Mobile communication system, mobile base station, and method of controlling them

• US 6,243,575 B1
• Filed: 08/25/1998
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Takahashi, Takenari, Ohyama, Kazuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Armstrong, Darnell R.
• Application Number:
  US09/139,781
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/524, 455/436, 455/456, 455/552, 455/525, 455/11.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

A mobile communication system involves a mobile space defined in, for example, a train, and mobile terminals available in the market. When the mobile terminals are used in the mobile space, the system provides them with value-added services exclusive to the mobile space. The system also includes existing base stations each controlling a fixed radio zone that covers a predetermined area, and a mobile base station for controlling a mobile radio zone allocated to the mobile space where the mobile terminals are used. The mobile base station serves as a mobile base station to communicate with the existing base stations, and as a fixed base station to communicate with the mobile terminals when the mobile terminals are in the mobile radio zone. Also provided is a method of controlling such a system.

Claims

1. A mobile communication system comprising:

an existing base station for controlling a fixed radio zone that covers a predetermined area;

a mobile base station for controlling a mobile radio zone that covers an inner space of a mobile object; and

a mobile terminal, wherein the mobile base station has;

first communication means for communicating with the existing base station such that the mobile base station serves as a mobile base station for the existing base station;

second communication means for communicating with the mobile terminal such that the mobile base station serves as a fixed base station for the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is present in the mobile radio zone of the mobile base station; and

main control means for controlling path connection between the first and second communication means, and

wherein the second communication means transmits signals whose level is greater than the level of signals received from the fixed radio zone, and

wherein the level of signals to be transmitted is controlled to be relatively greater than the level of received signals.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication means connects and switches channels to the existing base station, independently of the second communication means.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication means has control channels to the existing base station and successively scans perches for unused control channels.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second communication means connects and switches channels to the mobile terminal, independently of the first communication means.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the second communication means controls at least one mobile radio zone and communicates with mobile terminals that are present in the mobile radio zones such that the mobile base station serves as a fixed base station for the mobile terminals.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal connects and switches channels when entering into or exiting from the mobile radio zone if an entered or exited state lasts for a predetermined time.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile base station confirms that the mobile terminal has entered into or exited from the mobile radio zone if an entered or exited state continues for a predetermined time.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the existing base station confirms that the mobile terminal has entered into or exited from the mobile radio zone if an entered or exited state continues for a predetermined time.

6. A mobile communication system comprising:

an existing base station for controlling a fixed radio zone that covers a predetermined area;

a mobile base station controlling a mobile radio zone that covers an inner space of a mobile object; and

a mobile terminal, the mobile base station having;

first communication means for communicating with the existing base station such that the mobile base station serves as a mobile base station for the existing base station;

second communication means for communicating with the mobile terminal such that the mobile base station serves as a fixed base station for the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is present in the mobile radio zone of the mobile base station; and

main control means for controlling path connection between the first and second communication means,

wherein the mobile base station further has;

additional-service supply means for supplying additional communication services exclusively to the mobile radio zone.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the additional communication services are individually supplied to mobile radio zones that are under the control of the mobile base station.

11. A mobile base station provided for a mobile object, for communicating with an existing base station having a fixed radio zone covering a predetermined area and with mobile terminals, and controlling mobile radio zones allocated to inner spaces of the mobile object, comprising:

base communication means for communicating with the existing base station;

terminal communication means for communicating with the mobile terminals that are present in the mobile radio zones;

main communication control means for controlling communication between the base communication means and the terminal communication means and providing exclusive services to the mobile terminals that are present in the mobile radio zones; and

an additional-service supplier for providing the exclusive services to the mobile terminals that are present in the mobile radio zones.

12. The mobile base station of claim 11, wherein the base communication means has:

a base transceiver for communicating with existing base stations that form a mobile communication service network; and

a base controller for controlling the base transceiver and securing channels for the base transceiver.

13. The mobile base station of claim 11, wherein the terminal communication means has:

a terminal transceiver for communicating with the mobile terminals; and

a terminal controller for controlling the terminal transceiver and securing channels for the mobile terminals that move between the mobile radio zones.

14. The mobile base station of claim 12, wherein the base transceiver has control channel units for the existing base station, and wherein unused control channel units sequentially scan perches.

15. The mobile base station of claim 13, wherein the terminal transceiver controls the level of radio signals in the mobile radio zones to control the level of perches for the mobile terminals.

16. In a method of controlling communication among a network, existing base stations each for controlling a fixed radio zone that covers a predetermined area, a mobile base station for controlling at least one mobile radio zone allocated to an inner space of a mobile object, and mobile terminals, a method of registering the position of one of the mobile terminals that enters into the mobile radio zone from one of the fixed radio zones, comprising the steps of:

making the mobile terminal receive a report and actively issue, according to the report, a request for updating a registered position, the request accompanying information about the mobile base station;

making the mobile base station receive the request and transfer the same to the network through the existing base station that controls the fixed radio zone in question; and

making the network receive the request and update the registered position of the mobile terminal stored in a home memory by the information about the mobile base station; and

in the method of controlling communication, a method of registering the position of one of the mobile terminals that exits from the mobile radio zone, comprising the steps of;

making the mobile terminal receive a report and actively issue, according to the report, a request for updating a registered position, the request accompanying information about the mobile base station;

making a proper one of the existing base stations receive the request and transfer the same to the network, and

making the network receive the request and update the registered position of the mobile terminal stored in a home memory accordingly.

17. In a method of controlling communication among a network, existing base stations each for controlling a fixed radio zone that covers a predetermined area, a mobile base station for controlling at least one mobile radio zone allocated to an inner space of a mobile object, and mobile terminals, a method of registering the position of one of the mobile terminals that enters into the mobile radio zone from one of the fixed radio zones, comprising the steps of:

making the mobile terminal receive a report and actively issue, according to the report, a request for updating a registered position, the request accompanying information about the mobile base station;

making the mobile base station receive the request and transfer the same to the network through the existing base station that controls the fixed radio zone in question; and

making the network receive the request and update the registered position of the mobile terminal stored in a home memory by the information about the mobile base station; and

in the method of controlling communication, a method of controlling speech channels when one of the mobile terminals that is in a talking state enters into the mobile radio zone from one of the fixed radio zones, comprising the steps of;

making the mobile terminal actively issue a request for switching channels, the request accompanying a radio condition report and information about the mobile base station;

making the existing base station that controls the fixed radio zone in question receive the request and transfer the same to the network;

making the network receive the request and issue a request for securing a channel for the mobile base station according to the information about the mobile base station whose radio condition is determined to be the most suitable for the mobile terminal;

making the mobile base station set, according to the channel securing request, a new speech channel between the mobile base station and a proper one of the existing base stations; and

using the new speech channel to set a speech channel between the mobile base station and the mobile terminal.

18. In a method of controlling communication among a network, existing base stations each for controlling a fixed radio zone that covers a predetermined area, a mobile base station for controlling at least one mobile radio zone allocated to an inner space of a mobile object, and mobile terminals, a method of registering the position of one of the mobile terminals that enters into the mobile radio zone from one of the fixed radio zones, comprising the steps of:

making the mobile terminal receive a report and actively issue, according to the report, a request for updating a registered position, the request accompanying information about the mobile base station;

making the mobile base station receive the request and transfer the same to the network through the existing base station that controls the fixed radio zone in question; and

making the network receive the request and update the registered position of the mobile terminal stored in a home memory by the information about the mobile base station; and

in the method of controlling communication, a method of controlling speech channels when one of the mobile terminals that is in a talking state exits from the mobile radio zone, comprising the steps of;

making the mobile terminal actively issue a request for switching channels, the request accompanying a radio condition report and information about the mobile base station;

making the mobile base station receive the request and transfer the same to the network through a proper one of the existing base stations;

making the network receive the request and issue a request for securing a channel for one of the existing base stations whose radio condition is determined to be the most suitable according to the radio condition report; and

making the existing base station of the most suitable radio condition set, according to the channel securing request, a new speech channel to the mobile terminal.

19. In a method of controlling communication among a network, existing base stations each for controlling a fixed radio zone that covers a predetermined area, a mobile base station for controlling at least one mobile radio zone allocated to an inner space of a mobile object, and mobile terminals, a method of registering the position of one of the mobile terminals that enters into the mobile radio zone from one of the fixed radio zones, comprising the steps of:

making the mobile terminal receive a report and actively issue, according to the report, a request for updating a registered position, the request accompanying information about the mobile base station;

making the mobile base station receive the request and transfer the same to the network through the existing base station that controls the fixed radio zone in question; and

making the network receive the request and update the registered position of the mobile terminal stored in a home memory by the information about the mobile base station; and

in the method of controlling communication, a method of registering a position of the mobile base station that is moving, comprising the steps of;

making the mobile base station receive a report and actively issue, according to the report, a request for updating a registered position, the request accompanying information about the mobile base station;

making the network receive the request and issue a request for securing a channel for one of the existing base stations whose radio condition is determined to be the most suitable according to the radio condition report; and

making the network receive the request and update the registered position of the mobile base station stored in a home memory accordingly.

