Title of Invention

A SYSTEM FOR USE IN DETECTING A RANDOM ACCESS REQUEST IN A CDMS SYSTEM

Abstract A system for use in detecting a random access request in a CDMA system, comprising: a random access detector unit (102); at least one searcher unit (104), an input of said system coupled to said random access detector unit (102) and said at least one searcher unit (104); a control unit (106), an output of said random access control unit and said at least one searcher unit coupled to said control unit; and a RAKE receiver unit (108), an output of said control unit and said input of said system coupled to said RAKE receiver unit, wherein said output of said control unit includes a control signal comprised of an order number for a detected signature pattern, an estimated path delay, and an estimated channel value.
Full Text FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT 1970
[39 OF 1970]
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
[See Section 10]
RANDOM ACCESS IN A MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM"-

TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON [PUBL], a Swedish company, of S-126 25 Stockholm, Sweden,
The following specification particularly describes the nature of the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:-


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RANDOM ACCESS IN A MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
5 Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the mobile telecommunications field and, in particular, to a method and system for processing multiple random access calls in a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) or Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) system. 10
Description of Related Art
For the next generation mobile communication systems, such as the IMT-
2000 and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Direct
Sequence-CDMA (DS-CDMA) approaches have been proposed for use in the
15 United States, Europe and Japan. In this regard, a similar WCDMA system is
being considered for use in both Europe and Japan, but a somewhat different DS-CDMA concept is being considered for use in the United States.
These next generation systems vriU be required to provide a broad selection
of telecommunications services including digital voice, video and data in packet
20 and channel circuit-switched modes. As a result, the number of calls being made is
expected to increase significantly, which will result in much higher traffic density
on random access channels (RACHs). Unfortunately, this higher traffic density
will also result in increased collisions and access failures. Consequently, the new
generation of mobile communication systems will have to use much faster and
25 flexible random access procedures, in order to increase their access success rates
and reduce their access request processing times. In other words, there will be a high demand for much faster and more efficient access in those systems due to the expected substantial increase in packet-switched traffic.
The proposed WCDMA approach includes two different ways to transmit
30 packets, on a common channel and a dedicated channel. However, there will be a
high demand for faster and more efficient random access using either transmission

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scheme. For example, commonly-assigned U.S. Patent Applications Serial Nos.
08/733,501 and 08/847,655, and U.S. Provisional Application Serial No.
60/063,024 describe such a random access approach, which can be used for a
packet-based service where a mobile station (MS) can transmit packets on a
5 common channel and a dedicated channel. For the common channel case, the
packets are included in the random access requests being transmitted. For the dedicated channel case, the random access requests being transmitted include requests for a dedicated channel on which to transmit the associated packets. The above-described patent applications disclose a Slotted-ALOHA (S-
10 ALOHA) random access approach. Using this approach, a common transmission
medium can be shared by a plurality of users. Essentially, the transmission medium is divided into a plurality of access slots, which are characterized by a time offset relative to the received frame boundary. Each user (MS) randomly selects an access slot and then transmits its message information in that access slot.
15 However, a shortcoming of this approach is that the access slots are not allocated to
the users, which can result in collisions between the different users' transmissions.
For example, using the S-ALOHA random access approach in the above-described patent applications, a MS generates and transmits a random access request. A diagram that illustrates a frame structure for such a random access
20 request is shown in FIGURE 1. The frame structure shown is used in the first two
of the above-described patent applications. As shown, the random access request comprises a preamble and a data field portion. The preamble part is used primarily as a ringing function. The data portion includes the request and/or the data packet. In order to reduce the risk of collisions for requests from different MSs that choose
25 the same access slot, the preamble for each MS's request contains a unique
signature (bit) pattern. The MSs randomly select the signature patterns used (preferably from a limited set of signature patterns), which further reduces the risk of collisions.
The following procedure is typically used in an S-ALOHA random access
30 system. First, an MS is synchronized to a base station. The MS "listens" to a
broadcast channel over which, for example, the network broadcasts random access codes, broadcast channel transmit power level, and the interference signal level

