Apparatus and method for channel request in a wireless communication system
View Patent ↗Apparatus and Method for Channel Request in a Wireless Communication System. The present invention provides a method to request channels in a wireless communication system in order to efficiently allocate channel resources by using channel function information about each transceiver. A method is provided in a wireless communication system which includes a communication link having a plurality of channels and a plurality of radio heads each having transceivers for connecting to mobile terminals. The method comprises defining a channel function for a transceiver of one of the radio heads, determining whether the transceiver requires a dedicated channel for the channel function, and, if the transceiver requires the dedicated channel for the channel function, requesting a channel for the transceiver. In another embodiment, the method further comprises determining if a channel on the communication link is available for the channel function, and, if a channel is available for the transceiver, assigning the channel to the transceiver.
1. A method for channel request in a pico cellular wireless communication system in which a network infrastructure includes a communication link having a plurality of channels and a plurality of radio heads each having transceivers for connecting to mobile terminals in the pico cellular system, the method comprising:
in the network infrastructure:
defining a channel function for a transceiver of one of the radio heads in the pico cellular wireless communication system, for digital-only cells the transceiver configured to support a digital control channel (DCCH) function, a digital voice channel (DVC) function, and a location verification module (VER) function, for analog gateway cells the transceiver configured to support a DCCH function, a DVC function, and a VER function, for dual mode cells the transceiver configured to support an analog control channel (ACC) function, a DVC function, and a VER function, and for analog-only cells the transceiver configured to support a ACC function, an analog voice channel (AVC) function, and a signal strength receiver (SR) function;
determining whether the transceiver requires a dedicated channel or a control channel for the defined channel function; and
requesting an entire channel for the transceiver when the transceiver requires the dedicated channel for the defined channel function.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising allocating an entire channel to the transceiver.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein requesting a dedicated channel for the transceiver further comprises:
determining if a channel on the communication link is available for the channel function; and
if a channel is available for the transceiver, assigning the channel to the transceiver.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication link is a PCM connection, and the communication channel consists of at least a portion of a timeslot of the PCM connection.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
if the transceiver does not require the dedicated channel for the channel function, assigning necessary control channels to the transceiver.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising designating a first radio head for processing.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the transceiver channel functions are one of the set of digital control channel, analog control channel, digital voice channel, digital traffic channel, and analog voice channel.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the function of a transceiver channel requiring a dedicated channel is for carrying voice traffic.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the function of a transceiver channel requiring a dedicated channel is for carrying video traffic.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of radio heads are cascaded together in a sequence and further comprising proceeding to the next radio head in the sequence.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein proceeding to the next radio head in the sequence further comprises:
determining if there is another radio head in the sequence; and
proceeding to the next radio head in the sequence when there is another radio head in the sequence.
12. Apparatus for requesting channels in a pico cellular wireless communication system in which a network infrastructure includes a communication link having a plurality of channels and a plurality of radio heads each having a set of transceivers for connecting to mobile terminals in the pico cellular system, comprising:
in the network infrastructure:
means for defining a channel function for a transceiver of one of the radio heads in the pico cellular wireless communication system, for digital-only cells the transceiver configured to support a digital control channel (DCCH) function, a digital voice channel (DVC) function, and a location verification module (VER) function, for analog gateway cells the transceiver configured to support a DCCH function, a DVC function, and a VER function, for dual mode cells the transceiver configured to support an analog control channel (ACC) function, a DVC function, and a VER function, and for analog-only cells the transceiver configured to support a ACC function, an analog voice channel (AVC) function, and a signal strength receiver (SR) function;
means for determining whether the transceiver requires a dedicated channel or a control channel for the defined channel function; and
means for requesting a dedicated or control channel for the transceiver based on the defined channel function.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a means for allocating the requested channel to the transceiver.
14. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:
means for determining if a channel on the communication link is available for the channel function; and
means for assigning the requested channel to the transceiver.
15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the communication link is a PCM connection, and the communication channel consists of at least a portion of a timeslot of the PCM connection.
16. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising means for assigning available control channels.
17. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising means for designating a first radio head for processing.
18. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the transceiver channel functions are digital control channel, analog control channel, digital traffic channel, and analog voice channel.
19. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the function of a transceiver channel requiring a dedicated channel is for carrying voice traffic.
20. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the function of a transceiver channel requiring a dedicated channel is for carrying video traffic.
21. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the plurality of radio heads are cascaded together in a sequence and further comprising:
means for proceeding to the next radio head in the sequence.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein proceeding to the next radio head in the sequence further comprises:
means for determining if there is another radio head in the sequence; and
means for proceeding to the next radio head in the sequence.
23. A programmed mobile switching center operable for requesting channels in a pico cellular wireless communication system in which a network infrastructure includes a communication link having a plurality of channels and a plurality of radio heads each having a set of transceivers for connecting to mobile terminals in the pico cellular system, comprising:
in the network infrastructure:
module for defining a channel function for a transceiver of one of the radio heads in the pico cellular wireless communication system, digital-only cells the transceiver configured to support a digital control channel (DCCH) function, a digital voice channel (DVC) function, and a location verification module (VER) function, for analog gateway cells the transceiver configured to support a DCCH function, a DVC function, and a VER function, for dual mode cells the transceiver configured to support an analog control channel (ACC) function, a DVC function, and a VER function, and for analog-only cells the transceiver configured to support a ACC function, an analog voice channel (AVC) function, and a signal strength receiver (SR) function;
module for determining whether the transceiver requires a dedicated channel or a control channel for the defined channel function; and
module for requesting a dedicated channel or a control channel for the transceiver based on the defined channel function.
24. The programmed mobile switching center of claim 23 further comprising:
module for determining if a channel on the communication link is available for the channel function; and
module for assigning the requested channel to the transceiver.
25. The programmed mobile switching center of claim 23 further comprising:
module for assigning available control channels.
26. The programmed mobile switching center of claim 23 wherein the plurality of radio heads are cascaded together in a sequence and further comprising:
module for proceeding to the next radio head in the sequence.
27. The programmed mobile switching center of claim 26 wherein the proceeding to the next radio head in the sequence is accomplished by:
determining if there is another radio head in the sequence; and
proceeding to the next radio head in the sequence when there is another radio head in the sequence.
28. A pico cellular wireless communication system network infrastructure enabled for requesting channels comprising:
a communication link including a plurality of channels;
a plurality of radio heads each including at least one transceiver for connecting to mobile terminals; and
a mobile switching center connected to the communication link and the plurality of radio heads, the mobile switching center operable to define a channel function for a transceiver, determine whether a transceiver requires a dedicated channel or a control channel for the channel function, and request a dedicated channel or a control channel for a transceiver, for digital-only cells the transceiver configured to support a digital control channel (DCCH) function, a digital voice channel (DVC) function, and a location verification module (VER) function, for analog gateway cells the transceiver configured to support a DCCH function, a DVC function, and a VER function, for dual mode cells the transceiver configured to support an analog control channel (ACC) function, a DVC function, and a VER function, and for analog-only cells the transceiver configured to support a ACC function, an analog voice channel (AVC) function, and a signal strength receiver (SR) function.
29. The pico cellular wireless communication system of claim 28 wherein the communication link is a PCM connection, and the communication channel consists of at least a portion of a timeslot of the PCM connection.
30. The pico cellular wireless communication system of claim 28 wherein the function of a transceiver channel requiring a dedicated channel is for carrying voice traffic.
31. The pico cellular wireless communication system of claim 28 wherein the function of a transceiver channel requiring a dedicated channel is for carrying video traffic.