Base station, radio resource control equipment, mobile station, communication system, and communication method

Abstract

A base station includes: an acquisition unit for acquiring a quantity of stored packets from a mobile station, the quantity of stored packets being stored in a buffer for storing the packets transmitted by the mobile station; a radio resource controller for allocating priority radio resources preferentially usable by the mobile station to a radio channel for the mobile station, and for allocating usable radio resources allowed to be used by the mobile station from the priority radio resources to the mobile station by use of the quantity of stored packets acquired by the acquisition unit; and a result notification unit for reporting a result of the allocation by the radio resource controller to the mobile station.

1. A base station for allocating radio resources to a first mobile station, which transmits real time packets and non-real time packets, and a second mobile station, which transmits the non-real time packets, the base station, comprising:
 an acquisition unit configured to acquire, from the first mobile station, a value indicating a quantity of stored real time packets to be transmitted by the first mobile station, the real time packets being stored in a buffer for storing the real time packets at the first mobile station; 
 a radio resource controller configured to allocate priority radio resources, which indicate a maximum quantity of radio resources necessary to transmit the real time packets, to the first mobile station on a radio channel, and to allocate, to the first mobile station, usable radio resources to be used by the first mobile station for transmitting the real time packets, within the allocated priority radio resources, based on the value acquired by the acquisition unit; and 
 a result notification unit configured to report the usable radio resources allocated by the radio resource controller to the first mobile station, wherein 
 a quantity of the radio resources necessary to transmit the real time packets are varied, 
 a priority of the non-real time packets are lower than a priority of the real time packets, and 
 the radio resources, which are not allocated as the usable radio resources within the priority radio resources, are used for transmitting the non-real time packets by the first mobile station or the second mobile station. 
 
     
     
       2. The base station of  claim 1 , wherein the radio resource controller is configured to allocate the usable radio resources in accordance with the value acquired by the acquisition unit. 
     
     
       3. The base station of  claim 1 , wherein the radio resource controller is configured to obtain variations of the quantity of stored real time packets by use of the value acquired by the acquisition unit, and to allocate the usable radio resources in accordance with the variations. 
     
     
       4. The base station of  claim 1 , wherein the radio resource controller is configured to obtain variations of the quantity of stored real time packets by use of the value acquired by the acquisition unit, and to allocate the usable radio resources in accordance with the variations and the quantity of stored real time packets. 
     
     
       5. The base station of  claim 1 , wherein the acquisition unit is configured to acquire the value when the first mobile station transmits the real time packets to the base station. 
     
     
       6. The base station of  claim 1 , wherein the acquisition unit is configured to obtain the value from the first mobile station periodically. 
     
     
       7. The base station of  claim 1 , wherein the radio resource controller is configured to allocate the priority radio resources when the real time packets to be transmitted by the first mobile station are generated therein. 
     
     
       8. The base station according to  claim 1 , wherein the radio resource controller is configured to reallocate the priority radio resources when the usable radio resources are not used for a certain period. 
     
     
       9. The base station of  claim 1 , wherein the radio resource controller is configured to set unused radio resources as open usable radio resources on the radio channel,
 the unused radio resources include radio resources not having been allocated as the priority radio resources and not having been allocated as the usable radio resources within the priority radio resources, 
 the open usable radio resources being used for transmitting packets having a low priority in transmission by the first mobile station and the second mobile station, and 
 the priority radio resources being used for transmitting the packets by the first mobile station more preferentially than transmitting the packets by the second mobile station. 
 
     
     
       10. A radio resource control equipment for allocating radio resources to a first mobile station, which transmits real time packets and non-real time packets, and a second mobile station, which transmits the non-real time packets, the radio resource control equipment comprising:
 a radio resource controller configured to allocate priority radio resources, which indicate a maximum quantity of radio resources necessary to transmit the real time packets, to the first mobile station on a radio channel, and to allocate, to the first mobile station, usable radio resources to be used by the first mobile station for transmitting the real time packets stored in the first mobile station, within the allocated priority radio resources, based on a value, acquired by an acquisition unit, indicating a quantity of stored real time packets to be transmitted by the first mobile station, the real time packets being stored in a buffer for storing the real time packets at the first mobile station, 
 wherein a quantity of the radio resources necessary to transmit the real time packets are varied, 
 a priority of non-real time packets are lower than a priority of the real time packets; and 
 the radio resources, which are not allocated as the usable radio resources within the priority radio resources, are used for transmitting the non-real time packets by the first mobile station or the second mobile station. 
 
     
     
       11. A mobile station, comprising:
 a transmitter configured to transmit real time packets and non-real time packets; 
 a buffer configured to store the real time packets transmitted by the transmitter; and 
 a packet quantity notification unit configured to report, to an acquisition unit of a base station, a value indicating a quantity of stored real time packets stored in the buffer, 
 wherein a quantity of radio resources necessary to transmit the real time packets is varied, 
 a priority of a non-real time packets is lower than a priority of the real time packets, 
 the transmitter being configured to transmit the real time packets by use of usable radio resources for transmitting the real time packets allocated within priority radio resources, the usable radio resources and the priority radio resources being allocated by a radio resource controller of the base station, based on the value indicating the quantity of the stored real time packets, the priority radio resources indicating a maximum quantity of radio resources necessary to transmit the real time packets and being allocated on a radio channel by the base station, and 
 the transmitter being configured to transmit the non-real time packets by use of the radio resources, which are not allocated as the usable radio resources within the priority radio resources. 
 
     
     
       12. The mobile station of  claim 11 , wherein the packet quantity notification unit is configured to report the value to the base station when the mobile station transmits the real time packets to the base station. 
     
     
       13. The mobile station of  claim 11 , wherein the packet quantity notification unit is configured to report the value to the base station periodically. 
     
     
       14. The mobile station of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a packet generation notification unit configured to report generation of the real time packets to be transmitted by the transmitter when the real time packets are generated. 
 
     
     
       15. The mobile station of  claim 14 , wherein the packet generation notification unit is configured to specify the maximum quantity of radio resources necessary to transmit the generated real time packets to the base station. 
     
     
       16. A communication system, comprising:
 a first mobile station configured to transmit real time packets and non-real time packets; 
 a second mobile station configured to transmit the non-real time packets; and 
 a base station, 
 wherein the first mobile station includes:
 a transmitter configured to transmit the real time packets by use of usable radio resources allocated within priority radio resources, the priority radio resources being allocated to the first mobile station by the base station: 
 a buffer configured to store the real time packets to be transmitted by the transmitter; and 
 a packet quantity notification unit configured to report, to the base station, a value indicating a quantity of stored real time packets stored in the buffer, and 
 
 wherein the base station includes:
 an acquisition unit configured to acquire, from the first mobile station, the value indicating the quantity of stored real time packets from the first mobile station; 
 a radio resource controller configured to allocate the priority radio resources, which indicate a maximum quantity of radio resources necessary to transmit the real time packets, to the first mobile station on a radio channel, and to allocate, to the first mobile station, the usable radio resources to be used by the first mobile station for transmitting the real time packets, within the allocated priority radio resources, based on the value acquired by the acquisition unit; and 
 a result notification unit configured to report usable radio resources allocated by the radio resource controller to the first mobile station, 
 
 wherein the quantity of radio resources necessary to transmit the real time packets is varied, 
 a priority of the non-real time packets are lower than a priority of the real time packets, and 
 the radio resources, which are not allocated as the usable radio resources within the priority radio resources, are used for transmitting the non-real time packets by the first mobile station or the second mobile station. 
 
     
     
       17. A communication method, comprising:
 allocating priority radio resources, by a radio resource controller of a base station which indicate a maximum quantity of radio resources necessary to transmit real time packets, to a first mobile station on a radio channel; 
 acquiring, by an acquisition unit of the base station from the first mobile station, a value indicating a quantity of real time packets stored in a buffer to be transmitted by the first mobile station; and 
 allocating, by the radio resource controller, to the first mobile station, usable radio resources to be used by the first mobile station for transmitting the real time packets, within the allocated priority radio resources, based on the value indicating the quantity of stored real time packets acquired by the base station, 
 wherein a quantity of the radio resources necessary to transmit the real time packet is varied, 
 a priority of non-real time packets are lower than a priority of the real time packets, and 
 the radio resources, which are not allocated as the usable radio resources within the priority radio resources, are used for transmitting the non-real time packets by the first mobile station or a second mobile station. 
 
     
     
       18. The communication method of  claim 17 , wherein in the step of allocating the priority radio resources, the priority radio resources are allocated when the real time packets to be transmitted by the first mobile station are generated therein. 
     
     
       19. The communication method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 reallocating the priority radio resources when the usable radio resources are not used for a certain period. 
 
