Method And Arrangements For Wireless Communication Between A Vehicle And A Terrestrial Communication System

• US 20070202802A1
• Filed: 07/18/2003
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Sinivaara, Hasse, Kallio, Janne
• Granted Patent: US 7,486,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/11.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/265 taking into account the quality of service QoS

Abstract

The invention relates to mobile communication systems using wireless network cells inside a vehicle, such as an aircraft, other airborne vessel, ship or train while aboard, and using satellite communications between the cells inside the vehicle and the terrestrial communication system. According to the invention there is an emulator functionality provided at both ends of the satellite communication link. The emulator is capable of providing required state signalling without a connection between the base station and the base station controller, and therefore the satellite communication link can be switched to off state when it is not needed for transferring calls or other information. The invention also provides a possibility to use alternative satellite connections depending on the location of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A communication method for communication between a first network unit inside a vehicle and a second network unit of a terrestrial mobile communication system, wherein said communication is directed via a satellite, characterized in that the method comprises:

establishing the satellite connection when information transfer between the first network unit and the second network unit is required,

releasing the satellite connection when information transfer between the first network unit and the second network unit is not required,

emulating signalling of the second network unit for the first network unit during a released state of the satellite connection, and

emulating signalling of the first network unit for the second network unit during the released state of the satellite connection.

2. A communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that said signalling is LAPD link and Abis signalling.

3. A communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that said emulating signalling of the second network unit comprises transferring state messages with the first network unit.

4. A communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that said emulating signalling of the first network unit comprises transferring state messages with the second network unit.

5. A communication method according to claim 2, characterized in that during the on state of the satellite connection capacity is reserved dynamically for the Abis link, based on the data transfer requirement.

6. A communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that additional data according to Internet Protocol (IP) is transferred between the first network unit and Internet via the satellite, wherein the communication between the first network unit and the second network unit is prioritized higher in the satellite communication than the IP data transferred between the first network unit and the Internet.

7. A communication method according to claim 5, characterized in that the data transferred between the first network unit and the second network unit is transferred as packet data according to Internet Protocol.

8. A communication method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft, characterized in that the method comprises receiving flight status information from the avionics of the aircraft for controlling the first network unit.

9. A communication method according to claim 8, characterized in that said on the basis of the received flight status information communications between the first network unit and mobile stations inside the aircraft are barred while keeping mobile stations camped to the first network unit.

10. A communication method according to claim 8, characterized in that the flight status information comprises at least one of the following information:

flight altitude, position and heading, doors open/closed, activate/deactivate mobile communications.

11. A communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that the method comprises steps for:

receiving communication information on another satellite and another second network unit,

establishing communications between the first network unit and the other second network unit via the other satellite on the basis of the received communication information, and

releasing the communication between the first network unit and the second network unit via the satellite.

12. A communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that the information transfer is compliant with at least one of the following communication specifications:

GSM, PCN, PCS, HSCSD, GPRS, EDGE, CDMA, WCDMA, Bluetooth, UMTS, Teldesic, Iridium, Inmarsat and WLAN.

13. A communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that a wireless connection between the mobile terminal and the first network device is established by a wireless network inside the vehicle.

21. A communication arrangement according to claim 12, characterized in that the vehicle is an aircraft.

22. A communication arrangement according to claim 21, characterized in that it comprises means for receiving flight status information from the aircraft for controlling the first network unit.

23. A communication arrangement according to claim 22, characterized in that the arrangement comprises means for barring communications between the first network unit and mobile stations inside the aircraft on the basis of the received flight status information, and means for keeping the mobile stations camped to the first network unit during the barred state.

24. A communication arrangement according to claim 22, characterized in that the flight status information comprises at least one of the following information:

flight altitude, position and heading, doors open/closed, activate/deactivate mobile communications.

