Method and system for estimating station numbers in wireless communications

The method of estimating the number of mobile terminals and the method of responding to calculation request messages, base stations, and computer-readable storage media

The disclosed embodiment relates to a wireless communication technology, and more particularly relates to a method and system for estimating the number of mobile terminals in a target group.

In a wireless communication system, the number of stations, such as the number of mobile stations used by individual users, is the information required for communication management or other communication control, for example, appropriate service parameters Or the transmission mode can be determined according to the number of mobile terminals.

In particular, Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS), or generally called Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS), is an Internet Protocol Datacast (IP datacast) service that uses several types of The transmission mode is to simultaneously transmit data services to multiple mobile terminals, and the transmission mode can include Point-To-Point (PTP), Single-Cell Point-To-Multipoint (SC-PTM), And Multi-Cell Point-To-Multipoint (MC-PTM) mode.

In some cases, it is necessary to determine which transmission mode is the best mode for transmitting a specific multimedia broadcast multicast service in a service area. It can be based on how many mobile terminals in the service area want to receive the multimedia broadcast multicast service, for example , A mobile terminal in active mode can be used to receive a specific multimedia broadcast and multicast service, and a computing device coupled to a base station can detect the number of mobile terminals in the communication mode. After the number of mobile terminals in the communication mode, the base station then establishes multiple point-to-point channels or one point-to-multipoint channel. For example, a point-to-multipoint channel can be used to serve a large number of mobile terminals. If the same data content is transmitted to a small number of mobile terminals in communication mode, point-to-multipoint channel is a more efficient mode. Therefore, it is necessary to determine or more accurately estimate the number of mobile terminals that receive a specific multimedia broadcast and multicast service, which can help make more effective use of the limited wireless and wired network resources of the base station.

Generally used to determine the number of mobile terminals mentioned above, the effect is usually very limited, and must rely on the application using the communication service and the accuracy required, for example: some methods do not consider the standby mode in a service area ( Mobile terminal in idle mode), although the mobile terminal in standby mode can detect its existence by forcing it into communication mode, but because this method occupies the bandwidth that is usually used to generate revenue, some The application may cause unnecessary waste of network resources. Therefore, there are some possible application requirements that can achieve the purpose of detecting the mobile terminal without considering the current connection status of the mobile terminal.

According to some embodiments, a method for estimating the number of mobile terminals is provided, which is suitable for a processor to determine the number of mobile terminals in a target group by executing instructions, including using the processor to initiate a calculation event; in response to the calculation event A calculation request message is transmitted through a first communication channel; a first calculation reply message is confirmed to be received from a second communication channel in response to the transmission of the calculation request message; and the first calculation reply message is received based on the confirmation, regardless of The connection status of each mobile terminal determines the number of mobile terminals in the target group.

Another embodiment provides a method for estimating the number of mobile terminals, which is suitable for a processor to execute instructions to determine the number of mobile terminals in a target group, including using the processor to configure a complex digital code to the target group; According to the above-mentioned character code in a first trial estimation, a first character code is confirmed to be received from a first communication channel; a current repetition value is compared with a threshold value in response to the confirmation of receipt of the above-mentioned first character code; when the above-mentioned current repeat When the cycle value is less than the above threshold, the current repeated cycle value is incremented to perform a second trial estimation; in response to the above word in the second trial estimation, it is confirmed that a second word is received from a second communication channel; and when When the current repetition value is greater than or equal to the threshold value, or a calculation termination message has been sent, the processor is used to perform a mobile terminal number estimation based on the reception of the first and second codes to determine the number of mobile terminals in the target group. Number of mobile terminals.

Another embodiment provides a method for estimating the number of mobile terminals, which is suitable for a processor to execute instructions to determine the number of mobile terminals in a target group, including using the processor to initiate a calculation event; in response to the calculation event A calculation request message is transmitted through a first communication channel, wherein the calculation request message includes a character code set and a probability factor; in response to a complex number code in the first trial estimation, the reception from a second communication channel is confirmed according to the probability factor A first character code; compare a current repeated cycle value with a threshold value in response to confirming the reception of the first character code; when the current repeated cycle value is less than the threshold value, the current repeated cycle value is incremented to perform a second trial estimation ; In response to the above-mentioned character code in the above-mentioned second trial estimation, it is confirmed that a second character code is received from a third communication channel according to the above-mentioned probability factor; and when the above-mentioned current repeat cycle value is greater than or equal to the above-mentioned threshold value, or a calculation termination message has been sent When the processor is used to estimate the number of mobile terminals based on receiving the first and second codes, the number of mobile terminals in the target group is determined.

Another embodiment provides a method for responding to a calculation request message, including receiving the calculation request message from a communication channel by a receiver; selecting at least one character code in response to the calculation request message; and using a transmitter to connect via an uplink The resource transmits the above code.

Another embodiment provides a base station for serving a target group, including a transmitter for transmitting a calculation request message through a first communication channel; and a receiver for responding to the transmission of the calculation request message A first word code is received from a second communication channel, wherein the first word code is associated with the calculation request message; and a processor for confirming receipt of the first word code, and receiving the first word code according to the confirmation and not Consider the connection status of each mobile terminal to determine the number of mobile terminals in the target group.

Another embodiment provides a computer-readable storage medium. When a processor executes a plurality of instructions, a base station executes a method for estimating the number of mobile terminals, which includes using the processor to initiate a calculation event; Calculate the event and send a calculation request message through a first communication channel; confirm receipt of a first character code from a second communication channel in response to the transmission of the calculation request message; and receive the first character code according to the confirmation, regardless of each The connection status of the mobile terminal determines the number of mobile terminals in a target group.

Other detailed descriptions and examples will be described in the following implementations, and the undescribed parts can be understood or learned based on the described content.

The above summary and the following detailed description of the implementation are only exemplary examples and descriptions, but they are not used to limit the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be subject to those defined by the attached patent application. .

The embodiments according to the drawings will be described in detail here. The same component symbols in the description refer to the same or similar components, and the drawings are simplified forms rather than representing precise scales.

Figure 1 shows a system embodiment 100. The system 100 is used to provide mobile communication services, such as multimedia broadcast and multicast services, to the target group 104 to which the mobile terminals 106a-d belong. As described later, the base station 102 can send a calculation request message, the calculation request message Including a character code set composed of complex digital codes. Regardless of its connection status, each mobile terminal 106a-d can individually select one or more characters, and then use the selected characters to respond to the calculation request message sent by the base station 102, and the base station 102 further bases on the detected The character code of determines the number of mobile terminals in the target group 104.

As shown in the example shown in Figure 1, the system 100 may include one of various communication technologies, a wireless communication network, and these communication technologies may be Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Multiple Access (Wideband Code). At least one of Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) systems , But not limited to the above-mentioned communication technology. By using the above-mentioned communication technology, the base station 102 and the mobile terminal 106a-d can be coupled (for example, a communication-type coupling relationship achieved by a wireless communication signal) together to transmit and receive voice or data data. In the example shown in Figure 1, the base station 102 and the mobile terminals 106a-d can also be coupled to other systems (not shown) or other target groups (not shown) through a wired or wireless communication network (not shown) Not shown), or directly access other systems, user groups, data storage devices, or other network applications.

As shown in Figure 1, the base station 102 can be coupled to a target group 104, which includes one or more of the mobile terminals 106a-d, although a certain number of base stations and mobile terminals are depicted in Figure 1. Terminal, but this is only an exemplary composition, and the system 100 can include any number of base stations and mobile terminals. In addition, the functions provided by the devices in the system 100 can be integrated, replaced, or reset with each other. The base station 102 may include any suitable device or system to enhance the communication function between the mobile terminal and the network. For example, in some embodiments, the base station 102 may include a wireless communication device built in a fixed location. For example: base station endpoint (Node-B), base station transceiver system (Base Transceiver System), wireless access point (access point), or home base station (home base station), etc., to create a cell ) Or a set network coverage area. In other embodiments, the base station 102 may be a relay station, an intermediate endpoint node), or intermediary. The base station 102 may include any suitable type of wireless or radio base station, for example: a land-based communication base station or a satellite-based communication base station, and the base station 102 may include any suitable type, such as Voice, data data, and/or communication equipment integrated with voice data data to provide high-speed voice and/or data data communication. In other embodiments, any type of base station or other peer-to-peer devices can be used to replace the base station 102 in this embodiment.

