Digital Cellular Overlay Network (DCON)
First Claim
1. A method for performing Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS), wherein said AMPS includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels, including at least one data transceiver, and a set of sensors coupled to each transceiver in said set of transceivers, comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining when there is unused air time to switch a given one of said at least one data transceiver onto the channel to which a particular one of the transceivers in said set of transceivers is tuned;
(b) determining when to turn said given data transceiver off based on sensing a demand for the channel to which the given data transceiver is tuned by said particular transceiver;
(c) identifying time slots that are unused by said AMPS on each of said channels; and
(d) assigning selected unused time slots identified in step (c) for data transmission purposes.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A Cellular Data Network (CDN) identifies, collects and utilizes otherwise unused or unusable air time, in an existing Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS). A Digital Cellular Overlay Network (DCON) is provided for performing CDN utilizing an underlying AMPS, where the DCON is transparent, with respect to the AMPS, and takes full advantage of existing AMPS equipment to keep the cost of performing CDN to a minimum. The resulting digital network may be used for high speed non-interfering data communications, i.e., data communications that do not degrade the underlying system'"'"'s capacity and capability (qualitatively) to handle voice traffic. Expanded use of well-known radio control signals, in particular "busy bits" and "dotting sequences," provides a DCON capable of performing CDN in both a reliable and flexible manner.
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Citations
82 Claims
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1. A method for performing Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS), wherein said AMPS includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels, including at least one data transceiver, and a set of sensors coupled to each transceiver in said set of transceivers, comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining when there is unused air time to switch a given one of said at least one data transceiver onto the channel to which a particular one of the transceivers in said set of transceivers is tuned; (b) determining when to turn said given data transceiver off based on sensing a demand for the channel to which the given data transceiver is tuned by said particular transceiver; (c) identifying time slots that are unused by said AMPS on each of said channels; and (d) assigning selected unused time slots identified in step (c) for data transmission purposes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for performing Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS), wherein said AMPS includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels, comprising the steps of:
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(a) identifying time slots that are unused by said AMPS on each of said channels; (b) assigning selected unused time slots identified in step (a) for data transmission purposes; wherein said step of identifying further comprises the steps of; (c) determining which of said channels in said AMPS are not being utilized by said voice transceivers; and (d) placing each of said channels that is not being utilized by a voice transceiver into an assignment pool from which a channel is assigned for data transmission purposes; wherein said step of assigning further comprises the steps of; (e) selecting an available channel from said pool to be used for data transmission purposes; (f) tuning a data transceiver to the selected channel; and (g) transmitting data, via said data transceiver, over said selected channel; the method further comprising the steps of; (h) determining if a particular voice transceiver in said set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, tuned to a channel selected for data transmission purposes, is demanding the selected channel; and (i) terminating any data transmission on said selected channel whenever said particular voice transceiver has been determined to be demanding the selected channel. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. Apparatus for performing Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS), wherein said AMPS includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels, comprising:
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(a) at least one data transceiver; (b) a set of sensors coupled to each transceiver in said set of transceivers, to determine when there is unused air time to switch a given one of said at least one data transceiver onto the channel to which a particular one of the transceivers in said set of transceivers is tuned, said set of sensors also used to determine when to turn said given data transceiver off based on sensing a demand for the channel to which the given data transceiver is tuned by said particular transceiver; (c) means for identifying time slots that are unused by said AMPS on each of said channels; and (d) means for assigning, coupled to said means for identifying, selected unused time slots for data transmission purposes. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. Apparatus for performing Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS), wherein said AMPS includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels, comprising:
