Inter-station synchronization method

• US 5,722,080 A
• Filed: 06/30/1995
• Issued: 02/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kondo, Seiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US08/497,717
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 455/51.1, 455/51.2, 455/33.2, 455/56.1, 455/67.1, 455/67.6, 455/502, 455/503, 455/524, 370/350, 370/324, 375/354, 375/356, 379/58, 379/59, 379/60
• US Class Current: 455/502
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2687 Inter base stations synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0045 compensating for timing error by altering transmission time
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

In an inter-station synchronization method establishing frame synchronization for a radio interval between radio base stations via a mobile station in a cellular mobile communication system constituted by a plurality of zones, a time alignment value corresponding to a mobile station which is in communication with a reference station is measured. An adjustment station receives a transmission signal from the mobile station which is in communication with the reference station, and a radio frame phase difference representing an offset between the received signal and a home intra-station radio frame synchronization signal is measured. A radio frame phase control value is obtained on the basis of a radio frame phase difference measured by the adjustment station and the time alignment value measured by the reference station. The phase of the radio frame synchronization signal of the adjustment station is adjusted in accordance with the obtained radio frame phase control value to be matched the phase with a phase of a radio frame synchronization signal in the reference station.

Claims

1. A inter-station synchronization method of establishing frame synchronization for a radio interval between radio base stations via a mobile station in cellular mobile communication system constituted by a plurality of zones, comprising the steps of:

measuring a time alignment value corresponding to a mobile station which is in communication with a reference station;

causing an adjustment station to receive a transmission signal from said mobile station which is in communication with said reference station, and measuring a radio frame phase difference representing an offset between the received signal and a home intra-station radio frame synchronization signal, wherein said home intra-station radio frame synchronization signal is generated on the basis of an interval synchronization signal sent via wire;

obtaining a radio frame phase control value on the basis of the radio frame phase difference measured by said adjustment station and the time alignment value measured by said reference station,

adjusting a phase of the radio frame synchronization signal of said adjustment station in accordance with the obtained radio frame phase control value to match the phase with a phase of a radio frame synchronization signal in said reference station.

2. An inter-station synchronization method of establishing frame synchronization for a radio interval between radio base stations via a mobile station in a cellular mobile communication system constituted by a plurality of zones, comprising the steps of:

measuring a time alignment value corresponding to a mobile station which is in communication with a reference station;

causing an adjustment station to receive a transmission signal from said mobile station which is in communication with said reference station, and measuring a radio frame phase difference representing an offset between the received signal and a home intra-station radio frame synchronization signal, together with a reception electric field level;

determining validity of the radio frame phase difference measured by said adjustment station on the basis of the reception electric field level measured by said adjustment station and the time alignment value measured by said reference station;

obtaining a radio frame phase control value on the basis of the radio frame phase difference determined as a valid value and the time alignment value measured by said reference station; and

adjusting a phase of the radio frame synchronization signal of said adjustment station in accordance with the obtained radio frame phase control value to match the phase with a phase of a radio frame synchronization signal in said reference station.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the radio frame phase control value is a value obtained by subtracting a sum of the radio frame phase difference and the time alignment value from a propagation delay time based on a distance between said reference station and said adjustment station.

4. A inter-station synchronization method of establishing frame synchronization for a radio interval between radio base stations via a mobile station in cellular mobile communication system constituted by a plurality of zones, comprising the steps of:

measuring a time alignment value corresponding to a mobile station which is in communication with a reference station;

causing an adjustment station to receive a transmission signal from said mobile station which is in communication with said reference station, and measuring a radio frame phase difference representing an offset between the received signal and a home intra-station radio frame synchronization signal;

obtaining a radio frame phase control value on the basis of the radio frame phase difference measured by said adjustment station and the time alignment value measured by said reference station, wherein the radio frame phase control value is a value obtained by subtracting a sum of the radio frame phase difference and the time alignment value from a propagation delay time based on a distance between said reference station and said adjustment station.

adjusting a phase of the radio frame synchronization signal of said adjustment station in accordance with the obtained radio frame phase control value to match the phase with a phase of a radio frame synchronization signal in said reference station.