Early decoding of a control channel in a wireless communication system

Abstract

Techniques are provided for performing early decoding of a message on a control channel in a wireless (e.g., GSM) communication system. In a GSM system, a message for a paging channel is transmitted in four bursts. For early decoding in GSM, a terminal initially receives the first two bursts for the message. The two bursts are processed and decoded to recover the message, which is then checked to determine whether it has been decoded correctly or in error. The decoding process can terminate and the terminal may go to sleep early if the recovered message is good. Otherwise, the third burst is received, and all three bursts are processed and decoded to recover the message. Again, the decoding process can terminate if the recovered message is good. Otherwise, the fourth burst is received, and all four bursts are processed and decoded to recover the message.

1 . A method of performing early decoding for a control channel in a wireless communication system, comprising: 
 receiving a sufficient number of data blocks needed to recover a message sent on the control channel, wherein the sufficient number of data blocks is less than a total number of data blocks generated and transmitted for the message;    decoding the received data blocks to recover the message; and    terminating the decoding for the message, without receiving all of the total number of data blocks, if the message is decoded correctly.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 if the message is decoded in error, 
 receiving a next data block for the message, and  
 decoding all of the received data blocks to recover the message.  
   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 repeating the receiving a next data block and the decoding all of the received data blocks until the message is decoded correctly or all of the total number of data blocks have been received and decoded.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 entering a sleep state upon decoding the message correctly.    
   
   
       5 . An apparatus in a wireless communication system, comprising: 
 means for receiving a sufficient number of data blocks needed to recover a message sent on a control channel, wherein the sufficient number of data blocks is less than a total number of data blocks generated and transmitted for the message;    means for decoding the received data blocks to recover the message; and    means for terminating the decoding for the message, without receiving all of the total number of data blocks, if the message is decoded correctly.    
   
   
       6 . A memory communicatively coupled to a digital signal processing device (DSPD) capable of interpreting digital information to: 
 receive a sufficient number of data blocks needed to recover a message sent on a control channel in a wireless communication system, wherein the sufficient number of data blocks is less than a total number of data blocks generated and transmitted for the message;    decode the received data blocks to recover the message; and    terminate the decoding for the message, without receiving all of the total number of data blocks, if the message is decoded correctly.    
   
   
       7 . A method of performing early decoding for a control channel in a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) communication system, comprising: 
 receiving first and second bursts of data for a message sent on the control channel, wherein four bursts of data are transmitted for the message;    decoding the first and second bursts of data to recover the message; and    terminating the decoding for the message, without receiving all four bursts of data, if the message is decoded correctly.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 if the message is decoded in error with the first and second bursts of data, 
 receiving a third burst of data for the message, and  
 decoding the first, second, and third bursts of data to recover the message.  
   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 if the message is decoded in error with the first, second, and third bursts of data, 
 receiving a fourth burst of data for the message, and  
 decoding the first, second, third, and fourth bursts of data to recover the message.  
   
   
   
       10 . An apparatus in a wireless communication system, comprising: 
 means for receiving first and second bursts of data for a message sent on a control channel, wherein four bursts of data are transmitted for the message;    means for decoding the first and second bursts of data to recover the message; and    means for terminating the decoding for the message, without receiving all four bursts of data, if the message is decoded correctly.