20. In a method of controlling communication among a network, existing base stations each for controlling a fixed radio zone that covers a predetermined area, a mobile base station for controlling at least one mobile radio zone allocated to an inner space of a mobile object, and mobile terminals, a method of registering the position of one of the mobile terminals that enters into the mobile radio zone from one of the fixed radio zones, comprising the steps of:

making the mobile terminal receive a report and actively issue, according to the report, a request for updating a registered position, the request accompanying information about the mobile base station;

making the mobile base station receive the request and transfer the same to the network through the existing base station that controls the fixed radio zone in question; and

making the network receive the request and update the registered position of the mobile terminal stored in a home memory by the information about the mobile base station; and

in the method of controlling communication, a method of controlling channels of the mobile base station that is moving, comprising the steps of;

making the mobile base station actively issue a request for switching channels, the request accompanying a radio condition report and information about the mobile base station;

making a proper one of the existing base stations receive the request and transfer the same to the network;

making the network receive the request and issue a request for securing a channel for one of the existing base stations whose radio condition is determined to be the most suitable according to the radio condition report; and

making the existing base station of the most suitable radio condition set, according to the channel securing request, a new speech channel to the mobile base station.

21. In a method of controlling communication among a network, existing base stations each for controlling a fixed radio zone that covers a predetermined area, a mobile base station for controlling at least one mobile radio zone allocated to an inner space of a mobile object, and mobile terminals, a method of registering the position of one of the mobile terminals that enters into the mobile radio zone from one of the fixed radio zones, comprising the steps of:

making the mobile terminal receive a report and actively issue, according to the report, a request for updating a registered position, the request accompanying information about the mobile base station;

making the mobile base station receive the request and transfer the same to the network through the existing base station that controls the fixed radio zone in question; and

making the network receive the request and update the registered position of the mobile terminal stored in a home memory by the information about the mobile base station; and

in the method of controlling communication, a method of handling an incoming call to one of the mobile terminals that is under the control of the mobile base station, comprising the steps of;

making the network retrieve from a home memory information about the mobile base station that is controlling the mobile terminal to be called;

making the mobile base station transfer the call from the network to the mobile terminal;

making the mobile base station receive a radio receiving condition report from the mobile terminal and temporarily hold the report;

making the mobile base station set a channel to a proper one of the existing base stations according to a radio receiving condition report of its own;

making the mobile base station connect the set channel with a channel to be set to the mobile terminal according to the temporarily held report; and

processing the incoming call between the mobile terminal and the network.

22. In a method of controlling communication among a network, existing base stations each for controlling a fixed radio zone that covers a predetermined area, a mobile base station for controlling at least one mobile radio zone allocated to an inner space of a mobile object, and mobile terminals, a method of registering the position of one of the mobile terminals that enters into the mobile radio zone from one of the fixed radio zones, comprising the steps of:

making the mobile terminal receive a report and actively issue, according to the report, a request for updating a registered position, the request accompanying information about the mobile base station;

making the mobile base station receive the request and transfer the same to the network through the existing base station that controls the fixed radio zone in question; and

making the network receive the request and update the registered position of the mobile terminal stored in a home memory by the information about the mobile base station; and

in the method of controlling communication, a method of handling an outgoing call from one of the mobile terminals that is under the control of the mobile base station, comprising the steps of;

making the mobile terminal transmit a radio transmitting condition report to the mobile base station;

making the mobile base station temporarily hold the report and transmit its own radio transmitting condition report to the network through a proper one of the existing base stations;

making the mobile base station set a channel to the existing base station according to a request from the network;

making the mobile base station connect the set channel with a channel to be set to the mobile terminal according to the temporarily held report; and

processing the outgoing call between the mobile terminal and the network.