The target group 104 may be a group of mobile terminals located in a specific area, and there are one or more base stations in the specific area. In some embodiments, the target group 104 may include a plurality of mobile terminals that have subscribed to the multicast service and joined the multicast group of the service. In other embodiments, the target group 104 may include mobile terminals that have not yet applied to the communications company or service company.

The mobile terminal 106a-d can be any type of device for communicating with the base station 102. For example, the mobile terminal 106a-d can be a mobile communication device or any other suitable computing platform or device capable of exchanging data with the base station 102 Data and/or voice information, such as: servers, client devices, desktop computers, notebook computers, network computers, workstations, personal digital assistants, tablets, scanners, telephone devices, pagers, digital cameras , Music installations, etc. In addition, the mobile terminals 106a-d may be a fixed computing device located in a mobile environment, such as a bus, train, airplane, ship, automobile, etc. In some embodiments, the mobile terminals 106a-d can be coupled to communicate with the base station 102 using any communication standard that supports mobile communication devices. The mobile terminals 106a-d can also be used to directly or indirectly communicate through the base station 102 or other base stations. A station (not shown), or a computing system (not shown), uses a wired or wireless communication network to communicate with other mobile terminals (not shown).

Figure 2 shows a block diagram of the example base station 102 according to some embodiments. As shown in Figure 2, the base station 102 may include at least one of the following components: at least one processor 202 for executing computer program instructions to perform various procedures and methods; a memory 204 for accessing and storing information and Computer program instructions; database 206 for storing tables, lists, or other data structures; in addition, there are input and output devices 208, interface 210, antenna 212, and transceiver 214.

The processor 202 can be a general-purpose processor, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), an embedded processor, a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a microcontroller, or other Similar devices. The processor 202 can process data output from the transceiver 214, the input/output device 208, the interface 210, or other components coupled to the processor 202 according to instructions and data. In some embodiments, the processor 202 can be coupled to exchange data or instructions with the memory 204. For example, the processor 202 can include executable code to estimate the number of mobile terminals in the target group 104. When the executed code is executed, a maximum probability estimation is performed for the code transmitted by the mobile terminal in response to one of the calculation request messages of the receiving base station 102. In other embodiments, the processor 202 can exchange data with other devices or functional modules coupled to the base station 102. The data includes control information and commands.

The memory 204 may be one or more memory devices for storing data and software. The memory device may include one or more volatile or non-volatile semiconductor memory (volatile or non-volatile semiconductor memory), magnetic storage devices , Or optical storage device. The memory 204 can also be a computer-readable storage medium, and the memory 204 is dispersible, that is, a part of the memory 204 is removable or unsustainable. In some embodiments, The memory 204 can be distributed in a network (not shown), and the network is coupled to communicate with the base station 102.

The database 206 can be a table, list, or other structured collection of data. The database 206 can be a database management system (DataBase Management System, DBMS), a relational database management system, an object-oriented database management system, or a similar database system. The internal structure of this type of database system is organized in the form of a relational database or an object-oriented database. In some embodiments, the database 206 can be a hardware system, including physical storage that can be read by a computer. Media and input and/or output devices for receiving and accessing tables, lists, or other data structures. In addition, the database 206 in the form of a hardware system may include one or more processors and/or display devices.

The input and output device 208 can be at least one of a mouse, a stylus, a keyboard, an audio input/output device, an imaging device, a printing device, a display device, a sensor, a wireless transceiver, or other similar devices. The input and output device 208 may also include other devices to provide data and instructions to the memory 204 and/or the processor 202.

The interface 210 may include an external interface port, such as: Universal Serial Bus (USB), Ethernet, FireWire<img file="TW201014390A_D0001.tif" />, And wireless communication protocol. The interface 210 may also include a graphical user interface or other humanized interfaces for displaying data on portable media devices, traditional mobile phones, smart phones, navigation devices, or other computing devices. The base station 102 can use the interface 210 to connect to a network (not shown) through a wired or wireless communication link.

