Control of telecommunications services for subscriber-provided radio communication devices residing in a miniature cellular environment

• US 6,314,286 B1
• Filed: 10/29/1999
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GTE Wireless Service Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GTE Wireless Service Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Zicker, Robert G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US09/430,112
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/431, 455/432, 455/433, 455/434, 455/435, 455/436, 455/437, 455/445, 455/66, 455/17, 455/517, 455/524, 455/525, 455/403
• US Class Current: 455/431
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Telecommunication services are provided to subscriber-provided radiotelephones (50) residing inside an aircraft (20). Telecommunication services are provided while the aircraft (20) is flying and utilize the aircraft'"'"'s air-to-ground communication system (48) to access a radio communication link (34). Base stations (40) residing in aircraft (20) are configured to transmit at least two independent overhead control data pilot signals (54, 58) in response to instructions from a single controller (44). The control data pilot signals (54, 58) capture and control the subscriber-provided radiotelephones (50). Controlling methods are employed to force autonomous registration of radiotelephones (50) and to instruct radiotelephones (50) to transmit at minimum power levels.

Claims

1. In a network of cellular communication systems in which a multiplicity of subscriber-provided radio communication devices communicate over a wide region through a plurality of cellsites that share common communication channels, a method of controlling telecommunication services to said subscriber-provided radio communication devices residing in an area, said area being inside of and smaller than said region, said method comprising the steps of:

providing one of said cellsites in said area;

establishing a forward communication portion of said cellsite in said area, said forward communication portion simulating forward communication over one of an A-side and a B-side cellular communications system; and

operating said forward communication portion in a passive mode to prevent said subscriber-provided radio communication devices residing in said area from transmitting, said operating step including;

broadcasting a control data pilot signal over a forward control channel of said common communication channels, said forward control channel being a forward control channel for said one of said A-side and B-side systems, and said control data pilot signal instructing said subscriber-provided radio communication devices residing in said area to refrain from transmitting; and

setting a busy/idle bit of said control data pilot signal to busy prior to said broadcasting step.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said method additionally comprises the step of establishing a second forward communication portion in said area, said second forward communication portion simulating forward communication over a second one of said cellular communications systems, said second one of said cellular communications systems being the other of said A-side and B-side cellular communications systems.

3. In a network of cellular communication systems in which a multiplicity of subscriber-provided radio communication devices communicate over a wide region through a plurality of cellsites that share common communication channels, a method of controlling telecommunication services to said subscriber-provided radio communication devices residing in an area, said area being inside of and smaller than said region, said method comprising the steps of:

providing one of said cellsites in said area;

establishing a forward communication portion of said cellsite in said area, said forward communication portion simulating forward communication over one of an A-side and a B-side cellular communications system; and

operating said forward communication portion in a passive mode to prevent said subscriber-provided radio communication devices residing in said area from transmitting, said operating step including the steps of;

setting a busy/idle bit of a control data pilot signal to busy; and

broadcasting said control data pilot signal over a forward control channel of said common communication channels;

switching said forward communication portion to operate in an active mode, said switching step including setting said busy/idle bit of said control data pilot signal to idle;

establishing a reverse communication portion of said cellsite in said area, said reverse communication portion simulating reverse communication over said one of said A-side and said B-side cellular communications system; and

setting up a call with one of said subscriber-provided radio communication devices residing in said area, said call being set up through said cellsite using said common communication channels, wherein said setting up a call step occurs when said forward communication portion operates in said active mode.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 further comprising the steps of coupling said cellsite to a public switched telecommunication network (PSTN) through a communication link, said call being set up through said cellsite, said communication link, and said PSTN.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein said control data pilot signal instructs said subscriber-provided radio communication devices residing in said area to transmit to said cellsite at minimum power levels for said subscriber-provided radio communication devices.

6. An apparatus that controls telecommunication services to subscriber-provided radio communication devices residing in an area, said subscriber-provided radio communication devices being configured to communicate over a wide region through a plurality of cellsites that share common communication channels, said area being inside of and smaller than said region, and said apparatus comprising:

a base station transmitter having an antenna located inside said area and configured to communicate over at least a portion of said common communication channels, said base station transmitter being configured to simulate forward communication over an A-side system;

a controller coupled to said base station transmitter and configured to control said base station transmitter, wherein said controller operates in a passive mode to cause said base station transmitter to transmit a control data pilot signal which prevents said subscriber-provided radio communication devices residing in said area from transmitting, said control data pilot signal instructing at least a portion of said subscriber-provided radio communication devices residing in said area to refrain from transmitting; and

a second base station transmitter coupled to said controller and having an antenna located inside said area, said second base station transmitter being configured to communicate over at least a portion of said common communication channels and simulate forward communication over a B-side system, wherein said controller controls said second base station transmitter to cause said second base station transmitter to transmit a second control data pilot signal which instructs at least a portion of said subscriber-provided radiotelephones residing in said area to refrain from transmitting when said controller operates in said passive mode.

7. A system that controls telecommunication services to subscriber-provided radio communication devices residing in an area, said subscriber-provided radio communication devices being configured to communicate over a wide region through a plurality of cellsites that share common communication channels, said area being inside of and smaller than said region, and said apparatus comprising:

a first base station having a first antenna located inside said area and configured to communicate over a first portion of said common communication channels, said first base station being configured to simulate forward communication over an A-side system, and said first base station transmitting a first control data pilot signal which instructs a first portion of said subscriber-provided radio communication devices residing in said area to refrain from transmitting; and

a second base station having a second antenna located inside said area and configured to communicate over a second portion of said common communication channels, said second base station being configured to simulate forward communication over a B-side system, and said second base station transmitting a second control data pilot signal which instructs a second portion of said subscriber-provided radio communication devices residing in said area to refrain from transmitting.