Mobile communication method and system

• US 5,812,543 A
• Filed: 09/18/1996
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sugita, Takehiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGO, RICKY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US08/715,431
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/426, 455/462, 455/465, 370/331, 370/335, 370/342, 370/441, 379/58-59, 379/61
• US Class Current: 370/335
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2628 using code-division multiple access [CDMA] or spread spectrum multiple access [SSMA] H04B7/2618 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/16 for PBS [Private Base Station] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile communication system in which a mobile unit of a mobile communication system operating under the CDMA system may be utilized indoors as a slave unit of the cordless telephone. The communication system operating under the CDMA system includes a plurality of fixed stations 3 connected to a subscriber network and designed to send a PN code shorter in period than a pilot PN code sent from a base station 1, and the identification information for the fixed stations 3, as a control channel, and a mobile unit 2 for receiving the identification information in the control channel received from the fixed station and for making or accepting a call via the fixed station 3 and via the base station 1 if the mobile unit 2 has identified the fixed station to be its own fixed station based on the identification information.

Claims

1. A method for mobile communication between a base station and a plurality of mobile units by a code division multiple connection system including a plurality of fixed stations connected to a subscriber network in association with said plurality of mobile units, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting as a control channel from the plurality of fixes stations N periods of PN codes shorter in period than a pilot PN code transmitted from the base station, N being not less than 1, and identification information for identifying the plurality of fixed stations;

making or accepting a call via one of said plurality of fixed stations, if one of said plurality of fixed stations has been confirmed by one of said plurality of mobile units to be said one of said plurality of stations associated with said one of said plurality of mobile units, based on the identification information of a control channel received by said one of said plurality of fixed stations; and

making or accepting a call via said base station, if one of said plurality of fixed stations has not been confirmed to be said one of said plurality of stations associated with said one of said plurality of mobile units.

2. The method for mobile communication as claimed in claim 1 comprising the further step of causing said one of said plurality of fixed stations to transmit said control channel in a time interval shorter than a time which elapses since an end of a paging channel intermittently transmitted from the base station until a leading end of a next paging channel.

3. The method for mobile communication as claimed in claim 1 comprising the further step of causing said one of said plurality of fixed stations to vary the timing of transmitting the control channel based on random numbers.

4. The method for mobile communication as claimed in claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

intermittently receiving at said mobile unit a paging channel transmitted from the base station; and

receiving the control channel from said one of said plurality of fixed stations during a period of not receiving the paging channel.

5. The method for mobile communication as claimed in claim 4 comprising the further step of causing said one of said plurality of mobile units to receive said control channel each time said one of said plurality of mobile units receives plural paging channels.

6. The method for mobile communication as claimed in claim 1 including the further step of causing said plurality of fixed stations to transmit control channels of respectively different PN codes.

7. A system for mobile transmission for having communication between a base station and a plurality of mobile units by a code division multiple connection system, comprising:

a plurality of fixed stations for transmitting N periods of a PN code shorter in period than a pilot PN code transmitted from the base station, as a control channel, N being not less than 1, and for transmitting identification information for identifying the plurality of fixed stations, as a control channel, said plurality of fixed stations being associated with said plurality of mobile units and being connected to a subscriber network; and

a plurality of mobile units which, if one of said plurality of fixed stations has been confirmed by one of said plurality of mobile units to be said one of said plurality of fixed stations associated with said one of said plurality of mobile units, based on the identification information of the control channel received by said one of said plurality of fixed stations, makes or accepts a call via said one of said plurality of fixed stations and, if otherwise, makes or accepts a call via said base station.

8. The system for mobile communication as claimed in claim 7 wherein said one of said plurality of fixed stations transmits said control channel in a time interval shorter than a time which elapses since an end of a paging channel intermittently transmitted from said base station until a leading end of a next paging channel.

9. The system for mobile communication as claimed in claim 7 wherein said one of said plurality of fixed stations varies the timing of transmitting the control channel based on random numbers.

10. The system for mobile communication as claimed in claim 7 wherein said one of said plurality of mobile units intermittently receives a paging channel intermittently transmitted from the base station, said one of said plurality of mobile units receiving the control channel from said one of said plurality of fixed stations during a period of not receiving the paging channel.

11. The apparatus for mobile communication as claimed in claim 10 wherein one of said plurality of mobile units receives said control channel each time said one of said plurality of mobile units receives a plurality of said paging channels.

12. The apparatus for mobile communication as claimed in claim 7 wherein said plurality of fixed stations transmit control channels of respectively different PN codes.

13. An apparatus in a mobile communication system designed for having communication between a base station and a plurality of mobile units by a code division multiple connection system, said apparatus having radio communication with said mobile unit, comprising:

PN code generating means for generating a PN code shorter in period than a pilot PN code transmitted from the base station;

identification information generating means for generating identification information for identifying a plurality of fixed stations; and

control channel transmitting means for transmitting N periods of the PN code from said PN code generating means, N being not less than 1, and the identification information from said identification information generating means, as a control channel.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the fixed station transmits said control channel in a time interval shorter than a time which elapses since an end of the paging channel intermittently transmitted from said base station unit a leading end of a next paging channel.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the control channel transmitting means varies the timing of transmitting the control channel based on random numbers.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said PN code generating means generates the PN code different from one fixed station to another.

17. An apparatus in a mobile communication system in which communication is established between a base station and a plurality of the mobile units by a code division multiple connection system, comprising:

reception means for receiving a paging channel from said base station and for receiving N periods, N being not less than 1, of PN codes shorter in period than a pilot PN code, and identification information for identifying a plurality of fixed stations associated with the plurality of mobile units as a control channel;

PN code detection means for detecting the PN codes of the control channel received by said reception means;

demodulation means for demodulating the identification information of said control channel based on a result of detection of said PN code detection means; and

control means managing control for making a call or accepting a call via one of said plurality of fixed stations if said one of said plurality of fixed stations has been confirmed by one of said plurality of mobile units to be said one of said plurality of fixed stations associated with said one of said plurality of mobile units based on the identification information from the demodulation means, said control means managing control for making or accepting a call via said base station otherwise.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein said one of said plurality of fixed stations transmits said control channel in a time interval shorter than a time which elapses since an end of the paging channel intermittently transmitted from said base station until a leading end of a next paging channel;

said control means controlling said PN code detection means for detecting the PN codes of said control channel.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein said one of said plurality of fixed stations varies the timing of transmission of the control channel based on random numbers, and wherein said control means controls the PN code detection means for detecting the PN codes of said control channel.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein said control means controls said reception means so that said reception means receives the paging channel intermittently transmitted from the base station, and so that said reception means receives the control channel from said base station during a period of not receiving the paging channel.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20 wherein said control unit controls said one of said plurality of mobile units for receiving said control channel each time said one of said plurality of mobile units receives plural paging channels.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein said one of said plurality of fixed stations transmits control channels of the respectively different PN codes and wherein said PN code detection means detects only one of said respectively different PN codes allocated to an associated one of said plurality of fixed stations.