The transceiver 214 may include any suitable type of transmitter and receiver, and transmits and receives voice and/or data from the base station 102 to the mobile terminals 106a-d and other devices in the target group 104. In some embodiments, the transceiver 214 may include at least one of required functional elements and a processor to perform encoding/decoding, modulation/demodulation, and other wireless communication channel related functions. The transceiver 214 can be coupled to the antenna 212 to communicate and transmit and receive voice and/or data in a transmission mode. The transmission mode can include, for example, the aforementioned point-to-point, single-cell point-to-multipoint, and multi-cell transmission modes. Point-to-multipoint and other modes. The antenna 212 may be a single antenna or an antenna array.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the example mobile terminal 106 according to some embodiments. As shown in Figure 3, the mobile terminal 106 may include at least one of the following components: at least one processor 302 for executing computer program instructions to perform various procedures and methods; a memory 304 for accessing and storing information and Computer program instructions; database 306 for storing tables, lists, or other data structures; in addition, there are input and output devices 308, interface 310, antenna 312, and transceiver 314.

The processor 302 can be a general purpose processor, a special application integrated circuit, an embedded processor, a field programmable gate array, a microcontroller, or other similar devices. The processor 302 can process data output from the transceiver 314, the input/output device 308, the interface 310, or other components coupled to the processor 302 according to instructions and data. In some embodiments, the processor 302 may be coupled to exchange data or instructions with the memory 304. For example, the processor 302 may include executable code to provide one or more graphical user interfaces and network resources. Interact and/or access data provided by base station 102. In other embodiments, the processor 302 can exchange data such as control information and commands with other mobile terminals or devices or functional modules coupled to the base station 102.

The memory 304 may be one or more memory devices for storing data and software, and the memory device may include one or more volatile or non-volatile memories, magnetic storage devices, or optical storage devices. In some embodiments, the memory 304 may also be a storage medium that can be used exclusively by the computer, such as a compact flash card (CF card), a secure digital card (SD card), and a multimedia card. (Multi-Media card, MMC card), or Memory Stick card (Memory Stick card, MS card). The portable memory device can be equipped with a connector, such as a universal serial bus connector, or FireWire<img file="TW201014390A_D0002.tif" />The connector is used to upload or download data and/or media between the memory 304 and other devices (not shown).

The database 306 can be a table, list, or other data structure aggregation, organized in the form of a relational database or an object-oriented database. In some embodiments, software such as a database management system can be used to manage and access the data structure. In other embodiments, the database 306 may be a hardware system, including computer-readable physical storage media and input and/or output devices for receiving and accessing tables, lists, or other data structures. In addition, the database 306 in the form of a hardware system may include one or more processors and/or display devices.

The input and output device 308 can be at least one of a mouse, a stylus, a keyboard, an audio input/output device, an imaging device, a printing device, a display device, a sensor, a wireless transceiver, or other similar devices. The interface 310 may include external interface ports, such as universal serial bus, Ethernet, FireWire<img file="TW201014390A_D0003.tif" />, And wireless communication protocol. The interface 310 may also include a graphical user interface. The mobile terminal 106 can use the interface 310 to connect to a network (not shown) through a wired or wireless communication link.

