Mobile packet communication system and a method of mobile packet communication

• US 5,548,586 A
• Filed: 08/14/1995
• Issued: 08/20/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Toyoda, Tetsuya, Kito, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Application Number:
  US08/514,742
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 370/60, 370/60.1, 370/94.1, 370/94.2, 370/94.3, 370/95.1, 370/95.3, 370/92, 370/110.1, 379/59, 379/60, 379/63, 455/33.1, 455/33.2, 455/33.4, 455/54.1, 455/56.1
• US Class Current: 370/349
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like

Abstract

A mobile packet communication system and a method of mobile packet communication, which are capable of transmitting packet data only to a specific base station area in which a mobile station for the packet communication exists without transmitting the packet data to all base stations in the same location area, are provided. Although a mobile switching center transmits a call setup information to all base stations at the beginning of the sequence, it can recognize the base station area of the mobile station by the BS area identifier which is attached by the base station to the response information. The BS area identifier is stored in the mobile switching center, and the packet data from the next sequence is transmitted only to the base station indicated in the BS area identifier. When the mobile station has moved to the other base station area during the packet communication, a BS area identifier update request signal is sent to the mobile switching center for updating the BS area identifier.

Claims

1. A mobile packet communication system comprising:

a plurality of base stations in a corresponding plurality of base station areas, said base stations communicating with a plurality of mobile stations by dedicated radio channels for packet communication, said base stations comprising base station area identifier adding means for adding a base station area identifier indicating a base station area corresponding to each of said base stations to a response packet from said mobile stations;

a plurality of packet communication means for performing packet communication with said mobile stations;

a location register for registering location information of a location area of each of said mobile stations whenever said mobile stations change location area; and

a mobile switching center interconnecting said base stations and said packet communication means, being connected to said location register, comprising

first receiving means for receiving a first packet data from said packet communication means and for extracting a mobile station identification number supplied therewith;

location information storage means for retrieving a location information corresponding to said mobile station identification number from said location register and for storing said location information retrieved therefrom in correspondence with said mobile station identification number;

second receiving means for receiving a second packet data from said base station and for extracting a base station area identifier and a mobile station identification number supplied therewith;

base station area identifier storage means for storing said base station area identifier in correspondence with said mobile station identification number and for indicating validity of said base station area identifier; and

transferring means for transferring said first packet data to all of said base stations in said same location area indicated by said location information stored in said location information storage means when said base station area identifier stored in said base station area identifier storage means is invalid and for transferring said first packet data to a particular base station in accordance with said base station area identifier stored in said base station area identifier storage means when said base station area identifier is valid.

2. The mobile packet communication system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile switching center further comprises:

timer means for counting down time after said transfers means transferring said first packet data to a particular base station in accordance with said base station area identifier;

judging means for judging whether a response packet for said first packet data being received within a counting down time of said timer means; and

set means for setting said validity of said base station area identifier stored in said base station area identifier storage means to invalid.

3. A mobile packet communication system comprising:

a plurality of base stations in a corresponding plurality of base station areas, said base stations communicating with a plurality of mobile stations by dedicated radio channels for packet communication, said base stations comprising base station area identifier adding means for adding a base station area identifier indicating a base station area corresponding to each of said base stations to a response packet from said mobile stations;

a plurality of packet communication means for performing packet communication with said mobile stations, comprising

base station area identifier memory means for storing said base station area identifier being added to said response packet from a communicating mobile station; and

data adding means for adding said base station area identifier to a sending packet when said base station area identifier is stored in said base station area identifier memory;

a location register for registering location information of a location area of each of said mobile stations being notified whenever said mobile stations change location area; and

a mobile switching center interconnecting said base stations and said packet communication means, being connected to said location register, comprising

receiving means for receiving a packet data from said packet communication means and for extracting a mobile station identification number and said base station area identifier supplied therewith;

location information storage means for retrieving a location information corresponding to said mobile station identification number from said location register and for storing said location information retrieved therefrom in correspondence with said mobile station identification number; and

transferring means for transferring said packet data from said packet communication means to said all base stations in said same location area indicated by said location information stored in said location information storage means when said packet data does not include said base station area identifier and for transferring said packet data from said packet communication means to a particular base station in accordance with said base station area identifier when said base station area identifier is included in said packet data.

