Distributed indoor digital multiple-access cellular telephone system
First Claim
1. A communication network for permitting wireless communication with a mobile unit movably positionable to a selected location within at least one cell defined by an area encompassed by said network, said communication network comprising:
- a plurality of spaced-apart transceivers, each of said transceivers respectively defining a subcell, said subcells collectively forming the at least one cell, said transceivers for selectively transmitting downlink signals to the mobile unit; and
a control device coupled to each of said transceivers for controlling operation of said transceivers such that a first said transceiver defining the subcell in which the mobile unit is positioned and a second said transceiver defining a subcell adjacent thereto concurrently transmit a downlink signal on a selected downlink channel to the mobile unit and such that the mobile unit is permitted uninterrupted reception of the downlink signal by remaining tuned to the selected downlink channel as the mobile unit is moved between the adjacent subcells and such that uplink signals transmitted by the mobile unit in response to downlink signals transmitted by a transmitter portion of one said transceiver are permitted to be routed through a receiver portion of another said transceiver regardless of whether said another transceiver transmitted the downlink signals to which the mobile unit is responding.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communication network, and associated method, permitting wireless communication with a mobile unit in an indoor environment. Transceivers are positioned at spaced-apart locations and are coupled to a centralized, control device. The transceivers include transmitter portions and wideband receiver portions. Uplink signals transmitted by a mobile unit are received by receiver portions of transceivers within the range of the uplink signal. Downlink signals are generated by at least two transmitter portions of at least two transceivers. The control device controls selection of which transmitter portions and which receiver portions of the plurality of transceivers are utilized to effectuate two-way communication with the mobile unit. Control signals can also be transmitted by the transmitter portions of all of the transceivers such that a mobile unit positioned anywhere within the area of the communication network receives the control signals.
346 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A communication network for permitting wireless communication with a mobile unit movably positionable to a selected location within at least one cell defined by an area encompassed by said network, said communication network comprising:
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a plurality of spaced-apart transceivers, each of said transceivers respectively defining a subcell, said subcells collectively forming the at least one cell, said transceivers for selectively transmitting downlink signals to the mobile unit; and a control device coupled to each of said transceivers for controlling operation of said transceivers such that a first said transceiver defining the subcell in which the mobile unit is positioned and a second said transceiver defining a subcell adjacent thereto concurrently transmit a downlink signal on a selected downlink channel to the mobile unit and such that the mobile unit is permitted uninterrupted reception of the downlink signal by remaining tuned to the selected downlink channel as the mobile unit is moved between the adjacent subcells and such that uplink signals transmitted by the mobile unit in response to downlink signals transmitted by a transmitter portion of one said transceiver are permitted to be routed through a receiver portion of another said transceiver regardless of whether said another transceiver transmitted the downlink signals to which the mobile unit is responding. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for permitting wireless communication in a communication network with a mobile unit movably positionable to a selected location within at least one cell defined by an area encompassed by the network, said method comprising the steps of:
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positioning a plurality of transceivers at spaced-apart locations throughout the at least one cell, each of the transceivers defining a subcell; from a transceiver defining the subcell in which the mobile unit is positioned and from a transceiver defining a subcell adjacent thereto, concurrently transmitting a downlink signal on a selected downlink channel to the mobile unit such that the mobile unit is permitted uninterrupted reception of the downlink signal by remaining tuned to the selected downlink channel as the mobile unit is moved between the adjacent subcells; and transmitting an uplink signal from the mobile unit in response to a downlink signal received from one of the transceivers, and routing the uplink signal through another of the transceivers regardless of whether said another transceiver transmitted the downlink signal to which the mobile unit is responding. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A communication network for permitting wireless communication with a mobile unit movably positionable to a selected location within at least one cell defined by an area encompassed by said network, said communication network comprising:
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a plurality of spaced-apart transceivers respectively defining a plurality of subcells which collectively form the at least one cell, each of said transceivers having a transmitter portion and a receiver portion, said transmitter portions for selectively transmitting downlink signals on a selected downlink channel to the mobile unit tuned to the selected downlink channel, and each of said receiver portions tuned concurrently to every uplink channel of a set of uplink channels for receiving an uplink signal transmitted by the mobile unit on a selected uplink channel of the set of uplink channels; and a control device coupled to each of said transceivers, said control device for controlling operation of said transceivers such that one said transceiver defining the subcell in which the mobile unit is located and another said transceiver defining an adjacent subcell concurrently transmit a downlink signal on the selected downlink channel. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A cellular telephone system having at least one cell defined in a specific geographic region, said system comprising:
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a plurality of radio transceivers positioned throughout the at least one cell, each said radio transceiver for providing radio coverage within a portion of the cell, each portion defining a subcell of the at least one cell, the plurality of radio transceivers operable to broadcast a first information signal upon a common channel throughout each of the subcells defined by said plurality of radio transceivers, a first said radio transceiver and a second said radio transceiver adjacent thereto operable to broadcast a second information signal upon a selected channel throughout a first said subcell and a second said subcell respectively defined by the first radio transceiver and the second radio transceiver; a mobile station operable to receive the first information signal when positioned within any of the subcells and operable to receive the second information signal when positioned within said first and second subcells, said mobile station responsive to a third information signal received from one of said radio transceivers for transmitting a fourth information signal to at least one of said radio transceivers; and a controller coupled to said radio transceivers for permitting said fourth information signal to be routed through a further one of said radio transceivers other than said radio transceiver from which said third information signal was received regardless of whether said further radio transceiver transmitted said third information signal. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification