Frequency hopping code division multiple access system and method

• US 5,657,343 A
• Filed: 10/12/1995
• Issued: 08/12/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schilling, Donald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): GLUCK, JEFFREY WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US08/542,346
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 375/202, 375/200, 375/205, 375/347, 370/18, 370/335, 370/342, 370/441, 370/479, 379/59, 455/33.1, 455/33.3, 455/54.1
• US Class Current: 375/133
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7156 Arrangements for sequence synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0857 using maximum ratio combining techniques, e.g. signal-to- interference ratio [SIR], received signal strenght indication [RSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2634 for channel frequency control
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 13/00 Code division multiplex systems for frequency hopping H04B1/713
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/02 Resource partitioning among network components, e.g. reuse partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/12 Fixed resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/30 Special cell shapes, e.g. doughnuts or ring cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/34 TPC management, i.e. sharing limited amount of power among users or channels or data types, e.g. cell loading
• 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 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A frequency-hopping-communications system, assigned a system bandwidth B, with the system bandwidth B divided into N sets of frequencies, with each set of the N sets of frequencies not having the same frequencies as other sets of the N sets of frequencies, for communicating base-message data to a plurality of remote units. The frequency-hopping-communications system includes a plurality of base stations for communicating base-message data to the plurality of remote units. Each of the base stations has a coverage area divided into a plurality of N concentric regions with each concentric region assigned one of the N sets of frequencies. For communicating with a selected-remote unit located within a particular-concentric region, each base station has a modulator for converting the base-message data to a form suitable for sending over radio waves, a frequency-hopping device for frequency hopping the converted-base-message data over a set of frequencies assigned to the particular-concentric region, thereby generating a frequency-hopped signal, a controller, responsive to the selected-remote unit being located in the particular-concentric region, for controlling the set of frequencies use by said frequency-h hopping device, a power amplifier for amplifying the frequency-hopped signal from the base station to the remote unit, and a base antenna coupled to the power amplifier for radiating the frequency-hopped signal. Each of the remote units has a receiver for recovering from the frequency-hopped signal the base-message data.

Claims

1. A frequency-hopping-communications method for communicating base-message data to a plurality of remote units, and for communicating remote unit transmissions to a plurality of base stations, said plurality of base stations communicating base-message data to said plurality of remote units using an assigned system bandwidth B, with the assigned system bandwidth B divided into six sets of frequencies, with each set of the six sets of frequencies having different frequencies from frequencies used in the other sets, each of said plurality of base stations having a coverage area divided into six sectors, with each of said six sectors divided into six concentric regions, with each concentric region of each sector assigned one of the six sets of frequencies, each of said plurality of base stations for communicating with a selected-remote unit located within a particular concentric region of a particular sector, the method including the steps of,

converting the base-message data to a form suitable for sending over radio waves;

frequency hopping the converted-base-message data over a first set of frequencies, F₁, assigned to a first concentric region of a first sector, thereby generating a frequency-hopped signal using the first set of frequencies, the first set of frequencies having frequencies different from other sets of frequencies used in other concentric regions within the first sector;

controlling, in response to said selected-remote unit being located in the first concentric region of the first sector, the set of frequencies used by a radiating base station for communicating with said selected-remote unit;

amplifying the frequency-hopped signal;

transmitting, using a first sector base antenna for radiating to the first sector, the frequency-hopped signal from the radiating base station to said selected-remote unit;

receiving the frequency-hopped signal at said selected-remote unit;

recovering, from the frequency-hopped signal, the base-message data;

frequency hopping converted-base-message data over a second set of frequencies, F₂, assigned to a second concentric region of a second sector, thereby generating a frequency-hopped signal using the second set of frequencies, the second concentric region of the second sector being at a same range from the radiating base station as the first concentric region of the first sector from the radiating base station, the second set of frequencies having frequencies different from other sets of frequencies used in other concentric regions of the second sector, the second set of frequencies also being different from the first set of frequencies;

controlling, in response to said selected-remote unit being located in the second concentric region of the second sector, the set of frequencies used by the radiating base station for communicating with said selected-remote unit;

amplifying the frequency-hopped signal;

transmitting, using a second sector base antenna for radiating to the second sector, the frequency-hopped signal from the radiating base station to said selected-remote unit;

receiving the frequency-hopped signal at said selected-remote unit; and

recovering, from the frequency-hopped signal, the base-message data.

