Method for managing radio communication resources.

Technical Field

0001The present invention relates generally to communication systems. More particularly, this invention relates to the management and allocation of communication system resources amongst a plurality of units requesting said resources. Specifically, however, this invention relates to methods for reducing levels of contention within a communication system, thereby reducing the likelihood that more than one communication channel will be assigned to a single requesting unit.

Background Of The Invention

0002Radiotelephone service has been in use for some time and has traditionally been characterized by a central site transmitting with high power to a limited number of mobile units in a large geographic area. Mobile transmissions, due to their lower power, are received by a network of receivers located remotely from the central site and then returned to the central site for processing.

0003In yet another configuration, the coverage area is divided into contiguous smaller zones of coverage (cells) using lower power transmitters and receivers at the central site. One such system is described in U.S. Pat. No 3,906,166 assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The limited coverage area enables the channel frequencies used in one cell to be reused in another cell geographically separated according to specified plans. One such plan is disclosed in U.S. Pat No. 4,128,740, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Consequently, a large number of channels can be made available in a metropolitan area, and the service appears to be identical to the standard telephone. Digital cellular radiotelephone service may be similarly characterized. One major difference, however, is the use of digital voice and data channels which permit the efficient allocation of system resources via any of the well known multiple access schemes, such as, for example, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA).

0004In a digital cellular radiotelephone communication system, each cell dedicates one or more communication channels as a Common Control Channel (CCCH). The CCCH is made up of several logical channels which provide different services to the mobile subscriber. The Random Access Channel (RACH) is used for receiving channel access requests from mobile subscriber units. The Access Grant Channel (AGCH) is used to instruct mobile subscriber units, via channel assignment signals, to tune to a particular frequency and time slot where further signalling may take place. The CCCH shares the same frequency and time slot as the Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) which is used to transmit cell specific parameters to the mobile subscribers tuned to the cell.

0005In digital cellular radiotelephone systems, there are several access procedures a requesting mobile unit can initiate when attempting to obtain and utilize system resources. These access procedures inform the system which type of operation a requesting mobile unit is attempting to perform. Such operations include but are not limited to, call origination, location reporting, registration and page response.

0006The typical access procedure is summarized as follows. A mobile unit sends an access request over the RACH, starts a guard timer, and awaits a channel assignment signal or an assignment reject signal from the Base Station System (BSS), informing the mobile whether the access was successful or not. Upon expiration of the guard timer, however, the mobile unit will transmit another access request. This procedure will continue until the mobile unit receives a valid confirmation, or until a maximum number of retries has been attempted, as defined by the BSS broadcast channel.

0007For security purposes, mobile unit access requests may or may not contain mobile identification information. Access requests, however, do not contain information pertaining to the number of previous requests made by a particular mobile unit. Accordingly, the above described scenario is extremely susceptible to the misallocation of system resources.

0008If the BSS fails to respond to a mobile unit's initial access request within the mobile unit's guard time, hereinafter referred to as the access request retry interval, or simply the retry interval, the mobile unit will send a new request. Whenever a mobile unit retransmits its access request, there is no means for the BSS to determine whether a received request is a mobile's first or a subsequent attempt. This may result in the BSS processing both requests, thereby activating two channels for the same mobile unit. Since the mobile will respond to the first assignment signal (valid confirmation) received from the BSS, the second will go unanswered thereby resulting in a hung channel.

0009The occasional channel misallocation is not catastrophic to system performance, since the unused channel will eventually be returned to service. However, the increased occurrence of misallocation, or misallocation during periods of heavy use is a formidable obstacle to the efficient operation of a modern cellular radiotelephone communication system. For example, during periods of heavy use, a BSS typically takes more time to process each incoming access request. Awaiting mobile units, therefore, are more likely to retry access requests because of the slowed BSS response. In this environment, the BSS will likely respond to both requests, and activate two channels for a single mobile unit, thereby wasting system resources at a time when resources are already at a premium.

0010It would be extremely advantageous therefore to provide a method for reducing the likelihood that more than one channel will be assigned to a single mobile unit making.multiple requests.

