WO2013116989A1

WO2013116989A1 - Method and apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2013116989A1
Application number: PCT/CN2012/070939
Authority: WO
Inventors: Deshan Miao; Lei Du; Yi Zhang; Chunli Wu
Original assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks Oy
Priority date: 2012-02-07
Filing date: 2012-02-07
Publication date: 2013-08-15
Also published as: EP2813119A1; EP2813119A4

Abstract

A method comprises causing first information to be sent to a base station indicating a data transmission comprising a plurality of sets of data; and receiving grant information for said plurality of sets of data.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS

This disclosure relates to a method and apparatus and in particular but not exclusively to a method and apparatus for transmitting small amounts of data.

A communication system can be seen as a facility that enables communication sessions between two or more nodes such as fixed or mobile devices, machine-type terminals, access nodes such as base stations, servers and so on. A communication system and compatible communicating entities typically operate in accordance with a given standard or specification which sets out what the various entities associated with the system are permitted to do and how that should be achieved. For example, the standards, specifications and related protocols can define the manner how devices shall communicate, how various aspects of communications shall be implemented and how devices for use in the system shall be configured.

A user can access the communication system by means of an appropriate communication device. A communication device of a user is often referred to as user equipment (UE) or terminal. A communication device is provided with an appropriate signal receiving and transmitting arrangement for enabling communications with other parties. Typically a device such as a user equipment is used for enabling receiving and transmission of communications such as speech and content data.

Communications can be carried on wireless carriers. Examples of wireless systems include public land mobile networks (PLMN) such as cellular networks, satellite based communication systems and different wireless local networks, for example wireless local area networks (WLAN). In wireless systems a communication device provides a transceiver station that can communicate with another communication device such as e.g. a base station of an access network and/or another user equipment. The two directions of communications between a base station and communication devices of users have been conventionally referred to as downlink and uplink. Downlink (DL) can be understood as the direction from the base station to the communication device and uplink (UL) the direction from the communication device to the base station. According to one aspect, there is provided a method comprising: causing first information to be sent to a base station indicating a data transmission comprising a plurality of sets of data; and receiving grant information for said plurality of sets of data.

The plurality of sets of data may be relative small. The sets of data may be separated in time. The plurality of sets of data may comprise a bursty data transmission.

The grant information may be received responsive to the causing of a request for resources to be sent to said base station.

For at least some of said sets of data, said method may comprise sending a random access preamble, and receiving a response with grant information and sending said set of data.

For at least some of said sets of data, said method may comprise sending a scheduling request, and receiving a response with grant information and sending said set of data.

The request for resources may be a scheduling request or a random access request for resources. The request for resources may take place after the causing of the first information to be sent.

The method may comprise causing information about a buffer status to be sent to said base station. The method may comprise receiving said grant information responsive to information about said buffer status.

Each set of data or part of the set of the data may be substantially the same.

Some embodiments may be used where the size or each set of data is the same. Alternatively or additionally some embodiments may be used where each part of a set of data may be the same. Where embodiments are used with bursts of data, embodiments may be used where the bursts are substantially the same size and/or where the size of the bursts are not the same but the packet size in each burst is the same. For example embodiments may be used where burst one has three packets, burst two has two packets, and the packet sizes are the same, x bytes. The causing the first information to be sent may comprise providing said information in at least one of a radio resource control message and a medium access control message.

The information may comprise one or more of: indication of start of data transmission; indication of end of data transmission; average packet size; inter burst time; and expected uplink grant.

In some embodiments, a request to cancel the transmission of the plurality of sets of data may be sent to the base station.

The method may comprises determining that a data transmission comprising said plurality of sets of data is to be sent to said base station.

The determining may comprise determining the termination of at least one application such that only one or more applications with a data transmission with a plurality of sets of data are running.

The determining may comprise determining a connection setup for at least one application with a plurality of sets of data are running

The determining may comprise determining a bearer setup of at least one application with a data transmission with a plurality of sets of data.

The determining may be based on an indication from an upper protocol layer.

In some embodiments, a determination as to when to cause the sending of said first information may be made.

The determining may be in dependence on one or more of a characteristic of an application, prediction of packet arrival and/or the like.

The determining may comprise determining that a same packet size occurs at least N times in a time period.

In some embodiments, the method comprises receiving information about N from said base station.

