An uplink power control method in a telecommunications network system that supports both common and separate tpc commands

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of wireless communication, in particular to a method of controlling transmitted power and a device with this functionality in a telecommunications network system,

BACKGROUND ART [0002] Setting the output power levels of transmitters, radio base stations and mobile stations or terminals in the uplink, is usually called power control in the mobile system. The main goals of power regulation include increasing capacity, range, service quality (bit rate or voice quality) and reducing power consumption. Power control mechanisms can be categorized in a number of groups: (i) open loop power control, (ii) closed loop power control and (iii) combined open loop and closed loop power control. They differ in what input signals are used to determine the transmitted power. In the case of open-loop power control, the transmitter measures the signal-to-noise ratio or signal-to-interference ratio for the signal sent from the receiver, and the transmitter sets its output power based on this measured signal. The closed-loop power control case (also known as internal loop power control) occurs for a transmitter adapted to regulate its output power according to one or more transmit power control commands (TPC) received from the receiver to maintain a power ratio signal to interference ratio (SIR) on the set target SIR. In closed-loop power control, the receiver therefore measures the SIR value of the signals from the transmitter, and then sends the TPC command to the transmitter. This transmitter then adapts its output power based on the TPC command received. For combined open-loop and closed-loop power control, both input signals are used to set the transmitted power.

[0003] The power control mechanisms discussed above are commonly used in wireless systems, e.g. in systems with a number of channels between mobile terminals and radio base stations, different power control principles may be used for different channels. The benefit of using different power control rules for different channels gives you greater freedom to adapt the power control principle to the needs of individual channels. The disadvantage is the increase in complexity due to maintaining a number of power control principles according to the needs of individual channels. For example, if common TPC commands are used for closed-loop rules and with closed and open-loop connected, a number of channels may use the same TPC command. The disadvantage of this solution is that it gives limited flexibility in power control according to the radio conditions in individual channels. If separate TPC commands are used instead, the overhead is increased.

[0004] Document US2004 / 066772 discloses a power control channel transmission device for a base station in a CDMA communication system that can be used to control power in a common channel

ΕΡ2 198 659 Β1 reverse link. Power control commands are received via a common power control channel. [0005] The document published by the 3GPP organization with the signature R1-074378 relates to open uplink power control problems in the E-UTRA network and proposes to use the jointly coded TPCPDCCH channel for power control in PUSCH and PUCCH channels.

[0006] 3GPP TS 45.008 version 7.0.0 discloses indicating mobile station power control information for each uplink channel in the corresponding uplink channel or in a dedicated signaling block.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The purpose of embodiments of the present invention is therefore to address the above-mentioned problems and to provide a method of adjusting transmit power and a device corresponding to a user device that enable support of both common and separate TPC commands to be used for a number of channels , e.g. traffic and control channels, thus providing flexibility in adjusting the transmitted power, according to the conditions in the channels, without increasing the complexity.

[0008] According to a first aspect of embodiments of the present invention, the above-mentioned problem is solved by a method of controlling power transmitted for use in a user device of a telecommunications system comprising at least one base station and at least one user device. The system also supports a number of channels, including both traffic channels and control channels, each of which occupies allocated physical or logical resources between the base station and the user equipment. In this method, transmitted power control commands are received, intended for traffic and control channels, respectively, and these commands are identified separately by resources. When the transmitted power control commands occupy the same identified resources, then the common commands are used for these traffic and control channels, and when these commands occupy different identified resources, separate transmit power control commands are used for these traffic and control channels.

[0009] According to a second aspect of embodiments of the present invention, the above-indicated problem is solved by a device corresponding to a user's device in a telecommunications system. This system includes at least one base station and at least one user equipment, and further includes a number of channels, including traffic and control channels, each of which occupies allocated logical or physical resources between the base station and the user equipment. This user equipment comprises means for receiving commands for adjusting transmit power, respectively for traffic and control channels. These commands are identified separately by resources. This user equipment further includes means for use for traffic channels and control of common transmit power control commands when these commands occupy the same resources, and further includes means for use separate transmit power control commands for traffic channels and control when these commands occupy different resources.

[0010] An advantage of the present invention is the flexibility in the choice of TPC commands to be used for traffic and control channels, depending on whether the TPC commands occupy the same or separate

ΕΡ2 198 659 Β1 dynamically (or statically) allocated resources.

[0011] Still other objects and elements of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description with the accompanying drawing, however, it should be noted that the following figure figures are illustrative only, and that the illustrated examples may have various modifications and changes as described in scope of attached claims. It should further be understood that the figures of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and, unless otherwise indicated, that they are intended only for the conceptual illustration of the structures and procedures described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES [0012]

Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention in which separate resources are allocated.

Fig. 2A is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of the present invention in which common TPC commands are used for traffic and control channels.

Fig. 2A (should be 2B) is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of the present invention in which separate TPC commands are used for traffic and control channels.

Fig. 3A is yet another diagram illustrating another embodiment of the present invention in which separate TPC commands are used for traffic and control channels.

Fig. 3B is yet another diagram illustrating another embodiment of the present invention in which common TPC commands are used for traffic and control channels.

Fig. 4 illustrates a flow diagram for a method according to embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0013] In the following description, specific details, e.g., specific architectures, scripts, techniques, etc. are provided for clarification, and not limitation, to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. In contrast, it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the present invention and its variants may be used in other embodiments that depart from these specific details.

[0014] Various embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to specific examples of scripts. In particular, the invention has been described in a non-limiting, general context with respect to a communication network based on the concept of LTE (long term evolution) technology in the third generation (3G). It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to 3G LTE technology, but can be used in other wireless systems, e.g. WiMAX ( woridwide interoperability for microwave access) or HSPA (high speed packet access), or WCDMA (wideband coda division muitiple access).

[0015] In 3G LTE technology, transmit power control (TPC) commands are usually transmitted on a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) from a radio base station (RBS). radio base station) to the mobile terminal. Base station in

192 198 659 Β1 3G LTE technology is also known as NodeB or eNodeB, and the mobile terminal is known as user equipment (UE). The 3G LTE system is also a system in which a number of channels exist between terminals and base stations. These channels include traffic (or data) and control channels. Control channels are used to transmit control and configuration information necessary for the LTE system operation, and traffic channels are used for user data. In a multi-channel system, each of the traffic and control channels occupies dynamically or statically allocated physical and logical resources, both downlink and uplink. The allocation of physical or logical resources is also known as scheduling. Physical resources may include time, frequency or code domain resources, and logical resources may include group identities, terminal identities, identifiers, etc. UE terminals or devices may e.g. be assigned to groups using e.g. upper layer signaling ( e.g. RRC signaling, radio resource control). It should be noted that the resource allocation operation for traffic and control channels is outside the scope of the present invention. [0016] As mentioned above, TPO commands are sent on the PDCCH from the base station, or eNodeB, to the terminal (s) or UE (s). TPC commands are intended to track gain and interference changes on the channel for which they are applied. In some systems, control and motion channels may occupy the same physical resources, i.e. the same resources in the ί / or frequency domain. In this case, these channels are subject to the same changes. If instead, control and motion channels occupy different resources, these channels experience different gain and interference changes. In this case, and in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, separate TPC commands are used.

[0017] Referring to Fig. 1, an example of an uplink channel structure 100 is illustrated, and PDCCH 200 format is used to send TPC commands from a base station (NodeB or eNodeB) to the UE or to a number of UEs. As shown in Fig. 1, the uplink channel 100 includes the uplink traffic channel, represented herein by the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH). physical uplink shared channel) that occupies dynamically or statically allocated resource. The uplink channel 100 also includes an uplink control channel, represented here by a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), which also occupies a dynamically or statically allocated resource. Allocation (dynamic or static) of PUSCH and PUCCH channels for UEs can be performed by the eNodeB node or the radio network controller (RNC) radio network controller) communication system. Note that in LTE architecture, the eNodeB node may act as an RNC driver. In Fig. 1, resources 210 and 220 represent resources that may be occupied by TPC commands sent on the PDCCH as described below.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, TPC commands contained in allocated uplink resources (UL), sent to individual terminals in the PDCCH, are used for the PUSCH channel, i.e. the uplink traffic channel, while TPC commands contained in allocated downlink resources (DL), sent to individual terminals on the PDCCH channel, are used for the PUCCH channel, i.e. the uplink control channel. The terminal or UE is therefore equipped with means for receiving TPC commands and with means for using received TPC commands. The TPC command used for the PUSCH channel is here referred to as TPC-PUCCH. TPC commands are

192 198 659 Β1 transmitted on the allocated DL and UL link resources on the PDCCH and are identified here by the radio network temporary identifier (RNTI). These RNTi identifiers can be different, thus enabling independent power control in PUSCH and PUCCH channels. Therefore, if the RRC message (s) received by the UE from the eNodeB for PUSCH and PUCCH, different resources are used, i.e. different RNTI identifiers, then separate TPC commands are used for traffic and control channels. On the other hand, if the RRC message (s) from the eNodeB indicates the same RNTIs for PUSCH and PUCCH, then joint TPC commands are used for traffic and control channels. Note that because the UL and DL link allocation formats are different, the TPC commands for PUCCH and PUSCH are separate. Thus, the RNTI identifiers received by the UE in the RRC message (s) for identifying (e.g., decoding) the TPC-PDCCH channel, in which the UE should receive TPC commands for power control on the PUSCH channel (in the case of UL link allocation), may be designated as TPC-PUSCH RNTI, and RNTI identifiers received in the RRC message (s) used for identification (e.g. when decoding) a TPC-PDCCH channel in which the UE should receive TPC commands for power control on the PUCCH channel (on the DL link assignment) may be designated as TPC-PUCCH RNTI. It should also be noted that this UE does not necessarily include individual means for applying received TPC commands. In other words, the UE may include one means for using common TPC commands for traffic and control channels and one means for using separate TPC commands for traffic and control channels.

