Spectrally efficient and high capacity acknowledgement radio paging system

• US 5,625,880 A
• Filed: 08/01/1994
• Issued: 04/29/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: ArrayComm LLC (Ygomi LLC)
• Inventors: Harris, Arlene J., Goldburg, Marc H., Roy, III, Richard H., Cooper, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BANKS HAROLD, MARSHA DENISE
• Application Number:
  US08/283,470
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 455/38.1, 455/53.1, 455/51.1, 340/825.44, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 340/7.22
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/12 by co-ordinating position lines of different shape, e.g. hyperbolic, circular, elliptical or radial
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2605 Array of radiating elements provided with a feedback control over the element weights, e.g. adaptive arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/267 Phased-array testing or checking devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/04 using two or more spaced independent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0491 using two or more sectors, i.e. sector diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0615 of weighted versions of same signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0697 using spatial multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0842 Weighted combining
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0845 per branch equalization, e.g. by an FIR-filter or RAKE receiver per antenna branch rake receivers as such H04B1/7115
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/025 with acknowledge back capability

Abstract

An improved radio paging system providing automatic acknowledgment of message delivery, including a base station with spatially directive reception means and a pager capable of transmitting acknowledgment signals. The spatially directive reception means at the base station enhances the reception quality of the acknowledgment signals transmitted by the pager over that obtainable with conventional omnidirectional reception means, thereby compensating for the disparity in the base station and pager transmission powers.

Claims

1. A base station for use in communicating with a pager unit comprising:

a) transmitting means for transmitting broadcast data and message data to said pager unit;

b) receiving means including a plurality of phase-coherent receivers and reception antennas for receiving transmissions from said pager unit;

c) spatial processor means comprising a central processing unit for generating estimates of the direction of said pager unit and demultiplexing weights for use in a spatial demultiplexer from data produced by said receiving means;

d) a received data buffer including parallel arrangements of digital memory, whereby data produced by said receiving means is aligned in time with said spatial demultiplexing weights employed in said spatial demultiplexer; and

e) a base station controller including a central processing unit for controlling the functioning of equipment at said base station, facilitating communications with equipment outside of said base station, and implementing a radio protocol providing for the transmission of channel assignments to said pager unit and for exchanging message and acknowledgment data with said pager unit.

2. The base station of claim 1 wherein said transmitter means includes a single multichannel transmitter and associated antenna for the purpose of transmitting message data to said pager unit.

3. The base station of claim 2 wherein said radio protocol implemented by said base station controller allows initiation of a paging cycle from any terminus of the RF link including said base station and said pager.

4. The base station of claim 2 wherein said radio protocol implemented by said base station controller includes the broadcast of a unique base station identifier at predetermined intervals, whereby said pager unit may determine its best-serving base station.

5. The base station of claim 2 wherein said radio protocol implemented by said base station controller allows data created by an operator of said pager unit to be incorporated with said acknowledgment data in transmissions from said pager unit.

6. The base station of claim 1 wherein:

a) said transmitter means includes a plurality of phase-coherent multichannel transmitters and transmission antennas for transmitting message data to said pager unit; and

b) said spatial processor produces spatial multiplexing weights for use in a spatial multiplexer.

7. The base station of claim 6 wherein said phase-coherent multichannel transmitters and transmission antennas are employed for transmitting broadcast data by sequential transmissions over contiguous angular sectors.

8. The base station of claim 6 wherein said radio protocol implemented by said base station controller allows initiation of a paging cycle from any terminus of the RF link including said base station and said pager.

9. The base station of claim 6 wherein said radio protocol implemented by said base station controller includes the broadcast of a unique base station identifier at predetermined intervals, whereby said pager unit may determine its best-serving base station.

10. The base station of claim 6 wherein said radio protocol implemented by said base station controller allows data created by an operator of said pager unit to be incorporated with said acknowledgment data in transmissions from said pager unit.