In some embodiments, the method comprises determining N. N may have any suitable value and in some embodiments may be equal to 2 or more.

The method may be performed in a user equipment or in an apparatus in a user equipment.

According to another aspect, there is provided a method comprising: receiving first information from a user equipment indicating a data transmission comprising a plurality of sets of data; and causing grant information for said plurality of sets of data to be sent to said user equipment.

The method may comprise causing said grant information to be sent responsive to the receiving of a request for resources from said user equipment.

For at least some of said sets of data, said method may comprise receiving a random access preamble, causing a response with grant information to be sent and receiving said set of data.

The method may comprise receiving said first information in at least one of a radio resource control message and a medium access control message.

The first information may comprise a plurality of sets of data, said method comprising determining from said first information that said data transmission comprises a plurality of sets of data.

In some embodiments, the determining comprises assuming that following sets of data are of a similar or substantially the same size as the sets of data of the first information after detecting the same or substantially the same value for a size of said data sets for at least N times.

The method may be performed by a base station or an apparatus in the base station.

According to another aspect, there is provided apparatus comprising: means for causing first information to be sent to a base station indicating a data transmission comprising a plurality of sets of data; and means for receiving grant information for said plurality of sets of data.

For at least some of said sets of data, the means for causing may cause the sending a random access preamble, said receiving means receiving a response with grant information and said causing means causing the sending said set of data. The request for resources may be a scheduling request or a random access request for resources. The request for resources may take place after the causing means causes the first information to be sent.

The causing means may cause information about a buffer status to be sent to said base station. The receiving means may receive said grant information responsive to information about said buffer status.

Each set of data or part of the set of the data may be substantially the same.

Some embodiments may be used where the size or each set of data is the same. Alternatively or additionally some embodiments may be used where each part of a set of data may be the same. Where embodiments are used with bursts of data, embodiments may be used where the bursts are substantially the same size and/or where the size of the bursts are not the same but the packet size in each burst is the same. For example embodiments may be used where burst one has three packets, burst two has two packets, and the packet sizes are the same, x bytes.

The causing means may cause the first information to be sent in at least one of a radio resource control message and a medium access control message.

In some embodiments, the causing means causes a request to cancel the transmission of the plurality of sets of data to be sent to the base station.

The apparatus may comprise determining means for determining that a data transmission comprising said plurality of sets of data is to be sent to said base station.

The determining means may determine the termination of at least one application such that only one or more applications with a data transmission with a plurality of sets of data are running.

The determining means may determine a connection setup for at least one application with a plurality of sets of data. The determining means may determine a bearer setup of at least one application with a data transmission with a plurality of sets of data.

The determining means may receive an indication from an upper protocol layer.

In some embodiments, the determining means is for determining when to cause the sending of said first information.

The determining means may be for determining in dependence on one or more of a characteristic of an application, prediction of packet arrival and/or the like.

The determining means may determine that a same packet size occurs at least N times in a time period.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may receive information about N from said base station.

In some embodiments, the determining means may determine N. N may have any suitable value and in some embodiments may be equal to 2 or more.

A user equipment may comprise the apparatus discussed above.

According to another aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising: means for receiving first information from a user equipment indicating a data transmission comprising a plurality of sets of data; and means for causing grant information for said plurality of sets of data to be sent to said user equipment.

The causing means may cause said grant information to be sent responsive to the receiving of a request for resources from said user equipment.

For at least some of said sets of data, receiving means may receive a random access preamble, the causing means may cause a response with grant information to be sent and the receiving means may receive said set of data.

The receiving means may receive said first information in at least one of a radio resource control message and a medium access control message.

The first information may comprise a plurality of sets of data, said apparatus comprising determining means for determining from said first information that said data transmission comprises a plurality of sets of data. In some embodiments, the determining means may determine by assuming that following sets of data are of a similar or substantially the same size as the sets of data of the first information after detecting the same or substantially the same value for a size of said data sets for at least N times.

A base station may comprise the apparatus.

According to another aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to: cause first information to be sent to a base station indicating a data transmission comprising a plurality of sets of data; and receive grant information for said plurality of sets of data.

The at least one memory and the computer code may be configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to send a random access preamble, and receiving a response with grant information and sending said set of data.

