Abstract:
There is disclosed, for use in a wireless network comprising base stations that communicate with mobile stations, a system for controlling the transmission of data in a traffic channel between a base station and a mobile station. The system comprises a radio link protocol (RLP) controller for causing the base station to transmit to the mobile station a first data transfer control message according to a first radio link protocol version, and a timer coupled to the RLP controller for providing the RLP controller an elapsed time after the transmission of the first data transfer control message. The RLP controller, in response to a determination that an acknowledgment message has not been received from the mobile station before the elapsed time has exceeded a maximum value, transmits to the first mobile station a second data transfer control message according to a second radio link protocol version.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed, in general, to wireless network and, more specifically, to a system for ensuring backward compatibility in radio link protocol versions. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The high level of competition in wireless communication equipment has driven the price of cellular service down to the point where it is affordable to a large segment of the population. Wireless subscribers use a wide variety of wireless devices, including cellular phones, personal communication services (PCS) devices, and wireless modem-equipped personal computer (PCs), among others. The large number of subscribers and the many applications for wireless communications have created a heavy subscriber demand for radio frequency (RF) bandwidth. To meet this demand, wireless service providers have maximized frequency by making individual cell sites smaller and using a greater number of cell sites to cover the same geographical area. Additionally, just as increased modem speeds made widespread use of the Internet possible and more popular, wireless communication protocols and standards are constantly improved in order to increase data bit rates over the wireless link between a wireless communication-device (or mobile station) used by a subscriber and a base station of a wireless network. For example, third generation (3G) wireless devices are expected to transmit data in excess of 140 kilobits per second (kbps) in the forward channel (i.e., from base station to mobile station) and in the reverse channel (i.e., from mobile station to base station). 
     To support the higher data rates, it is necessary to improve the radio link protocol (RLP) used by base stations and mobile stations to synchronize the transmission of data in the forward and reverse channels. As is well known, base stations and mobile stations communicate in a number of control channels and traffic channels. The control channels, namely pilot, synchronization (sync), paging, and access, are used to register a mobile station with a wireless network and to set up a call in a data traffic channel. The data traffic channels are used to transport subscriber voice and/or data signals. 
     Within a traffic channel, the radio link protocol (RLP) is used to synchronize the transmission of frames of data in the forward and reverse channels. Previous versions of RLP, such as RLP 2  and RLP 3  supported data bit rates up to 14.4 Kbps. RLP 4  is intended to support much higher bit rates and different frames sizes. 
     Unfortunately, the control channels of conventional wireless. networks do not provide a mechanism that allows a mobile station and a base station to agree upon a particular RLP version prior to the setup of a traffic channel. This leads to compatibility problems if a base station attempts to transmit traffic data in RLP 4  to a base station that only supports RLP 1 , RLP 2  or RLP 3 . 
     There is therefore a need in the art for wireless systems that provide backward compatibility between different versions of the radio link protocol in a wireless network. More particularly, there is a need for an improved wireless network base station that is capable of determining the radio link protocol of a mobile station and adjusting the radio link protocol used by the base station to match the radio link protocol of the mobile station. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide, for use in a wireless network comprising a plurality of base stations capable of communicating with a plurality of mobile stations, a system capable of controlling the transmission of data in a traffic channel between a first one of the plurality of base stations and a first one of the mobile stations. In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the system comprises: 1) a radio link protocol (RLP) controller capable of causing the first base station to transmit to the first mobile station a first data transfer control message according to a first radio link protocol version; and 2) a timer coupled to the RLP controller capable of providing the RLP controller an elapsed time after the transmission of the first data transfer control message, wherein the RLP controller, in response to a determination that an acknowledgment message has not been received from the mobile station before the elapsed time has exceeded a maximum value, transmits to the first mobile station a second data transfer control message according to a second radio link protocol version. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first data transfer control message is a first control frame. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, the control frame comprises a first synchronization (SYNC) frame having a control field set to a SYNC value associated with the first radio link protocol version. 
