WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

**Definition:** This place covers:

**Limiting references (this place does not cover):** - Broadcast communication -> H04H - Communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions -> H04M1/72

**Glossary:** - Access point: means an equipment providing wireless user access to a backbone network by terminating a radio link. - BSC: Base Station Controller - BTS: Base Transceiver Station - Backbone network: designates equipment(s) for connecting one or several wireless access points to a wired or wireless infrastructure in order to allow communication(s) between users' inside or outside the wireless network. - Care-of-address: designates the termination point of a tunnel toward a mobile node, for datagrams forwarded to the mobile node while it is away from home. - Cellular: an infrastructure deployment involving partitioning geographical areas in a plurality of sub-areas (cells) for the purpose of reusing wireless resources. - Communication link: means a physical or logical connection selectively established for the purpose of conveying messages or information between users or networks. - Connection: means network resource(s) allocated or reserved for an affiliated user. - Connected state: designates the state of a user/terminal having active i.e. allocated logical traffic/control channel, dormant or suspended, i.e. without allocated logical channels but with maintained service instances. It also incorporates context (PDP context), User Plane, Control Plane operations. - Control channel: transports control information used to control the function of the network element. ("signalling channel", e.g. paging channel, broadcast channel, pilot channel). - Core network, CN: 3GPP standard terminology. PLMN architecture is divided into Core Network (CN) and Access Network (AN). Whereas Access Network comprises GERAN (BSS for GSM), UTRAN (RNS) and E-UTRAN, Core Network is logically subdivided into a Circuit Switched (CS) domain, a Packet Switched (PS) domain and an IP Multimedia (IM) subsystem. - Correspondent node: a peer with which a mobile node is communicating. A correspondent node may be either mobile or stationary. - Data network PoA [Point of Attachment]: entity within wireless network or mobility management infrastructure providing access to a data network for a wireless user. - Direct mode: establishing a direct communication link between user/terminal; the link can be established using an intermediate node. - Domain;CS domain, PS domain: 3GPP standard terminology. Circuit Switched domain (CS domain) refers to the set of all core network entities offering "circuit switched type of connection" for user traffic and for the related signalling. Dedicated network resources are allocated at connection establishment and released at connection release. Entities specific to the CS domain are: MSC, GMSC, VLR. The Packet Switched domain (PS domain, Packet domain) refers to the set of all core network entities offering "packet switched type of connection" for user traffic and for supporting the related signalling. Transports user information using autonomous concatenation of bits called packets: each packet can be routed independently from the previous one. PS domain includes General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and Evolved Packet Core (EPC). Entities specific to the PS domain are: SGSN, GGSN, PDN GW, S-GW, MME, SGSN. CS and PS domains also have common network entities: e.g, HSS, HLR - Downlink: means the wireless link from a wireless access point or network towards the user or terminal equipment (see also "uplink"). - Fixed allocation (of a dedicated resource): allocation of a resource that is not changed with each frame or time slot. It is also named "persistent or semi-persistent scheduling". - Hand-off, handover: a change of radio link or data network point of attachment, while a connection is ongoing. - Home network: designates the network performing functions at a permanent location regardless of the location of the user's access point. The home network is responsible for subscription information management and for specific services not provided by the serving network; dedicated equipment used therefore is designed by HLR (Home Location Register); also Home Agent, Home Subscriber Server. - Idle state: designates the state of a user/terminal having no active traffic/control channel and no active service instances but being affiliated to the network. (See also "null state") - Mobility binding: designates the association of a home address with a care-of address, along with the remaining lifetime of that association. - Mobility data: information obtained by the network or exchanged by network components, in particular user affiliation or location data, to be used in providing a network service - Mobility management: designates techniques or arrangements allowing operation of, or services to be provided to, a user capable of selecting or changing his point of attachment to the network. - Mobility server: A network functional entity acting as an established reference point in location registration operations by (or on behalf of) a mobile user/terminal. - Mobile node: designates a host or router that changes its point of attachment from one network or subnetwork to another, without changing its constant home IP address. - Multi-call: means a plurality of communication links established over one or a plurality of networks for transferring information to one user/terminal. - Multiplexing: sorting packets of flows onto one or several channels in time, frequency, code and space division. better or space division. - Network: means the physical or logical entities involved in providing communication services to users. - Network security: (see Tanenbaum) roughly means the four intertwined areas: secrecy, authentication, nonrepudiation and integrity control for a interconnected collection of autonomous nodes, e.g, computers - Null state: designates the state of a user/terminal having no active traffic/control channel and no active service instances. - Originating: means a user/terminal acting as a requester for communication towards a wireless access point. - Packet domain PLMN backbone network: The 3GPP standard terminology defines two kinds of packet domain PLMN backbone networks: The intra-PLMN backbone network is the IP network comprising routers interconnecting ps domain(s) within the same PLMN. The inter-PLMN backbone network is the IP network comprising routers interconnecting ps domain(s) of different PLMNs. - Paging: Notifying a terminating user of a communication event. - Paging service: one-way selective calling service. - Partitioning: means distributing/committing specific resources to a particular/specific network component. - Polling: questioning for needed transmission resources and according instant allocation for immediate transmission. - Private networks: designates networks owned and operated by non-public authorities. - QoS: Quality of Service - Resource allocation: means allocation of a resource to a communication. - Resource distribution: means committing a resource to an entity for future allocation thereof for communication. - RNC: Radio Network Controller - Scheduling: means establishing an order of transmission of communication information based on precedence or priority policies. - Scheduled access: access to a wireless resource follows a schedule or os performed in a defined order. - Scheduled allocation: resource allocation is continuously changed or adapted during a connection according to a transmission schedule. This requires the usage of a shared channel. - (semi-) persistent scheduling: allocation of resources that is persistent for a number of (consecutive) time slots or frames according to a transmission schedule. This requires the usage of a shared channel. - Serving network: designate the part of the network to which the access point providing user's access is connected. The serving network is responsible for path finding and transport of users data; dedicated equipment used therefore is designed by VLR (Visitor Location Register; also Foreign Agent, Visiting Subscriber Server. - SLA: Service Level Agreement - Subscriber: means an entity recognized and authorized as user. - Terminal: means the equipment acting as/or on behalf of a user. - Terminating: means a user/terminal specified as a recipient for communication from within or via a wireless network. - Tracking: monitoring a user or terminal activity in the network for purposes of gathering, e.g. location, activity or status information. - Traffic channel: transports communication information (user data) to and from one or several users. - Trigger, triggering: the act of initiating an action. This could be caused by certain criteria or events or involve the exchange of information. - (transmission) scheduling: defines an order of transmission of one or several data flows in time, frequency, code and space dimension. - Uplink: means the wireless link from the user or terminal equipment towards a wireless network or access point (see also "Downlink"). - User: means an entity acting as an information source (sender, transmitter, server) or information sink (recipient, receiver, client). - Wireless extension: means equipment using a pre-defined dedicated wireless link. - Wireless link: means a communication link established via radio, infrared, inductive or other electromagnetic radiation. - Wireless resource: means a communication link using a specific frequency, time, code or space (or combination thereof). - Zoned: designates an infrastructure deployment involving partitioning geographical areas in a plurality of sub-areas (zones, cells) for the purpose of reusing wireless resources.