Methods and devices for wirelessly transmitting data in dependence on location

• US 20030069043A1
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: National University of Singapore
• Original Assignee: National University of Singapore
• Inventors: Ong, Kok Wee Kenneth, Chhaochharia, Pallav, Garg, Hari Krishna
• Application Number:
  US10/177,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20030069043A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering

Abstract

A method and devices for wirelessly transmitting data are disclosed. Data is transmitted between to mobile devices in dependence on the location of the device. In one embodiment, one or more of the power level of transmission; direction of transmission; encryption; and coding scheme may be controlled at a base station in dependence on the location of the mobile device. Multiple base stations may transmit to a single device. The base station may include one or more directional transmission elements. Location information may similarly be used to control the overall operation of a wireless network. Channel selection, hand-offs and base station selections for communication with a mobile device may all be effected in dependence on information about the location of a recipient mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of operating a base station in a cellular communications network, said base station comprising at least one directional transmission element, said method comprising:

receiving an indication of a location of a mobile device in communication with said base station over said communications network;

predictively controlling said directional transmission element to direct transmission from said base station to said mobile device based on said indication, and past indications of location of said mobile device received from said mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said directional transmission element comprises a narrow dispersion directional element.

3. A method of communication with a mobile device comprising:

at each of a plurality of base stations in wireless communications with said mobile device, receiving an indication of a location of said mobile device over said wireless communications network;

transmitting from several of said plurality of base stations to said mobile device based on said location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting data at a first rate, and said method further comprises receiving data from said mobile device at a second aggregate rate, said second aggregate rate different rate from said first rate.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said first data rate is selected in dependence on bandwidth required by said mobile device.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said transmitting comprises:

transmitting from said several base stations over distinct channels, wherein each of said distinct channels contributes to an overall bandwidth of communications between said mobile device and said base stations.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the number of said plurality of base stations transmitting to said mobile device depends on a desired bandwidth of communication between said mobile device and said base stations.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said signals from said several base stations are transmit on the same channel.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein said transmitting comprises:

transmitting signals from said several base stations that constructively interfere at said mobile device to increase a signal to noise ratio at said mobile device.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein said transmitting comprises:

transmitting signals from said several base stations that may be combined to reduce errors in data from said several base stations, received at said mobile device.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein a data message is split into several portions and wherein said transmitting comprises:

transmitting one of said portions of said data message from each of said several base stations, so that said data message may be completely received at said mobile device from said several base stations.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of said portions is encrypted prior to said transmitting.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein at least some of said base stations is situated on a satellite.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein at least some of said base stations are terrestrial.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said mobile device is located on an aircraft.

16. The method of claim 3, wherein said base station comprises a wireless access point within a local area network.

17. The method of claim 3, wherein said indication reflects a location of said mobile device determined using global positioning satellites.

18. The method of claim 3, wherein said indication is determined by a user of said device and conveyed to said several of said plurality of base stations.

19. The method of claim 3, wherein said indication is derived from received signal strength indicators at said mobile device reflecting a strength of the received signal from at least some of said plurality of base stations.

20. The method of claims 3, further comprising communicating with said mobile device over a wired network.

21. A base station for use in a wireless communication network, comprising

an interface to receive an indication of a location of a mobile device;

a transmitter;

a controller in communication with said transmitter operable to control transmission of said transmitter to control one or more of a direction, coding, modulation, encryption of transmission of said data in dependence on said indication.

22. The base station of claim 21, comprising a plurality of transmitters, each comprising a directional element, each to independently transmit data to a mobile device, wherein said controller is in communication with each of said plurality of transmitters to control directional transmission therof in dependence on a position of a mobile device.

23. The base station of claim 21, wherein said controller controls directional transmission of said directional element to transmit independent signals to a plurality of mobile devices.

24. A mobile communications device comprising:

a plurality of receivers, each for receiving one of a plurality of signals from a different base station in a wireless network;

a data combiner in communication with said receivers, for combining said plurality of signals.

25. The mobile device of claim 24, further comprising a signal position receiver for receipt of signals used to determine a location of said mobile device, and a transmitter operable to transmit an indication of said location to a base station.

26. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein said signal position receiver comprises a GPS receiver.

27. The mobile device of claim 24, further comprising a plurality of transmitters for wirelessly transmitting data to a plurality of base stations.

28. The mobile device of claim 27, further comprising at least one directional element coupled to said transmitters for transmission of data to selected base station in dependence on a location of said mobile device.

29. The mobile device of claim 24, further comprising a wireless transmitter adapting said mobile device to act as a gateway to transmit data to other devices in communication with said mobile device.

30. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein said device is a fixed wireless device.

31. A method of operating a base station in a wireless network, comprising:

receiving an indication of a location of a mobile device in communication with said base station over said communications network;

transmitting data from said base station to said mobile device based on said location, by controlling one or more of a power level, direction, and coding of transmission of said data in dependence on said indication.

32. A wireless communications network comprising:

a plurality of wireless base stations in communication with each other and with a mobile device, each of said wireless base stations comprising an interface to receive an indicator of a location of said mobile device on said network, and a transmitter operable to transmit data to said mobile device in a manner dependant on said location.

33. The network of claim 32, wherein each transmitter comprises a data coder operable to code said data in dependence on said location.

34. The network of claim 32, wherein each of said transmitters is operable to transmit at a power controlled in dependence on said location.

35. The network of claim 32, wherein each of said transmitters is operable to transmit a portion of transmitted data to be received at said mobile device, said portions to be recombined at said mobile device to reconstruct said transmitted data.

36. The network of claim 35, wherein at least one of said transmitters is operable to encrypt said portion of said signal transmitted by said at least one transmitter.

37. The network of claim 32, wherein each transmitter comprises a modulator operable to modulate signals for said mobile device, in dependence on said location.

38. The network of claim 32, wherein each of said base stations comprises a directional transmission element in communication with its transmitter, and operable to transmit in dependence on said location.

39. A method of operating a base station in a wireless network, comprising:

receiving an indication of a location of a mobile device in communication with said base station over said communications network;

choosing an available transmission channel to transmit data to said mobile device, based on said location, so as to minimize interference with communications to other mobile devices;

transmitting data from said base station to said mobile device based over said chosen channel.

40. A method of operating a wireless network, in which a mobile device is in communication with a proximate base station comprising:

receiving indicators of a location of a mobile device on said network;

predictively coordinating hand-offs between base stations in dependence on said indicators.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein said predictively coordinating comprises reserving channel resources at a base station before said device is in communication with said base station to transfer data therewith.

42. A method of operating base stations on first and second of wireless networks, comprising:

receiving indicators of a location of a mobile device on said first and second network;

predictively coordinating hand-offs between base stations on said two networks in dependence on said indicators, as said mobile device moves from a location in proximity with a base station on said first network into proximity with said a base station on said second network, allowing communication with said mobile device to be handed-off from said first network to said second network.

43. A method of operating a mobile device capable of wireless transmission, comprising:

receiving an indication of a location of a recipient device in wireless communication with said mobile device;

transmitting data from said mobile device to said recipient device based on said location, by controlling one or more of a power level, direction, and coding of transmission of said data in dependence on said indication.

44. A switching center in a mobile communications network, in communication with a plurality of base stations within said network, and operable to control concurrent transmission of data from said plurality of base stations to a particular mobile device in dependence on a location of said particular mobile device.