The at least one memory and the computer code may be configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to provide said information in at least one of a radio resource control message and a medium access control message.

The at least one memory and the computer code may be configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to determining that a data transmission comprising said plurality of sets of data is to be sent to said base station.

The at least one memory and the computer code may be configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to determine that a same packet size occurs at least N times in a time period. According to another aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to: receive first information from a user equipment indicating a data transmission comprising a plurality of sets of data; and cause grant information for said plurality of sets of data to be sent to said user equipment.

The at least one memory and the computer code may be configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus cause said grant information to be sent responsive to the receiving of a request for resources from said user equipment.

The at least one memory and the computer code may be configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to, for at least some of said sets of data, receive a random access preamble, cause a response with grant information to be sent and receive said set of data.

The at least one memory and the computer code may be configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to receive said first information in at least one of a radio resource control message and a medium access control message.

The at least one memory and the computer code may be configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to determine from said first information that said data transmission comprises a plurality of sets of data.

A computer program comprising program code means adapted to perform the method may also be provided. The computer program may be stored and/or otherwise embodied by means of a carrier medium.

It should be appreciated that any feature of any aspect may be combined with any other feature of any other aspect.

Embodiments will now be described in further detail, by way of example only, with reference to the following examples and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a communication system comprising a base station and a plurality of communication devices; Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of a mobile communication device according to some embodiments;

Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of a control apparatus according to some embodiments;

Figure 4 shows the transmission of bursts of data;

Figure 5a shows a signal flow when a user equipment is in a SYNC mode;

Figure 5b shows a message flow when a user equipment is in an OUT- OF-SYNC mode; and

Figure 6 shows a message flow of a method of an embodiment.

In the following certain exemplifying embodiments are explained with reference to a wireless or mobile communication system serving mobile communication devices. Before explaining in detail the exemplifying embodiments, certain general principles of a wireless communication system, access systems thereof, and mobile communication devices are briefly explained with reference to Figures 1 to 3 to assist in understanding the technology underlying the described examples.

An example of wireless communication systems are architectures standardized by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). A latest 3GPP based development is often referred to as the long-term evolution (LTE) of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) radio-access technology. The various development stages of the 3GPP LTE specifications are referred to as releases. More recent developments of the LTE are often referred to as LTE Advanced (LTE-A). The LTE employs a mobile architecture known as the Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN). Base stations of such systems are known as evolved or enhanced Node Bs (eNBs) and may provide E-UTRAN features such as user plane Radio Link Control/Medium Access Control/Physical layer protocol (RLC/MAC/PHY) and control plane Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol terminations towards the communication devices. Other examples of radio access system include those provided by base stations of systems that are based on technologies such as wireless local area network (WLAN) and/or WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access). A device capable of wireless communications can communicate via at least one base station or similar wireless transmitter and/or receiver node. In figure 1 a base station 10 is shown to be serving various mobile devices 20 and a machine-like terminal 22. Base stations are typically controlled by at least one appropriate controller apparatus so as to enable operation thereof and management of mobile communication devices in communication with the base stations. The base station can be connected further to a broader communications system 12. It shall be understood that a number of neighbouring and/or overlapping access systems or radio service areas provided by a number of base stations may exist. A base station site can provide one or more cells or sectors, each sector providing a cell or a subarea of a cell. Each device and base station may have one or more radio channels open at the same time and may send signals to and/or receive signals from one or more sources. As a plurality of devices can use the same wireless resource, transmissions thereof need to be scheduled to avoid collisions and/or interference.

A possible mobile communication device for transmitting in uplink and receiving in downlink will now be described in more detail with reference to Figure 2 showing a schematic, partially sectioned view of a communication device 20. Such a communication device is often referred to as user equipment (UE) or terminal. An appropriate communication device may be provided by any device capable of sending radio signals to and/or receiving radio signals. Non-limiting examples include a mobile station (MS) such as a mobile phone or what is known as a 'smart phone', a portable computer provided with a wireless interface card or other wireless interface facility, personal data assistant (PDA) provided with wireless communication capabilities, or any combinations of these or the like. A mobile communication device may provide, for example, communication of data for carrying communications such as voice, electronic mail (email), text message, multimedia and so on. Users may thus be offered and provided numerous services via their communication devices. Non-limiting examples of these services include two-way or multi-way calls, data communication or multimedia services or simply an access to a data communications network system, such as the Internet. Non-limiting examples of content data include downloads, television and radio programs, videos, advertisements, various alerts and other information.