     According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the second data transfer control message is a second control frame. 
     According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the control frame comprises a second synchronization (SYNC) frame having a control field set to a SYNC value associated with the second radio link protocol version. 
     According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the maximum value is adjustable. 
     According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the RLP controller transmits the first data transfer control message to synchronize a transmission of data frames to the mobile station and wherein the RLP controller, upon determining that synchronization has been lost with the mobile station, transmits a different data transfer control message to re-synchronize a transmission of data frames to the mobile station. 
     According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a sequence number length associated with the different data transfer control message is different than a sequence number length associated with the first data transfer control message. 
     The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form. 
     Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION, it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term “or,” is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like; and the term “controller” means any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one operation, such a device may be implemented in hardware, firmware or software, or some combination of at least two of the same. It should be noted that the functionality associated with any particular controller may be centralized or distributed, whether locally or remotely. Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers designate like objects, and in which: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a general overview of an exemplary wireless network according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates in greater detail an exemplary base station according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a message flow diagram illustrating a synchronization operation in a traffic channel between a base station using a first radio link protocol and a mobile station using a second radio link protocol according to one embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 4 is a message flow diagram illustrating a re-synchronization operation in a traffic channel between a base station and a mobile station using the same radio link protocol according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIGS. 1 through 4, discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present invention in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present invention may be implemented in any suitably arranged wireless network. 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a general overview of an exemplary wireless network  100  according to one embodiment of the present invention. The wireless telephone network  100  comprises a plurality of cell sites  121 - 123 , each containing one of the base stations, BS  101 , BS  102 , or BS  103 . Base stations  101 - 103  are operable to communicate with a plurality of mobile stations (MS)  111 - 114 . Mobile stations  111 - 114  may be any suitable wireless communication devices, including conventional cellular telephones, PCS handset devices, portable computers, telemetry devices, and the like. 
     Dotted lines show the approximate boundaries of the cell sites  121 - 123  in which base stations  101 - 103  are located. The cell sites are shown approximately circular for the purposes of illustration and explanation only. It should be clearly understood that the cell sites also may have irregular shapes, depending on the cell configuration selected and natural and man-made obstructions. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, BS  101 , BS  102 , and BS  103  may comprise a base station controller (BSC) and a base transceiver station (BTS). Base station controllers and base transceiver stations are well known to those skilled in the art. A base station controller is a device that manages wireless communications resources, including the base transceiver station, for specified cells within a wireless communications network. A base transceiver station comprises the RF transceivers, antennas, and other electrical equipment located in each cell site. This equipment may include air conditioning units, heating units, electrical supplies, telephone line interfaces, and RF transmitters and RF receivers, as well as call processing circuitry. For the purpose of simplicity and clarity in explaining the operation of the present invention, the base transceiver station in each of cells  121 ,  122 , and  123  and the base station controller associated with each base transceiver station are collectively represented by BS  101 , BS  102  and BS  103 , respectively. 
     BS  101 , BS  102  and BS  103  transfer voice and data signals between each other and the public telephone system (not shown) via communications line  131  and mobile switching center (MSC)  140 . Mobile switching center  140  is well known to those skilled in the art. Mobile switching center  140  is a switching device that provides services and coordination between the subscribers in a wireless network and external networks, such as the public telephone system and/or the Internet. Communications line  131  may be any suitable connection means, including a T 1  line, a T 3  line, a fiber optic link, a network backbone connection, and the like. In some embodiments of the present invention, communications line  131  may be several different data links, where each data link couples one of BS  101 , BS  102 , or BS  103  to MSC  140 . 
