Wireless communication zone management system

• US 5,329,576 A
• Filed: 04/29/1992
• Issued: 07/12/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
• Original Assignee: Zarlink Semiconductor Inc. (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Handforth, Martin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US07/875,981
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 379/55, 379/58, 379/59, 379/60, 379/61, 455/6.1, 455/14, 455/33.1, 455/33.2, 455/55.1
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A wireless communication system comprising a plurality of antennae, the antennae being arranged in a grid pattern over a communication region, wireless portable terminals located within the communication region for emitting and/or receiving electromagnetic signals via the antennae, apparatus for determining the position of at least one of the terminals within the communication region relative to the grid pattern.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system comprising:

(a) a plurality of antennae, the antenna being arranged in a grid pattern over a communication region, each antenna being a leaky coaxial cable, whereby a grid pattern of leaky coaxial cables is formed,

(b) wireless portable terminals located within the communication region for emitting and/or receiving electromagnetic signals via said antennae,

(c) means for locating the position of at least one of said wireless portable terminals within the communication region relative to said grid pattern, comprising;

(i) crossovers within the grid pattern of orthogonal ones of said cables defining the centers of micro-cells for defining the position of said at least one of said terminals,

(ii) at least one first base station including at least one corresponding transceiver connected to one end of corresponding one or plural cables which are parallel in one direction, and at least one second base station including at least one corresponding transceiver each connected to one end of corresponding one of plural cables which are parallel in a second direction.

(iii) a transmission line connected to each of the base stations;

(iv) processing means connected to the transmission line, comprising means for storing a predetermined identity of each of said portable terminals associated with a micro-cell, means for detecting the identity of a portable terminal and for detecting the identity of first and second base stations connected to leaky cables which are closest to said portable terminal, for comparing the detected identity of the first and second base stations with said stored predetermined identity and for thereby determining the position of said portable terminal.

(d) each portable terminal being comprised of means for transmitting an identification signal.

(e) each base station being comprised of means for generating an identification signal, and including means for transmitting its own identification signal with the identification signal of said portable terminal upon reception thereof, to said processor means,

(f) said portable terminal being comprised of means for transceiving communication signals, means for transmitting identification and supervisory signals, and means for receiving supervisory and/or control signals,

(g) each of the base stations including means for transmitting signals via one or more related leaky cables to said plural portable terminals in a time shared digital packet mode modulated on a particular frequency signal, each of the base stations transmitting at a particular frequency which is different from a particular frequency of its closest neighboring base station.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 in which said one direction and said second direction are orthogonal to each other.

3. A system as defined in claim 1, in which said one terminal is comprised of a becon transmitter for periodically transmitting a single comprised of its said identification signal.

4. A system as defined in claim 1, in which said one terminal is comprised of a paging receiver, including means for receiving a signal directed to said one terminal identified by an unique identification signal via at least one base station and an associated leaky cable which is in a micro-cell containing said paging receiver.

5. A system as defined in claim 1 in which the communication signals are voice signals.

6. A system as defined in claim 1 in which each of the base stations includes means for transmitting signals via a related leaky cable to plural portable terminals at different frequencies.

7. A wireless communication system comprising:

(a) a plurality of antennae, the antenna being arranged in a grid pattern over a communication region, each antenna being a leaky coaxial cable, whereby a grid pattern of leaky coaxial cables is formed,

(b) wireless portable terminals located within the communication region for emitting and/or receiving electromagnetic signals via said antennae,

(c) means for locating the position of at least one of said wireless portable terminals within the communication region relative to said grid pattern, comprising;

(i) crossovers within the grid pattern of orthogonal ones of said cables defining the centers of micro-cells for defining the position of said at least one of said terminals,

(ii) at least one first base station including at least one corresponding transceiver connected to one end of corresponding one or plural cables which are parallel in one direction, and at least one second base station including at least one corresponding transceiver each connected to one end of corresponding one of plural cables which are parallel in a second direction.