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measured at that base station. Next, the MS estimates the downlink path loss, and
together with the knowledge of the base station interference signal level and the
transmit power level, estimates a transmit power level to use. The MS then selects
an access slot and signature pattern, and transmits its random access request on the
5 selected access slot and with the selected signature pattern. The MS awaits an
acknowledgment to the access request from the base station. If the MS does not receive an acknowledgment from the base station within a predetermined (time¬out) period, the MS selects a new access slot and signature pattern, and transmits a new random access request.
10 Referring to FIGURE 1, the preamble portion is modulated with different
signature patterns, and spread with a base station-unique spreading code. The signature patterns are used for separating different simultaneous random access requests, and also to determine which spreading/scrambling code to use on the data portion of the requests. Consequently, as mentioned earlier, the requests from two
15 different MSs that use the same access slot but with different signature patterns can
be separated. Also, pilot symbols can be inserted into the data portion of the request, in order to facilitate coherent detection. The preamble portion of the request can also be used for coherent detection, but if the data portion is relatively long, the channel estimate has to be updated accordingly.
20 FIGURE 2 illustrates the frame structure of the random access request
described in the third of the above-described patent applications. Using the frame structure shown, the data portion is transmitted on the I branch of the channel, and the preamble/pilot is transmitted on the Q branch. This frame structure is used in order to make the random access channel compatible with the other dedicated
25 uplink channels used, which for the WCDMA approach is I/Q multiplexed. In any
event, it does not matter whether the data and pilot symbols are time-multiplexed, I/Q multiplexed, or code-multiplexed (which can be performed among other methods by complex scrambling an I/Q multiplexed signal).
A frame is divided into a number of time slots on the dedicated data channel
30 according to the power control command rate. These slots are denoted frame slots.
In the proposed WCDMA systems, there are 16 of these frame slots per frame. In a random access scheme, a frame is also sub-divided into a number of access slots,

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but the purpose is to increase the throughput efficiency of the random access
process. An access slot defines a period in which an MS can start its transmission
of a random access request. Using the random access approach in the first two of
the above-described patent applications, the random access requests can, for
5 example, be transmitted in consecutive access slots as shown in FIGURE 3.
The data portion of the random access requests shown in FIGURE 3 is scrambled by a long code (same length as the data portion). Consequently, an access slot plus a guard time can be equal to N frame slots. Preferably, the preambles from different access slots should not overlap, because there would be
10 too many preamble detectors required in the base station, and the interference (due
to the same spreading codes being used) would be increased for the random access detection process. However, for the frame structure used in the third of the above-described patent applications, the throughput efficiency of the random access channel may be reduced, because longer preambles are being used and the
15 preambles of different access requests in different access slots should not overlap.
The random access receiver in the base station is comprised of two sections, wherein one section detects the preamble, and the second section detects the data portion of the request. The section that detects the preamble includes a matched filter, which is matched to the spreading code used on the signatures. The
20 modulation of the output signal of the matched filter is removed by multiplication
with the expected signature symbols (remodulation), in order to separate random access requests from different MSs that have used different signatures.
When a random access request is registered in the preamble detector section of the base station receiver, a plurality of RAKE fingers are allocated in order to
25 detect the data portion of that request. Also, the preamble detector section couples
the frame timing of the data portion of the request to the RAKE receiver, along with the spreading code used on the data portion, and an initial estimate of the channel response. The RAKE receiver detects the data from the data portion, and the base station processes the data and responds to that MS's random access
30 request.
A problem with the above-mentioned application's approach is that the random access channel used is not compatible with the other uplink channels used

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in the proposed WCDMA approach. Consequently, new hardware needs to be developed for the data portion of the random access channel.
A problem with the third above-described application's approach is that
although it avoids the uplink channel compatibility problem, it requires a
5 significant amount of additional buffering. Another problem with this approach is
that the random access request message processing rate will be reduced, because the preambles from different access slots should not overlap, and the preambles in this approach are relatively long.
A problem with the third random access approach (described in the third
10 application), which does not exist for the other approaches, is that if the data
»
portion of the request is longer than one access slot, then an ambiguity in detection of the frame timing may exist. In that case, the pilot symbol in each access slot may carry a signature which is the same in each access slot, or the signature may be changed from access slot to access slot. As such, there can be numerous times
15 during a data transmission when a signature is detected. However, the base station
receives one timing signal per access slot, and therefore, there can be a problem in determining the exact frame timing. Although this problem can be solved with existing means, such a solution is rather complicated.
An additional problem with this approach is that during the random access
20 detection process, the complete access slot has to be buffered for subsequent data
detection until the random access request has been detected by decoding the simultaneously transmitted signature pattern. This step takes one access slot to complete and thus requires maximum buffering of one complete access slot.
Additional buffering is also required during the data portion detection used
25 in the other two approaches (as well as in the method of the present invention),
because channel estimation has to be performed based on a continuously transmitted pilot channel (approach three above), or periodically inserted pilot symbols (approach one above). In other words, the channel estimates have to be provided in parallel with each received data symbol. The buffering needed is only
30 for as long as it takes to calculate a channel estimate related (i.e., transmitted during
the same time) to a data symbol.