2. The frequency-hopping-communications method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

frequency hopping converted-base-message data over a third set of frequencies, F₃, assigned to a third concentric region of a third sector, thereby generating a frequency-hopped signal using the third set of frequencies, the third concentric region of the third sector being at a same range from the radiating base station as the second concentric region of the second sector from the radiating base station, the third set of frequencies having frequencies different from other sets of frequencies used in other concentric regions of the third sector, the third set of frequencies also being different from the first set of frequencies and from the second set of frequencies;

controlling, in response to said selected-remote unit being located in the third concentric region of the third sector, the set of frequencies used by the radiating base station for communicating with said selected-remote unit;

amplifying the frequency-hopped signal;

transmitting, using a third sector base antenna for radiating to the third sector, the frequency-hopped signal from the radiating base station to said selected-remote unit;

receiving the frequency-hopped signal at said selected-remote unit; and

recovering, from the frequency-hopped signal, the base-message data.

3. A frequency-hopping-communications method for communicating base-message data to a plurality of remote units, and for communicating remote unit transmissions to a base station, said base station communicating base-message data to a plurality of remote units using an assigned system bandwidth B, with the assigned system bandwidth B divided into N sets of frequencies, with each set of the N sets of frequencies having different frequencies from frequencies used in other sets of the N sets of frequencies, the base station having a coverage area divided into a plurality of M sectors, with each of said plurality of M sectors divided into a plurality of N concentric regions, with each concentric region of each sector assigned one of the N sets of frequencies, the base station for communicating with a selected-remote unit located within a particular concentric region of a particular sector, including the steps of:

converting the base-message data to a form suitable for sending over radio waves;

frequency hopping the converted-base-message data over a first set of frequencies, F₁, assigned to a first concentric region of a first sector, thereby generating a frequency-hopped signal using the first set of frequencies, the first set of frequencies having frequencies different from other sets of frequencies used in other concentric regions within the first sector;

controlling, in response to said selected-remote unit being located in the first concentric region of the first sector, the set of frequencies used by the base station for communicating with said selected-remote unit;

amplifying the frequency-hopped signal;

transmitting, using a first M-sector base antenna of a plurality of M-sector base antennas for radiating to the first sector, the frequency-hopped signal from the base station to said selected-remote unit, with a number of the plurality of M-sector base antennas at the base station being equal to a number of the plurality of M sectors at the base station;

receiving the frequency-hopped signal at said selected-remote unit;

recovering, from the frequency-hopped signal, the base-message data;

frequency hopping converted-base-message data over a second set of frequencies, F₂, assigned to a second concentric region of a second sector, thereby generating a frequency-hopped signal using the second set of frequencies, the second concentric region of the second sector being at a same range from the radiating base station as the first concentric region of the first sector from the radiating base station, the second set of frequencies having frequencies different from other sets of frequencies used in other concentric regions of the second sector, the second set of frequencies also being different from the first set of frequencies;

controlling, in response to said selected-remote unit being located in the second concentric region of the second sector, the set of frequencies used by the radiating base station for communicating with said selected-remote unit;

amplifying the frequency-hopped signal;

transmitting, using a second M-sector base antenna for radiating to the second sector, the frequency-hopped signal from the radiating base station to said selected-remote unit;

receiving the frequency-hopped signal at said selected-remote unit;

recovering, from the frequency-hopped signal, the base-message data;

