PCS pocket phone/microcell communication over-air protocol

• US 6,532,365 B1
• Filed: 08/29/2000
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Jensen, Ryan N., Anderson, Gary B., Petch, Bryan K., Peterson, Peter O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE
• Application Number:
  US09/652,117
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/422, 455/423, 455/450, 455/436, 455/437, 370/335, 370/331, 370/332
• US Class Current: 455/437
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/012 Comfort noise or silence coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0805 with single receiver and antenna switching H04B7/0822 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2618 using hybrid code-time division multiple access [CDMA-TDMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2643 using time-division multiple access [TDMA] H04B7/2615, H04B7/2618 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2668 Arrangements for Wireless Code-Division Multiple Access [CDMA] System Synchronisation, for code acquisition H04B1/7075, for code tracking H04B1/7085
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/20 using signal quality detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/50 Queue scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/522 Dynamic queue service slot or variable bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/6215 Individual queue per QOS, rate or priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 Buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/901 using storage descriptor, e.g. read or write pointers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0058 Transmission of hand-off measurement information, e.g. measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/36 by user or terminal equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/08 : Closed loop power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/24 : using SIR [Signal to Interference Ratio] or other wireless path parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/36 : with a discrete range or set of values, e.g. step size, ramping or offsets
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/362 : Aspects of the step size
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 : Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/38 : TPC being performed in particular situations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/40 : during macro-diversity or soft handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 : Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 : based on the type of the allocated resource
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 : Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 : Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 : using polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 : Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/12 : between access points and access point controllers

Abstract

A simple and flexible over-air protocol for use with a mobile telephone system, having hand-held telephones in a microcell or other type of cellular communication system. A method in which user stations communicate with one or more base stations to place and receive telephone calls, in which the user stations are provided a secure voice or data link and have the ability to handoff calls between base stations while such calls are in progress. Each base station has a set of “air channels” to which it transmits in sequence. The air channels supported by each base station are called that base station'"'"'a “polling loop”. A user station receives general polling information on an unoccupied air channel, transmits responsive information to the base station, and awaits acknowledgment from the base station. Each base station may therefore simultaneously maintain communication with as many user stations as there are air channels in its polling loop. The ability of a user station to communicate on any unoccupied air channel makes the protocol air-channel agile, while the stability of user station and base station clocks may define air channels, gaps, and minor frames.

Claims

1. In a communication system having a base station and a plurality of user stations, a method of establishing communication between said base station and one of said plurality of user stations, comprising:

transmitting a general polling message from said base station;

receiving said general polling message at said one user station;

transmitting a general polling response from said user station;

receiving said general polling response at said base station;

transmitting a specific polling message from said base station;

receiving said specific polling message at said one user station;

transmitting a specific polling response from said one user station;

receiving said specific polling response at said base station;

thereafter transmitting and receiving information messages between said base station and said one user station over an established communication link;

detecting a measure of quality of said communication link between said base station and said one user station;

transmitting a specific polling message from said base station in response to said measure of quality;

receiving said specific polling message at said one user station;

transmitting a specific polling response from said one user station in response to said specific polling message;

receiving said specific polling response at said base station; and

thereafter transmitting and receiving further information messages between said base station and said one user station over a re-established communication link.

2. In a communication system having a base station and a plurality of user stations, a method of establishing communication between said base station and one of said plurality of user stations, comprising:

transmitting a general polling message from said base station;

receiving said general polling message at said one user station;

transmitting a general polling response from said user station;

receiving said general polling response at said base station;

transmitting a specific polling message from said base station;

receiving said specific polling message at said one user station;

transmitting a specific polling response from said one user station;

receiving said specific polling response at said base station;

thereafter transmitting and receiving information messages between said base station and said one user station over an established communication link;

transmitting a general polling message from a second base station, said general polling message comprising a field for transmitting a first set of network information;

receiving said general polling message at said one user station;

transmitting a specific polling message from said second base station;

receiving said specific polling message at said one user station, said specific polling message comprising a field for transmitting a second set of network information;

recording said first and second set of network information at said one user station;

establishing a communication link between said second base station and said one user station in response to said network information.

3. A method as in claim 2, further comprising transmitting said information about said one base station from said user station to said second base station.

4. In a communication system having a base station and a plurality of user stations, a method of establishing communication between said base station and one of said plurality of user stations, comprising the steps of:

a step for transmitting a general polling message from said base station;

a step for receiving said general polling message at said one user station;

a step for transmitting a general polling response from said user station;

a step for receiving said general polling response at said base station;

a step for transmitting a specific polling message from said base station;

a step for receiving said specific polling message at said one user station;

a step for transmitting a specific polling response from said one user station;

a step for receiving said specific polling response at said base station;

thereafter a step for transmitting and receiving information messages between said base station and said one user station over an established communication link;

a step for detecting a measure of quality of said communication link between said base station and said one user station;

a step for transmitting a specific polling message from said base station in response to said measure of quality;

a step for receiving said specific polling message at said one user station;

a step for transmitting a specific polling response from said one user station in response to said specific polling message;

a step for receiving said specific polling response at said base station; and

a step for thereafter transmitting and receiving further information messages between said base station and said one user station over a re-established communication link.

5. In a communication system having a base station and a plurality of user stations, a method of establishing communication between said base station and one of said plurality of user stations, comprising the steps of:

a step for transmitting a general polling message from said base station;

a step for receiving said general polling message at said one user station;

a step for transmitting a general polling response from said user station;

a step for receiving said general polling response at said base station;

a step for transmitting a specific polling message from said base station;

a step for receiving said specific polling message at said one user station;

a step for transmitting a specific polling response from said one user station;

a step for receiving said specific polling response at said base station;

thereafter a step for transmitting and receiving information messages between said base station and said one user station over an established communication link;

a step for transmitting a general polling message from a second base station, said general polling message comprising a field for transmitting a first set of network information;

a step for receiving said general polling message at said one user station;

a step for transmitting a specific polling message from said second base station;

a step for receiving said specific polling message at said one user station, said specific polling message comprising a field for transmitting a second set of network information;

a step for recording said first and second set of network information at said one user station;

a step for establishing a communication link between said second base station and said one user station in response to said network information.

6. A method as in claim 5, further comprising a step for transmitting said information about said one base station from said user station to said second base station.