Combined long and short distance wireless communication system and its method

• US 20050064866A1
• Filed: 12/25/2002
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sun, Guobin, Hou, Zifeng
• Application Number:
  US10/500,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20050064866A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/426.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

This invention provides a combined long and short distance wireless communication system and method thereof. A dual distance terminal provides subscribers with the long and short distance wireless communication service and guarantees that the service isn'"'"'t interrupted when switching between different networks occurs. A remote distance base station provides the dual distance terminal with remote distance wireless access. A short distance AP provides the dual distance terminal with short distance wireless access. A dual distance network server connects the remote distance base station and the short distance AP to switch between networks and make the dual distance terminal access the network to which is switched. The present invention enables the dual distance terminal within the coverage of the long and short distance wireless system to communicate with the long distance networks and automatically switch to short distance wireless local area networks (WLAN) when the dual distance terminal enters the short distance WLAN so that seamless switch is achieved. The subscribers having different priority levels access different short distance WLANs with different levels after authority identification.

Claims

1. A combined long and short distance wireless communication system comprising:

a dual distance terminal for providing subscribers with long and short distance communication services;

at least one remote distance base station for providing remote distance wireless access for said dual distance terminal;

at least one short distance access point (AP) for providing short distance wireless access for said dual distance terminal; and

a dual distance network server for connecting said at least one remote distance base station and said at least one short distance AP to execute network switching for said dual distance terminal and enabling said dual distance terminal to access the network to which it is switched, storing data that may be missed during switching and sending the stored data to said dual distance terminal after said terminal switching is completed.

4. A dual distance server used for a combined long and short distance wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

a data service function entity for detecting whether or not the occurrence of a long and short distance data transmission is, if it is, then providing a connection service for said data transmission;

a memory function entity for storing data that may be missed during switching, and sending the stored data to a dual distance terminal via said data service function entity after said network switching is completed;

a dual distance home server for registering the dual distance communication parameters of the dominated dual distance terminals, obtaining network switch information via said data service function entity in the case where dual distance switch occurs, updating data of the dual distance terminal, and informing said data service function entity of dual distance terminal information when a query regarding the terminal exists; and

an external network interface unit for connecting dual distance network and an interface of an external network.

5. The dual distance server according to claim 4, wherein said external network interface comprises a wireless interface, an interface for wire network, and an interface for other wireless networks.

6. A dual distance terminal used for a combined long and short distance wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

a short distance communication function entity having a short distance radio frequency function module for functioning as physical layer, part of MAC layer or link layer and operating in a short distance communication network to obtain data information;

a long distance communication function entity having a long distance radio frequency function module for functioning as physical layer and part of link layer;

a network switch condition judging function entity for performing network switching for the dual distance terminal based on the dual distance switch condition and instructing the short distance communication function entity or the long distance communication function entity to send a beacon signal to the dual distance network server;

a data management and buffering function entity for storing data that may be missed during switching and sending the stored data to a common function entity in the high level of the dual distance terminal after said network switching is completed; and

a common function entity for implementing display, input and output functions of the terminal.

2-3. -3. (Canceled)

7. (Canceled)

8. A wireless communication method using combined long and short distance wireless communication systems, comprising steps:

detecting a dual distance terminal to determine whether it is located in a service area covered by a short distance access point;

entering a short distance communication network through the short distance access point in the case where the dual distance terminal is located within the service area covered by the short distance access point, and informing a dual distance home server of the position of the dual distance terminal;

searching for a base station for a long distance communication service if the dual distance terminal is not located in the area covered by any one of the short distance access points, entering a long distance communication network through a base station for a long distance communication service, and informing the dual distance home server of the position of the dual distance terminal;

switching between a long distance communication network and a short distance communication network when the dual distance terminal enters the short distance network service area from the long distance network service area, or enters the long distance network service area from the short distance network service area, and

storing data that may be missed during switching, and sending the stored data to a dual distance terminal via said data service function entity after said network switching is completed.

9. The wireless communication method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of when the dual distance terminal detects that a wireless local area network (WLAN) exists in the short distance network, the dual distance terminal then accesses the WLAN network;

the dual distance terminal continues the detection and enters into the long distance network in the case where the entrance into the WALN network is unsuccessful.

10. The wireless communication method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of the dual distance terminal performs data transmission by accessing the dual distance server via the short distance WLAN network in the case where the dual distance terminal enters into the short distance WLAN network.

11. The wireless communication method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of the dual distance terminal terminates data transmission through a short distance radio frequency function entity and activates a long distance communication function entity and performs the sequent data transmission if a predetermined threshold for the switching is satisfied during the dual distance terminal moves out of the short distance WLAN network and enters into the long distance network so that network switch is completed.

12. The wireless communication method according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined threshold for the switching is a non-usable threshold of a short distance network signal or a non-optimal threshold of a short distance network signal.

13. The wireless communication method according to claim 11, further comprises the steps of in the case where the dual distance terminal requests seamless switching from the short distance network to the long distance network based on its service level, the dual distance terminal terminates data transmission through the short distance radio frequency function entity the dual distance terminal and sends a beacon signal to the short distance AP from which is switched through the short distance communication function entity in the terminal, the beacon signal is then transmitted to the dual distance network server by the short distance AP, the dual distance network server informs the long distance communication function entity to be accessed by the dual distance terminal of the receipt, and determines the service queue position which the dual distance terminal is arranged in the long distance network function entity based on its service level.