Summary of the Invention

0011Briefly described, the present invention is a method for managing communication system resources amongst a plurality of units making multiple requests for those resources, such that the likelihood of superfluous channel allocation is reduced. The communication system is designed for receiving access requests from at least one of the plurality of mobile units serviced by the system, and when communication resources are available, determining an access request count for each received access request. Thereafter, the system is responsible for altering system resources as a function of the access request count. In addition, the system is designed to determine a processing delay for received access requests and thereafter adjusting a range of requesting unit retry intervals as a function of the processing delay, whereby the likelihood of more than one channel being assigned to a unit making multiple requests is reduced. In yet another embodiment, it is suggested that mobile unit channel request retry intervals be adjusted as a function of the level of channel request traffic on the RACH.

Brief Description of the Drawings

0012<ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li>FIG. 1 is a partial block diagram of a communication system according to the present invention;</li><li>FIGS. 2 and 5 are flow charts depicting alternate channel allocation methods according to the present invention;</li><li>FIGS. 3,6 and 7 are flow charts depicting alternate steps involved in managing communication resources according to the present invention; and</li><li>FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing yet another method for reducing the likelihood of superfluous channel allocations according to the present invention.</li></ul>

Detailed Description Of A Preferred Embodiment

0013A principal application of the present invention is for a cellular radiotelephone communication system. Referring to Fig 1, there is shown a partial block diagram of a communication system 100 showing the interconnection between the Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) and the mobile units which communicate with the system. Three Base Site Controllers (BSC) 110, 120, and 130 are shown. Each BSC controls one or more BTSs. For example, BSC 110 is shown connected to BTS units 105, 107, and 109. Collectively, a BSC and its accompanying BTSs are referred to as a Base Station System (BSS). Each BSS is responsible for sending and receiving communication signals to and from various mobile units. For the purpose of simplicity, only three BSSs are shown, each consisting of a single BSC with three BTSs. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art however, that any number of BSSs may be used depending on the size of the area to be covered.

0014Each of the BSCs 110, 120, and 130 is further connected to the Mobile Switching Center 140 which is also connected to a standard wire line telephone network via lines 141. The lines 141 provide a connection to a plurality of fixed telephones 150 via a telephone central 160. Three mobile units 101, 102 and 103 each containing a transmitter and a receiver for communicating with the BSSs are shown. While only three mobile units are depicted, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the actual number of mobile units serviceable by the communication system 100 is limited only by the number of BSSs, the number of frequencies allocated to the system, and the number of lines allocated to connections with the wire line network.

0015In operation, incoming messages, like access request, are transmitted by a mobile unit, for example, mobile unit 101. When received by a BSS, the request is processed and a decision is made whether or not to allocate system resources. The BSS then returns outgoing messages, like assignment or assignment reject signals to the mobile unit. Assuming adequate resources are available, the assignment signal transmitted by the BSS will inform the mobile unit 101 what frequency and time slot to tune to in order to find an available communication channel. Thereafter, the access request is is further processed in orderto complete the requested operation. During a call origination procedure, for example, the MSC 140 is directed to connect BSC 110 to either the wire line telephone network or to another BSC, such as BSC 130, depending upon whether communication with a fixed or mobile telephone is desired.

0016Referring to FIG. 2, a flow chart of a call origination or channel allocation procedure is shown. The flow chart in FIG. 2 is entered at start block 200 whenever an access request is transmitted by one of the plurality of mobile units seeking a communication channel. At block 210 the access request is received by one of the system BSSs. Next at block 220 the access request is processed in order to permit the BSS to identify the requested operation. This information is contained within the pre-defined message structure of the access request. According to the present invention, each access request is transmitted over the RACH, a multi-slot TDMA access channel. In the up link direction (mobile-to-BSS), RACH slots support the following access functions: call origination, location reporting, registration and page response. Allocating specific slots to individual functions by imposing an ordering of the slots will reduce the utilization of the RACH.