-5a-
An illustrative example of processing multiple random access calls in
mobile communications is given in WO 9818280 A2 which generally describes a
mobile communications system in which random access packets are transmitted
which include a preamble field and other data fields used to facilitate call setup and
5 resource allocation. The preamble may contain a signature pattern and be spread
by a spreading code.
Another illustrative example of processing multiple random access calls in
mobile communications is given in Proceedings of the IEEE International
Conference on Universal Personal Communication, ICUPC '97, October 1997, pp.
10 43-47, which describes a slotted, ALOHA-based random access method for CDMA
systems, including an access frame structure having preamble and data fields. The random access frame is spread with a spreading code.

-6-SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an
uplink common physical channel (random access channel) frame structure is
provided with a separate preamble and data portion. The preamble is used by the
5 base station to detect that a MS is attempting the random access request. The data
portion of the channel includes user data, and pilot symbols that provide energy for
channel estimation during reception of the data portion. A guard interval is
preferably inserted in the preamble portion of the frame, which enables some data
detection to occur before the actual data detection process is started. Consequently,
10 the buffering of data can be minimized.
An important technical advantage of the present invention is that the frame structure on the common physical uplink channel is compatible with the frame structure on the dedicated physical uplink channel.
Another important technical advantage of the present invention is that each
15 portion of the random access request has to fulfill only one function and can thus be
optimally designed for that respective task.
Still another important technical advantage of the present invention is that
the same type of code allocation scheme can be used for both the data portion of the
random access request and the dedicated uplink channels.
20 Yet another important technical advantage of the present invention is that
all necessary post-processing, such as for example, signature decoding, can be
accomplished during a guard period. Consequently, the hardware design for
random access request detection can be simplified, and the random access request
processing delay can be minimized.
25 Still another important technical advantage of the present invention is that
the same receiver hardware can be used for decoding both the data portion of the common physical uplink channel and the conventional dedicated physical uplink channel, which unifies the hardware design and lowers the hardware costs.
Yet another important technical advantage of the present invention is that a
30 pool of RAKE receivers or RAKE fingers can be assigned or shared for both the
common physical channel (random access data packet) and dedicated physical channel (traffic channel), which minimizes the amount of hardware required.

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Still another important technical advantage of the present invention is that the buffer size requirements can be minimized, because the functions of the preamble and data portion of the random access request are separated.
Still another important technical advantage of the present invention is that
5 the random access request rate can be increased in comparison with other random
access approaches. In particular, the random access request rate for the third of the above-described random access approaches would be lower than that for the present invention for the same amount of hardware used.
Yet another important technical advantage of the present invention is that a
10 capability for transmitting the random access messages at different rates can be
achieved in a very flexible way.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A more complete understanding of the method and apparatus of the present
invention may be had by reference to the following detailed description when taken
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
15 FIGURE 1 is a diagram that illustrates an existing channel frame structure
for a random access request;
FIGURE 2 is a diagram that illustrates a second existing channel frame structure for a random access request;
FIGURE 3 is a diagram that illustrates an existing channel frame structure
20 for random access requests made in consecutive access (time) slots;
FIGURE 4 is a diagram that illustrates a I/Q multiplexed frame structure for a random access channel in a WCDMA mobile communications system, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIGURE 5 is a code-tree diagram that illustrates an example of the
25 channelization code allocation for the data portion of a random access request to be
transmitted by a MS, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIGURE 6 is a simplified block diagram of an exemplary system for use in
assigning a RAKE receiver component for despreading a data portion of a detected
30 random access request in a WCDMA base station receiver, in accordance with the
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIGURE 7 is a block diagram that shows pertinent details of an exemplary

