Concentrated subscriber system for wireless local loop

• US 5,781,856 A
• Filed: 05/05/1997
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Martin N., Jacobs, Paul E., Faus, Juan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAUNG, NAY AUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/850,952
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/403, 455/424, 455/425, 455/522, 455/517, 455/557, 455/561, 455/574
• US Class Current: 455/403
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]

Abstract

A cellular telephone concentrated subscriber system is described. The concentrated subscriber system includes a set of subscriber units coupled to a concentrated subscriber system controller. The concentrated subscriber system controller that provides a radio frequency (RF) interface to the standard base station transceiver of a cellular telephone system. Each subscriber unit has a unique electronic serial number. The concentrated subscriber system controller includes a set of modulator-demodulator systems (modems) and a RF transceiver and antenna system that is configured to transmit sufficient information to conduct multiple telephone calls over both long and short distances. The concentrated subscriber system controller also includes control circuitry for coupling the set of subscriber unit to the set of modems via a multiplexed system using stored information. In the preferred embodiment the number of modems is significantly less the number of subscriber units which are implemented in a simplified manner so that the per user cost of cellular telephone service is reduced.

Claims

1. A concentrated subscriber system for providing telecommunications service to a set of subscriber units comprising:

an RF transceiver system for transmitting and receiving radio wave frequency signals;

a set of modems for interfacing said set of subscriber units with said RF transceiver system, said set of modems having fewer modems than said set of subscriber units has subscriber units;

a control system for, receiving paging information including an intended subscriber unit from one of said set of modems, determining if said intended subscriber unit is part of said concentrated subscriber system, supplying encoding information associated with said intended subscriber unit to a modem from said set of modems, coupling said modem to said intended subscriber unit using said multiplexer; and

providing a modem from said set of modems with page monitoring information, wherein

said modem monitors for a page message generated in accordance with said page monitoring information.

2. The concentrated subscriber system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said modem:

notifies said controller system when said page is received; and

supplies said controller system with said paging information contained in said page message.

3. The concentrated subscriber system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said modems:

convert input data into packetized and encoded and compressed digital output data using said encoding information; and

convert input packetized, encoded and compressed digital input data into output data using said encoding information.

4. The concentrated subscriber system as set forth in claim 2 comprising:

an RF transceiver system for transmitting and receiving radio wave frequency signals;

a set of modems for interfacing said set of subscriber units with said RF transceiver system, said set of modems having fewer modems than said set of subscriber units has subscriber units;

a multiplexer system for coupling said set of subscriber units to said set modems;

a control system for receiving paging information including an intended subscriber unit from one of said set of modems, determining if said intended subscriber unit is part of said concentrated subscriber system, supplying encoding information associated with said intended subscriber unit to a modem >

from said set of modems, and coupling said modem to said intended subscriber unit using said multiplexer, wherein said control system,

receives a power alarm signal;

instructs said modems maintain power requirements at present levels or less;

reduces the transmission rate of each of said modems if said power alarm remains asserted; and

terminates a telephone call if said power alarm remains asserted.

5. The concentrated subscriber system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said encoding information comprises an electronic serial number.

6. The concentrated subscriber information as set forth in claims 2 wherein said page monitoring information comprises a paging ESN.

7. A method for operating a concentrated subscriber system for wireless local loop having a set of subscriber units comprising the steps of:

a) monitoring for a page message generated in accordance with paging parameters using a first modem;

b) determining that said page message is directed to a subscriber unit from said set of subscriber units; and

c) conducting a communication session with said subscriber unit using a second modem.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein step a) comprises the steps of:

a.1) designating said first modem to monitor for page message;

a.2) providing said modem with page monitoring information;

a.3) calculating said paging parameters using said page monitoring information; and

a.4) monitoring for a page message generated in accordance with said page parameters.

9. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein step b) comprises the steps of:

b.1) receiving said paging message having an intended subscriber unit; and

b.2) comparing said intended subscriber unit to the set of subscriber units.

10. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein step c) further comprises the steps of:

c.1) providing said encoding information to a second modem; and

c.2) conducting a communication session with said subscriber unit using said second modem.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10 wherein step c.2) comprises the steps of:

calculating a spreading code as a function of said encoding information; and

coupling said second modem to said subscriber unit.

12. The method as set forth in claim 7 further comprising the step of transmitting a busy message when a subscriber unit is disconnected but not in use.

13. The method as set forth in claim 7 further comprising the step of:

providing a modem with the encoding information of a third subscriber unit from said set of subscriber units when an activation signal is received.

14. The method as set forth in claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a power alarm signal;

disables outgoing and incoming telephone calls

instructs said modems maintain power requirements at present levels or less;

reducing the transmission rate of said first and second modem if said power alarm signal remains asserted; and

terminating a telephone call if said power alarm signal remains asserted.

15. A concentrated subscriber system for wireless local loop having a subscriber unit comprising:

a first modem for monitoring for page messages and for conducting a communication session with a subscriber unit; and

a control system for determining that said page message is directed to a subscriber unit from said set of subscriber units.

16. The concentrated subscriber system as set forth in claim 15 wherein:

said control system designates said first modem to monitor for page message and provides said modem with page monitoring information; and

said first modem calculates said paging parameters using said page monitoring information and monitors for a page message generated in accordance with said page parameters.

17. The concentrated subscriber system as set forth in claim 15 wherein said control system receives said paging message having an intended subscriber unit information and compares said intended subscriber unit information with said set of subscriber units.

18. The concentrated subscriber system as set forth in claim 15 wherein:

said control system provides encoding information to a second modem in response to a page message; and

said second modem conducts a communication session with said subscriber unit using said encoding information.

19. The concentrated subscriber system as set forth in claim 18 further comprising a multiplexer unit for coupling said second modem to said subscriber unit.

20. The concentrated subscriber system as set forth in claim 15 wherein said control system transmits a busy message when a subscriber unit being paged is disconnected, but not in use.

21. The concentrated subscriber system as set forth in claim 15 wherein said control system provides a third modem with encoding information associated with a third subscriber unit from said set of subscriber units when an activation signal is received.

22. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said control system:

receives a power alarm signal;

instructs said modems maintain power requirements at present levels or less;

reduces the transmission rate of said first and second modem if said power alarm signal remains asserted; and

terminates a telephone call if said power alarm signal remains asserted.