     In the exemplary wireless network  100 , MS  111  is located in cell site  121  and is in communication with BS  101 , MS  113  is located in cell site  122  and is in communication with BS  102 , and MS  114  is located in cell site  123  and is in communication with BS  103 . MS  112  is also located in cell site  121 , close to the edge of cell site  123 . The direction arrow proximate MS  112  indicates the movement of MS  112  towards cell site  123 . At some point, as MS  112  moves into cell site  123  and out of cell site  121 , a “handoff” will occur. 
     As is well known, the “handoff” procedure transfers control of a call from a first cell to a second cell. For example, if MS  112  is in communication with BS  101  and senses that the signal from BS  101  is becoming unacceptably weak, MS  112  may then switch to a BS that has a stronger signal, such as the signal transmitted by BS  103 . MS  112  and BS  103  establish a new communication link and a signal is sent to BS  101  and the public telephone network to transfer the on-going voice, data, or control signals through BS  103 . The call is thereby seamlessly transferred from BS  101  to BS  103 . An “idle” handoff is a handoff between cells of a mobile device that is communicating in the control or paging channel, rather than transmitting voice and/or data signals in the regular traffic channels. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates in greater detail exemplary base station  101  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Base station  101  comprises base station controller (BSC)  210  and base transceiver station (BTS)  220 . Base station controllers and base transceiver stations were described previously in connection with FIG.  1 . BSC  210  manages the resources in cell site  121 , including BTS  220 . BTS  220  comprises BTS controller  225 , channel controller  235  with representative channel element  240 , transceiver interface (IF)  245 , RF transceiver unit  250 , and antenna array  255 . BTS  220  also comprises radio link protocol controller  260  and timer  265 , described below in greater detail. 
     BTS controller  225  comprises processing circuitry and memory capable of executing an operating program that controls the overall operation of BTS  220  and communicates with BSC  210 . Under normal conditions, BTS controller  225  directs the operation of channel controller  235 , which contains a number of channel elements, including channel element  240 , that perform bi-directional communications in the forward channel and the reverse channel. A “forward” channel refers to outbound signals from the base station to the mobile station and a “reverse” channel refers to inbound signals from the mobile station to the base station. In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the channel elements communicate according to a code division multiple access (CDMA) protocol with the mobile stations in cell site  121 . Transceiver IF  245  transfers the bi-directional channel signals between channel controller  235  and RF transceiver unit  250 . 
     Antenna array  255  transmits forward channel signals received from RF transceiver unit  250  to mobile stations in the coverage area of BS  101 . Antenna array  255  also sends to transceiver  250  reverse channel signals received from mobile stations in the coverage area of BS  101 . In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, antenna array  255  is a multi-sector antenna, such as a three sector antenna in which each antenna sector is responsible for transmitting and receiving in a 120° arc of coverage area. 
     Additionally, RF transceiver  250  may contain an antenna selection unit to select among different antennas in antenna array  255  during both transmit and receive operations. 
     Radio link protocol (RLP) controller  260  comprises circuitry that monitors and controls the radio link protocol version that is used by BTS controller  225  to synchronize signals transmitted between BS  101  and the mobile stations, including MS  112 . RLP controller  260  determines when the RLP version used by a particular mobile station is not compatible with the RLP version used by BS  101  and provides backward compatibility with prior RLPs, minimizing the obsolescence of mobile stations. This is described in greater detail below. 
     Timer  265  counts the elapsed time between the time RLP controller  260  causes BS  101  to output a synchronization (SYNC) frame and the time BS  101  receives a mobile station response to the SYNC frame. Timer  265  counts up to an adjustable timeout value (T), which represents the maximum time that BS  101  waits for a mobile station response to a SYNC frame transmitted by BS  101 . 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, RLP controller  260  uses a 6-bit RLP control (CTL) field in each frame to specify which type of message (frame) is being transferred. In one embodiment of the present invention, RLP controller  260  uses the RLP CTL field in conjunction with timeout T to determine RLP compatibility with a mobile station, such as MS  112 . In RLP version  1  (RLP 1 ), RLP version  2  (RLP 2 ), and RLP version  3  (RLP 3 ), the control frames begin with an 8-bit sequence number, followed by a 6-bit CTL field. In RLP 1 , RLP 2  and RLP 3 , the sequence number is not used for SYNC, ACK, or SYNC/ACK. The sequence number is used only for the negative-acknowledgment (NAK) messages. 
     The CTL field values for RLP 1  are shown in Table 1 below. 
     
