Telecommunications systems arrangement

• US 5,878,343 A
• Filed: 12/02/1996
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Lundstrom, Anders, Morin, Stig, Robert, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jama, Isaak R.
• Application Number:
  US08/750,164
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 370/466, 370/467, 455/74, 455/74.1, 455/424, 455/426, 455/436, 455/439, 455/444, 455/445, 455/462, 455/464, 455/465, 455/554, 455/555, 455/560, 455/561, 455/552, 455/553
• US Class Current: 455/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1443 between licensed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

An arrangement interconnects a first communication system and a second communication system. The first communication system is a cellular mobile communication system. The second communication system is a cordless access system. The systems are connected via an interworking function which is connected to a Mobile Switching Center of the first communication system via an existing interface of the first communication system. The interworking function is connected to an access system of the second communication system via an interface of the second communications system.

Claims

1. Arrangement for interconnecting a first communication system with a number of first terminals and a second communication system with a number of second terminals wherein the second communication system is a cordless access communication system and the first communication system is a cellular mobile communication system comprising at least one Mobile Switching Centre, the interconnecting arrangement comprising an interworking function means, wherein the interworking function means via the existing interface of the first communication system is connected to a second Mobile Switching Centre of the first communication system and via a second interface of the second communication system is connected to said second communication, systems the interworking function means interworks protocols so that the second interface is converted to the existing interface of the first communication, systems and the interworking function provides emulation of a Base Station Subsystem of the first communication system and a first terminal over said existing interface in a non-modified form.

2. Arrangement according to claim 1, whereing the first system is a digital system and the second communication system is a cordless access system.

3. Arrangement according to claim 2, whereing the existing interface is the A-interface.

4. Arrangement according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the second interface, the interface of the second system, is a Common Channel Signalling interface.

5. Arrangement according to claim 4 wherein, the second interface or the Common Channel-signalling interface is ported on to a PCM-link for connecting the cordless access system to a PCM interface of the interworking function.

6. Arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the interworking function comprises a user Communication Interface and a Computer Platform comprising an interworking entity module handling the mapping of messages between the A-interface and the second interface particularly the CCS-interface and a Call Control module, a Base Station System Application Part for handling channel allocation and message transfer over the A-interface, and an Operation and Maintenance module.

7. Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the interworking function via the existing interface is connected to the Visitor Location Register of the second Mobile Switching centre.

8. Arrangement according to claim 1 wherein, both a first (MS;

GDMS) and a second terminal (PP;

GDMS) provide capability of originating as well as of terminating calls.

9. Arrangement according to claim 1 wherein, the first system comprises dual subscriptions.

10. Arrangement according to claim 8, wherein, the first system comprises two International Mobile Subscriber Identity codes and two Mobile Station Integrated Services Digital Network codes or MSISDN-codes.

11. Arrangement according to claim 10, wherein, the first MSISDN is an external MSISDN of the interconnected communication system whereas the second MSISDN is connected to a second terminal.

12. Arrangement according to claim 11, wherein, the second MSISDN is hidden.

13. Arrangement according to claims 9, the first MSISDN is hidden.

14. Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein, incoming calls to the interconnected communication system are routed to the first or the second system depending on the current location of the subscriber of the interconnected network.

15. Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein, the second system uses the first system for switching and routing functionality.

16. Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein, the first system is the GSM-system and the second system is the Digital European Cordless Telecommunication system.

17. Arrangement according to claim 16, wherein, the first and the second terminals are GSM terminals and/or DECT terminals respectively.

18. Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein, at least one first and/or second terminal is a dual mode terminal.

19. Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein it is used for roaming between different sites of the second system and/or for roaming between the first system and the second system.

20. Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein, it is used for handover between different sites of the second system.

21. Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein, it is used for handover between the first system and the second system and in that at least some of the first and second terminals are dual mode terminals.

22. Cellular mobile communication system comprising a first cellular mobile communication system and a second cordless access communication system which are interconnected via a interworking function means, wherein the interworking function means via the existing interface of the first communication system is connected to a Mobile Switching Centre of the first system and via a second interface of the second system is connected to said second system, the second interface is interworked with the existing first interface in the interworking function means, the existing interface requiring no modification and the interworking function provides emulation of a Base Station Subsystem of the cellular communication system and a first terminal over said existing interface.

23. Communication system according to claim 22, wherein, the first communication system is the GSM-system and the second communication system is the DECT-system and in that the existing interface is the GSM A-interface.

24. Communication system according to claim 22, wherein, the first system is any cellular system such as e.g. ADC, PDC, PSPDN, PCS, NMT, AMPS or TACS etc.

25. Communication system comprising a first cellular mobile communication system and at least one second cordless access communication system wherein the first and the second systems are interconnected via interworking function means, and the second interface of the second system is converted to an unmodified existing first interface of the first system in the interworking function means and the interworking function provides emulation of a Base Station Subsystem of the cellular communication system over said existing interface.

26. Communication system according to claim 25 wherein the first system is the GSM-system and the second system is the DECT system and wherein the existing interface is the A-interface of GSM.

27. Communication system according to claim 25 or comprising a number of terminals wherein at least some of the terminals of the system are so called dual mode terminals having the function of both a terminal as normally used in the first system and a terminal as normally used in the second system.

28. Cordless access communication system which is interconnected to a cellular mobile communication system wherein an interface of the cordless system via protocol conversion is interworked with an existing interface of the cellular mobile communication system via an interworking function means arranged in the fixed part(s) of the cordless system the interworking function providing emulation of a Base Station Subsystem of the first communication system without modification of the existing interface of the first system.