[0019] It should be noted that only a single UL grant is shown in Fig. 1, although a number of UL allocations may be used. Referring to Fig. 2A, the case where TPC commands for traffic and control channels occupy this resource alone. In this situation, the RNTI identifier for the TPC-PUSCH channel (i.e. TPC-PUSCH RNTI) and the RNTI identifier for the TPC-PUCCH channel (i.e. TPC-PUCCH RNTI) are considered the same identifier. This is indicated in Fig. 2A, by using the R1 identifier for both resource 210 and resource 220.

[0020] In another embodiment of the present invention, when the individual logical or physical resources 210, 220 do not overlap, i.e. separate RNTIs are used, then separate TPC commands are used for PUSCH and PUCCH (i.e. TPC-PDCCH for PUSCH and TPC-PDCCH dia PUCCH) that are sent on the PDCCH. The situation of this case is shown in Fig. 2B, in which resources 210 and 220 are different. This is indicated in Fig. 2B, where resource 210 is represented by R1 and resource 220 is represented by R2. These R1 and R2 identifiers are different from each other.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, TPC commands can also be sent to a group of terminals in the PDCCH channel format, i.e. TPC-PDCCH. TPC-PDCCH can be addressed to a group identity representing a logical resource instead of a physical resource. For example, mobile terminals or UEs may be allocated to groups using higher layer signaling. RRC signaling is an example of higher layer signaling. The use of the TPC-PDCCH format allows sending TPC commands also preceding the transmission (e) via an uplink not immediately preceded by UL or DL ​​link assignments, e.g. permanent traffic channel allocations, or periodic control channels. In this embodiment, the following steps may be used:

ΕΡ2 198 659 Β1

1. In the RRC signaling procedure, the assignment of terminals to group identities when separate (but not necessarily different) identities are used for PUSCH and PUCCH.

2. In case separate TPC commands are desired for PUSCH and PUCCH, different group identities are used for PUSCH and PUCCH.

3. If common TPC commands for PUSCH and PUCCH channels are desired instead, the same group identity is used for PUSCH and PUCCH.

[0022] For example, when separate TPC commands are used, the GR1 group identity for the PUSCH channel and GR2 for PUCCH may be assigned to the terminal or UE, where GR1 is different from GR2. This is illustrated in Fig. 3A.

[0023] When common TPC commands are used, the GR1 group identity for PUSCH and PUCCH can be assigned to the terminal or UE. This is illustrated in Fig. 3B.

[0024] Thus, according to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the terminal or UE could be separately configured via the TPC-PDCCH for PUCCH, which can, as previously described, be identified by a certain RNTI identifier, and the TPC-PDCCH for PUSCH (which can also be identified by a certain RNTI identifier). It should be noted that the network can configure the same RNTI for these two cases, which effectively leads to less overhead. According to the present invention, the purpose of power control may be different for traffic and control channels. For example, for control channels it is often sufficient to achieve a certain minimum signal-to-noise ratio, while for motion channels, the higher the signal-to-noise ratio, the better the quality can be achieved, e.g. the higher the bit rate. Therefore, in such a situation, it is preferred to use separate TPC commands as described above for the embodiments of the present invention.

[0025] Referring to Fig. 4, a block diagram of a method of adjusting transmit power is illustrated for use in a UE according to previously described embodiments of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 4, the main stages of this method include:

(1) receiving TPC commands for traffic (PUSCH) and control (PUCCH) channels respectively; which commands are identified separately by the resources as previously described;

(2) use for these traffic channels and control of joint TPC commands that occupy the same resources; and (3) using separate TPC commands for traffic and control channels that occupy different resources.

[0026] The present invention and its variants can be implemented in a number of ways. For example, one embodiment of the present invention uses a computer-readable medium with commands written on it that can be performed by a telecommunications system user device. These commands, which can be carried out by the user equipment and stored on a computer-readable medium, carry out the steps of a method of adjusting the power transmitted according to the present invention as set out in the claims.

[0027] Although the present invention has been described with reference to a number of preferred embodiments, it is envisioned that during the cardboard of this specification and study of drawing figures, people

192 198 659 Β1 qualified in the field, other solutions, modifications, permutations and equivalents of these examples will become apparent. Thus, the following claims are intended to include such other solutions, modifications, permutations and equivalents as falling within the scope of the present invention.