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 CTL 
                 Message 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 1100 00 
                 NAK 
               
               
                 1101 00 
                 SYNC 
               
               
                 1110 00 
                 ACK 
               
               
                 1111 00 
                 SYNC/ACK 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The CTL field values for RLP 2  and RLP 3  are shown in Table 2 below. 
     
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 CTL 
                 Message 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 1100 00 
                 NAK 
               
               
                 1101 10 
                 SYNC 
               
               
                 1110 10 
                 ACK 
               
               
                 1111 10 
                 SYNC/ACK 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The CTL field values for RLP 4  are shown in Table 3 below. 
     
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 3 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 CTL 
                 Message 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 1100 00 
                 NAK 
               
               
                 1101 01 
                 SYNC 
               
               
                 1110 01 
                 ACK 
               
               
                 1111 01 
                 SYNC/ACK 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     RLP controller  260  uses the CTL field of the SYNC, ACK, and SYNC/ACK RLP messages to identify which version of RLP is being use by MS  112 . The sequence number size for these messages is 8-bits, so that present and anticipated versions of RLP can recognize the frame. (For the NAK control frame, the sequence number size may depend on which version of RLP is used (e.g. 8-bits for RLP 2  and RLP 3 ). Using these control field values and an 8-bit sequence number, RLP controller  260  provides backward compatibility with various versions of RLP, as shown below. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, RLP controller  260  supports communication in a traffic channel using advanced versions of RLP, such as RLP 4 , and maintains backward compatibility with one or more prior version of RLP, such as RLP 2  and RLP 3 , for example. RLP controller  260  first attempts to synchronize with a mobile station, MS  112  for instance, by transmitting synchronization signals using RLP 4  SYNC CTL fields to MS  112 , which uses RLP 3  or RLP 2 . 
     MS  112  ignores the synchronization attempt since it does not recognize RLP 4  SYNC. RLP controller  260  subsequently receives a time-out signal from timer  265  which indicates that the time-out T for receiving an RLP 4  acknowledgment (ACK) response from MS  112  has been reached. After RLP controller  260  receives the time-out signal, RLP controller  260  causes BS  101  to transmit a SYNC frame in RLP 2 / 3  format to MS  112  to see if MS  112  is able to communicate in RLP 2 / 3 . 
     MS  112  recognizes the RLP 2 / 3  SYNC and responds to BS  101  with an RLP 2 / 3  synchronization/acknowledgment (SYNC/ACK) message. RLP controller  260  recognizes the incoming RLP 2 / 3  SYNC/ACK as an indication that MS  112  is able to communicate with RLP 2 / 3  protocol and causes BS  101  to respond to MS  112  with-an RLP acknowledgment (ACK) message. RLP controller  260  enables an RLP 2 / 3  8-bit over-the-air (OTA) sequence number for on-going communications with MS  112 . In turn, MS  112  receives the RLP 2 / 3  ACK from BS  101  and establishes RLP 2 / 3  with the 8-bit OTA sequence number for the remainder of the RLP communication session with BS  101 . If synchronization is lost during communications between BS  101  and MS  112  for the above example, RLP controller  260  may re-synchronize communications with MS  112  using SYNC, SYNC/ACK, ACK messages as is typically done for RLP 2 / 3  sessions. 