0017Proceeding to decision block 230, after call origination has been identified, a check is made to see if there is an available communication channel which may be allocated to the requesting mobile unit. If not, NO branch is taken to block 250 where a reject message is transmitted, directing the mobile to take alternative actions. Otherwise, YES branch is taken to block 240, where an available communication channel is allocated for the mobile unit. Next, at decision block 260 a check is made to see whether the allocated communication channel can be activated. If not, NO branch is taken back to block 250 where once again, a reject message is transmitted, directing the mobile to take alternative actions. Otherwise, YES branch is taken to block to 270, where the allocated communication channel is activated.

0018Proceeding to block 280, the BSS next schedules the time when an assignment signal is to be transmitted to the requesting mobile. Finally, at block 290, an assignment signal corresponding to the received access request is transmitted to the mobile unit, informing the mobile unit which frequency and time slot to tune to in order to begin communication.

0019Since the BSS receives no information regarding the number of attempted requests, it has no means of distinguishing a mobile unit's first access request from those transmitted after expiration of the access timer. While this is not disruptive to overall system performance, there are decided advantages to be realized by providing the BSS with a mobile's access request count. Access request count represents information which is useful for monitoring system performance. In addition, access request count can provide assistance during the dynamic allocation of shared resources. Finally, however, access request count provides crucial information in the struggle to reduce levels of contention; especially during periods of heavy loading when the probability of contending mobiles is at its highest.

0020It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that contention pertains to the situation when two or more mobile units request the same system resource at the same time. Since the BSS is incapable of responding to simultaneous access requests, contention will occur, and neither mobile will receive confirmation. At the expiration of their respective access timers, both mobiles will retransmit their respective access requests. In order to assure the access times are not identical, the BSS establishes a range of times for the mobile units serviced by the communication system. This broadcast parameter is transmitted to each mobile unit via a Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH), along with additional parameters which control, for example, the maximum number of times an access request may be transmitted. When formulating an access request, each mobile unit will randomly select a time from within the range as its access time. Random selection of the access time is one means of reducing the likelihood of contending mobiles.

0021Whenever it is desired to further reduce the likelihood of contention, the flow chart in FIG. 3 is utilized by BSS to alter system resources thereby providing additional protection. Entering the flow chart of FIG. 3 at the start block 300, the number of access requests transmitted by each mobile unit is determined at block 310. Unique to the present invention, each mobile unit tracks the number of access requests attempted and includes this information within each new request. The BSS can accurately determine the access request count for each mobile unit by simply processing the information contained within each received access request.

0022Proceeding to decision block 330, a check is made to see if a proper amount of time has lapsed since the last resource adjustment. The purpose of this step is to provide a moderate amount of damping in order to assure stable system operation during periods characterized by rapid fluctuation in request traffic. If not, NO branch is taken back to block 310. Otherwise, YES branch is taken to decision block 340 where a check is made to see if the access request count exceeds a threshold level. If so, YES branch is taken to block 360 where the BSS is informed to alter system resources. One such alteration includes increasing the potential range of retry intervals. Increasing the range of retry intervals has the calculated effect of increasing the range of values randomly selected by mobile units as their access times. Thus, by increasing the range of access times as a function of the access request count, the present invention strives to distribute the mobiles across a wider range of access times, thereby reducing the likelihood of contention. Other system resource alterations include but are not limited to adding or deleting communication channels as a function of the access request count for some or all of the requesting mobile units; and denying further accesses as a function of the access request count for some or all of the requesting mobile units.

0023Next, at block 380, the elapsed time counter checked by decision block 330 is reset. Otherwise, NO branch is taken from block 340 to decision block 350, where a check is made to see if the access request count falls below a threshold level. If so, YES branch is taken to block 370 where the BSS is again informed to alter system resources as a function of the access request count. This may include decreasing the range of potential access times for some or all of the requesting mobile units. While decreasing the range has the calculated effect of shortening access times, it is nonetheless desirable to permit quicker access request retransmission in light of improved system response. Next, at block 380, the elapsed time counter checked by decision block 330 is reset. Otherwise, NO branch is taken back from block 350 to block 310.

