkts Versetzen des Parameters des zweiten End-
punkts in einen Zustand umfasst, der den Parame-
tern des ersten Endpunkts vor oder zu der Zeit ah-
nelt, als die Verlagerungsprozedur initiiert wurde.
17. Kommunikationssystem, gekennzeichnet durch
Umfassen von:
einem ersten Protokollendpunkt (1 O);
einem zweiten Protokollendpunkt (11 );
Steuermittel zum Verlagern eines ersten Proto-
kolls von dem ersten Protokollendpunkt zu dem
zweiten Protokollendpunkt, wobei die Steuer-
mittel so eingerichtet sind, dass sie eine Proto-
kollinitialisierungseinheit (20), die eine vorbe-
stimmte Information des ersten Protokolls ent-
halt, an dem ersten Protokollendpunkt bilden;
einem Kommunikationspfad (18), der auf einem
zweiten Protokoll zwischen dem ersten und dem
zweiten Endpunkt basiert, zum Obertragen der
16
Protokollinitialisierungseinheit; und
Steuermittel zum lnitialisieren des zweiten Pro-
tokollendpunkts basierend auf der Protokollin-
itialisierungseinheit.
5
18. Kommunikationssystem nach Anspruch 17, bei wel-
chem die Protokollinitialisierungseinheit (20) eine
Zustandsinformation des ersten Protokollendpunkts
enthalt.
10
19. Kommunikationssystem nach einem der Anspruche
17 oder 18, bei welchem die Steuermittel zum Ver-
lagern so eingerichtet sind, dass sie die Protokollin-
itialisierungseinheit (20) in eine Nachricht kapseln,
15 die von dem ersten Endpunkt an den zweiten End-
punkt zu Obertragen ist.
20. Kommunikationssystem nach einem der Anspruche
17 bis 19, bei welchem sich der erste Endpunkt an
20 einem ersten Netzwerkelement (10) des Kommuni-
kationssystems befindet und die Steuermittel zum
Verlagern in Verbindung mit dem ersten Netzwer-
kelement eingerichtet sind.
25 21. Kommunikationssystem nach einem der Anspruche
17 bis 20, bei welchem sich der zweite Endpunkt an
einem zweiten Netzwerkelement (11) des Kommu-
nikationssystems befindet und die Steuermittel zum
lnitialisieren in Verbindung mit dem zweiten Netz-
30 werkelement eingerichtet sind.
22. Kommunikationssystem nach einem der Anspruche
17 bis 21, bei welchem die Protokollinitialisierungs-
einheit eine Information von wenigstens einem wei-
35 teren Protokoll enthalt.
23. Netzwerkelement zur Verwendung in einem Kom-
munikationsnetzwerk, umfassend:
40 einen Protokollendpunkt;
Steuermittel zum Verlagern eines ersten Proto-
kolls von dem Protokollendpunkt zu einem an-
deren Protokollendpunkt, dadurch gekenn-
zeichnet, dass die Steuermittel so eingerichtet
45 sind, dass sie eine Protokollinitialisierungsein-
heit (20), die eine vorbestimmte Information des
ersten Protokolls enthalt, an dem Protokollend-
punkt bilden; und
eine Schnittstelle zu dem anderen Protokollend-
50 punkt, die auf einem zweiten Protokoll basiert,
zum Obertragen der Protokollinitialisierungsein-
heit von dem ersten Endpunkt mittels des zwei-
ten Protokolls.
55 24. Netzwerkelement nach Anspruch 23, bei welchem
das Netzwerkelement eine Steuerung eines Mobil-
funknetzwerks umfasst.
9
 17 EP 1 212 919 81
25. Netzwerkelement nach einem der Anspruche 23
oder 24, bei welchem die Steuermittel zum Verlagern
so eingerichtet sind, dass sie die Pretokollinitialisie-
rungseinheit in eine Nachricht kapseln, die von dem
ersten Endpunkt mittels des zweiten Pretokolls zu
Obertragen ist.
26. Netzwerkelement nach einem der Anspruche 23 bis
25, bei welchem die Protokollinitialisierungseinheit
eine Information von wenigstens einem weiteren
Pretokoll enthalt.
27. Netzwerkelement zur Verwendung in einem Kom-
munikationsnetzwerk, umfassend:
einen Protokollendpunkt von einem ersten Pre-
tokoll;
eine Schnittstelle zu einem anderen Protokol-
lendpunkt, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass es
ausgelegt ist, eine Protokollinitialisierungsein-
heit zu empfangen, die eine vorbestimmte Infor-
mation des ersten Pretokolls an dem anderen
Endpunkt enthalt, wobei die Schnittstelle auf ei-
nem zweiten Protokoll basiert; und
ein Steuermittel zum lnitialisieren des Protokol-
lendpunkts basierend auf der empfangenen
Pretokollinitialisierungseinheit.
28. Netzwerkelement nach Anspruch 27, bei welchem
das Netzwerkelement eine Steuerung eines Mobil-
funknetzwerks umfasst.
Revendications
1. Precede, dans un systeme de communication, pour
translater un point de terminaison de protocole, ca-
racterise par les etapes consistant a:
utiliser un premierpretocole pour definir une uni-
a
te d'initialisation de protocole (20) un premier
point de terminaison d'un premier protocole
(34), ladite unite d'initialisation de protocole con-
tenant des informations predefinies concernant
!'initialisation d'un second point de terminaison
(36) dudit premier protocole ;
transferer l'unite d'initialisation de protocole du
a
premier point de terminaison un second point
de terminaison par l'intermediaire d'un second
protocole ; et
initialiser le second point de terminaison sur la
base de l'unite d'initialisation de protocole (38).
2. Precede selon la revendication 1, dans lequel l'unite
d'initialisation de pretocole (20) contient des infor-
mations d'etat du premier point de terminaison de
pretocole.
18
3. Precede selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans lequel
a
le premier point de terminaison est situe un premier
element de reseau (10) du systeme de communica-
tion et le second point de terminaison est situe una
5 deuxieme element de reseau (11) du systeme de
communication.
4. Precede selon la revendication 3, dans lequel le
deuxieme element de reseau (11), lors de la recep-
10 tion de I' unite d'information de protocole (20), genere
et transmet une reponse au premier element de re-
seau au moyen du second pretocole.
5. Precede selon une quelconque des revendications
15 precedentes, dans lequel l'unite d'initialisation de
protocole (20) est encapsulee dans un message
transmis entre le premier point de terminaison et le
second point de terminaison par le second protocole.
20 6. Precede selon une quelconque des revendications
precedentes, dans lequel l'unite d'initialisation de
protocole (20) est transparente pour le second pro-
tocole.
25 7. Precede selon une quelconque des revendications
precedentes, dans lequel l'unite d'initialisation de
protocole est transmise par l'intermediaire d'un trei-
sieme element de reseau entre les points de termi-
naison.
30
8. Precede selon la revendication 7, dans lequel la
transmission est fondee sur un protocole d'applicatif
de reseau d'acces radio (RANAP).
35 9. Precede selon une quelconque des revendications
1 a 6, dans lequel l'unite d'initialisation de pretocole
(20) est transmise par une connexion directe entre
les points de terminaison.
40 10. Precede selon la revendication 9, dans lequel la
transmission est fondee sur un protocole d'applicatif
de sous-systeme de reseau radio (RNSAP).
11. Precede selon une quelconque des revendications
45 precedentes, dans lequel les informations predefi-
nies du premier protocole comprennent un ou plu-
sieurs parametres d'un protocole de controle de res-
sources radio (RRC), pretocole de controle d'acces
au support (MAC), pretocole de controle de liaison
50 radio (RLC), et/ou pretocole de convergence de don-
nees par paquets (PDCP).
12. Precede selon une quelconque des revendications
precedentes, dans lequel l'unite d'initialisation de
55 protocole contient des informations d'au moins un
protocole supplementaire.
13. Precede selon une quelconque des revendications
10
 19 EP 1 212 919 81
precedentes, comprenant des etapes consistant a :
definir au moins une unite d'initialisation de pre-
tocole supplementaire contenant des informa-
tions predefinies d'un protocole supplementaire
par l'intermediaire du protocole
supplementaire ; et
transterer l'unite d'initialisation de protocole
supplementaire du premier point de terminaison
au second point de terminaison.
14. Precede selon la revendication 13, dans lequel l'uni-
te d'initialisation de pretocole supplementaire est
transferee entre les points determinaison par un pre-
tocole qui est different du second pretocole.
15. Precede selon une quelconque des revendications
precedentes, dans lequel au moins un des points de
terminaison est situe dans un des elements
suivants : un controleur de station de base, un con-
troleur de reseau radio, une station de base, une
passerelle.
16. Precede selon une quelconque des revendications
precedentes, dans lequel l'etape consistant a initia-
liser le second point de terminaison comprend l'eta-
pe consistant a regler les parametres du second
point de terminaison dans un etat qui est similaire
aux parametres du premier point de terminaison
avant ou a !'instant auquel la procedure de transla-
tion a ete initiee.
17. Systeme de communication, caracterise en ce qu'il
comprend:
un premier point de terminaison de protocole
(10) ;
un second point de terminaison de protocole
(11) ;
des moyens de controle pour translater un pre-
mier pretocole du premier point de terminaison
de protocole au second point de terminaison de
protocole, lesdits moyens de controle etant
agences pour former une unite d'initialisation de
protocole (20) contenant des informations pre-
definies du premier protocole au premier point
de terminaison de pretocole ;
une voie de communication (18) fondee sur un
second pretocole entre les premier et second
points de terminaison pour transferer l'unite
d'initialisation de pretocole ; et
des moyens de controle pour initialiser le second
point de terminaison de protocole sur la base de
l'unite d'initialisation de pretocole.
18. Systeme de communication selon la revendication
17, dans lequel l'unite d'initialisation de protocole
(20) contient des informations d'etat du premier point
20
de terminaison de protocole.
19. Systeme de communication selon la revendication
17 ou 18, dans lequel les moyens de controle pour
5 trans later sont agences pour encapsuler I' unite d'ini-
tialisation de protocole (20) dans un message des-
a
tine etre transmis du premier point de terminaison
au second point de terminaison.
10 20. Systeme de communication selon une quelconque
des revendications 17 a 19, dans lequel le premier
point de terminaison est situe dans un premier ele-
ment de reseau (1 O) du systeme de communication
et les moyens de controle pour trans later sont agen-
15 ces en association au premier element de reseau.
21. Systeme de communication selon une quelconque
des revendications 17 a 20, dans lequel le second
point de terminaison est situe dans un deuxieme ele-
20 ment de reseau (11) du systeme de communication
et les moyens de controle pour initialiser sont agen-
ces en association au deuxieme element de reseau.
22. Systeme de communication selon une quelconque
25 des revendications 17 a 21, dans lequel I' unite d'ini-
tialisation de pretocole contient des informations
d'au moins un pretocole supplementaire.
23. Element de reseau destine a etre utilise dans un re-
30 seau de communication, comprenant :
un point de terminaison de pretocole ;
des moyens de controle pour translater un pre-
mier protocole du point de terminaison de pro-
35 tocole a un autre point de terminaison de preto-
cole, caracterise en ce que lesdits moyens de
controle sont agences pour former une unite
d'initialisation de pretocole (20) contenant des
informations predefinies du premier pretocole
40 au point de terminaison de pretocole ; et
une interface avec ledit autre point de terminai-
son de protocole sur la base d'un second pro-
tocole pour transferer l'unite d'initialisation de
pretocole a partir du premier point de terminai-
45 son au moyen du second pretocole.
24. Element de reseau selon la revendication 23, dans
lequel !'element de reseau comprend un controleur
d'un reseau de communication cellulaire.
50
25. Element de reseau selon la revendication 23 ou 24,
dans lequel les moyens de controle pour translater
sont agences pour encapsuler l'unite d'initialisation
de pretocole dans un message destine a etre trans-
55 mis a partir du premier point de terminaison au
moyen du second protocole.
26. Element de reseau selon une quelconque des re-
11
 21 EP 1 212 919 81 22

a
vendications 23 25, dans lequel I' unite d'initialisa-
tion de protocole contient des informations d'au
moins un protocole supplementaire.

21. Element de reseau destine a etre utilise dans un re- 5

seau de communication, comprenant :

un point de terminaison de protocole d'un pre-

mier protocole ;
une interface avec un autre point de terminaison 10
de protocole, caracterise en ce qu'il est adapte
pour recevoir une unite d'initialisation de proto-
cole contenant des informations predefinies du
premier protocole audit autre point de terminai-
son, dans lequel !'interface est fondee sur un 15
second protocole ; et
des moyens de controle pour initialiser le point
de terminaison de protocole sur la base de l'uni-
te d'initialisation de protocole rectue.
20
28. Element de reseau selon la revendication 27, dans
lequel !'element de reseau comprend un controleur
d'un reseau de communication cellulaire.

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

12
 EP 1 212 919 81

4 6

MS
6 x
BTS

6
FIG. 1

MSC/SGSN r-----14
. 19
Ju ~

RA NAP fur RANAP

1
I
RNSAP
RNC - RNC

Cont- Cont-
RRC ~ roller~ RRC -'>.
roller.).
I ~ I D l L I
l24 '\10 0o 18 ~6 11f (21

FIG. 3

13
 EP 1 212 919 81

12

FIG. 2

14
 EP 1 212 919 81

A protocol having a termination point in a first v3a

NE is an active state

Termination point relocation procedure initiated

at the first NE 1--32
_y-

An initialization POU formed in the first NE by

the protocol termination point _r34

The PDU is passed to anew termination point in

another network element by means of at least one v36
other protocol

The termination point initializes itself based 38

on the received POU _,,.V

The operation of the first NE is relocated in the

40
new NE V
...;

FIG. 4

15
 EP 1 212 919 81

REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European
patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be
excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

Patent documents cited in the description

• EP 0898438 A [0004]

16
 18 AVR. 2012
Page 1 (version 6)
Rep;_______ ____ IPR Declaration reference: ISLD-201204-004

ETSI Rules of Procedure, 26 November 2008

IPR INFORMATION STATEMENT AND LICENSING DECLARATION

IPR HOLDER I ORGANISATIONJ.:~"'"'"' ""'}
Legal Name: NOKIA Corporation

CONTACT DETAILS FOR LICENSING INFORMATION:

Name and Title: Mr. Kalle MOILANEN
Department: IPR
Address: P.O Box 86, Joensuunkatu 7, 24100 SALO, FINLAND,
Telephone: +358 50 366 2022 Fax: +358 7180 44275
Email: kalle.moilanen@nokia.com URL:

IPR INFORMATION STATEMENT

In accordance with Clause 4.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy the Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES hereby informs ETSI that it is the
Declarant's and/or its AFFILIATES' present belief that the IPR(s) disclosed in the attached IPR Information Statement Annex may be
or may become ESSENTIAL in relation to at least the ETSI Work ltem(s), STANDARD(S) and/or TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION(S)
identified in the attached IPR Information Statement Annex.

The Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES (check one box only):

5!l(' are the proprietor of the IPR(s) disclosed in the attached IPR Information Statement Annex.

0 are not the proprietor of the IPR(s) disclosed in the attached IPR Information Statement Annex.

IPR LICENSING DECLARATION

In accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy the Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES hereby irrevocably declares the following
{check one box only, and subordinate box, where applicable):

5!l(' To the extent that the IPR(s) disclosed in the attached IPR Information Statement Annex are or become, and remain
ESSENTIAL in respect of the ETSI Work Item, STANDARD and/or TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION identified in the attached IPR
Information Statement Annex, the Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES are prepared to grant irrevocable licences under this/these
IPR(s) on terms and conditions which are in accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy.

51(' This irrevocable undertaking is made subject to the condition that those who seek licences agree to reciprocate
(check box if applicable):

0 The Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES are not prepared to make the above IPR Licensing Declaration (reasons may be explained
in writing in the attached IPR Licensing Declaration Annex).

The construction, validity and performance of this IPR information statement and licensing declaration shall be governed by the laws
of France.
Terms in ALL CAPS on this form have the meaning provided in Clause 15 of the ETSI IPR Policy.

{L,L____
SIGNATURE
By signing this IPR Information Statement and Licensing Declaration form, you represent that you have the authority to bind the
Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES to the representations and commitments provided in this form.

Name of authorized person: Mr. Kalle MOILANEN

Title of authorized person: IPR Manager
Place, Date: Salo, Finland, 10/04/2012

Please retum this form duly signed to: ETSI Director-General

ETSI - 650, route des Lucio/es· F-06921 Sopflia Anti/)_olis Cedex - France I Fax. +33_(gl 4 93 65 47 16
 Page 2 (version 6)
IPR Declaration reference: ISLD-201204-004

ETSI Rules of Procedure, 26 November 2008

IPR Information Statement Annex

3GPP-EUTRAN TS 36.413 7, 9.2.1.7 8.10.0 NOKIA CORP EP20000966045 EP1212919 81 RELOCATION IN A European A T20000966045 AT480970 T AUSTRIA
[Fl] COMMUNICATION Patent Office T
TS 36.331 10.1, 10.2.1, 8.15.0
SYSTEM
10.2.2, 10.3 AU20000076577 AU7657700 A AUSTRALIA
D
8R20000013975 BR0013975 A BRAZIL
CA20002384290 CA2384290 C CANADA
CN20008012876 CN1178547 C CHINA
EP20100170344 EP2237609 A3 European
Patent Office
ES20000966045 ES2348709 T3 SPAIN
T
J P20010524385 JP3602501 82 JAPAN
T
US20000088452 US7242933 81 UNITED
STATES
W02000EP0910 W00120938 A 1 Patent
0 Cooperation
Trea
3GPP-EUTRAN TS 36.300 19.2.1.5, 5.3, 8.0.0 NOKIA CORP US20030350002 US7333503 82 Sending permission UNITED AT20010958110 AT488114 T AUSTRIA
11.1 [Fl] assignment in STATES T
telecommunications
AU20010079848 AU7984801 A AUSTRALIA
system
D
CN20018014576 CN 100486386 C CHINA
CN20081182195 CN101415209 8 CHINA
EP20010958110 EP1325647 81 European
Patent Office
Fl20000001705 F120001705 A FINLAND
US20070987193 US2008165744 UNITED
A1 STATES
W02001 FI00681 W00209463 A 1 Patent
Cooperation
Treat
 Page 3 (version 6)
IPR Declaration reference: ISLD-201204-004

lGPP-EUTRAN TS l6.l21 5.10,5.10.2 8.10.0 NOKIA MOBILE US2001093455l US6944459 82 Method and arrangement UNITED AU20010082218 AU8221801 A AUSTRALIA
PHONES LTD for transferring STATES D
TS l6.ll1 4.4, 8.15.0 [Fl] infonnation in a packet
5.l.10.5,6.l .2 BR2001001341l BR011341l A BRAZIL
radio service
CA2001242095l CA242095l C CANADA
CN20018017715 CN1270486 C CHINA
F120000001876 Fl20001876 A FINLAND
JP20020522141 JP4870l19 82 JAPAN
JP20020522141 JP20045079l2 A JAPAN
T
W02001 F100745 W0021757l A 1 Patent
Cooperation
Treaty
ZA200l0001451 ZA200l01451 A SOUTH AFRICA
lGPP-EUTRAN TS l6.l21 4.l.1,6.2.1 8.10.0 NOKIA CORP US20020104847 US6665280 82 Method and apparatus UNITED AT200l0702866 AT481847 T AUSTRIA
[Fl] providing multiple STATES T
TS 2lA01 4.7.l,4.7.2.1 8.15.0 temporary block flow AU200l020598l AU200l20598l AUSTRALIA
TS 24.008 10.5.6.12 8.15.0 (TBF) mapping to upper A1
layer when operating in
GSM/EDGE radio access CN200l8008849 CN1675863 A CHINA
network (GERAN) A/Gb EG20040090092 EG24815A EGYPT
mode
EP200l0702866 EP1488558 81 European
Patent Office
ES200l0702866 ES2l489l8 Tl SPAIN
T
IL20040164097 IL164097 A ISRAEL
JP20030579l95 JP2005521 l28 T JAPAN
T
N02004000l855 N020043855 A NORWAY
RU200401l1211 RU2l04l50 C2 RUSSIAN
FEDERATION
W0200llB00517 W00l081817 A1 Patent
Cooperation
Treaty
lGPP-EUTRAN TS 36.ll1 6.2.2, 6.l.1 8.10.0 NOKIA CORP US200007l0l50 US6751460 82 Methods and apparatus UNITED AT20000992l96 AT423442 T AUSTRIA
TS l6.1ll 4.2.2.1 8.10.0
[Fl] for pertormin~ cell STATES T
reselection or AU2001004l1 Ol AU777888 82 AUSTRALIA
TS l6.l04 5.2.4.8.2,5.2.4,5. 8.10.0 supporting efficiently
2.4.2, 5.2.l.2 hierarchical cell CN20008016909 CN12079l6 C CHINA
structures EP20000992l96 EP12l8545 81 European
¢ Patent Office
JP2001054l0l6 JP450l904 82 JAPAN
T
RU20020118128 RU2265287 C2 RUSSIAN
FEDERATION
W02000US4261 W00143462 Al Patent
7 Cooperation
Treaty
 Page 4 (version 6)
IPR Declaration reference: ISLD-201204-004

3GPP-EUTRAN TS 36.300 15.3.5, 15.3.3 9.2.0 NOKIA CORP US20020306162 US7054619 82 Method of determining UNITED
TS 36.321 5.12 9.1.0 [Fl) the validity of service STATES
announcements
TS 36.331 5.8.1.1 9.1.0
3GPP-EUTRAN TS 36.213 7.2, 7.2.3, 7.2.1 8.8.0 NOKIA CORP US20050226502 US7649959 82 Transmission format UNITED EP20050799936 EP1813044 81 European
[Fl) indication and feedback STATES Patent Office
in multi-carrier wireless
communication systems
3GPP-EUTRAN TS 36.213 7.2, 7.2.1 8.8.0 NOKIA CORP US20080075950 US7843801 82 Optimum technique for UNITED CN20088008442 CN101636954 A CHINA
[Fl] encoding and decoding STATES
physical resource block EP20080719707 EP2122889 A2 European
Patent Office
locations
W020081850971 W02008114188 Patent
A3 Cooperation
Treaty
3GPP-EUTRAN TS 26.247 7.2, 10.1,10.2.3, 10.1.0 NOKIA CORP W020111852662 W02011158221 METHOD AND Patent
10.2.6 [Fl] A2 APPARATUS FOR Cooperation
BOUAZIZI IMED ' GENERATING AND Treaty
[Fl] HANDLING STREAMING
LIU CHENGHAO MEDIA QUALITY-OF-
J_FJl EXPERIENCE METRICS
3GPP-EUTRAN TS 26.234 5.8 10.1.0 NOKIA CORP W020111852663 W02011161603 METHOD AND Patent
[Fl] A2 APPARATUS FOR Cooperation
80UAZIZI IMED CHANGING THE Treaty
[Fl] CONFIGURATION OF AN
ONGOING STREAMING
SESSION
*Information on other members of a PATENT FAMILY is provided voluntarily (Clause 4,3 of the ETSI IPR Policy).

Please return this form together with the "IPR Information Statement and Licensing Declaration form" to:
ETSI Director-General - ETSI - 650, route des Lucio/es - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex - France I Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 47 16
 16 AVR. 2012 Page 1 (version 6)
Rep;_______ ____ IPR Declaration reference: ISLD-201204-004

ETSI Rules of Procedure, 26 November 2008

IPR INFORMATION STATEMENT AND LICENSING DECLARATION

IPR HOLDER I ORGANISATION ("Declarant")
Legal Name: NOKIA Corporation

CONTACT DETAILS FOR LICENSING INFORMATION:

Name and Title: Mr. Kalle MOILANEN
Department: IPR
Address: P.O Box 86, Joensuunkatu 7, 24100 SALO, FINLAND,
Telephone: +358 50 366 2022 Fax: +358 7180 44275
Email: kalle.moilanen@nokia.com URL:

IPR INFORMATION STATEMENT

In accordance with Clause 4.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy the Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES hereby informs ETSI that it is the
Declarant's and/or its AFFILIATES' present belief that the IPR(s) disclosed in the attached IPR Information Statement Annex may be
or may become ESSENTIAL in relation to at least the ETSI Work ltem(s), STANDARD(S) and/or TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION(S)
identified in the attached IPR Information Statement Annex.

The Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES (check one box only):

~ are the proprietor of the IPR(s) disclosed in the attached IPR Information Statement Annex.

D are not the proprietor of the IPR(s) disclosed in the attached IPR Information Statement Annex.

IPR LICENSING DECLARATION

In accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy the Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES hereby irrevocably declares the following
(check one box only, and subordinate box, where applicable):

ll(" To the extent that the IPR(s) disclosed in the attached IPR Information Statement Annex are or become, and remain
ESSENTIAL in respect of the ETSI Work Item, STANDARD and/or TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION Identified in the attached IPR
Information Statement Annex, the Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES are prepared to grant irrevocable licences under this/these
IPR(s) on terms and conditions which are in accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy.

ll(" This irrevocable undertaking is made subject to the condition that those who seek licences agree to reciprocate
(check box if applicable):

D The Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES are not prepared to make the above IPR Licensing Declaration (reasons may be explained
in writing in the attached IPR Licensing Declaration Annex).

The construction, validity and performance of this IPR information statement and licensing declaration shall be governed by the laws
of France.
Terms in ALL CAPS on this form have the meaning provided in Clause 15 of the ETSI IPR Policy.

~,L _ __
SIGNATURE
By signing this IPR Information Statement and Licensing Declaration form, you represent that you have the authority to bind the
Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES to the representations and commitments provided in this form.