     However, if RLP controller  260  receives an RLP  4  SYNC/ACK from MS  112  in response to a BS  101  RLP 4  SYNC frame, RLP controller  260  determines that MS  112  is compatible with RLP 4  and thereafter transmits RLP 4  messages to establish an RLP 4 -RLP 4  communication session with MS  112 . In these cases, RLP controller  260  enables an OTA sequence number with a new length defined for RLP 4 . If synchronization is lost during an established RLP 4 -RLP 4  session, RLP controller  260  enables new RESYNC, RESYNC/REACK, and REACK messages for RLP 4 . The RLP 4  SYNC, SYNC ACK, and ACK messages cannot be used for this purpose since those messages may have a different sequence number length (8-bits) with respect to the RLP 4  OTA new sequence number length. RLP controller  260  causes BS  101  to transfer the RLP 4  RESYNC message with CTL codes as previously described in Table 3 and the new RLP 4  sequence number length for ongoing RLP 4  sessions. In a similar manner, MS  112  sends a RESYNC/REACK, and BS  101  replies with a REACK, similar to previous versions of RLP but with the RLP 4  sequence number length. This is described in greater detail below. 
     FIG. 3 depicts message flow diagram  300 , which illustrates a synchronization operation in a traffic channel between base station  101  using a first radio link protocol and mobile station  112  using a second radio link protocol according to one embodiment of the present invention. For this example, BS  101  is RLP 4  compatible and MS  112  is RLP 3  compatible. At the beginning of the process, BS  101  sends an RLP 4  compatible SYNC frame with CTL data field “1101 01” to MS  112  (message  305 ). MS  112  does not recognize or respond to the RLP 4  SYNC frame. 
     BS  101  waits an elapsed time T for the return of an RLP 4  SYNC/ACK from MS  112 . When time T has expired without the return of an RLP 4  SYNC/ACK from MS  112 , BS  101  determines that MS  112  does not communicate according to RLP 4 . BS  101  then sends an RLP 2 / 3  SYNC frame with CTL data field “1101 10” (message  310 ). 
     MS  112  recognizes the RLP 2 / 3  SYNC frame as valid and responds with RLP 2 / 3  SYNC/ACK CTL data field “1111 10” (message  315 ). When BS  101  receives the RLP 2 / 3  SYNC/ACK from MS  112 , BS  101  determines that MS  112  communicates according to RLP 2 / 3  and responds to MS  112  by sending the RLP 2 / 3  ACK message with CTL field “1110 10” (message  320 ). BS  101  then continues to communicate with MS  112  using RLP 3  with the required 8-bit OTA sequence number. 
     In order to support the variable number of frames in transmissions between BS  101  and MS  112  under RLP 4 , the present invention also introduces new radio link protocol messages that may be used to re-synchronize BS  101  and MS  112  if synchronization errors occur during the transmission of data. FIG. 4 depicts message flow diagram  400 , which illustrates a re-synchronization operation in a traffic channel between base station  101  and mobile station  112  using the same radio link protocol according to one embodiment of the present invention. For illustration purposes, exemplary BS  101  and MS  112  are both compatible with RLP 4 . 
     BS  101  initiates the communication sequence with MS  112  by sending an RLP 4  compatible SYNC frame with CTL data field “1101 01” n (message  405 ). MS  112  recognizes the RLP 4  SYNC frame and responds with an RLP 4  SYNC/ACK frame with CTL data field “1111 01” (message  410 ). BS  101  receives the RLP 4  compatible SYNC/ACK from MS  112  and determines that MS  112  is compatible with RLP 4 . BS  101  subsequently responds with RLP 4  ACK with CTL data field “1110 01” (message  415 ) BS  101  continues to communicate using RLP 4  with the new RLP 4  OTA sequence number length. MS  112  receives the RLP 4  ACK from BS  101  and continue communicating with BS  101  using the new RLP 4  OTA sequence number length. 
     After a period of time, BS  101  determines that synchronization between BS  101  and MS  112  has been lost. BS  101  sends an RLP 4  RESYNC frame with CTL data field “1101 01” with the new RLP 4  OTA sequence number length (message  420 ). MS  112  recognizes RESYNC frame from BS  101  and responds with RLP 4  RESYNC/REACK frame with CTL “1111 01”, using the new RLP 4  OTA sequence number length (message  425 ). 
     BS  101  receives the RLP 4  RESYNC/REACK frame from MS  112  and responds with an RLP 4  REACK frame with CTL “1110 01” and the new RLP 4  sequence number length (message  430 ). At this point, BS  101  and MS  112  are re-synchronized and the RLP 4 -RLP 4  communications session continues until synchronization is again lost or the call is terminated. 
     Although the present invention has been described in detail, those skilled in the art should understand that they can make various changes, substitutions and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.