The device 20 is configured to receive signals in the downlink 29 over an air interface via appropriate apparatus for receiving and to transmit signals in the uplink 28 via appropriate apparatus for transmitting radio signals. In Figure 2 the transceiver apparatus is designated schematically by block 26. The transceiver apparatus 26 may be provided for example by means of a radio part and associated antenna arrangement. The antenna arrangement may be arranged internally or externally to the mobile device.

The device is also provided with at least one data processing entity 21 , at least one memory 22 and other possible components 23 for use in software and hardware aided execution of tasks it is designed to perform, including control of access to and communications with base stations and/or other communication devices. The data processing, storage and other relevant apparatus can be provided on an appropriate circuit board and/or in chipsets. This apparatus is denoted by reference 24.

The user may control the operation of the device by means of a suitable user interface such as key pad 25, voice commands, touch sensitive screen or pad, combinations thereof or the like. A display 27, a speaker and a microphone can be also provided. Furthermore, a communication device may comprise appropriate connectors (either wired or wireless) to other devices and/or for connecting external accessories, for example hands-free equipment, thereto.

Figure 3 shows an example of a control apparatus 30 for a communication system. The control apparatus may be part of, coupled to and/or for controlling a base station. In some embodiments a base station may comprise an integrated control apparatus and some other embodiments the control apparatus can be provided by a separate network element. The control apparatus can be interconnected with other control entities. The control apparatus and functions may be distributed between a plurality of control units. In some embodiments each base station can comprise a control apparatus. In alternative embodiments, two or more base stations may share a control apparatus. The arrangement of the control depends on the standard, and for example in accordance with the current LTE specifications no separate radio network controller is provided. Regardless the location, the control apparatus 30 can be understood as providing control on communications in the service area of at least one base station.

The control apparatus 30 can be configured to provide control functions in association with scheduling of uplink in accordance with embodiments described below. For this purpose the control apparatus can comprise at least one memory 31 , at least one data processing unit 32, 33 and an input/output interface 34. Via the interface the control apparatus can be coupled to a base station to cause operation of the base station in accordance with the below described embodiments. The control apparatus can be configured to execute an appropriate software code to provide the control functions.

A wireless communication device, such as a mobile device, machine-like terminal or a base station, can be provided with a Multiple Input / Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna system. MIMO arrangements as such are known. Ml MO systems use multiple antennas at the transmitter and receiver along with advanced digital signal processing to improve link quality and capacity. For example, the transceiver apparatus 26 of Figure 2 can provide a plurality of antenna ports. More data can be received and/or sent where there are more antennae elements.

It has been proposed to look for LTE RAN (radio access network) enhancements for diverse data applications. In order to provide always on connectivity, mechanisms are identified and specified at the RAN level to enhance the ability of LTE to handle diverse traffic profiles. With such traffic loads, the identified mechanisms may permit better trade-offs to be achieved when balancing the needs of network efficiency, UE battery life, signalling overheads, user experience and/or system performance. In some embodiments user equipment applications are known where traffic traces, i.e. data traffic or packets captured from live systems or apparatus running one or more applications of interest, are captured from networks and analysed. It should be appreciated that the user equipment applications may have very different characteristics. Background and instant messaging IM traffic scenarios require a relatively high signalling overhead to keep the applications always on. Background traffic refers to the traffic from an unattended phone with applications not in an "active phase" (i.e. not including email retrieval, no IM sending etc .). A large number of applications may generate such background traffic e.g. Skype, Facebook, Gtalk etc. IM traffic includes IM background traffic, for example by Mobile QQ, MSN etc.

Reference is now made to figure 4 which gives an example of a background application which characterised by small data transmissions. A small data transmission may for example have a packet size less than 200 bytes and may for example range between 60 bytes and 200 bytes. In other embodiments a relatively small data transmission may even be larger than 200 bytes. The data may be transmitted in a bursty or discontinuous manner. In one example, one burst may include two or three small packets every 30 seconds.

