Virtual Multiple Antenna (Vmat)

• US 20080318584A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Petersson, Sven, Manholm, Lars, Friden, Jonas, Derneryd, Anders, Johannisson, Bjorn, Harrysson, Frederik, Petersson, Oscar
• Granted Patent: US 8,725,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/446
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/22 Traffic shaping
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

The present invention relates to a communication unit, network and method for communication within a communication network, the unit comprising a transceiver portion, a processing unit and at least one interface arrangement for communication with at least one peripheral device. The unit further comprises an arrangement for transceiving at least parts of a signal to the communication network using at least one of said interface arrangements for communication with said at least one peripheral device.

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A communication unit for communication within a communication network, the unit comprising a transceiver portion, a processing unit and at least one interface arrangement for communication with at least one peripheral device, comprising:

an arrangement for transceiving at least parts of a signal to the communication network using at least one of said interface arrangements for communication with said at least one peripheral device.

27. The communication unit according to claim 26, wherein said communication unit is a mobile communication unit.

28. The communication unit according to claim 26, wherein said mobile communication unit is at least one of a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile computer, and a mobile music platform.

29. The communication unit according to claim 26, comprising a processing unit, a storage unit, an interface unit, at least one communication portion, a first communication interface, at least one second communication interface, and an identification arrangement.

30. The communication unit according to claim 29, wherein the processing unit comprises additional instruction set for handling and processing signals with respect to transmission and reception in the peripheral devices for communication with said communication network.

31. The communication unit according to claim 29, wherein said first communication interface handles a wireless interface used as a main communication link.

32. The communication unit according to claim 29, wherein said second communication interface is used for communication with peripheral equipment.

33. The communication unit according to claim 26, wherein said peripheral device is at least one of a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a mobile computer, a printer, a docking station, a battery charging device, storage device, music platform device, telephones, set top boxes for digital audio and/or video, routers or wireless data communication.

34. The communication unit according to claim 29, wherein said second communication interface comprises at least one of a wireless interface or wire connection.

35. The communication unit according to claim 34, wherein said wire connection is one or several of Ethernet, USB, Firewire/IEEE 1394, optical, serial or parallel connections.

36. The communication unit according to claim 29, wherein said first and second communication interface use dissimilar wireless communication methods.

37. The communication unit according to claim 26, wherein said communication unit and said peripheral devices are arranged to act as one unit having several antennas towards said communication network.

38. A communication network comprising:

a mobile communication unit having a communication arrangement for communication with a telecommunication network;

at least one peripheral unit communicatively coupled to said communication unit and having means for communication with said telecommunication network, wherein said at least one peripheral unit is arranged to mediate a communication signal between the telecommunication network and said communication unit in said communication network.

39. The communication network according to claim 38, wherein said telecommunication network is one or several of GSM (Global System for Mobile communication), GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution), UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), CDMA2000 or WCDMA (wideband CDMA).

40. The communication network according to claim 38, wherein said at least one transmitter and/or receiver arrangement controls mediation of said signal.

41. The communication network according to claim 38, wherein said communication 5 unit controls mediation of said signal.

42. The communication network according to claim 38, wherein said communication unit and said peripheral units receive same type of radio signal from said telecommunications network.

43. The communication network according to claim 38, wherein said communication unit and said peripheral units receive same radio signal from said telecommunications network.

44. The communication network according to claim 38, wherein said communication unit and said peripheral units are perceived from said telecommunications network as one unit having multiple antennas.

45. A device having means for receiving and/or transmitting signals via a wireless interface and a connection arrangement for connection to a mobile communication unit wherein said device comprises a connection portion for coupling said wireless interface to said connection arrangement and further to said mobile communication unit for connecting a signal from said wireless interface to said mobile communication unit.

46. The device according to claim 45, wherein said device is at least one of a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a mobile computer, a printer, a docking station, a battery charging device, storage device, telephones, set top boxes for digital audio and/or video, routers or wireless data communication.

47. The device according to claim 45, wherein said second communication arrangement comprises at least one of a wireless interface or wire connection.

48. The device according to claim 45, wherein said wire connection is one or several of Ethernet, USB, optical, Firewire/IEEE 1394, serial or parallel connections.

49. A method of enhancing one or several of redundancy, capacity, bandwidth, error handling or payload in a communication network including a mobile communication unit for communication with a communication station, and a number of devices having communication ability with said communication station, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving data by said devices over a radio channel;

providing said data to said communication unit through a communication interface; and

processing said data received from said devices and signal from said communication station.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising the steps of:

establishing a communication link with the communication station either by the communication unit or the communication station determining if an communication quality parameter;

in an optional parallel or subsequent step, determining the quality of an established link and making a decision to open an additional link to said devices connected to the communication unit;

coupling to the communication unit said devices,

establishing a communication link between the communication station said devices, and routing data from the communication unit via the plurality of established communication links to said communication station.