Method of transmitting and receiving radio access information in a wireless mobile communications system

Abstract

In a wireless mobile communications system, a method of transmitting and receiving radio access information that allows a faster and an efficient way of establishing a radio connection between a terminal and a target base station while performing a handover for the terminal to a cell of the target base station. The network transmits in advance, the radio access information and the like, to the terminal so that the terminal can be connected with the target cell in a faster manner which minimizes the total time for the handover process.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of transmitting uplink data in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
 receiving in a terminal from a network, preamble information generated by the network, wherein the preamble information is received via dedicated signaling in downlink,   wherein the received preamble information is either a dedicated preamble or an index of the dedicated preamble, and wherein the preamble information is used for performing a random access channel (RACH) procedure, and   wherein the dedicated preamble is used for a specific terminal;   transmitting from the terminal to the network, the dedicated preamble on a random access channel (RACH) in uplink; uplink   receiving in the terminal, a random access response in response to the transmitted dedicated preamble, wherein the random access response includes at least one of time information for a handover operation, an uplink grant for the handover operation, time information for a downlink data arrival, or a random access preamble identifier; and   transmitting the uplink data to the network using the uplink grant included in the random access response.   
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preamble information is a non-contention random access preamble assigned to the specific terminal by the network. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preamble information is signaled via a handover command generated by a target base station. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preamble information is signaled via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH). 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the random access response is received on a downlink shared channel (DL-SCH). 
     
     
       6. A mobile terminal for transmitting uplink data in a wireless communication system, the mobile terminal comprising:
 a transceiver configured to transmit or receive the uplink data;   a memory configured to store the uplink data transmitted or received via the transceiver or from an external source; and   a processor cooperating with the transceiver and the memory, the processor configured to:   receive, from a network, preamble information generated by the network, wherein the preamble information is received via dedicated signaling in downlink, wherein the preamble information is used for performing a random access channel (RACH) procedure, wherein the received preamble information is either a dedicated preamble or an index of the dedicated preamble, and wherein the dedicated preamble is used for a specific terminal;
 transmit, to the network, the dedicated preamble on a random access channel (RACH) in uplink; 
 receive a random access response in response to the transmitted dedicated preamble, wherein the random access response includes at least one of time information for a handover operation, an uplink grant for the handover operation, time information for a downlink data arrival, or a random access preamble identifier; and 
 transmit the uplink data to the network using the uplink grant included in the random access response. 
   
     
     
       7. The mobile terminal of  claim 6 , wherein the preamble information is a non-contention random access preamble assigned to the specific terminal by the network. 
     
     
       8. The mobile terminal of  claim 6 , wherein the preamble information is signaled via a handover command generated by a target base station. 
     
     
       9. The mobile terminal of  claim 6 , wherein the preamble information is signaled via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH). 
     
     
       10. The mobile terminal of  claim 6 , wherein the random access response is received on a downlink shared channel (DL-SCH). 
     
     
       11. A method comprising:
 receiving, by a terminal and after a source base station has determined that a handover should occur to a target base station, synchronization information generated by a transmitter in the source base station in a network, wherein the synchronization information is received via control signaling in a downlink transmission, wherein the synchronization information is used to synchronize the terminal to the network, and wherein the synchronization information is a handover command message from the source base station, wherein the handover command message includes access information, and the access information includes preamble information as identified by the target base station for use by the terminal during a random access procedure with the target base station, wherein the preamble information is a dedicated preamble used only for a specific terminal; and   transmitting, by the terminal, and in response to the handover command message, a synchronization signal associated with the synchronization information on a synchronization channel in an uplink transmission, wherein the terminal connects with the target base station during the random access procedure using the preamble information identified by the target base station; and   transmitting, by the terminal, a handover complete message to the target base station.   
     
     
       12. The method of claim 11, wherein a synchronization response is received by the terminal in response to the transmission of the synchronization signal from the terminal. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 12, where the synchronization response is received on a downlink shared channel. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim 12, wherein the synchronization response includes at least one of time information for uplink data arrival, information on the synchronization signal for the terminal, information for a handover operation and an uplink grant for the handover operation. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim 14, wherein uplink data is transmitted to the network using the uplink grant. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 11, wherein the synchronization information is information for a non-contention synchronization signal assigned to a specific terminal by the network. 
     
