English:
[0001] Fig. 3 shows selected general aspects of user equipment unit (UE) 30 and illustrative nodes such as radio network controller 26 and base station 28. The user equipment unit (UE) 30 shown in Fig. 3 includes a data processing and control unit 31 for controlling various operations required by the user equipment unit (UE). The UE's data processing and control unit 31 provides control signals as well as data to a radio transceiver 33 connected to an antenna 35. In addition to other functionalities herein after described, the user equipment unit (UE) 30 can have user-interactive or user- viewable devices, such as an input device 310 and a display device 312.
[0004] The radio access network (RAN) covers a geographical area which is divided into cell areas, with each cell area being served by a base station. A cell is a geographical area where radio coverage is provided by the radio base station equipment at a base station site. Each cell is identified, typically by a unique identity, which is broadcast in the cell. The base stations communicate over the air interface (e.g., radio frequencies) with the user equipment units (UE) within range of the base stations. In the radio access network, several base stations are typically connected (e.g., by landlines or microwave) to a radio network controller (RNC). The radio network controller, also sometimes termed a base station controller (BSC), supervises and coordinates various activities of the plural base stations connected thereto. The radio network controllers are typically connected to one or more core networks.
[0005] One example of a radio access network is the Universal Mobile Telecommunications (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN). The UTRAN is a third generation system which is in some respects builds upon the radio access technology known as Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) developed in Europe. UTRAN is essentially a wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA) system. An endeavor know as the Third Generation Partnership Project (3 GPP) is seeking to evolve yet further the UTRAN.
[0006] As those skilled in the art appreciate, in W-CDMA technology a common frequency band allows simultaneous communication between a user equipment unit (UE) and plural base stations. Signals occupying the common frequency band are discriminated at the receiving station through spread spectrum CDMA waveform properties based on the use of a high speed code, such as a pseudo-noise (PN) code. These high speed PN codes are used to modulate signals transmitted from the base stations and the user equipment units (UEs). Transmitter stations using different PN codes (or a PN code offset in time) produce signals that can be separately demodulated at a receiving station. The high speed PN modulation also allows the receiving station to advantageously generate a received signal from a single transmitting station by combining several distinct propagation paths of the transmitted signal. In CDMA, therefore, a user equipment unit (UE) need not switch frequency when handoff of a connection is made from one cell to another. As a result, a destination cell can support a connection to a user equipment unit (UE) at the same time the origination cell continues to service the connection. Since the user equipment unit (UE) is always communicating through at least one cell during handover, there is no disruption to the call. Hence, the term "soft handover." In contrast to hard handover, soft handover is a "make-before-break" switching operation.
[0007] The radio network controller (RNC) controls the UTRAN. In fulfilling its control role, the RNC manages resources of the UTRAN. Such resources managed by the RNC include (among others) the downlink (DL) power transmitted by the base stations; the uplink (UL) interference perceived by the base stations; and the hardware situated at the base stations.
[0008] There are several interfaces of interest in the UTRAN. The interface between the radio network controllers (RNCs) and the core network(s) is termed the "Iu" interface. The interface between a radio network controller (RNC) and its base stations (BSs) is termed the 'Tub" interface. The interface between the user equipment unit (UE) and the base stations is known as the "air interface" or the "radio interface" or "Uu interface". In some instances, a radio connection involves both a Serving or Source RNC (SRNC) and a target or drift RNC (DRNC), with the SRNC controlling the radio connection but with one or more radio links of the radio connection being handling by the DRNC. An interface between radio network controllers (e.g., between a Serving RNC [SRNC] and a Drift RNC [DRNC]) is termed the "Iur" interface, and can be realized (for example) by an Inter-RNC transport link.
[0009] Those skilled in the art appreciate that, with respect to a certain RAN-UE connection, an RNC can either have the role of a serving RNC (SRNC) or the role of a drift RNC (DRNC) . If an RNC is a serving RNC (SRNC), the RNC is in charge of the radio connection with the user equipment unit (UE), e.g., it has full control of the radio connection within the radio access network (RAN). A serving RNC (SRNC) is connected to the core network. On the other hand, if an RNC is a drift RNC (DRNC), its supports the serving RNC (SRNC) by supplying radio resources (within the cells controlled by the drift RNC (DRNC)) needed for the radio connection with the user equipment unit (UE). A system which includes the drift radio network controller (DRNC) and the base stations controlled over the Iub Interface by the drift radio network controller (DRNC) is herein referenced as a DRNC subsystem or DRNS.