Name of authorized person: Mr. Kalle MOILANEN

Title of authorized person: IPR Manager
Place, Date: Salo, Finland, 10/04/2012

Please return this form duly signed to: ETSI Director-General

ETSI - 650, route des Lucio/es - F-06921 Sopflia Antip_o/is Cedex - France I Fax. +33JQ}_ 4 93 65 47 16
 Page 2 (version 6)
IPR Declaration reference: ISLD-201204-004

ETSI Rules of Procedure, 26 November 2008

IPR Information Statement Annex

TS 36.331 10.1,10.2.1, 8.15.0

10.2.2, 10.3

EP20100170344 EP2237609 A3 European

Patent Office
ES20000966045 ES2348709 T3 SPAIN
T
J P2001 0524385 JP3602501 82 JAPAN
T
US20000088452 US7242933 81

W02000EP0910 W00120938 A 1
0

3GPP-EUTRAN TS 36.300 19.2.1.5,5.3, 8.0.0 NOKIA CORP US20030350002 US7333503 82 Sending permission UNITED AT488114 T AUSTRIA
11.1 [FI] assignment in STATES
telecommunications
system

US20070987193 US2008165744
A1
W02001 FI00681 W00209463 A 1
 141nu1

is****~=***~***~****$****~*
*** 1..\1mTYSlnl'OJ(T1'I n;
*******~******~*****~******

1..:\II ETYS 11I\

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\ .\ST.\PI 01.E."- Nl IMEIW 09!Hl33.rn:1ti547 I Ii
\l.l llSll ITE
\ \STWl 11JI. Tllr\Nl iS
.\I ...\I KA . 21 1 12 13:31
KESTO :!.i' HI
S l\'l".1:\ IJ.llETETIY ·~ /
TlllJJS OK

NOKIA Fax
Date:
21.12 01
Pages: 1+50

From:
l\dd1e~s: Keilalahd ntie 2-4. FIN-02150 ESPOO
Fax: I 358 7180 34496

PMne: +358 718 08000

E-mail: Harri.honl.asalo@nokia.com

To: ETSI DirE ctor General .. Karl Heinz Roseobrock

Company: ETSI
Fax: +33493 354716
Cc to:

Dear Mr. Rosenbrock,

Please find enclosed Nokii GSM and UMTS IPR declarations.

Merry Christmas and Hap~ y New Year 2002!

~o~Q_r~
Harri Honkasalo
Director of IPR. Standard TP-dmology
Nokia Corporation
NOKIA Fax

Date;
21.12.01
Pages: 1+50

From: Harri Honkasalo

Address: Keilalahdentie 2-4, FIN-02150 ESPOO
Fax: +358 7180 34496
Phone: +358 7180 08000
E-mail: Harri.honkasalo@nokia.com

To: ETSI Director General · Karl Heinz Rosenbrock

Company: ETSI
Fax: +33 4 93 65 47 16
Cc to:

Dear Mr. Rosenbrock,

Please find enclosed Nokia GSM and UMTS IPR declarations.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2002!

Harri Honkasalo
Director of IPR, Standards T echnotogy
Nokia Corporation
 El lROPEf\ N T El,EC0 1\IMUNICATI( >N STANIM RDS lNSTITUTI!:
page I ol 26

ANNEX I

IPR INFORMATION STA,TE.MF.NT AND LICENSI NG DECLARATION

11•H I lolcler/Organisuli1111

I cgJI N.Lnll'. Noki:i Corporation,_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Sigualon •

Nan11:: !lam I lon~:1~;1li1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

l'o.,I\ 11 ltl D1rc.:h11 of ll'R. StanJard~
IJcp;u llncnt: IPR
A<lllr.:i.i.: Kc1l:il.1hJcnt1l· 2 • 4. FINO~ 150 ESPOO. Pl. 221>. FIN-CXXM5 NOKIA CiROUP. FINI.AND

Tel.: +358 7180 USOlKJ

Fax: +l:iS 71 lm l~-t%

E-nmil: ham.hi mka~;1l11(a'm l~la.l'\HTI

11"1< i11fonuuliu11 Sl llk llll'IU

In acrnrd:u!l·c wtth lhc l'.'I SJ IPR Puhc). Artidc -t. I. I hcn:h) inform ETSI 1ha1.

with rcfcrcn~·c tu !he lcchnKal proposal idcntif1cJ a~ UMTS ______________

111~ my belief that thl' IPR~ listed 111Annex1 ;ire, or an: liJ..d) to hcrnmc. Essential IJ>R, in rclaiinn lo tha1 Standard,

11•1< lkN1'iing dt'l'larntion

lhl' SIGNATORY has nnt1f1cJ ETSI th:u ii 1s the proprietor 111 1hc IPRs hsti:d in Anne\:? and ha:. mlonm:ll ETSI
1ha1 ti bchc\>c:. that 1hc IPR, may lie rnns1dcrcd ESSENTIAi. lo the Standards hstcd ;ihuvc.
Thi." SJ< iNA roRY ;md/ur tis Al·r:JLIATES h<!rehy dc1.:larc th:u they an: prcp;1red \\)grant 1rrcv11<:ahlc licenses under
lh(• ll'Rs \,111 tcrm:. and 1:1111dititms whkh are in accordun\·c w11h Cl.iusl' C>. l of the l:.T.SJ ll'R Policy, 111 rcspc~·t of 1111:
STANDARD. to 1hc cx1cm 1ha1 the IPR:; rem:tin ESSENTIAi ..
The construcunn. valld11y unc.I performance uf this DECLARATION shall bc govcrm:c.1 by the lawi. ufFrancc.

Sic:11111u rc:

1S1)!11c1l fur a111l 11n hch.1\1 of lhc SICiNATOHYl

Plcao;c rclum llus form dul:y >l~ncd to

I· rst D1rt>c1nr \n.•ncrul - K•1tl 11.:in.I' Ro~l·nhmd.
ETSI MO. rnurc Jes l.ucwlc·-; · F-069:!1 Soph1:i Antipolis Ccurx • 1' ~1\N('f
F:1x. +3J 1014 llJ (1~ 47 16
 EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 16of26

RELOCATIO:-J OF RRC
1'515 TS15.J31.

Nokia
UMTS PROTOCOL IN SRNS Great Britain 99111069
Telccommun'ClltlVl' cry RELOCATION
TS1SAI3. TS25 __1O]

1"525.401. T'SlS..3JI. P('TfEPOOtOI)IOO

PCT TS25413, TS25.301

USING SPARSE
FEED8ACKTO
INCREASE
BANDW[OTII
UMTS Nolan Nc:tworiLs ay United Slates 09/ .
EFACIENCY iN HIGH
DEL\Y. LOW
IJ ANDW IDTII
ENV IRONt-.1E1\'T

PCr PCT/lJS00/29S-«i

A.,'I/ AI'PROACH FOR

CELL· ID
UMTS Notia Nctw(ltts Oy Britain TS25.305 0000528.0
IJETERMI.."ATION IN A
WCOf..IA SYSTEM

I'CT TS2S .]OS PCTfEI'OOlI]().I..\

SECURITY
INTER WORKING
UMTS Nolia Networks Oy BE1WEE.'1 RELEASE l'eT 1'533.102, 1'$2/).002 PC'TIEP99108412
98 AN D 99 M SClVLRS
FOR ROAMING USIMS
VARIA BLE LENGHT
UMTS Nokia Networks Oy ENCODING OF United Stones

PCT rcTfUSOOI..t 1773

CO:'\'TROWi'a OF UE
BEH A VlOUR IN
ur..rrs Nokia Nt[work:s ay REJECTION OF RRC Finland TS 25 3]1 20000090
CON!'.'ECTION SETIJP
ATTEM PT

Please return this form duly signed to: EfS I Director General - Karl l-leinz Rost:nbrock

ETSI- 650. roUle des Lucioles - F·0692 I Sophia Antipolis Cedex - France I Fax. +33 (0).4 93 6547 16
 出願番号等
特許出願人 発明の名称 備考（出願国名）
REGISTRATION NO./
PATENT HOLDER NAME OF PATENT REMARKS
APPLICATION NO.
NOKIA MOBILE DATA PACKET NUMBERING IN PACKET-SWITCHED WO01/78286 Applied in Brazil, Canada, China,
PHONES LTD. *1.00
DATA TRANSMISSION European Patent Office, Finland,
Japan, Korea(South), Singapore,
United States of America, WO
NOKIA MOBILE A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM COMPRISING A WO02/067617 Applied in United Kingdom, WO
PHONES LTD. *1.00 PLURALITY OF COMMUNICATION NETWORK
NOKIA MOBILE METHOD FOR TRANSMITTING A SEQUENCE OF WO01/05061 Applied in China, European Patent
PHONES LTD. *1.00 SYMBOLS Office, Finland, Japan, Korea(South),
United States of America, WO
NOKIA MOBILE ALPHA TAGGING AND TYPE INDICATION OF WO01/67796 Applied in Brazil, Canada, China,
PHONES LTD. *1.00 EMERGENCY CALL NUMBER European Patent Office, Japan,
Korea(South), Singapore, United States
of America, WO, South Africa
NOKIA MOBILE TRANSMISSION OF FIXED SIZE PROTOCOL DATA UNITS WO01/78323 Applied in Brazil, Canada, China,
PHONES LTD. *1.00 THROUGH THE TRANSPARENT European Patent Office, Japan,
Korea(South), Singapore, United States
of America, WO, South Africa
NOKIA NETWORKS OY ARRANGING CONTROL SIGNALLINGS IN WO01//03463 Applied in Brazil, Canada, China,
*1.00 TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM European Patent Office, Finland,
Japan, Korea(South), United States of
America, WO
NOKIA NETWORKS OY RELEASING A CONNECTION IN A WIRELESS WO00/76243 Applied in Brazil, Canada, China,
*1.00 COMMUNICATION NETWORK European Patent Office, United
Kingdom, Japan, Korea(South), United
States of America, WO
NOKIA NETWORKS OY RELOCATION IN A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WO01/20938 Applied in Brazil, Canada, China,
*1.00 European Patent Office, United
Kingdom, Japan, Korea(South), United
States of America, WO
NOKIA NETWORKS OY METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTING AN WO01/33883 Applied in Brazil, Canada, China,
*1.00 IDENTIFICATION CONFIRMATION European Patent Office, Japan, United
States of America, WO
NOKIA NETWORKS OY METHOD OF CHECKING AMOUNT OF TRANSMITTED WO01/63853 Applied in Brazil, Canada, China,
*1.00 DATA European Patent Office, Finland, India,
Japan, United States of America, WO

39
 10
A15081VI
 Europaisches Patentamt

(19) European Patent Office 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Office europeen des brevets (11) EP 1 221 212 81

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45) Date of publication and mention (51) Int Cl.7: H048 7/26, H04Q 7/22
of the grant of the patent:
02.02.2005 Bulletin 2005/05 (86) International application number:
PCT/EP1999/007596
(21) Application number: 99950691.8
(87) International publication number:
(22) Date of filing: 11.10.1999 WO 2001/028131 (19.04.2001 Gazette 2001/16)

(54) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SYNCHRONIZATION OF A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

VERFAHREN UNO VORRICHTUNG ZUR SYNCHRONISIERUNG IN EINEM

KOMM UN IKATIONSSYSTEM
PROCEDE ET DISPOSITIF DE SYNCHRONISATION

(84) Designated Contracting States: (7 4) Representative:

AT BE CH CY DE DK ES Fl FR GB GR IE IT LI LU Leson, Thomas Johannes Alois, Dipl.-lng.
MC NL PT SE Tiedtke-Buhling-Kinne & Partner GbR,
TBK-Patent,
(43) Date of publication of application: Bavariaring 4
10.07.2002 Bulletin 2002/28 80336 Munchen (DE)

(73) Proprietor: Nokia Corporation (56) References cited:

02150 Espoo (Fl) WO-A-98/18244 US-A- 5 793 744

(72) Inventor: RASANEN, Juha

FIN-02660 Espoo (Fl)

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,.... notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in
a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art.
a. 99(1) European Patent Convention).
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Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR)
 EP 1 221 212 81
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a method and
apparatus for synchronizing a first and a second com-
munication end point during a connection mode change
procedure in a telecommunication network, such as a
GSM network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In mobile telecommunication networks, the
Radio Link Protocol (RLP) is used for data transmission
and covers the Layer 2 functionality of the ISO OSI Ref-
erence Model. It is tailored to the special needs of digital
radio transmission and provides to its users the OSI Da-
ta Link Service.
[0003] RLP is intended for use with non-transparent
data transfer, wherein a protocol conversion may be pro-
vided for a variety of protocol configurations. RLP
frames are sent in strict alignment with the radio trans-
mission and are of a fixed size of 240 (TCH/F9.6 channel
coding) or 576 bits (TCH/F14.4 channel coding). When-
ever a frame is to be sent, the RLP entity has to provide
the necessary protocol information to be contained in it.
[0004] In RLP, a provision is made for a discontinuous
transmission (DTX) mode, where the transmission is au-
tomatically interrupted when a period with no data to be
sent has been detected, to thereby reduce power con-
sumption and interference of neighboring cells. During
such a period with no data to be sent, only periodical
low layer fill frames are sent in the radio channel.
[0005] RLP spans from a mobile station (MS) of the
GSM network to an interworking function (IWF) located
at the nearest Mobile Switching Center (MSC) or be-
yond. The RLP link may be initiated by the MS or the
MSC/IWF.
[0006] RLP has to change the supported frame length
due to transitions between different channel codings.
The RLP entities then have to be re-synchronized after
a change of the channel coding. Any change of the
channel coding is indicated to the RLP-entity by an ex-
ternal event. The RLP-entity at the mobile end enters a
synchronization state when it receives a relevant Radio
Resource Management message, and starts sending a
REMAP message at the earliest possible time. The
RLP-entity at the network end enters the synchroniza-
tion state when the network end detects the REMAP
message. Afterthe REMAP procedure is completed, the
RLP entities leave the synchronization state and normal
operation is resumed. An example for such a change of
the channel coding is a transition between TCH/F9.6
and TCH/F14.4 channel codings.
[0007] In particular, a REMAP exchange is started by
the mobile end which sends a REMAP command U
frame (unnumbered frame) in the information field of
which the RLP entity indicates the respective informa-
2
tion according to the old frame format from which the
network end should resend the information mapped into
a frame format corresponding to the new channel cod-
ing. The mobile end sends a REMAP frame on every
5 sending opportunity until a responding REMAP frame is
received from the network end. The network end an-
swers by sending a REMAP U frame, wherein a C/R
control bit is set to "response". In the information field,
the network end indicates the frame number from which
10 the mobile end should remap the information into the
new frame format. The network end responds to all
REMAP commands it receives. Any REMAP acknowl-
edgment that may arrive at the mobile end after one of
them has been received is discarded by the mobile end.
15 The RLP supervises the synchronization state by a tim-
er, wherein the network end enters an Asynchronous
Disconnected Mode (ADM) when it does not receive an
appropriate U frame within a predetermined time period.
The ADM is a data link non-operational mode, where
20 the RLP entity is logically disconnected from the data
link and may therefore neither transmit nor accept num-
bered information frames.
[0008] The mobile end stops sending REMAP frames
after recognizing the first REMAP frame sent by the net-
25 work end. Then, the mobile end acknowledges the re-
ceipt by sending an l+S or S frame to the network end,
and leaves the REMAP synchronization state. In re-
sponse thereto, the RLP entity atthe network end leaves
the REMAP synchronization state after receiving the
30 l+S or S frame from the mobile end.
[0009] However, in case a mobile station is set into a
DTX state, the supervisory frames (S frames) sent by
the MS are not sent towards the network end by the low-
er protocol layers. Consequently, the RLP entity (e.g.
35 IWF) at the network end stays in the REMAP synchro-
nization state and the data transmission fails.
[0010] US-A-5 793 744 discloses a mobile communi-
cation system with high speed non-transparent data
connection. The number of parallel subchannels to be
40 allocated depending from the nominal data transfer rate.
A protocol is used where data frames to be transmitted
are stored until an acknowledgment is received of a suc-
cesful preceding reception. Discontinuous transmission
can also be applied on subchannels.
45
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] It is therefore an object of the present invention
to provide a synchronization method and apparatus by
50 means of which a connection mode change procedure
can be performed successfully even in a DTX condition.
[0012] This object is achieved by a method for syn-
chronizing a first and a second communication end point
during a connection mode change procedure, said
55 method comprising the steps of:
entering a connection mode change state at the first
end point;
2
 3 EP 1 221 212 81
transmitting a connection mode change request
message from the first end point to the second end
point;
entering a connection mode change state at the
second end point in response to a receipt of the con-
nection mode change request message;
transmitting an acknowledgment message and a
numbered frame from the second end point to the
first end point;
leaving the connection mode change state at the
first end point in response to a receipt of the ac-
knowledgment message;
transmitting from the first end point to the second
end point an acknowledgment acknowledging the
numbered frame; and
leaving the connection mode change state at the
second end point in response to a receipt of the ac-
knowledgment acknowledging the numbered
frame.
[0013] Additionally, the above object is achieved by
an apparatus for achieving a synchronization with a
communication end point during a connection mode
change procedure, said apparatus comprising:
detecting means for detecting a connection mode
change request message received from the com-
munication end point;
communication means for performing communica-
tion with the communication end point;
control means for setting the communication means
into a connection mode change state in response
to the detection result of the detection means;
wherein the communication means is arranged to trans-
mit an acknowledgment message and a numbered
frame to the communication end point, in response to
the setting by the control means into the connection
mode change state; and
wherein the control means is arranged to control the
communication means so as to leave the connection
mode change state, in response to a receipt of an ac-
knowledgment acknowledging the numbered frame
from the communication end point.
[0014] Accordingly, a numbered frame, e.g. an l+S
frame, is transmitted together with the acknowledgment
message to the other communication end point. In case
this other communication end point is in the DTX state,
the numbered frame is acknowledged based on the usu-
al ARO (Automatic Repeat Request) scheme used for
error control. Thereby, an acknowledgment is received
even in case of a DTX state of the other communication
end point.
[0015] Preferably, the first end point may be a mobile
station and the second end point an interworking unit.
[0016] The connection mode change procedure may
be a change of a channel coding, such as a change be-
tween TCH/F14.4 and TCH/F9.6 in the RLP.
4
[0017] Furthermore, the change request message
may be a REMAP frame of the RLP. The numbered
frame may be an l+S frame of the RLP.
[0018] Additionally, a counting means may be provid-
5 ed in the synchronization apparatus, for counting the
number of acknowledgment messages transmitted by
the communication means, wherein said control means
may be arranged to perform control such that the com-
munication means transmits the numbered frame after
10 the counting means has reached a predetermined val-
ue. Thus, additional numbered frames are transmitted
after every predetermined number of acknowledgment
messages. Thereby, a slowdown of the exit from the
REMAP synchronization state due to a retransmission
15 only after the expiration of the retransmission timer can
be prevented.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
20 [0019] In the following, the present invention will be
described in greater detail on the basis of a preferred
embodiment with reference to the accompanying draw-
ings, in which:
25 Fig. 1 shows a principal block diagram of a GSM
network connected to a fixed network,
Fig. 2 shows a principal block diagram of a synchro-
nization apparatus according to the preferred em-
bodiment of the present invention,
30 Fig. 3 shows a flow diagram of a synchronization
method according to the preferred embodiment of
the present invention, and
Fig. 4 shows a transmission diagram of a REMAP
exchange procedure according to the preferred em-
35 bodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] The preferred embodiment will be described
40 on the basis of a communication system as shown in
Fig. 1.
[0021] According to Fig. 1, an end terminal (TE) 5 is
connected via a fixed network 4, e.g. a Public Switched
Telephone Network (PSTN), an IP network or the like,
45 to a mobile station (MS) 1 which may be a mobile tele-
phone. The MS 1 is radio-connected to a Base Station
Subsystem (BSS) 2 which is connected to a Mobile
Switching Center (MSC) 30 having an allocated inter-
working function unit (IWF) 31. The IWF 31 is provided
50 e.g. for adapting protocol features of the mobile network
to protocol features of the fixed network 4.
[0022] Fig. 2 shows a basic block diagram of an ap-
paratus for achieving a synchronization with communi-
cation end points during a connection mode change pro-
55 cedure. According to the preferred embodiment, this
synchronization apparatus corresponds to the IWF 31
shown in Fig. 1. However, the apparatus according to
Fig. 2 may as well be arranged at a separate location
3
 5 EP 1 221 212 81
within the mobile network or the fixed network 4. Fur-
thermore, it is to be noted that only those parts relevant
to the present invention are included in the basic block
diagram shown in Fig. 2, wherein the block functions
may be achieved by respective program routines for
controlling a processing unit, e.g. a CPU.
[0023] According to Fig. 2, the IWF 31 comprises a
transceiver unit (TRX) 36 for transmitting/receiving
speech or data calls to/from the fixed network 4 or the
MS 1, respectively. Thus, the TRX 36 comprises a trans-
mitting and a receiving function so as to achieve a bi-
directional data or speech transmission via the fixed net-
work 4 or, respectively, the radio path of the mobile net-
work.
[0024] Furthermore, a signal processing unit 32 is
connected to the TRX 36. The signal processing unit 32
comprises interworking resources (e.g. transcoding
functions, modem functions, rate adaptation functions,
etc.) required for adapting data or speech calls of the
fixed network 4 to data or speech calls of the mobile net-
work, or vice versa.
[0025] The signal processing unit 32 is controlled by
a control unit 33 which performs control so as to ensure
the required signaling according to the protocols used
at the input and output side of the apparatus. Further-
more, a REMAP frame detector 34 is provided for de-
tecting the receipt of a REMAP frame from the mobile
station 1. The REMAP frame detector 34 is arranged to
supply a corresponding control signal indicating the de-
tection resultto the control unit 33. Having received such
a control signal, the control unit 33 sets the signal
processing unit 32 into a REMAP synchronization state,
in which the signal processing unit 32 performs a com-
munication with the MS 1 by transmitting a REMAP ac-
knowledgment message and a numbered l+S frame.
[0026] Furthermore, a REMAP frame counter 35 is
connected to the control unit 33. The REMAP frame
counter 35 is arranged to count the number of REMAP
acknowledgment messages transmitted by the signal
processing unit 32 to the MS 1 after an l+S frame. The
control unit 33 is arranged to repeatedly check the
counting result of the REMAP frame counter 35, so as
to determine whether a predetermined number of REM-
AP acknowledgment frames has been detected.
[0027] When the signal processing unit 32 receives
an acknowledgment frame to the numbered l+S frame,
it supplies a corresponding information to the control
unit 33 which then controls the signal processing unit 32
so as to leave the REMAP synchronization state.
[0028] Thus, even in case the MS 1 is set into a DTX
state where the unnumbered S frames are not rooted to
the IWF 31, the signal processing unit 32 receives an
acknowledgment acknowledging the numbered l+S
frame, since such an acknowledgment is transmitted to
the network by the lower protocol layers, i.e. the lower
layers automatically leave the DTX state if l+S traffic is
available.
[0029] In the following, the synchronization method
6
according to the preferred embodiment is described with
reference to Fig. 3.
[0030] In step S101, the control unit 33 checks wheth-
er the REMAP frame detector 34 has detected the re-
5 ceipt of a REMAP framefrom the MS 1. If not, step S101
is continuously repeated at predetermined time inter-
vals.
[0031] If a REMAP frame has been received, the con-
trol unit 33 performs control such that the signal
10 processing unit 32 is entered into a REMAP synchroni-
zation mode and transmits a REMAP acknowledgment
frame to the MS 1 (step S102). Furthermore, the control
unit 33 controls a signal processing unit 32 so as to
transmit a numbered l+S frame to the MS 1 (step S103).
15 [0032] Then, the control unit 33 reads the REMAP
frame counter 35 and checks whether a predetermined
number n of REMAP frames has been transmitted after
the l+S frame (step S104). If not, the control unit 33 con-
trols the signal processing unit 32 so as to transmit a
20 REMAP acknowledgment frame to the MS 1 (step
S105).
[0033] In case the predetermined number n of REM-
AP frames has been transmitted afterthe l+S frame, the
flow proceeds to step S107, where the control unit 33
25 resets the REMAP frame counter 35 to zero. Then, the
procedure continues with step S 103, where the control
unit 33 controls the signal processing unit 32 so as to
transmit a numbered l+S frame to the MS 1.
[0034] After every transmission of a REMAP frame in
30 step S 105, the control unit 33 checks on the basis of an
information obtained from the signal processing unit 32,
whether the signal processing unit 32 has received an
acknowledgment from the MS 1, acknowledging the re-
ceipt of the numbered l+S frame (step S 106). If not, the
35 procedure continues at step S104, where the number of
REMAP frames is checked.
[0035] If an acknowledgment has been received from
the MS 1, the control unit 33 controls the signal process-
ing unit 32 so as to leave the REMAP synchronization
40 mode (step S108), to thereby terminate the synchroni-
zation control procedure.
[0036] Accordingly, the IWF 31 transmits a numbered
l+S frame after the first REMAP frame to the MS 1. The
purpose of this is to compel the MS 1 to acknowledge
45 the end of the REMAP condition as soon as possible
after it has received the first REMAP frame from the IWF
31.
[0037] In order to increase the probability that the MS
1 has correctly received a REMAP frame before the l+S
50 frame, the IWF 31 may transmit more than one REMAP
frames before transmitting the l+S frame.
[0038] Furthermore, in order to guarantee a fast exit
from the REMAP synchronization state, the IWF 31 may
transmit additional numbered l+S frames to the MS 1,
55 e.g. after every n REMAP frames, wherein n is an inte-
ger number greater than or equal to 1. If the IWF 31
transmits only one numbered l+S frame and the MS 1
loses or discards this, e.g. because it has failed to re-
4
 7 EP 1 221 212 81
ceive the first REMAP frame, the retransmission will be
performed only after the expiration of a retransmission
timer provided according to the GSM specifications,
which would slow down the exit from the REMAP syn-
chronization state.
[0039] If the IWF 31 has no user data to be sent to the
MS 1, e.g. no real need to send an l+S frame to the MS
1, the IWF 31 transmits an empty l+S frame to the MS
1 in order to compel the MS 1 to acknowledge the exit
from the REMAP synchronization state. As soon as the
IWF receives an acknowledgment from the MS 1 to the
transmitted l+S frame, the IWF 31 exits the REMAP syn-
chronization state. Thereby, the REMAP exchange pro-
cedure can be performed even in case the MS 1 is set
into a DTX condition.
[0040] Fig. 4 shows a transmission diagram corre-
sponding to a REMAP exchange procedure as de-
scribed on the basis of Fig. 3, in a case where the pre-
determined count number n is set to three. According to
Fig. 4, the MS 1 enters the REMAP synchronization
state and transmits REMAP frames in predetermined in-
tervals. When the IWF 31 receives the first REMAP
frame, it enters the REMAP synchronization state and
transmits a REMAP acknowledgment frame (broken
line) to the MS 1. Having received the REMAP acknowl-
edgment frame, the MS 1 leaves the REMAP synchro-
nization state. After transmitting the REMAP acknowl-
edgment frame, the IWF 31 transmits a numbered l+S
frame (fat line) to the MS 1. The numbered l+S frame is
acknowledged according to the RLP with a correspond-
ing acknowledgment ACK (broken fat line). In response
to the receipt of the ACK from the MS 1, the IWF 31
leaves the REMAP synchronization state.
[0041] Thus, irrespective of a DTX condition at the MS
1, the IWF 31 receives the ACK to the numbered l+S
frame, and leaves the REMAP synchronization state as
soon as possible. Furthermore, an additional l+S frame
is transmitted by the IWF 31 after three successive
REMAP frames to thereby ensure a quick receipt of an
additional ACK, in case the MS 1 loses or discards the
first numbered l+S frame.
[0042] In summary, the present invention relates to a
synchronization method and apparatus, wherein a first
end point entering a connection mode change state
transmits a request message to a second end point. The
second end point enters the connection mode change
state in response to the receipt of the request message
and transmits an acknowledgment and a numbered
frame to the first end point. Having received the ac-
knowledgment, the first end point leaves the connection
mode change state and transmits an acknowledgment
acknowledging the numbered frame to the second end
point which leaves the connection mode change state
in response to the receipt of the acknowledgment. Thus,
the receipt of the acknowledgment acknowledging the
numbered frame is received by the second end point
irrespective of a DTX condition at the first end point,
since a numbered frame is always acknowledged.
8
[0043] It is to be noted that the synchronization meth-
od and apparatus described in the preferred embodi-
ment may be applied in any telecommunication network
where frames are not transmitted towards the network
5 by the lower protocol layers in certain conditions or
modes of a communication end point. In particular, the
present invention is not restricted to the described REM-
AP synchronization processing, and can be applied to
any connection mode change processing, where a syn-
10 chronization processing is performed between respec-
tive communication end points. The above description
of the preferred embodiment and the accompanying
drawings are therefore only intended to illustrate the
present invention. The preferred embodiment of the in-
15 vention may vary within the scope of the attached
claims.
Claims
20
1. A method for synchronizing a first (1) and a second
(31) communication end point during a connection
mode change procedure, said method comprising
the steps of:
25
a) entering a connection mode change state at
said first end point (1 );
b) transmitting a connection mode change re-
quest message from said first end point (1) to
30 said second end point (31 );
c) entering a connection mode change state at
said second end point (31) in response to a re-
ceipt of said connection mode change request
message;
35 d) transmitting an acknowledgment message
and a numbered frame from said second end
point (31) to said first end point (1 );
e) leaving said connection mode change state
at said first end point (1) in response to a receipt
40 of said acknowledgment message;
f) transmitting from said first end point (1) to
said second end point (31) an acknowledgment
acknowledging said numbered frame; and
g) leaving said connection mode change state
45 at said second end point (31) in response to a
receipt of said acknowledgment acknowledg-
ing said numbered frame.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first
50 end point is a mobile station (1) and said second
end point is an interworking unit (31).
3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said
connection mode change procedure is a change of
55 a channel coding.
4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said
change of the channel coding is a change between
5
 9 EP 1 221 212 81
TCH/F14.4 and TCH/F9.6 in the RLP.
5. A method according to any one of the preceding
claims, wherein said change request message is a
REMAP frame of the RLP.
6. A method according to any one of the preceding
claims, wherein said numbered frame is an l+S
frame of the RLP.
7. An apparatus for achieving a synchronization with
a communication end point (1) during a connection
mode change procedure, said apparatus compris-
ing:
a) detecting means (34) for detecting a connec-
tion mode change request message received
from said communication end point (1);
b) communication means (32) for performing a
communication with said communication end
point(1);
c) control means (33) for setting said commu-
nication means (32) into a connection mode
change state in response to the detection result
of said detection means (34);
d) wherein said communication means (32) is
arranged to transmit an acknowledgment mes-
sage and a numbered frame to said communi-
cation end point, in response to said setting by
said control means (33) into said connection
mode change state; and
e) wherein said control means (33) is arranged
to. control said communication means (32) so
as to leave said connection mode change state
in response to a receipt of an acknowledgment
acknowledging said numbered frame from said
communication end point (1 ).
8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said ap-
paratus is an interworking unit (31) of a GSM net-
work.
9. An apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, wherein
said communication end point is a mobile station
(1 ).
10. An apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 9,
wherein said connection mode change procedure
is a REMAP procedure of the RLP.
11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said
detection means (34) is arranged to detect a REM-
AP frame of the RLP.
12. An apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to
11, wherein counting means (35) are provided for
counting the number of acknowledgment messages
transmitted by said communication means (32), and
10
said control means (33) is arranged to perform a
control such that said communication means (32)
transmits said numbered frame after said counting
means (35) has reached a predetermined value.
5
13. An apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to
12, wherein said numbered frame is an l+S frame
of the RLP.
10
Patentanspriiche
1. Verfahren zum Synchronisieren eines ersten (1)
und eines zweiten (31) Kommunikationsendpunk-
15 tes wahrend eines Verbindungsmodusanderungs-
vorgangs, mit den Schritten:
a) Eintreten in einen Verbindungsmodusande-
rungszustand an dem ersten Endpunkt (1 );
20 b) Ubertragen einer Verbindungsmodusande-
rungsanforderungsmitteilung von dem ersten
Endpunkt (1) zu dem zweiten Endpunkt (31);
c) Eintreten in einen Verbindungsmodusande-
rungszustand an dem zweiten Endpunkt (31)
25 als Reaktion auf einen Empfang der
Verbindungsmodusanderungsanforderungs-
mitteilung;
d) Senden einer Bestatigungsmitteilung und ei-
nes nummerierten Rahmens von dem zweiten
30 Endpunkt (31) zu dem ersten Endpunkt (1);
e) Verlassen des Verbindungsmodusande-
rungszustandes an dem ersten Endpunkt (1)
als Reaktion auf einen Empfang der Bestati-
gungsmitteilung;
35 f) Senden einerden nummerierten Rahmen be-
statigenden Bestatigung von dem ersten End-
punkt (1) zu dem zweiten Endpunkt (31 ); und
g) Verlassen des Verbindungsmodusande-
rungszustandes an dem zweiten Endpunkt (31)
40 als Reaktion auf einen Empfang der den num-
merierten Rahmen bestatigenden Bestatigung.
2. Verfahren nach Patentanspruch 1, wobei der erste
Endpunkt eine Mobilstation (1) und der zweite End-
45 pun kt eine Zusammenarbeitseinheit (31) ist.
3. Verfahren nach Patentanspruch 1 oder 2, wobei der
Verbindungsmodusanderungsvorgang eine Ande-
rung einer Kanalkodierung darstellt.
50
4. Verfahren nach Patentanspruch 3, wobei die Ande-
rung der Kanalkodierung eine Anderung zwischen
TCH/F14.4 und TCH/F9.6 in dem RLP ist.
55 5. Verfahren nach einem der vorstehenden Patentan-
spruche, wobei die Anderungsanforderungsmittei-
lung ein REMAP-Rahmen des RLP ist.
6
 11 EP 1 221 212 81
6. Verfahren nach einem der vorstehenden Patentan-
spruche, wobei der nummerierte Rahmen ein
l+S-Rahmen des RLP ist.
7. Vorrichtung zum Erreichen einer Synchronisation
mit einem Kommunikationsendpunkt (1) wahrend
eines Verbindungsmodusanderungsvorgangs, mit:
a) einer Erfassungseinrichtung (34) zum Erfas-
sen einer von dem Kommunikationsendpunkt
(1) empfangenen Verbindungsmodusande-
rungsanforderungsmitteilung;
b) einer Kommunikationseinrichtung (32) zum
DurchfUhren einer Kommunikation mit dem
Kommunikationsendpunkt (1 );
c) einer Steuereinrichtung (33) zum Versetzen
der Kommunikationseinrichtung (32) in einen
Verbindungsmodusanderungszustand als Re-
aktion auf das Erfassungsergebnis der Erfas-
sungseinrichtung (34);
d) wobei die Kommunikationseinrichtung (32)
zum Senden einer Bestatigungsmitteilung und
eines nummerierten Rahmens zu dem Kom-
munikationsendpunkt als Reaktion auf das Ver-
setzen in den Verbindungsmodusanderungs-
zustand durch die Steuereinrichtung (33) ein-
gerichtet ist; und
e) wobei die Steuereinrichtung (33) zum Steu-
ern der Kommunikationseinrichtung (32) zum
Verlassen des Verbindungsmodusanderungs-
zustandes als Reaktion auf den Empfang einer
den nummerierten Rahmen von dem Kommu-
nikationsendpunkt (1) bestatigenden Bestati-
gung eingerichtet ist.
8. Vorrichtung nach Patentanspruch 7, wobei die Vor-
richtung eine Zusammenarbeitseinheit (31) eines
GSM-Netzes ist.
9. Vorrichtung nach Patentanspruch 7 oder 8, wobei
der Kommunikationsendpunkt eine Mobilstation (1)
ist.
10. Vorrichtung nach einem der Patentanspruche 7 bis
9, wobei derVerbindungsmodusanderungsvorgang
ein REMAP-Vorgang des RLP ist.
11. Vorrichtung nach Patentanspruch 10, wobei die Er-
fassungseinrichtung (34) zum Erfassen eines
REMAP-Rahmens des RLP eingerichtet ist.
12. Vorrichtung nach einem der Patentanspruche 7 bis
11, wobei eine Zahleinrichtung (35) zum Zahlen der
Anzahl von durch die Kommunikationseinrichtung
(32) gesendeten Bestatigungsmitteilungen einge-
richtet ist, und die Steuereinrichtung (33) zur Durch-
fUhrung einer Steuerung eingerichtet ist, so dass
die Kommunikationseinrichtung (32) den numme-
12
rierten Rahmen sendet, nachdem die Zahleinrich-
tung (35) einen vorbestimmten Wert erreicht hat.
13. Vorrichtung nach einem der Patentanspruche 7 bis
5 12, wobei der nummerierte Rahmen ein l+S-Rah-
men des RLP ist.
Revendications
10
1. Precede pour synchroniser des premier (1) et
deuxieme (3 1) points d'extremite de communica-
tion pendant une procedure de changement de mo-
de de connexion, ledit precede comprenant les eta-
15 pes consistant a :
a) entrer dans un etat de changement de mode
de connexion audit premier point d'extremite
(1) ;
20 b) transmettre un message de demande de
changement de mode de connexion dudit pre-
mier point d'extremite (1) audit deuxieme point
d'extremite (31);
c) entrer dans un etat de changement de mode
25 de connexion audit deuxieme point d'extremite
a
(31) en reponse une reception dudit message
de demande de changement de mode de
connexion ;
d) transmettre un message d'acquittement et
30 une trame numerotee dudit deuxieme point
d'extremite (31) audit premier point d'extremite
(1) ;
e) quitter ledit etat de changement de mode de
connexion audit premier point d'extremite (1)
35 en reponse a une reception dudit message
d'acquittement ;
f) transmettre dudit premier point d'extremite
(1) audit deuxieme point d'extremite (31) un ac-
quittement acquittant ladite trame numerotee;
40 et
g) quitter ledit etat de changement de mode de
connexion audit deuxieme point d'extremite
a
(31) en reponse une reception dudit acquitte-
ment acquittant ladite trame numerotee.
45
2. Precede selon la revendication 1, dans lequel ledit
premier point d'extremite est une station mobile (1)
et ledit deuxieme point d'extremite est une unite
d'interfonctionnement (31 ).
50
3. Precede selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans lequel
ladite procedure de changement de mode de con-
nexion est un changement de codage de canal.
55 4. Precede selon la revendication 3, dans lequel ledit
changement de codage de canal est un change-
ment entre TCH/F14.4 et TCH/F9.6 dans le proto-
cole RLP.
7
 13 EP 1 221 212 81 14