     
     
       20. The communication method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 setting unused radio resources as open usable radio resources on the radio channel, 
 the unused radio resources include radio resources not having been allocated as the priority radio resources and not having been allocated as the usable radio resources within the priority radio resources, 
 the open usable radio resources being used for transmitting the non-real time packets by the first mobile station and the second mobile station, and 
 the priority radio resources being used for transmitting the packets by the first mobile station more preferentially than transmitting the packets by the second mobile station. 
 
     
     
       21. A mobile station comprising:
 a transmitter configured to transmit packets by use of a radio resource allocated by a base station;   a buffer configured to store first packets having higher priority and second packets having lower priority to be transmitted by the transmitter; and   a packet quantity notification unit configured to report, to the base station, a first value indicating a quantity of the first packets stored in the buffer and a second value indicating a quantity of the second packets stored in the buffer, wherein   the transmitter is further configured to transmit the first packets by use of usable radio resources for transmitting the first packets allocated within priority radio resources based on the first value indicating the quantity of the stored first packets, the priority radio resources indicating a maximum quantity of radio resources necessary to transmit the first packets, and   the transmitter is further configured to transmit the second packets by use of radio resources not allocated as usable radio resources within the priority radio resources.   
     
     
       22. The mobile station according to claim 21, wherein
 the packet quantity notification unit is configured to report, to the base station, the first value and the second value when the mobile station transmits the packets to the base station.   
     
     
       23. The mobile station according to claim 21, wherein
 the packet quantity notification unit is configured to report, to the base station, the first value and the second value periodically.   
     
     
       24. A base station comprising:
 an acquisition unit configured to acquire, from a mobile station, a first value indicating a quantity of first packets having higher priority and a second value indicating a quantity of stored second packets having lower priority, the first packets and the second packets being stored in a buffer of the mobile station for transmission by the mobile station;   a radio resource controller configured to allocate, to the mobile station, radio resources to be used by the mobile station to transmit the first packets and the second packets, by using the first value and the second value; and   a result notification unit configured to report, to the mobile station the radio resources allocated by the radio resource controller, wherein   the base station receives the first packets by use of usable radio resources for transmitting the first packets allocated within priority radio resources based on the first value indicating the quantity of the stored first packets, the priority radio resources indicating a maximum quantity of radio resources necessary to transmit the first packets, and   the base station receives the second packets by use of radio resources not allocated as usable radio resources within the priority radio resources.   
     
     
       25. The base station according to claim 24, wherein
 the acquisition unit is configured to acquire the first value and the second value when the mobile station transmits the packets to the base station.   
     
     
       26. The base station according to claim 24, wherein
 the acquisition unit is configured to acquire the first value and the second value periodically.   
     
     
       27. A communication method comprising:
 receiving, at a base station, a first value indicating a quantity of first packets having higher priority and a second value indicating a quantity of stored second packets having lower priority, the first and second packets stored at a mobile station;   allocating, at the base station, a first radio resource to the mobile station periodically and according to the quantity of first packets stored at the mobile station;   transmitting, at the base station, a notification of allocation of the first radio resource to the mobile station via a first control signal;   starting, at the mobile station, transmission of packets to the base station using the first radio resource, when receiving the notification of allocation of the first radio resource via the first control signal from the base station;   allocating, at the base station, a second radio resource which is different from the first radio resource to the mobile station regardless of the quantity of first and second packets stored at the mobile station;   transmitting, at the base station, a notification of allocation of the second radio resource to the mobile station via a second control signal; and   stopping, at the mobile station, the transmission of the packets to the base station using the first radio resource, and starting transmission of the packets to the base station using the second radio resource, when the base station releases the allocation of the first radio resource to the mobile station.   
     
     
       28. A mobile station comprising:
 a transmitter configured to transmit packets to a base station; and   a receiver configured to receive a notification of allocation of a radio resource, wherein   the transmitter is configured to transmit, to the base station, a first value indicating a quantity of first packets having higher priority and a second value indicating a quantity of stored second packets having lower priority, the first and second packets stored at the mobile station,   the transmitter is configured to start transmission of the packets to the base station, using a first radio resource which is allocated to the mobile station periodically and according to the quantity of first packets stored at the mobile station, when the receiver receives a notification of allocation of the first radio resource via a first control signal from the base station, and   the transmitter is configured to stop the transmission of the packets to the base station, using the first radio resource, and to start transmission of the packets to the base station using a second radio resource which is allocated to the mobile station regardless of the quantity of first and second packets stored at the mobile station, when the base station releases the allocation of the first radio resource to the mobile station and transmits a notification of allocation of the second radio resource to the mobile station via a second control signal.