23. In a method of controlling communication among a network, existing base stations each for controlling a fixed radio zone that covers a predetermined area, a mobile base station for controlling at least one mobile radio zone allocated to an inner space of a mobile object, and mobile terminals, a method of registering the position of one of the mobile terminals that enters into the mobile radio zone from one of the fixed radio zones, comprising the steps of:

making the mobile terminal receive a report and actively issue, according to the report, a request for updating a registered position, the request accompanying information about the mobile base station;

making the mobile base station receive the request and transfer the same to the network through the existing base station that controls the fixed radio zone in question; and

making the network receive the request and update the registered position of the mobile terminal stored in a home memory by the information about the mobile base station; and

in the method of controlling communication, a method of registering the position of one of the mobile terminals in the mobile base station, comprising the steps of;

making the mobile terminal receive reports from the mobile radio zones and actively issue, according to the reports, a request for updating a registered position; and

making the mobile base station receive the request and update the registered position managed by the mobile base station.

24. In a method of controlling communication among a network, existing base stations each for controlling a fixed radio zone that covers a predetermined area, a mobile base station for controlling at least one mobile radio zone allocated to an inner space of a mobile object, and mobile terminals, a method of registering the position of one of the mobile terminals that enters into the mobile radio zone from one of the fixed radio zones, comprising the steps of:

making the mobile terminal receive a report and actively issue, according to the report, a request for updating a registered position, the request accompanying information about the mobile base station;

making the mobile base station receive the request and transfer the same to the network through the existing base station that controls the fixed radio zone in question; and

making the network receive the request and update the registered position of the mobile terminal stored in a home memory by the information about the mobile base station; and

in the method of controlling communication, a method of controlling a channel from the mobile base station to one of the mobile terminals, comprising the steps of;

making the mobile terminal issue a request for switching a channel, the request accompanying a radio condition report about the radio conditions of the mobile radio zones; and

making the mobile base station receive the request and set a channel to the mobile terminal in one of the mobile radio zones whose radio condition is determined to be the most suitable according to the radio condition report.

25. In a method of controlling communication among a network, existing base stations each for controlling a fixed radio zone that covers a predetermined area, a mobile base station for controlling at least one mobile radio zone allocated to an inner space of a mobile object, and mobile terminals, a method of registering the position of one of the mobile terminals that enters into the mobile radio zone from one of the fixed radio zones, comprising the steps of:

making the mobile terminal receive a report and actively issue, according to the report, a request for updating a registered position, the request accompanying information about the mobile base station;

making the mobile base station receive the request and transfer the same to the network through the existing base station that controls the fixed radio zone in question; and

making the network receive the request and update the registered position of the mobile terminal stored in a home memory by the information about the mobile base station; and

in the method of controlling communication, a method of terminating a call of one of the mobile terminals under the control of the mobile base station, comprising the steps of;

cutting a channel between a corresponding one of the existing base stations and the mobile base station according to a channel cutting instruction from the network; and

making the mobile base station cut a channel to the mobile terminal.

26. The call terminating method of claim 25, further comprising the step of:

making the mobile base station cut the channel to the mobile terminal upon detecting a squelch between the existing base station and the mobile base station.

27. The call terminating method of claim 25, further comprising the step of:

making the mobile base station cut the channel to the existing base station upon detecting a squelch between the mobile base station and the mobile terminal.

28. In a method of controlling services provided by a mobile base station to mobile terminals, the mobile base station being installed in a mobile object to communicate with existing base stations each controlling a fixed radio zone that covers a predetermined area, as well as with the mobile terminals, the mobile base station controlling at least one mobile radio zone allocated to an inner space of the mobile object, the mobile terminals being present in the mobile radio zone, a method of providing the services to the mobile terminals through speech channels comprising the steps of:

receiving an instruction from any one of the mobile terminals in the mobile radio zone, the instruction being generated with a special dial number, voice, or data; and

providing a service corresponding to the instruction to the mobile terminal through a speech channel.

29. In the method of controlling services of claim 28, a method of providing the services to the mobile terminals through control channels comprising the step of:

adding the services to a report and transmitting them to the mobile terminals through the control channels.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the services include speech rejecting data to release incoming calls to the mobile terminals.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the services include speech restricting data to release outgoing calls from the mobile terminals.

32. In the method of controlling services of claim 28, a method of providing the services to the mobile terminals through speech and control channels comprising the steps of:

receiving an instruction from any one of the mobile terminals in the mobile radio zone, the instruction being generated with a special dial number, voice, or data; and

adding a service corresponding to the instruction to a report and transmitting them to the mobile terminal through a control channel.