Method and system for distributing subscriber services using wireless bidirectional broadband loops
First Claim
1. A communications system having a headend source of stored information signals operatively coupled to a wideband wireless loop network, the network comprising:
- a plurality of cell centers each assigned to a subscriber service area including;
a communication device configured to communicate with a plurality of subscriber units within a designated subscriber service area;
each cell center coupled to a central office, and the central office including;
a switch, responsive to an upstream signal request from a cell center, for coupling a subscriber services channel to the cell center;
a plurality of antennas each dedicated to a segment of the subscriber service area and operable to communicate over a common frequency channel, and wherein the antennas corresponding to adjacent segments of the subscriber service area operate in different transmission modes; and
the plurality of subscriber units each including;
a receiver configured to receive a downstream information signal from an antenna; and
a transmitter configured to transmit the upstream signal request to the antenna.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for distributing subscriber services to a number of user locations in a broadband cellular network. A bidirectional antenna array located at a number of cell centers provides coverage over a wide service area by using wireless distribution loops. The cell centers broadcast subscriber services over designated channels and a user at the subscriber site location commands a centralized mechanism to switch to the channel broadcasting the requested service. The duplication of service channels is minimized and the number of subscribers is maximized by allowing channel selection to occur at various points in the distribution network. Each antenna in the array is configured to provide the subscriber service to a particular service segment. These segments include subscriber location sites with processing equipment to request and receive the services in the form of information programs, data, signaling, etc.
60 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A communications system having a headend source of stored information signals operatively coupled to a wideband wireless loop network, the network comprising:
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a plurality of cell centers each assigned to a subscriber service area including; a communication device configured to communicate with a plurality of subscriber units within a designated subscriber service area; each cell center coupled to a central office, and the central office including; a switch, responsive to an upstream signal request from a cell center, for coupling a subscriber services channel to the cell center; a plurality of antennas each dedicated to a segment of the subscriber service area and operable to communicate over a common frequency channel, and wherein the antennas corresponding to adjacent segments of the subscriber service area operate in different transmission modes; and the plurality of subscriber units each including; a receiver configured to receive a downstream information signal from an antenna; and a transmitter configured to transmit the upstream signal request to the antenna.
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2. A communications system having a headend source of stored information signals coupled to a wideband wireless loop network, the network comprising:
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a plurality of cell centers each assigned to a subscriber service area including; a communication device configured to communicate with a plurality of subscriber units within a designated subscriber service area; each cell center including; a selection device, responsive to an upstream signal request, configured to couple a subscriber services channel to an antenna servicing a requesting subscriber unit, wherein the subscriber services channel broadcasts an information program; and a transmitter, coupled to the selection device, configured to transmit the information program to the requesting subscriber unit in a downstream information signal, the downstream information signal divided into a series of data packets, and at least one data packet identified by a header section; a plurality of antennas each dedicated to a segment of the subscriber service area and operable to communicate over a common frequency channel, and wherein the antennas corresponding to adjacent segments of the subscriber service area operate in different transmission modes; and the plurality of subscriber units each including; a receiver configured to receive a downstream information signal from an antenna; and a transmitter configured to transmit the upstream signal request to the antenna. - View Dependent Claims (3)
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4. A communications system having a headend source of stored information signals coupled to a wideband wireless loop network, the network comprising:
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a plurality of cell centers each assigned to a subscriber service area including; a communication device configured to communicate with a plurality of subscriber units within a designated subscriber service area; each cell center including; a selection device, responsive to an upstream signal request, configured to couple a subscriber services channel to an antenna servicing a requesting subscriber unit, wherein the subscriber services channel broadcasts an information program; and a transmitter, coupled to the selection device, configured to transmit the information program to the requesting subscriber unit in a downstream information signal; a plurality of antennas each dedicated to a segment of the subscriber service area and operable to communicate over a common frequency channel, and wherein the antennas corresponding to adjacent segments of the subscriber service area operate in different transmission modes; and the plurality of subscriber units each including; a receiver configured to receive a downstream information signal from an antenna; and a transmitter configured to transmit the upstream signal request to the antenna, the upstream signal request divided into a series of data packets, and at least one data packet identified by a header section. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A communications system having a headend source of stored information signals coupled to a wideband wireless loop network, the network comprising:
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a plurality of cell centers each assigned to a subscriber service area including; a communication device configured to communicate with a plurality of subscriber units within a designated subscriber service area; a plurality of antennas each dedicated to a segment of the subscriber service area and operable to communicate over a common frequency channel, and wherein the antennas corresponding to adjacent segments of the subscriber service area operate in different transmission modes, the plurality of antennas configured in a circular arrangement including; eight directional antennas each defining a 45 degree segment of the coverage area; the plurality of subscriber units, each including; a receiver configured to receive a downstream information signal from an antenna; and a transmitter configured to transmit the upstream signal request to the antenna.