In Figure 4, a first burst is referenced 400. The first burst 400 has three packets 402. This is followed by a second burst 406. The second burst 406 has two packets 408. This is followed by a third burst 410 which comprises three packets 412. The number of packets in a burst can be less than two and/or more than three in other embodiments. The first and second bursts are separated by a first inter burst time 404. Likewise, the second and third bursts are separated by a second burst time 414. The inter burst times may be the same or different. In order to avoid frequent RRC (radio resource control) idle connected state transition between bursts, the UE may be always kept in the connected mode. This may be desirable where the UE is in a low or medium mobility situation. In order to keep the UE in the always connected state, the RRC release time may be set to a value which is greater than the inter burst time.

A UE may stay in either in the SYNC or OUT-0F-SYNC status depending on TAT (Time Alignment Timer). By way of example only, 3GPP 36.331 defines a Time Alignment Timer as an information element which is used to control how long the UE is considered uplink time aligned. The value is in number of sub-frames. Value sf500 corresponds to 500 sub-frames, sf750 corresponds to 750 sub-frames and so on. TimeAlignmentTimer information element

-- ASN1 START

TimeAlignmentTimer ::=ENUMERATED {f500, sf750, sf1280, sf1920, sf2560, sf5120, sf 10240, infinity}

-- ASN1 STOP

If the UE is in the SYNC mode, the UE will have a dedicated PUCCH (physical uplink control channel) such that when the next burst comes, the UE will send the scheduling request (SR) via the PUCCH. The UE will receive the UL (uplink grant) for BSR (Buffer status report) transmission. In this regard reference is made to Figure 5a.

In figure 5A, a signal flow is shown for the SYNC mode.

In step S1 , the UE sends a scheduling request to the eNodeB. This scheduling request is sent on the PUCCH.

In step S2, the eNodeB sends an up link UL Grant on the PDCCH (physical downlink control channel).

In step S3, the UE sends a buffer status report on the PUSCH (physical uplink shared channel) to the eNodeB which provides information on the amount of data that the UE needs to send.

In step S4, the eNodeB sends the uplink grant on the PDCCH to the UE. In step S5, the UE sends the data transmission on the PUSCH. Thus, when a next burst needs to be sent, the connection is already established and the data can be sent promptly without RRC connection setup procedure.

Reference is Figure 5b which shows the OUT-OF-SYNC status signalling.

In step T1 , the UE sends a random access preamble to the eNodeB.

In step T2, the eNodeB sends a random access response. This will include the UL Grant.

In step T3, the UE will send to the eNodeB a buffer status report.

In step T4, the eNodeB will send the UL Grant on the PDCCH.

In step T5, data transmission will commence on the PUSCH. The UE will thus send the data on this channel to the eNodeB.

With the OUT-OF-SYNC state, as the PUCCH has been released, the UE needs to start from the contention based random access procedure in order to request resource for the BSR transmission. If the amount of data is small, for example 60 bytes, it can be seen that the signalling overhead is disproportionately increased in that four messages are required. Further, the system efficiency is degraded.

In some embodiments, the eNodeB will receive an indication about small quantities of bursty data such that the eNodeB can allocate sufficient up link resources for accommodating the small quantities of data directly. In particular, in some embodiments the UL Grant message such as illustrated in figure 5a may allocate resource in that message. In some embodiments, the BSR transmission may be avoided.

In one embodiment, a UE may indicate to the eNodeB information about a small data transmission. In some embodiments, the UE may provide an indication of the start and/or end of a small data transmission, average packet size, inter burst time, expected UL grant and/or any other suitable information. When that information is received by the eNodeB, the eNode B allocates a proper UL Grant so as to include all of the small data. In some embodiments, the messages shown in steps S3 and S4 of Figure 5a, and /or the messages shown in steps T3 and T4 of Figure 5b, may be avoided. Alternatively or additionally, the eNodeB may allocate UL grant for semi-persistent scheduling according to the indicated inter burst time.

The UE may send the indication to the base station responsive to any suitable condition. In one embodiment, when the connection or radio bearer is set up this information may be sent to the eNode B. A UE may initiate a connection request procedure when upper layers request establishment of an RRC connection. The upper layers may be one or more of the PDCP (packet data convergence protocol) layer, the RRC layer, the NAS (Non-access stratum) layer and the application layer etc. In the case the upper layer indicates that the connection is for a small data transmission, and/or the detailed information about small data transmission, e.g. indication of the average packet size, inter burst time, expected UL grant and/or any other suitable information, the UE could indicate the information to eNB during the connection establishment procedure. Alternatively, after the connection is established, if upper layer indicates a bearer setup for an application having a small data transmission, the UE could indicate the information to eNB during the bearer setup procedure.

