Personal handyphone system (PHS) mobile radio station with efficient resynchronization capability

• US 6,415,157 B1
• Filed: 08/27/1999
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kato, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Torres, Marcos L.
• Application Number:
  US09/384,645
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550, 455/422, 455/434, 455/502, 375/356, 375/357, 375/359
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2662 Arrangements for Wireless System Synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements

Abstract

The present invention provides a PHS mobile radio station, which can efficiently attain resynchronization when the wave interference between radio control signals sent from base stations (BS) occurs and no synchronization therebetween cannot be established. The PHS mobile radio station of the present invention has a memory unit for latching the time difference between the transmission times of control signals through logical control channels respectively corresponding to two control frequencies. During this mobile radio station receives control signals in synchronization with the logical control channel (LCCH) corresponding to one of the two control frequencies, if an abnormality in the LCCH synchronization state occurs owing to wave interference, the mobile radio station controls a timing generation unit and a frequency changing unit according to information memorized in the memory unit so that the reception of control signals is synchronized with the logical control channel corresponding to the other control frequency. Thus, this PHS mobile radio station, which can efficiently attain resynchronization.

Claims

1. A PHS mobile radio station comprising:

time difference information latching means for latching time difference information which is indicative of a difference between transmission times of signals respectively corresponding to logical control channels which are transmitted from connection units on first and second control frequencies and

a controller for re-establishing synchronization with a logical control channel corresponding to the first control frequency in response to the time difference information, when an abnormality of synchronization occurs with the logical control channel corresponding to the second control frequency such that call origination and acceptance capability is maintained.

2. A PHS mobile radio station comprising:

a memory for at least one of (a) memorizing and (b) latching delay time information indicative of a delay time between transmission timings of signals respectively corresponding to first and second logical control channels, the signals being transmitted from connection units on first and second control frequencies; and

a controller for obtaining timing data from the delay time information, the controller being latched by the memory means, for establishing synchronization with the first logical control channel, when wave interference occurs between the first and second logical control channels and a synchronization abnormality of one of the logical control channels occurs when synchronization with the second logical control channel is established,

the controller controlling timing generation means and frequency changing means so as to establish synchronization with the first logical control channel such that call origination and acceptance capability is maintained.

3. A PHS mobile radio station comprising:

a receiving unit for receiving control signals transmitted from the connection unit provided in the vicinity of the mobile radio station

a frequency changing unit;

a reception electric field strength detecting unit for measuring electric field strength of each of the received plural control signals;

a reception signal error detecting unit for detecting an error rate corresponding to the logical control channel;

a timing generation unit;

a CPU for controlling the frequency changing unit and for setting so that the receiving unit is able to receive signals at the control frequencies;

a timing memory unit for latching time difference information on a difference between transmission timings respectively corresponding to first and second logical control channels, which are transmitted from connection units on first and second control frequencies;

a demodulation unit; and

a signal processing unit for recognizing data of the control signals as the logical control channels,

wherein the CPU selects an optimum LCCH on the basis of logical control channel data sent from the signal processing unit, electric field strength information of a signal corresponding to each of the logical control channels, the electric field strength information being sent from the reception electric field strength detecting unit, and error rate information corresponding to each of the logical control channels, the error rate information being sent from the reception signal error detecting unit, and

wherein the CPU calculates timing data for synchronizing with the first logical control channel from the time difference information, when a synchronization abnormality in the logical control channel occurs, and

wherein the CPU controls the timing generation unit and the frequency changing unit so as to synchronize with the logical control channel operating at the second control frequency.

4. The PHS mobile radio station as claimed in claim 3, wherein a preferential control frequency predetermined corresponding to each mobile radio station is set as the first control frequency, wherein a search of logical control channel is performed at the first control frequency, wherein when there is a match in additional IDs to be referred for indicating one of (a) allowance and (b) inhibition of communications between the connection unit and the mobile radio station, and

when a plurality of logical control channels each having electric field strength, the electric field strength being not less than a predetermined threshold value, are found as a result of the search, the logical control channel having highest electric field strength is selected and the additional ID corresponding thereto is memorized,

wherein synchronization with the selected logical control channel is established,

wherein the mobile radio station is brought into a wait state,

wherein a search of the logical control channel corresponding to the second control frequency is performed after the first logical control channel, simultaneously with a search for an additional ID, the additional ID being the same as the additional ID assigned to the selected first logical control channel, and

wherein when the second logical control channel is detected, the memory unit memorizes delay time data representing a delay time between the transmission time of a signal representing the second logical control channel and the transmission time of a signal representing the first logical control channel.

5. The PHS mobile radio station as claimed in claim 4, which further has a flag, wherein:

the flag is used for detecting the first and second-logical control channels connected to the same connection unit, and

wherein the flag is turned on when the time delay information on the time delay of the second logical control channel corresponding to the second control frequency is memorized in the memory unit.

6. The PHS mobile radio station as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

the CPU decides whether the reception electric field strength of the logical control channel is not lower than a predetermined threshold value just before undergoing wave interference,

when wave interference occurs at the transmission time of a signal representing the first logical control channel and a synchronization abnormality in the first logical control occurs, and

wherein the CPU calculates timing data for synchronizing with the first logical control channel from the time difference information, when a synchronization abnormality in the logical control channel occurs, and

wherein the CPU controls the timing generation unit and the frequency changing unit to synchronize with the logical control channel operating at the second control frequency.

7. The PHS mobile radio station as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

the CPU controls so that, when the flag is off, or when the reception electric field strength is lower than the threshold value, an ordinary control channel search operation is performed without synchronizing with the second logical control channel.