The transceiver 314 may include any suitable type of transmitter and receiver, and transmits and receives voice and/or data from the base station 102 to the mobile terminals 106a-d and other devices in the target group 104. In some embodiments, the transceiver 314 may include at least one of required functional elements and a processor to perform encoding/decoding, modulation/demodulation, and other wireless communication channel related functions. The transceiver 314 can be coupled to the antenna 312 to communicate and transmit and receive voice and/or data in a transmission mode, where the transmission mode can include, for example, the aforementioned point-to-point, single-cell point-to-multipoint, and multi-cell transmission modes. Point-to-multipoint and other modes. The antenna 312 can be a single antenna or an antenna array.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart 400 showing an exemplary method for estimating the number of mobile terminals in a target group according to some embodiments. As shown in Figure 4, in some embodiments, the method for estimating the number of mobile terminals can be activated by sending a calculation request message 402. For example, in some embodiments, the base station 102 can send a calculation request message 402 through a communication channel. The number of mobile terminals in a target group is determined without considering the connection status of the mobile terminals. Here, the calculation request message 402 may use various transmission methods, such as but not limited to: Multicast Control CHannel (MCCH) of the Third Generation Partnership Project (Third Generation Partnership Project) system, or Global Interoperability Microwave Access System Multicast Broadcast Service (Multicast Broadcast Service) Media Access Protocol (Media Access Protocol, MAP) and other group multicast channels. The third-generation wireless communication system may include Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), and Evolved High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA). High-Speed Packet Access, HSPA Evolution), Long Term Evolution (LTE), and Advanced Long Term Evolution (LTE Advanced) systems, etc. In other embodiments, the transmission method may further include a broadcast channel using a group identification code, where the group identification code may be a group identification code, a connection identification code, a multicast connection identification code, a logical channel identification code, Group Radio Network Temporary Identifier (group RNTI), service Radio Network Temporary Identifier (service RNTI), or other similar identifiers. Using any of the above transmission methods may limit the reception of mobile terminal devices in a specific target group. However, the connection state of the mobile terminal, which means that the mobile terminal is in standby or communication state, does not cause The mobile terminal cannot receive the calculation request message 402.

In some embodiments, the calculation request message 402 may be formatted to include one or more uplink information. For example, the uplink information may be a code set including a set of orthogonal ranging codes. In other embodiments, the code set may include a random access channel (Radom Access CHannel, RACH) signature, a random access channel preamble, a random access channel orthogonal code, and multiple random access channel code divisions. Access code, ranging code, ranging code division multiple access code, or other similar codes reserved for performing the disclosed estimation method. The above-mentioned formatting steps can be performed by using relevant components of the base station 102. For example, the processor 202 can execute instructions stored in the memory 204 to access data in the database 206 about a specific formatting scheme. In addition, the processor 202 can use the input/output device 208 and/or the interface 210 to access instructions or codes stored in a second storage device or a computing device (not shown) to access or generate a code set. In some cases, a character code set can be stored in the memory associated with the base station 102, including but not limited to the memory 204 and/or the second storage device ( Not shown).

In response to the transmission of the calculation request message 402, each uplink resource can be selected, transmitted, and detected in the process of multiple trial estimation. For example, as shown in Figure 4, the uplink resource included in the calculation request message 402 can be one Code set. In the first trial estimation 404, each mobile terminal 106a-d can select a character code from the character code set. The selected character code may include part of the content corresponding to the transmitted character code set. For example, in some cases, the processor 302 receives After the selected character code is reached, the command is executed to maintain, remove, add, or modify the content associated with the selected character code. In some embodiments, the code set can be carried by the calculation request message 402 as described above. In other embodiments, the code set may be a preset ranging code set defined according to a wireless communication standard, such as a ranging code pool, a ranging code book), or other similar ZigZag code sets. Once a character code is selected, calculation reply messages 404a-n can be generated and sent through one or more uplink resources. In some embodiments, the uplink resources can be preset or configured in advance. For example, the mobile terminals 106a-d can transmit selected characters through random access channel slots, ranging channels, or similar communication channels, and The above-mentioned communication channel provides an uplink connection from the mobile terminal to the base station. In some embodiments, the communication channel and the channel for transmitting the initial calculation request message may be the same or different channels. In other embodiments, the information contained in the calculation request message 402 may be used to provide an alternative upstream link channel. In addition, the transmission of the calculation reply messages 404a-n may use the same, similar, or different transmission power.

In other exemplary embodiments, the upstream link resource included in the calculation request message 402 may be a set of uplink link channels (for example, uplink link opportunities or time slots). In the first trial estimation 404, each mobile terminal 106a-d can select an uplink channel from the configuration set. Once the uplink channel is selected, it can generate a calculation reply message 404a-n and proceed through the selected uplink channel Transmit. Similarly, the calculation reply messages 404a-n can be transmitted using the same, similar, or different transmission power. For example, the mobile terminals 106a-d can use the same transmission power to transmit the calculation reply messages 404a-n. Therefore, based on the received signal quality of the calculated response messages 404a-n, the base station 102 can estimate the status of the channel.

