Multi-mode communication network with handset-selected channel assignments
First Claim
1. In a multi-mode communication network in which a common pool of channels is used for both cellular mode communications and cordless mode communications and in which radio coverage areas of a cellular land station and a cordless base station overlap, a method of operating a portable radiotelephone handset comprising the steps of:
- determining a location for said handset;
identifying, after said determining step, a plurality of radio communication channels which are unused by said cellular land station, said identifying step being performed when said location determining step indicates that said handset is located proximate said cellular base station;
passing identities of said channels to said cordless base station; and
engaging in user communications with said cordless base station using one of said channels.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-mode communication network (12) accommodates piloted cellular operation and pilotless cordless operation using a multi-mode handset (18). A common pool of channels (28) serves cellular and cordless operations. At least some channels from a cordless subset (32) of the pool of channels (28) are unused in cellular operations regardless of location. The handset (18) monitors forward portions of all cordless subset channels when the handset (18) is within the coverage area (16) of its cordless base station (22). Unused channels are indicated on a dormant channel list (70), which is passed to the handset'"'"'s cordless base station (22) when the handset (18) registers for cordless operation. The cordless base station (22) makes an active channel list (62) based upon the dormant channel list (70). Cordless operation messages transmitted from either a handset (18) or cordless base station (22) use a channel selected from the active channel list (62).
174 Citations
26 Claims
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1. In a multi-mode communication network in which a common pool of channels is used for both cellular mode communications and cordless mode communications and in which radio coverage areas of a cellular land station and a cordless base station overlap, a method of operating a portable radiotelephone handset comprising the steps of:
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determining a location for said handset; identifying, after said determining step, a plurality of radio communication channels which are unused by said cellular land station, said identifying step being performed when said location determining step indicates that said handset is located proximate said cellular base station; passing identities of said channels to said cordless base station; and engaging in user communications with said cordless base station using one of said channels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 8, 9, 10)
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3. In a multi-mode communication network in which a common pool of channels is used for both cellular mode communications and cordless mode communications and in which radio coverage areas of a cellular land station and a cordless base station overlap, wherein said cellular land station communicates using a first subset of said pool of channels and said cordless base station communicates using channels selected from a second subset of said pool of channels, a method of operating a portable radiotelephone handset configured to communicate with said land station and said cordless base station over any channel included in said common pool of channels, said method comprising the steps of:
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identifying a plurality of radio communication channels which are unused by said cellular land station, by monitoring each channel included in said second subset to determine which of said second subset of channels also belongs to said first subset; passing identities of said channels to said cordless base station; and engaging in user communications with said cordless base station using one of said channels. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7)
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11. In a multi-mode communication network in which a common pool of channels is used for both cellular mode communications and cordless mode communications and in which radio coverage areas of a cellular land station and a cordless base station overlap, a method of operating a cordless radiotelephone communication system comprising the steps of:
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identifying, in a portable radiotelephone handset configured to provide said cellular and said cordless modes of communications and to move within said radio coverage area of said cordless base station, a plurality of radio communication channels which are unused by said cellular land station; passing identities of said plurality of channels from said handset to said cordless base station; and engaging in user communications between said handset and said cordless base station using one of said channels.
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12. In a multi-mode communication network in which a common pool of channels is used for both cellular mode communications and cordless mode communications and in which radio coverage areas of a cellular land station and a cordless base station overlap, a method of operating a cordless radiotelephone communication system comprising the steps of:
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identifying, in a handset configured to operate in said cordless mode, a plurality of radio communication channels which are unused by said cellular land station; passing identities of said plurality of channels from said handset to said cordless base station; composing, in said cordless base station after said passing step, a list of available channels, said list of available channels being responsive to said plurality of channels; transmitting said list of available channels from said cordless base station to said handset; and engaging in user communications between said handset and said cordless base station using one of said channels by selecting a channel from said available channel list on which to conduct said user communications. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. In a multi-mode communication network in which a common pool of channels is used for both cellular mode communications and cordless mode communications and in which radio coverage areas of a cellular land station and a cordless base station overlap, wherein said cellular land station communicates using a first subset of said pool of channels and said cordless base station communicates using channels selected from a second subset of said pool of channels, a method of operating a cordless radiotelephone communication system comprising the steps of:
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identifying, in a handset configured to operate in said cordless mode, a plurality of radio communication channels which are unused by said cellular land station, said identifying step comprising the step of monitoring each channel included in said second subset to determine which of said second subset of channels also belongs to said first subset; passing identities of said plurality of channels from said handset to said cordless base station; and engaging in user communications between said handset and said cordless base station using one of said channels. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A multi-mode portable radiotelephone which communicates in a cellular mode with a cellular land station having a first radio coverage area and in a cordless mode with a cordless base station having a second radio coverage area, said first and second areas overlapping each other, said portable radiotelephone comprising:
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a controller; an RF transmitter coupled to said controller; and an RF receiver coupled to said controller;
wherein,said portable radiotelephone moves within said second radio coverage area; and said controller is configured to control said portable radiotelephone receiver to identify a plurality of radio communication channels which are unused by said cellular land station, to cause said portable radiotelephone transmitter to pass identities of said channels to said cordless base station, and to cause said portable radiotelephone transmitter and receiver to engage in user communications with said cordless base station using one of said channels.
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17. A multi-mode portable radiotelephone configured to communicate in a cellular mode with a cellular land station having a first radio coverage area and in a cordless mode with a cordless base station having a second radio coverage area, said first and second areas overlapping each other, over any channel included in a pool of channels, wherein said cellular land station communicates using a first subset of said pool of channels, said cordless base station communicates using channels selected from a second subset of said pool of channels, said portable radiotelephone comprising:
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a controller; a transmitter coupled to said controller; and a receiver coupled to said controller;
wherein,said controller is configured to control said receiver to monitor each channel included in said second subset to determine which of said second subset of channels also belongs to said first subset, to identify a plurality of radio communication channels which are unused by said cellular land station, to cause said transmitter to pass identities of said channels to said cordless base station, and to cause said transmitter and receiver to engage in user communications with said cordless base station using one of said channels. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A multi-mode portable radiotelephone which communicates in a cellular mode with a cellular land station having a first radio coverage area and in a cordless mode with a cordless base station having a second radio coverage area, said first and second areas overlapping each other, said portable radiotelephone comprising:
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a controller; a transmitter coupled to said controller; and a receiver coupled to said controller;
wherein,said controller is configured to verify that said handset is located in said second radio coverage area prior to identifying a plurality of radio communication channels which are unused by said cellular land station, to cause said transmitter to pass identities of said channels to said cordless base station, and to cause said transmitter and receiver to engage in user communications with said cordless base station using one of said channels.
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20. In a multi-mode communication network in which a common pool of channels is used for both cellular mode communications and cordless mode communications and in which a radio coverage area of a cellular land station overlies radio coverage areas for a plurality of cordless base stations, a method of operating a portable radiotelephone handset comprising the steps of:
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identifying a used channel at said handset from said common pool of channels; determining, in said handset, whether said used channel is conveying a cordless communication originating from one of said cordless base stations; defining said used channel as being an available channel if said user-channel is conveying said cordless communication; and passing an identity of said available channel from said handset to a home one of said cordless base stations to assign said available channel to said home cordless base station. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification