Management and setup of enhanced MAC-e/es resources in cell-FACH state

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed to manage the enhanced medium access control-e (MAC-e) and enhanced MAC-es resources and respective variables for the enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) in the enhanced Cell_FACH state. Due to the nature of the E-DCH transmission in the uplink (UL) in the Cell_FACH state and the fact that a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) might set up and release the E-DCH resources more frequently, methods to deal with the TSN numbering are described.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method implemented by a radio network controller (RNC) of managing medium access control (MAC) resources, the method comprising:
 configuring an enhanced MAC entity for each of one or more common enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) resources, wherein each of the one or more common E-DCH resources is used for communications with at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) that uses common E-DCH for common control channel (CCCH) transmission in at least one of a cell forward access channel (CELL_FACH) state or an idle mode; and 
 sending one or more signals to a Node-B identifying the one or more common E-DCH resources, the one or more signals indicating to the Node-B to configure an enhanced MAC entity in the Node-B for each of the identified common E-DCH resources. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein CCCH traffic is terminated in a controlling RNC (CRNC) without forwarding to a serving radio network controller (SRNC). 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, for at least one WTRU that use common E-DCH in CELL_FACH state, configuring an enhanced MAC entity in a serving radio network control (SRNC) for dedicated traffic control (DTCH) or dedicated control channel (DCCH) transmissions. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the enhanced MAC entity in the RNC and the enhanced MAC entity in the Node-B perform as common entities that are associated with one WTRU at a time. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the enhanced MAC entity in the RNC is configured for a common channel and is terminated in a controlling RNC (CRNC). 
     
     
       6. An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor configured to configure an enhanced medium access control (MAC) entity for each of one or more common enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) resources, wherein each of the one or more common E-DCH resources is used for communications with at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) that uses common E-DCH for common control channel (CCCH) transmission in at least one of a cell forward access channel (CELL —  FACH) state or an idle mode; and 
 a transmitter configured to transmit one or more signals to a Node-B identifying the one or more common E-DCH resources, the one or more signals indicating to the Node-B to configure an enhanced MAC entity in the Node-B for each of the identified common E-DCH resources. 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein CCCH traffic is terminated in a controlling radio node controller (CRNC) without forwarding to a serving radio network controller (SRNC). 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising, for at least one WTRU that use common E-DCH in CELL_FACH state, the processor configured to configure an enhanced MAC entity in a serving radio network control (SRNC) for dedicated traffic control (DTCH) or dedicated control channel (DCCH) transmissions. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the enhanced MAC entity in a radio network controller (RNC) and the enhanced MAC entity in the Node-B perform as common entities that are associated with one WTRU at a time. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the enhanced MAC entity in a radio network controller (RNC) is configured for a common channel and is terminated in a controlling RNC (CRNC). 
     
     
       11. An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor configured to implement an enhanced medium access control (MAC) entity for each common enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) resource of one or more common E-DCH resources, wherein each common E-DCH resource of the one or more common E-DCH resources is available for communications between a Node-B and at least one of a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) that use common E-DCH for common control channel (CCCH) transmission in at least one of a cell forward access channel (CELL_FACH) state or an idle mode; and 
 a transmitter configured to indicate, via one or more signals, to the Node-B to configure an enhanced MAC entity per common E-DCH resource. 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein CCCH traffic is terminated in a controlling radio node controller (CRNC) without forwarding to a serving radio network controller (SRNC). 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising, for the at least one of the plurality of WTRUs that use common E-DCH in the CELL_FACH state, the processor configured to configure an enhanced MAC entity in a serving radio network control (SRNC) for dedicated traffic control (DTCH) or dedicated control channel (DCCH) transmissions. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the enhanced MAC entity in a radio network controller (RNC) and the enhanced MAC entity in the Node-B perform as common entities that are associated with one WTRU at a time. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the enhanced MAC entity in a radio network controller (RNC) is configured for a common channel and is terminated in a controlling RNC (CRNC).