Channel management technique for asymmetric data services

• US 6,571,102 B1
• Filed: 08/08/2000
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CDC Propriete Intellectuelle
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tayloe, Daniel R., Hogberg, Shawn, Redden, James Powers
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUC M
• Application Number:
  US09/634,426
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 455/509, 455/450, 455/452, 455/427, 455/12.1, 455/436-439, 455/442, 455/527, 455/561, 370/319, 370/329, 370/331, 370/335, 370/468, 370/465
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18591 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/20 Negotiating bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00 Hand-off or reselection arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/563 of the wireless resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

A narrowband communication system provides wideband data services in a secondary service band. This limits the impact on primary services in peak traffic regions in that the primary service band is not required to download wideband data from a communication node (e.g., a satellite) to a mobile terminal. The narrowband communication system implements a handoff protocol (400) that rate negotiates a channel bandwidth of an active connection (404) to the amount of channels that are available in a new cell. The narrowband communication system preempts (414) lower priority subscribers when a higher priority (408) high-speed data terminal requires access to the system and a requested channel assignment is not available (412). The complexity of a high-speed data terminal communication chipset is reduced by a receiver design that minimizes the range of frequencies that are required to be demodulated.

Claims

1. A method for providing high-speed data services in a narrowband communication system, the narrowband communication system communicating with a high-speed data terminal and at least one communication node, the method comprising the steps of:

dividing an available communication frequency spectrum into a primary service band and a secondary service band, wherein the available communication frequency spectrum is a narrowband frequency spectrum;

assigning narrowband uplink channel, narrowband downlink channels and uplink channels associated with the high-speed data terminal to the primary service band; and

assigning wideband downlink channels associated with the high-speed data terminal to the secondary service band.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one communication node includes a plurality of satellites and gateways.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wideband downlink channels are assigned to a single time-slot of multiple contiguous channels for each high-speed data terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wideband downlink channels are assigned to multiple time-slots of multiple contiguous channels for each high-speed data terminal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wideband downlink channels are assigned to multiple time-slots of a single channel for each high-speed data terminal.

6. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

making a handoff request for a plurality of current cell channels that are providing a wideband service for the high-speed data terminal;

rate negotiating an active connection in a current cell to a number of available handoff cell channels when the plurality of current cell channels are not available;

transferring communication traffic from the current cell to a handoff cell; and

rate negotiating an active connection in the handoff cell such that a number of assigned handoff cell channels is approximately equal to the plurality of current cell channels.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the multiple channels are contiguous channels.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the handoff request is a single handoff request.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the multiple channels are wideband downlink channels.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

assigning a priority to the high-speed data terminal;

providing an acquisition message over an acquisition channel from the high-speed data terminal to the at least one communication node, the acquisition message including a special acquisition class designation that designates a priority of the high-speed data terminal; and

assigning channel resources based upon the special acquisition class designation, wherein a higher priority terminal preempts a lower priority terminal if required for a higher priority terminal to access the narrowband communication system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the special acquisition class designation includes a data terminal type and a data terminal application for the high-speed data terminal.

12. A method for handing-off multiple channels assigned to a high-speed data terminal in a narrowband communication system, the narrowband communication system communicating with a high-speed data terminal and at least one communication node, the method comprising the steps of:

making a handoff request for a plurality of current cell channels that are providing a wideband service for the high-speed data terminal via the narrowband communications system;

rate negotiating an active connection in a current cell to a number of available handoff cell channels when the plurality of current cell channels are not available;

transferring communication traffic from the current cell to a handoff cell within the narrowband communications system; and

rate negotiating an active connection in the handoff cell such that a number of assigned handoff cell channels is approximately equal to the plurality of current cell channels.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the multiple channels are contiguous channels.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the handoff request is a single handoff request.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the multiple channels are wideband downlink channels.

16. A narrow-band communication system that provides high-speed data services, the narrowband communication system comprising:

a high-speed data terminal; and

at least one communication node in communication with the high-speed data terminal, the at least one communication node performing the steps of;

dividing an available communication frequency spectrum into a primary service band and a secondary service band wherein the available communication frequency spectrum is a narrowband frequency spectrum;

assigning narrowband uplink channels, narrowband downlink channels and uplink channels associated with the high-speed data to the primary service band; and

assigning wideband downlink channels associated with the high-speed data terminal to the secondary service band.

17. The narrowband communication system of claim 16, wherein the at least one communication node includes a plurality of satellites and gateways.

18. The narrowband communication system of claim 16, wherein the wideband downlink channels are assigned to a single time-slot of multiple contiguous channels for each high-speed data terminal.

19. The narrowband communication system of claim 16, wherein the wideband downlink channels are assigned to multiple time-slots of multiple contiguous channels for each high-speed data terminal.

20. The narrowband communication system of claim 16, wherein the wideband downlink channels are assigned to multiple time-slots of a single channel for each high-speed data terminal.

25. The narrowband communication system of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

assigning a priority to the high-speed data terminal;

providing an acquisition message over an acquisition channel from the high-speed data terminal to the at least one communication node, the acquisition message including a special acquisition class designation that designates a priority of the high-speed data terminal; and

assigning channel resources based upon the special acquisition class designation, wherein a higher priority terminal preempts a lower priority terminal if required for a higher priority terminal to access the narrowband communication system.

26. The narrowband communication system of claim 25, wherein the special acquisition class designation includes a data terminal type and a data terminal application for the high-speed data terminal.

21. The narrowband communication system of 16, further including the steps of:

making a handoff request for a plurality of current cell channels that are providing a wideband service for the high-speed data terminal;

rate negotiating an active connection in a current cell to a number of available handoff cell channels when the plurality of current cell channels are not available;

transferring communication traffic from the current cell to a handoff cell; and

rate negotiating an active connection in the handoff cell such that a number of assigned handoff cell channels is approximately equal to the plurality of current cell channels.

22. The narrowband communication system of claim 21, wherein the multiple channels are contiguous channels.

23. The narrowband communication system of claim 21, wherein the handoff request is a single handoff request.

24. The narrowband communication system of claim 21, wherein the multiple channels are wideband downlink channels.