According to the number of characters detected on the upstream link channel when configuring the uplink resource and/or detecting the calculation response signal, the number of mobile terminals in a target group can be estimated. In addition, additional trial evaluations such as the second trial evaluation 406 to the final trial evaluation 408 can also be performed, and each subsequent trial evaluation is performed in the same manner as the first trial evaluation 404. In some embodiments, in order to terminate the estimation procedure, a calculation termination message 410 may be sent to stop the calculation procedure at an appropriate time. Similar to the calculation request message 402, the calculation termination message 410 can be transmitted through a group multicast channel and/or broadcast channel using a target group identification code. The target group identification code may include but is not limited to: group identification code , Link ID, Multicast Link ID, Logical Channel ID, Group Radio Network Temporary ID, Serving Radio Network Temporary ID, or other similar IDs.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart 500 showing an exemplary method for estimating the number of mobile terminals in a target group according to some embodiments. As shown in FIG. 5, in step 502, a calculation sequence is initiated to estimate the number of mobile terminals in a target group. For example, the calculation sequence may be initiated according to an instruction received by the processor 202. In some embodiments, the processor 202 may initialize one or more registers of the memory 204 to store a repetition value, the previous repetition value, and/or a threshold value of the visual estimation. Corresponds to the maximum number of calculation cycles specified by the trial estimation program.

In response to the calculation sequence initiated in step 502, a calculation request message is sent to the members of a target group, where the target group members include mobile terminals associated with the target group. Next, for example, in step 504, the base station 102 may use various transmission methods to transmit the calculation request message 402 through a communication channel. The transmission method may include, but is not limited to, the multicast control channel of the third-generation wireless communication system. In other embodiments, the transmission method may further include using a group identification code, a connection identification code, a multicast connection identification code, a logical channel identification code, a group radio network temporary identification code, a serving radio network temporary identification code, or other Broadcast channels of similar identification codes, etc.

In some embodiments, the calculation request message 402 may be formatted to include a character set or its equivalent. For example, the code set can be formatted by the processor 202 to include an orthogonal ranging code for receiving multiple ranging codes at the same base station at the same time using the same uplink resource. In other embodiments, the code set may include random access channel signature, random access channel preamble, random access channel orthogonal code, random access channel code division multiple access code, ranging code, ranging Code division multiple access codes, or other similar codes reserved for implementation of the disclosed estimation method.

In other embodiments, the calculation request message 402 can also be formatted to include information about the allocation of uplink resources for the target user to report the selected ranging code. The detailed description will be described in FIG. 6 together. The information for configuring uplink resources may include random access channel time slots, ranging channels, or other similar communication channels used by mobile terminals to exchange information with base stations.

The calculation request message 402 may be further formatted to include a threshold value that is related to the maximum number of calculation cycles described above and a probability factor, which is used to reduce the probability that the same orthogonal test is selected among the target users. The possibility of the distance code will be described in detail in Figure 6. In some embodiments, the calculation request message 402 may be transmitted through a group multicast channel and/or a broadcast channel including a target group identification code, where the target group identification code may include but is not limited to: group identification Code, connection identification code, multicast connection identification code, logical channel identification code, group radio network temporary identification code, serving radio network temporary identification code, or other similar identification codes.

In step 506, in response to the transmission of the calculation request message 402, a calculation reply message including the selected character code is received. The "receiving" mentioned here refers to the use of a communication channel to receive data and/or one or any combination of the transceiver 214, the processor 202, and the memory 204 to detect the data, and the communication channel and transmission The channel for initially calculating the request message can be the same or different channels. In addition, when multiple trial estimations are performed, the communication channel used to receive a calculation request message in one trial estimation and the communication channel used to receive the calculation request message in another trial estimation can be the same or different channels .

