Method for identifying base stations of a time division cellular network in a mobile station and mobile station

• US 20030026242A1
• Filed: 09/19/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Jokinen, Harri, Ranta, Pekka
• Granted Patent: US 7,126,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/350
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for identifying base stations of a time division cellular network in a mobile station. An object of the invention is to speed up the identification of new base stations. In accordance with the invention

frame timing difference data for the neighbour base stations (301) and/or the broadcast control channel time slot data for the neighbour base stations are transmitted from the serving base station to the mobile station;

reception times for the neighbour base stations'"'"' system data are determined in the mobile station on the basis of said frame timing differences and/or the broadcast control channel time slot data (302) and

system data are read and neighbour base stations are identified (303). The invention is also directed to a mobile station applying the method.

Claims

1. A method for identifying base stations of a time division cellular network in a mobile station, characterised in that

frame timing difference data for neighbour base stations are transmitted from the serving base station to the mobile station;

reception times for the neighbour base stations'"'"' system data are determined in the mobile station on the basis of said frame timing differences; and

system data are read and neighbour base stations are identified.

2. The method of claim 1, characterised in that the serving base station maintains a list of frame timing differences with base stations on a neighbour list.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the frame timing difference data are transmitted to the mobile station on the slow associated control channel SACCH.

4. The method of claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the frame timing difference data are transmitted to the mobile station on the broadcast control channel BCCH or common control channel CCCH.

5. The method of claim 1, characterised in that a time window is determined in the mobile station on the basis of the frame timing difference for the appearance of an identification code in the system data of a new base station and said identification code is read in said time window.

6. The method of claim 1, characterised in that in a mobile station in idle state the frame timing difference data are read from the broadcast control channel BCCH or common control channel CCCH and used for determining the read times for the system data of the neighbour base stations.

7. A method for identifying base stations of a time division cellular network in a mobile station, characterised in that

broadcast control channel time slot data of the neighbour base stations are transmitted from the serving base station to the mobile station;

reception times for the neighbour base stations'"'"' system data are determined in the mobile station on the basis of said broadcast control channel time slot data; and

system data are read and neighbour base stations are identified.

8. The method of claim 7, characterised in that data for the neighbour base stations'"'"' frame timing differences are transmitted from the serving base station to the mobile station.

9. The method of claim 7, characterised in that the reading of system data and identification of neighbour base stations include field strength measurements.

10. A mobile station comprising a control unit that includes means for identifying base stations of a time division cellular network, characterised in that said means comprises

means for identifying, reading and storing a frame timing difference list for the neighbour base stations coming from a base station;

and

means for determining reception times for the system data of a neighbour base station on the basis of the frame timing differences.

11. A mobile station comprising a control unit that includes means for identifying base stations of a time division cellular network, characterised in that said means comprises

means for identifying, reading and storing broadcast control channel time slot data for the neighbour base stations coming from a base station;

and

means for determining reception times for the system data of a neighbour base station on the basis of said broadcast control channel time slot data.

12. The mobile station of claim 11, characterised in that the means further comprises

means for identifying, reading and storing a frame timing difference list for the neighbour base stations coming from a base station;

and

means for determining reception times for the system data of a neighbour base station on the basis of the frame timing differences and the broadcast control channel time slot data.