Multi-cell communication system and method for allocating a communication resource therein

• US 6,266,530 B1
• Filed: 05/29/1998
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stalo, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOW, CHARLES CHIANG
• Application Number:
  US09/087,167
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 455/62, 455/63, 455/67.1, 455/67.6, 455/433, 455/436, 455/438, 455/439, 455/422, 455/440, 455/442, 455/443, 455/450, 455/507, 455/448, 455/510, 455/524, 455/446, 455/447, 379/22, 379/27, 379/58-60, 379/63, 340/825.5, 340/827
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0072 of resource information of target access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/06 Reselecting a communication resource in the serving access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A multi-cell communication system (100) that includes a plurality of communication units (105, 106), a plurality of base radios (108-112), and at least one system controller (128) employs a method (200) and apparatus for allocating a communication resource to a communication unit within a zone (101). In establishing a communication (118) for a communication unit (105) via a base radio (110), a communication resource (124) is allocated to the communication unit (105). This allocation of the communication resource (124) is maintained for the communication unit (105) for as long as the communication unit (105) is engaged in the communication (118) within the zone (101). When the communication unit (105) hands-off to another base radio (108) within the zone (101), deallocation of the communication resource (124) from the communication unit (105) is prevented during and after the hand-off to improve system capacity while minimizing hand-off muting.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of communication units;

a system controller for controlling operation of the plurality of communication units within a zone, the system controller comprising;

a resource manager to allocate and maintain a communication resource for a communication unit of the plurality of communication units for as long as the communication unit is within the zone, involved in communication, and hands-off within the zone, wherein the communication resource comprises an infrastructure communication resource between infrastructure components of the communication system; and

a plurality of base radios coupled to the system controller to provide the plurality of communication units with communication inside and outside the communication system.

2. The communication system of claim 1, further including at least one access controller coupled between the plurality of base radios and the system controller for controlling the communication between the plurality of base radios and the system controller.

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the system controller comprises a base site controller.

4. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the zone comprises a combined coverage area of a multi-sectored cell.

5. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the zone comprises a combined coverage area of a cell site.

6. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the infrastructure communication resource comprises a communication channel.

7. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the infrastructure communication resource comprises a communication time slot on a time division multiple access carrier.

8. A system controller operating within a communication system having a plurality of communication units and a plurality of base radios, the system controller comprising:

a controller for controlling operation of the plurality of communication units within a zone; and

a resource manager to allocate a communication resource to a communication unit of the plurality of communication units when establishing communication and to prevent reallocation of the communication resource for as long as the communication unit is within the zone, is involved in communication, and hands-off within the zone, wherein the communication resource comprises an infrastructure communication resource between infrastructure components of the communication system.

9. A method of allocating a communication resource to a communication unit comprising:

assigning a communication resource to the communication unit to support a communication;

receiving a request to hand-off;

determining whether a hand-off will occur between base radios within a zone; and

when handing-off between base radios within the zone, maintaining the communication resource as long as the communication is maintained including during the hand-off and after the hand-off has been completed in order to improve system capacity and minimize muting due to the hand-off, wherein the communication resource comprises an infrastructure communication resource between infrastructure components of the communication system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of determining includes determining whether a hand-off will occur.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of maintaining includes preventing the deassignment of the communication resource from the communication unit as long as the communication is maintained including during the hand-off and after the hand-off has been completed.