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(a) means for identifying time slots that are unused by said AMPS on each of said channels; (b) means for assigning, coupled to said means for identifying, selected unused time slots for data transmission purposes; wherein said means for identifying further comprises; (c) means for determining which of said channels in said AMPS are not being utilized by said voice transceivers; and (d) means for placing each of said channel that is not being utilized by a voice transceiver into an assignment pool from which a channel is assigned for data transmission purposes; wherein said means for assigning further comprises; (e) means for selecting an available channel from said pool to be used for data transmission purposes; (f) a set of data transceivers; and (g) means for tuning a particular data transceiver, in said set of data transceivers, to a selected channel; wherein said means for identifying further comprises a monitor receiver; The apparatus further comprising; (h) means for determining if a particular voice transceiver in said set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, tuned to a channel selected for data transmission purposes, is demanding the selected channel; (i) means for terminating any data transmission on said selected channel whenever said particular voice transceiver has been determined to be demanding the selected channel; and (j) means for removing said selected channel from said assignment pool, coupled to said means for determining and said means for terminating, whenever said particular voice transceiver has been determined to be demanding the selected channel. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. Apparatus for performing Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS), wherein said AMPS includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels, comprising:
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(a) a set of CDN companion data transceivers each of which is utilized in place of a transceiver in said set of voice transceivers; (b) a set of RF sensors, each for detecting the presence of RF signals on the channel to which a given transceiver in said set of voice transceivers, is tuned; and (c) analyzer means, coupled to said set of RF sensors, for determining the presence of an RF signal on the channel to which a particular transceiver in said set of voice transceivers is tuned and for selectively assigning a companion data transceiver to occupy the same frequency as said particular transceiver, for data transmission purposes, in an unused time slot; said sensors determining when there is unused air time to switch said companion data transceiver onto the frequency to which said particular voice transceiver is tuned, said set of sensors also used to determine when to turn said companion data transceiver off based on sensing a demand for the channel to which the companion data transceiver is tuned by said particular voice transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. Apparatus for performing Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS), wherein said AMPS includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels, comprising:
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(a) a set of CDN companion data transceivers each of which is utilized in place of a transceiver in said set of voice transceivers; (b) a set of RF sensors, each for detecting the presence of RF signals on the channel to which a given transceiver in said set of voice transceivers is tuned; (c) analyzer means, coupled to said set of RF sensors, for determining the presence of an RF signal on the channel to which a particular transceiver in said set of voice transceivers is tuned and for selectively assigning a companion data transceiver to occupy the same frequency as said particular transceiver, for data transmission purposes, in an unused time slot; wherein said analyzer means further comprises means for maintaining a record of which channels in said AMPS are not being actively utilized by said set of cellular voice transceivers based on input from said set of RF sensors; and wherein said analyzer means further comprises means for switching an active companion data transceiver off whenever the companion voice transceiver operating at the same frequency demands the channel.
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22. A method for performing Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS), wherein said AMPS includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels, comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting the presence of RF signals on said set of channels; (b) determining the presence of an RF signal on the channel to which a particular transceiver in said set of voice transceivers is tuned from the detected presence of RF signals on said set of channels; and (c) selectively assigning a companion data transceiver associated with said particular transceiver to occupy the same frequency as said particular transceiver, for data transmission purposes, in an unused time slot; (d) determining when there is unused air time to switch said companion data transceiver onto the frequency to which said particular voice transceiver is tuned; determining when to turn said companion data transceiver off based on sensing a demand for the channel to which the companion data transceiver is tuned by said particular voice transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A method for performing Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS), wherein said AMPS includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels, comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting the presence of RF signals on said set of channels; (b) determining the presence of an RF signal on the channel to which a particular transceiver in said set of voice transceivers is tuned from the detected presence of RF signals on said set of channels; (c) selectively assigning a companion data transceiver associated with said particular transceiver to occupy the same frequency as said particular transceiver, for data transmission purposes, in an unused time slot; (d) maintaining a record of which channels in said AMPS are not being actively utilized by said set of cellular voice transceivers based on input from said set of RF sensors; and (e) switching an active companion data transceiver off whenever the companion voice transceiver operating at the same frequency demands the channel.