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random access detector unit that can be used to implement the functions of the random access detector unit shown in FIGURE 6;
FIGURE 8 is a block diagram that shows pertinent details of an exemplary
searcher unit that can be used to implement the functions of the searcher unit(s)
5 shown in FIGURE 6; and
FIGURE 9 is a block diagram that shows pertinent details of an exemplary RAKE finger that can be used to implement the functions of a RAKE finger shown in FIGURE 6.
10 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The preferred embodiment of the present invention and its advantages are best understood by referring to FIGURES 1 -9 of the drawings, like numerals being used for like and corresponding parts of the various drawings.
Essentially, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
15 invention, an uplink common physical channel (random access channel) frame
structure is provided with a separate preamble and data portion. The preamble is used by the base station to detect that a MS is attempting the random access request. The data portion of the channel includes user data, rate information, and pilot symbols that provide energy for channel estimation during detection of the data portion. A guard
20 interval is preferably inserted between the preamble and data portion of the frame,
which enables detection of the preamble before the data arrives (requiring less
buffering). As such, the frame structures for both the common physical (random
access) uplink channel and dedicated physical (traffic) uplink channel are compatible.
Specifically, FIGURE 4 is a diagram that illustrates a frame structure for a
25 random access channel in a WCDMA mobile communications system, in accordance
with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The bottom set of arrowed lines represents the timing of an existing frame structure, which is provided herein for comparison purposes. The preamble portion of the frame structure shown in FIGURE 4 can be optimally designed for random access detection and signature detection. As
30 such, a base station can be continuously "listening" for such a transmitted preamble.
In order to distinguish between simultaneous random access requests being transmitted by different MSs, each preamble of a random access request is modulated by a unique

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signature pattern, which is randomly selected by the respective MS transmitting the
request. An example of such a signature-modulated preamble in a random access
request is described in the first two of the above-described patent applications, which
are incorporated completely herein in their entirety.
5 As such, the signature pattern for each preamble is randomly selected by the
MS from a plurality of orthogonal codes. For this embodiment, each of these orthogonal codes has a length of 2Nsig symbols, and is spread with a known base station-unique spreading code (i.e., spreading code number provided earlier via the base station's broadcast channel). The parameter, Nsig, is the order number of the
10 detected signature pattern. Each such symbol is spread by the same code sequence of
length SF, where "SF" denotes the spreading factor of the code. Typically, the resulting length of the preamble (e.g., SF * 2Nsig/Rchip, where R^p is the chip rate or rate of the spreading sequence) is less than the length, N*TTS, of N frame slots in existing systems. Consequently, in accordance with the present invention, a guard time
15 interval, TG, can be generated by interrupting the MS's transmission power from the
end of the preamble to the beginning of the next frame slot. The time (or length) of the novel frame is thus represented in FIGURE 4 as TPA (time or length of the preamble) plus TG (length of the guard time interval) plus TD (time or length of the data portion of the frame). This novel random access frame structure and method of
20 use can reduce the MS's transmitted power (e.g., albeit slightly, by interrupting
transmission during the interval between the preamble and data portion of the random access request), and the timing of the random access request can be aligned exactly to that of an existing system's frame slot scheme.
Additionally, in accordance with the preferred embodiment, during the guard
25 time interval, TG, the signature detection processing can be performed at the base
station receiver (e.g., by using a fast Walsh-Hadamard transformation), and the base station can determine more quickly whether a random access request has been made. Subsequently, as described in detail below, an available RAKE receiver or RAKE finger (e.g., depending upon how many delay paths should be used) can be assigned,
30 and during the guard time interval, TG, the initial values from the signature detection
process can be conveyed to the selected RAKE unit, which is prior in timing to that of existing systems.