In some embodiments, one or more trial estimations may be used to estimate the number of mobile terminals in a target group. In other embodiments, step 508 can be followed to determine when the calculation cycle should stop. In operation, step 508 compares the current repeated cycle value with a threshold value to determine whether the calculation cycle has been performed a predetermined number of times . In this embodiment, the current repetition value and threshold value can be stored in the memory associated with the base station 102, including the local memory 204, or be coupled to use the input/output device 208 or the interface 210 for communication The remote end of base station 102 communication^{(remote) memory}body. In the case that the current repeated loop value is greater than or equal to the threshold value, the calculation loop will be terminated. In addition, the calculation cycle can also be terminated by sending a calculation termination message 410. The calculation termination message 410, like the calculation request message 402, may include a target group identification code. In some embodiments, after the calculation termination message 410 is transmitted, it can still continue to receive codes to detect selected codes transmitted by some mobile terminals that have not received the calculation termination message 410, wherein the mobile terminal does not receive the calculation The reason for terminating the message 410 may be due to transmission, reception, or processing errors. Here, the calculation termination message 410 can be sent continuously until no configuration ranging code is detected in the next trial estimation.

In step 510, the number of mobile terminals in a target group can be estimated. In some embodiments, the number of mobile terminals can be estimated based on the number of detected codes received in one or more trial estimations. For example, if the base station 102 needs to perform this step, it can determine that the target group contains r members, r represents the maximum number of detected ranging codes, which can be expressed as:

r=max(<i>r</i>_<i>1</i>,<i>r</i>_<i>2</i>,...,R_k)　(1)

Of the above<i>r</i>_<i>1</i>,<i>r</i>_<i>2</i>,…,<i>r</i>_<i>k</i>Each represents the number of characters received in each trial estimation.

In other embodiments, a maximum probability estimation action can be performed on the characters detected in the above one or more calculation cycles to complete the above terminal number estimation. For example, in operation, as mentioned previously , The base station 102 can be configured for a calculation program<i>s</i>Orthogonal ranging codes, and the corresponding<i>s</i>The calculation request message 402 of an orthogonal ranging code or its equivalent is transmitted, and the base station 102 can receive it separately in k trial estimations<i>r</i>_<i>1</i>,<i>r</i>_<i>2</i>,…,<i>r</i>_<i>k</i>. If N represents the actual number of members in the target group, and<i>R</i>_<i>i</i>Is a random variable, representing the<i>i</i>Estimating the number of ranging codes detected in the second trial, then the target group can be estimated to have<i>n</i>Members, where the parameter<i>n</i>Can maximize the following expressions:

Pr[<i>N</i>=<i>n</i>|<i>R</i>_<i>1</i>=<i>r</i>_<i>1</i>,<i>R</i>_<i>2</i>=<i>r</i>_<i>2</i>,...,<i>R</i>_<i>k</i>=<i>r</i>_<i>k</i>]　(2)

Is equivalent to maximizing the following expression:

Pr[<i>R</i>_<i>1</i>=<i>r</i>_<i>1</i>,<i>R</i>_<i>2</i>=<i>r</i>_<i>2</i>,...,<i>R</i>_<i>k</i>=<i>r</i>_<i>k</i>∣<i>N=n</i>]Pr[<i>N</i>=<i>n</i>]　(3)

In other words, when the aforementioned information about the number of members of the target group is unknown, or when the number of possible members of the target group has the same possibility (that is, for each possible<i>n</i>In terms of Pr[<i>N</i>=<i>n</i>] Are the same), estimating the number of members of the target group is equivalent to finding the one that maximizes the following expression<i>n</i>：

Pr[<i>R</i>_<i>1</i>=<i>r</i>_<i>1</i>,<i>R</i>_<i>2</i>=<i>r</i>_<i>2</i>,...,<i>R</i>_<i>k</i>=<i>r</i>_<i>k</i>∣<i>N=n</i>]　(4)

Since it is<i>k</i>The number of ranging codes detected in the second trial estimation is independent of each other, and the calculation formula (4) can be equivalent to:

<maths><img file="TW201014390A_D0004.tif" /></maths>

in<img file="TW201014390A_D0005.tif" />Representative binomial coefficient<img file="TW201014390A_D0006.tif" />, And ε represents the error probability of transmitting a ranging code, for example, ε is based on transmission power, transmission/reception errors, or other similar physical phenomena.

