Cellular communication system

• US 6,640,108 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2001
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LGC Wireless Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: Interwave Communications International SA (Alvarion Limited)
• Inventors: Lu, Priscilla Marilyn, White, Timothy Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOBUTKA, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US09/753,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20020009991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 455/462, 455/463, 455/464, 455/465, 455/445, 455/555, 455/561, 455/562, 455/509
• US Class Current: 455/463
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]

Abstract

A cellular private branch exchange for facilitating cellular communication for a first plurality of mobile station units, which includes a first base station subsystem for communicating with a first and a second mobile station unit of the first plurality of mobile station units on respectively a first and a second cellular bearer data channel. The cellular private branch exchange further includes a cellular private branch exchange unit coupled to the first base station subsystem. In turn, the cellular private branch exchange unit includes a private mobile-services switching center for providing mobility management for the first plurality of mobile station units, the private mobile-services switching center representing a first cross-connect node capable of cross-connecting the first bearer data channel with the second bearer data channel for calls between the first and the second mobile station units. Further the cellular private branch exchange unit includes a private registry coupled to the private mobile-services switching center, the private registry storing subscriber information pertaining to the first plurality of mobile station units.

Claims

1. A cellular private branch exchange network for facilitating cellular communication for a first plurality of mobile station units, comprising:

a first base station subsystem for communicating with a first and a second mobile station unit of said first plurality of mobile station units on respectively a first and a second cellular bearer data channel, wherein the first base station subsystem is configured to provide a first cross-connect node capable of cross-connecting said first cellular bearer data channel with said second cellular bearer data channel for calls between said first and second mobile station units; and

a cellular private branch exchange subsystem coupled to said first base station subsystem and to a public network, said cellular private branch exchange subsystem comprising;

a private mobile-services switching center for providing mobility management for said first plurality of mobile station units, said private mobile-services switching center configured to provide a second cross-connect node capable of cross-connecting said first cellular bearer data channel with said second cellular bearer data channel for calls between said first and said second mobile station units;

a private registry coupled to said private mobile-services switching center, said private registry storing subscriber information pertaining to said first plurality of mobile station units; and

a private branch exchange block coupled to the private mobile-services switching center and private registry, the private branch exchange block configured determine whether to cross-connect the first cellular bearer data channel with the second cellular bearer data channel for calls between the first and second mobile stations at the first node in the base station subsystem, the second node in the private mobile service switching center, or in a public switching center in the public network.

2. The cellular private branch exchange network of claim 1 wherein said cellular private branch exchange subsystem further comprises a transcoder rate adaptation unit (TRAU), and wherein said cellular private branch exchange subsystem is configured so that a call path between said first and said second mobile station units, including said first cellular bearer data channel and said second cellular bearer data channel, for said calls between said first and said second mobile station units does not get transcoder rate adapted (TRAUed) if said first and said second mobile station units communicate at the same rate.

3. The cellular private branch exchange network of claim 2 wherein said cellular private branch exchange subsystem is configured so that call paths for calls between said first mobile station unit and a telephone set in said public network are TRAUed.

4. The cellular private branch exchange network of claim 3 wherein a second plurality of mobile station units, which are not registered with said private registry, are barred from using resources of said cellular private branch exchange for communicating with said public network.

5. The cellular private branch exchange network of claim 3 wherein a second plurality of mobile station units which are not registered with said registry are barred from using resources of said cellular private branch exchange for communicating with any one of said first plurality of mobile station units.

6. The cellular private branch exchange network of claim 5 wherein said first and second plurality of mobile station units are standard GSM units.

7. The cellular private branch exchange network of claim 1 wherein said public network is a wired PSTN network.

11. The cellular private branch exchange network of claim 1 wherein said first base station subsystem and said private branch exchange subsystem are co-located in the same physical chassis, and wherein said private mobile-services switching center is co-located on the same back plane of the physical chassis.

12. The cellular private branch exchange network of claim 1 wherein said first base station subsystem and said private branch exchange subsystem are deployed at geographically dispersed locations from one another, and wherein said first base station subsystem and private mobile-services switching center are both implemented on physical chassis having identical back planes.

13. The cellular private branch exchange network of claim 1 wherein said first base station subsystem and said private branch exchange subsystem are deployed at geographically dispersed locations from one another, and wherein said first base station subsystem is implemented on a first physical chassis having a first back plane having a first number of slots and comprising a first TDM bus and a first control bus, and said private mobile-services switching center of said private branch exchange subsystem is implemented on second physical chassis having a second back plane comprising a second TDM bus having the same features as said first TDM bus and a second control bus having the same features as said first control bus, wherein said second back plane having a second number of slots different from said first number of slots.

