Direct wireless communication system and method of operation

• US 5,995,849 A
• Filed: 11/26/1997
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wahoo Communications Corporation, Direct Wireless Corporation (Whitemark Homes, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Direct Wireless Communication Corporation
• Inventors: Williams, Bill G., Petermann, Jerry W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GANTT, ALAN T
• Application Number:
  US08/979,676
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 455/555, 455/560, 455/75, 455/554
• US Class Current: 455/555
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18567 Arrangements for providing additional services to the basic mobile satellite telephony service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

A digital direct wireless communication system that permits direct, point-to-point communication (voice or data) between transceivers without the infrastructure associated with traditional cellular systems. The transceivers may communicate with a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), with a plurality of fixed base units, a plurality of mobile units and possibly, a plurality of repeaters. The mobile units are operable to communicate point-to-point with other mobile units or other fixed base units. Similarly, the fixed base units are operable to communicate point-to-point with other fixed base units or other mobile units. The system repeaters, if present, are dispersed throughout the communication coverage area for receiving and re-transmitting radio signals from the mobile and fixed base units, if necessary. The mobile and fixed base units may also communicate with remote telephone users through the PSTN. In this mode, a mobile user may contact a remotely located telephone (outside the system) by dialing the number for the remote telephone. The mobile unit will establish communication with a fixed base unit associated with the mobile unit. The fixed base unit detects that the call from the mobile is intended for a telephone located outside the point-to-point communication system; i.e. outside the system. Upon detecting this condition, the fixed base unit provides the switching capabilities to connect the mobile unit to the remote telephone.

Claims

1. A method of operating a wireless communication system, said system including a plurality of transceivers, said method comprising:

in a first mode of operation, establishing intra-system duplex communication between one of said plurality of transceivers and another one of said plurality of transceivers, without the use of a public switched telephone network comprising;

performing a call initiating procedure between an originating transceiver and a destination transceiver including sending a frequency skip code;

upon successful completion of said call initiating procedure, establishing voice or data communication between said transceivers comprising;

transmitting from the originating transceiver using one of a broadcast frequency pair and transmitting from the destination transceiver using the other one of a broadcast frequency pair;

periodically changing said broadcast frequency pair as a function of the frequency skip code; and

in a second mode of operation, establishing inter-system duplex communication between one of said plurality of transceivers and a communication device outside of said system, using the public switched telephone network and at least one stationary transceiver.

2. The method of claim 1, said step of performing a call initiating procedure comprising:

transmitting from an originating mobile transceiver, a call initiation sequence, including an address of said originating mobile transceiver and an address of a destination mobile transceiver;

transmitting from said destination mobile transceiver, a return sequence, in response to said call initiation sequence; and

transmitting from said originating mobile transceiver, a call lock sequence, in response to said call return sequence.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

said transmitting of said call initiation and call lock sequence from said originating transceiver to said destination transceiver being on a single call set-up frequency; and

said transmitting of said call return sequence from said destination transceiver to said originating transceiver being on a single call return frequency.

4. The method of claim 2, said system further including at least one at least one repeater, said method further comprising:

including a boost code in said call initiation sequence; and

activating said at least one repeater in response to receipt by said at least one repeater of a call initiation sequence including a boost code, causing said repeater to receive, amplify and re-transmit communications from said originating transceiver and said destination transceiver.

5. The method of claim 4, said including step comprising,

including said boost code in response to a request by a user of said originating transceiver.

6. The method of claim 4, said including step comprising:

transmitting a call initiation sequence without a boost code for a predetermined time period; and

if no call return sequence is returned within said predetermined time period, adding a boost code to said call initiation sequence, and re-transmitting said call initiation sequence for a second predetermined time.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the frequency skip code is transmitted in the call lock sequence.

8. The method of claim 1, said system further comprising at least one repeater connected to said public switched telephone network, said method further comprising:

establishing inter-system duplex communication between one of said plurality of transceivers and a communication device outside of said system, using said public switched telephone network and said at least one repeater connected to said public switched telephone network.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein:

said transmitting of said call initiation and call lock sequence from said originating transceiver to said destination transceiver being on a first call set-up frequency; and

said transmitting of said call return sequence from said destination mobile transceiver to said originating mobile transceiver being on a second call return frequency.

9. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a plurality of mobile transceivers;

at least one stationary transceiver, at least one of said at least one stationary transceiver being connecting to a public switched telephone network; and

each of said plurality of mobile transceivers and each of said at least one stationary transceiver including a data processor programmed to operate said transceiver in a stand-by mode, in a call receive mode, or in a call transmit mode, and to conduct both intra-system communication without use of said public switched telephone network, and inter-system communication using said public switched telephone network; and

the call transmit mode transmits from an originating transceiver using one of a broadcast frequency pair and transmits from the destination transceiver using the other one of a broadcast frequency pair wherein the broadcast frequency pair is periodically changed as a function of a frequency skip code.

10. A wireless communication system, said system including a plurality of transceivers, comprising:

means for establishing intra-system duplex communication between one of said plurality of transceivers, without the use of a public switched telephone network comprising;

means for performing a call performing a call initiating procedure between an originating transceiver and a destination transceiver including sending a frequency skip code;

means for establishing voice or data communication between said transceivers comprising upon successful completion of said call initiating procedure;

means for transmitting from the originating transceiver using one of a broadcast frequency pair and transmitting from the destination transceiver using the other one of a broadcast frequency pair;

periodically changing said broadcast frequency pair as a function of the frequency skip code; and

means for establishing inter-system duplex communication between one of said plurality of transceivers and a communication device outside of said system, using the public switched telephone network and at least one stationary transceiver.