In other embodiments, step 510 may include a method to reduce the probability of collision to increase the accuracy of estimation. For example, the probability of collision may be related to the possibility of two or more members in the target group selecting and responding to the same code. In operation, the base station 102 can use the calculation request message 402 to configure a probability factor. Then, a mobile terminal of a target group can use the probability factor to determine whether to respond by sending a selected ranging code. Details Will be described in Figure 6. Therefore, since some members of the target group transmit codes in response to the probability factor used in each trial estimation, to estimate the target group members from all trial estimations, the expression (4) is modified according to the following expression:

<maths><img file="TW201014390A_D0007.tif" /></maths>

in<i>p</i>Represents the probability factor of allocation, by putting<i>p</i>Set it to 1, the expression (6) will be equivalent to the expression (5).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart 600 showing an exemplary method of responding to a calculation request message according to some embodiments. As shown in FIG. 6, in step 602, the selected character code is received in response to the calculation request message 402. The "receiving" mentioned herein refers to using a communication channel to receive data and/or using one or any combination of the transceiver 314, the processor 302, and the memory 304 of the mobile terminal 106 to detect the data.

In some embodiments, since the determination of whether to respond to a character code provided by the calculation request message 402 is based on a configuration probability factor, an unnecessary step 604 may be performed in this case. For example, in some embodiments, a configuration probability factor may be received through the calculation request message 402. In operation, a mobile terminal can select a random value between 0 and 1, and then compare the random value with the received probability factor to determine whether to transmit a selected character code. For example, in some embodiments, if the random value is less than the configuration probability factor, the mobile terminal can transmit the selected ZigZag, otherwise, the mobile terminal suspends the trial estimation.

According to step 604, once a character code set is received and/or it is determined that the character code set satisfies the transmission condition, a character code associated with the character code set is selected in step 606. The mobile terminal in the standby or communication mode can perform the selection, and the execution of the selection can use one of the processor 302, the memory 304, and the database 306 or any combination thereof.

In step 608, the calculation request message can be sent through an uplink resource. For example, as described above, the mobile terminal 106a-d can use the random access channel time slot, ranging channel, or other information that can provide the mobile terminal to the base station. One of the similar communication channels of the uplink sends calculation reply messages 404a-n respectively. In other embodiments, the information contained in the calculation request message 402 may be used to provide an alternative upstream link channel. In addition, the transmission power of the calculation reply messages 404a-n may be the same as, similar to, or different from the calculation request message 402. In some embodiments, if the calculation termination message 410 is received, the procedure can be ended after step 608.

In addition, additional trial estimations can be performed, such as the second trial estimation 406 to the final trial estimation 408. In some embodiments, the mobile terminals 106a-d can perform similar functions in the subsequent trial evaluations as shown in FIG. 6. In other embodiments, the mobile terminal 106a-d may perform step 604 to determine whether to reply a character code based on the decision of the previous trial estimation. For example, the mobile terminal 106a-d may be because the mobile terminal has previously responded to one or more characters. , And decided not to reply one word for this trial estimate.

Although the present invention is disclosed as above with several examples and preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Anyone who is familiar with the art can do it without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed embodiments of the present invention. With some changes and modifications, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be subject to the scope of the attached patent application.

<p>100. . . system</p><p>102. . . Base station</p><p>104. . . Target group</p><p>106a~106d. . . Mobile terminal</p><p>202, 302. . . processor</p><p>204, 304. . . Memory</p><p>206, 306. . . database</p><p>208, 308. . . Input and output devices</p><p>210, 310. . . interface</p><p>212, 312. . . antenna</p><p>214, 314. . . transceiver</p><p>402. . . Calculation request message</p><p>404a, 404n, 406a, 406n, 408a, 408n. . . Calculate reply message</p><p>410. . . Calculation termination message</p>

With the accompanying drawings, it will be easier to understand the above description and implementation. In order to further illustrate the implementation, the accompanying drawings are examples of implementation, but the present invention is not limited to the composition and mechanism shown in the drawings. .

Figure 1 shows an exemplary mobile network system according to an embodiment.

Figure 2 shows a block diagram of an exemplary base station according to some embodiments.

Figure 3 shows a block diagram of an exemplary mobile terminal according to some embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a method for estimating the number of mobile terminals in a target group according to some embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a method for estimating the number of mobile terminals in a target group according to some embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a method of responding to a calculation request message according to some embodiments.