Wireless variable bandwidth air-link system

• US 5,625,877 A
• Filed: 03/15/1995
• Issued: 04/29/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dunn, James M., Stern, Edith H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US08/404,505
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 455/33.1, 455/34.1, 455/34.2, 455/54.1, 455/54.2, 455/62, 455/59, 455/70, 455/71, 370/95.1, 370/85.7
• US Class Current: 455/454
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management

Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing variable bandwidth in wireless air-link communication channels which allows a user of an end-user communicating device, e.g. a cellular phone, computer, facsimile, to request the allocation and aggregation of available air-link communication channels for the wireless transmission of messages to and from a mobile end-user communication subscriber unit, e.g. a cellular telephone or portable computer, so as to increase the speed of wireless transmission, wherein information transfer networks, channelized communication radios and microprocessors are typically employed for locating, reserving and aggregating available air-link channels and for transmitting messages between end-user communication devices, one being mobile.

Claims

1. A wireless bandwidth air-link system for varying the overall bandwidth of air-link communication channels to increase the speed of wireless message transmission, said system comprising:

means for locating and aggregating available air-link communication channels so as to increase the air-link bandwidth for wireless transmission of messages to and from a mobile communication subscriber unit;

means for controlling said locating and aggregating means in communication with said locating and aggregating means, said controlling means enabling and regulating said locating and aggregating means in searching and combining available air-link communication channels, said controlling means receiving request to aggregate air-link communication channels; and

means for communicating with the mobile communication subscriber unit, said communicating means providing a communication link between the mobile communication subscriber unit and said locating and aggregating means for receiving and transmitting messages across the air-link channels to and from the mobile communication subscriber unit.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for controlling comprises a first microprocessor electrically connected to said means for locating and aggregating for sending control signals to and receiving response signals from said means for locating and aggregating.

3. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein said first microprocessor further comprises means for initializing said means for locating and aggregating so as to cause said means for locating and aggregating to begin locating available air-link communication channels.

4. A system as recited in claim 3, wherein said first microprocessor further comprises means for selecting the airway communication channels to be aggregated by said means for locating and aggregating so as to provide a time efficient transmission across the communication air-links to and from the mobile communication subscriber unit.

5. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein said means for locating and aggregating comprises a channelized radio electrically connected between said means for communicating and said first microprocessor, said channelized radio for locating and aggregating available airway communication channels at the control and demands of said first microprocessor when requested by the mobile communication subscriber unit.

6. A system as recited in claim 5, further comprising an external information transfer network for routing messages transmitted between the mobile communication subscriber unit and a fixed communication unit wherein the mobile communication subscriber unit and the fixed communication unit communicate through said means for communicating, said information transfer network being electrically connected to said channelized radio and said first microprocessor.

7. A system as recited in claim 6, further comprising a signal processor electrically associated with said channelized radio for converting messages into a demodulated form for sending over direct links to the fixed communication unit and for modulating signals received for transmitting over air-link communication channels to the mobile communication subscriber unit.

8. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for locating and aggregating further comprises a means for reserving available air-link communication channels which have been located so as to not lose the available air-link communication channels before aggregating.

9. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for communicating comprises a transceiver electrically connected to said means for locating and aggregating available air-link communication channels, said transceiver for receiving and transmitting wireless messages between the mobile communication subscriber unit and said means for locating and aggregating.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein said system further comprises:

a second microprocessor electrically connected to the mobile communication subscriber unit for processing messages and demands for increasing available airway communication channel bandwidth; and

a second transceiver electrically connected to the mobile communication subscriber unit for receiving and transmitting wireless messages.

11. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for locating and aggregating available air-link communication channels comprises a channelized radio electrically connected to said means for communicating and said means for controlling.

12. A method for increasing the bandwidth of air-link communication channels for the wireless transmission of messages to and from mobile end-user communication subscriber units, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting a demand from an originating end-user communication device to a microprocessor for an increase in the bandwidth of air-link communication channels for wireless transmission of a message to a target end-user communication device;

(b) activating a wireless radio transmitting means from the microprocessor based on code generated in response to the demand for an increase in bandwidth;

(c) searching for available air-link communication channels with the wireless radio transmitting means;

(d) sending a response from the wireless radio transmitting means to the microprocessor identifying available air-link communication channels located;

(e) selecting with the microprocessor available air-link communication channels to be aggregated based on the available air-link communication channels identified in the response from the wireless radio transmitting means; and

(f) aggregating selected air-link communication channels at the wireless radio transmitting means to increase the overall bandwidth for wireless transmission to an end-user communicating device.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising the step of reserving available air-link communication channels located in the search before sending a response to the microprocessor identifying the available air-link communication channels.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising the step of sending a confirmation to the originating end-user communication device after reserving available air-link communication channels that available air-link communication channels have been reserved for aggregation;

and

transmitting a confirmation from the originating end-user communicating device to aggregate the reserved available air-link communication channels.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising the step of providing the microprocessor with the individual bandwidths of available air-link communication channels located when sending the response to the microprocessor identifying the available air-link communication channels located.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising the step of computing the estimated time duration for transmission of a message from the originating end-user communication device to the target end-user.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising the step of performing an error detection procedure after aggregating selected air-link communication channels to determine that a successful wireless transmission may be performed from the originating end-user communication device to the target end-user communication device.

18. A wireless variable bandwidth air-link communication system for varying the bandwidth of available air-link communication channels, said system comprising:

a microprocessor encoded for initiating the search and aggregation of available air-link channels;

a channelized communication radio directly linked to said microprocessor for receiving commands from said microprocessor to search, locate and aggregate available air-link communication channels for the wireless transmission of a message from an originating end-user communication device;

means for aggregating available air-link channels defined by said channelized radio;

a transceiving device directly linked to said means for aggregating available channels for transmitting signals from said means for aggregating air-link communication channels to locate and aggregate air-link channels; and

means for communicating said microprocessor with the originating end-user communication device electrically linked to said microprocessor and said channelized communication radio for allowing the originating end-user communication device to demand an increase in the bandwidth of air-link communication channels.

19. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein said means for communicating comprises:

at least one modem electrically associated with said microprocessor and said channelized communication radio for receiving and sending messages.

20. A system as recited in claim 19, wherein said means for communicating further comprises a signal processor electrically associated with said channelized communication radio for demodulating and modulating messages transmitted from the originating end-user communication device.