(iii) a transmission line connected to each of the base stations;

(iv) processing means connected to the transmission line, comprising means for storing a predetermined identity of each of said portable terminals associated with a micro-cell, means for detecting the identity of a portable terminal and for detecting the identity of first and second base stations connected to leaky cables which are closest to said portable terminal, for comparing the detected identity of the first and second base stations with said stored predetermined identity and for thereby determining the position of said portable terminal.

(d) each portable terminal being comprised of means for transmitting an identification signal.

(e) each base station being comprised of means for generating an identification signal, and including means for transmitting its own identification signal with the identification signal of said portable terminal upon reception thereof, to said processor means,

(f) said portable terminal being comprised of means for transceiving communication signals, means for transmitting identification and supervisory signals, and means for receiving supervisory and/or control signals,

(g) each of the base stations including means for transmitting signals via a related leaky cable to portable terminals in a time shared, spread spectrum mode, each of the portable terminals utilizing a different spreading code.

8. A system as defined in claim 7 in which said one direction and said second direction are orthogonal to each other.

9. A system as defined in claim 7, in which said one terminal is comprised of a beacon transmitter for periodically transmitting a signal comprised of its said identification signal.

10. A system as defined in claim 7, in which said one terminal is comprised of a paging receiver, including means for receiving a signal directed to said one terminal identified by an unique identification signal via at least one base station and an associated leaky cable which is in a micro-cell containing said paging receiver.

11. A system as defined in claim 7 in which the communication signals are voice signals.

12. A system as defined in claim 7 in which each of the base stations includes means for transmitting signals via a related leaky cable to plural portable terminals at different frequencies.

13. A wireless communication system comprising:

(a) a plurality of antennae, the antennae being arranged in a grid pattern over a communication region, and being comprised of at least one elongated coaxial cable located over a communication region on each floor of a multi-story building, each cable defining a mini-cell;

(b) wireless portable terminals located within the communication region for emitting and/or receiving electromagnetic signals via said antennae,

(c) means for locating the position of at least one of said terminals within the communication region relative to said grid pattern including plural first base stations including transceivers each connected to one end of said cables which are parallel in one direction, and plural second base stations including transceivers each connected to one end of said cables which are parallel in a second direction, and further including a transmission line connected to each of the base stations, the transmission line being disposed vertically up the building.

14. A system as defined in claim 13, in which said means for locating further includes processing means connected tot he transmission line, the processing means comprising means for storing a predetermined identity of each of said portable terminals associated with a micro-cell, means for detecting the identity of a portable terminal and for detecting the identity of first and second base stations connected to leaky cables which are closest to said portable terminal, for comparing the detected identity of the first and second base stations with said stored predetermined identity and for thereby determining the position of said one terminal.

15. A system as defined in claim 14 in which each portable terminal is comprised of means for transmitting an identification signal, in which each base station is comprised of means for generating an identification signal, and means in each base station for transmitting its own identification signal with the identification signal of said one terminal upon reception thereof, to said processor means.

16. A wireless communication system comprising:

(a) a plurality of antennae, the antennae being arranged in a grid pattern over a communication region and being comprised of at least one elongated coaxial cable located over a communication region on each floor of a multi-story building, each cable defining a mini-cell;

(b) wireless portable terminals located within the communication region for emitting and/or receiving electromagnetic signals via said antennae;

(c) means for locating the position of at least one of said terminals within the communication region relative to said grid pattern including processing means connected to the transmission line, the processing means comprising means for storing a predetermined identity of each of said portable terminals associated with a microcell, means for detecting the identity of a portable terminal and for detecting the identity of first and second base stations connected to leaky cables which are closest to said portable terminal, for comparing the detected identity of the first and second base stations with said stored predetermined identity and for thereby determining the position of said one terminal.

17. A system as defined in claim 16 in which each portable terminal is comprised of means for transmitting an identification signal, in which each base station is comprised of means for generating an identification signal, and means in each base station for transmitting its own identification signal with the identification signal of said one terminal upon reception thereof, to said processor means.