14. The cellular private branch exchange network of claim 1 wherein said first base station subsystem comprises a base station controller and at least one base transceiver station, and wherein the at least one base transceiver station is configured to provide the first cross-connect node.

15. The cellular private branch exchange network of claim 1 further comprising a second base station subsystem for communicating with a third mobile station unit of said first plurality of mobile station units on a third cellular bearer data channel, said second base station subsystem unit being coupled to said first base station subsystem by a direct link, wherein calls between said third mobile station unit and said first mobile station unit are cross connected via said direct link.

8. The cellular private branch exchange network of claim network 1 wherein said private branch exchange block further contains circuits for performing private branch exchange functions.

9. The cellular private branch exchange network of claim 8 wherein said private branch exchange functions comprise call forwarding and call transfer among said first plurality of mobile station units.

10. The cellular private branch exchange network of claim 9 wherein said first plurality of mobile station units represent standard GSM units.

16. A cellular private branch exchange subsystem coupled to a base station subsystem and to a public network for facilitating cellular communication among a first plurality of mobile stations implementing a first standard through said base station subsystem, said cellular private branch exchange subsystem comprising:

a private mobile services switching center for providing mobility management only for said first plurality of mobile stations;

a private registry coupled to said private mobile services switching center for storing subscriber information regarding said first plurality of mobile stations;

a private branch exchange block coupled to said private mobile services switching center and said private registry for providing private branch exchange functions for said first plurality of mobile stations and performing cross connection of call paths for calls among said first plurality of mobile stations, and inhibiting a second plurality of mobile stations implementing said first standard and not registered with said private registry from using resources of said cellular private branch exchange subsystem.

17. The cellular private branch exchange subsystem of claim 16, wherein said base station subsystem comprises a plurality of base station controllers coupled to said private mobile services switching center, said private mobile services switching center provides roaming and handoff capabilities for said first plurality of mobile stations when a first selected ones of said first plurality of mobile stations roam among location areas controlled by said plurality of base station controllers.

18. The cellular private branch exchange subsystem of claim 17 further comprising a plurality of base transceiver stations coupled to a first one of said plurality of base station controllers, a first one of said plurality of base transceiver stations couple using an air interface with said first plurality of mobile stations, said first one of said plurality of plurality of base station controllers handle roaming and handoff capabilities when a second selected ones of said first plurality of mobile stations roam among location areas controlled by said plurality of base transceiver stations.

19. The cellular private branch exchange subsystem of claim 18 wherein said first standard is a GSM standard.

20. The cellular private branch exchange subsystem of claim 19 wherein both said first plurality of mobile stations and said second plurality of mobile stations are standard GSM handsets.

21. The cellular private branch exchange subsystem of claim 18 wherein said private mobile services switching center, said plurality of base station controllers, and said plurality of base transceiver stations form a hierarchical private network controlled by said private mobile services switching center.

22. The cellular private branch exchange subsystem of claim 18 wherein said first one of said plurality of base station controllers includes a first transcoder rate adapter unit for performing rate conversion between a first mobile station and a second mobile station of said first plurality of mobile stations, said first and second mobile stations communicate at different rates.

23. The cellular private branch exchange subsystem of claim 22 wherein said first transcoder rate adapter unit does not perform rate conversion for calls between mobile stations of said first plurality of mobile stations that communicate at the same rate.

24. The cellular private branch exchange subsystem of claim 23 wherein bearer data channels from both said first mobile station and said second mobile stations are cross connected at said first one of said plurality of base station controllers if both said first mobile station and said second mobile station are controlled by said first one of said plurality of base station controllers.

25. The cellular private branch exchange subsystem of claim 18 wherein said first one of said plurality of base transceiver stations includes a first transcoder rate adapter unit for performing rate conversion between a first mobile station and a second mobile station of said first plurality of mobile stations, said first and second mobile stations communicate at different rates.

26. The cellular private branch exchange subsystem of claim 25 wherein said first transcoder rate adapter unit does not perform rate conversion for calls between mobile stations of said first plurality of mobile stations that communicate at the same rate.

27. The cellular private branch exchange subsystem of claim 26 wherein bearer data channels from both said first mobile station and said second mobile stations are cross connected at said first one of said plurality of base transceiver stations if both said first mobile station and said second mobile station are controlled by said first one of said plurality of base transceiver stations.