5. Precede selon l'une quelconque des revendications 12. Dispositif selon l'une quelconque des revendica-
precedentes, dans lequel ledit message de deman- a
tions 7 11, dans lequel des moyens de comptage
de de changement est une trame REMAP du pro- (35) sont prevus pour compter le nombre de mes-
tocole RLP. sages d'acquittement transmis par lesdits moyens
5 de communication (32), et lesdits moyens de con-
6. Precede selon l'une quelconque des revendications trole (33) sont agences pour effectuer un controle
precedentes, dans lequel ladite trame numerotee de sorte que lesdits moyens de communication (32)
est une trame l+S du protocole RLP. transmettent ladite trame numerotee apres que les-
dits moyens de comptage (35) aient atteint une va-
7. Dispositif pour obtenir une synchronisation avec un 10 leur predeterminee.
point d'extremite de communication (1) pendant
une procedure de changement de mode de con- 13. Dispositif selon l'une quelconque des revendica-
nexion, ledit dispositif comprenant: a
tions 7 12, dans lequel ladite trame numerotee est
une trame l+S du protocole RLP.
a) des moyens de detection (34) pour detecter 15
un message de demande de changement de
mode de connexion rei;:u dudit point d'extremite
de communication (1) ;
b) des moyens de communication (32) pour ef-
fectuer une communication avec ledit point 20
d'extremite de communication (1) ;
c) des moyens de controle (33) pour mettre les-
dits moyens de communication (32) dans un
etat de changement de mode de connexion en
reponse au resultat de detection desdits 25
moyens de detection (34) ;
d) dans lequel lesdits moyens de communica-
tion (32) sont agences pour transmettre un
message d'acquittement et une trame numero-
tee audit point d'extremite de communication 30
en reponse a ladite mise dans ledit etat de
changement de mode de connexion par lesdits
moyens de controle (33) ; et
e) dans lequel lesdits moyens de controle (33)
sont agences pour controler lesdits moyens de 35
communication (32) de maniere a quitter ledit
etat de changement de mode de connexion en
a
reponse une reception d'un acquittement ac-
quittant ladite trame numerotee provenant du-
dit point d'extremite de communication (1). 40

8. Dispositif selon la revendication 7, dans lequel ledit

dispositif est une unite d'interfonctionnement (31)
d'un reseau GSM.
45
9. Dispositif selon la revendication 7 ou 8, dans lequel
ledit point d'extremite de communication est une
station mobile (1 ).

10. Dispositif selon l'une quelconque des revendica- 50

a
tions 7 9, dans lequel ladite procedure de chan-
gement de mode de connexion est une procedure
REMAP du protocole RLP.

11. Dispositif selon la revendication 10, dans lequel les- 55

dits moyens de detection (34) sont agences pour
detecter une trame REMAP du protocole RLP.

8
 EP 1 221 212 81

MSC IWF
fixed
30 31 network

\_ 3

BSS

2
TE

MS

Fig. 1

9
 EP 1 221 212 81

to/from
to/from fixed
MS l network 4
signal proc. TRX
unit
32 36
f
l
control REMAP
1frame
unit detector
33 34

f\_ 31
~
REMAP frame
counter
35

Fig. 2

10
 EP 1 221 212 81

Start

S101
No

enter REMAP sync.

mode and send
Sl02 REMAP frame to MS

send I+S frame S107

$103 to MS reset
REMAP counter
Yes
5104

send REMAP f rarne

Sl05

No
5106

Yes
leave
5108 REMAP sync. mode

End

Fig. 3

11
~s
1

- -- . -
• • • • • • - . - . -. . • •

------
-------
_......

.. . -....
f\g. 4
 EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 1 of6

ANNEXl

IPR INFORMATION STATEMENT AND LICENSING DECLARATION

IPR Holder/Organisation

Legal Name: Nokia Corporation _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Signatory

Name: Kalle Moilanen _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Position: Senior Patent Engineer _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Department: IPR _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Address: Joensuunkatu 7 -4, FIN-24101 SALO, P.O.Box 86, FIN-00045 NOKIA GROUP, FINLAND

Tel.: +358 718045008 ------------------------~

Fax: + 358 7180 44275- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
E-mail: kalle.moilanen@nokia.com -------------------------

IPR information statement

In accordance with the ETSI IPR Policy, Article 4.1, I hereby inform ETSI that,

with reference to the technical proposal identified as UMTS --------------

It is my belief that the IPRs listed in Annex 2 are, or are likely to become, Essential IPRs in relation to that Standard.

IPR licensing declaration

The SIGNATORY has notified ETSI that it is the proprietor of the IPRs listed in Annex 2 and has informed ETSI
that it believes that the IPRs may be considered ESSENTIAL to the Standards listed above.
The SIGNATORY and/or its AFFILIATES hereby declare that they are prepared to grant irrevocable licenses under
the IPRs on terms and conditions which are in accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy, in respect of the
STAND ARD, to the extent that the IP Rs remain ESSENTIAL.
The construction, validity and performance of this DECLARATION shall be governed by the laws of France.

Place, Date: Signature:

Salo, Finland, 4 July 2002 _ _ __

(Signed for and on behalf of the SIONA TORY)

Please return this form duly signed to:

ETSI Director General - Karl Heinz Rosenbrock

ETSI -650, route des Lucioles - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Ccdex - FRANCE
Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 47 16
 EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 3 of6

China P.R. TS 23.060 PCTIEPOOI03478

European Patent
TS 23.060 00922643.2
Convention

Japan TS 23.060 2001-524310

United States TS 23.060 101015134

Patent Cooperation Treaty TS 23.060 PCTIEPOOI03478

UMTS SERVICE
MANAGEMENT rN European Patent TS 25.331
UMTS Nokia 00942328.6
CHANGrNG NETWORK Convention TS 24.008
ARCHITECTURE

TS 25.331
Great Britain 9915301.7
TS 24.008

TS 25.331
Japan 2001-508184
TS 24.008

TS 25.331
United States 101019745
TS 24.008

TS 25.331
Patent Cooperation Treaty PCTIIBOOI00989
TS 24.008

SYNCHRONIZATION
UMTS
 Nokia OF PROTOCOL
REMAPPrNG
Australia TS 24.022 63372199

Canada TS 24.022 PCTIEP99107596

Please return this form duly signed to: ETSI Director General - Kar] Heinz Rosenbrock

EIS! - 650, route des Lucioles - F-0692J Sophia Antipolis Cedex - France I Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 6547 J6
 EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 1 of6

ANNEXl

IPR INFORMATION STATEMENT AND LICENSING DECLARATION

IPR Holder/Organisation

Legal Name: Nokia Corporation _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Signatory

Name: Kalle Moilanen _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Position: Senior Patent Engineer _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Department: IPR _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Address: Joensuunkatu 7 -4, FIN-24101 SALO, P.O.Box 86, FIN-00045 NOKIA GROUP, FINLAND

Tel.: +358 718045008 ------------------------~

Fax: + 358 7180 44275- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
E-mail: kalle.moilanen@nokia.com -------------------------

IPR information statement

In accordance with the ETSI IPR Policy, Article 4.1, I hereby inform ETSI that,

with reference to the technical proposal identified as UMTS --------------

It is my belief that the IPRs listed in Annex 2 are, or are likely to become, Essential IPRs in relation to that Standard.

IPR licensing declaration

The SIGNATORY has notified ETSI that it is the proprietor of the IPRs listed in Annex 2 and has informed ETSI
that it believes that the IPRs may be considered ESSENTIAL to the Standards listed above.
The SIGNATORY and/or its AFFILIATES hereby declare that they are prepared to grant irrevocable licenses under
the IPRs on terms and conditions which are in accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy, in respect of the
STAND ARD, to the extent that the IP Rs remain ESSENTIAL.
The construction, validity and performance of this DECLARATION shall be governed by the laws of France.

Place, Date: Signature:

Salo, Finland, 4 July 2002 _ _ __

(Signed for and on behalf of the SIONA TORY)

Please return this form duly signed to:

ETSI Director General - Karl Heinz Rosenbrock

ETSI -650, route des Lucioles - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Ccdex - FRANCE
Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 47 16
 EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 3 of6

China P.R. TS 23.060 PCTIEPOOI03478

European Patent
TS 23.060 00922643.2
Convention

Japan TS 23.060 2001-524310

United States TS 23.060 101015134

Patent Cooperation Treaty TS 23.060 PCTIEPOOI03478

UMTS SERVICE
MANAGEMENT rN European Patent TS 25.331
UMTS Nokia 00942328.6
CHANGrNG NETWORK Convention TS 24.008
ARCHITECTURE

TS 25.331
Great Britain 9915301.7
TS 24.008

TS 25.331
Japan 2001-508184
TS 24.008

TS 25.331
United States 101019745
TS 24.008

TS 25.331
Patent Cooperation Treaty PCTIIBOOI00989
TS 24.008


SYNCHRONIZATION
UMTS Nokia OF PROTOCOL Australia TS 24.022 63372199
REMAPPrNG

Canada TS 24.022 PCTIEP99107596

Please return this form duly signed to: ETSI Director General - Kar] Heinz Rosenbrock

EIS! - 650, route des Lucioles - F-0692J Sophia Antipolis Cedex - France I Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 6547 J6
 出願番号等
特許出願人 発明の名称 備考（出願国名）
REGISTRATION NO./
PATENT HOLDER NAME OF PATENT REMARKS
APPLICATION NO.
NOKIA NETWORKS OY COUNTER INITIALIZATION, PARTICULARLY FOR WO01/65883 Applied in Brazil, Canada, China,
*1.00 RADIO FRAMES European Patent Office, Finland,
Japan, Korea(South), United States of
America, WO
NOKIA NETWORKS OY METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DATA RECEPTION WO01/03359 Applied in Brazil, China, European
*1.00 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Patent Office, United Kingdom, Japan,
Korea(South), United States of
America, WO
NOKIA NETWORKS OY METHOD AND WIRELESS PACKET NETWORK FOR WO02/69663 Applied in United States of America,
*1.00 SETTING UP A COMMUNICATIONS WO
NOKIA NETWORKS OY DATA TRANSMISSION PROTOCOL WO02/15510 Applied in United Kingdom, WO
*1.00

NOKIA NETWORKS OY CELL RESELECTION SIGNALLING METHOD WO01/54442 Applied in Australia, Brazil, Canada,
*1.00 China, European Patent Office,
Finland, India, Japan, Korea(South),
MX, RU, United States of America,
WO
NOKIA NETWORKS OY INTEGRITY CHECK IN A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WO01/63954 Applied in Australia, Canada, China,
*1.00 European Patent Office, United
Kingdom, Israel, Japan, United States
of America, WO
NOKIA NETWORKS OY SERVICE MANAGEMENT WO01/03454 Applied in European Patent Office,
*1.00 United Kingdom, Japan, United States
of America, WO
NOKIA NETWORKS OY SYNCHRONIZATION METHOD AND APPARATUS WO01/28131 Applied in Australia, Canada, China,
*1.00 European Patent Office, Japan,
Korea(South), United States of
America, WO
NOKIA NETWORKS OY METHOD AND NETWORK ELEMENT FOR FORWARDING WO00/57601 Applied in European Patent Office,
*1.00 MULTICAST MESSAGES United States of America, WO
NOKIA NETWORKS OY INTER-SYSTEM HANDOVER WO01/11911 Applied in Brazil, Canada, China,
*1.00 European Patent Office, United
Kingdom, Japan, Korea(South), United
States of America, WO

40
 11
A15483VI
 Illlll llllllll Ill lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll 111111111111111111111111111111111
US007043246B2

02) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 7,043,246 B2

Uskela (45) Date of Patent: May 9, 2006

(54) ROUTING OF CALL MADE TO (56) References Cited

SUBSCRIBER U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
5,850,603 A * 12/1998 Lantto ct al. ............... 455/433
5,854,836 A * 12/1998 Ninunagadda ......... 379/221.13
(75) Inventor: Sarni Uskela, Helsinki (FI)
5,978,681 A * 11/1999 Bertacchi .................... 4551445
6,151,503 A * 11/2000 Chavez ....................... 455/445
(73) Assignee: Nokia Corporation, Espoo (FI) 6,363,251 Bl* 3/2002 Huang ct al. ............ 455/432.1
6,473,626 Bl * 10/2002 Nevoux et al. ............. 4551560
( *) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this 6,546,247 Bl * 4/2003 Foti et al. ................... 455/433
patent is extended or adjusted under 35 6,625,258 Bl * 9/2003 Ram ct al. ............... 379/88.13
U.S.C. 154(b) by 536 days. 200110031635 Al 10/2001 Bharatia
2002/0037723 Al 3/2002 Roach
(21) Appl. No.: 10/035,339 FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
(22) Filed: Jan. 4, 2002 WO WO 00113454 3/2000
WO WO 01/91419 11/2001
(65) Prior Publication Data * cited by examiner
US 2002/0090950 Al Jul. 11, 2002 Primary Examiner-William Trost
Assistant Examiner-Meless Zewdu
(30) Foreign Application Priority Data
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw
Jan. 5, 2001 (FI) .................................. 20010018 Pittman LLP

(51) Int. Cl. (57) ABSTRACT

H04Q 7120 (2006.01)
H04M 1100 (2006.01)
H04B 1138 (2006.01)
(52) U.S. Cl. ................ 455/445; 455/432.3; 455/435.l;
455/461; 455/550.l; 455/517; 455/560
(58) Field of Classification Search ............. 455/414.1,
455/414.2, 414.3, 417, 432.3, 433, 435.1,
455/445, 517, 406, 409, 422.1, 424-425,
455/461, 560, 550.l; 379/221.01, 207.02,
379/201.02, 201.03; 370/310, 351-352
See application file for complete search history.
A service associated with a call terminating at a subscriber
can be triggered from a network node serving the subscriber
when the subscriber is registered in the network and has a
serving network node. In order to trigger the service also
when the subscriber is not registered in the network, the
network is provided with a service function which triggers
the service for the subscriber when the subscriber is not
registered in the network; and the call tenninating at the
subscriber is routed to this service function when the sub-
scriber is not registered in the network.
39 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet

,---------------------------,,
r -------------------------------------~
11
: I 4 5 6 3
I I I I
I HSS 11
~1 ~1 IMSl1 S_CSCF1 SUR_CSCF1 I I
1I
1 IMSl2 SUR_CSCF2 SUR_CSCF2
1
I UTRAN :
I I I
I I I

:
ID ~E 1
I
I
S_CSGF I
I
1

I I I
t I CN I
I r-J l_CSCF :

i ~L--------------------------~:
L-------------------------------------J
U.S. Patent May 9, 2006 US 7,043,246 B2

r- - - - - - - - -1-----=------=---------_-_-__-_-_-_:-_-_-_:-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-,,
I
I I 4 5 6 3 I
I I I
I HSS I
~1 ~ IMSl1 S_CSCF1 SUR_CSCF1 I
: UTRAN : IMSl2 SUR_CSCF2 SUR_CSCF2 I

I I
I I

iEfUE
I
:
I
S_CSCF

I I
I I CN
I rJ I CSCF

i ~~----------~---------- --:
L-------------------------------------J
FIG.1
UE S_CSCF HSS SUR_CSCF
2-1 -..
2-1 .....
2-2 ,..
2-3
r'