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7. A communications system having a headend source of stored information signals coupled to a wideband wireless loop network, the network comprising:
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a plurality of cell centers each assigned to a subscriber service area including; a communication device configured to communicate with a plurality of subscriber units within a designated subscriber service area; a plurality of antennas each dedicated to a segment of the subscriber service area and operable to communicate over a common frequency channel, and wherein the antennas corresponding to adjacent segments of the subscriber service area operate in different transmission modes, the plurality of antennas configured in a circular arrangement, the different transmission modes including; a first direction of polarization; and a second direction of polarization orthogonal to the first polarization direction; the plurality of subscriber units, each including; a receiver configured to receive a downstream information signal from an antenna; and a transmitter configured to transmit the upstream signal request to the antenna. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. In a wide band cellular communication network including a headend device for storing and transmitting a plurality of information signals and a central office for distributing the plurality of information signals to a group of subscriber service areas, a cell center coupled to the central office comprising:
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a communication device configured to communicate with a plurality of subscriber units in at least one of the subscriber service areas; a plurality of antennas, each providing communication coverage to a segment of at least one of the subscriber service areas, the plurality of antennas configured in a circular arrangement of eight directional antennas each defining a 45 degree segment of the service area; wherein each antenna operating in a transmission format, the format being an orthogonal transmission mode, different than the format for antennas associated with adjacent segments of the at least one of the subscriber service areas; a selection device, responsive to an upstream signal request, configured to couple a subscriber services channel to the antenna servicing the subscriber unit, wherein the subscriber services channel broadcasts a data stream; and a transmitter configured to transmit the data stream to the subscriber unit in a downstream information signal.
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11. In a wide band cellular communication network including a headend device for storing and transmitting a plurality of information signals and a central office for distributing the plurality of information signals to a group of subscriber service areas, a cell center coupled to the central office comprising:
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a communication device configured to communicate with a plurality of subscriber units in at least one of the subscriber service areas; a plurality of antennas each providing communication coverage to a segment of at least one of the subscriber service areas; wherein each antenna operating in a transmission format different than formats for antennas associated with adjacent segments of the at least one of the subscriber service areas; a selection device, responsive to an upstream signal request, configured to couple a subscriber services channel to the antenna servicing the subscriber unit, the subscriber services channel being a wideband TDM channel that broadcasts a data stream; and a transmitter configured to transmit the data stream to the subscriber unit in a downstream information signal, the downstream information signal divided into a series of data packets and at least one data packet identified by a header section. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. In a wide band cellular communication network including a headend device for storing and transmitting a plurality of information signals and a central office for distributing the plurality of information signals to a group of subscriber service areas, a cell center coupled to the central office comprising:
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a communication device configured to communicate with a plurality of subscriber units in at least one of the subscriber service areas; a plurality of antennas each providing communication coverage to a segment of at least one of the subscriber service areas; wherein each antenna operating in a transmission format different than formats for antennas associated with adjacent segments of the at least one of the subscriber service areas; a selection device, responsive to an upstream signal request divided into a series of data packets and at least one data packet identified by a header section, configured to couple a subscriber services channel to the antenna servicing the subscriber unit, wherein the subscriber services channel broadcasts a data stream; and a transmitter configured to transmit the data stream to the subscriber unit in a downstream information signal. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A subscriber unit residing in a subscriber service area of a wide band cellular communication system including a plurality of cell centers for distributing a plurality of subscriber services, each subscriber service area serviced by a cell center, the subscriber unit comprising:
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a transmitter configured to transmit an upstream signaling request to the cell center serving the subscriber service area, wherein the upstream signaling request is a request for at least one subscriber service; a receiver configured to receive a downstream information signal from the cell center serving the subscriber service area, the downstream information signal divided into a series of data packets, and at least one of the data packets identified by a header section, the downstream information signal including the at least one subscriber service requested by the subscriber unit and the receiver including; means for receiving the series of data packets; and a signal extraction device, coupled to the receiver, configured to extract the at least one subscriber service from the downstream information signal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. In a wideband wireless loop network having a headend source for storing and transmitting information signals coupled to a wideband wireless loop network, the network including a plurality of cell centers each providing service to a number of service areas, a method for providing subscriber services to a number of subscriber units comprising the steps of:
