Mobile unit communication system

• US 5,572,516 A
• Filed: 01/31/1995
• Issued: 11/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kato, Osamu, Miya, Kazuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TON, DANG T
• Application Number:
  US08/381,488
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 370/18, 370/29, 370/50, 370/60, 370/60.1, 370/61, 370/77, 370/95.1, 370/95.2, 370/95.3, 370/85.7, 370/8, 370/9, 370/10, 370/11, 370/12, 370/105.1, 370/105.2, 375/200, 375/203, 375/205, 375/237, 375/238, 375/239, 375/273, 375/293, 375/354, 375/356, 375/362, 375/365, 375/373, 375/375, 379/59, 379/60, 455/33.1, 455/33.2, 455/33.3, 455/13.2, 455/56.1, 455/38.1, 455/38.2
• US Class Current: 370/342
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2618 using hybrid code-time division multiple access [CDMA-TDMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/04 Speed or phase control by synchronisation signals H04L7/0075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A mobile unit communication system comprises: mobile units; a TDMA base station for transmitting and receiving a TDMA signal having a first frame to/from mobile units within a service area thereof in a TDMA/TDD manner; and a CDMA base station adjacent to the TDMA base station, for transmitting and receiving a CDMA signal having a second frame to/from mobile units in a CDMA/TDD manner, at least one of these base stations having a frame synchronizing circuit for detecting a phase between the first and second frames and synchronizing the first and second frames according to the detected phase. Each mobile unit has a first circuit for communicating with the TDMA base station in a TDMA mode; and a second circuit for communicating with the CDMA base station in a CDMA mode. First and second frames have the same length and are synchronized to eliminate the necessity of synchronizing operation when the mobile unit moves to the other service area. A unique word attached to a framed data is commonly defined between the TDMA and CDMA signals, so that a unique word detection circuit can be used commonly. The TDMA and CDMA signals have the same frequency band, so that the antenna portion can be used commonly. The TDMA and CDMA signals have the same amount of data per channel in a frame, so that modulation and demodulation circuits can be used commonly.

Claims

1. A mobile unit communication system comprising:

mobile units;

a first base station, having a first service area, for transmitting and receiving a first communication signal having a first frame to and from mobile units within said first service area, said first base station communicating with said mobile units through a plurality of first channels by a time division multiple access and time division duplex (TDMA/TDD) format through said first communication signal; and

a second base station, having a second service area adjacent to or overlapping said first service area, for transmitting and receiving a second communication signal having a second frame to and from mobile units within said second service area, said first and second frames having the same length, said second base station communicating with said mobile units within said second service area through a plurality of second channels by a code division multiple access and time division duplex (CDMA/TDD) format through said second communication signal, at least one of said first and second base stations having a frame synchronizing portion for detecting a phase between said first and second frames and synchronizing said first and second frames in accordance with said detected phase, each of said mobile units having;

a first communication circuit for communicating with said first base station through said first communication signal in a first mode; and

a second communication circuit for communicating with said second base station through said second communication signal in a second mode.

2. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second area is larger than said first area and said first area is provided within said second area.

3. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second base stations transmit said first and second communication signals to have the same frequency band and said each of mobile units further comprises an antenna for receiving and transmitting said first and second communication signals and a switch responsive to a mode signal indicative of said first and second modes for supplying said first communication signal between said antenna and said first communication circuit in said first mode and for supplying said second communication signal between said antenna and said second communication circuit in said second mode.

4. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said mobile units further comprises:

a modulation circuit for modulating said first and second communication signals in common in said first and second modes;

an antenna for receiving and transmitting said first and second communication signals;

a demodulation circuit for demodulating said first and second communication signals in common; and

a switch responsive to a receiving/transmitting signal indicative of receiving and transmitting modes for supplying at least one of said first communication signal and said second communication signal from said modulation circuit to said antenna in said transmitting mode and supplying said first and second communication signals from said antenna to said demodulation circuit in said receiving mode.

5. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second communication signals have first and second frames respectively, said first and second frames having the same amount of data and each of said mobile units further comprising a baseband data processing portion for processing data to be transmitted and for supplying said processed data to said first communication circuit in said first mode and to said second communication circuit in said second mode.

6. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said mobile units further comprises a framing circuit for framing data to be transmitted and for supplying said framed data to said first communication circuit in said first mode and to said second communication circuit in said second mode.

12. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said framing circuit adds a frame synchronizing signal and control data to said data and supplies said framed data.

13. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a digital modulation circuit for digitally modulating said framed data and supplying said framed data to said first communication circuit in said first mode and said second communication circuit in said second mode.

14. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a mode detection circuit for generating a mode signal indicative of said first and second modes in accordance with outputs of said first and second communication circuits.

15. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a frame detection circuit for detecting said first frame from said first communication signal from said antenna in said first mode and detecting said second frame from said second communication signal from said antenna in said second mode to produce a frame signal and a control circuit for producing said receiving/transmitting signal in response to said frame signal.

7. A mobile unit communication system comprising:

mobile units;

a first base station, having a first service area, for transmitting and receiving first and second TDMA signals to and from mobile units within said first service area respectively, said first TDMA signal having a first frame which includes a plurality of first channels in a time division multiple access and time division duplex (TDMA/TDD) format; and

a second base station, having a second service area, for transmitting and receiving first and second CDMA signals to and from mobile units within said second service area respectively, said first CDMA signal having a second frame which includes a plurality of second channels in a code division multiple access and time division duplex (CDMA/TDD) format, said first frame having the same length as said second frame, at least one of said first and second base stations further having a frame synchronizing circuit for detecting a phase between said first and second frames and synchronizing said first and second frames with each other in accordance with said detected phase, each of said mobile units having;

a baseband circuit for framing data to be transmitted on the basis of a frame signal and for digitally modulating said data frame to produce first and second baseband signals in first and second modes respectively;

an up-converting circuit for frequency-up-converting said first baseband signal in said first mode and said second baseband signal in said second mode,

a transmission power control circuit for controlling a power of an output signal from the up-converting circuit;

an antenna portion for, in a transmission mode, transmitting an output of said transmission power control circuit as said second TDMA signal in said first mode and as said second CDMA signal in said second mode and for, in a receiving mode, receiving said first TDMA signal in said first mode and said first CDMA signal in said second mode, said transmission and receiving modes being effected in the time division duplex format;

a demodulation circuit for demodulating said first TDMA and first CDMA signals from said antenna in said first and second modes respectively;

a frame detection portion for detecting at least one of said first and said second frame to thereby produce said frame signal.

8. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said baseband circuit having first and second framing circuits for framing said data to be transmitted to have said first and second frame in said first and second modes respectively, a first digital modulation circuit for digital-modulating an output of said first framing circuit, a second digital modulation circuit for digital-modulating an output of said second framing circuit, and a code division multiplexing circuit for code-division-multiplexing to an output of said second digital modulation circuit, and a switch for supplying an output of said first digital modulation circuit as said first baseband signal in said first mode and an output of said code division multiplexing circuit as said second baseband signal in second mode.

10. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said demodulation circuit comprises:

a down-converting circuit for down-converting and detecting said first TDMA signal and said first CDMA signal from said antenna portion to produce a third baseband signal, a TDMA demodulating circuit for demodulating said third baseband signal, and an inverse spread spectrum circuit for inverse-spectrum spreading said baseband signal, a switch for supplying said third baseband signal to said TDMA demodulating circuit in said first mode and to said inverse spectrum spreading circuit in said second mode, and a CDMA demodulating circuit for demodulating an output of said inverse spectrum spreading circuit.

11. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said baseband circuit having first and second framing circuits for framing said data to be transmitted to have third and fourth frames in response to said frame signal respectively, a first digital modulation circuit for digitally modulating an output of said first framing circuit, a second digital modulation circuit form digitally modulating an output of said second framing circuit, and a code division multiplexing circuit for code-division-multiplexing an output of said second digital modulation circuit.

32. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first TDMA signal includes first synchronizing data which defines said first frame, said first CDMA signal includes second synchronizing data which defines said second frame, said frame synchronizing circuit detects said phase through detecting said first and second synchronizing data, and said frame detection portion detects at least one of said first and second frames by detecting at least one of said first and said second synchronizing data.

9. A mobile unit communication system comprising:

mobile units;

a first base station, having a first service area, for transmitting and receiving first and second TDMA signals to and from mobile units within said first service area respectively, said first TDMA signal having a first frame which includes a plurality of first channels in a time division multiple access and time division duplex (TDMA/TDD) format; and

a second base station, having a second service area, for transmitting and receiving first and second CDMA signals to and from mobile units within said second service area respectively, said first CDMA signal having a second frame which includes a plurality of second channels in a code division multiple access and time division duplex (CDMA/TDD) format, said first frame having the same length as said second frame, at least one of said first and second base stations further having a frame synchronizing circuit for detecting a phase between said first and second frames and synchronizing said first and second frames with each other in accordance with said detected phase, each of said mobile units having;