frequency hopping converted-base-message data over a third set of frequencies, F₃, assigned to a third concentric region of the second sector, thereby generating a frequency-hopped signal using the third set of frequencies, the third concentric region of the second sector being at a range from the radiating base station approximately twice the range of the second concentric region of the second sector from the radiating base station, the third set of frequencies having frequencies different from other sets of frequencies used in other concentric regions of the second sector, the third set of frequencies also being different from the first set of frequencies and from the second set of frequencies;

controlling, in response to said selected-remote unit being located in the third concentric region of the second sector, the set of frequencies used by the radiating base station for communicating with said selected-remote unit;

amplifying the frequency-hopped signal;

transmitting, using the second M-sector base antenna for radiating to the second sector, the frequency-hopped signal from the radiating base station to said selected-remote unit;

receiving the frequency-hopped signal at said selected-remote unit;

recovering, from the frequency-hopped signal, the base-message data;

frequency hopping converted-base-message data over the first set of frequencies, F₁, the first set of frequencies assigned to a fourth concentric region of the second sector, thereby generating a frequency-hopped signal using the first set of frequencies, the fourth concentric region of the second sector being at a range from the radiating base station approximately three times the range of the second concentric region of the second sector from the radiating base station, the first set of frequencies having frequencies different from other sets of frequencies used in other concentric regions of the second sector, the first set of frequencies also being different from the second set of frequencies and from the third set of frequencies;

controlling, in response to said selected-remote unit being located in the fourth concentric region of the second sector, the set of frequencies used by the radiating base station for communicating with said selected-remote unit;

amplifying the frequency-hopped signal;

transmitting, using the second M-sector base antenna for radiating to the Second sector, the frequency-hopped signal from the radiating base station to said selected-remote unit;

receiving the frequency-hopped signal at said selected-remote unit; and

recovering, from the frequency-hopped signal, the base-message data.

4. The frequency-hopping communications method as set forth in claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

frequency hopping converted-base-message data over the first set of frequencies, F₁, the first set of frequencies assigned to a fifth concentric region of a third sector, thereby generating a frequency-hopped signal using the first set of frequencies, the fifth concentric region of the third sector being at a range from the radiating base station approximately four times the range of the second concentric region of the second sector from the radiating base station, the first set of frequencies having frequencies different from other sets of frequencies used in other concentric regions of the third sector, the first set of frequencies also being different from the second set of frequencies and from the third set of frequencies;

controlling, in response to said selected-remote unit being located in the fifth concentric region of the third sector, the set of frequencies used by the radiating base station for communicating with said selected-remote unit;

amplifying the frequency-hopped signal;

transmitting, using a third M-sector base antenna for radiating to the third sector, the frequency-hopped signal from the radiating base station to said selected-remote unit;

receiving the frequency-hopped signal at said selected-remote unit; and

recovering, from the frequency-hopped signal, the base-message data.

5. The frequency-hopping communications method as set forth in claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

frequency hopping converted-base-message data over the second set of frequencies, F₂, the second set of frequencies assigned to a sixth concentric region of a fourth sector, thereby generating a frequency-hopped signal using the second set of frequencies, the sixth concentric region of the fourth sector being at a range from the radiating base station approximately equal to the range of the fifth concentric region of the third sector from the radiating base station, the second set of frequencies having frequencies different from other sets of frequencies used in other concentric regions of the fourth sector, the second set of frequencies also being different from the first set of frequencies and from the third set of frequencies;

controlling, in response to said selected-remote unit being located in the sixth concentric region of the fourth sector, the set of frequencies used by the radiating base station for communicating with said selected-remote unit;

amplifying the frequency-hopped signal;

transmitting, using a fourth M-sector base antenna for radiating to the fourth sector, the frequency-hopped signal from the radiating base station to said selected-remote unit;

receiving the frequency-hopped signal at said selected-remote unit; and

recovering, from the frequency-hopped signal, the base-message data.