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initiating an upstream signal request at a subscriber unit located within a service area segment, the upstream signal request includeing a series of data packets and an address for identifying the subscriber unit transmitting the upstream signal request, and the step of initiating includeing the substeps of; combining the address with a service request signal to form the upstream signal request; and storing the upstream signal request in a subscriber unit buffer until a polling message is received from the cell center or an assigned TDMA timeslot occurs; sending the polling message to subscriber units in the service area segment, from a cell center to determine the presence of the upstream signal request wherein the cell center services the service area segment containing the requesting subscriber unit; transmitting, to the cell center, the upstream signal request upon the receipt of the polling message; switching, upon receipt of the upstream signal request, a selection device to a subscriber service channel, wherein the subscriber service channel broadcasts a subscriber service; transmitting the subscriber service, via the selected subscriber service channel, to the requesting subscriber unit in a downstream information signal; and receiving the downstream information signal at the requesting subscriber unit. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. In a wideband communication system, a method for obtaining subscriber services broadcast over a plurality of subscriber service channels comprising the steps of:
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initiating an upstream signal request at a subscriber unit, wherein the requesting subscriber unit is located within a service area segment; receiving a polling message from a cell center, the cell center servicing the particular service area segment containing the requesting subscriber unit; transmitting, to the cell center, the upstream signal request via an antenna residing at the requesting subscriber unit to the cell center upon the receipt of the polling message, wherein the upstream signal request includes a command for switching a selection device to a subscriber services channel broadcasting a requested subscriber service, the subscriber service being a media program broadcast on a wideband TDM channel; and receiving a downstream information signal from the cell center serving the subscriber service area, wherein the downstream information includes the subscriber service corresponding to the requested subscriber service and the downstream information signal being divided into a series of data packets; and
the step of receiving including the substeps of;receiving the series of data packets via the TDM channel; extracting a selection of data packets representing the media program from the downstream information signal; decoding the selection of data packets assembling the decoded data packets to form an audio/visual program; and displaying the audio/visual program. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. In a wideband communication system, a method for obtaining subscriber services broadcast over a plurality of subscriber service channels comprising the steps of:
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initiating an upstream signal request at a subscriber unit, the upstream signal request includeing a series of data packets, and an address for identifying the subscriber unit transmitting the upstream signal request, the requesting subscriber unit being located within a service area segment and the step of initiating includeing the substeps of; combining the address with a service request signal to form the upstream signal request; and storing the upstream signal request in a buffer until a polling message is received from the cell center; receiving the polling message from a cell center, wherein the cell center services the particular service area segment containing the requesting subscriber unit; transmitting, to the cell center, the upstream signal request via an antenna residing at the requesting subscriber unit upon the receipt of the polling message, wherein the upstream signal request includes a command for switching a selection device to a subscriber services channel broadcasting a requested subscriber service; and receiving a downstream information signal from the cell center serving the subscriber service area, wherein the downstream information signal includes the subscriber service corresponding to the requested subscriber service.
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29. In a wideband cellular communication network including a headend device storing a plurality of information signals and a central office for distributing the plurality of information signals to a group of subscriber service units, a method comprising the steps of:
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periodically sending a polling message to a subscriber service unit from a cell center coupled to the central office, wherein the cell center services a service area segment containing the subscriber unit; receiving an upstream signal request, divided into a series of data packets and including an address for identifying the subscriber unit sending an upstream signal request, from a subscriber unit including the substep of; receiving the address of the subscriber unit at the cell center; switching, upon receipt of the upstream signal request, a selection device to a subscriber service channel broadcasting subscriber service; and transmitting the subscriber service to the requesting subscriber unit in a downstream information signal. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. In a wideband cellular communication network including a headend device storing a plurality of information signals and a central office for distributing the plurality of information signals to a group of subscriber service units, a method comprising the steps of:
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periodically sending a polling message to a subscriber service unit from a cell center coupled to the central office, wherein the cell center services a service area segment containing the subscriber unit; receiving an upstream signal request from a subscriber unit; switching, upon receipt of the upstream signal request, a selection device to a subscriber service channel broadcasting subscriber service stored at the central office, and the step of switching includeing a the additional steps of; transmitting the upstream signal request from the cell center to the central office; receiving the upstream signal request at the central office; switching, upon receiving the upstream signal request, a selection device residing at the central office to a subscriber service channel broadcasting the requested subscriber services; and communicating the subscriber service to the cell center via a communication link; and transmitting the subscriber service to the requesting subscriber unit in a downstream information signal.
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Specification