2-4
i.... 2-5 FIG.2
r' 2-6
i.... 2-7
2-8 r'
f"C
2-9

I_CSCF HSS SUR_CSCF

3-1
L... 3-2

3-3 FIG.3
3-4
3-5
 US 7,043,246 B2
1 2
ROUTING OF CALL MADE TO functions, so that its performance could be optimized with-
SUBSCRIBER out the above mentioned features required for providing the
service.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to routing of a call made to a
subscriber in a connnunication system during the time the It is thus an object of the invention to provide a method
subscriber is not registered in a network. Particularly the and an apparatus implementing the method such that the
invention relates to routing of a call made to a subscriber in above problems can be solved. The object of the invention
'the third generation mobile communication systems'. 10 is achieved by a method, a system, network nodes and user
equipment, which are characterized in what is said in the
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION independent claims. The preferred embodiments of the
invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.
There is a wide variety of services provided through The invention is based on providing the network with a
communication systems, particularly mobile communica- 15 service functionality by which those services of a subscriber
tion systems, and new services are planned all the time. not registered in the network are handled that are associated
More and more of these services are likely to be non- with calls terminating at the subscriber, i.e. mobile-termi-
standard services. For example, a large number of value nating calls, and giving the address of the network node
added services, such as call forwarding, are standardized in including the above service functionality as a routing
the GSM system (Global System for Mobile connnunica- 20 address for the call terminating at the subscriber when the
tions ), but it seems that these value added services will not subscriber is not registered in the network. The invention
be standardized in 'the third generation mobile communi- provides the advantage that in each occasion, the subscriber
cation systems', such as the UMTS (Universal Mobile can be provided with services associated with a terminating
Teleconnnunications System), but they are produced by call so that very few changes need to be made to the existing
using a variety of toolkits or protocols utilizing intelligent 25 network nodes. Network nodes routing the terminating call
network-like control. Examples of these include CAMEL need not be changed; it is quite sufficient that the network
(Customised Applications for Mobile network Enhanced node giving routing information is arranged to give the
Logic), SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), OSA (Open Ser- address of the network node including the above service
vice Architecture), Parlay API (Application Protocol Inter- function, when the subscriber is not registered in the net-
face), MexE (Mobile station Execution Environment) and 30 work. This way, for example, the performance of the
SAr (SIM Application Toolkit). I_CSCF can be optimized and the device can be kept as
The object of the 3GPP All-IP system, i.e. a UMTS simple as possible.
system based on IP technology (Internet Protocol technol- In a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one
ogy) and defined in the 3rd generation partnership project service content in the user equipment of the subscriber is
3GPP, is that services associated with a mobile-tern1inating 35 loaded to the network node responsible for the services of an
call are at least started, i.e. triggered from a call state control unregistered subscriber. Furthem10re, this embodiment pro-
function S_CSCF serving the subscriber, whereto an inter- vides the advantage that some of the services associated with
rogative call state control function I_CSCF routes the call on the mobile-terminating call can be implemented in the user
the basis of the address obtained from a home subscriber equipment, but at the same time it can be made sure that
server HSS. The interrogative call state control function 40 these services can also be provided in cases where the
I_CSCF is the function through which calls terminating at subscriber is not registered in the network and the user
the subscriber are routed. In systems where the signaling and equipment cam1ot thus provide the above services.
the actual call are routed separately, call routing refers to the
routing of signaling. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Sometimes, however, a subscriber is not registered in the 45
system, for exanlple because the user equipment of the In the following the invention will be described in greater
subscriber is switched off. Thus the subscriber does not have detail in connection with the preferred embodiments, with
a serving call state control function S_CSCF, nor the control reference to the attached drawings, in which:
function that would trigger the services associated with a FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system according
mobile-tem1inating call, such as services associated with the 50 to a first preferred embodiment of the invention;
forwarding of a terminating call. FIG. 2 illustrates signaling according to the first preferred
One solution to the above problem is to provide these embodiment of the invention, when a subscriber performs
services by means of the interrogative call state control the unregistration in the network; and
function I_CSCF. In this solution, the home subscriber FIG. 3 illustrates signaling according to a second pre-
server HSS would transmit the subscriber's service infor- 55 ferred embodiment of the invention in connection with a
mation, for example CAMEL subscriber information CSI, as mobile-terminating call to the subscriber that is not regis-
a routing instruction to the interrogative call state control tered in the network.
f1mction, when the subscriber is not registered in the net-
work. The problem of this solution is, however, that the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
I_CSCF should have a complete service interface, such as a 60 INVENTION
CAMEL interface, it should be capable of dynamically
triggering call state models and maintaining outgoing legs The present invention can be applied to any connnunica-
possibly associated with the service. In other words, the tion system where services intended for a subscriber are
I_CSCF should contain a wide variety of functions. Since triggered from a network node serving the subscriber, the
the I_CSCF very likely becomes the critical element of the 65 address of which network node is not a subscriber-specific
system, it would be preferable that it would be as simple a constant but which address is to be detected from subscriber
device as possible, which is provided with only a few data when a mobile-terminating call is routed. Such systems
 US 7,043,246 B2
3 4
include 'the third generation mobile communication sys-
tems', such as UMTS and IS-41, and the GSM system and
the corresponding mobile communication systems, such as
DCS 1800 (Digital Cellular System for 1800 MHz) and PCS
(Personal Communication System), and systems based on
the above mentioned systems, such as GSM 2+ systems. In
the following the invention will be described by using the
3GPP All-IP system as an example without restricting the
invention thereto. The specifications of mobile communica-
tion systems, and the third generation mobile communica-
tion systems in particular, progress quickly. This may
require additional changes to the invention. Therefore, all
words and expressions should be interpreted broadly and
they are intended for illustrating, and not restricting the
invention.
In the 3GPP All-IP system 1, a difference is made between
an access layer and a telephony layer, which may both have
their own operators. (The division into layers is not shown
in FIG. 1.) Usually the access layer provides the user with
a wireless access to external networks, such as IP networks
(Internet Protocol), and the services thereof, such as Internet
telephony (IPT, IP Telephony), such that the telephony layer
is responsible for control. The IP telephony is in practice
invisible to network nodes of the access layer, and they do
not participate in the routing of the IP telephony. However,
there are signaling connections from each level to various
service platfonns, such as a service control point of an
intelligent network and an IP telephony application server
(service platfonns are not shown in FIG. 1). IP telephony is
a general term covering services from a standard voice
telephony (VoIP, Voice over IP) to multimedia applications
using IP data, voice and video.
FIG. l shows a simplified network architecture and illus-
trates only those elements of the communication system 1
that are essential for understanding the invention. Network
nodes shown in FIG. 1 are logical units the implementation
of which may differ from what is described here. It is
obvious to a person skilled in the art that the system 1 also
comprises other functions and strnctures, which need not be
described in greater detail here.
User equipment UE comprises the actual terminal and a
detachably connected identification card USIM, also called
a subscriber identity module. In this context, the user
equipment UE generally means the entity formed by the
subscriber identity module and the actual terminal. The
subscriber identification unit USIM is a smart card which
comprises subscriber identity, performs authentication algo-
rithms and stores authentication and cipher keys and sub-
scription information necessary for the user equipment. The
actual terminal can be any equipment capable of communi-
eating in a mobile conununication system. The terminal can
thus be a simple terminal intended only for speech, or it can
be a terminal for various services, operating as a service
platform and supporting the loading and carrying out of
different service-related functions. The tern1inal can also be
a combination of various devices, for example a multimedia
computer with a Nokia card phone cmmected to it to provide
a mobile connection. The user equipment operation accord-
ing to a first preferred embodiment of the invention is
explained in greater detail in connection with FIG. 2.
In the exan1ple of FIG. 1, the system 1 comprises a core
network CN and a UMTS terrestrial radio access network
UTRAN. The UTRAN is forn1ed of a group of radio network
subsystems (not shown in FIG. 1) which are cmmected to the
core network CN. A radio network subsystem can be based
on the GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) of the GSM
system, for example. The core network CN can be connected
to external networks, such as IP networks IP. In the example
of FIG. 1, the core network comprises a home subscriber
server HSS, an interrogative call state control function
I_CSCF and two serving call state control functions 2:
S_CSCF, which serves the user registered in the network and
SUR_CSCF, which serves the user that is not registered in
the network.
The serving call state control function S_CSCF is a
network node which participates in controlling a call made
10 by the user equipment of a subscriber and in supporting the
establishment of calls terminating at the subscriber regis-
tered in the network, as well as in supporting the triggering
of the services associated with these calls when the trigger-
ing conditions are fulfilled. In other words, the S_CSCF
15 controls call establishment and contains, among other
things, a function corresponding to an intelligent network
service switching function and the call state models of the IP
telephony, by which the call establislnnent is controlled
together with other network nodes, such as a service control
20 point and IP telephony application servers (these are not
shown in FIG.1). The S_CSCF is the network node through
which the signaling of a mobile-terminating call is trans-
ferred from the actual IP network IP, for instance. The
S_CSCF usually contains a subscriber database which logi-
25 cally corresponds to the visitor location register of the GSM
system.
The SUR_CSCF, a call state control fm1ction serving
unregistered subscribers, is a function to which calls termi-
nating at subscribers that are not registered are routed. The
30 SUR_CSCF supports the establishment of calls tenninating
at a subscriber that is not registered in the network and the
triggering of services associated with these calls when the
triggering conditions are fulfilled. The SUR_CSCF triggers
the service in a service execution environment which is
35 either external or internal. The interface to the external
environment may be based, for example, on distributed
object oriented technologies, such as CORBA (Common
Object Request Broker Architecture), or one of the control
protocols of the Intelligent Network. The execution envi-
40 ro1nnent may be based on Java virtual machine, for example.
The SUR_CSCF contains service control interfaces, such as
a CAMEL interface, that are necessary for controlling calls
terminating at subscribers. In the first preferred embodiment
of the invention, the SUR_CSCF thus includes call state
45 models of the IP telephony, for instance, which are used
together with other network nodes, such as a service control
point and IP telephony application servers (these are not
shown in FIG. 1), for controlling the establishment of a
mobile-terminating call. The SUR_CSCF according to the
50 first embodiment of the invention further comprises a virtual
proxy in which a copy of a service content or service
contents usually stored in the user equipment can be stored
during the unregistration. The virtual proxy preferably com-
prises at least one execution environment which corresponds
55 to the service platform for perforn1ing service contents when
the conditions are fulfilled. Furthermore, the SUR_CSCF
according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention
comprises a database corresponding to the visitor location
register of the GSM system, or a connection to the database
60 in which it temporarily stores subscriber data of an unreg-
istered subscriber. In a second preferred embodiment of the
invention, the SUR_CSCF does not have a proxy nor a
database nor a connection to the database. In other preferred
embodiments of the invention, the SUR_CSCF may com-
65 prise either a proxy or a database or a connection to the
database. The operation of the SUR_CSCF according to the
invention is described in greater detail in FIGS. 2 and 3.
 US 7,043,246 B2
5 6
The interrogative call state control function I_CSCF only
participates in controlling the establishment of a call made
to a subscriber, and it determines how the mobile-terminat-
ing call is to be routed. In other words, it is authorized to
route calls terminating at a subscriber station. In the system
L the I_CSCF functions as an entry point for a mobile-
terminating call and it interrogates the HSS in order to detect
routing information. In the system of the invention, the
routing information the I_CSCF obtains is always the
address of a serving call state control function 2, and the
invention does not require any changes to the interrogative
call state control function.
The functionality of various call state control functions
I_CSCF, S_CSCF and SUR_CSCF is not affected by the
type of the access network. This means that the access
network may be a wireless network, as in the example of
FIG. 1, or a wired network.
The home subscriber server HSS logically corresponds to
the home location register of the GSM system, and sub-
scriber data 3 for each subscriber of the home network are
stored therein either permanently or semi-permanently such
that the subscriber data are combined with a subscriber
identifier 4, which in the GSM system, for example, is IMSI
(International Mobile Subscriber Identity). (FIG. 1 illus-
trates parts of subscriber data only for two subscribers.) In
an address field 5, the home subscriber server HSS maintains
subscriber-specific information on the address of the call
state control function 2 serving the subscriber. In the first
preferred embodiment of the invention, the address of the
serving call state control function 2, which is used when the
user equipment is not registered in the network, is main-
tained for each subscriber in an address field 6. In the second
preferred embodiment of the invention, the home subscriber
server maintains one common serving call state control
f1mction address which is used for all unregistered subscrib-
ers. In a third preferred embodiment of the invention, the
address of the control function serving an unregistered
subscriber is sometimes maintained for each subscriber
separately, and sometimes a common address is used. The
home subscriber server according to the third embodiment
recognizes that the common address is used, for example
because the subscriber data does not contain an address in
the address field 6. In the first preferred embodiment of the
invention, the home subscriber server always transmits the
address of the address field 5 to the interrogative call state
control function, and so during the unregistration of the
subscriber the home subscriber server sets the address of the
address field 6 to the address field 5. In the example of FIG.
1, for example, the subscriber with an identifier IMSI2 is a
subscriber that is not registered in the network. In the second
preferred embodiment of the invention, the home subscriber
server checks whether the address field 5 is empty, and if it
is, it transmits the colll1llonly maintained address of the call
state control function serving those that are not registered to
the interrogative call state control function. However,
regardless of the embodiment of the invention, the home
subscriber server of the invention returns the address of the
S_CSCF or that of the SUR_CSCF to the I_CSCF in
response to the routing information request. The address
may also be a pointer to the actual address.
In addition to prior art means, the system implementing
the functions of the present invention and the network nodes
of this system comprise means for providing a call state
control function serving an unregistered subscriber and
means for giving the address of this control function as a
routing address in cases where the subscriber is not regis-
tered in the network. Moreover, the network nodes and the
user equipment may comprise means for implementing the
functions described in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3. The
current network nodes and user equipment comprise pro-
cessors and memory, which can be utilized in the fimctions
according to the invention by configuring them. All changes
necessary for implementing the invention can be made as
added or updated software routines, by means of applica-
tion-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) and/or program-
mable circuits, such as EPLD (Electrically Progralll1llable
10 Logic Device, FPGA (Field Progralll1llable Gate Array).
FIG. 2 illustrates signaling according to the first preferred
embodiment of the invention when the subscriber station
performs the unregistration. In the first preferred embodi-
ment of the invention it is assumed that the subscriber is
15 always registered in a serving call state control function. In
the example of FIG. 2 it is assumed that the home subscriber
server is responsible for registration procedures.
In the example of FIG. 2, the user equipment UE of the
subscriber transmits an unregistration message 2-1 to the
20 serving call state control function S_CSCF which forwards
the message 2-1 to the home subscriber server HSS. The
HSS starts the unregistration procedure by transmitting a
message 2-2 to the call state control function SUR_CSCF
serving the unregistered subscribers. In this message the
25 HSS requests the control function to register the subscriber.
The home subscriber server HSS obtains the address of the
SUR_CSCF from the subscriber data. The message 2-2
preferably indicates that the unregistration has been started
by the subscriber. The message 2-2 differs from an ordinary
30 registration message in that it does not contain an IP address
for the subscriber (user equipment). In response to the
registration request of the message 2-2, the SUR_CSCF
transmits a message 2-3 in which it requests subscriber data
from the home subscriber server HSS. The home subscriber
35 server HSS transmits subscriber data in a message 2-4, and
the subscriber data is then stored by the SUR_CSCF in a
database. The message 2-4 contains at least subscriber data
relating to the services of a mobile-terminating call. In the
first preferred embodiment of the invention, CAMEL sub-
40 scriber data CST of the subscriber are transmitted in the
message 2-4. Since the message 2-2 indicated that the
subscriber started the unregistration, the call state control
function serving the unregistered subscribers SUR_CSCF
transmits the user equipment UE of the subscriber a message
45 2-5 in which it requests the user equipment to transmit
service contents in the user equipment to itself. In response
to this request, the user equipment transmits at least those
service contents to the SUR_CSCF in a message 2-6 that
relate to services associated with a mobile-terminating call.
50 The user equipment may also transmit all of its service
contents in the message 2-6. After receiving the message
2-6, the SUR_CSCF stores the service contents the message
contains. The service contents are preferably stored in
connection with other subscriber data, but they can also be
55 stored somewhere else. Thereafter, the SUR_CSCF trans-
mits the home subscriber server HSS a message 2-7 in which
the SUR_CSCF acknowledges the registration request as
accepted. The home subscriber server HSS sets the address
of the SUR_CSCF as the address of the call state control
60 function serving the subscriber to the subscriber data and
transmits the acknowledgement of the unregistration in a
message 2-8 to the call state control function serving the
subscriber S_CSCF which, in response to the message 2-8,
deletes the subscriber data associated with the subscriber
65 from its database and transmits the unregistration acknowl-
edgement to the user equipment UE of the subscriber in a
message 2-9.
 US 7,043,246 B2
7 8
When the subscriber registers in the network again, the
subscriber data in the SUR_CSCF are deleted and the
address of the SUR_CSCF is replaced by the address of the
call state control function serving the user S_CSCF in the
subscriber data of the home subscriber register.
If, in the first preferred embodiment of the invention, the
unregistration is triggered by the HSS, for instance because
no connection could be established with the user equipment,
or the unregistration is triggered by a timer, the message 2-2
indicates that the unregistration is triggered in the network.
In this case, the SUR_CSCF does not transmit the message
2-5, but instead it transmits the acknowledgement message
2-7 directly after storing the subscriber data. Naturally the
messages 2-1, 2-6 and 2-9 are not transmitted. In another
embodiment of the invention, the SUR_CSCF may try to set
up a connection to the user equipment (i.e. to transmit the
message 2-5) in order to obtain the service contents,
although the unregistration was triggered by the network. In
this embodiment, the message 2-2 need not indicate the
source of the unregistration.
If the unregistration is triggered by the S_CSCF, the
S_CSCF transmits the message 2-1 to the HSS and prefer-
ably indicates in the message that the unregistration was
triggered by the S_CSCF.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the user
equipment is ammged to transmit the service contents to the
SUR_CSCF in its unregistration message. In other words,
the message 2-1 contains the service contents of the user
equipment. In this embodiment the messages 2-5 and 2-6 are
not transmitted.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the service
contents of the user equipment are also maintained in a
server or the like in the network. The service contents may
be retrieved by using the subscriber identity which can, for
example, be a part of an internet uniform resource locator
(URL) of the service contents of the user equipment.
Another possibility is that the user equipment only transmits
a pointer or pointers to the service content(s) and the
potential parameters in the message 2-1 or 2-5.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the SUR_C-
SCF is arranged to wait for the reply 2-6 for a predetermined
time. If the reply does not arrive within the predetermined
time, the SUR_CSCF interprets it so that there were no
service contents in the user equipment, and so it transmits
the message 2- 7. This embodiment provides the adv;:mtage
that all user equipment need not support the transmission of
the service contents to the network.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the service
content or a part of the service content of the user equipment
is not copied to the SUR_CSCF. In this embodiment the
message 2-2 does not indicate what has triggered the unreg-
istration, nor does the SUR_CSCF transmit the message 2-5
(and correspondingly, the user equipment does not transmit
the message 2-6).
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the SUR_C-
SCF stores at least subscriber data relating to the services of
a mobile-tem1inating call pemianently in its database which
it uses. In this embodiment, the SUR_CSCF checks after the
message 2-2 whether the subscriber data or some of the
subscriber data are to be fmmd in the database, and if they
are, the SUR_CSCF checks whether also service content(s)
is/are to be found, and if they are found, too, the SUR_CSCF
transmits the message 2-7 in response to the message 2-2. In
this embodiment, the HSS can be arranged to update sub-
scriber data each time the information of the HSS is updated.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the user
equipment is arranged to transmit its service content(s) or a
pointer/pointers and potential parameters to the network
during each registration in the network, and the network is
arranged to trnnsmit the information transmitted by the user
equipment to the SUR_CSCF which stores the infonnation
5 such that it can be used when the user equipment is not
registered in the network. In another preferred embodiment
of the invention, the user equipment transmits the informa-
tion only when it detects that its service content(s) have
changed.
10 In the second preferred embodiment of the invention,
when the subscriber perfonns the unregistration in the
network, the HSS deletes the address of the S_CSCF and
transmits an acknowledgement of this. In the second pre-
ferred embodiment of the invention, only the messages 2-1
15 and 2-8 are transmitted, and, if it was the subscriber that
triggered the unrcgistration, also the message 2-9.
FIG. 3 illustrates operation according to the second pre-
ferred embodiment of the invention, when a call is tenni-
nating at a subscriber that is not registered in the network.
20 The interrogative call state control function I_CSCF
requests a routing instrnction from the home subscriber
server HSS of the user equipment in a message 3-1. The HSS
checks the address of the call state control function serving
the subscriber. Since it is empty, the HSS gives the SUR_C-
25 SCF address common to all subscribers as the routing
instrnction in a message 3-2 in the second preferred embodi-
ment of the invention. Thereafter, the I_CSCF transmits a
call set-up request to the SUR_CSCF in a message 3-3. In
the second preferred embodiment of the invention, the
30 SUR_CSCF does not store data on the subscriber in its files,
nor does the subscriber register in the SUR_CSCF. In a
message 3-4, it transmits a subscriber data request to the
home location server HSS which transmits at least those
subscriber data that relate to services of a mobile-terminat-
35 ing call to the SUR_CSCF in a message 3-5. The same
subscriber data as in the message 2-4 are preferably trans-
mitted in the message 3-5. By means of these subscriber
data, the SUR_CSCF triggers the required services when the
triggering conditions are fulfilled. More specifically, the
40 SUR_CSCF immediately starts to implement the additional
services according to the "not reachable" -state, and does not
try to route the call to the subscriber.
The second preferred embodiment of the invention pro-
vides the adv;:mtage that subscriber data are not mmecessar-
45 ily transmitted to the SUR_CSCF, but they are only trnns-
mitted when they are needed.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, which is
based on the second preferred embodiment, in response to
giving the SUR_CSCF address as the routing address of the
50 subscriber in the message 3-2, the home subscriber server
HSS transmits at least those subscriber data that relate to the
services of a mobile-terminating call to the SUR_CSCF in
the message 3-5. Thus, in this embodiment the SUR_CSCF
need not separately request the subscriber data (i.e. the
55 message 3-4 is not transmitted).
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, which is
based on the second preferred embodiment, the SUR_CSCF
stores the subscriber data received in the message 3-5 in a
database and checks before transmitting the message 3-4,
60 whether the data on the subscriber indicated in the message
3-3 are to be found in the file, and if they are, the SUR_C-
SCF uses them and does not transmit the message 3-4. In this
embodiment, the home subscriber server is arranged to
transmit a deregistration message to the SUR_CSCF during
65 the subscriber's registration in the network (and in the
S_CSCF). Because of the deregistration message, the
SUR_CSCF deletes the data on the subscriber from its file.
 US 7,043,246 B2
9 10
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, which is
based on the second preferred embodiment, the SUR_CSCF
is arranged to store the service content(s) or the pointer/
pointers to the service content(s) and the potential param-
eters, which are transmitted by the user equipment to the
network.
In the first preferred embodiment of the invention, the
subscriber data are in the SUR_CSCF, so the messages 3-4
and 3-5 are not needed.
The signaling messages in FIGS. 2 and 3 are not in an
absolute chronological order and they can be transmitted in
a different order. Other signaling messages can also be
transmitted, and/or other functions can be performed also
between the messages. For example, the SUR_CSCF can
store only those subscriber data that relate to the services of
a mobile-terminating call, although the home subscriber
server would also transmit other subscriber data. Some of
the messages shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 can also be left out.
The signaling messages are only examples and they may
comprise several independent messages for transferring the
same inforniation. In addition, the messages may also com-
prise other infonnation.
The above preferred embodiments of the invention are
only examples, and in order to have new embodiments
according to the invention the features described in the
embodiments can be combined in a different manner than
what is described above.
In the above, the term 'call' not only refers to a common
call but also to other, possibly virtual, connection states
whereto user data transmission, such as data session or
packet data transmission, is associated. Examples include a
packet radio session (such as a GPRS session), VoIP (Voice
over IP) session and multimedia session according to H.323.
User data may include a variety of components, such as
voice, video image and data. The term 'call' also covers
signaling required in the transmission of user data flow, and
services similar to a call, which may be unidirectional,
directed to a group (or groups) or broadcasts in a specific
area, for instance.
Although the invention has been described above assum-
ing that the service is triggered when the triggering condi-
tions are fulfilled, it is obvious to a person skilled in the art
how to apply the invention when there are no triggering
conditions, i.e. in cases where the service is always trig-
gered.
Although the invention has been described above such
that a call state control fimction serves unregistered sub-
scribers it is it is obvious to a person skilled in the art that
unregistered subscribers can be served by other functions/
network nodes, such as a SIP CPS (Call Processing Server),
for example.
It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that as tech-
nology develops, the basic idea of the invention can be
implemented in a variety of ways. The invention and the
embodiments thereof are not restricted to the above
examples, but may be modified within the scope of the
claims.
The invention claimed is:
1. A method for providing a service in connection with a 60
call terminating at a subscriber when the subscriber is not
registered in a network, the method comprising at least:
maintaining in the network at least one first fimction for
unregistered subscribers which first fimction triggers at
least one first service associated with the terminating 65
call for the subscriber when the subscriber is not
registered in the network; and
routing the call terminating at the subscriber to the first
function when the subscriber is not registered in the
network.
2. The method of claim 1. further comprising copying,
during an unregistration of the subscriber, at least first
service information of subscriber data of the subscriber from
a network node maintaining the subscriber data of the
subscriber to a database used by the first function.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
10 receiving the call terminating at the subscriber in the first
function;
transmitting subscriber's service inforniation from a net-
work node maintaining the subscriber data of the
subscriber to the first function; and
15 starting the triggering of services in the first fimction.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
receiving the call terminating at the subscriber in the first
function;
checking whether a database used by the first function
20 contains subscriber's service information;
if the database contains subscriber's service information,
starting the triggering of services;
if the database does not contain subscriber's service
information, the method further comprises:
25
requesting at least first service information associated
with the call terminating at the subscriber from a
network node maintaining subscriber data of the
subscriber; and
30
in response to the reception of the requested service
information, storing the received subscriber's ser-
vice information in the database and starting the
triggering of the service.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first function
35 triggers the service when triggering conditions are fulfilled.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the service is triggered
in an execution environment which is an internal environ-
ment of the first function.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the service is triggered
40 in an execution environment which is an external environ-
ment of the first function.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
maintaining in the first function an execution environment
corresponding to user equipment in order to perform at
45 least one service content; and
loading at least one service content or the address of the
service content associated with the call terminating at
the subscriber from the user equipment to the first
function.
50 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the loading is per-
formed during an unregistration of the subscriber.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first function is a
call state control function.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first fimction is a
55
session initiation protocol call processing server.
12. A method for providing a service in connection with
a call terminating at a subscriber when the subscriber is not
registered in a network, the method comprising at least:
maintaining in the network at least one first fimction for
unregistered subscribers which first function triggers,
when triggering conditions are fulfilled, at least one
first service associated with the terminating call for the
subscriber when the subscriber is not registered in the
network;
copying at least first service information of subscriber
data of the subscriber from a home subscriber server
 US 7,043,246 B2
11
maintaining the subscriber data to a database used by
the first function during an unregistration of the sub-
scriber; and
routing the call tenninating at the subscriber to the first
function when the subscriber is not registered in the
network.
13. A method for providing a service in connection with
a call tem1inating at a subscriber when the subscriber is not
registered in a network, the method comprising at least:
maintaining in the network at least one first fimction for
unregistered subscribers which first function triggers,
when triggering conditions are fulfilled, at least one
first service associated with the terminating call for the
subscriber when the subscriber is not registered in the
network;
routing the call tenninating at the subscriber to the first
function when the subscriber is not registered in the
network;
receiving the call terminating at the subscriber in the first
function;
transmitting subscriber's service infomrntion from a
home subscriber server maintaining subscriber data of
the subscriber to the first function; and
starting the triggering of services in the first function.
14. A method for providing a service in com1ection with
a call tenninating at a subscriber when the subscriber is not
registered in a network, the method comprising at least:
maintaining in the network at least one first function
which triggers when triggering conditions are fulfilled
at least one first service associated with the tem1inating
call for the subscriber when the subscriber is not
registered in the network;
routing the call terminating at the subscriber to the first
function when the subscriber is not registered in the
network
receiving the call terminating at the subscriber in the first
function;
checking whether a database used by the first function
contains subscriber's service information;
ifthe database contains subscriber's service information,
starting the triggering of services;
if the database does not contain subscriber's service
information, the method further comprises:
requesting at least first service information associated
with the call terminating at the subscriber from a
home subscriber server maintaining subscriber data
of the subscriber; and
in response to the reception of the requested service
infomrntion, storing the received subscriber's ser-
vice infonnation in the database and starting the
triggering of the service.
15. A commm1ication system comprising
at least one first function for triggering a service associ-
ated with a call terminating at a subscriber of the
communication system when the subscriber is not
registered in the communication system, and
at least one first network node for giving a routing address
of a subscriber for a call terminating at the subscriber,
the first network node being configured to give the
address of the first function as the routing address when
the subscriber is not registered in the communication
system.
16. The communication system of claim 15, wherein the
first network node transmits at least subscriber data associ-
ated with the terminating call to the first function in response
to a subscriber data request of the first function.
12
17. The connnunication system of claim 16, wherein the
first function requests subscriber data from the first network
node in response to the subscriber's registration in the first
function.
18. The cormnunication system of claim 16, wherein the
first function requests subscriber data from the first network
node in response to the reception of the call terminating at
the subscriber.
19. The communication system of claim 15, wherein
10 the first network node transmits at least subscriber data
associated with the terminating call to the first function
in response to changes in subscriber data, and
the first function stores at least the subscriber data asso-
ciated with the terminating call and update them in
15 response to the subscriber data received from the first
network node.
20. The c011nnunication system of claim 15, further com-
prising at least one tmit of user equipment for transmitting
at least one service content associated with the call termi-
20 nating at the subscriber to the first function for receiving and
storing the service content and wherein the first function
comprises an execution envirmnnent for performing the
received and stored service content.
21. The communication system of claim 15, further com-
25 prising
at least one unit of user equipment for transmitting at least
one pointer to the service content associated with the
call terminating at the subscriber to the first fm1ction for
receiving and storing the pointer,
30 at least one execution environn1ent for performing the
service content, and
memory means for maintaining the service content in the
system.
22. A network node in a cormnunication system where a
35 service associated with a call tem1inating at a subscriber is
triggered in that network node of the communication system
to which network node calls terminating at the subscriber are
routed, the network node comprising at least one interface
for the subscriber, by which interface at least one service
40 associated with the call tem1inating at the subscriber is
triggered when the subscriber is not registered in the com-
munication system.
23. The network node of claim 22, wherein the network
node is configured to receive subscriber data of the sub-
45 scriber when the subscriber perfonns an unregistration in the
network.
24. The network of claim 23, the network node further
comprising an execution enviromnent corresponding to the
execution environn1ent of user equipment in the connnuni-
50 cation system, and at least some of the subscriber data relate
to at least one service content in the user equipment.
25. The network node of claim 22, wherein the network
node is configured to request subscriber data of the sub-
scriber in response to the routing of the call terminating at
55 the subscriber to the network node.
26. The network node of claim 22, wherein the network
node is configured to store at least subscriber data relating to
the terminating call in a first database used by the network
node.
60 27. The network node of claim 26, wherein the network
node is configured to check whether subscriber data of the
subscriber are stored in the first database and to request only
those subscriber data that the network node needs for
triggering a service associated with the terminating call and
65 that are not stored in the database.
28. A network node which is configured to give routing
information of a subscriber and to recognize whether the
 US 7,043,246 B2
13
subscriber has performed an unregistration in the network,
the network node further being configured to give an address
of the first function, which triggers services of subscribers
that are not registered in the network if the triggering
conditions are fulfilled, as a routing address for the sub-
scriber when the subscriber is not registered in the network.
29. The network node of claim 28, wherein the network
node is configured to maintain the address of the first
f1mction for each subscriber separately.
30. The network node of claim 28, wherein the network 10
node is configured to set the address of the first function as
a routing address of the subscriber in response to the
subscriber performing the unregistration in the network.
31. The network node of claim 28, wherein the network
node is configured to give the address of the first function as 15 response to changes in the service content.
a routing address in response to the absence of the routing
address of the subscriber.
32. User equipment in a communication system, the user
equipment comprising at least one service content for pro-
viding a service associated with a call terminating at a 20
subscriber, and being configured to transmit information
associated with the service content to the communication
system in order to provide the service when the user equip-
ment is not registered in the communication system.
14
33. The user equipment of claim 32, wherein said infor-
mation comprises the service content.
34. The user equipment of claim 32, wherein said infor-
mation comprises a pointer which points to the service
content.
35. The user equipment of claim 34, wherein said infor-
mation further comprises at least one value of a parameter
associated with the service content.
36. The user equipment of claim 32, wherein the user
equipment is configured to transmit said information when
it registers in the commllllication system.
37. The user equipment of claim 32, wherein the user
equipment is configured to transmit said information in
38. The user equipment of claim 32, wherein the user
equipment is configured to transmit said information when
it performs the unregistration in the communication system.
39. The user equipment of claim 32, wherein the user
equipment is configured to transmit said information in
response to a request received from the system.
* * * * *
 EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 1of14

ANNEX I

IPR INFORMATION STATEMENT AND LICENSING DECLARATION

IPR Holder/Organisation

Legal Name: Nokia Corporation ~!ElQIJJl ]®

3 D JUIN ?nn.~
Signator:y:
Re_~ __ .. ____ ----
Name: Kalle Moilanen
Position: IPR Manager
Department: IPR
Address: Joensuunkatu 7 - 4, FIN-24101 SALO, P.0.Box 86, FIN-00045 NOKIA GROUP, FINLAND -

Tel.: +358 7180 45008

Fax: + 358 7180 44275
E-mail: kalle.moilanen@nokia.com

IPR information statement

In accordance with the ETSI IPR Policy, Article 4.1, I hereby inform ETSI that,

with reference to the technical proposal identified as UMTS

It is my belief that the IPRs listed in Annex 2 are, or are likely to become, Essential IPRs in relation to that Standard.

IPR licensing declaration

The SIGNATORY has notified ETSI that it is the proprietor of the IPRs listed in Annex 2 and has informed ETSI
that it believes that the IPRs may be considered ESSENTIAL to the Standards listed above.
The SIGNATORY and/or its AFFILIATES hereby declare that they are prepared to grant irrevocable licenses under
the IPRs on terms and conditions which are in accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy, in respect of the
STANDARD, to the extent that the IPRs remain ESSENTIAL.
The construction, validity and performance of this DECLARATION shall be governed by the laws of France.

Place, Date: Signature:

•
{{,ev/J..t ~·IL
Salo, Finland, 27 June 2003 Kalle Moilanen
(Signed for and on behalf of the SIGNATORY)

Please return this form duly signed to:

ETSI Director General - Karl Heinz Rosenbrock

ETSI· 650, route des Lucioles - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex ·FRANCE
Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 47 16
 EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 13 of 14

Canada PCT/EP01/07345

European Patent
01960407.3
Convention

Korea South 2003-7002569

United States 10/344104

Patent
Cooperation PCT/EP01/07345
Treatv
PROVIDING MT
 SERVICES FOR
UNREGISTERE
TS 23.228
UMTS Nokia D United States 10/035339
SUBSCRIBERS
IN R2000lM
NETWORKS
Patent
Cooperation PCT/FI02/00009
Treaty
REDUCING
MESSAGE
TS 23.218
UMTS Nokia TRAFFIC IN Malaysia PI9803183
INTELLIGENT
NETWORK

South Africa 98/6133 986133

United States 09/481230 6243455

Please return this fonn duly signed to: ETSI Director General - Kar} Heinz Rosenbrock

ETSI - 650, route des Lucioles - F-0692 1 Sophia Antipolis Cedex - France I Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 6547 16
 EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 1 of6

ANNEXl

IPR INFORMATION STATEMENT AND LICENSING DECLARATION FORMS

IPR Holder/Organisation

Legal Name: NOKJA CORPORATION _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Signatory

Name: Kalle Moilanen

·------------------------------
Position: IPR M a n a g e r - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Department: IPR _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Address: Joensuunkatu 7, FIN-24100 SALO, P.O.Box 86, FIN-00045 NOKIA GROUP, FINLAND _ __

Tel.: +358503662022 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Fax: +358-7180 44275
----------------------------
E-mail: kalle.moilanen@nokia.co111 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

IPR information statement

In accordance with the ETSI IPR Policy, Article 4.1, I hereby inform ETSI that,

with reference to the technical proposal identified as GSM. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

It is my belief that the IPR.<; listed in Annex 2 are, or are likely to become, Essential IPR.<; in relation to that Standard.

IPR licensing declaration

The SIGNATORY has notified ETSI that it is the proprietor of the IPR.<; listed in Annex 2 and has informed ETSI
that it believes that the IPR.<; may be considered ESSENTIAL to the Standards listed above.
The SIGNATORY and/or its AFFILIATES hereby declare that they are prepared to grant irrevocable licenses under
the IPRs on terms and conditions which are in accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy, in respect of the
STANDARD, to the extent that the IPR.<; remain ESSENTIAL.
The construction, validity and performance of this DECLARATION shall be governed by the laws of France.

Place, Date: Signature:

Salo, Finkland, 25th of Jan 2005 _ _

(Signed for and on behalf of the SIGNATORY)

Please return this fonn duly signed to:

ETSI Director-General - Karl Heinz Rosenbrock

ETSI - 650, route des Lucioles - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex - FRANCE
Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 4716
 ElJRO"T:AN TELECOMM{Jl"TCA nON STANDARDS INSTITUTE
page 5 of6

2004·511983 JP
GSM Nokia 1325646 Connection set·up in EP 20040028034 US
Corporation a communication CN1468496A CN
29.207 29.207: v.5.9.0 system
4.3.1.1,
29.208 v.5.9.0
5.1.5
29.208:6.
1

ZL98806680.7 CN
GSM 5.2 v.5.4.0 Nokia 1002431 Reducing message EP 110655 FI
Corporation traffic in intelligent US
23.218 6243455
network 986133 ZA
1435063 CN
GSM v.5.3.0 Nokia 1266531 Method and system EP
Corporation for activating a
23.228 5.11.3 packet data
5.4.6.3 subscriber context
for packet data
4.2.6
GSM  Nokia 2002009095 Routing of call made US
2004517555 JP
Corporation 0 to subscriber
23.228 5.12 v.5.7.0
CN1451248 CN
GSM Nokia 1325649 Monitoring EP 111312 FI
Corporation connection to user 2004·507946 JP
23.228 4.1 v.6.2.0 terminal in US20030224820 US
5.10.3 telecommunications
svstem
2004506393 JP
GSM Nokia 1312235 Communication EP 20040047437 US
Corporation system and method
23.228 5.11.3 v.5.1.0 providing a mode
5.4.1 selection procedure
1504052 CN
GSM Nokia 1393582 Providing a network EP 20030086410 US
Corporation node with service
24.229 4.5.2 v.5.3.0 reference
inrformation

Please return this fonn duly signed to: ETSI Director General- Karl Heinz Rosenbrock

ETSI - 650, route des Lucio!es . F-0692! Sophia Antipolis Cedex - France / Fax. +33 (0) 4 93 65 47 16
 Page 1
ETSI Rules of Procedure, 26 November 2008

