Internet base station

• US 20040204097A1
• Filed: 10/25/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: IBIS Telecom Incorporated
• Inventors: Scheinert, Stefan, Down, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,117,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72502 with one base station connected to a single line
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/16 for PBS [Private Base Station] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/12 between access points and access point controllers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A portable, low power base station is configured to convey wireless traffic between a mobile station and a conventional wireless network via the Internet. The base station is configured to connect to the Internet at a user-selected location and establishes a small area of wireless coverage within a greater macrocell network. The user sets the operating parameters of the base station.

Claims

1. A portable, low power base station configured to convey wireless traffic between a mobile station and a conventional wireless network via the Internet, the base station being configured to connect to the Internet at a user-selected location, and being operable to establish an area of wireless coverage at the user-selected location, wherein the operating parameters of the base station are set by the user.

2. A base station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conventional wireless network is a GSM network, a CDMA network or a 3G network.

3. A base station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user-selected location is a home or office.

4. A base station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user-selected location is a remote or obstructed area with poor coverage from the conventional wireless network.

5. A base station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base station is configured for communication with a high speed Internet access device and a personal computer.

6. A base station as claimed in claim 5, wherein the high speed Internet access device is a cable modem or a DSL modem.

7. A base station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating parameters are set via user input regarding the size of the environment in which the base station will be operating.

8. A base station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating parameters are set via user input regarding the size of the wireless coverage area desired by the user.

9. A base station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating parameters are set via user input regarding the amount of privacy desired by the user.

10. A portable base station that is configured for rapid assignment and reassignment to multiple base controller stations within a wireless communications network without establishment of permanent connections between the base station and base controller stations.

11. A portable base station as claimed in claim 10, wherein the base controller stations are Internet servers, and wherein the base station may connect to any of the base controller stations via an Internet link.

12. A method for determining the location of a portable, low power base station coupled to a conventional wireless network via the Internet comprising:

scanning the frequency spectrum for control channels emitted by nearby base stations and identifying the base station broadcast information carried on the control channels.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the frequency spectrum is scanned by a transceiver within the base station.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the frequency spectrum is scanned by a transceiver within a wireless handset proximate the base station.

15. A method as claimed in claim 12, and further comprising identifying the IP address of a computer coupled to the base station.

16. A method for configuring a portable, low power base station for communication with a conventional wireless network via the Internet comprising:

connecting the base station to a computer and to an Internet access device;

obtaining the location of the base station from user input to the computer;

confirming that the user input location corresponds to a location determination made by scanning the frequency spectrum for control channels emitted by nearby base stations and identifying the base station broadcast information carried on the control channels; and

confirming that the base station is located within a network in which it is authorized to operate.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, and further comprising:

setting the operating parameters of the base station in response to user input.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16, and further comprising:

reserving an appropriate amount of bandwidth on the Internet link between the base station and an Internet base station controller in response to user input.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the user input comprises the number of phones that will be operating in proximity to the base station.

20. A wireless communications network comprising:

a mobile switching center;

a plurality of Internet base station controllers coupled to the mobile switching center, wherein the mobile switching center manages wireless traffic between the Internet base station controllers, the PSTN and other mobile switching centers;

a plurality of Internet base stations coupled to and managed by each Internet base station controller, each Internet base station establishing a small, low power area of wireless coverage that is configurable by the user of the base station.

21. A wireless communications network as claimed in claim 20, and further comprising a configuration manager for configuring and authenticating the Internet base stations for operation within the network.

22. A wireless communications network as claimed in claim 20, wherein the Internet base stations arc linked to the Internet base station controllers via the Internet and a high speed modem, and wherein the Internet base station controllers are linked to the mobile switching center via a dedicated line.

23. A wireless communications network as claimed in claim 20, wherein the Internet base stations are linked to the Internet base station controllers via an analog telephone line and modem, and wherein data traffic parameters are minimized to permit use of the modem.

24. A wireless communications network as claimed in claim 23, wherein the modem is a V.34 modem.

25. A wireless communications network as claimed in claim 24, wherein approximately 32,000 b/s are reserved for traffic channels, approximately 1,000 b/s is reserved for a control channel and approximately 100 b/s is reserved for O&

M messages.

26. An improved wireless communications network comprising:

a plurality of large coverage area macrocells established by base stations that are permanently linked to base station controllers; and

a plurality of small coverage area Internet base station cells established by portable, low power base stations that are linked to Internet base station controllers residing on Internet servers via the Internet.

27. An improved network as claimed in claim 26, wherein the increased number of total cells are accommodated within the total cell ID number limitations of the applicable wireless protocol by treating each Internet base station controller as a virtual cell.

28. An improved network as claimed in claim 27, wherein each Internet base station controller assigns a secondary set of cell IDs to the Internet base stations to which it is coupled, the secondary set of cell IDs being transparent to the HLR/VLR logs maintained by the mobile switching center.

29. An improved network as claimed in claim 26, wherein a small number of pre-assigned frequencies are designated for use network-wide within Internet base station cells, and wherein these pre-assigned frequencies are automatically added to the macrocell neighboring lists.