14. A communication arrangement comprising a first network unit for wireless communication with mobile stations inside a vehicle and a fixed second network unit of a terrestrial mobile communication system, the system comprising means for communicating between the first network unit and the second network unit via a satellite, characterized in that the arrangement further comprises

means for establishing the satellite connection when information transfer between the first network unit and the second network unit is required,

means for releasing the satellite connection when information transfer between the first network unit and the second network unit is not required,

means for emulating signalling of the second network unit for the first network unit during a released state of the satellite connection, and

means for emulating signalling of the first network unit for the second network unit during the released state of the satellite connection.

15. A communication arrangement according to claim 14, characterized in that said signalling is LAPD link and Abis signalling.

16. A communication arrangement according to claim 14, characterized in that said means emulating signalling of the second network unit comprises means for transferring state messages with the first network unit.

17. A communication arrangement according to claim 14, characterized in that said means for emulating signalling of the base station comprises means for transferring state messages with the base station controller.

18. A communication arrangement according to claim 15, characterized in said means for emulating are arranged to reserve capacity during the on state of the satellite connection dynamically for the Abis link, based on the data transfer requirement.

19. A communication arrangement according to claim 14, characterized in that it comprises means for transferring additional data according to Internet Protocol (IP) the first network unit and Internet via the satellite, wherein the communication between the first network unit and the second network unit is prioritized higher in the satellite communication than the IP data transferred between the first network unit and the Internet.

20. A communication arrangement according to claim 19, characterized in that it comprises means for transferring data between the first network unit and the second network unit as packet data according to Internet Protocol.

25. A communication arrangement according to claim 14, characterized in that the arrangement comprises:

means for receiving communication information on another satellite and another second network unit,

means for establishing communications between the first network unit and the other second network unit via the other satellite on the basis of the received communication information, and

means for releasing the communication between the first network unit and the second network unit via the satellite.

26. A communication arrangement according to claim 14, characterized in that the information transfer is compliant with at least one of the following communication specifications:

GSM, PCN, PCS, HSCSD, GPRS, EDGE, CDMA, WCDMA, Bluetooth, UMTS, Teldesic, Iridium, Inmarsat and WLAN.

27. A communication arrangement according to claim 14, characterized in that the first network unit is a base transceiver station and the second network unit is a base station controller.

28. A communication arrangement according to claim 14, characterized in that it comprises a wireless network inside the vehicle for wireless connection between a mobile terminal and the first network device.

29. A first network unit arrangement, the first network unit comprising means for communicating information with a second network unit, characterised in that the arrangement comprises means for emulating signalling of the second network unit for the first network unit during periods when there is no communication between the first network unit and the second network unit.

30. A first network unit arrangement according to claim 29, characterized in that said signalling is LAPD link and Abis signalling.

31. A first network unit arrangement according to claim 29, characterised in that the arrangement comprises means for communicating with the second network unit via satellite link.

32. A first network unit arrangement according to claim 29, characterised in that the first network unit is a base transceiver station and the second network unit is a base station controller.

33. A first network unit arrangement according to claim 29, characterized in said means for emulating are arranged to reserve capacity during the on state of the satellite connection dynamically for the Abis link, based on the data transfer requirement.

34. A first network unit arrangement according to claim 29, characterized in that it is located in a moving vehicle, such as aircraft.

35. A first network unit arrangement according to claim 34, characterized in that it comprises:

means for receiving communication information on another satellite and another second network unit,

means for establishing communications between the first network unit and the other second network unit via the other satellite on the basis of the received communication information, and

means for releasing the communication between the first network unit and the second network unit via the satellite.

36. A first network unit arrangement according to claim 34, characterized in that the vehicle is an aircraft that the first network unit arrangement comprises means for receiving flight status information from the aircraft for controlling the first network unit.

37. A first network unit arrangement according to claim 36, characterized in that the arrangement comprises means for barring communications between the first network unit and mobile stations inside the aircraft on the basis of the received flight status information, and means for keeping the mobile stations camped to the first network unit during the barred state.

38. A communication arrangement according to claim 36, characterized in that the flight status information comprises at least one of the following information:

flight altitude, position and heading, doors open/closed, activate/deactivate mobile communications.

39. A first network unit arrangement according to claim 29, characterised in that the first network unit is a base station controller and the second network unit is a base transceiver station.