IPR INFORMATION STATEMENT AND LICENSING

D EC LARATION
IPR HOLDER I ORGANISATION !"Declarant"l
~~~ ~

18
.. ·,'

JUIN rfWi!
-
Legal Name: Nokia Co£e9ration n•
~ ... :····-~.,--
CONTACT DETAILS FOR LICENSING INFORMATION:
Name and Title: Kalle Moilanen, IPR Manager
Department: IPR
Address: Joensuunkatu 7, P.O.Box 86, FIN-24101 Salo, Finland

Telephone: +358 50 366 2022 Fax: +358 7180 44275

Email: kalle.moilanen@nokia.com URL:

IPR INFORMATION STATEMENT

In accordance with Clause 4.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy the Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES hereby informs
ETSI that it is the Declarant's and/or its AFFILIATES' present belief that the IPR(s) disclosed in the attached
IPR Information Statement Annex may be or may become ESSENTIAL in relation to at least the ETSI Work
ltem(s), STANDARD(S) and/or TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION(S) identified in the attached IPR Information
Statement Annex.
The Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES (check one box only):
~ are the proprietor of the IPR(s) disclosed in the attached IPR Information Statement Annex.

D are not the proprietor of the IPR(s) disclosed in the attached IPR Information Statement Annex.

IPR LICENSING DECLARATION

In accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy the Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES hereby
irrevocably declares the following (check one box only, and subordinate box, where applicable):

~ To the extent that the IPR(s) disclosed in the attached IPR Information Statement Annex are or
become, and remain ESSENTIAL in respect of the ETSI Work Item, STANDARD and/or TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION identified in the attached IPR Information Statement Annex, the Declarant and/or its
AFFILIATES are prepared to grant irrevocable licences under this/these IPR(s) on terms and
conditions which are in accordance with Clause 6.1 of the ETSI IPR Policy.
~ This irrevocable undertaking is made subject to the condition that those who seek licences
agree to reciprocate (check box if applicable).

D The Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES are not prepared to make the above IPR Licensing Declaration
(reasons may be explained in writing in the attached IPR Licensing Declaration Annex).
The construction, validity and performance of this IPR information statement and licensing declaration shall
be governed by the laws of France.
Terms in ALL CAPS on this form have the meaning provided in Clause 15 of the ETSI IPR Policy.

SIGNATURE
By signing this IPR Information Statement and Licensing Declaration form, you represent that you have the
authority to bind the Declarant and/or its AFFILIATES to the representations and commitments provided in
this form.
Name of authorized person: Kalle Moilanen
Title of authorized person: IPR Manager
Place, Date: Salo, Finland, 15th of June 2009

Signature: /c:efvt.t,._ /lc,,.,l

Please return this form duly signed to: ETSI Director-Genera/
ETSI - 650, route des Lucio/es - F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex - France I Fax. +33 (OJ 4 93 65 47 16
 Page4
ETSI Rules of Procedure, 26 November 2008

US 2320464 CA
98965808.3 1055342 CH
98813557.4 1285125 CN
98965808.3 1055342 DE
98965808.3 1055342 EP
05023306.3 1633165 EP
98965808.3 1055342 ES
Method for a
98965808.3 1055342 FR
23.401 :5.3.8. 23.401: secure detach
98965808.3 1055342 GB
23.401, 2.2, 8.4.1, 09/6276 procedure in a
Nokia 98965808.3 1055342 IT
SAE 24.008 24.008:4.7.1. 24.008: 84 radio
Corporation 2000-587560 JP
3 8.5.0 telecommunicati
98965808.3 1055342 NL
on network
11/449025 20070010249 US
PCT/EP98108064 WO 00/35227 WO
05023306.3 1633165 ES
05023306.3 1633165 FR
05023306.3 1633165 DE
05023306.3 1633165 IT
05023306.3 1633165 NL
05023306.3 1633165 GB

Method for
US
3.1, 9.1, enabling a user 99963326.6 1232659 EP
23.271 9.1.1.1,7.4.2, 8.0.0 Nokia 10/1304 to be notified of PCT/EP99/09043 W001/39528 WO
SAE 9.1.1.2 07 his/her
Corporation
positioning
requests

 5.12.0, 10/0353 20020090 Routing of call US

2002-555050 2004-517555 JP
23.228 8.8.0 Nokia 950 made to
SAE 5.12.1, 4.6.3 39 PCT/FI02/00009 W002/054686 WO
Corporation subscriber
2008-202743 2009-010972 JP
 特許出願人 発明の名称 出願番号等 備考（出願国名）
REMARKS
PATENT HOLDER NAME OF PATENT REGISTRATION NO./
APPLICATION NO.
NOKIA NETWORKS (26)POWER CONTROL IN RADIO SYSTEM WO01/86834 Applied in Australia, Brazil,
*2.00 Canada, China, European Patent
OY Office, Finland, India, Japan,
Korea(South), MX, RU, United
States of America, WO
NOKIA NETWORKS (27)INTEGRITY PROTECTION METHOD FOR RADIO NETWORK WO00/69206 Applied in Brazil, Canada,
China, European Patent Office,
OY*2.00 SIGNALING Finland, India, Japan, United
States of America, WO
NOKIA NETWORKS (28)METHOD FOR DETERMINING A CANDIDATE CELL FOR AN WO01/22763 Applied in Brazil, Canada,
*2.00 China, European Patent Office,
OY ACTIVE SET Finland, Japan, Korea(South),
United States of America, WO
NOKIA NETWORKS (29)INTELLIGENT DATA NETWORK ROUTER WO01/24460 Applied in Brazil, Canada,
*2.00 China, European Patent Office,
OY
Japan, United States of America,
WO
NOKIA NETWORKS (30)HANDOVER BETWEEN WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATION WO01/22764 Applied in Brazil, Canada,
*2.00 China, European Patent Office,
OY NETWORKS/SYSTEMS Japan, Korea(South), United
States of America, WO
Nokia Corporation*2.00 ROUTING OF CALL MADE TO SUBSCRIBER WO02/054686 FI JP US WO
Nokia Corporation *2.00
MULTIMEDIA MESSAGING METHOD AND SYSTEM WO02/063849 AU BR CA CN EP FI IN JP KR
MX RU SG US WO ZA

Nokia Corporation*2.00 TRANSMISSION OF COMPRESSION IDENTIFIER OF HEADERS WO03/003668 BR CA CN EP FI JP KR SG US

WO ZA
ON DATA PACKET CONNECTION
ノキアコー レイシ を 立する方法及びシステム 特表2003-502883 Applied in China, European
*2.00 Patent Office, Japan, United
ョン
States of America, WO

63
 25
A17315VI
 Illlll llllllll Ill lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll 111111111111111111111111111111111
US006331978Bl

(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 6,331,978 Bl

Ravikanth et al. (45) Date of Patent: Dec. 18, 2001

(54) GENERIC IABEL ENCAPSUIATION 5,765,032 * 6/1998 Valizadeh ............................. 709/235

PROTOCOL FOR CARRYING IABEL 5,841,776 11/1998 Chen .................................... 370/441
SWITCHED PACKETS OVER SERIAL LINKS 5,878,044 3/1999 Frischknecht et al. .............. 370/466

(List continued on next page.)

(75) Inventors: Rayadurgam Ravikanth, Burlington,
MA (US); Ove Strandberg, Cupertino, FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
CA (US); Pasi Vaananen, Sommerville, 1009129 A2 * 612000 (EP) .
MA(US)
OTHER PUBLICAfIONS
(73) Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications, Oy, Espoo
(FI) Data Communications, Computer Networks and Open Sys-
tems, Halsall, 4th Ed., pp. 130-131, 1995.*
( *) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this Primary Examiner--Alpus H. Hsu
patent is extended or adjusted under 35 (74) Attorney, A.gent, or Firm-Altera Law Group, LLC
U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(57) ABSTRACT
(21) Appl. No.: 09/264,758 A method for encapsulation of labeled datagrams over serial
(22) Filed: Mar. 9, 1999 communications links, and a method for extracting the
datagrams on the receiving end of the link. The encapsula-
7
(51) Int. Cl. ............................. H04L 12/56; G06F 15/16 tion method includes adding a label and a label error
(52) U.S. CI........................... 370/392; 370/401; 370/474; correction to the front of a datagram, the label error correc-
714/776; 7141781; 714/819 tion being derived using the label and adding a cyclic
(58) Field of Search ..................................... 370/392, 401, redundancy check at a trailing end of the datagram, the
370/449, 467, 474, 216, 229, 230, 231, cyclic redundancy check being derived using the datagram.
242, 244, 389, 412, 413, 414, 465, 471; The end of a packet encapsulating the datagram with a label,
714/746, 752, 758, 759, 774, 776, 781, a label error correction field and a cyclic redundancy check
785, 819 field is identified by analyzing incoming bits for a packet
until a pattern of bits is detected that matches a number of
(56) References Cited previous bits of the packet coded with a predetermined
coding formula and identifying the end of the packet based
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS upon the detection of the match and the predetermined
4,763,319 * 8/1988 Rozenblit ............................. 370/397 coding formula. The end of the current frame may be
4,995,032 * 2/1991 Demichelis et al. ................... 370/60 identified by coding incoming bits according to the cyclic
5,099,517 3i1992 Gupta et al. ........................... 380/29 redundancy check polynomial to produce a calculated cyclic
5,136,592 * 8/1992 Weng .................................. 371;39.l redundancy check until the calculated cyclic redundancy
5,430, 715 7 /1995 Corbalis et al. ....................... 370/54 check matches the cyclic redundancy check field. In
5,490,252 * 2i1996 Macera et al ........................ 709/249 addition, or alternatively, the end of the previous frame may
5,502, 726 * 3/1996 Fischer ................................. 370/392
be identified by coding incoming bits according to the label
5,524,116 * 6/1996 Kalmanek, Jr. et al. ............ 370/389
5,546,387 * 8i1996 Larsson et al. ........................ 370/60 error correction polynomial to produce a calculated label
5,594, 732 * li1997 Bell et al. ............................ 370/401 error correction until the label error correction matches the
5,655,140 * 8/1997 Haddock .............................. 709/246 label error correction field.
5,699,369 * 12i1997 Guha ...................................... 371/41
5,717,689 * 2/1998 Ayanoglu ............................. 370/349 33 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets

200
(

210 220 230 240

( I ( )

LABEL LEC PAYLOAD CRC

 US 6,331,978 Bl
Page 2

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 5,954,835 * 9/1999 Hihhinson et al. .................. 714;759

5,995,995 * 11i1999 Thomas et al. ...................... 709/100
5,878,045 3/1999 Timbs .................................. 370/466 6,038,233 * 3/2000 Hamamoto et al. ................. 370/401
5,892,924 * 4/1999 Lyon et al. ...................... 395/200.75 6,118, 784 * 9/2000 Tsuchiya et al. .................... 370/401
5,917,828 * 6/1999 Thompson ........................... 370/474 6,122,759 * 9/2000 Ayanoglu et al. ..................... 714/57
5,920,705 * 7/1999 Lyon et al. ........................ 395/200.7
5,936,949 * 8/1999 Pasternak et al. ................... 370/328 * cited by examiner
 ~
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152 120 ~

.__,_.-..,._ _________ .......

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Fig.2
U.S. Patent Dec. 18, 2001 Sheet 3 of 4 US 6,331,978 Bl

300
(

310 312 314 316 318 320

340 330
Fig.3
 START 400
Jf
414 410 442
,...------------ 412\ DETECT (
440 (
PERFORM CRC CURRENT END OF PREVIOUS PERFORM LEC
CALCULATION ON CURRENT FRAME 0 > - - - - - - - - i.... CALCULATION ON
INCOMING BITS PREVIOUS INCOMING BITS
FRAME?
416 444

COMPARE CALCULATED COMPARE CALCULATED

CRC TO A NUMBER OF LEC TO A NUMBER OF
BITS ASSOCIATED WITH BITS ASSOCIATED WITH
THE CRC FIELD THE LEC FIELD

450,
446
422,
418
NO
NO
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44 8
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MATCH?>------- YES

END
Fig.4
 US 6,331,978 Bl
1 2
GENERIC IABEL ENCAPSUIATION
PROTOCOL FOR CARRYING IABEL
SWITCHED PACKETS OVER SERIAL LINKS
BACKGROUND OF TIIE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to serial communications
systems, and more particularly to a generic label encapsu-
lation protocol for carrying label switched packets over
serial links.
2. Description of Related Art
Demand for bandwidth is skyrocketing in data service
provider networks. With this demand comes a need for
efficient bandwidth utilization, higher performance and sim-
plicity. Fullest traffic an Internet Protocol (IP) traffic vol-
umes are expected to continue to increase at substantially
higher rates. With the rise of IP throughout global networks,
many high volume links are trying to sidestep the additional
burden required by ATM cells. Most carriers use SONET
(Synchronous Optical Network) as the OSI layer I specifi-
cation for data transmission over optical fibers in the public
network, and ATM is then used as the OSI layer II link.
However, the extra data that must be added to a packet to
traverse an ATM link can eat up more than 10 percent of
ATM's raw bandwidth. Further, there are many other packet
protocols for bundling data for transmission. While SONET
will be mentioned herein as a primary example, those skilled
in the art will recognize that the concepts discussed here are
valid for any serial link.
SO NET is a family of transmission rates from 51.84 Mbps
(the base rate) to 13.22 Gbps that was created to provide the
flexibility needed to transport many digital signals with
different capacities, and to provide a design standard for
manufacturers. Despite the name, it is not limited to optical
links. SONET development began as a suggestion to the
Exchange Carriers Standards Association and ultimately
came to rest at the American National Standards Institute
(ANSI). SONET has also been adopted by the International
Telecommunications Union--Telecommunications Stan-
dardization Sector (ITU-T). The ITU-T version is know as
Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH), which varies slightly
in that SDH levels begin at 155 Mbps.
To deliver efficient network manageability and scalability,
today's data networks are based on a hierarchical architec-
ture that includes the backbone as well as the service node
layers. The major function of a router and a backbone is to
provide performance and scalability, to switch millions of
packets per second, and to scale to high rates. At the service
nodes or the distribution layer, the main goal of an edge
router is to provide features such as security access control,
and support for differentiated services through class of
service (CoS) offering. For example, most carriers transport
their router traffic through the SONET/SDH platforms for
long distances. The SONET/SDH hardware forms the main
infrastructure amending telecommunication providers and
enterprises worldwide. Therefore, it is imperative for the
data equipment to inter operate \vith this infrastructure
seemlessly.
IP over SONET/SDH is gaining popularity as a way to
reduce the ATM overhead burden described above and
squeeze more bandwidth out of a link. IP over SONET/SDH
removes ATM from the transmission picture, foregoing the
traditional method of encapsulating IP packets into an ATM
cell, which is then mapped into a SONET frame. Instead,
this technology maps the IP package straight into a SO NET
frame.
Packet data over SONET/SDH is the servo transmission
of data over SONET frames through the use of point-to-
point protocol (PPP). PPP was designed as a standard
method of communicating over point-to-point links. Initial
5 deployment was designed for short local lines, lease lines
and plain-old-telephone-service (POTS) using modems. As
new packet services and higher speed lines are introduced,
point-to-point protocol is easily deployed in these environ-
ments as well.
10 PPP treats SONET transports as octet oriented synchro-
nous links. PPP presents an octet interface to the physical
layer and there is no provision for sub-octets to be supplied
or accepted. The octet stream is mapped into the SONET
synchronous payload envelope (SPE), with the octet bound-
15 aries aligned with the SPE octet boundaries. SONET pro-
vides substantial overhead information, allowing simpler
multiplexing and greatly expended operations,
administration, maintenance and provisioning (OAM&P)
capabilities.
20
SONET includes multiplexing principles such as
mapping, aligning, multiplexing and stuffing. One of the
benefits of SONET is that it can carry large payloads (above
50 Mbps). Nevertheless, the digital hierarchy signals can be
accommodated as well by subdividing STS (Synchronous
25
Transport Signals) SPE into smaller components of struc-
tures knoVi.rn as virtual tributaries (VTs), for the purpose of
transporting and switching payloads smaller than the STS-1
rate.
30
Accordingly, packet over SONET/SDH is an ideal feature
for networks that are built for providing Internet or IP data.
Packet over SONET/SDH provides superior bandwidth uti-
lization and efficiency over other transport methods.
Hmvever, not all networks can reap the benefits of IP over
35
SONET/SDH. First, all data traversing the link must be IP.
Because 155 Mbps over IP data is not easy to come by, this
requirement is a major drawback of using IP over SONET/
SDH. ATM can be more easily statistically multiplexed than
IP over SONET/SDH. However, ATM can be run on lower
40
speed links. But, as mentioned above, ATM carries the
additional overhead that must be added to each packet to
traverse the ATM link.
As the convergence occurs towards delivery of audio,
data, images and video through diverse transmission switch-
45 ing systems that supply high speed transportation over any
medium to any location, SONET is gaining momentum as
the transport network for transmitting packets due to its
reduced overhead compared to IP over ATM-type solutions.
Hmvever, as stated above, the current approach is directed to
50 packet over SONET/SDH using point-to-point protocol
encapsulation.
There is an ongoing effort in the IETF to provide easy
switching for packet traffic over servo links by using labels
and label switching routers (LSR). The multi-protocol label
55 switching (MPLS) groups work is directed at solving the
complexity involved in label-switching and presenting a
standard-based interoperability testing proposal. Label
switching adds connections to connectionless protocols such
as Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
60 By calculating routes across the network and assigning
"tags" or "labels" to those routes, frame forwarding is
simplified to the point where it also can be implemented in
hardware. Given this architecture, labels switching can, in
theory, operate equally well over ATM and non-ATM envi-
65 ronments. In ATM networks, the label already exists; it is the
virtual channel (VC) address. In non-ATM environments,
such as Ethernet, new protocols have to be developed to
 US 6,331,978 Bl
3 4
accomplish this. The main advantage of using labels is
improved forwarding capability to elimination of layer three
look-up and the traffic engineering capabilities brought by
the use of labels.
However, as mentioned above, the only approach cur-
rently used for carrying packet traffic over SONETiSDH
uses point-to-point encapsulation. A definition as to how
labels can be encapsulated has not yet been proposed.
Further, even if labels are used for carrying packet traffic
over servo links, the problem of detecting the encl of packet
without having to look inside the payload has now been
solved.
It can be seen then that there is a need for encapsulation
for carrying label switch packet over servo links.
It can be seen then that there is a need for a method to
detect the encl of packets \\<ithout having to look inside the
payload.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To overcome the limitations in the prior art described
above, and to overcome other limitations that \\<ill become
apparent upon reading and understanding the present
specification, the present invention discloses a generic label
encapsulation protocol for carrying label switched packets 25
over serial links.
The present invention solves the above-described prob-
lems by providing a label encapsulation protocol and a
method for detecting the end of variable length packets.
A method in accordance with the principles of the present 30
invention includes adding a label and a label error correction
to the front of a datagram, the label error correction being
derived using the label and adding a cyclic redundancy
check at a trailing end of the datagram, the cyclic redun-
dancy check being derived using the datagram.
Other embodiments of a method in accordance with the
principles of the invention may include alternative or
optional additional aspects. One such aspect of the present
invention is that the label includes three bytes.
Another aspect of the present invention is that the label
error correction is obtained according to D 8 +D 2 +D+l.
Another aspect of the present invention is that the data-
gram is scrambled.
Another aspect of the present invention is that the data- 45
gram is scrambled according to D 43 +1.
Another aspect of the present invention is that the cyclic
redundancy check is obtained using a polynomial D 16 + D 15 +
D2+1.
Another aspect of the present invention is that the data-
gram is an IPv4 packet.
Another aspect of the present invention is that the data-
gram is an IPv6 packet.
Another aspect of the present invention is that the label 55 the end of a variable size packets having a label encapsulated
comprises a plurality of bits, wherein a bit in the label is a
label significant bit for indicating that no pay load is being
carried.
In another embodiment of the present invention a method
is provided for identifying an encl of a packet encapsulating 60
the datagram with a label, a label error correction field and
a cyclic redundancy check field, the method including
analyzing incoming bits for a packet until a pattern of bits is
detected that matches a number of previous bits of the packet
coded with a predetermined coding formula and identifying 65 embodiments may be utilized as structural changes may be
the encl of the packet based upon the detection of the match
and the predetermined coding formula.
Another aspect of the present invention is that the prede-
termined coding formula comprises a cyclic redundancy
check polynomial and the analyzing comprises coding
incoming bits according to the cyclic redundancy check
5 polynomial to produce a calculated cyclic redundancy check
until the calculated cyclic redundancy check matches the
cyclic redundancy check field.
Another aspect of the present invention is that the select-
ing further comprises the identifying the end of the current
10 packet based upon the detection of the match.
Another aspect of the present invention is that the prede-
termined coding formula comprises a label error correction
polynomial and the analyzing comprises coding incoming
bits according to the label error correction polynomial to
15 produce a calculated label error correction until the label
error correction matches the label error correction field.
Another aspect of the present invention is that the select-
ing further comprises the identifying the end of the previous
packet based upon the detection of the match.
20
Another aspect of the present invention is that the prede-
termined coding formula comprises a combination of a
cyclic redundancy check polynomial and a label error cor-
rection polynomial, wherein the analyzing comprises coding
incoming bits according to the cyclic redundancy check
polynomial and the label error correction polynomial,
wherein the cyclic redundancy check polynomial produces a
calculated cyclic redundancy check until the calculated
cyclic redundancy check matches the cyclic redundancy
check field and the label error correction polynomial pro-
duces a calculated label error correction until the label error
correction matches the label error correction field.
These and various other advantages and features of nov-
elty which characterize the invention are pointed out with
particularity in the claims annexed hereto and form a part
35
hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention,
its advantages, and the objects obtained by its use, reference
should be made to the dra~ngs which form a further part
hereof, and to accompanying descriptive matter, in which
40 there are illustrated and described specific examples of an
apparatus in accordance with the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring now to the drawings in which like reference
numbers represent corresponding parts throughout:
FIG. 1 illustrates a network system that is applicable to
the generic label encapsulation protocol according to the
present invention for carrying label S\\<itchecl packets over
serial links;
50 FIG. 2 illustrates a generic label encapsulation protocol
(GLEP) packet according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 illustrates a stream 300 of variable size packets;
and
FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating the method for detecting
according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
INVENTION
In the following description of the exemplary
embodiment, reference is made to the accompanying draw-
ings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way
of illustration the specific embodiment in which the inven-
tion may be practiced. It is to be understood that other
made without departing from the scope of the present
invention.
 US 6,331,978 Bl
5 6
FIG. 1 illustrates a network system 100 that is applicable 2. It may even be unnecessary to have bit for this, these
to the generic label encapsulation protocol according to the can be discarded on basis of the reception of consecu-
present invention for carrying label switched packets over tive matching labels back-to-back.
serial links. In FIG. 1, a local user 110 is sending packets to 3. Other alternative is to reserve special label codepoint
a remote user 120 via a serial link 130. The packets cross the 5 such as 00000000 00000000 xxxxxxx for this function
network 140 via routers 150, 152 at each end thereof. For (bits are expensive).
example, the packets may be transported over SONET/SOH. Having described the encapsulation protocol, the method
Packet over SONET/SOH has been gaining momentum, due for extracting the payload from the label will be described
to its reduced overhead as compared to IP over ATM type next. The extraction needs to be examined as to whether the
solutions. Label switching in IP networks has up to now present invention can effectively be used to label switch
10
dealt with link layer technologies such as ATM and Frame GLEP packets 200, without too much processing (such as IP
Relay. However, ATM and Frame Relay have more natural level processing) overhead.
ways to map label switched traffic to the link layer tech- One of the primary advantages to the ATM approach is the
nologies than packet over SONET/SOH. The current fact that the ATM cells are of fixed sizes and the virtual path
approach to packet over SONET/SOH uses PPP encapsula- indicator/virtual channel indicator (VPl/VCI) fields are in
tion for this purpose. However, the manner in which labels l5 fixed positions in the cell. While even in the current GLEP
can be encapsulated in packet over SONET/SOH has not yet case, it is true that the labels 210 are placed in a fixed
been defined. location and only a fixed length lookup is required, it still
The present invention provides a generic label encapsu- remains a problem that the GLEP packets 200 are variable
lation protocol that enables the carrying of a label and the size in nature since the datagrams 230 themselves are of
associated packet in a fashion that will enable easy switch- 20 variable length as shown in FIG. 3. The task then is to detect
ing by a label switching router (LSR) 150, 152. Further, the the end of packet without having to look inside the payload.
present invention provides a method for extracting the Thi<s can be achieved using the CRC field 240 and the LEC
datagram from the label at the remote end. field 220.
FIG. 2 illustrates a generic label encapsulation protocol FIG. 4 is a flow chart 400 illustrating a method for
(GLEP) packet 200 according to the present invention. As 25 detecting the end of a variable size packet having a label
shown in FIG. 2, 24 bits or 3 bytes are allocated for the label encapsulated according to the present invention. In FIG. 4,
210 information. Since this is the primary header that the the end of a frame may be identified in two ways. The end
label switching will be based upon, a 1 byte Label Error of a previous frame may be identified by detecting the
Correction (LEC) field 220 is used to detect errors in the beginning of the label of the current frame using the LEC,
label header of this GLEP packet 200. For example, the LEC 30 or the end of the current frame may be detected by using the
8 2
field 220 may be obtained using the polynomial 0 +0 +0+ CRC. First, the method is chosen 410. If the end the current
1. The GLEP packet 200 also includes the original payload frame method is chosen 412, the CRC for the bits of the
230 and a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) field 240.
payload is calculated 414. The typical implementation of the
The original payload is a variable size packet. FIG. 3 CRC is in the form of shift registers. In keeping \vith the
illustrates a stream 300 of variable size packets 310-320.
35 example described above with reference to FIG. 2, as the bits
Each of the variable size packets 310-320 includes a header
of the payload come in, the 16-bit CRC operation is per-
330 and a data field 340. For exaniple, the variable size
packets 310-320 may be IPv4 or IPv6 packets or they may formed in hardware. This calculated CRC is then checked
be based on any other network layer protocol. with the trailing 16 bits 416. Monitoring for a match takes
Referring again to FIG. 2, the payload 230 is the field place 418, wherein a match indicates the end of the current
adjacent to the LEC field 220. The payload 230 may be 40 GLEP frame 420. Otherwise, the process recycles 422.
scrambled, e.g., using the 0 43 +1 polynomial which is the If the end the previous frame method is chosen 440, the
ATM scrambler. Those skilled in the art will recognize that LEC for the bits of the label is calculated 442. As the bits of
the generic label encapsulation protocol according to the the label come in, the LEC operation is performed in
present invention is truly multi-protocol in the fact that the hardware. This calculated LEC is then checked until a match
payload 230 being carried could be any network layer 45 with the LEC field is identified 444. Monitoring for a match
protocol. This ensures that the generic label encapsulation takes place 446, wherein a match indicates the beginning of
protocol according to the present invention is consistent with the current frame and consequently the end of the previous
the work of the MPLS working group. The fourth and final GLEP frame 448. Otherwise, the process recycles 450.
field in the proposed scheme is the CRC field 240. The CRC Thus, it is possible to accurately identify the variable
240 may be 2 bytes in length. Further, the CRC 240 may be 50 length GLEP frame. The allows the forwarding of a GLEP
16 15 2
obtained using the CRC-16 polynomial 0 +0 +0 +1. frame based on the label that is carried in the header, which
However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the is a fixed length lookup. Thus, this generic label encapsu-
present invention is not meant to be limited to the above- lation protocol according to the present invention allows for
described label space partitioning, field dimensions and easy deployment of MPLS over serial links such as SONET.
coding polynomials. Those skilled in the art will also 55 Nevertheless, those skilled in the art will readily recognize
recognize that in addition to the MPLS label identifier, fields that the present invention is not meant to be limited to
like MAC bits, Class of Service bits, congestion indication separately using CRC and LEC. Those skilled in the art will
bits, etc. may be included, and that in such a case, the label recognize that more complex methods in accordance with
field 210 indicated above could be more than 3 bytes. In the present invention may be used to increase performance.
addition, one of the bits of the label field 210 may be 60 For exaniple, a combination of the two approaches, i.e.,
reserved for a "label significant bit." This is to indicate the some combination using both LEC and CRC, may be used
fact that no payload 230 is being carried. Actually there are to detect the end of the GLEP packets.
three options for this: Returning again to FIG. 1, according to the present
1. When there is no data to send, this bit is set as "label invention, a packet entering the network cloud 140 would
insignificant", and consecutive labels marked \vith 65 have a label attached at the ingress LSR 150. The egress
"label insignificant" are sent as long as there is no data LSR 152 would then extract the label according to the
to send. method described above with reference to FIG. 4.
 US 6,331,978 Bl
7 8
In summary, the present invention describes a new rection polynomial, wherein analyzing includes coding
method for encapsulation of labeled datagrams over serial incoming bits according to the label error correction
communications links, and a method for extracting the polynomial to produce a calculated label error correc-
datagrams on the receiving end of the link. The key advan- tion until the label error correction matches the label
tage of the present invention over the currently available 5 error correction field; and
label encapsulation methods, such as AIM and Frame Relay identifying the end of the packet based upon the detection
is the simplicity and efficiency of the method over the other of the match and the predetermined coding formula.
alternatives. While SO NET and MPLS are key technologies 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the predetermined
in Intemetworking, there are benefits to combining these coding formula further comprises a cyclic redundancy check
two. The approach outlined herein represents the first effort 10 polynomial and the analyzing further comprises coding
in carrying MPLS packets in SONET. This eliminates the incoming bits according to the cyclic redundancy check
additional overhead of running ATM on SO NET, while still polynomial to produce a calculated cyclic redundancy check
maintaining the MPLS switching capability. Further, all the until the calculated cyclic redundancy check matches the
associated benefits of MPLS can be obtained. Since packet cyclic redundancy check field.
over SONET is already in use, the present invention further 15 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the identifying
enhances the capabilities of such a network. Specifically, further comprises identifying the end of the current packet
QoS can be enabled on IP over SONET backbones through based upon the detection of the match.
the use of MPLS. While SO NET has been mentioned as the 14. The method of claim 11 wherein the identifying
primary example above, those skilled in the art will recog- further comprises identifying the end of the previous packet
nize that the present invention described herein is valid for 20 based upon the detection of the match.
any serial link, and thus enables MPLS over any serial link. 15. The method of claim 11, further comprising extracting
The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiment the payload from the packet after identifying the end of the
of the invention has been presented for the purposes of packet.
illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaus- 16. A packet network, comprising:
tive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. 25 an ingress entity for receiving a datagram and encapsu-
Many modifications and variations are possible in light of lating the datagram with a multi-protocol label for
the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the controlling the processing of the datagram, a multi-
invention be limited not with this detailed description, but protocol label error correction field and a cyclic redun-
rather by the claims appended hereto. dancy check field to produce a labeled packet, and
What is claimed is: 30 forwarding the packet to a next hop; and
1. A method for encapsulating a label in a packet enabling an egress entity for identifying an end of the packet
label switching of the packet over serial links, comprising: encapsulating the datagram with the label, the label
adding a multi-protocol label and a multi-protocol label error correction field and the cyclic redundancy check
error correction to the front of a datagram, the label field and for identifying the end of the packet by
error correction being delivered using the label and the 35 analyzing incoming bits for the packet until a pattern of
multi-protocol label error correction enabling identifi- bits is detected that matches a number of previous bits
cation of the end of the packet; and of the packet coded with a label error correction
adding a cyclic redundancy check at a trailing end of the formula.
datagram, the cyclic redundancy check being derived 17. The packet network of claim 16 wherein the ingress
using the datagram. 40 entity encapsulates the datagram by adding a label and a
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the label includes three label error correction derived using the label to the front of
bytes. a datagram and adding a cyclic redundancy check derived
. 3. The method of 1 wherein the label error correction is using the datagram at a trailing end of the datagram.
obtained according to D 8 +D 2+D+l. 18. The packet network of claim 17 wherein the label
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the datagram IS 45 includes three bytes.
scrambled. 19. The packet network of claim 17 wherein the label
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the datagram IS error correction is obtained according to D 8 +D 2+D+l.
scrambled according to D 43 +1. 20. The packet network of claim 17 wherein the datagram
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the cyclic redundancy is scrambled.
check is obtained using a polynomial D 16 +D 15 +D 2+1. 50 21. The packet network of claim 20 wherein the datagram
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the datagram is an IPv4 is scrambled according to D 43 +1.
packet. 22. The packet network of claim 17 wherein the cyclic
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the datagram is an IPv6 redundancy check is obtained using a polynomial D 16 +D 15 +
packet. D2+1. .
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the label comprises a 55 23. The packet network of claim 17 wherein the datagram
plurality of bits, wherein a bit in the label is a label is an IPv4 packet.
significant bit for indicating that no payload is being carried. 24. The packet network of claim 17 wherein the datagram
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-protocol is an IPv6 packet.
label includes address information and non-address infor- 25. The packet network of claim 17 wherein the label
mation. 60 comprises a plurality of bits, wherein a bit in the label is a
11. A method for identifying an end of a packet encap- label significant bit for indicating that no payload is being
sulating the datagram with a label, a label error correction carried.
field and a cyclic redundancy check field, comprising: 26. The packet network of claim 16 wherein the egress
analyzing incoming bits of the encapsulating packet until entity further codes incoming bits according to a cyclic
a pattern of bits is detected that matches a number of 65 redundancy check polynomial to produce a calculated cyclic
previous bits of the packet encoded with a predeter- redundancy check until the calculated cyclic redundancy
mined coding formula that includes a label error cor- check matches the cyclic redundancy check field.
 US 6,331,978 Bl
9 10
27. The packet network of claim 26 wherein the selecting the cyclic redundancy check polynomial to produce a cal-
further comprises the identifying the end of the current culated cyclic redundancy check until the calculated cyclic
packet based upon the detection of the match. redundancy check matches the cyclic redundancy check
28. The packet network of claim 16 wherein the label field and the label error correction polynomial to produce a
error correction formula comprises a label error correction s calculated label error correction until the label error correc-
polynomial, the egress entity coding incoming bits accord- tion matches the label error correction field.
ing to the label error correction polynomial to produce a 31. The packet network of claim 16, wherein the egress
calculated label error correction until the label error correc- entity further extracts the datagram from the packet after
tion matches the label error correction field. identifying the end of the packet.
29. The packet network of claim 28 wherein the selecting 10 32. The packet network of claim 16, wherein the packet
further comprises the identifying the end of the previous encapsulating the datagram is of a length unknown to the
packet based upon the detection of the match. egress entity until the egress entity has identified the end of
30. The packet network of claim 16 wherein the label the packet.
error correction formula comprises a combination of a cyclic 33. The packet network of claim 16, wherein the multi-
redundancy check polynomial and a label error correction 15 protocol label includes address information and non-address
polynomial, the egress entity coding incoming bits accord- information.
ing to the cyclic redundancy check polynomial and the label
error correction polynomial, wherein the egress entity uses * * * * *
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FORM: 1 March 2007


 12
A17746VI
 Illlll llllllll Ill lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll 111111111111111111111111111111111
US007558283B2

02) United States Patent (IO) Patent No.: US 7,558,283 B2

Zheng (45) Date of Patent: Jul. 7, 2009

(54) METHOD, APPARATUS AND COMPUTER 7,254, 119 B2 * 8/2007 Jiang et al. .................. 370/328
PROGRAM PRODUCT PROVIDING QUALITY 7,272,379 Bl* 9/2007 Tang et al. .................. 455/406
OF SERVICE SUPPORT IN A WIRELESS 7,280,505 B2 10/2007 Chaskar et al. ............. 370/331
COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM 7,400,596 Bl* 712008 Robertson et al. ........... 370/312

OTHER PUBLICATIONS
(75) Inventor: Ilaihong Zheng, Coppell, TX (US)
CDMA2000 Wireless IP Network Standard: Packet Data Mobility
(73) Assignee: Nokia Corporation, Espoo (FI) and Resource Management, Aug. 2003, 3GPP2X.SOO11-003-C, Ver-
sion 1.0.0, pp. 12-14.*
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this Interoperability Specification (IOS) for CDMA2000 Access Net-
work Interfaces-Part 1 Overview, Nov. 16, 2001, 3GPP2 A.SOOl l-
patent is extended or adjusted under 35
0, Version 1.0, p. 19. *
U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
"3GPP2 cdma2000 Wireless IP Network Standard: Packet Data
Mobility and Resource Management", Version 1.0.0, Aug. 2003, pp.
(21) Appl. No.: 11/071,492 1-24.
"3GPP2 Interoperability specification (IOS) for cdma2000 Access
(22) Filed: Mar. 2, 2005 Network Interfaces Part 4 (Al, A2, and AS Interfaces) (3G-I0Sv4.
3.1)", Version 1.0, Apr. 2004, pp. 1-410.
(65) Prior Publication Data
*cited by examiner
US 2005/0201324 Al Sep. 15, 2005
Primary Examiner-Wing F Chan
Related U.S. Application Data Assistant Examiner-Mark A Mais
(7 4) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Harrington & Smith, PC
(60) Provisional application No. 60/552,466, filed on Mar.
12, 2004. (57) ABSTRACT
(51) Int. Cl. Disclosed herein are a method, apparatus and computer pro-
H04J 3116 (2006.01) gram product to correlate service instance for a mobile station
(52) U.S. Cl. ........................ 370/437; 370/341; 370/235 (MS), radio access network (RAN) and a packet data serving
(58) Field of Classification Search ................. 370/235, node (PDSN) connection by exchanging identifiers between
370/310,312,328,329,338,341,347,348, the entities involved in the connections. Also disclosed herein
370/349, 347-49, 352, 356, 395.5, 395.52, are a method, apparatus and computer program product to
370/401, 406, 437, 469, 522, 524; 709/225-232, perfom1 a handoff of a Mobile Node (MN) from a first Packet
709/238, 246; 455/426.1, 450, 452.2, 509, Data Serving Node (PDSN) associated with a first Radio
455/561 Network (RN) to a second PDSN, associated with a second
See application file for complete search history. RN. As a non-limiting example, the method includes sending
(56) References Cited a handoff request message from the first RN to the second RN,
and communicating between the second RN to the second
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS PDSN and between the second PDSN and the first PDSN to
accomplish the handoff; where Quality of Service (QoS)
6,728,365 Bl * 4/2004 Li et al. ...................... 379/329
information associated with the MN in the first RN is sent to
6,980,523 B 1 * 12/2005 Lipford ct al. .............. 370/252
7,031,287 Bl* 4/2006 Ho et al. ..................... 370/338 the second PDSN.
7,039,039 B2 * 5/2006 Cheong et al. .............. 3 70/349
7,061,880 B2 * 6/2006 Basilier ...................... 370/312 15 Claims, 9 Drawing Sheets

l MS 10
~22 l PDSN
26 /'200

3GPP2 RSVP-RESV MESSAGE OVER MAIN SI

(3GPP2 OBJECT: TFT, FLOW QoS REVERSE, FLOW QoS FORWARD, REQUEST ID)
201
R-P UPDATE (RADIO QoS ATTRIBUTES, REQ~E_5'!ll?) __________
202
R-P UPDATE RESPONSE
--------------- 203
Aux SI SET UP (Qo5-BLOB, SR_ID, REQU~_l_DJ ____________________
---------------- 204
Aux SI SET UP ACK
205
R-P SETUP REQUEST (GRANTEDr&RAOIO
QoS ATTRIBUTES, REQUEST ID
206
R-P SETUP RESPONSE
--------------- 207
3GPP2 RSVP REsv_coNF MESSAGE OVER MAIN SI
(SR_IO, GRANTED QoS, REQUEST ID)
--------------- 208
I
 ~120
110 130 /100
MS PDSN

3GPP2 RSVP-RESV MESSAGE OVER MAIN SI

(3GPP2 OBJECT: TFT, FLOW QoS REVERSE. FLOW QoS FORWARD)
~-------~----4---~--~-----.......+-------- ----- - 101
R-P UPDATE (RADIO QoS ATTRIBUTES)
-------------- 102
R-P UPDATE RESPONSE
. __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _- t - - - -- -- - --
- 103
Aux SI SET UP {QoS_BLOB. SR_ID)
......,___ _ _ _ _....;;.....___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _--+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 104
.,_ ________________
Aux SI SET UP ACK ---------- ----- 105
R-P SETUP REQUEST
(GRANTED RADIO QoS ATTRIBUTES)
106
R-P SETUP RESPONSE
107
3GPP2 RSVP RESV_CONF MESSAGE OVER MAIN SI (GRANTED QoS)
i---------------4-----___;..-------;------ 108

FIG.1A
Src RN Tgt RN Src PDSN Tgt PDSN

HANDOFF REQUEST (SR_ID)

R-P CONNECTION SETUP REQUEST (MS Id, P-P ADDRESS, SR_ID)

R-P CONNECTION SETUP RESPONSE (P-P ADDRESS)

P-P CONNECTION SETUP REQUEST (SR_ID)

P-P CONNECTION SETUP RESPONSE ()

FIG.1 B
MS 10
I- _RA_N _r-22 [ PDSN
28 ,-200

I
3GPP2 RSVP-RESV MESSAGE OVER MAIN SI
(3GPP2 OBJECT: TFT, FLOW QoS REVERSE, FLOW QoS FORWARD, REQUEST ID)
- ---- 201
~-P UPDATE (RADIO QoS ATIRIBUTES. REQU~S!~~-
- 202
R-P UPDATE RESPONSE
-- 203
~ux SI SET UP (QoS_BLOB, SR_ID, REQU~_!_DJ ____________________ ~---------------- 204

Aux SI SET UP ACK

.--~~~~~~~~~~~.....+-------------------------~---------------- 205
R-P SETUP REQUEST (GRANTED RADIO
QoS ATIRIBUTESt REQUEST ro)
206
R-P SETUP RESPONSE
'-~---~~~~~~~~~~-----.-~--------------- 207
3GPP2 RSVP RESV_CONF MESSAGE OVER MAIN SI
(SR_lD, GRANTED QoS, REQUEST ID)
~---~~~~~~~~~~~-t-~~~~~~~~~~~------------ ------- 208

FIG.2
MS 10 _RAN
__r-22 PDSN 28 /300

I
3GPP2 RSVP-RESV MESSAGE OVER MAIN SI
(3GPP2 OBJECT: TFT, FLOW QoS REVERSE. FLOW QoS FORWARD)
.--~~~~~~~~~~~--...~~~~~~~~~~~--~------- - ----- 301
R-P UPDATE (RADIO QoS ATTRIBUTES, CONNECTI~N IDl __ _
302
R-P UPDATE RESPONSE
303
Aux SI SET UP (QoS_BLOB, SR_ID) -------- ------- 304
Aux SI SET UP ACK
- ---------------- 305
R-P SETUP REQUEST (GRANTED RADIO
t---_Qo_S_A_ITR_tB_U_TE_S_,_CO_N_N_EC_TI_O_N_ID_...;.)__.,..-+- _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _
306
R-P SETUP RESPONSE
- 307
3GPP2 RSVP RESV_CONF MESSAGE OVER MAIN SI (SR_ID, GRANTED QoS)
308

FIG.3
 16 IS-41 MAP
VLR HLR

18 HOME ACCESS
PROVIDER NETWORK
IS-41 MAP
20
12 34
14
MSC
HOME AAA
A1 A5/A2.
(BOTH CS (ONLY CS HOME IP
~ ANO PS) SERVICES) NETWORK
2'2A
RADIUS 36
_____,~ RN

~~~ BTS~BSC PCF

A8 A9
---- BROKER /4M

BROKER IP
1o. 24A
228
26A NElWORK
(MOBILE A3/A7
NODE) RN 38
BS AB A9
BTS+BSC PCF HOME AGENT
MOBILE 1Pv4
288 HOME IP NETWORK,
248 268 HOME ACCESS
PROVIDE NETWORK.
FIG.4 PRIVATE NETWORK
 22A 228 28A 288

Src RN Tgt RN Src PDSN Tgt PDSN

HANDOFF REQUEST (SR_ID. QoS INFORMATION)

R-P CONNECTION SETUP REQUEST (MS ID. P-P ADDRESS.

