Handover in cellular radio systems
First Claim
1. A method of handing over a call-in-progress in a cellular radio system, the system comprising a radio coverage area formed by a plurality of cells, each cell having at least one primary station including a radio transceiver, and at least one secondary station having a transceiver, the secondary station being able to roam within the radio coverage area, the method comprising the at least one secondary station providing the infrastructure with information relating to its velocity and the infrastructure using the velocity information to make a decision regarding handing over the call-in-progress from one cell to another cell.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cellular radio system comprises a radio coverage area formed by a plurality of cells (C1,C2), each cell having at least one primary station (PS1,PS2) including a radio transceiver for communicating with a secondary station (SS1,SS2) when in its cell. The or each secondary station is able to roam within the radio coverage area. In order to facilitate call handover the secondary station informs the infrastructure (PS1, PS2, 10) of its velocity and the infrastructure uses knowledge of the velocity to make a decision regarding handing over a call-in-progress from one cell to another cell. The velocity information may be provided by a GPS receiver (18) carried by a vehicle in which the secondary station is located and the information is relayed to the secondary station by way of a short range radio system. The secondary station uses the cellular system to forward this information to the infrastructure.
58 Citations
17 Claims
- 1. A method of handing over a call-in-progress in a cellular radio system, the system comprising a radio coverage area formed by a plurality of cells, each cell having at least one primary station including a radio transceiver, and at least one secondary station having a transceiver, the secondary station being able to roam within the radio coverage area, the method comprising the at least one secondary station providing the infrastructure with information relating to its velocity and the infrastructure using the velocity information to make a decision regarding handing over the call-in-progress from one cell to another cell.
- 10. A cellular radio system comprising infrastructure including a plurality of primary station transceivers providing a radio coverage area consisting of cells, at least one secondary station transceiver able to roam from cell to cell whilst participating in a call-in-progress, the at least one secondary station having means enabling it to transmit information relating to its velocity to the infrastructure, and the infrastructure having means for using the velocity information to make a decision regarding handing-over the call-in-progress from one cell to another cell.
- 13. A secondary station for use in a cellular radio system comprising infrastructure including a plurality of primary station transceivers providing a radio coverage area consisting of cells, the secondary station being able to roam from cell to cell whilst participating a call-in-progress, wherein the secondary station has a transceiver for communicating with a selected primary station, and means enabling it to transmit information relating to its velocity to the infrastructure for use by the infrastructure in making a decision regarding handing-over the call-in-progress from one cell to another cell.
- 16. A vehicle comprising at least one radio beacon and means for providing information relating to the velocity of the vehicle and for supplying this information to the radio beacon for transmission.
Specification