Alternatively or additionally, the information may be sent by the UE in response to the termination of applications other than background and/or IM applications.

Alternatively or additionally, the information could be sent by the UE responsive to detecting packet size of arrival data or BSR around a certain value for N times/time period, where N could be pre-configured by the network.

In some embodiments, the UE may send another indication to update or cancel the previous indication of a small data transmission.

In one embodiment, the upper layers detect the applications which relate to small data only. The upper layers will then indicate that an RRC connection should be established for the small data. These upper layers are present on the UE. When the UE receives an indication from the upper layers, the UE will include the information in an RRC message to the eNode B. This information may be included in any suitable message. By way of example only, the message may be an RRC connection setup complete message, an RRC connection reconfiguration complete message or the like.

When the eNode B receives that message with the information, the eNode B will allocate corresponding UL Grant capacity when receiving the scheduling request and/or the random access preamble from the UE.

Alternatively or additionally, the RRC connection will be established in accordance with the usual procedures. When the UE stops running any applications which require larger amounts of data so that only the small data applications are running, the UE will send a message to the eNode B. This message may be an RRC message or an MAC message. This message will include information indicating the start of a small data transmission. This alternative may be used where one or more "large" data applications is running on the UE and are closed such that there are only small data applications running. In other words, only small data applications are now running. For example, the small data applications may include background applications and/or IM applications. Again, the eNode B would then allocate the corresponding UL grant once the information is received from the UE. Alternatively or additionally, user equipment will record the history of its BSR when there is a packet arrival. If the value of BSR is around the same value for at least N times, the UE will send a message to advise the eNode B that the following data will be of the similar size indicated in its message. The UE may also provide the number of blocks or bursts of data which will be transmitted.

Alternatively, the UE does not send the message to eNB. Instead, eNB autonomously assumes the following data is of similar size as indicated in previous messages after detecting the same or substantially the same value of BSR for at least N times, and therefore allocates proper UL grant accordingly. The eNB will consider the small data transmission terminated when detecting the value of BSR is different for at least N1 times. In this alternative, this may be implemented at the eNB implementation and there may be no changes required to the air interface.

N may be determined by the UE itself or maybe controlled by the eNode

B. For example, the eNode B may send control information defining the size of N to the UE via broadcast messages and/or dedicated messages. By way of example only N could be greater than or equal to 2. The eNode B would then allocate corresponding UL Grant larger than the value indicated by the message sent by the UE. By way of example only, a signalling flow for this embodiment is shown in figure 6.

In step A1 , the UE sends a random access preamble to the eNode B. In step A2, the eNode B will send a random access response including the uplink grant.

In step A3, the user equipment sends a status report to the eNode B.

In step A4, the eNode B sends an uplink grant message to the user equipment on the PDCCH.

In step A5, the user equipment sends the data transmission to the eNode B on the PUSCH.

It should be appreciated that steps A1 to A5 may be used where there is a single burst of data, that is where N equals one

If N is equal to 2, then steps A1 to A5 may be repeated for the next burst of data. The following steps will be carried out where the number of bursts is equal to 3. In other words, N equals three.

In step A6, the user equipment sends the random access preamble to the eNode B.

In step A7, the eNode B sends a random access response including the uplink grant to the user equipment.

In step A8, the user equipment sends the new message to the eNode B. This message will indicate that the following data will be of similar size to that indicated in BSR message. In this example, the size indicated is 60 bytes. It should be noted that this is by way of example only, and in alternative embodiments, the size of data may be any other suitable size.

In step A9, the eNode B will send an uplink grant to the user equipment on the PDCCH. This uplink grant will be used for subsequent bursts of data.

In step A10, the user equipment sends the next burst of data on the PUSCH.

Steps A1 1 to A13 are used for the transmission of the next burst of data. In step A1 1 , the user equipment will send a random access preamble when the next burst of data is to be sent. The random access response sent by the eNodeB in step A12 will include an uplink grant which is larger than 60 bytes to accommodate next and subsequent bursts of data.

In step A13, the next burst of data is sent from the user equipment to the eNode B on the PUSCH.