SR_ID, QoS INFORMATION)

R-P CONNECTION SETUP RESPONSE (P-P ADDRESS, QoS POLICY)

P-P CONNECTION SETUP REQUEST (SR_ID)

P-P. CONNECTION SETUP RESPONSE ()

FIG.5
 22A 228 28A 288

Src RN Tgt RN Src PDSN Tgt POSN

HANDOFF REQUEST (SR_ID. QoS INFORMATION)

R-P CONNECTION SETUP REQUEST (MS Id, P-P ADDRESS,

SR_ID, QoS INFORMATION)

R-P CONNECTION SETUP RESPONSE (P-P ADDRESS)

P-P CONNECTION SETUP REQUEST (SR_IO)

P-P CONNECTION SETUP RESPONSE ()

R-P UPDATE (SR_ID, QoS POLICY)

R-P UPDATE RESPONSE

FIG.6
 22A 228 28A 288

Src RN Tgt RN Src PDSN Tgt PDSN

HANDOFF REQUEST (SR_ID)

R-P CONNECTION SETUP REQUEST (MS ID, P-P ADDRESS, SR_ID)

R-P CONNECTION SETUP RESPONSE (P-P ADDRESS)

P-P CONNECTION SETUP REQUEST {SR_ID)

P-P CONNECTION ETUP RESPONSE (QoS INFORMATION

R-P UPDATE (SR_ID, QoS POLICY)

R-P UPDATE RESPONSE

FIG.7
 ( 22A { 228 {_ 28A [_288

l Src RN J l Tgt RN J [ Src PDSN J [ Tgt PDSN J

HANDOFF REQUEST (SR_ID)

-
R-P CONNECTION SETUP REQUEST (MS ID, P-P ADDRESS, SR_ID)
-
R-P CONNECTION SETUP ~ESPONSE (P-P ADDRESS)

P-P jO~NECTION SETUP REQUEST (SR_ID)

P-P CONNECTION SETUP RESPONSE
_..

P-P UPDATE (SR_ID, QoS INFORMATION)