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An example of the use of such a guard time interval for random access request
detection is where a preamble is 16 symbols long and spread with a 256 chips long
Orthogonal Gold code. In a system operating at 4.096 Mchips/sec, the preamble will
be 1 ms long. In the proposed WCDMA systems, there are to be 16 frame slots per 10
5 ms. Theoretically, a guard time interval, TG, in this example could be 0.25 ms long.
Also in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the data transmission portion of the novel uplink common physical channel shown in FIGURE 4 can be designed independently from the requirements of the random access preamble. For example, in order to achieve a unified hardware design, it is preferable
10 to use the same data and control (e.g., pilot and rate information) structures both on
the common physical channel and the dedicated physical channel (i.e., the channel typically used for data traffic). As such, in accordance with the novel frame structure of the present invention, the pilot symbols can be spread in accordance with the dedicated physical channel uplink spreading scheme, and thus do not require any
15 signature modulation. Consequently (e.g., in comparison with the third patent
application mentioned earlier), the present invention affords significantly more freedom in selecting the length of the pilot field and additional common data (e.g., rate indicator or RI field). Additionally, with respect to FIGURE 4, the pilot symbols being transmitted can be I/Q-code multiplexed, or alternatively time-multiplexed or
20 code-multiplexed with the data.
FIGURE 5 is a code-tree diagram that illustrates an example of the channelization code allocation for the data portion of a random access request to be transmitted by a MS, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. In order to illustrate how the spreading and scrambling can be
25 accomplished for the data portion of the random access request, the example shown
illustrates how 16 different signature patterns can be used on the data portion. For the example shown, the signature pattern used for the preamble of the random access request points to one of 16 nodes in the code-tree that includes channelization codes of length 16. The sub-tree shown below the selected node can be used for spreading
30 of the data portion of the request.
For example, referring to FIGURE 5, if the MS spreads the control part (e.g., pilot on the Q-branch) with a channelization code having a spreading factor of 256 in

-li¬
the bottom part of the sub-tree (e.g., for signature 16), then for the data part (e.g., for
the I-branch), the MS can use any of the channelization codes with a spreading factor
from 32 to 256 in the upper part of that sub-tree. Of course, other alternatives exist.
Additionally, for improved cross-correlation purposes, the data portion of the
5 transmitted request can also be scrambled with a scrambling code that has the same
length as the data portion (and, for example, can be a complex code).
In accordance with the present invention, the size of the data portion of the random access request can be variable. The problem associated with the proposed WCDMA system requirement for different random access request rates on the random
10 access channel is resolved by the present frame structure which allows the use of
different spreading factors on the data portion of the request (resulting in different amounts of data per request), and data fields that have different lengths in time (also resulting in different amounts of data per request).
For example, the use of different rates for the random access requests on a
15 random access channel can be illustrated as follows. The different sets of signatures
used can point to different spreading factors and/or lengths for the data portions. By having a base station broadcast a predetermined number of signatures to be assigned to a certain data rate, the base station can adapt the combination of signatures and data rate to the actual conditions of the traffic request being made.
20 As another example, the MS can include an RI field in the beginning of the
control portion of the random access request. The control portion of the request has a known (to the base station) spreading factor (and hence also the code) and, therefore, can be readily detected at the base station. As such, data portions of different random access requests having both different lengths and spreading factors can still be readily
25 detected by the base station.
As yet another example of the advantageous use of variable size data portions of random access requests in a WCDMA system, an RI can be spread over the complete control portion of a request (e.g., using a spreading approach similar to that used in existing dedicated uplink channels). However, this approach can require the
30 use of additional buffering for the data portion of the requests. Alternatively, an RI
can be included in the beginning of the data field of the request, which can be used for different lengths (in time) of the data portions.

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Another example is a form of blind rate detection. In detecting variable length
data portions, a cyclical redundancy check (CRC) can be performed at predetermined
lengths. The coding is continued thereafter for just the next possible length in time.
At the base station, the detection of the different spreading factors is accomplished by
5 starting the detection of the smallest spreading factor observed, and if the CRC result
is invalid, starting detection of the next-larger spreading factor, and so on.
As such, for each of the above-described variations, it is preferable to have a relatively small set of different rates to choose from, in order to minimize the signalling overhead and/or receiver complexity. Also, it is preferable to have the
10 length of the data field divisible into the length of the frame slot of the other uplink
channels in the system.
FIGURE 6 is a simplified block diagram of an exemplary system (100) for use in assigning a RAKE receiver component for despreading a data portion of a detected random access request in a WCDMA base station receiver, in accordance with the
15 preferred embodiment of the present invention. Essentially, the random access
detection functions shown can detect signature patterns, estimate path delays, and also provide channel estimations, if so desired. The exemplary system 100 shown includes a random access detection unit 102, and at least one searcher unit 104. The receiver structure shown in FIGURE 6, without the random access detection unit 102, can be
20 a receiver for a regular traffic channel. A function of the random access detection unit
102 is to detect/find as many access requests as possible. This detection process (and a searching process) provides, for example, the path delay information. Detection of the data portion of the random access request is performed in the RAKE receiver unit 108 using the path delay information from the random access detection unit 102. One
25 or more searcher units 104 are coupled in parallel with the random access detection
unit 102. As such, the random access detection unit 102 can be viewed to function as a specialized type of searcher. The primary function of the one or more searcher units 104 is to detect all propagation delays on the traffic channels being used. However, both the random access detection unit 102 and the one or more searcher units 104
30 provide path delay information, which is used in the RAKE receiver unit 108.
The outputs of the random access detection unit 102 and one or more searcher units 104 are coupled to a control unit 106. The control unit 106 utilizes the path

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delay information, channel estimates, and signature information, in order to assign the
detected data portion information to an appropriate RAKE receiver unit component
108a-108n for despreading. The output of the control unit 106 couples a control signal
to the RAKE receiver unit 108, which includes the order number of the detected
5 signature pattern, N$jg, which is used to assign a data rate for the subsequent data
portion to be input to the RAKE receiver unit. The control signal from control unit 106 also includes the path delay estimate, TV, which is used to set a correct delay in the RAKE receiver unit 108 for despreading the data portion at the input of the RAKE receiver unit. A channel estimate parameter, h, is coupled from the control unit 106
10 and used as an initial channel estimate in the RAKE receiver unit 108.
In accordance with the present invention, the use of a guard time interval, TG, between the random access request preamble and data portion enables the system 100 to accomplish all of the above-described post-processing during this idle period. Consequently, the hardware requirements imposed for buffering the incoming received
15 data can be minimized. Furthermore, the use of a virtually identical structure for the
data portion of the received request for both the common and dedicated physical channels simplifies the design of the base station receiver. The advantages of this novel random access scheme are described above with respect to FIGURE 5.
As mentioned earlier, the random access detection unit 102 can function as a
20 specialized searcher. Both the one or more searchers 104 and random access detection
unit 102 provide path delay information for use in the RAKE receiver 108. Consequently, in accordance with the present invention, if all of the uplink data channels use a virtually identical scheme for the data portion of the random access request, every RAKE receiver component (or RAKE finger) 108a-108n can be
25 assigned by the control unit 106 to demodulate the information received on one
propagation path. Consequently, a set of RAKE components can be shared both for the dedicated physical channels (conventional uplink data), and for data packet transmissions on the common physical channel in the random access mode of operation. Therefore, in accordance with the random access scheme implemented by
30 the present invention, the number of RAKE components required can be minimized.
FIGURE 7 is a block diagram that shows pertinent details of an exemplary
random access detector unit (202) that can be used to implement the functions of the

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random access detector unit 102 shown in FIGURE 6. Advantageously, a baseband
(BB) signal processing scheme is used, which includes a complex down-conversion
in the radio frequency- (RF) front end. The complex down-conversion is performed
by mixing.the received signal with a sine- and cosine-carrier (both carriers at the same
5 frequency). The exemplary random access detector unit 202 can be used for the I
branch (for one antenna) of abase station's random access receiver. A similar random access detector unit can be used for the Q branch. As such, the flow of complex signals is denoted by the double-lined arrows shown.
The random access detector unit 202 includes a matched filter 204. The
10 matched filter, which is used only during the preamble period, is tuned to the
preamble's spreading code (that had been provided to the MS by the base station). The matched filter 204 is used to detect the presence of the random access request, despread the preamble part of the random access packet, and couple the resulting signal to an accumulator. The accumulator is comprised of a plurality of accumulator
15 sections, each of which includes a block integrate and dump module 206i-n (where i=l
to n), and an associated signature generator section 208i-n. Each received preamble includes a unique signature pattern, and each accumulator section (i-n) is tuned to one of the possible signature patterns to be received. Consequently, the different received random access requests can be separated by remodulating (205i-n) the output of the
20 code-matched filter 204 with the desired signature symbols (from the signature
generator sections 208i-n), and coherently accumulating the remodulated signals in the block integrate and dump modules 206i-n.
The output of each accumulator section (block integrate and dump module 206i-n) is coupled to a respective peak detection unit 210i-n. At the end of the
25 preamble period, each peak detection unit 210i-n searches the output signal from its
respective accumulator (module 206i-n) for each signal peak that exceeds a predetermined detection threshold. Each peak detection unit 21 Oi-n then measures the position in time, TrxM (i.e., over the preamble's "M" symbol periods), of the respective peak signal. If the absolute value of that peak exceeds a predetermined threshold, the
30 related time position (time delay) value, TJ-TM, is output to the control unit 106 and to
the channel estimation unit 212i. The channel estimator may be used to provide initial values for a lowpass filter in the channel estimator of a RAKE finger 108a-n, which