0024An alternative method for reducing the likelihood of contention is shown in the flow chart of FIG. 4. Entering the flow chart of FIG. 4 at start block 400, the number of access requests transmitted by each mobile is determined at block 410. According to the present invention, each access request includes an access request count, the number of attempted access requests. The BSS can now accurately determine the access request count by simply processing the information found within received access requests. Next, at block 420, the BSS derives timing advance information from each mobile, in order to roughly determine the mobile's distance from the BSS. Timing advance is the round trip propagation time of a call travelling from the base to a mobile unit and back. From this information, the mobile's distance from the base relative to other mobiles using the same cell is estimated.

0025Proceeding to block 430, the BSS correlates the timing advance information with the access request count. This correlation will indicate to the BSS if there is a problem with the close in mobiles overriding access requests from mobiles at the cell's perimeter. This phenomenon, the near-far problem, does not appear as normal contention. When two mobiles of substantially similar signal strength collide, the BSS is incapable of distinguishing the two signals, therefore neither mobile receives confirmation. In the near-far case, however, the near mobile's signal is sufficiently stronger than the far mobile's signal and is therefore capable of overriding the distant mobile without the BSS recognizing this access as a collision. Consequently, a channel assignment signal will be sent to the near mobile while the far mobile unit receives no response. According to the present invention, however, the BSS is now given a means of identifying the existence of the near-far phenomenon via the correlation of timing advance to the access request count. Such indication arises when distant mobiles consistently have higher access request counts than do near mobiles. Upon recognition of this unique type of contention, system resources are altered in block 440 in order to mitigate this otherwise hard to recognize anomaly.

0026Referring to FIG. 5 a flow chart depicting an alternate channel allocation method according to the present invention is shown. The method described in FIG. 5 operates in accordance with the method of FIG. 2 except that at step 520, the received access request is provided a timing stamp which allows the system to identify the instant that the access request was received. Proceeding to decision block 530, after the access request with accompanying timing stamp arrives at the BSS, a check is made to see if there is an available communication channel which may be allocated to the requesting mobile unit. From this point on, call origination proceeds substantially in accordance with the description of FIG.2, however, at block 580 the BSS performs assignment signal scheduling based on the timing stamp information placed on the access request at block 520. Thus, at block 590, an assignment signal, corresponding to the mobile unit's access request, is transmitted to the mobile unit, informing the mobile which frequency and time slot to tune to in order to begin communication.

0027As previously discussed, whenever a mobile unit transmits an access request, it starts a guard timer. If the BSS fails to respond to the mobile within this controlled period of time, the mobile unit will be free to transmit yet another request. Since the BSS receives no information regarding access request count, it has no means of correlating a newly received request from those access requests in progress. This will often result in two or more channels being allocated to a single mobile unit.

0028Whenever it is desired to reduce the likelihood of more than one channel being assigned to a single mobile unit, the flow chart in FIG. 6 can be utilized by a BSS for increasing or decreasing the range of possible access request retry intervals, that period of time established by the mobile unit guard timer. In operation, the BSS establishes N, the nominal retry interval available for each mobile unit serviced by the communication system. This broadcast parameter is transmitted to each mobile unit via a Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH), along with additional parameters which control for example, the maximum number of times a channel request may be retransmitted by a single mobile unit. When formatting a channel request, each mobile unit will randomly select a value n+k as its channel request retry interval, where n is a value selected between 0 and N-1, and k is a constant which attempts to approximate an optimal channel request retry interval for the communication system. According to present system standards k is a value selected as either 250ms or 350ms.

0029Entering the flow chart of FIG. 6 at the start block 600, each channel request is counted at block 605 in order to determine (X), the total number of requests made. Proceeding to block 610, an access request processing delay is determined by establishing the timing difference between the instant an access request is received by a BTS and the instant a BSS schedules transmission of the corresponding assignment signal. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this determination may also be established by taking the average of several such timing difference measurements. Next, at block 615, the communication system processing delay is compared to the retry interval (N+k). If this comparison identifies a delay greater than or equal to the retry interval, YES branch is taken to block 625 where counter Y is incremented. Else, NO branch is taken to decision block 620 where a check is made to see if the delay is less than k. Assuming it is, the YES branch is taken to block 630 where a counter Z is incremented. Else, NO branch is taken to decision block 635.