-
R-P UPDATE (SR_ID, QoS POLICY)
-
R-P UPDATE RESPONSE

FIG.8
 US 7,558,283 B2
1 2
METHOD, APPAR<\TUS AND COMPUTER
PROGRAM PRODUCT PROVIDING QUALITY
OF SERVICE SUPPORT IN A WIRELESS
COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM
CLAIM OF PRIORITY FROM COPENDING
PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION
'Ibis patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C.
§119(e) from Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/552,
466, filed Mar. 3, 2004, the disclosure of which is incorpo-
rated by reference herein in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
1he presently preferred embodiments of this invention
relate generally to communication systems and, more par-
ticularly, to Quality of Service (QoS) correlation between
entities in a communication system. The presently preferred
embodiments of this invention further relate generally to
packet data mode hand off techniques for use in a radio
network (RN) that services a mobile station (MS), also
referred to herein as a Mobile Node (MN), and, more specifi-
cally, relate to such handoff techniques that accommodate a
certain MN QoS during and after the handoff.
BACKGROUND
1he subject matter of this patent application is at least
partially in support of a proposal to 3GPP2 TSG Core Net-
works (TSG-X) Packet Data Serving (PDS) work group
(WG). However, the application is not to be deemed limited to
such specifications which may be published by such body as
3GPP2.
1he following aspects regarding an end-to-end (E2E) QoS
solution have been previously agreed in the PDS WG: the use
of enhanced flow mapping/treatment protocol for QoS sig-
naling from the Mobile Station (MS) to the Packet Data
Serving Node (PDSN); provide a capability in the Packet
Data Serving Node (PDSN) to request a Radio Access Net-
work (RAN)-PDSN (R-P) connection with specific QoS
parameters; and adopt an approach that the MS send QoS
Requirements to the PDSN, and that the PDSN send the MS
QoS requirement to the RAN.
FIG. IA is a session diagram 100 showing a conventional
QoS negotiation procedure in a cdma2000-type network.
Network entities involved during the session include, but are
not limited to, the Mobile Station (MS) 110, Radio Access
Network (RAN) 120 and Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN)
130.
At step 101, after exchanging the application level infor-
mation (not shown in the diagram), the MS 110 sends a
3GPP2-RSVP Resv message to the PDSN 130 containing
QoS attributes and traffic filter templates (TFTs) in the
3GPP2 object for both the receiver and the sender.
Step 102, after successful authorization of the requested
QoS attributes, the PDSN 130 processes the request, extracts
the radio-related QoS parameters and generates the
cdma2000 Bearer Service QoS paran1eters. The PDSN 130
requests the RAN 120 to establish a bearer with the appropri-
ate QoS parameters (link level QoS).
The RAN 120 acknowledges the session update message at
step 103. Then at step 104, the RAN 120 uses its resource
management to determine if it can honor the request, and
requests establishment of a Service instance to the MS 110
with the granted link level QoS and assigned Service Refer-
ence Identifier (SR_ID).
At step 105, the MS 110 accepts the request and at step 106
the RAN 120 sends an R-P setup message to the PDSN 130.
The message may contain actual granted QoS parameters,
e.g., if the requested QoS parameters could not be honored by
5 the RAN 120 (to be used for accounting purposes).
At step 107, the PDSN 130 acknowledges the R-P setup
message and sends the ResvConfmessage to the MS 110 at
step 108.
It has been found that the above described signaling
10 approach has collocation problems between the procedures
perforn1ed over the different interfaces.
More specifically, a problem that arises with the conven-
tional QoS signaling approach is that since the SR_ID is only
assigned during the auxiliary service instance setup proce-
15
dure (step 104), the MS 110 cannot correlate the higher layer
QoS signaling (i.e., the RESV signaling) with the service
instance just established at step 104and105. In other words,
the MS 110 accepts an auxiliary Service Instance (SI) estab-
lishment request without knowing for which application the
20
SI is established. '!he correlation is only established in the MS
110 after step 108. This procedure may violate the design
concept that the MS 110 should know which service instance
is established for which application.
25
Another problem with the conventional QoS signaling
approach is that when the R-P update message is sent by the
PDSN 130 in step 102 to check the resource availability, no
SR_ID is assigned. Therefore, when the PDSN 130 later
receives the R-P setup request message in step 106 from the
30
RAN 120, the PDSN 130 cannot correlate the R-P update
message and the R-P setup request message, and thus, cam10t
correlate the RESV message (step 101) with the R-P setup
request message (step 106). As a result, the PDSN 130 does
not know whether the SR_ID carried in the R-P setup request
35
message is for the TFT carried in RESV message. As a result,
the PDSN 130 does not send a RESV_CONF response to MS
110 with the assigned SR_ID.
As is described in 3GPP2 specification (Packet Data
Mobility and Resource Management-X.SOOI 1-003-C), when
40 a Mobile Node (MN) with an active service instance hands off
to a new Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN), a fast hand off
procedure may be supported between the PDSNs. On detec-
tion of a condition where a handoffis required, a source Radio
Network (RN), sometimes referred to as a Radio Access
45 Network (RAN), initiates hand off procedures with the target
RN (via a Mobile Switching Center (MSC)). The target RN
selects a target PDSN and establishes one R-P connection for
each service instance to that target PDSN. For each R-P
connection so established, the target PDSN attempts to estab-
50 lish a P-P connection to the source PDSN. The source PDSN
applies all existing link layer contexts (e.g., Point-to-Point
Protocol (PPP) and compression) before sending the data
packets to the target PDSN over the P-P connection. A high
level message flow diagram for this type ofinter-PDSNhand-
55 off is shown in FIG. lB, where Src represents "Source" and
Tgt represents "Target".
As is explained in further detail below, this conventional
inter-PDSN handofftechnique does not consider how to pro-
vide QoS over the R-P network, and the external network,
60 during and after handoff. The QoS requested by a MN may
include a specific data rate and error rate, and in general may
specify a certain data throughput based on an application of
interest. For example, the MN may request a different QoS
when engaged in a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) appli-
65 cation (e.g., one having low latency) than when involved ina
typical web browsing application or a streaming video down-
load application.
 US 7,558,283 B2
3 4
More specifically, when using the conventional fast PDSN message comprising a plurality of quality of service attributes
handoff procedure, and after the P-P connection is estab- granted by the radio access network and a service reference
lished, the target PDSN does not have knowledge of the MN identifier; correlating the com1ection with the radio access
QoS requirements, or of the QoS policy to be applied to the network and sending a confirmation message to the mobile
service instance. As a result of this deficiency, no Internet station, the confinnation message comprising the plurality of
Protocol (IP) QoS can be supported over the R-P network quality of service attributes granted by the radio access net-
between target RN and target PDSN, as well as over network work, and the service reference identifier.
between source PDSN and target PDSN for the packet traffic In a third aspect thereof this invention provides a method
transferred in the reverse direction. for correlating service instance for a mobile station (MS),
It is noted that in current practice of particular interest to 10 radio access network (RAN) and a packet data serving node
the preferred embodiments of this invention the Handoff (PDSN) connection, where the method includes receiving a
Request message sent from the Src RN to the Tgt RN can reservation request message at the PDSN from the MS com-
carry one QoS-related parameter: "Non-Assured Mode prising a plurality of quality of service (QoS) attributes and a
Packet Priority", which indicates the priority of a non-assured Request Identifier generated by the MS; processing the
packet data service as specified in 3GPP2A.SOO14-B, v. 1.0, 15 requested plurality of quality of service attributes and gener-
Section 4.2.41. However, the information conveyed by this ating therefrom a plurality of bearer service QoS parameters;
field is insufficient for the Tgt PDSN to derive a QoS policy sending a request to the RAN to establish a bearer based at
forthe MN. least in part on the plurality ofbearer service QoS parameters,
the request to establish a bearer comprising the Request Iden-
SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED 20 tifier; sending a service instance setup message to the MS
EMBODIMENTS from the RAN, the service instance setup message compris-
ing link-level QoS parameters granted by the RAN and the
The foregoing and other problems are overcome, and other Request Identifier; sending a RAN-PDSN cmmection setup
advantages are realized, in accordance with the presently request message from the RAN to the PDSN, the setup
preferred embodiments of this invention. 25 request message comprising the Request Identifier; correlat-
A system according to an embodiment of this invention ing atthe PDSN the RAN-PDSN connection with the Request
provides a method for correlating service instance for a MS, Identifier received from the MS in the reservation request
a RAN and a PDSN connection by exchanging identifiers message and sending a reservation confirmation message to
between the entities involved in the connections. the MS, the reservation confirmation message comprising the
In a first aspect thereof this invention provides a method for 30 Request Identifier.
correlating service instance for a mobile station (MS), radio In a farther aspect of this invention there is provided a MS
access network (RAN) and a packet data serving node operable with a RAN and a PDSN, where the MS includes
(PDSN) connection. The method comprises receiving from a means for sending a flow request message to the PDSN com-
mobile station a 3GPP2-RSVP Resv message, the message prising information specifying a desired quality of service
comprising a request for a plurality of quality of service 35 (QoS) for the flow and a Flow Request Identifier generated by
attributes and a plurality of traffic filter templates; receiving a the MS for identifying the flow request; and means for receiv-
Request Identifier generated by the mobile station; process- ing from the RAN information specifying at least granted
ing the requested plurality of quality of service attributes; QoS parameters and the Flow Request Identifier, and for
extracting from the plurality of quality of service attributes at further receiving a flow request confirmation message from
least one attribute related to radio access; generating a plu- 40 the PDSN, the flow request confirniation message also com-
rality of bearer service parameters; requesting the radio prising the Flow Request Identifier.
access network to establish a bearer based on the plurality of In a still further aspect thereof this invention provides a
bearer service parameters; providing the Request Identifier to method to operate a MS with a RAN and a PDSN, comprising
the radio access network; receiving acknowledgment from sending a flow request message to the PDSN comprising
the radio access network; receiving a setup message compris- 45 infonnation specifying a desired quality of service (QoS) for
ing a plurality of quality of service attributes granted by the the flow and a Flow Request Identifier generated by the MS
radio access network and a service reference identifier; cor- for identifying the flow request; receiving from the RAN
relating the connection with the radio access network and information specifying at least granted QoS parameters and
sending a confirmation message to the mobile station, the the Flow Request Identifier and receiving a flow request con-
confirmation message comprising the plurality of quality of 50 firmation message from the PDSN, the flow request confir-
service attributes granted by the radio access network, the mation message also comprising the Flow Request Identifier.
service reference identifier and the Request Identifier. In another aspect thereof this invention provides a com-
In a second aspect thereof this invention provides a method puter program product tangibly embodied on a computer
for correlating service instance for a mobile station (MS), readable medium that includes program instructions the
radio access network (RAN) and a packet data serving node 55 execution of which operate a MS with a RAN and a PDSN,
(PDSN) connection, where the method includes receiving comprising operations of sending a flow request message to
from a mobile station a reservation message, the reservation the PDSN comprising information specifying a desired qual-
message comprising a request for a plurality of quality of ity of service (QoS) forthe flow and a Flow Request Identifier
service attributes and a plurality of traffic filter templates; generated by the MS for identifying the flow request; receiv-
processing the requested plurality of quality of service 60 ing from the RAN information specifying at least granted
attributes; extracting from the plurality of quality of service QoS parameters and the Flow Request Identifier and receiv-
attributes at least one attribute related to radio access; gener- ing a flow request confirmation message from the PDSN, the
ating a plurality of bearer service parameters; requesting the flow request confirmation message also comprising the Flow
radio access network to establish a bearer based on the plu- Request Identifier.
rality of bearer service parameters; providing a connection 65 In another aspect thereof this invention provides a method
identifier; receiving acknowledgment from the radio access of correlating a service instance for a MS, a RAN and a PDSN
network having a connection identifier; receiving a setup c01mection, comprising receiving at the PDSN a reservation
 US 7,558,283 B2
5 6
request message from the MS, the reservation request mes-
sage comprising a request for a certain quality of service and
a plurality of traffic filter templates; processing the request for
the quality of service and generating therefrom bearer service
QoS parameters; sending a request to the RAN to establish a
bearer based at least in part on the bearer service QoS param-
eters, the request to establish a bearer comprising a Com1ec-
tion Identifier and receiving an acknowledgment from the
RAN, the acknowledgment comprising at least granted QoS
parameters, a Service Reference Identifier (SR_ID) and the
Connection Identifier.
In yet another aspect thereof this invention provides a
PDSN operable with a MS and a RAN, comprising process-
ing means responsive to receipt of a reservation request mes-
sage from the MS, the reservation request message compris-
ing a request for a certain quality of service and a plurality of
traffic filter templates, for processing the request for the qual-
ity of service and generating therefrom bearer service QoS
parameters; means for sending a request to the RAN to estab-
lish a bearer based at least in part on the bearer service QoS
parameters, the request to establish a bearer comprising a
Connection Identifier; and means for receiving an acknowl-
edgment from the RAN, the acknowledgment comprising at
least granted QoS parameters, a Service Reference Identifier
(SR_ID) and the Com1ection Identifier.
In another aspect thereof this invention provides a com-
puter program product tangibly embodied on a computer
readable medium and comprising program instrnctions the
execution of which operate a PDSN with a MS and a RAN,
comprising operations of, responsive to receipt of a reserva-
tion request message from the MS, the reservation request
message comprising a request for a certain quality of service
and a plurality of traffic filter templates, processing the
request for the quality of service and generating therefrom
bearer service QoS parameters; sending a request to the RAN
to establish a bearer based at least in part on the bearer service
QoS parameters, the request to establish a bearer comprising
a Connection Identifier and receiving an acknowledgment
from the RAN, the acknowledgment comprising at least
granted QoS parameters, a Service Reference Identifier
(SR_ID) and the Connection Identifier.
In a still fi1rther aspect thereof this invention provides a
method to perform a handoff of a MN from a first PDSN
associated with a first RN to a second PDSN, associated with
a second RN. The method includes sending a handoff request
message from the first RN to the second RN and communi-
cating between the second RN to the second PDSN and
between the second PDSN and the first PDSN to accomplish
the handoff; where QoS infonnation associated with the MN
in the first RN is sent to the second PDSN.
In another aspect thereofthis invention provides apparatus
to perform a hand off of a MN from a first PDSN associated
with a first Radio Network (RN) to a second PDSN, associ-
ated with a second RN. The apparatus includes means for
sending a bandoff request message from the first RN to the
second RN, and means for communicating between the sec-
ond RN to the second PDSN and between the second PDSN
and the first PDSN to accomplish the handoff; where QoS
information associated with the MN in the first RN is sent to
the second PDSN.
In a further aspect thereof this invention provides a com-
puter program product tangibly embodied on a computer
readable medirnn and comprising program instrnctions to
perform a handoff of the MN from the first PDSN associated
with the first RN to a second PDSN associated with a second
RN. The computer program product performs operations of
sending a handoff request message from the first RN to the
second RN; and communicating between the second RN to
the second PDSN and between the second PDSN and the first
PDSN to accomplish the handoff; where QoS infomiation
associated with the MN in the first RN is sent to the second
5 PDSN.
In a still further aspect thereof this invention provides a
Packet Data Serving Node that comprises means for receiving
QoS information associated with a Mobile Node in a source
Radio Network, means for determining a QoS policy for the
10 Mobile Node based at least in part on the received QoS
information; and means for sending the QoS policy to a
Mobile Node Handoff target Radio Network, where the
Packet Data Serving Node communicates with said target
Radio Network through an R-P interface com1ection.
15 In yet another aspect thereof this invention provides a
Radio Network coupled to a Packet Data Serving Node and
comprises means for sending to a target Radio Network QoS
information for a Mobile Node when functioning as a source
Radio Network in association with a Handoff of the Mobile
20 Node to the target Radio Network; and when functioning as
the target Radio Node for sending the QoS information
received from a source Radio Network to a target Packet Data
Serving Node, and for receiving a QoS policy for the Mobile
Node from the target Packet Data Serving Node, where the
25 QoS policy is determined at least in part from the QoS infor-
mation sent to the target Packet Data Serving Node.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
30 The foregoing and other aspects of the presently preferred
embodiments of this invention are made more evident in the
following Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodi-
ments, when read in conjunction with the attached Drawing
Figures, wherein:
35 FIG. lA is a session diagram showing a conventional QoS
negotiation procedure in a cdma2000 network;
FIG. lB is a message flow diagram showing a conventional
Inter-PDSN Fast Handoff procedure;
FIG. 2 is a message flow diagram, also referred to as a
40 session diagran1, showing the use of a Request ID between the
MS, the RAN and the PDSN to correlate multiple procedures;
FIG. 3 is a session diagram showing use of a Com1ection ID
over an R-P interface to correlate multiple procedures;
FIG. 4 is a system block diagram of a non-limiting embodi-
45
ment of a connnunications system that is suitable for practic-
ing this invention;
FIG. 5 is a message flow diagram, also referred to as a
session diagram, of a first embodiment of an Inter-PDSN fast
50
handoffwith QoS support, for a RN originated case;
FIG. 6 is a message flow diagram of a second embodiment
of an Inter-PDSN fast handoff with QoS support, for a RN
originated case;
FIG. 7 is a message flow diagram of a first embodiment of
55 an Inter-PDSN fast handoff with QoS support, for a PDSN
originated case; and
FIG. 8 is a message flow diagram of a first embodiment of
an Inter-PDSN fast handoff with QoS support, for a PDSN
originated case.
60
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENTS
By way of introduction, reference is made to FIG. 4 for
65 showing an appropriate technological context within which
the embodiments of this invention may be implemented and
practiced.
 US 7,558,283 B2
7 8
More specifically, FIG. 4 is simplified block diagram of a
wireless communication system 1, such as a CDMA 2000-
type network, that is suitable for use in practicing the teach-
ings of this invention.A description ofFIG. 4 will be provided
in order to place this invention into a suitable technological
context. However, it should be appreciated that the specific
network architecture and topology shown in FIG. 4 is not to
be construed in a limiting sense upon this invention, as this
invention could be practiced in networks having an architec-
ture and topology that differs from that shown in FIG. 4.
Further, the general concepts of this invention may be prac-
ticed as well in any access technology for implementing a
mobile IP network, and is thus not limited for use only in a
CDMA network. As such, while reading the ensuing descrip-
tion it should be noted that while some aspects and nomen-
clature of the description are specific to a CDMA-type net-
work, the description is not intended to be read in a limiting
sense upon the implementation, use and practice of this inven-
tion.
TI1e wireless colllllrnnication system 1 shown in FIG. 4
includes at least one Mobile Node (MN) or MS 10. The MS 10
may be or may include a cellular telephone, or any type of
mobile terminal (MT) having wireless collllllunication capa-
bilities including, but not limited to, portable computers, per-
sonal data assistants (PDAs ), Internet appliances, gaming
devices, imaging devices and devices having a combination
of these and/or other functionalities. The MS 10 is assumed to
be compatible with the physical and higher layer signal for-
mats and protocols used by a network 12, and to be capable of
being coupled with the network 12 via a wireless link 11. In
the presently preferred embodiments of this invention the
wireless link 11 is a radio frequency (RF) link, although in
other embodiments the wireless link 11 could be an optical
link.
In a conventional sense the network 12 includes a mobile
switching center (MSC) 14 coupled through an IS-41 Map
interface to a visitor location register (VLR) 16. The VLR 16
in turn is coupled through an IS-41 Map interface to a switch-
ing system seven (SS-7) network 18 and thence to a home
location register (HLR) 20 that is associated with a home
access provider network of the MS 10. The MSC 14 is also
coupled through an Al interface (for circuit switched (CS)
and packet switched (PS) traffic) and through anA5/A2 inter-
face (CS services only) to a first radio access network (RAN),
also referred to as a radio network (RN) 22A. The first RN
22A includes a base station (BS) 24A that includes a base
transceiver station (BIS) and a base station center (BSC) that
is coupled through an A8/A9 interface to a Packet Control
Function (PCF) 26A. The PCF 26A is coupled via an R-P
(PDSN/PCF) interface 27 (also called anAlO/Al 1 interface)
to a first packet data serving node (PDSN) 28A and thence to
an IP network 30 (via a Pi interface). The PDSN 28A is also
shown coupled to a visited access, authorization and account-
ing (AAA) node 32 via a Pi and a remote authentication
dial-in service (RADIUS) interface, that in turn is coupled to
the IP network 30 via a RADIUS interface.
Also shown coupled to the IP network 30 via RADIUS
interfaces are a Home IP network AAA node 34 and a Broker
IP network AAA node 36. A home IP network/home access
provider network/private network Home Agent 38 is coupled
to the IP network via a Mobile IPv4 interface. In accordance
with RFC3220, the Home Agent 38 is a router on the home
network of a mobile node (the MS 10 in this description) that
tunnels datagrams for delivery to the mobile node when it is
away from home, and that maintains current location infor-
mation for the mobile node.
Also shown in FIG. 4 there may be a second RN 22B that
is coupled to the first RN 22A via an A3/A7 interface. The
second RN 22A includes a BS 24B and a PCF 26B and is
coupled to a second PDSN 28B. The PDSN 28A and the
5 PDSN 28B are coupled together through a P-P interface 29
(PDSN to PDSN interface, defined in IS835C ).
Embodiments of this invention provide a request identifi-
cation-based approach to correlate different procedures so
that the MS 10, RAN 22 and PDSN 28 each have knowledge
10 of which request is associated with which service instance.
It is noted that a possible solution to the problems discussed
above would be to enable the MS to signal another RESV
message to the PDSN after step 108 in FIG. I. This additional
RESV message should contain at least the TFTs and the
15 assigned SR_ID. However, this approach would require the
PDSN to send a RESV_CONF message as the response to the
RESV message. As can be appreciated, this approach is not
preferred, as it generates additional delay and consumes addi-
tional bandwidth.
20 Multiple presently preferred solutions to the problems dis-
cussed above are provided by the embodiments of the inven-
tion. A first solution is shown in FIG. 2, and solves both of the
above described problems by using a single request identifier
(Request Id) in procedures between the MS 10, RAN 22 and
25 PDSN 28. A second solution is described in FIG. 3 and solves
the problem related to the case that when the R-P update
message is sent by the PDSN 28 to check the resource avail-
ability, no SR_ID is assigned. This problem is solved by
adding a connection identifier (Connection_ID) over the R-P
30 interface to correlate a service instance with the flow mapping
procedure.
Referring first to FIG. 2, there is shown a session diagram
200 illustrative of a solution to both the above described
problems by using the single Request Id in all the procedures
35 between the MS 10, RAN 22 and PDSN 28.
At step 201, after exchanging the application level infor-
mation (not shown in the diagram), the MS 10 sends a 3GPP2-
RSVP Resv message to the PDSN 28 containing QoS
attributes and traffic filter templates (TFTs) in the 3GPP2
40 object for both the receiver and the sender. A Request Id is
generated and carried in the Resv message. The Request Id is
preferably unique for each flow mapping and QoS signaling
from the MS 10.
At step 202, after successful authorization of the requested
45 QoS attributes, the PDSN 28 processes the request, and
extracts the radio-related QoS parameters and generates the
cdma2000 Bearer Service QoS parameters. The PDSN 28
requests the RAN 22 to establish a bearer with the appropriate
QoS parameters (link level QoS). The Request Id generated
50 by the MS 10 is also included in the request to the RAN 22.
The RAN 22 acknowledges the session update message at
step 203, and at step 204 the RAN 22 uses its resource man-
agement function to determine if it can honor the request, and
requests establishment of a Service Instance to the MS 10
55 with the granted link level QoS and assigned SR_ID. Along
with the SR_ID, the MS 10 originated Request Id is sent back
to MS 10 as well so that MS 10 is informed that the estab-
lished Service Instance is for the flow whose TFT is carried in
the corresponding Resv message.
60 At step 205, the MS 10 accepts the request.
At step 206, after receiving the SI Setup Acknowledge
from the MS 10, the RAN 22 sends an R-P setup message to
the PDSN 28. The request message may contain actual
granted QoS parameters if the requested QoS parameters
65 could not be honored, along with the Request Id and SR_ID.
The Request Id is used by PDSN 28 to correlate the R-P
connection with the Resv message.
 US 7,558,283 B2
9 10
At step 207, the PDSN 28 acknowledges the R-P setup
message. The PDSN 28 also sends the ResvConf message to
the MS 10, which carries granted QoS, SR_ID and Request Id
(step 208).
Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a session diagram
300 illustrative of a solution to the problem of the MS 10 not
having sufficient infonnation to enable it to correlate the
higher layer QoS signaling (i.e., the RESV signaling) with the
service instance, since the SR_ID is only assigned during the
auxiliary service instance setup procedure as shown in step
104 of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is illustrative of a solution that uses a
Connection ID over the R-P interface 27 to correlate multiple
procedures between the MS 10, RAN 22 and PDSN 28.
In step 301, after exchanging the application level infor-
mation (not shown in the diagram), the MS 10 sends a 3GPP2-
RSVP Resv message to the PDSN 28 containing QoS
attributes and traffic filter templates (TFTs) in the 3GPP2
object for both the receiver and the sender.
At step 302, after successful authorization of the requested
QoS attributes, the PDSN 28 processes the request, and
extracts the radio related QoS parameters and generates the
cdma2000 Bearer Service QoS parameters. 'Ihe PDSN 28
requests the RAN 22 to establish a bearer with the appropriate
QoS parameters (link level QoS). A Connection Id is gener-
ated and carried in the R-P update message. The Connection
Id is preferably unique for each service instance.
At step 303, the RAN 22 acknowledges the session update
message and at step 304 the RAN 22 uses its resource man-
agement function to determine if it can honor the request, and
requests establishment of a Service instance to the MS with
the granted link level QoS and assigned SR_ID.
The MS 10 accepts the request. (Step 305).
At step 306, after receiving SI Setup Ack from the MS 10,
the RAN 22 sends an R-P setup message to the PDSN 28,
where the request message may contain actual granted QoS
parameters, if the requested QoS parameters could not be
honored, along with the SR_ID and Connection Id assigned
by PDSN 28 in the R-P update message. The Connection Id is
used by PDSN 28 to correlate the R-P setup message with the
R-P update message, and to consequently correlate the
SR_ID carried in the R-P setup message with the Resv mes-
sage that triggers the R-P update message.
At step 307 the PDSN 28 acknowledges the R-P setup
message and sends the ResvConf message to the MS 10,
which carries granted QoS and the correspondent SR_ID at
Step 308.
It should be appreciated that an aspect of this invention
relates to at least one computer program product that is tan-
gibly embodied on a computer readable medium and that
includes program instmctions to operate the MN 10 with the
PDSN 28 and the RAN 22. The computer program product
may be localized within and/or distributed among the MS 10,
PDSN 28 and RAN 22 for execution by constituent data
processors thereof (e.g., shown as Controllers (Cont) in each
PDSN 28 in FIG. 4). The RNs 22 are also assumed to include
suitable Controllers and Interfaces for performing operations
in accordance with the embodiments of this invention, as is
the MS 10.
In one non-limiting embodiment the computer program
product comprises program instmctions the execution of
which operate the MS 10 with the RAN 22 and the PDSN 28
to perform operations of sending a flow request message to
the PDSN 28 comprising information specifying a desired
QoS for the flow and a Flow Request Identifier generated by
the MS 10 for identifying the flow request; receiving from the
RAN 22 information specifying at least granted QoS param-
eters and the Flow Request Identifier; and receiving a flow
request confirmation message from the PDSN 28, the flow
request confirmation message also comprising the Flow
Request Identifier.
In another non-limiting embodiment the computer pro-
5 gram product comprises program instmctions the execution
of which operate the PDSN 28 with the MS 10 and the RAN
22 to perfonn operations, in response to a receipt of a reser-
vation request message from the MS 10, where the reserva-
tion request message comprises a request for a certain quality
10 of service and a plurality of traffic filter templates, processing
the request for the quality of service and generating therefrom
bearer service QoS parameters; sending a request to the RAN
22 to establish a bearer based at least in part on the bearer
service QoS parameters, the request being one to establish a
15 bearer and comprising a Connection Identifier; and receiving
an acknowledgment from the RAN 22, where the acknowl-
edgment comprises at least granted QoS parameters, the
SR_ID and the Connection Identifier.
Described now are further embodiments of this invention
20 that address additional ones of the problems described above,
and that provide an enhanced inter-PDSN fast handofftech-
nique that provides QoS support during and after handoff.
For the purposes of description of this invention, and not by
way of limitation, the first PDSN 28A in FIG. 4 may be
25 considered to be the source PDSN (Src-PDSN), and the sec-
ond PDSN 28B may be considered to be the target PDSN
(Tgt-PDSN), relative to the MN 10. In like manner the asso-
ciated BSs and PCFs can be assumed to be the source BS 24A
and source PCF 26A, and the target BS 24B and target PCF
30 26B. The Radio Networks 22A and 22B may also be consid-
ered as Source and Target RNs, respectively, in accordance
with the nomenclature used in FIGS. 5-8.
The further preferred embodiments of this invention pro-
vide multiple approaches to enable QoS support over the R-P
35 network 27 between the target RN 22B and target PDSN 28B,
as well as the P-P interface 29 between the source PDSN 28A
and the target PDSN 28B, during an inter-PDSN 28 handoff.
A first presently preferred further embodiment uses a RN-
originated approach where upon receiving a handoff related
40 message from source RN 22A, the target RN 22B sends QoS
information of the handoff MN 10 to the target PDSN 28B,
which triggers the target PDSN 28B to set up QoS over the
P-P interface 29 between the source PDSN 28A and the target
PDSN 28B, as well as the R-P connection 27 between the
45 target RN 22B and the target PDSN 28B.
A second presently preferred further embodiment uses a
PDSN-originated approach where, triggered by the P-P con-
nection 29 setup, the source PDSN 28A sends the QoS infor-
mation of the handoffMN 10 to the target PDSN 28B, which
50 triggers the target PDSN 28B to set up QoS over the P-P
connection 29 between the source PDSN 28A and the target
PDSN 28B, as well as the R-P connection 27 between the
target RN 22B and the target PDSN 28B.
In contradistinction to the conventional practice of the
55 Rando ff Request message sent from the Src RN to the Tgt RN
conveying only the one QoS-related parameter: "Non-As-
sured Mode Packet Priority", to indicate the priority of a
non-assured packet data service, the preferred embodiments
of this invention convey QoS-related information from the
60 Src RN 22A, for the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6, or from
the Src PDSN 28A, for the embodiments of FIGS. 7 and 8,
that is sufficient forthe Tgt PDSN 28B to derive a QoS policy
for the MN 10.
In general, it should be noted that the QoS policy to be
65 enforced by the PDSN (or PCF) can to some extent be depen-
dent on the service provider. However, as a general mle the
more QoS infom1ation that is provided the more accurate will
 US 7,558,283 B2
11
be the QoS policy that is derived therefrom. As non-limiting
examples, the QoS infonnation sent from the Src RN 22A or
from the Src PDSN 28A, in accordance with the embodi-
ments of this invention, can include one or more of: an aver-
age bit rate, which can aid the Tgt PDSN 28B in detem1ining
a traffic shaping policy; the traffic class; ancVor the delay
requirement, the latter two of which can aid the Tgt PDSN
28B in detem1ining a Diffserv Code Point assigmnent policy.
In addition, the priority can be sent as well. Thus, in accor-
dance with the embodiments of this invention a reference to
"QoS information" is intended to imply at least one QoS-
related parameter that can be used by the Tgt PDSN 28B in
establishing a QoS policy for the MN 10.
The two presently preferred enhanced inter-PDSN handoff
techniques that provide QoS support during inter-PDSN
handoff are now described in farther detail with reference to
FIGS. 5-8.
RN-Originated Embodiments
Assuming that the QoS requirement or QoS provision
policy (generally referred to as QoS infonnation in the fol-
lowing description) of the service instance is maintained by
the Src RN 22A, and referring to FIG. 5, when handoff is
initiated the Src RN 22A transfers the QoS information to the
Tgt RN 22B in a Handoff Request message (along with a
Service Request Identification (SR_ID) and any other rel-
evant information). The Tgt RN 22B then processes and
modifies, if necessary, the received QoS information and then
forwards it to the Tgt PDSN 28B in a R-P Connection Setup
Request. The Tgt PDSN 28B generates its own QoS policy
based on the QoS infonnation sent from Tgt RN 22B, and
possibly also other policies. The Tgt PDSN 28B may also
optionally push the QoS policy to the Tgt RN 22B for use in
providing the QoS support over the R-P network 27 for
reverse direction traffic. It is noted that the QoS policy can be
carried in the R-P connection setup response message along
with the P-P Address, as shown in FIG. 5, or in a separate
policy configuration or update message as shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 6 shows a non-limiting example of the QoS information
being carried in a R-P Update message sent from the Tgt
PDSN 28B to the Tgt RN 22B. Note that in the embodiment
of FIG. 6 the P-P connection setup and R-P connection update
procedures may be performed in parallel.
It should be noted that when the Src RN 22A transfers the
QoS information to the Tgt RN 22B in the HandoffRequest
message, the HandoffRequest message may actually be sent
via another network element, such as through the MSC 14.
PDSN-Originated Embodiments
In accordance with the second preferred embodiment of
this invention, the source PDSN 28A pushes the QoS infor-
mation forthe service instance to the target PDSN 28B. In this
case, and as is illustrated in FIG. 7, the trigger event to initiate
sending the QoS information is the P-P Connection Setup
Request sent from the source PDSN 28A. The QoS informa-
tion can be carried within the P-P Connection Setup Response
message as shown in FIG. 7, or in a separate policy configu-
ration or update message as shown in FIG. 8 (in this non-
limiting example the QoS information is carried in a P-P
Update message sent from the Src PDSN 28A). The Tgt
PDSN 28B may optionally push the QoS policy to the Tgt RN
22B in a policy configuration or update message. Note that in
the example shown in FIG. 8 the P-P connection update and
R-P connection update procedures can be performed in par-
all el.
In other embodiments of this invention a message other
than a P-P Cmmection Setup can be used as a trigger, and
correspondingly another message or messages can be used to
convey the QoS information.
It should be clear that one, non-limiting advantage that is
realized by the use of the embodiments of this invention is that
12
it enables the QoS support over the P-P interface 29 between
the source PDSN 28A and the target PDSN 28B, as well as the
R-P connection 27 between the target RN 22B and the target
PDSN 28B. Without the use of the embodiments of this
5 invention the traffic from/to the handoff MN 10 over the
network/links discussed above may only experience best
effort services, as opposed to the QoS required or requested
by the MN 10. The embodiments of this invention thus pro-
vide an enhancement to inter-PDSN handoff perfomiance.
It should be farther appreciated that an aspect of this inven-
10
tion relates to at least one computer program product that is
tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium and that
includes program instmctions to perfonn the hand off of the
MN 10 from the first (Src) PDSN 28A associated with the first
(Src) RN 22A to the second (Tgt) PDSN 28B associated with
15 the second (Tgt) RN 22B. The computer program product,
which may be distributed between the source and target RNs
and PDSNs for execution by constituent data processors
thereof(shownas Controllers (Cont) ineachPDSN28 in FIG.
4), performs operations that include sending a hand off
20 request message from the first RN 22A to the second RN 22B;
and communicating between the second RN 22B to the sec-
ond PDSN 28B, and between the second PDSN 28B and the
first PDSN 28A, to accomplish the handoff. In accordance
with the preferred embodiments of this invention QoS infor-
25 mation associated with the MN 10 in the first RN 22A is sent
to the second PDSN 28B. The PDSNs 28 also include suitable
R-P and P-P interfaces (IFs) shown in FIG. 4 for sending and
receiving the information in accordance with this invention.
The RNs 22 are also assumed to include suitable Controllers
and Interfaces for performing operations in accordance with
30
the embodiments of this invention.
Applicant hereby defines "plurality" to mean one or more.
The foregoing description has provided by way of exem-
plary and non-limiting examples a foll and informative
description of the best method and apparatus presently con-
35 templated by the inventor for carrying out the invention.
However, various modifications and adaptations may become
apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the
foregoing description, when read in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings and the appended claims. As but
40 some examples, the use of other similar or equivalent mes-
sage types and signaling fom1ats may be attempted by those
skilled in the art. That is, while the embodiments of this
invention have been defined in the context of a cdma2000
system, and uses certain message types and message names
45 associated with a cdma2000 system, in other embodiments
other message types and message names may be employed.
However, all such and similar modifications of the teachings
of this invention will still fall within the scope of the embodi-
ments of this invention.
Furthermore, some of the features of the preferred embodi-
50
ments of this invention may be used to advantage without the
corresponding use of other features. As such, the foregoing
description should be considered as merely illustrative of the
principles, teachings and embodiments of this invention, and
not in limitation thereof.
55
What is claimed is:
1. A method comprising:
receiving from a mobile station a reservation message, said
reservation message comprising a request for a plurality
60 of quality of service attributes and a plurality of traffic
filter templates;
receiving a request identifier generated by said mobile
station uniquely identifying the request from at least two
requests from said mobile station, where each request is
65 uniquely identified by a different request identifier;
processing the requested plurality of quality of service
attributes;
 US 7,558,283 B2
13
extracting from said requested plurality of quality of ser-
vice attributes at least one attribute related to radio
access;
generating a plurality of bearer service parameters based
on the at least one attribute related to radio access;
requesting a radio access network to establish a bearer
based on said plurality of bearer service parameters;
providing said request identifier to the radio access net-
work;
receiving acknowledgment from the radio access network;
receiving a setup message comprising a plurality of quality
of service attributes granted by the radio access network
and a service reference identifier;
correlating a packet data serving node connection with said
radio access network; and
sending a confirmation message to said mobile station, said
confirmation message comprising said plurality of qual-
ity of service attributes granted by the radio access net-
work, said service reference identifier and said request
identifier.
2. A method comprising:
receiving from a mobile station a reservation message, said
reservation message comprising a request for a plurality
of quality of service attributes and a plurality of traffic
filter templates;
processing the requested plurality of quality of service
attributes;
extracting from said requested plurality of quality of ser-
vice attributes at least one attribute related to radio
access;
generating a plurality of bearer service parameters based
on the at least one attribute related to radio access;
requesting a radio access network to establish a bearer
based on said plurality of bearer service parameters;
providing a connection identifier for uniquely identifying a
service instance from at least two service instances for
said mobile station, where each service instances is
uniquely identified by a different connection identifier;
receiving acknowledgment from the radio access network
having the connection identifier;
receiving a setup message comprising a plurality of quality
of service attributes granted by the radio access network
and a service reference identifier;
correlating a packet data serving node connection with said
radio access network; and
sending a confirmation message to said mobile station, said
confirmation message comprising said plurality of qual-
ity of service attributes granted by the radio access net-
work, and said service reference identifier.
3. A method comprising:
receiving a reservation request message at a packet data
serving node from a mobile station comprising a request
for a plurality of quality of service attributes and a
request identifier generated by the mobile station
uniquely identifying the request from at least two
requests from said mobile station, where each request is
uniquely identified by a different request identifier;
processing the requested plurality of quality of service
attributes and generating therefrom a plurality of bearer
service quality of service parameters;
sending a request to a radio access network to establish a
bearer based at least in part on said plurality of bearer
service quality of service parameters, said request to
establish a bearer comprising the request identifier;
sending a service instance setup message to the mobile
station from the radio access network, the service
14
instance setup message comprising link-level quality of
service parameters granted by the radio access network
and the request identifier;
sending a radio access network-packet data serving node
connection setup request message from the radio access
network to the packet data serving node, the setup
request message comprising the request identifier;
correlating at the packet data serving node the radio access
network-packet data serving node connection with the
10 request identifier received from the mobile station in the
reservation request message; and
sending a reservation confirmation message to the mobile
station, the reservation confirmation message compris-
ing the request identifier.
15
4. A mobile station comprising:
means for sending a flow request message to a packet data
serving node comprising a flow request, information
specifying a desired quality of service for the flow and a
flow request identifier generated by the mobile station
20
for identifying the flow request from at least two
requests from said mobile station, where each request is
uniquely identified by a different request identifier;
means for receiving from the radio access network infor-
mation specifying at least granted quality of service
25
paran1eters and the flow request identifier, for further
receiving a flow request confirmation message from the
packet data serving node, the flow request confirmation
message also comprising the flow request identifier and
for further receiving an assigned service reference iden-
30
tifier; and
means for correlating the flow request identifier with the
assigned service reference identifier.
5. A mobile station as in claim 4, where the flow request
message further comprises traffic filter templates.
35
6. A method comprising:
sending a flow request message to a packet data serving
node comprising a flow request, information specifying
a desired quality of service for the flow and a flow
40 request identifier generated by a mobile station for iden-
tifying the flow request from at least two flow requests
from said mobile station, where each flow request is
m1iquely identified by a different flow request identifier;
receiving from a radio access network information speci-
45 fying at least granted quality of service parameters, the
flow request identifier, and an assigned service reference
identifier; and
receiving a flow request confirmation message from the
packet data serving node, the flow request confirmation
50
message also comprising the flow request identifier; and
correlating the flow request identifier with the assigned
service reference identifier.
7. A method as in claim 6, where sending also sends traffic
55 filter templates.
8. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer
program comprising program instructions the execution of
which operate a mobile station with a radio access network
and a packet data serving node, comprising operations of:
60 sending a flow request message to the packet data serving
node comprising a flow request, information specifying
a desired quality of service for the flow and a flow
request identifier generated by the mobile station for
identifying the flow request from at least two flow
65 requests from said mobile station, where each flow
request is uniquely identified by a different flow request
identifier;
 US 7,558,283 B2
15
receiving from the radio access network an assigned ser-
vice reference identifier, information specifying at least
granted quality of service parameters and the flow
request identifier;
receiving a flow request confimiation message from the
packet data serving node, the flow request confirmation
message also comprising the flow request identifier; and
correlating the flow request identifier with the assigned
service reference identifier.
9. A computer readable medium as in claim 8, where the
sending operation also sends traffic filter templates.
10. A method comprising:
receiving at a packet data serving node a reservation
request message from a mobile station, said reservation
request message comprising a request for a certain qua!-
ity of service and a plurality of traffic filter templates;
processing the request for the quality of service and gen-
erating therefrom bearer service quality of service
parameters;
sending a request to a radio access network to establish a
bearer based at least in part on said bearer service quality
of service parameters, said request to establish a bearer
comprising a connection identifier for uniquely identi-
fying a service instance from at least two service
instances for said mobile station, where each service
instances is uniquely identified by a different connection
identifier;
receiving an acknowledgment from the radio access net-
work, the acknowledgment comprising at least granted
quality of service parameters, a service reference iden-
tifier and the com1ection identifier; and
correlating the cmmection identifier received from the
radio access network with an radio access network-
packet data serving node update message sent to the
radio access network that comprises the request to es tab-
lish the bearer.
11. A packet data serving node operable with a mobile
station and a radio access network, comprising:
processing means responsive to receipt of a reservation
request message from the mobile station, said reserva-
tion request message comprising a request for a certain
quality of service and a plurality of traffic filter tem-
plates, for processing the request for the quality of ser-
vice and generating therefrom bearer service quality of
service parameters;
means for sending a request to the radio access network to
establish a bearer based at least in part on said bearer
service quality of service parameters, said request to
establish a bearer comprising a connection identifier for
uniquely identifying a service instance from at least two
service instances for said mobile station, where each
service instances is uniquely identified by a different
connection identifier; and
means for receiving an acknowledgment from the radio
access network, the acknowledgment comprising at
least granted quality of service parameters, a service
reference identifier and the connection identifier; and
means for correlating the connection identifier received
from the radio access network with an radio access net-
work-packet data serving node update message sent to
the radio access network that comprises the request to
establish the bearer.
12. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer
program comprising program instructions the execution of
16
which operate a packet data serving node with a mobile
station and a radio access network, comprising operations of:
responsive to receipt of a reservation request message from
the mobile station, said reservation request message
comprising a request for a certain quality of service and
a plurality of traffic filter templates, processing the
request for the quality of service and generating there-
from bearer service quality of service parameters;
sending a request to the radio access network to establish a
10 bearer based at least in part on said bearer service quality
of service parameters, said request to establish a bearer
comprising a cmmection identifier for uniquely identi-
fying a service instance from at least two service
instances for said mobile station, where each service
15 instances is uniquely identified by a different connection
identifier;
receiving an acknowledgment from the radio access net-
work, the acknowledgment comprising at least granted
quality of service parameters, a service reference iden-
20 tifier and the connection identifier; and
correlating the connection identifier received from the
radio access network with an radio access network-
packet data serving node update message sent to the
radio access network that comprises the request to estab-
25 lish the bearer.
13. A method comprising:
sending a flow request message to a packet data serving
node comprising information specifying a desired qual-
ity of service for the flow and a flow request identifier
30 generated by a mobile station for identifying the flow
request from at least two flow requests from said mobile
station, where each flow request is uniquely identified by
a different flow request identifier;
receiving from a radio access network an assigned service
35 reference identifier, information specifying at least
granted quality of service parameters and the flow
request identifier;
receiving a flow request confirmation message from the
packet data serving node, the flow request confirmation
40 message also comprising the flow request identifier; and
correlating the flow request identifier with the assigned
service reference identifier.
14. A device, comprising:
a transceiver for bidirectional radio conmmnication with a
45 wireless network; and
circuitry configured to send a flow request message to the
wireless network comprising a flow request, information
specifying a desired quality of service for the flow and a
request identifier generated by the device for identifying
50 the flow request from at least two flow requests from a
mobile station, where each flow request is uniquely
identified by a different flow request identifier,
said circuitry further configured to receive information
from the wireless network that specifies at least granted
55 quality of service parameters, the information compris-
ing the request identifier, and to further receive a flow
request confirmation message that also comprises the
request identifier, and
where said circuitry is further configured to receive an
60 assigned service reference identifier and to correlate the
service reference identifier with the request identifier.
15.Adeviceas inclaim 14, where the flow request message
further comprises traffic filter templates.
* * * * *
Attachment 2 List of Essential Industrial Property Rights for ARIB STD-T64 Ver.4.00

出願番号等
特許出願人 発明の名称 備考（出願国名）
REGISTRATION NO./
PATENT HOLDER NAME OF PATENT REMARKS
APPLICATION NO.
NOKIA CORPORATION TECHNIQUES FOR UPDATING SECURITY-RELATED WO 05/102017 WO
*40 PARAMETERS FOR MOBILE STATIONS

QUALITY OF SERVICE SUPPORT AT AN INTERFACE WO 05/015413 WO, US, AU, CN, EP, IN, KR
BETWEEN MOBILE AND IP NETWORK

APPARATUS, AND ASSOCIATED METHOD, FOR SELECTABLY WO 05/006127 WO, US, MY, TW
EXTENDING A TIME PERIOD IN WHICH A MOBILE STATION
IS OPERATED IN A NON-SLOTTED MODE

APPARATUS, AND ASSOCIATED METHOD, FOR STORING WO 05/001605 WO, US, MY, TW
MULTIPLE SYNCHRONIZATION IDENTIFIER INFORMATION
AT A MOBILE STATION OF A RADIO COMMUNICATION
SYSTEM

APPARATUS AND ASSOCIATED METHOD, FOR WO 05/034362 WO, KR, US

FACILITATING LOCATION DETERMINATION OF A MOBILE
STATION PURSUANT TO A LOCATION BASED APPLICATION

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SWITCHING MOBILE WO 04/110081 AU, BR, CA, CN, EP, IN, KR,
STATION BETWEEN AUTONOMOUS AND SCHEDULED MX, RU, SG, US, WO, MY, TW
TRANSMISSIONS

METHOD, APPARATUS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM WO 05/089216 WO, US

PRODUCT PROVIDING QUALITY OF SERVICE SUPPORT IN A
WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

151