-15-
is assigned to demodulate the subsequent data part of the random access request.
These initial values, hj-lv,, are taken from the block integrate and dump modules 206
at the measured time positions, xrTM. As such, the accumulation result (complex peak
value) at each time delay position is output to the controller unit 106, to be used for
5 selecting a RAKE finger 108a-n. The output of each channel estimation unit
(accumulator branch) 212i-n corresponds to a respective signature pattern, SrSn.
FIGURE 8 is a block diagram that shows pertinent details of an exemplary searcher unit (304) that can be used to implement the functions of the searcher unit(s) 104 shown in FIGURE 6. The exemplary searcher unit 304 includes a code matched
10 filter 306, which is matched to the pilot sequence of the dedicated data channel being
used. The absolute value squared (308) of the complex signal output from the matched filter 306 is (symbol-by-symbol) non-coherently accumulated in the integrate and dump unit 310 because of the frequency offsets of the input complex signal. The path selection unit 312 searches for the highest peaks in the output from the integrate
15 and dump unit 310 (delay power spectrum or DPS), by comparing each peak with a
predetermined threshold value. The path delays, Tj-tk, associated with the highest peak signal values are output to the control unit 106, to be used for selecting a RAKE finger 108a-n.
FIGURE 9 is a block diagram that shows pertinent details of an exemplary
20 RAKE finger (408a-n) that can be used to implement the functions of a RAKE finger
108a-n shown in FIGURE 6. The RAKE receiver unit 108 comprises a plurality of RAKE fingers 108a-n (e.g., 408a-n). Each finger 408a-n is assigned to a respective path delay (T;). Each traffic channel/user requires one RAKE receiver unit 108 (408). The different delay times, x{, are compensated for by the use of a controlled variable
25 delay buffer 410. The initial setting for x{ is provided from the random access detector
unit 202 in FIGURE 7 via the control unit 106 (FIGURE 6) and tracking control unit 412. The actual values for x; can be provided from the searcher unit 304 in FIGURE 8 via the control unit 106 (FIGURE 6) and tracking control unit 412, or estimated with the time delay estimation unit 415. For the latter option, the time delay estimation unit
30 415 can be implemented with a known early-late delay discriminator (delay-locked
loop technique) using inputs from the code generator 413 and delay buffer 410, to calculate a non-coherent time delay. The received (input) signal is despread (413) by

WE CLAIM :
1. A system for use in detecting a random access request in a CDMA
system, comprising:
a random access detector unit (102);
at least one searcher unit (104), an input of said system coupled to said random access detector unit (102) and said at least one searcher unit (104);
a control unit (106), an output of said random access control unit and said at least one searcher unit coupled to said control unit; and
a RAKE receiver unit (108), an output of said control unit and said input of said system coupled to said RAKE receiver unit,
wherein said output of said control unit includes a control signal comprised of an order number for a detected signature pattern, an estimated path delay, and an estimated channel value.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said RAKE receiver unit comprises a plurality of RAKE components (108 a to 108 n).
3. A method for use in detecting a random access request in a CDMA system, comprising the steps of:
detecting (102) a random access request on a random access channel;
searching (104) for a propagation delay on a traffic channel associated with said random access channel;
coupling a result of said detecting step and said searching step to a control unit (106); and
responsive to said coupling step, said control unit assigning at least one RAKE receiver component (108) to demodulate said random access request,




