Method of allocating transmission channels to a mobile station, in particular in duplex mode, in a mobile packet-mode telecommunications network

Abstract

A method of allocating data transmission channels to a mobile station, in particular in half-duplex mode, in a mobile telecommunications network of the type using packet mode and having multiple access by multiplexing transmission channels, in which method the transmission channels allocated to a mobile station, respectively in a “down” direction from the network to the mobile station, and in an “up” direction from the mobile station to the network, can change at each “allocation period”, a transmission authorization received over a transmission channel in the down direction for a given allocation period indicating that the transmission channel is allocated in the up direction for the following allocation period; wherein a transmission authorization received over a transmission channel in the down direction for a given allocation period indicates that not only the transmission channel, also referred to as the authorization channel, but also consecutive transmission channels identifiable from the authorization channel using a predefined relationship, are allocated in the up direction for the following allocation period.

1. A method of allocating data transmission channels to a mobile station in half-duplex mode in a mobile telecommunications network that uses packet mode and has multiple access by multiplexing transmission channels, comprising:
 allocating the transmission channels to a mobile station, respectively in a “down” direction from the network to the mobile station, and in an “up” direction from the mobile station to the network;   changing an allocation of said transmission channels at each “allocation period”; and   receiving a transmission authorization over a transmission channel in the down direction for a given allocation period, said transmission authorization indicating that said transmission channel is allocated in the up direction for the following allocation period;   wherein said transmission authorization indicates that said transmission channel, also referred to as the authorization channel, and consecutive transmission channels identifiable from said authorization channel as a function of transmission needs of said network, are allocated in the up direction for the following allocation period, and   wherein said function of said transmission needs of said network avoids transmission of said transmission authorization during each of said consecutive transmission channels, and a number of said consecutive transmission channels is greater than zero.   
     
     
       2. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the function of said transmission needs of said network is such that a window is defined which is formed of adjacent transmission channels and in which the authorization channel is transmitted, said consecutive transmission channels being constituted by those of the transmission channels of the window which lie between the authorization channel and the last time slot in the window (including said last time slot), and which can be allocated to the mobile station for a given call. 
     
     
       3. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said authorization channel is displaced, as a function of the quantity of data to be transmitted by the mobile station, so as to reduce, or to increase, the number of said consecutive channels, depending on whether said quantity of data deceases, or increases. 
     
     
       4. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of transmission channels allocated for reception is reduced when the number of said consecutive channels is increased, so as to leave a guard time between reception and transmission that is long enough to make half-duplex mode operation possible. 
     
     
       5. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the authorization time slot serving to authorize transmission of an acknowledgement by the mobile station, in a single transmission channel, is displaced so as to increase the number of said consecutive channels, thereby reducing the number of transmission channels allocated for reception, so as to release transmission channels to enable the mobile station to listen to the network. 
     
     
       6. A mobile station for allocating data transmission channels to a mobile station in half-duplex mode, in a mobile telecommunications network that uses packet mode and has multiple access by multiplexing transmission channels, comprising:
 the transmission channels allocated to said mobile station, respectively in a “down” direction from the network to the mobile station, and in an “up” direction from the mobile station to the network, that change at each “allocation period”;   a transmission authorization received over a transmission channel in the down direction for a given allocation period indicating that said transmission channel is allocated in the up direction for the following allocation period,   wherein said transmission authorization indicates that said transmission channel, also referred to as an authorization channel, and consecutive transmission channels identifiable from said authorization channel as a function of transmission needs of said network, are allocated in the up direction for the following allocation period, said mobile station including:
 a receiver that receives transmission channels over down frames and detects transmission authorizations in the received channels; 
 a transmitter that transmits transmission channels over up frames; and 
 a controller that controls the transmitter and the receiver, to enable said method to operate, wherein said function of said transmission needs of said network avoids transmission of a transmission authorization for each of said consecutive transmission channels, and a number of said consecutive transmission channels is greater than zero. 
   
     
     
       7. A fixed station for a telecommunications network, for allocating data transmission channels to a mobile station in half-duplex mode in a mobile telecommunications network that uses packet mode and has multiple access by multiplexing transmission channels, comprising:
 a mobile station to which the transmission channels are allocated, respectively in a “down” direction from the network to the mobile station, and in an “up” direction from the mobile station to the network, said transmission channels configured to change at each “allocation period”;   a transmission authorization received over a transmission channel in the down direction for a given allocation period indicating that said transmission channel is allocated in the up direction for the following allocation period;   wherein said transmission authorization indicates that said transmission channel, also referred to as the authorization channel, and consecutive transmission channels identifiable from said authorization channel as a function of transmission needs of said network, are allocated in the up direction for the following allocation period, said fixed station including:
 a transmitter that transmits data in transmission channels over down frames, as well as transmission authorizations over some of the transmitted channels; 
 a receiver that receives transmission channels over up frames; and 
 a controller that controls said transmitter and said receiver, so as to enable said method to operate, wherein said function of said transmission needs of said network avoids transmission of a transmission authorization for each of said consecutive transmission channels, and a number of said consecutive transmission channels is greater than zero. 
   
     
     
       8. A mobile station for a mobile telecommunications network that uses packet mode and has multiple access by multiplexing transmission channels wherein data transmission channels are allocated to a mobile station in half-duplex mode, respectively, in a down direction from the network to the mobile station, and in an up direction from the mobile station to the network, which allocation can change at each allocation period, said mobile station comprising:
 a receiver that receives transmission channels over down frames and detects if transmission authorizations are contained in a received channel for a given allocation period, such transmission authorizations containing channel being also referred to as the authorization channel;   a transmitter that transmits transmission channels over up frames; and   a controller that controls the transmitter and the receiver in such a way that the transmitter transmits for the following allocation period data in the up direction not only in the transmission channel corresponding to said authorization channel but also in a number of consecutive transmission channels, the number of said consecutive transmission channels being greater than zero.   
     
     
       9. A fixed station for a telecommunications network that uses packet mode and has multiple access by multiplexing transmission channels wherein data transmission channels are allocated to a mobile station in half-duplex mode, respectively, in a down direction from the network to the mobile station, and in an up direction from the mobile station to the network, which allocation can change at each allocation period, said fixed station comprising:
 a transmitter that transmits data in transmission channels over down frames, as well as, for a given allocation period, transmission authorizations to the mobile station over one of the transmission channels, such transmission authorizations containing channel being also referred to as the authorization channel;   a receiver that receives transmission channels over up frames; and   a controller that controls said transmitter and said receiver, in such a way that the receiver receives for the following allocation period data in the up direction not only in the up direction transmission channel corresponding to said authorization channel but also in a number of consecutive up direction transmission channels, the number of said consecutive transmission channels being greater than zero.