Transport of radio network-originated control information

Abstract

In a radio access network (RAN) where information may be sent to a mobile radio unit using a shared radio channel shared by other mobile radio units, a first transport bearer is established between a first RAN node, e.g., a drift RNC, and a second RAN node, e.g., a base station, to transport data to be transmitted on the shared radio channel. A second transport bearer is established between the first and second RAN nodes to transport control information originated in the first RAN node that relates to the first transport bearer data. The first RAN node then transmits the control information over the second transport bearer to the second RAIN node. The control information might include, for example, scheduling information known to the first RAN node because the first RAN node supervises scheduling of data to be transmitted on the shared radio channel. The control information may provide to the mobile radio unit information needed to decode the data transmitted on the shared radio channel. Such needed information might include, for example, a frame identifier, a specific radio resource like a spreading code, and/or an indication of how different radio resources associated with different connections are multiplexed on the shared radio channel. In one example, non-limiting embodiment, the control information includes transport format indication information such as transmit format combination indicator (TFCI) information employed in third generation Universal Mobile Telephone Systems (UMTS) in accordance with the 3GPP specification.

1 - 40 . (canceled)  
   
   
       41 . A computer-generated data signal embodied in an electrical signal transported on a radio access network (RAN) transport bearer established between a first RAN node corresponding to a drift radio network (DRNC) coupled to a serving radio network controller (SRNC) controller and a second RAN node corresponding to a base station, where the base stations communicates via a radio channel with one or more mobile radio units, comprising: 
 a frame number field including a specific frame number corresponding to a frame on the radio channel, and    a transport format field including information relating to a particular radio channel resource useable by a mobile radio unit to receive information directed to the mobile radio unit from the base station.    
   
   
       42 . The computer-generated data signal in  claim 41 , wherein the transport format field includes information that may be used to address a transport format table stored in a mobile radio unit.  
   
   
       43 . The computer-generated data signal in  claim 41 , wherein the transport format field contains information that may be used by a mobile radio unit to receive information intended for the mobile radio unit carried on a shared radio channel.  
   
   
       44 . The computer-generated data signal in  claim 41 , wherein the transport format field includes a transport format combination indicator (TFCI) generated by the drift radio network controller.