Method for increasing the address space for mobile terminals in a wireless network

Abstract

A method, in a base station subsystem ( 10 ), of allocating radio resources to mobile stations ( 20 ) in a wireless communication system ( 1 ) involves the base station subsystem ( 10 ) assigning a respective Temporary Block Flow (TBF) to each mobile station ( 20 ) in a cell ( 40 ) in the communication system ( 1 ), and then assigning to each TBF a Temporary Flow Identity (TFI), at least one Packet Data Channel (PDCH), and an Uplink State Flag (USF) if the TBF is an uplink TBF. The base station subsystem ( 10 ) then selects different training sequences from a plurality of available training sequences and assigns a respective different selected training sequence to two or more TBFs wherein these two or more TBFs share the same assigned Temporary Flow Identity (TFI), the same assigned Packet Data Channel (PDCH), and/or the same assigned Uplink State Flag (USF) if the TBF is an uplink TBF.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, in a base station subsystem, of allocating radio resources to a plurality of mobile stations in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
 the base station subsystem assigning a respective Temporary Block Flow (TBF) to each of said plurality of mobile stations in a cell; 
 the base station subsystem assigning to each said TBF a Temporary Flow Identity (TFI), at least one Packet Data Channel (PDCH), and an Uplink State Flag (USF) if the TBF is an uplink TBF; 
 the base station subsystem selecting different training sequences from a plurality of available training sequences; and 
 the base station subsystem assigning a respective different selected training sequence to two or more TBFs wherein said two or more TBFs share at least one of: the same assigned Temporary Flow Identity (TFI), the same assigned Packet Data Channel (PDCH), and the same assigned Uplink State Flag (USF) if the TBF is an uplink TBF. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the base station subsystem arranging said plurality of mobile stations into a plurality of subsets of mobile stations chosen among the plurality of mobile stations in a cell; and 
 wherein said step of assigning training sequences comprises the base station subsystem assigning a first training sequence to a first TBF assigned to a mobile station of a first subset of mobile stations, and a second different training sequence to a second TBF assigned to a mobile station of a second subset of mobile stations, wherein said first and second TBF share at least one of: the same assigned Temporary Flow Identity (TFI), the same assigned Packet Data Channel (PDCH), and the same assigned Uplink State Flag (USF) if the TBF is an uplink TBF. 
 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said step of assigning training sequences comprises assigning training sequences dynamically for each of said plurality of mobile stations in a cell. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the base station subsystem scheduling each of said plurality of mobile stations in a cell for uplink and downlink communication using each respective training sequence assigned to each respective mobile station in a cell. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the base station subsystem transmitting data to each of said plurality of mobile stations in a cell using each respective training sequence assigned to each respective mobile station in a cell. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method is implemented in a General Packet Radio Service/Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (GPRS/EDGE) mobile network. 
     
     
       7. A base station subsystem configured to allocate radio resources to a plurality of mobile stations in a wireless communication system, wherein the base station subsystem comprises:
 a transmitter for transmitting to given mobile stations; and 
 one or more processor circuits operatively associated with the transmitter and configured to: 
 assign a respective Temporary Block Flow (TBF) to each of said plurality of mobile stations in a cell; 
 assign to each said TBF a Temporary Flow Identity (TFI); 
 assign to each said TBF at least one Packet Data Channel (PDCH); 
 assign for each assigned uplink PDCH an Uplink State Flag (USF); 
 select different training sequences from a plurality of available training sequences; and 
 assign a respective different selected training sequence to two or more TBFs wherein said two or more TBFs share at least one of: the same assigned Temporary Flow Identity (TFI), the same assigned Packet Data Channel (PDCH), and the same assigned Uplink State Flag (USF) if the TBF is an uplink TBF. 
 
     
     
       8. The base station subsystem according to  claim 7 , wherein the one or more processor circuits are further configured to:
 arrange said plurality of mobile stations into a plurality of subsets of mobile stations chosen among the plurality of mobile stations in a cell; wherein 
 assign a first training sequence to a first TBF assigned to a mobile station of a first subset of mobile stations, and a second different training sequence to a second TBF assigned to a mobile station of a second subset of mobile stations, wherein said first and second TBF share at least one of: the same assigned Temporary Flow Identity (TFI), the same assigned Packet Data Channel (PDCH), and the same assigned Uplink State Flag (USF) if the TBF is an uplink TBF. 
 
     
     
       9. The base station subsystem according to  claim 7 , wherein the one or more processor circuits are configured to assign training sequences dynamically for each of said plurality of mobile stations in a cell. 
     
     
       10. The base station subsystem according to  claim 7 , wherein the one or more processor circuits include a scheduler that is configured to schedule each of said plurality of mobile stations in a cell for uplink and downlink communication using each respective training sequence assigned to each respective mobile station in a cell. 
     
     
       11. The base station subsystem according to  claim 7 , wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit data to each of said plurality of mobile stations in a cell using each respective training sequence assigned to each respective mobile station in a cell. 
     
     
       12. The base station subsystem according to  claim 7  configured to be implemented in a General Packet Radio Service/Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (GPRS/EDGE) mobile network. 
     
     
       13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program for allocating radio resources to a plurality of mobile stations in a wireless communication system, the computer program comprising code which when run by a processing unit of a base station subsystem causes the processing unit to: assign a respective Temporary Block Flow (TBF) to each of said plurality of mobile stations in a cell; assign to each said TBF a Temporary Flow Identity (TFI), at least one Packet Data Channel (PDCH), and an Uplink State Flag (USF) if the TBF is an uplink TBF; select different training sequences from a plurality of available training sequences; and assign a respective different selected training sequence to two or more TBFs wherein said two or more TBFs share at least one of: the same assigned Temporary Flow Identity (TFI), the same assigned Packet Data Channel (PDCH), and the same assigned Uplink State Flag (USF) if the TBF is an uplink TBF.