wherein the assigning step includes coupling to said at least one RAKE receiver component a control signal comprised of an order number for a detected signature pattern, an estimated path delay, and an estimated channel value.
4. A mobile communications system comprising:
a mobile terminal for transmitting a random access frame
structure on a random access channel; and
a base station for receiving the random access frame structure,
said random access frame structure further including:
a preamble;
a data portion; and
a guard portion between said preamble and said data portion, said
guard portion enables interruption of the transmissions between
said mobile terminal and said base station.
5. The mobile communications system of claim 4, wherein said guard portion enables detection of said preamble by said base station before arrival of said data portion thus requiring less buffering and minimizing random access delay.
6. The mobile communications system of claim 4, wherein said preamble is I/Q multiplexed and enables frame structure compatibility of a random access scheme and an uplink channel scheme within the mobile communications system.
7. The mobile communications system of the claim 4, wherein said data portion includes a rate indicator associated with a predetermined transmission rate and at least one of the preselected plurality of signature patterns.



8. The mobile communications system of claim 4, wherein a control portion of the random access channel is spread with a first spreading code and said data portion is spread with a second spreading code, said first spreading code orthogonal to said second spreading code.

Dated this 24th day of October, 2000.


[NALINIKRISHNAMURT1]
OF REMFRY 8B SAGAR
ATTORNEY FOR THE APPLICANTS

Documents:

abstract1.jpg

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-cancelled pages(1-11-2004).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-claims(amended)-(1-11-2004).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-claims(amended)-(27-5-2004).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-claims(complete)-(24-10-2000).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-claims(granted)-(1-11-2004).doc

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-claims(granted)-(1-11-2004).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-claims(granted)-(5-4-2007).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-correspondence 1(1-11-2004).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-correspondence 2(27-11-2006).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-correspondence(11-6-2007).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-correspondence(ipo)-(22-6-2007).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-correspondence(ipo)-(30-7-2004).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-description(complete)-(24-10-2000).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-description(granted)-(5-4-2007).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-drawing(27-5-2004).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-drawing(complete)-(24-10-2000).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-drawing(granted)-(5-4-2007).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-drawings(1-11-2004).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-form 1(24-10-2000).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-form 13(22-7-2005).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-form 1a(27-5-2004).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-form 2(complete)-(24-10-2000).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-form 2(granted)-(1-11-2004).doc

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-form 2(granted)-(1-11-2004).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-form 2(granted)-(5-4-2007).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-form 2(title page)-(complete)-(24-10-2000).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-form 2(title page)-(granted)-(5-4-2007).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-form 3(24-10-2000).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-form 3(27-5-2004).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-form 4(29-01-2004).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-form 5(24-10-2000).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-form-pct-ipea-409(1-11-2004).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-form-pct-isa-210(1-11-2004).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-general power of attorney(22-7-2005).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-petition under rule 137(27-5-2004).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-petition under rule 138(27-5-2004).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-power of authority(15-10-2000).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-power of authority(27-3-2004).pdf

in-pct-2000-00537-mum-wo international publication report(24-10-2000).pdf


Patent Number 205596
Indian Patent Application Number IN/PCT/2000/00537/MUM
PG Journal Number 26/2007
Publication Date 29-Jun-2007
Grant Date 05-Apr-2007
Date of Filing 24-Oct-2000
Name of Patentee TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON [PUBL]
Applicant Address S-126 25 STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN.
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 GEORG FRANK KIELER STRASSE 26a, D-90425 NURNBERG, GERMANY.
2 MARIA CUSTAFSSON MEDBORGARPLASTEN 11, S-118 26 STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN,
3 FREDRIK OVESJO UPPLANDSGATAN 80, S-113 44 STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN.
4 WOLFGANG GRANZOW SEELACHWEG 6, D-90562 HEROLDSBERG, GERMANY.
5 HENRIK OLOFSSON TALLGATAN 10, S-172 69 SUNDBYBERG, SWEDEN
PCT International Classification Number H 04 B 7/26
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date 1999-05-07
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 09 / 079,438 1998-05-15 U.S.A.