Coexisting communication systems
First Claim
1. A communication system comprising:
- a first protocol for time division multiple access communication, said first protocol including a first plurality of time slots;
a second protocol for time division multiple access communication, said second protocol including a second plurality of time slots;
an integrated base station, said integrated base station comprising a first base station unit configured to operate according to said first protocol and a second base station unit configured to operate according to said second protocol in the same geographic area;
a synchronizing signal between said first base station unit and said second base station unit for preventing collisions between communications using said first protocol and said second protocol; and
,means for selectively communicating according to either said first protocol or said second protocol.
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Abstract
An integrated communication system supporting multiple TDMA or TDD communication protocols whereby both protocols are supported within the same geographic region. Each protocol defines time frames and/or time slots of a different duration, from which is derived a composite time frame having a predefined timing structure. A first base station unit communicates in a first set of time slots of the composite time frame according to a first TDMA or TDD protocol, and a second base station unit (which may be collocated with the first base station unit) communicates in a second set of time slots of the composite time frame according to a second TDMA or TDD protocol. Coordinating electronics (such as a GPS receiver in one or both base station units) are provided so as to prevent collisions between communications occurring between each base station unit and its respective users. In a particular embodiment, a first protocol is a GSM protocol, and a second protocol is a TDD protocol utilizing spread spectrum techniques. The TDD protocol is structured so that each time slot is twice the duration of a GSM time slot, and each time frame is four times the duration of a GSM time frame. The system may comprise a number of "stacked" base stations in a single cell, each operating over a different frequency or using different spreading codes.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A communication system comprising:
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a first protocol for time division multiple access communication, said first protocol including a first plurality of time slots; a second protocol for time division multiple access communication, said second protocol including a second plurality of time slots; an integrated base station, said integrated base station comprising a first base station unit configured to operate according to said first protocol and a second base station unit configured to operate according to said second protocol in the same geographic area; a synchronizing signal between said first base station unit and said second base station unit for preventing collisions between communications using said first protocol and said second protocol; and
,means for selectively communicating according to either said first protocol or said second protocol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A communication system comprising:
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a first base station unit, said first base station unit operating according to a first protocol for time division multiple access communication in a first cellular region; a second base station unit, said second base unit operating according to a second protocol for time division multiple access communication in a second cellular region at least partially overlapping with said first cellular region; and a synchronization signal connected from said first base station unit to said second base station unit, whereby first communications between said first base station unit and user stations using said first protocol are coordinated with second communications between said second base station unit and user stations using said second protocol so as to prevent collisions between said first communications and said second communications. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for communication comprising the steps of:
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defining a plurality of first time frames, each comprising a first group of time slots, defining a plurality of second time frames, each comprising a second group of time slots, wherein said first group of time slots and said second group of time slots overlap temporally; and selectively communicating at a given time over only one time slot from said first group of time slots and said second group of time slots. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A communication system comprising
a first base station unit operating according to a first protocol, whereby communication between a first plurality of user stations and said first base station unit is carried out in time slots and using frequency division duplexing, said first base station unit transmitting over a first frequency band and receiving over a second frequency band; -
a second base station unit operating according to a second protocol, whereby communication between a second plurality of user stations and said second base station unit is carried out using time division duplexing, said first base station unit transmitting and receiving over at least one of said first frequency band and said second frequency band; and a synchronizing signal between said first base station unit and said second base station unit. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for communicating comprising the steps of:
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transmitting, over a first frequency band, a first base-to-user message from a first base station unit to a first user station; receiving said first base-to-user message at said first user station; transmitting, over a second frequency band at least partially overlapping said first frequency band, a first user-to-base message from a second user station to a second base station unit, said first base station unit and second base station unit being located within a same cell; receiving said first user-to-base message at said second base station unit; transmitting, over said second frequency band, a second base-to-user message from said second base station unit to said second user station; receiving said second base-to-user message at said second user station; transmitting, over a third frequency band separate and distinct from said first frequency band, a second user-to-base message from said first user station to said first base station unit; and receiving said second user-to-base message at said first base station unit. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. In a communication system, a timing structure for communication comprising:
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a composite time frame having a duration of 18.46 milliseconds; a plurality of first time slots in said composite time frame, each of said first time slots supporting a half-duplex GSM communication link, with a corresponding second half-duplex GSM communication link located on a different frequency band; and a plurality of second time slots in said composite time frame, each of said second time slots having twice the duration of one of said first time slots, and each of said second time slots supporting two half-duplex time division communication links. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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Specification