0030At decision block 635, a check is made to see if a proper amount of time has elapsed since the last retry interval adjustment. The purpose of this step is to provide a moderate amount of damping in order to assure stable system operation during periods of rapid processing delay change. If not, No branch is taken back to block 605. Otherwise, YES branch is taken to decision block 640 where a check is made to see if (Y), the number of requests with processing delays greater than the retry interval, exceeds a percentage of the total number of channel requests (X). According to the present example, 10 percent is used as a threshold. If so, YES branch is taken to block 645 where the BSS is informed to increase the value of N. An increase in N has the calculated effect of increasing the range of values randomly selected by mobile units as their access request retry intervals (n+k). Thus, by increasing N as a function of the processing delay, the present invention strives to increase mobile unit retry intervals, thereby reducing the likelihood that more than one channel will be assigned to a single mobile unit. Next, at block 660, the elapsed time counter checked by decision block 635 is reset. Then, at block 665, X, Y and Z counters are reset.

0031Otherwise, NO branch is taken to decision block 650, where a check is made to see if (Z), the number of channel requests with processing delays less than k, is greater than a specified percentage of the total number of requests made. According to the present example, 90 percent is used as a threshold. If so, YES branch is taken to block 655 where the BSS is informed to decrease the value of N. While a decrease in N has the calculated effect of decreasing channel request retry intervals, it is nonetheless desirable to permit quicker channel request retransmissions in light of quicker system response times. Next, at block 660, the elapsed time counter checked by decision block 635 is reset. Then, at block 665, the X, Y and Z counters are reset. Otherwise NO branch is taken back to block 605.

0032Yet another method for managing communication resources in order to reduce the likelihood that more than one channel will be allocated to a single mobile unit is shown in the flow chart of FIG. 7. Entering the flow chart of FIG. 7 at the start block 700, a level of access request traffic activity across the RACH is determined at block 710 by monitoring a number of received access requests. Next, at block 720, the number of access requests is compared to a predetermined threshold level.

0033Proceeding to decision block 730, a check is made to see if a proper amount of time has elapsed since the last retry interval adjustment. The purpose of this step is to once again provide a moderate amount of damping in order to assure stable system operation during periods characterized by rapid fluctuation in access request traffic. If not, No branch is taken back to block 710. Otherwise, YES branch is taken to decision block 740 where a check is made to see if the number of access requests exceed the threshold level. If so, YES branch is taken to block 760 where the BSS is informed to increase the value of N. An increase in N has the calculated effect of increasing the range of values randomly selected by mobile units as their access request retry intervals. Thus, by increasing N as a function of access request traffic, the present invention strives to increase the mobile unit retry interval during periods when the BSS is experiencing heavy loading, thereby reducing the likelihood that more than one channel will be assigned to a single mobile unit. Next, at block 780, the elapsed time counter checked by decision block 730 is reset. Otherwise, NO branch is taken to decision block 750, where a check is made to see if the number of access requests falls below the threshold level. If so, YES branch is taken to block 770 where the BSS is informed to decrease the value of N. While a decrease in N has the calculated effect of decreasing channel request retry intervals, it is nonetheless desirable to permit quicker channel request retransmissions in light of decreased system loading. Next, at block 780, the elapsed time counter checked by decision block 730 is reset. Otherwise NO branch is taken back to block 710.

0034In summary, the present invention discloses various means and/or methods for managing communication system resources in order to reduce contention and superfluous channel allocation between a plurality of mobile units, and the communication system servicing those mobile units. While it is suggested that said reduction can be achieved as a function of access request count, system processing delays or levels of request traffic, and thereafter adjusting mobile unit access request retry intervals in response thereto, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that additional steps may be performed without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. For example, N may be adjusted as a function of peak hour or time of day considerations. In addition, N may be adjusted upon the detection of a fault condition. In addition, mobile units may take totally independent action based upon knowledge of access request count, system processing delays and access request traffic. Such actions includes but are not limited to altering mobile unit transmit signal strength levels, selecting other access channels or selecting another serving system.