中文:
[0001]图3显示用户设备单元(UE)和说明性的节点(诸如无线电网络控制器26和基站28)的选定的总的方面。图3所示的用户设备单元(UE)包括数据处理和控制单元31,它用于控制用户设备单元(UE)所需要的各种操作。UE的数据处理和控制单元31为被连接到天线35的无线收发信机33提供控制信号以及数据。除了此后描述的其他功能以外,用户设备单元(UE)30可具有用户互动的或用户可视的设备,诸如输入设备310和显示设备312。
[0004]无线电接入网(RAN)覆盖一个地理区域,该地理区域被划分成小区区域,每个小区区域由基站提供服务。小区是其中由基站台址处的无线电基站设备提供无线电覆盖的地理区域。每个小区由唯一的标识来识别,该标识在小区中广播。基站通过空中接口(例如,射频)与处在基站范围内的用户设备单元(UE)进行通信。在无线电接入网中,几个基站典型地(例如通过地面线路或微波)被连接到无线电网络控制器(RNC)。无线电网络控制器,有时也称为基站控制器(BSC),它监管和协调连接到它的多个基站的各种活动。无线电网络控制器典型地被连接到一个或多个核心网。
[0005]无线电接入网的一个例子是通用移动电信(UMTS)地面无线电接入网(UTRAN)。UMTS是第三代系统,它在某些方面是建立在欧洲开发的、被称为全球移动通信系统(GSM)的无线电接入技术的基础上的。UTRAN实际上是宽带码分多址接入(W-CDMA)系统。被称为第三代伙伴关系项目(3GPP)的努力正寻求进一步发展UTRAN。
[0006]正如本领域技术人员看到的,在W-CDMA技术中,公共频带使得可以在用户设备单元(UE)与多个基站之间同时进行通信。占用该公共频带的信号在接收站处通过基于使用高速码(诸如伪噪声(PN)码)的扩频CDMA波形性质而被鉴别出。这些高速PN码被用来调制从基站和用户设备单元(UE)发送的信号。使用不同的PN码(或在时间上的PN码偏移)的发射站产生在接收站处可被分别地解调的信号。高速PN调制也允许接收站通过组合发送信号的几条不同传播路径从而有利地产生来自单个发射站的接收信号。所以,在CDMA中,用户设备单元(UE)在连接从一个小区转接到另一个小区时,不需要转换频率。结果,目的地小区可以在原先的小区继续服务于到用户设备单元(UE)的连接的同时支持该连接。由于用户设备单元(UE)在切换期间总是通过至少一个小区进行通信,所以不会中断呼叫。因此,被称为“软切换”。与硬切换相反,软越区切换是一个“先合后离”的切换操作。
[0007]无线电网络控制器(RNC)控制UTRAN。为了完成它的控制角色,RNC管理UTRAN的资源。由RNC管理的这样的资源包括(尤其是)由基站发射的下行链路(DL)功率;由基站觉察到的上行链路(UL)干扰;以及位于基站处的硬件。
[0008]在UTRAN中有几个感兴趣的接口。在无线电网络控制器(RNC)与核心网之间的接口被称为“Iu”接口。在无线电网络控制器(RNC)与它的基站(BS)之间的接口被称为“Iub”接口。在用户设备单元(UE)与基站之间的接口被称为“空中接口”或“无线电接口”或“Uu接口”。在某些情形下,无线电连接牵涉到服务的或源的RNC(SRNC)和目标的或漂移的RNC(DRNC),SRNC控制无线电连接,但无线电连接的一个或多个无线电链路由DRNC处理。在无线电网络控制器之间(例如服务RNC[SRNC]与漂移RNC[DRNC]之间)的接口被称为“Iur”接口,它可以(例如)由RNC间的输送链路来实现。
[0009]本领域技术人员将会看到,对于某个特定RAN-UE连接,RNC可以起到服务RNC(SRNC)的作用或起到漂移RNC(DRNC)的作用。如果RNC是服务RNC(SRNC),则RNC负责与用户设备单元(UE)的无线电连接,例如,它完全控制无线电接入网(RAN)内的无线电连接。服务RNC(SRNC)被连接到核心网。另一方面,如果RNC是漂移RNC(DRNC),则它通过提供对于与用户设备单元(UE)的无线电连接所需要的无线电资源(在漂移RNC(DRNC)控制的小区内)来支持服务RNC(SRNC)。包括漂移无线电网络控制器(DRNC)和由漂移无线电网络控制器(DRNC)通过Iub接口控制的基站的系统,在这里称为DRNC子系统或DRNS。