Second Mapping Method
[0164] FIG. 15 shows another example of a mapping method between a CD-P and a CA-ICH according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0165] Referring to FIG. 15, the mobile station indicates a scrambling code SC#k through the CD-P and indicates a scrambling code set Set#j through the CA-AICH.
[0166] First, the mobile station selects one of 16 signatures CD#0˜CD#15 to detect a collision of channels and transmits a CD-P with the selected signature to the base station. At this time, the mobile station performs a mapping function so that the selected signature indicates a specific scrambling code SC#k. 16 signatures of the CD-P are respectively mapped to indicate16 different scrambling codes.
[0167] As described above, the mobile station transmits the CD-P mapped to indicate the specific scrambling code to the base station. The base station then transmits the ACK signal to the mobile station through the CD-AICH if it is determined that no channel collision exists in the received CD-P and an available PCPCH exists therein. At the same time, the base station transmits the CA-AICH to the mobile station.
[0168] The base station selects a scrambling code set Set#j that can use a specific scrambling code SC#k designated by the CD-P and maps the CA-ICH signatures to indicate the selected scrambling code set Set#j by the CA-AICH.
[0169] If the number of available scrambling code sets is 4, the base station maps CA#0˜ CA#3 to indicate a scrambling code set #0, CA#4˜CA#7 to indicate a scrambling code set #1, CA#8˜CA#11 to indicate a scrambling code set #2, and CA#12˜CA#15 to indicate a scrambling code set #3. In this case, if the number of the scrambling code sets available in one cell is 16, 16 signatures are respectively mapped one-to-one with 16 different scrambling code sets.
[0170] Afterwards, the mobile station that received the CD-AICH and the CA-AICH detects scrambling codes required to transmit the message part through the CA-AICH, and uses them when transmitting the message part.
[0171] If the CPCHs are allocated by the above mapping methods, it is possible to support 64 CPCHs when the number of scrambling code sets that can be used in the cell is 4, while it is possible to support 256 CPCHs when the number of scrambling code sets is 16. Thus, since the channelization code of the PCPCHs uses a node C2,0having a spreading factor of 2 in the OVSF code tree, one scrambling code is allocated to one PCPCH to allocate the whole PCPCHs.
[0172] If one scrambling code set includes 16 scrambling codes, and if 4 scrambling codes are used in one cell, a maximum of 64 PCPCHs can be used. That is, since the mobile station informs the base station of data rate through the AP in the access step, a maximum of 256 PCPCHs can be used by using 16 CD-Ps and the CA-AICH.
[0173] A transmission procedure of the CPCH according to the third preferred embodiment will next be described.
[0174] The mobile station which desires to transmit packet data through the CPCH identifies a currently available (or non-available) CPCH referring to the CSICH transmitted from the base station. After the mobile station identifies the available maximum transmission rate, the mobile station tries to access the base station with a desired transmission data rate when a CPCH that can support the desired transmission data rate is vacant.
[0175] The mobile station then selects one AP signature and one access slot, and transmits an AP consisting of the selected AP signature and the access slot to the base station in compliance with a start point of the access slot. The mobile station next transmits the AP signature and the access slot to the base station in the access step, so as to inform the base station of a maximum data rate or a minimum spreading factor SFminin the message part required for data transmission.
[0176] The mobile station subsequently increases a transmission power to retransmit the AP in accordance with the start point of the access slot when an acquisition response of the AP is not received after a prescribed period of time. Such retransmission is repeated for a prescribed number of threshold times.
[0177] The base station receives the AP from the mobile station to determine a maximum data rate or a minimum spreading factor requested by the mobile station. Then, the base station determines whether to allocate a CPCH requested by the mobile station, by considering the available resources of the current CPCH and a total amount of traffic. As a result, if a desired CPCH can be allocated, the base station transmits the signature equal to the received AP signature to the mobile station as an ACK signal in compliance with the start point of the access slot. If the desired CPCH cannot be allocated, however, the base station transmits an inverted signature of the received AP signature to the mobile station as a NACK signal in compliance with the start point of the access slot.