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25. A Digital Cellular Overlay Network (DCON), for supporting the performance of Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an underlying Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS), between a host processor and a set of data radios (DRs) within range of said AMPS, wherein said AMPS includes a set of cell sites, and further wherein each of said cell sites includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels with each DR located within range of said AMPS, comprising:
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(a) at least one data transceiver; (b) a set of sensors coupled to each transceiver in said set of transceivers, to determine when there is unused air time to switch a given one of said at least one data transceiver onto the channel to which a particular one of the transceivers in said set of transceivers is tuned, said set of sensors also used to determine when to turn said given data transceiver off based on sensing a demand for the channel to which the given data transceiver is tuned by said particular transceiver; (c) host processing means capable of executing applications software and engaging in data communications with a data radio in said set of data radios; and (d) a Digital Mobile Telephone Switching Office (DMTSO), coupled between said host processing means and the set of cell sites included in said AMPS, for managing the data network between said host processing means and each cell site. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A Digital Cellular Overlay Network (DCON), for supporting the performance of Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an underlying Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS), between a host processor and set of data radios (DRs) within range of said AMPS, wherein said AMPS includes a set of cell sites, and further wherein each of said cell sites includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels with each DR located within range of said AMPS, comprising:
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(a) host processing means capable of executing applications software and engaging in data communications with a data radio in said set of data radios; (b) a Digital Mobile Telephone Switching Office (DMTSO), coupled between said host processing means and the set of cell sites included in said AMPS, for managing the data network between said host processing means and each cell site; (c) means for identifying, located at each of said cell sites, time slots that are unused by said AMPS on each of said channels assigned to a particular cell site; (d) means for assigning, located at each of said cells sites and coupled to said means for identifying, selected unused time slots for data transmission purposes to thereby facilitate the performance of CDN; wherein said means for identifying further comprises; (e) means for determining which of said channels assigned to a particular cell site in said AMPS are not being utilized by the voice transceivers located at the particular cell site; and (f) means for placing each of said channel that is not being utilized by a voice transceiver into an assignment pool from which a channel is assigned for data transmission purposes; wherein said means for assigning further comprises; (g) means for selecting an available channel from said pool to be used for data transmission purposes; (h) a set of data transceivers; and (i) means for tuning a particular data transceiver in said set of data transceivers to a selected channel; wherein said means for identifying further comprises a monitor receiver; the apparatus further comprising; (j) means for determining if a particular voice transceiver in said set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, tuned to a channel selected for data transmission purposes, is demanding the selected channel; (k) means for determining any data transmission on said selected channel whenever said particular voice transceiver has been determined to be demanding the selected channel; and (l) means for removing said selected channel from said assignment pool, coupled to said means for determining and said means for terminating, whenever said particular voice transceiver has been determined to be demanding the selected channel. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A Digital Cellular Overlay Network (DCON), for supporting the performance of Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an underlying Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS), between a host processor and a set of data radios (DRs) within range of said AMPS, wherein said AMPS includes a set of cell sites, and further wherein each of said cell sites includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels with each DR located within range of said AMPS, comprising:
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(a) host processing means capable of executing applications software and engaging in data communications with a data radio in said set of data radios; (b) a Digital Mobile Telephone Switching Office (DMTSO), coupled between said host processing means and the set of cell sites included in said AMPS, for managing the data network between said host processing means and each cell site; (c) a set of CDN companion data transceivers, each of which is utilized in place of a transceiver in the set of voice transceivers located at each cell site; (d) a set of RF sensors, each for detecting the presence of RF signals on the channel to which a given transceiver in a given set of voice transceivers is tuned; and (e) analyzer means, coupled to said set of RF sensors, for determining the presence of an RF signal on the channel to which a particular transceiver in said given set of voice transceivers is tuned and for selectively assigning a companion data transceiver to occupy the same frequency as said particular transceiver, for data transmission purposes, in an unused time slot; said sensors determining when there is unused air time to switch said companion data transceiver onto the frequency to which said particular voice transceiver is tuned, said set of sensors also used to determine when to turn said companion data transceiver off based on sensing a demand for the channel to which the companion data transceiver is tuned by said particular voice transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (54)
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55. A Digital Cellular Overlay Network (DCON), for supporting the performance of Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an underlying Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS), between a host processor and a set of data radios (DRs) within range of said AMPS, wherein said AMPS includes a set of cell sites, and further wherein each of said cell sites includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels with each DR located within range of said AMPS, comprising:
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(a) host processing means capable of executing applications software and engaging in data communications with a data radio in said set of data radios; (b) a Digital Mobile Telephone Switching Office (DMTSO), coupled between said host processing means and the set of cell sites included in said AMPS, for managing the data network between said host processing means and each cell site; (c) a set of CDN companion data transceivers, each of which is utilized in place of a transceiver in the set of voice transceivers located at each cell site; (d) a set of RF sensors, each for detecting the presence of RF signals on the channel to which a given transceiver in a given set of voice transceivers is tuned; and (e) analyzer means, coupled to said set of RF sensors, for determining the presence of an RF signal on the channel to which a particular transceiver in said given set of voice transceivers is tuned and for selectively assigning a companion data transceiver to occupy the same frequency as said particular transceiver, for data transmission purposes, in an unused time slot; wherein said analyzer means further comprises means for maintaining a record of which channels in said AMPS are not being actively utilized by the set of cellular voice transceivers located at each cell site based on input from said set of RF sensors; and said analyzer means further comprises means for switching an active companion data transceiver off whenever the companion voice transceiver operating at the same frequency demands the channel.
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56. A method of operating a Digital Cellular Overlay Network (DCON) that supports the performance of Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an underlying Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS) between a host processor and a set of data radios (DRs) within range of said AMPS, wherein said AMPS includes a set of cell sites, and further wherein each of said cell sites includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels with any DR located within range of said AMPS, including at least one data transceiver and a set of sensors coupled to each transceiver in said set of transceivers, comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining when there is unused air time to switch a given one of said at least one data transceiver onto the frequency to which a particular one of the transceivers in said set of transceivers is tuned; (b) determining when to turn said given data transceiver off based on sensing a demand for the channel to which the given data transceiver is tuned by said particular transceiver; (c) combining a unique data radio identification signal with data being processed by an application program running on said host processor; and (d) outputting a message that includes the combined radio identification signal and data, under the control of said host processor, to a predetermined target Digital Mobile Telephone Switching Office (DMTSO). - View Dependent Claims (57)
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58. A method of operating a Digital Cellular Overlay Network (DCON) that supports the performance of Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an underlying Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS) between a host processor and a set of data radios (DRs) within range of said AMPS, wherein said AMPS includes a set of cell sites, and further wherein each of said cell sites includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels with any DR located within range of said AMPS, comprising the steps of:
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(a) combining a unique data radio identification signal with data being processed by an application program running on said host processor; (b) outputting a message that includes the combined radio identification signal and data, under the control of said host processor, to a predetermined target Digital Mobile Telephone Switching Office (DMTSO); wherein said step of outputting a message further comprises the steps of; (c) including a DMTSO identification signal, to identify the target DMTSO, as part of said message; and (d) embedding said message between a first header and a first trailer packet of information to delineate the beginning and the end of the message to the target DMTSO; the method further comprising the steps of; (e) removing, at the target DMTSO, the first header packet, first trailer packet, and DMTSO identification signal from said message; (f) determining, at the target DMTSO, which cell in said set of cells to send the data to; (g) formulating a new message, at the target DMTSO, that includes the combined radio identification signal and data, together with a unique target cell site identification signal; (h) embedding said new message between a second header and a second trailer packet of information to delineate the beginning and the end of the message to the target cell site; and (i) outputting the new message to the target cell site specified in said new message. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A method of operating a Digital Cellular Overlay Network (DCON) that supports the performance of Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an underlying Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS) between a host processor and a set of data radios (DRs) within range of said AMPS, wherein said AMPS includes a set of cell sites, and further wherein each of said cell sites includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels with any DR located within range of said AMPS, including at least one data transceiver, and a set of sensors coupled to each transceiver in said set of transceivers, comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining when a transceiver is inactive to switch a given one of said at least one data transceiver onto the channel to which a particular one of the voice transceivers in said set of transceivers is tuned; (b) determining when to turn said given data transceiver off based on sensing a demand for the channel to which the given data transceiver is tuned by said particular transceiver; (c) combining a unique data radio identification signal with data being processed by an application program associated with a data radio, utilizing data radio emulator software; and (d) outputting a message that includes the combined radio identification signal and data, under the control of said radio emulator software, to the data radio. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70)
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71. A method of operating a Digital Cellular Overlay Network (DCON) that supports the performance of Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an underlying Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS) between a host processor and a set of data radios (DRs) within range of said AMPS, wherein said AMPS includes a set of cell sites, and further wherein each of said cells sites includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an anennna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels with any DR located within range of said AMPS, comprising the steps of:
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(a) combining a unique data radio identification signal with data being processed by an application program associated with a data radio, utilizing data radio emulator software; (b) outputting a message that includes the combined radio identification signal and data, under the control of said radio emulator software, to the data radio; (c) formulating a new message to be transmitted by said data radio to the home cell site within which the data radio is located, wherein said new message includes a dotting sequence, word synchronization information, and error detection/correction code information; (d) monitoring home cell site transmissions for a busy bit condition code indicating that the new message can be transmitted by the data radio toward the home cell site; (e) transmitting the new message to the home cell site upon detection of a busy bit condition code indicating that the new message can be transmitted thereto; (f) continuing to monitor the busy bit condition code transmitted by said home cell site; (g) retransmitting the new message if said code changes before the new message being transmitted to the home cell site ends; (h) performing bit synchronization, at the home cell site utilizing the dotting sequence transmitted as part of said new message; (i) performing word synchronization, at the home cell, site utilizing the word synchronization information transmitted as part of said new message; (j) performing error detection/correction, at the home cell site, as specified by the error detection/correction information transmitted as part of said new message; (k) removing the dotting sequence, word synchronization information and error detection/correction information from the new message received by the home cell site; (l) formulating a DMTSO message that includes a unique identification signal for the home cell site, the radio identification signal and data transmitted as part of said new message to said home cell site, and a first header and first trailer packet that delineates the beginning and the end of the DMTSO message; and (m) transmitting the DMTSO message to a DMTSO coupled to the home cell site. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73)
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74. A Digital Cellular Overlay Network (DCON), for supporting the performance of Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an underlying Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS), between a host processor and a set of data radios (DRs) within range of said AMPS, wherein said AMPS includes a set of cell sites, and further wherein each of said cell sites includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels with each DR located within range of said AMPS, comprising:
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(a) at least one data transceiver; (b) a set of sensors coupled to each transceiver in said set of transceivers, to determine when there is unused air time to switch a given one of said at least one data transceiver onto the channel to which a particular one of the transceivers in said set of transceivers is tuned, said set of sensors also used to determine when to turn said given data transceiver off based on sensing a demand for the channel to which the given data transceiver is tuned by said particular transceiver; (c) a cell site/data radio interface that is controlled at least in part by busy bit codes generated by a cell site coupled to the interface, wherein each busy bit code comprises a plurality of bits; and (d) a data radio, coupled to said interface, that monitors each busy bit code. - View Dependent Claims (75)
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76. A method of operating a Digital Cellular Overlay Network (DCON) that supports the performance of Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an underlying Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS) between a host processor and a set of data radios (DRs) within range of said AMPS, wherein said AMPS includes a set of cell sites, and further wherein each of said cell sites includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels with any DR located within range of said AMPS, including at least one data transceiver, and a set of sensors coupled to each transceiver in said set of transceivers, comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining when there is unused air time to switch a given one of said at least one data transceiver onto the channel to which a particular one of the transceivers in said set of transceivers is tuned; (b) determining when to turn said given data transceiver off based on sensing a demand for the channel to which the given data transceiver is tuned by said particular transceiver; (c) controlling at least in part, a cell site/data radio interface by busy bit codes generated by a cell site coupled to the interface, wherein each busy bit code comprises a plurality of bits; and (d) monitoring, via a data radio coupled to said interface, each busy bit code. - View Dependent Claims (77)
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78. A Digital Cellular Overlay Network (DCON), for supporting the performance of Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an underlying Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS), between a host processor and a set of data radios (DRs) within range of said AMPS, wherein said AMPS includes a set of cell sites, and further wherein each of said cell sites includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels with each DR located within range of said AMPS, comprising:
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(a) at least one data transceiver; (b) a set of sensors coupled to each transceiver in said set of transceivers, to determine when there is unused air time to switch a given one of said at least one data transceiver onto the channel to which a particular one of the transceivers in said set of transceivers is tuned, said set of sensors also used to determine when to turn said given data transceiver off based on sensing a demand for the channel to which the given data transceiver is tuned by said particular transceiver; (c) at least one data radio, in said set of data radios, that is capable of making handoff decisions within the data radio based on signal strength and bit error rate information as determined by the data radio, measured against signal strength and bit error rate criteria programmed into the data radio.
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79. A Digital Cellular Overlay Network (DCON), for supporting the performance of Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an underlying Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS), between a host processor and a set of data radios (DRs) within range of said AMPS, wherein said AMPS includes a set of cell sites, and further wherein each of said cell sites includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels with each DR located within range of said AMPS, comprising:
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(a) at least one data transceiver; and (b) a set of sensors coupled to each transceiver in said set of transceivers, to determine when there is unused air time to switch a given one of said at least one data transceiver onto the channel to which a particular one of the transceivers in said set of transceivers is tuned; wherein said set of sensors is also used to determine when to turn said given data transceiver off based on sensing a demand for the channel to which the given data transceiver is tuned by said particular transceiver.
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80. A method for performing cellular data networking in a mobile telephone system, wherein said telephone system includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels, including a data transceiver, and a set of sensors coupled to each transceiver in said set of transceivers, comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining when there is unused air time to switch said data transceiver onto the channel to which a particular one of the transceivers in said set of transceivers is tuned; (b) determining when to turn said data transceiver off based on sensing a demand for the channel to which the data transceiver is tuned by said particular transceiver.
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81. Apparatus for performing cellular data networking in a mobile telephone system, wherein said telephone system includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels, comprising:
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(a) a data transceiver; (b) a set of sensors coupled to each transceiver in said set of transceivers, to determine when there is unused air time to switch said data transceiver onto the channel to which a particular one of the transceivers in said set of transceivers is tuned, said set of sensors also used to determine when to turn said data transceiver off based on sensing a demand for the channel to which the data transceiver is tuned by said particular transceiver.
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82. A mobile data radio for performing Cellular Data Networking (CDN) in an Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMPS), wherein said AMPS includes a set of cellular telephone voice transceivers, each tuned to one of a preselected set of communication channels, and means for coupling each transceiver in said set of transceivers to an antenna to facilitate the performance of duplex radio communications over said set of channels, including at least one data transceiver and a set of sensors coupled to each transceiver in said set of transceivers, to determine when there is unused air time to switch a given one of said at least one data transceiver onto the channel to which a particular one of the transceivers in said set of transceivers is tuned, said set of sensors also used to determine when to turn said given data transceiver off based on sensing a demand for the channel to which the given data transceiver is tuned by said particular transceiver and a busy bit transmission means for indicating that said channel is available for use, said mobile data radio, comprising:
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a receiver for receiving messages on said channel, said messages including busy bits indicating whether the channel is available for use; a busy bit detector coupled to said receiver, for detecting when said channel is available; and a transmitter coupled to said detector for transmitting data on said channel in response to said detector.
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Specification