Method and apparatus for extending cellular service to an isolated cell

• US 20040009774A1
• Filed: 07/09/2002
• Published: 01/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kotzin, Michael D., Spear, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US10/191,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20040009774A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A remote base controller (20) communicates with a base site controller (22) as a macro cell, converts outbound macro cell traffic from the base site controller (22) into outbound isolated cell traffic, inbound isolated cell traffic into inbound macro cell traffic, and communicates, via a cable head end (18) establishing an internet protocol internet connection with a customer premise equipment (16), with a remote base (14) that provides cellular service to a mobile telephone (12) located within an isolated cell (2).

Claims

1. A remote base controller comprising:

means for communicating with a cellular telephone system as a macro cell;

means for converting outbound macro cell traffic into outbound isolated cell traffic, and inbound isolated cell traffic into inbound macro cell traffic; and

means for communicating with a remote base providing cellular service to an isolated cell.

2. The remote base controller of claim 1, wherein the means for communicating with a remote base providing cellular service to an isolated cell is further for sending the outbound isolated cell traffic to the remote base.

3. The remote base controller of claim 1, wherein the means for communicating with a cellular system as a macro cell is further for receiving a channel assignment from the cellular system.

4. The remote base controller of claim 3, wherein the means for communicating with a remote base providing cellular service to an isolated cell is further for distributing the channel assignment to the remote base providing cellular service to the isolated cell.

5. The remote base controller of claim 4, wherein the means for communicating with a remote base providing cellular service to an isolated cell is further for mapping the channel assignment to an internet protocol address that terminates at the remote base.

6. The remote base controller of claim 4, wherein the means for communicating with a remote base providing cellular service to an isolated cell is further for mapping the channel assignment to a traffic channel at the remote base.

7. The remote base controller of claim 6, wherein the means for communicating with a remote base providing cellular service to an isolated cell is further for modifying a traffic channel assignment to make all traffic channels on a slot adjacent to a remote control slot.

8. The remote base controller of claim 1, wherein the means for communicating with a remote base providing cellular service to an isolated cell comprises an internet protocol connection.

9. The remote base controller of claim 1, wherein the means for communicating with a remote base providing cellular service to an isolated cell communicates via an internet protocol connection provided by one of a cable internet connection and a digital subscriber line internet connection.

10. The remote base controller of claim 1, wherein:

the means for communicating with a remote base providing cellular service to an isolated cell is further for communicating with a plurality of remote bases, each providing cellular service to a respective isolated cell; and

the means for communicating with a remote base providing cellular service to an isolated cell is further for selectively distributing a channel assignment received from the cellular telephone system to the remote base providing cellular service to the isolated cell

11. A method of extending cellular service to an isolated cell comprising:

receiving a subscriber service request from an isolated cell;

sending the subscriber service request to a cellular telephone system as a macro cell service request;

receiving a channel assignment from the cellular telephone system; and

distributing the channel assignment to the isolated cell.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the receiving a subscriber service request from an isolated cell further comprises receiving a plurality of subscriber service requests from a plurality of isolated cells;

the sending the subscriber service request to a cellular telephone system as a macro cell service request further comprises multiplexing the plurality of subscriber service requests into a macro cell service request;

the receiving a channel assignment from the cellular telephone system further comprises receiving a plurality of channel assignments from the cellular telephone system for the plurality of isolated cells, respectively; and

the distributing the channel assignment to the isolated cell further comprises distributing the plurality of channel assignments to at least one of the plurality of isolated cells, respectively.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising mapping each of the plurality of channel assignments to one of a plurality of internet protocol addresses that terminate at a respective isolated cell of the plurality of isolated cells prior to the distributing the plurality of channel assignments to at least one of the plurality of isolated cells, respectively.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the receiving a plurality of subscriber service requests from a respective plurality of isolated cells further comprises receiving a plurality of subscriber service requests via an internet protocol connection.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the receiving a plurality of subscriber service requests via an internet protocol connection further comprises receiving a plurality of subscriber service requests via an internet protocol provided by one of cable internet connection and a digital subscriber line internet connection.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a page from the cellular telephone system; and

distributing the page to the plurality of isolated cells.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

the receiving a subscriber service request from an isolated cell further comprises receiving one of a subscriber call origination, page response, feature activation, authentication or location update from a plurality of isolated cells; and

the sending the subscriber service request to a cellular telephone system as a macro cell service request further comprises sending one of the subscriber call origination, page response, feature activation, authentication or location update received from the plurality of isolated cells.

18. A system for extending cellular service to an isolated cell comprising:

a remote base coupled to an established internet connection for providing cellular service to an isolated cell; and

a remote base controller for communicating via the established internet connection with the remote base and communicating with a cellular system as a macro cell, for converting outbound macro cell traffic into outbound isolated cell traffic, and inbound isolated cell traffic into inbound macro cell traffic

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the established internet connection further comprises an internet protocol connection that is one of a cable internet connection and a digital subscriber line internet connection.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the remote base controller comprises:

means for receiving service requests from a plurality of isolated cells;

means for sending pages to the plurality of isolated cells; and

means for mapping directly to the plurality of isolated cells.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the remote base controller further comprises means for receiving a plurality of channel assignments for the plurality of isolated cells and means for distributing the plurality of channel assignments.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for distributing the plurality of channel assignments is further for distributing one of the plurality of channel assignments to a channel assignment at one of the plurality of isolated cells.