APPARATUS AND METHOD OF PROVIDING A MOBILE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM.

• US 20010049281A1
• Filed: 10/19/1998
• Published: 12/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Corporation
• Inventors: LUCIDARME, THIERRY, DUPLESSIS, PHILIPPE
• Granted Patent: US 6,370,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures

Abstract

The present invention provides a mobile radio telephone system (10, 15) and a method of operating it in which the beacon frequency is at least temporarily transmitted in a discontinuous manner. This allows a base transceiver station (2, 4, 6, 16, 20, 22) to make use of the gained time for either transmitting on another frequency or monitoring neighboring radio frequency sources for potential interference.

In a particular embodiment of the present invention, the beacon frequency is interrupted by connecting the transmission path to the receiver path within the base transceiver station (2, 4, 6, 16, 20, 22). This may be done by single pole double throw high frequency switches. The interruption may be temporary or may applied permanently.

Further, in a system in which all transmissions by the base transceiver stations (2, 4, 6, 16, 20, 22) are synchronized, mobile stations (12) are described which are adapted to measure signal strength depending upon the duty cycle of the beacon frequency.

Claims

1. A mobile radio communication system comprising:

a base station transceiver including means for transmitting signals within a frequency band to one or more mobile stations and means for receiving signals, the base station transceiver also comprising;

means for at least temporarily interrupting the transmission of signals on a beacon frequency from the base transceiver, and

means for monitoring signals received by the base station transceiver in the frequency band while the beacon frequency transmission is interrupted.

2. The system according to

claim 1

, wherein the means for at least temporarily interrupting the transmission of signals on a beacon frequency includes a switch for coupling a transmission path of the means for transmitting to a receiver path of the means for receiving.

3. The system according to

claim 2

, wherein the switch includes a single pole double throw switch.

4. The system according to

claim 1

, further comprising means for a determining at least one characteristic of the monitored signals.

5. The system according to

claim 4

, wherein the signal characteristic is at least one of signal strength and signal quality.

6. A mobile radio telecommunication system base transceiver station, comprising:

means for transmitting signals within a frequency band and means for receiving signals, and

means for at least temporarily interrupting the transmission of signals on a beacon frequency transmitted from the base transceiver station, and means for monitoring signals received by the base transceiver station in the frequency band while the beacon frequency transmission is interrupted.

7. The station according to

claim 6

, wherein the means for at least temporarily interrupting the transmission of signals on a beacon frequency includes a switch for coupling a transmission path of the means for transmitting to a receiver path of the means for receiving.

8. The station according to

claim 7

, wherein the switch includes a single pole double throw switch.

9. The station according to

claim 6

, further comprising means for a determining at least one characteristic of the monitored signals.

10. The station according to

claim 9

, wherein the signal characteristic is at least one of signal strength and signal quality.

11. A method of operating a mobile radio communication system comprising the steps of:

transmitting signals from a base station transceiver within a frequency band to one or more mobile stations;

receiving signals at the base station transceiver,

at least temporarily interrupting the transmission of signals on a beacon frequency from the base station transceiver, and

monitoring signals received by the base station transceiver in the frequency band while the beacon frequency transmission is interrupted.

12. The method according to

claim 11

, wherein the step of at least temporarily interrupting the transmission of signals on a beacon frequency includes coupling a transmission path of the base station transceiver to the receiver path of the base station transceiver.

13. The method according to

claim 11

, further comprising the step of determining at least one characteristic of the monitored signals.

14. The method according to

claim 13

, wherein the signal characteristic is at least one of signal strength and signal quality.

15. A method of operating a mobile radio telecommunication system base station transceiver, comprising the steps of:

transmitting signals within a frequency band to one or more mobile stations;

receiving signals;

at least temporarily interrupting the transmission of signals on a beacon frequency; and

monitoring signals received by the base station transceiver in the frequency band while the beacon frequency transmission is interrupted.

16. The method according to

claim 15

, wherein the step of at least temporarily interrupting the transmission of signals on a beacon frequency includes coupling a transmission path of the base station transceiver to the receiver path of the base station transceiver.

17. A method according to

claim 15

, further comprising the step of determining at least one characteristic of the monitored signals.

18. The method according to

claim 17

, wherein the signal characteristic is at least one of signal strength and signal quality.

19. A mobile station for use with a mobile radio communication system in which a beacon frequency is at least temporarily transmitted discontinuously, comprising:

means for selective measurement of a characteristic of received radio signals only when the beacon frequency is transited.

20. A cellular mobile radio communication system comprising:

a first cellular mobile radio communications network comprising;

at least one cell; and

a base transceiver station within said cell including means for at least temporarily transmitting signals discontinuously on a beacon frequency.

21. The system according to

claim 20

, further comprising a second cellular mobile radio communication network wherein:

the second cellular mobile radio communication network comprises a plurality of cells, a beacon signal being transmitted continuously in each cell; and

the second cellular mobile radio communication network reuses frequencies used in the first cellular mobile radio communication system.

22. The system according to

claim 20

, wherein the base transceiver station sends messages at more than one frequency.

23. The system according to

claim 22

, wherein base transceiver station performs slow frequency hopping

24. The system according to any of

claim 20

, wherein the base transceiver station, further comprises means for transmitting signals within a frequency band and means for receiving signals, and

means for monitoring signals received by the base transceiver station in the frequency band while the beacon frequency transmission is not being transmitted.

25. The system according to any of

claim 21

, wherein the base transceiver station, further comprises means for transmitting signals within a frequency band and means for receiving signals, and

means for monitoring signals received by the base transceiver station in the frequency band while the beacon frequency transmission is not being transmitted.

26. A method of operating a cellular mobile radio communication system comprising a first cellular mobile radio communications network having at least one cell, the method comsprising the step of:

at least temporarily transmitting a beacon frequency discontinuously within the at least one cell.

27. The method according to

claim 26

, wherein the system also comprises a second cellular mobile radio communication network close to the first cellular mobile radio communication network, the second cellular mobile radio communication network comprising a plurality of cells, the method further comprising the steps of:

transmitting continuously a beacon signal in each cell of the second cellular mobile radio communication network, and

reusing frequencies in the first cellular mobile radio communication network which are used in the second cellular mobile radio communication network.

28. The method according to

claim 26

, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting signals in the at least one cell of the first cellular mobile radio communication network within a frequency band to one or more mobile stations;

receiving signals in the first cellular mobile radio communication network; and

monitoring signals received in the at least one cell of the first cellular mobile radio communication network in the frequency band while the beacon frequency transmission is not transmitted.

29. The method according to

claim 26

, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting signals in the at least one cell of the first cellular mobile radio communication network within a frequency band to one or more mobile stations;

receiving signals in the first cellular mobile radio communication network; and

monitoring signals received in the at least one cell of the first cellular mobile radio communication network in the frequency band while the beacon frequency transmission is not transmitted.