     
       17. The method of claim 11, wherein the synchronization information is signaled via the handover command message generated by the source base station. 
     
     
       18. The method of claim 17, wherein the handover command message is generated once a threshold measurement is received by the base station. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18, wherein the handover command message is generated once a threshold measurement is received by a measurement report and wherein the measurement report contains signal strength measurements of at least one of a plurality of surrounding base stations. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 11, wherein the synchronization information is signaled via a downlink control channel. 
     
     
       21. A method comprising:
 transmitting, by a transmitter in a base station to a terminal, and after a source base station has determined that a handover should occur to a target base station, synchronization information generated by the transmitter in the source base station in a network, wherein the synchronization information is transmitted via control signaling in a downlink transmission to the terminal, wherein the synchronization information is used to synchronize the terminal to the network, and wherein the synchronization information is a handover command message from the source base station, wherein the handover command message includes access information, and the access information includes preamble information as identified by the target base station for use by the terminal during a random access procedure with the target base station, wherein the preamble information is a dedicated preamble used only for a specific terminal, the synchronization information further usable by the terminal, in response to the handover command message, to transmit a synchronization signal associated with the synchronization information on a synchronization channel in an uplink transmission, wherein the terminal can connect with the target base station during the random access procedure using the preamble information identified by the target base station.   
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21, wherein uplink data is transmitted to the network using an uplink grant. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 22, wherein the synchronization information is signaled via the handover command message generated by the base station. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 23, wherein the handover command message is generated once a threshold measurement is received by the base station. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 24, wherein the handover command message is generated once a threshold measurement is received by a measurement report and wherein the measurement report contains signal strength measurements of at least one of a plurality of surrounding base stations. 
     
     
       26. A first terminal configured to transmit uplink data to and receive downlink data from a target base station in a network having a plurality of terminals including the first terminal and a source base station, comprising:
 a memory;   a processor;   a receiver and the processor in the first terminal that receive, after the source base station has determined that a handover should occur to the target base station, synchronization information generated by a transmitter in the source base station in a network, wherein the synchronization information is received via control signaling in a downlink transmission, wherein the synchronization information is used to synchronize the first terminal to the network, and wherein the synchronization information is a handover command message from the source base station, wherein the handover command message includes access information, and the access information includes preamble information as identified by the target base station for use by the first terminal during a random access procedure with the target base station, wherein the preamble information is a dedicated preamble used only for a specific terminal; and   a transmitter and the processor in the first terminal that transmit, in response to the handover command message, a synchronization signal associated with the synchronization information on a synchronization channel in an uplink transmission, wherein the first terminal connects with the target base station during the random access procedure using the preamble information identified by the target base station; and   the transmitter and the processor in the first terminal further transmitting a handover complete message to the target base station.   
     
     
       27. The first terminal of claim 26, wherein a synchronization response is received in the first terminal in response to the transmission of the synchronization signal from the first terminal. 
     
     
       28. The first terminal of claim 26, wherein the synchronization response includes
 at least one of time information for an uplink data arrival, information on the synchronization signal for the first terminal, information for a handover operation, and an uplink grant for a handover operation.   
     
     
       29. The first terminal of claim 28, wherein uplink data is transmitted to the network using the uplink grant. 
     
     
       30. The first terminal of claim 26, wherein the synchronization information is information for a non-contention synchronization signal assigned to the specific terminal by the network. 
     
     
       31. The first terminal of claim 26, wherein the synchronization information is signaled via the handover command message generated by the target base station. 
     