a baseband circuit, having a framing circuit for framing data to be transmitted on the basis of a frame signal and a digital modulation circuit for digitally modulating said data frame, a TDMA signal producing circuit for producing a TDMA transmission signal to have one of said plurality of first channels, and a CDMA generation circuit for generating a CDMA transmission signal through spectrum spreading with a code defining one of said second channels, and a switch for outputting said TDMA transmission signal in a first mode and supplying said CDMA transmission signal in a second mode;

an up-converting circuit for frequency-up-converting said TDMA transmission signal from said switch in said first mode and said CDMA transmission signal from said switch in said second mode;

a transmission power control portion for controlling a power of an output signal from the up-converting circuit;

an antenna portion for, in a transmission mode, transmitting an output of said transmission power control circuit as said second TDMA signal in said first mode and as said second CDMA signal in said second mode and for, in a receiving mode, receiving said first TDMA signal in said first mode and first CDMA signal in said second mode, said transmission and receiving modes being effected in the time division duplex format;

a demodulation circuit for demodulating said first TDMA and first CDMA signals from said antenna in said first and second modes respectively; and

a frame detection portion for detecting at least one of said first and second frame to thereby produce said frame signal.

33. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said first TDMA signal includes first synchronizing data which defines said first frame, said first CDMA signal includes second synchronizing data which defines said second frame, said frame synchronizing circuit detects said phase through detecting said first and second synchronizing data, and said frame detection portion detects at least one of said first and second frames by detecting at least one of said first and said second synchronizing data.

16. A mobile unit communication system comprising:

a first receiving circuit for receiving a first TDMA signal having a first frame and a plurality of first channels in said first frame provided by a time division multiple access and time division duplex (TDMA/TDD) format in a first mode;

a second receiving circuit for receiving a first CDMA signal having a second frame and a plurality of second channels provided by a code division multiple access and time division duplex (CDMA/TDD) format in a second mode, wherein said first frame has the same length as said second frame and said first frame is synchronized with said second frame;

synchronizing detection means for detecting at least one of said first and second frame and for producing a frame synchronizing signal;

framing circuit for framing data to be transmitted in response to said frame synchronizing signal, for producing a second TDMA signal from said framing data to have a third frame in said first mode, and producing said CDMA signal from said framing data to have a fourth frame in said second mode, wherein said third frame is the same length as said fourth frame and said first to fourth frames have a synchronizing relationship with each other; and

a transmitting circuit for transmitting said second TDMA signal in said first mode for transmitting said CDMA signal in said second mode.

17. A mobile unit as claimed in claim 16, wherein said first and second TDMA signals and said first and second CDMA signals have the same frequency band.

18. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

a modulation circuit for modulating said second TDMA and CDMA signals in common in said first and second modes respectively;

an antenna for receiving said first TDMA and CDMA signals and transmitting said second TDMA and CDMA signals from said modulation circuit;

a demodulation circuit for demodulating said first TDMA and CDMA signals in common.

19. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said first and second frames include the same amount of data.

20. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a baseband data processing circuit for processing data to be transmitted in said first and second modes in common and for supplying said processed data to said transmitting circuit.

21. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a framing circuit for framing data to be transmitted and adding common frame synchronizing data to said data in said first and second modes and for supplying said framed data to said transmitting circuit.

22. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said framing circuit adds common control data to said data in said first and second modes.

23. A mobile unit communication system comprising:

a baseband circuit for framing data to be transmitted on the basis of a frame signal to have first and second frames respectively and for digitally modulating said data to produce a first TDMA/TDD baseband signal having a time division multiple access and time division duplex format and a first CDMA/TDD baseband signal having a code division multiple access and time division duplex format in first and second modes respectively, said first and second frame having the same length;

an up-converting circuit for frequency-up-converting said first TDMA/TDD baseband signal and said first CDMA/TDD baseband signal in common in said first and second modes;

a transmission power control circuit for controlling a power of an output signal from the up-converting circuit;

a transmitting and receiving circuit for, in a transmission mode, transmitting an output of said transmission power control circuit in common in said first and second modes and for, in a receiving mode, receiving a TDMA signal having a third frame in said first mode and a CDMA signal having a fourth frame in said second mode, said transmission and receiving modes being effected in a time division duplex format, said third frame being synchronized with said fourth frame;

a demodulation circuit for demodulating said TDMA and CDMA signals from said transmitting and receiving circuit in common in said first and second modes and for outputting a demodulation output signal;

a frame detection portion for detecting either of said third or fourth frame to produce said frame signal.

24. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said baseband circuit comprises:

first and second framing circuits for framing said data to be transmitted to have first and second frames in said first and second modes;

a first digital modulation circuit for digitally modulating an output of said first framing circuit;

a second digital modulation circuit for digitally modulating an output of said second framing circuit;

a code division multiplexing circuit for code-division-multiplexing an output of said second digital modulation circuit; and

a switch for supplying an output of said first digital modulation circuit to said up-converting circuit in said first mode and an output of said code division multiplexing circuit to said up-converting circuit in said second mode.

34. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said TDMA signal includes first synchronizing data which defines said third frame, said first CDMA signal includes a second synchronizing data which defines said fourth frame, and said frame detection portion detects at least one of said third and fourth frame by detecting at least one of said first and said second synchronizing data to have a synchronizing relationship among said first to fourth frames.

25. A mobile unit communication system comprising:

a baseband circuit including a framing circuit for framing data to be transmitted on the basis of a frame signal to have first and second frames and adding common frame synchronizing data to said data in first and second modes;

a digital modulation circuit for digitally modulating said data;

a TDMA signal producing circuit for producing a TDMA transmission signal from said data from said digital modulation circuit;

a CDMA generation circuit for generating a CDMA transmission signal through spread spectrum spreading from said digital modulation circuit;

a switch for outputting said TDMA transmission signal in said first mode and supplying said CDMA transmission signal in said second mode;

an up-converting circuit for frequency-up-converting said TDMA transmission signal from said switch in said first mode and said CDMA transmission signal from said switch in said second mode in common;

a transmission power control portion for controlling a power of an output signal from the up-converting circuit;

an antenna portion for, in a transmission mode, transmitting an output of said transmission control circuit in said first and second modes and for, in a receiving mode, receiving a TDMA signal having a third frame in said first mode and a CDMA signal having a fourth frame in said second mode, said transmission and receiving modes being effected in a time division duplex manner;

a demodulation circuit for demodulating said TDMA and CDMA signals from said antenna portion in said first and second modes respectively and outputting demodulated data, said TDMA and CDMA signals having second common frame synchronizing data and a common frame length; and

a frame detection portion for detecting either of said third or fourth frames to produce said frame signal.

26. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 25, wherein said demodulation circuit comprises:

a down-converting circuit for down-converting and detecting said second TDMA signal and said second CDMA signal to produce a third baseband signal;

a TDMA demodulating circuit for demodulating said third baseband signal;

an inverse spectrum spreading circuit for inverse-spectrum spreading said third baseband signal;

a switch for supplying said third baseband signal to said TDMA demodulating circuit in said first mode and to said inverse spectrum spreading circuit in said second model and

a CDMA demodulating circuit for demodulating an output of said inverse spectrum spreading circuit.

27. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 25, wherein said baseband circuit includes:

first and second framing circuits for framing said data to be transmitted to have said first and second frames respectively;

a first digital modulation circuit for digitally modulating an output of said first framing circuit;

a second digital modulation circuit for digitally modulating said second framing circuit; and

a code division multiplexing circuit for code-division-multiplexing an output of said second digital modulation circuit.

35. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 25, wherein said TDMA signal includes first synchronizing data which defines said third frame, said first CDMA signal includes a second synchronizing data which defines said fourth frame, and said frame detection portion detects at least one of said third or fourth frame by detecting at least one of said first and said second synchronizing data to have a synchronizing relationship among said first to fourth frames.

28. A mobile unit communication system for communicating with a mobile unit comprising:

a first base station, having a first service area, for transmitting and receiving a first communication signal having a first frame to and from said mobile unit within said first service area, said first base station communication with said mobile unit through a plurality of first channels by a time division multiple access and time division duplex (TDMA/TDD) format through said first communication signal; and

a second base station, having a second service area adjacent to or overlapping said first service area, for transmitting and receiving a second communication signal having a second frame to and from said mobile unit within said second service area, said first and second frames having the same length, said second base station communication with said mobile unit within said second service area through a plurality of second channels by a code division multiple access and time division duplex (CDMA/TDD) format through said second communication signal, at least one of said first and second base stations having a frame synchronizing portion for detecting a phase between said first and second frames and synchronizing said first and second frames in accordance with said detected phase.

29. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 28, wherein said second area is larger than said first area and said first area is provided within said second area.

30. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 28, wherein said first and second base stations transmit said first and second communication signals in the same frequency band.

31. A mobile unit communication system as claimed in claim 28, wherein said first and second communication signals have first and second frames respectively, and said first and second frames include the same amount of data.