Radio communication system

• US 20060040671A1
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Incorporated (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Incorporated (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Takarabe, Shohei
• Granted Patent: US 7,280,834 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/563 of the wireless resources

Abstract

A radio communication system has a base station(s), a plurality of mobile stations, and a line controller connected to the base station. The line controller has a first memory for keeping track of each communication channel for each base station as to whether the communication channel is occupied or idle. The base station has a second memory for storing an idle communication channel stored in the first memory as a reserved channel. The base station is responsive to a connection request issued from an arbitrary calling mobile station and including designation of a called mobile station to designate a reserved channel stored in the second memory of an associated base station as a communication channel for the calling and called mobile stations to establish a connection with the mobile stations.

Claims

1. A radio communication system comprising:

at least one base station;

a plurality of mobile stations accommodated in said base station; and

a line controller connected to said base station for managing communication channels possessed by said radio communication system,

said line controller including a first memory for keeping track of each of the communication channels of said system for each base station as to whether the communication channel is occupied or idle,

said base station including a second memory for storing at least one of idle communication channels stored in said first memory as reserved channels,

wherein said base station is responsive to a connection request generated from an arbitrary calling mobile station of said mobile stations, said connection request including designation of at least one called mobile station, to designate the reserved channel stored in said second memory included in said base station as a communication channel for at least said calling mobile station to establish a connection with said calling mobile station.

2. A radio communication system according to claim 1, wherein said base station designates the reserved channel as a communication channel for said called mobile station as well to establish a connection with said called mobile station.

3. A radio communication system according to claim 1, wherein:

said base station includes a connection notification unit for issuing a connection notification related to unconnected and connected mobile stations to said line controller, and

said line controller comprises a channel notification unit which is responsive to receipt of the connection notification which shows that unconnected mobile stations include a mobile station which is accommodated in a base station different from said base station to notify said different base station of a communication channel which should be assigned to said different base station.

4. A radio communication system according to claim 1, wherein:

said base station includes a channel notification request unit for requesting said line controller for notification of an idle communication channel which is to be stored in said second memory as the reserved channels, and

said line controller includes a channel notification unit responsive to the request for the notification of an idle communication channel from said base station to notify said base station of idle communication channels stored in said first memory.

5. A radio communication system according to claim 4, wherein said channel notification request unit issues the request for the notification of an idle communication channel when said base station is activated.

6. A radio communication system according to claim 4, wherein said channel notification request unit issues the request for the notification of an idle communication channel when the reserved channels stored in said second memory have been assigned to communications of mobile stations so that no idle channels are available.

7. A radio communication system comprising:

at least one base station;

a plurality of mobile stations accommodated in said base station;

a line controller connected to said base station for managing communication channels possessed by said radio communication system;

said line controller including a first memory for keeping track of each of the communication channels of said system for each base station as to whether the communication channel is occupied or idle;

said base station including a second memory for storing at least one of idle communication channels stored in said first memory as a reserved channel;

each of said mobile stations including a connection request unit for issuing a connection request to said base station, said connection request including designation of at least one called mobile station and designation of a priority for a connection; and

a preferential connection control unit responsive to a connection request having a high connection priority from an arbitrary calling mobile station to secure an idle communication channel from the communication channels possessed by said system to preferentially assign the secured communication channel to a communication associated with said connection request.

8. A radio communication system according to claim 7, wherein said preferential connection control unit is responsive to a connection request having a high connection priority issued from a calling mobile station to preferentially assign a reserved channel stored in said second memory of said base station to a communication associated with said connection request.

9. A radio communication system according to claim 8, wherein:

the reserved channel stored in said second memory of said base station includes an idle communication channel for a connection request having a high connection priority, and

said preferential connection control unit is responsive to a connection request issued from a calling mobile station and having a high connection preference to preferentially assign the idle communication channel stored in said second memory of said base station for the connection request having a high connection priority to a communication associated with said connection request.

10. A radio communication system according to claim 7, wherein:

said preferential connection control unit is responsive to a connection request having a high connection priority issued from a calling mobile station to abort a communication through a communication channel being used and preferentially assign the communication channel freed thereby to a communication associated with said connection request when no idle communication channel is currently available.

11. A radio communication method in a radio communication system which comprises at least one base station, a plurality of mobile stations accommodated in said base station, and a line controller connected to said base station for managing communication channels possessed by said radio communication system, said line controller including a first memory for keeping track of each of the communication channels of said system for each base station as to whether the communication channel is occupied or idle, and said base station including a second memory for storing at least one of idle communication channels stored in said first memory as a reserved channel, said method comprising the steps of:

said base station requesting said line controller for notification of an idle communication channel which is stored in said second memory as the reserved channel;

said line controller notifying said base station of an idle communication channel stored in said first memory in response to the request for the notification of an idle communication channel from said base station;

an arbitrary calling mobile station of said mobile stations issuing a connection request including designation of at least one called mobile station to said base station; and

said base station, in response to the connection request, designating the reserved channel stored in said second memory of said base station as a communication channel for at least said calling mobile station to establish a connection with said calling mobile station.

12. A radio communication method according to claim 11, wherein said base station designates the reserved channel as a communication channel for said called mobile station as well to establish a connection with said called mobile station.

13. A radio communication method according to claim 11, wherein:

said base station issues a connection notification related to unconnected and connected mobile stations to said line controller, and

said line controller is responsive to receipt of the connection notification which shows that unconnected mobile stations include a mobile station which is accommodated in a base station different from said base station to notify said different base station of a communication channel which is to be assigned to said different base station.

14. A radio communication method according to claim 11, wherein the request for the notification of an idle communication channel is issued when said base station is activated.

15. A radio communication method according to claim 11, wherein the request for the notification of an idle communication channel is issued when the reserved channels stored in said second memory have been assigned to communications of mobile stations so that no idle channels are available.

16. A radio communication method in a radio communication system which comprises at least one base station, a plurality of mobile stations accommodated in said base station, a line controller connected to said base station for keeping track of communication channels possessed by said radio communication system, and said line controller including a first memory for keeping track of each of the communication channels of said system for each base station as to whether the communication channel is occupied or idle, and said base station including a second memory for storing at least one of idle communication channels stored in said first memory as a reserved channel, said method comprising the steps of:

an arbitrary calling mobile station of said mobile stations issuing a connection request to said base station, said connection request including designation of at least one called mobile station and designation of a priority for a connection; and

said system responding to a connection request having a high connection priority from an arbitrary calling mobile station to secure an idle communication channel from the communication channels possessed by said system to preferentially assign the secured communication channel to a communication associated with said connection request.

17. A radio communication method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of, in response to a connection request having a high connection priority issued from said calling mobile station, preferentially assigning a reserved channel stored in said second memory of said base station to the communication associated with said connection request.

18. A radio communication method according to claim 17, wherein:

the reserved channels stored in said second memory of said base station include an idle communication channel for a connection request having a high connection priority, and

said radio communication method further comprising the step of, in response to a connection request issued from a calling mobile station and having a high connection priority, preferentially assigning the idle communication channel stored in said second memory of said base station for the connection request having a high connection priority to a communication associated with said connection request.

19. A radio communication system according to claim 16, further comprising the step of:

in response to a connection request having a high connection priority issued from a calling mobile station, aborting a communication through a communication channel being used and preferentially assigning the communication channel freed thereby to a communication associated with said connection request when no idle communication channel is currently available.