     
       32. A source base station, comprising:
 a memory;   a processor;   a transceiver, the transceiver configure to:   transmit downlink data and receive uplink data;   the processor and memory in the source base station configured to:   receive the uplink data;   generate, after the source base station has determined that a handover should occur to a target base station, synchronization information, wherein the synchronization information is transmitted via control signaling in a downlink transmission to a terminal, wherein the synchronization information is used to synchronize the terminal to a network, and wherein the synchronization information is a handover command message from the source base station, wherein the handover command message includes access information, and the access information includes preamble information as identified by the target base station for use by the terminal during a random access procedure with the target base station, wherein the preamble information is a dedicated preamble used only for a specific terminal.   
     
     
       33. The base station of claim 32, wherein the uplink data is transmitted to the network using an uplink grant. 
     
     
       34. The base station of claim 32, wherein the synchronization information is information for a non-contention synchronization signal assigned to the specific terminal by the network. 
     
     
       35. The base station of claim 32, wherein the synchronization information is signaled via the handover command message generated by the target base station. 
     
     
       36. The base station of claim 32, wherein the handover command message is generated once a threshold measurement is received by a measurement report and wherein the measurement report contains signal strength measurements of at least one of a plurality of surrounding base stations. 
     
     
       37. The base station of claim 32, wherein the synchronization information is signaled via a downlink control channel. 
     
     
       38. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions thereon that when executed instructions that when executed by at least one processor of a terminal perform a method comprising:
 receiving, by the terminal and after a source base station has determined that a handover should occur to a target base station, synchronization information generated by a transmitter in the source base station in a network, wherein the synchronization information is received via control signaling in a downlink transmission, wherein the synchronization information is used to synchronize the terminal to the network, and wherein the synchronization information is a handover command message from the source base station, wherein the handover command message includes access information, and the access information includes preamble information as identified by the target base station for use by the terminal during a random access procedure with the target base station, wherein the preamble information is a dedicated preamble used only for a specific terminal; and   transmitting, by the terminal, and in response to the handover command message, a synchronization signal associated with the synchronization information on a synchronization channel in an uplink transmission, wherein the terminal connects with the target base station during the random access procedure using the preamble information identified by the target base station; and   transmitting, by the terminal, a handover complete message to the target base station.   
     
     
       39. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions thereon that when executed by at least one processor of a base station perform a method comprising:
 transmitting downlink data and receive uplink data; and   generating, after a source base station has determined that a handover should occur to a target base station, synchronization information, wherein the synchronization information is transmitted via control signaling in a downlink transmission to a terminal, wherein the synchronization information is used to synchronize the terminal to a network, and wherein the synchronization information is a handover command message from the source base station, wherein the handover command message includes access information, and the access information includes preamble information as identified by a target base station for use by the terminal during a random access procedure with the target base station, wherein the preamble information is a dedicated preamble used only for a specific terminal.   
     
     
       40. A system comprising:
 means for receiving, by a terminal and after a source base station has determined that a handover should occur to a target base station, synchronization information generated by a transmitter in the source base station in a network, wherein the synchronization information is received via control signaling in a downlink transmission, wherein the synchronization information is used to synchronize the terminal to the network, and wherein the synchronization information is a handover command message from the source base station, wherein the handover command message includes access information, and the access information includes preamble information as identified by the target base station for use by the terminal during a random access procedure with the target base station, wherein the preamble information is a dedicated preamble used only for a specific terminal; and   means for transmitting, by the terminal and in response to the handover command message, a synchronization signal associated with the synchronization information on a synchronization channel in an uplink transmission, wherein the terminal connects with the target base station during the random access procedure using the preamble information identified by the target base station; and   means for transmitting, by the terminal, a handover complete message to the target base station.   
     
     
       41. A system comprising:
 means for transmitting downlink data and receive uplink data;   means for generating, after a source base station has determined that a handover should occur to a target base station, synchronization information, wherein the synchronization information is transmitted via control signaling in a downlink transmission to a terminal, wherein the synchronization information is used to synchronize the terminal to a network, and wherein the synchronization information is a handover command message from the source base station, wherein the handover command message includes access information, and the access information includes preamble information as identified by the target base station for use by the terminal during a random access procedure with the target base station, wherein the preamble information is a dedicated preamble used only for a specific terminal.