Steps A14 to A16 are used to send the next burst of data to the eNode B. It should be noted that steps A14, A15 and A16 correspond respectively to steps A1 1 to A13 and accordingly will not be described in detail here.

It is noted that whilst embodiments have been described in relation to LTE, similar principles can be applied to any other communication system or to further developments with LTE. Although the embodiments are described with references to uplink and downlink, this disclosure is not limited by these directions between a base station and a user terminal. Instead, embodiments may be applicable to any system where a control apparatus can schedule transmissions between two or more communicating entities. Therefore, although certain embodiments were described above by way of example with reference to certain exemplifying architectures for wireless networks, technologies and standards, embodiments may be applied to any other suitable forms of communication systems than those illustrated and described herein.

The required data processing apparatus and functions of a base station apparatus, a communication device and any other appropriate apparatus may be provided by means of one or more data processors. The described functions at each end may be provided by separate processors or by an integrated processor. The data processors may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment, and may include one or more of general purpose computers, special purpose computers, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), gate level circuits and processors based on multi core processor architecture, as non limiting examples. The data processing may be distributed across several data processing modules. A data processor may be provided by means of, for example, at least one chip. Appropriate memory capacity can also be provided in the relevant devices. The memory or memories may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment and may be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory and removable memory.

In general, the various embodiments may be implemented in hardware or special purpose circuits, software, logic or any combination thereof. Some aspects of the invention may be implemented in hardware, while other aspects may be implemented in firmware or software which may be executed by a controller, microprocessor or other computing device, although the invention is not limited thereto. While various aspects of the invention may be illustrated and described as block diagrams, flow charts, or using some other pictorial representation, it is well understood that these blocks, apparatus, systems, techniques or methods described herein may be implemented in, as non-limiting examples, hardware, software, firmware, special purpose circuits or logic, general purpose hardware or controller or other computing devices, or some combination thereof. The software may be stored on such physical media as memory chips, or memory blocks implemented within the processor, magnetic media such as hard disk or floppy disks, and optical media such as for example DVD and the data variants thereof, CD.

The foregoing description has provided by way of exemplary and non- limiting examples a full and informative description of the exemplary embodiment of this invention. However, various modifications and adaptations may become apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the foregoing description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. However, all such and similar modifications of the teachings of this invention will still fall within the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims. Indeed there is a further embodiment comprising a combination of one or more of any of the other embodiments previously discussed.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1 . A method comprising:

causing first information to be sent to a base station indicating a data transmission comprising a plurality of sets of data; and receiving grant information for said plurality of sets of data.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said grant information is received responsive to the causing of a request for resources to be sent to said base station.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein for at least some of said sets of data, said method comprising sending a random access preamble or a scheduling request, and receiving a response with grant information and sending said set of data.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein for at least some of said sets of data, said method comprising receiving a configuration for semi- persistent scheduling with grant information and sending said set of data.

5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said causing first information to be sent comprises providing said information in at least one of a radio resource control message and a medium access control message.

6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said information comprises one or more of: indication of start of data transmission; indication of end of data transmission; average packet size; inter burst time; and expected uplink grant.

7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising determining that a data transmission comprising said plurality of sets of data is to be sent to said base station.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said determining comprises determining that a same packet size occurs at least N times in a time period.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, comprising receiving at least one of N and the time period from the base station.

10. A method comprising:

receiving first information from a user equipment indicating a data transmission comprising a plurality of sets of data; and causing grant information for said plurality of sets of data to be sent to said user equipment.

1 1 . A method as claimed in claim 10, comprising causing said grant information to be sent responsive to the receiving of a request for resources from said user equipment.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10 or 1 1 , wherein for at least some of said sets of data, said method comprising receiving a random access preamble or a scheduling request, causing a response with grant information to be sent and receiving said set of data.

13. A computer program comprising computer executable instructions which when run cause the method of any one of the preceding claims to be performed.

14. An apparatus comprising:

means for causing first information to be sent to a base station indicating a data transmission comprising a plurality of sets of data; and means for receiving grant information for said plurality of sets of data.

An apparatus comprising: receiving means for receiving first information from a user equipment indicating a data transmission comprising a plurality of sets of data; and causing means for causing grant information for said plurality of sets of data to be sent to said user equipment.