15. The wireless communication method according to claim 8, further comprise the step of the dual distance terminal terminates data transmission through a long distance radio frequency function entity and activates a short distance communication function entity and performs the sequent data transmission if a predetermined threshold for the switching is satisfied during the dual distance terminal moves out of the long distance WLAN network and enters into the short distance network so that network switch is completed.

16. The wireless communication method according to claim 15, further comprises the steps of in the case where the dual distance terminal requests seamless switching from the long distance network to the short distance WLAN network based on its service level, the dual distance terminal terminates data transmission through the long distance radio frequency function entity and sends a beacon signal to the long distance network function entity from which is switched through the long distance communication function entity in the terminal, the beacon signal is then transmitted to the dual distance network server by the lone distance communication function entity, the dual distance network server informs the short distance communication function entity to be accessed by the dual distance terminal of the receipt, and determines the service queue position which the dual distance terminal is arranged in the short distance network function entity based on its service level.

18. The wireless communication method according to claim 9, further comprises the step of when the dual distance terminal moves from one short distance cell to another short distance cell, the dual distance terminal identifies the short distance access point to which it enters, and sends the cell information to the dual distance network server to perform the switching between the short distance cells.

19. The wireless communication method according to claim 18, further comprises when the dual distance terminal moves from one short distance cell to another short distance cell, the dual distance terminal informs the home server among the dual distance network servers that it has already entered in said another short distance cell, and the home server manages the query and communication to it from the other terminals in the network.

21. The wireless communication method according to claim 31, wherein the detection for candidate networks with non-periodically activating the corresponding radio frequency function entity is carried out by using a viable-step detection method which the time interval of finally finding the occurrence of other networks is used as a function.

27. The wireless communication method according to claim 8, wherein the process of the dual distance server cooperating with the dual distance terminal to perform the switch comprises:

first step;

detecting the dual distance beacon signal of the dual distance terminal by the long (or short) distance network function entity to determine whether or not a switching occurs;

second step;

updating the subscriber information registered in the dual distance home register;

third step;

determining whether or not data transmission occurs, if it is not, the flow process returns to the first step;

fourth step;

determining whether or not there exists a need for seamless switching, if it is not, the process returns to the fist step;

fifth step;

buffering the transmitted data, and forwarding the buffered data to the dual distance terminal after the switch is completed.

28. The wireless communication method according to claim 15, wherein when the dual distance terminal located in the long distance network requests to enter any one of the service areas covered by the short distance access points, and the dual distance terminal can not access the short distance network, then the dual distance terminal still operates the long distance communication.

29. The wireless communication method according to claim 8, wherein the subscriber defines the priority levels of the switching in advance as desired so that the dual distance terminal performs automatic switching.

30. The wireless communication method according to claim 8, wherein said step of detecting a dual distance terminal to determine whether it is located in a service area covered by a short distance access point further comprises:

the dual distance terminal keeps the long distance and the short distance radio frequency entity in operating state, and detects the long distance or short distance communication network environment in real-time, feeds the detected results back to the dual distance terminal switching management mechanism, reports the detected results to the dual distance network server through the existing network periodically or as desired.

31. The wireless communication method according to claim 8, wherein said step of detecting a dual distance terminal to determine whether it is located in a service area covered by a short distance access point further comprises:

the dual distance terminal keeps the radio frequency function entity corresponding to the network in which it locates in operating state, and activates the radio frequency function entities for the other networks periodically or non-periodically to detect the candidate networks.

32. The wireless communication method according to claim 8, wherein said step of detecting a dual distance terminal to determine whether it is located in a service area covered by a short distance access point further comprises:

the dual distance terminal keeps the radio frequency function entity corresponding to the network in which it locates in operating state, and does not detect the other networks until the existing network is not available.

33. The wireless communication method according to claim 8, wherein said predetermined conditions for the switching refers to switch the dual distance terminal to a network with higher priority level in the case where the network with higher priority level exists.

34. The wireless communication method according to claim 8, wherein said predetermined conditions for the switching refers to switch dual distance terminal to other networks only when the currently used wireless network signals can not be received.

35. The wireless communication method according to claim 11, wherein said predetermined conditions for the switching refers to switch the dual distance terminal to a network with higher priority level in the case where the network with higher priority level exists.

36. The wireless communication method according to claim 11, wherein said predetermined conditions for the switching refers to switch dual distance terminal to other networks only when the currently used wireless network signals can not be received.

37. The wireless communication method according to claim 13, wherein said predetermined conditions for the switching refers to switch the dual distance terminal to a network with higher priority level in the case where the network with higher priority level exists.

38. The wireless communication method according to claim 13, wherein said predetermined conditions for the switching refers to switch dual distance terminal to other networks only when the currently used wireless network signals can not be received.

14. (Canceled)

17. (Canceled)

20. (Canceled)

22-26. -26. (Canceled)