Method of optimizing random access performance in a mobile communications network using dynamically controlled persistence techniques

A system for optimizing random access channel performance in communication network using dynamically controlled persistent techniques, comprising:

• a plurality of user terminals;
• a base station for transmitting information to and receiving information from said user terminals;
• said base station being operative to provide at least one random access channel for receiving access requests from said plurality of user terminals during one of a plurality of predetermined time slots which are synchronized with the user terminals;
• said base station being operative to determine when more than one said access request is received during a particular time slot, resulting in a collision between the received access requests;
• said base station being operative to measure the number of collisions occurring during a predetermined time interval to determine a collision slot rate;
• said base station being operative to compare the determined collision slot rate to a predetermined value;
• and
• said base station being operative to adjust the number of access attempts any one of said plurality of user terminals may make to said at least one random access channel during a particular call session.

A base station in a communication network, wherein:

• said base station is operative to provide at least one random access channel for receiving network access requests and allowing access to said communication network;
• said random access channel includes a plurality of time slots having a predetermined duration;
• said base station is operative to determine when more than one said access request is received during a particular one of said plurality of time slots, resulting in a collision between the received access requests;
• said base station is operative to measure the number of collisions occurring during a predetermined time interval to determine a collision slot rate;
• and
• said base station is operative to compare the collision slot rate to a predetermined value.

A method for optimizing random access performance in a communication network using dynamically controlled persistent techniques comprising the steps of:

• providing from a base station at least one random access channel for accessing said communication network;
• transmitting from a plurality of user terminals, which are synchronized with a system time of said communication network, access requests to said at least one random access channel during a predefined time slot;
• detecting by a channel unit of a base transceiver station of said base station when more than one said access request is received during a particular time slot, resulting in a collision between the received access requests;
• measuring by said channel unit the number of collisions occurring during a predetermined time interval and determining a collision slot rate therefrom, and transmitting the collision slot rate to a base station controller of said base station;
• comparing at said base station controller said collision slot rate to a threshold value;
• adjusting at said base station controller a maximum retry limit accordingly, to optimize the collision slot rate for a particular load on said at least one random access channel, wherein said maximum retry limit represents a maximum number of access attempts to at least one random access channel a particular user terminal of said user terminals may to attempt during a particular call session;
• transmitting at said base station controller the adjusted maximum retry limit to said base transceiver station;
• and
• broadcasting from said base transceiver station the adjusted maximum retry limit to said plurality of user terminals.

A method for optimizing random access performance in a communication network using dynamically controlled persistent techniques comprising the steps of:

• providing from a base station at least one random access channel for accessing said communication network;
• transmitting from a plurality of user terminals which are synchronized with a system time of said communication network access requests to said at least one random access channel during one of a plurality of predetermined time slots;
• determining at said base station when more than one said access request is received during a particular time slot resulting in a collision between the received access requests;
• measuring at said base station the number of collisions occurring during a predetermined time interval to determine a collision slot rate;
• comparing at said base station the determined collision slot rate to a threshold value;
• and
• adjusting at said base station the number of access attempts any one of said plurality of user terminals may make to said at least one random access channel during a particular call session.

A method for communicating between a base station and a plurality of user terminals in a communication network using dynamically controlled persistent techniques comprising the steps of:

• providing from at least one random access channel for accessing said communication network;
• transmitting from said plurality of user terminals which are synchronized with a system time of said communication network access requests to said at least one random access channel during one of a plurality of predetermined time slots;
• determining at said base station when more than one said access request is received during a particular time slot resulting in a collision between the received access requests;
• measuring at said base station the number of collisions occurring during a predetermined time interval to determine a collision slot rate;
• comparing at said base station said determined collision slot rate to a threshold value;
• and
• adjusting at said base station the number of access attempts any one of said plurality of user terminals may make to said at least one random access channel during a particular call session.

A computer program product including a computer readable medium containing instructions for optimizing random access channel performance in a communication network using dynamically controlled persistence techniques, said instructions comprising the steps of:

• providing from a base station at least one random access channel, including a plurality of time slots having a predetermined duration, for receiving network access requests and allowing access to said communication network;
• determining at said base station when more than one said access request is received during a particular one of said plurality of time slots, resulting in a collision between the received access requests;
• measuring at said base station the number of collisions occurring during a predetermined time interval to determine a collision slot rate;
• and
• comparing at said base station the determined collision slot rate to a predetermined value.