4. A mobile packet communication system comprising:

a plurality of base stations in a corresponding plurality of base station areas, said base stations communicating with a plurality of mobile stations by dedicated radio channels for packet communication and said base stations;

a plurality of packet communication means for performing packet communication with said mobile stations;

a location register for registering location information of a location area of each of said mobile stations being notified whenever said mobile stations change location area; and

a mobile switching center interconnecting said base stations and said packet communication means, being connected to said location register, comprising

receiving means for receiving a packet data from said packet communication means and for extracting a mobile station identification number supplied therewith;

location information storage means for retrieving a location information corresponding to said mobile station identification number from said location register and for storing said location information retrieved therefrom in correspondence with said mobile station identification number;

base station area identifier deriving means for deriving base station area identifier indicating a base station area from which a response packet data being sent back in accordance with port number information of transmission line connected to said base station and for extracting a mobile station identification number supplied with said response packet data;

base station area identifier storage means for storing said base station area identifier in correspondence with said mobile station identification number and for indicating validity of said base station area identifier; and

transferring means for transferring said first packet data to said all base stations in said same location area indicated by said location information stored in said location information storage means when said base station area identifier stored in said base station area identifier storage means is invalid and for transferring said first packet data to a particular base station in accordance with said base station area identifier stored in said base station area identifier storage means when said base station area identifier is valid.

5. A mobile packet communication system comprising:

a plurality of base stations in a corresponding plurality of base station areas, said base stations communicating with a plurality of mobile stations by dedicated radio channels for packet communication and said base stations comprising;

base station area identifier adding means for adding a base station area identifier indicating a base station area corresponding to each of said base stations to a response packet from said mobile stations; and

base station area code broadcasting means for broadcasting a different base station area code signal for each base station;

said mobile stations comprising change of base station area notifying means for recognizing a change of existing base station area by receiving said different base station area code signal and for transmitting a notification signal of change of base station area;

a plurality of packet communication means for performing packet communication with said mobile stations;

a location register for registering location information of a location area of each of said mobile stations being notified whenever said mobile stations change location area; and

a mobile switching center interconnecting said base stations and said packet communication means, being connected to said location register, comprising

first receiving means for receiving a first packet data from said packet communication means and for extracting a mobile station identification number supplied therewith;

location information storage means for retrieving a location information corresponding to said mobile station identification number from said location register and for storing said location information retrieved therefrom in correspondence with said mobile station identification number;

second receiving means for receiving a second packet data from said base station and for extracting a base station area identifier and a mobile station identification number supplied therewith;

base station area identifier storage means for storing said base station area identifier in correspondence with said mobile station identification number and for indicating validity of said base station area identifier;

base station area identifier update means for updating said base station area identifier stored in said base station area identifier storage means upon receipt of said notification signal of change of base station area from said mobile station through said base station; and

transferring means for transferring said first packet data to said all base stations in said same location area indicated by said location information stored in said location information storage means when said base station area identifier stored in said base station area identifier storage means is invalid and for transferring said first packet data to a particular base station in accordance with said base station area identifier stored in said base station area identifier storage means when said base station area identifier is valid.

6. A method of mobile packet communication in a mobile packet communication system including a plurality of base stations in a corresponding plurality of base station areas, said base stations communicating with a plurality of mobile stations by dedicated radio channels for packet communication, said base stations comprising base station area identifier adding means for adding a base station area identifier indicating a base station area corresponding to each of said base stations to a response packet from said mobile stations, a plurality of packet communication means for performing packet communication with said mobile stations, a location register for registering location information of a location area of each of said mobile stations and a mobile switching center interconnecting said base stations and said packet communication means, being connected to said location register, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first packet data from said packet communication means and extracting a mobile station identification number supplied therewith;

retrieving a location information corresponding to said mobile station identification number from said location register and storing said location information retrieved therefrom in correspondence with said mobile station identification number;

receiving a second packet data from said base station and extracting a base station area identifier and a mobile station identification number supplied therewith;

storing said base station area identifier in correspondence with said mobile station identification number and indicating validity of said base station area identifier;

transferring said first packet data to said all base stations in said same location area indicated by said location information when said base station area identifier stored is invalid; and

transferring said first packet data to a particular base station in accordance with said base station area identifier when said base station area identifier is valid.

7. The method of mobile packet communication according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

counting down time after transferring said first packet data to a particular base station in accordance with said base station area identifier;

judging whether a response packet for said first packet data is received within said counting down time; and

setting said validity of said base station area identifier to invalid.