[0178] When more than one mobile stations simultaneously transmit the AP with the same signature to the base station, the base station does not identify the mobile stations from the same signature. The base station accordingly transmits the ACK signal to all of the mobile stations. In this case, a collision of the CPCHs occurs. Thus, the mobile stations which received the ACK signal transmit the CD-P to the base station to prevent such a collision. At this time, the mobile station selects one of 16 signatures equal to 16 signatures of the AP to use it as the CD-P. Also, the mobile station maps a specific scrambling code set Set#j or a scrambling code SC#k to be used, with the signature of the selected CD-P and transmits it to the base station.
[0179] When the base station receives only one CD-P, the base station determines that a collision has not occurred, and transmits the signature equal to that of the received CD-P to the mobile station through the CD-AICH. However, when the base station receives more than one CD-P, the base station determines that a collision has occurred, and selects the CD-P having the highest power among the received CD-Ps to transmit the CD-AICH to the corresponding mobile station.
[0180] Furthermore, the base station transmits the CA-AICH containing CPCH information to be allocated in a signature format to the mobile station. At this time, the base station maps the CA-AICH signature with the specific scrambling code SC#k or scrambling code set Set#j and transmits them to the mobile station.
[0181] If the CD-P signature indicates the specific scrambling code set Set#j, then a scrambling code available in the designated scrambling code set Set#j is mapped with the CA-AICH signature. If the CD-P signature indicates the specific scrambling code SC#k, then the scrambling code set Set#j that can use the designated scrambling code is mapped with the CA-AICH signature.
[0182] The mobile station which received the CD-AICH and the CA-AICH then starts to transmit a message using the scrambling code designated by the CA-AICH. The mobile station controls transmitting power using the PC-P if necessary to transmit the message. The base station transmits the DL-DPCCH to the mobile station. The mobile station transmits the PC-P to the base station for a constant time of 0 or 8 slots before transmitting the message consisting of the data part and the control part in a physical channel format to the base station.
[0183] In transmission of the PCPCH, the mobile station uses a node C2,0having a spreading factor of 2 on the OVSF code tree against all of the CA-AICHs as a channelization code. In other words, the mobile station uses a node C256,0as a channelization code of the control part in the message part of the PCPCH and a node CSF, SF/4 variable depending on the spreading factor as a channelization code of the data part.
[0184] The method for allocating a CPCH according to the embodiments of the present invention has many advantages. For example, it is possible to use 16 or more CPCHs by allocating scrambling codes used to transmit the message part using the CD-P and the CA-AICH.
[0185] Also, it is possible to allocate maximum 256 physical CPCHs with one access preamble signature. Accordingly, it is possible to easily allocate the CPCHs in even case that a reverse access channel (RACH) and the AP signature are used in common.
[0186] Next, since the allocation probability of 256 physical CPCHs is equal, system performance is not reduced and it is possible to efficiently support low data rate service in the next generation mobile communication system.
[0187] Additionally, when considering 16 signatures of the CA-AICH support spreading factors of 4˜256, the CA-AICH is mapped with the scrambling code, so that other mobile stations can use other signatures of the CA-AICH without any interference, while a specific mobile station transmits data at high transmission rate. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently use channel resources.
[0188] Furthermore, it is possible to allocate the channelization code of the message part in RACH or DPCH format. Also, since the 16 AP signatures support spreading factors of 4˜256, it is possible to always select 16 AP signatures in even case that packet data are transmitted with any one of the spreading factors of 4˜256. Accordingly, it is possible to remarkably reduce the probability of collision of the CPCHs.
[0189] Moreover, while the specific mobile station transmits data at high data transmission rate having a spreading factor of 4, the other mobile stations can use other AP signatures. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently use limited channel resources.
[0190] Additionally, since the AP signatures are mapped with the scrambling codes regardless of the spreading factor of the transmission data, a mapping table is not required between the AP signatures and the scrambling codes. Accordingly, the system (or base station) does not require a broadcasting channel (BCH).
[0191] The foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present teaching can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. The description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures.