Mobile telephony system

• US 5,479,595 A
• Filed: 06/13/1991
• Issued: 12/26/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Israelsson, Per V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BACARES, RAFAEL D
• Application Number:
  US07/714,566
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 359/143, 359/144, 359/145, 359/148, 359/152, 359/154, 359/172, 359/173, 379/59, 379/60, 379/61, 379/63
• US Class Current: 398/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/112 Line-of-sight transmission over an extended range
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/00 Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

A mobile telephony system intended for use by outdoor subscribers, for instance in cars, while affording, at the same time, high traffic capacity and relatively disturbance-free speech transmission to subscribers located within a building, for instance an office building. Signal transmission between mobile stations (MS, MSI) and base stations (BS1, BSI) is effected with radio waves in a first part-system (7), for instance intended for telephony traffic via car telephones, and with light, at least in the area nearest the mobile stations (MSI), in a second part-system (6) intended, for instance, for an office building. Signal transmission with light can also be effected in areas that contain electronic apparatus which is sensitive to radio disturbances, for instance in hospitals and/or in areas in which strong radio disturbances capable of preventing mobile telephony transmission with radio waves occur. Certain mobile stations may be capable of being switched between signal transmission with radio waves and signal transmission with light, which enables these stations to be used in both part-systems (7, 6).

Claims

1. A mobile telephony system comprising mobile stations and base stations, intended for use in areas which are normally relatively different with regard to the required traffic capacity, sensitivity to radio disturbances and the occurrence of radio disturbances, comprising a first part-system (7) intended for use in areas populated by vehicular mobile stations, and a second part-system (6) intended for use in buildings;

and in that said part-system (7,6) are arranged in a manner such that signal transmission between mobile stations (MS) and base stations (BS1) in the first part-system (7) is effected with radio waves and in the second part system (6) is effected with light, at least in the area nearest the mobile station (MSI), wherein the mobile stations (MSI) which contain both means for the transmission of signals with radio waves and means for the transmission of signals with light; and

that these stations (MSI) are arranged in a manner such as to enable said stations to be switched between radio-wave signal transmission and light signal transmission.