Method for the radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network

• US 6,766,170 B1
• Filed: 03/22/2001
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gigaset Communications GmbH (Gigaset AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kamperschroer, Erich, Schwark, Uwe, Aretz, Kurt, Bolinth, Edgar
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US09/787,959
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 455/436, 455/437, 455/438, 455/439, 455/440, 455/403, 455/422.01, 455/426.01, 455/445, 455/432, 455/462, 455/463, 455/465, 455/550, 455/9, 455/11.1, 455/517, 370/331
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]

Abstract

A method for the radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in the catchment area of an intermediate station which is used as a converter, wherein: in the case of an existing connection between the mobile radio network and the mobile terminal, a connection is first set up on an internal frequency and the connection is then handled via the intermediate station; in the case of an existent connection from a mobile terminal via an intermediate station to the mobile radio network, the intermediate station will hand over the connection to the mobile terminal again directly to the mobile radio network when the mobile terminal is removed from the internal area of reception; and in the case of a new setting-up of a connection from the mobile terminal to the mobile radio network, for setting up the connection, the mobile terminal first, or after an unsuccessful connection set-up attempt with a mobile radio frequency, attempts to establish connection to an intermediate station on an internal frequency.

Claims

1. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station, which can communicate with at least one base station, the intermediate station and the mobile terminal operating at both at least one frequency of the mobile radio network with an external area of reception and at least one further internal frequency with an internal area of reception which is not used as a connection frequency of the mobile radio network, the method comprising the steps of:

simulating to the mobile radio network, via the intermediate station, a mobile terminal on a mobile radio frequency and simultaneously communicating with the mobile terminal via an internal frequency;

setting up a connection, in the case of an existing connection between the base station and a mobile terminal which is approaching the area of reception of the intermediate station, between the mobile terminal and the intermediate station on the internal frequency;

handing over, via the connection, individual features of the mobile terminal to the intermediate station; and

handing over the connection between the mobile terminal and the mobile radio network via which a further connection is established from the mobile radio network via the intermediate station to the mobile terminal.

2. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising the steps of:

detecting, via the intermediate station and in the case of an existing connection from the mobile terminal via the intermediate station to the mobile radio network, a removal of the mobile terminal from the internal area of reception of the intermediate station;

forwarding, via the intermediate station, the frequency and connection information to the mobile radio network to the mobile terminal; and

effecting a hand over of the mobile radio network-intermediate station-mobile terminal connection to the mobile radio network-mobile terminal connection.

3. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the case when a new connection is set up from the mobile terminal to the mobile radio network, the mobile terminal attempts to establish a connection to the intermediate station on the internal frequency, the attempt occurring one of prior to and after an unsuccessful connection set-up attempt with the mobile radio frequency.

4. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an internal station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connections operate in accordance with at least one of a Time Division Multiple Access method, a Frequency Division Multiple Access method, and a Code Division Multiple Access method.

5. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station as claimed in claim 4, wherein the intermediate station performs at least one conversion between at least one of the Time Division Multiple Access method, the Frequency Division Multiple Access method, and the Code Division Multiple Access method on transition from the external frequency to the internal frequency and conversely.

6. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising the step of:

performing a conversion, via the intermediate station, of an incoming signal according to a Frequency Division Duplex method to an outgoing signal according to a Time Division Duplex method and conversely.

7. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile radio network-intermediate station connection is operated in accordance with a Frequency Division Duplex method and the intermediate station-mobile terminal connection is operated in accordance with a Time Division Duplex method.

8. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising the step of:

effecting an exchange of a PIN, prior to the connection being taken over by the intermediate station, the hand over procedure being initiated only upon the exchange of an authorized PIN.

9. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising the step of:

periodically monitoring, via the intermediate station so as to detect an approaching mobile terminal, the at least one internal frequency for a message sent by the approaching mobile terminal which possibly contains mobile-terminal-specific information.

10. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising the step of:

monitoring, via the mobile terminal, the internal frequency periodically for messages sent by the intermediate station to detect penetration of a mobile terminal into the internal area of reception of the intermediate station.

11. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising the step of:

using a message transmitted several times for a restricted period upon initiation of a user which contains mobile-terminal-specific information for detection of a mobile terminal approaching the intermediate station.

12. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising the step of:

using a bit error rate, by the intermediate station, occurring for detecting migration of the mobile terminal out of the internal area of reception.

13. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising the step of:

using a change in measured transmit and receive powers, by the intermediate station, for detecting migration of the mobile terminal out of the internal area of reception.

14. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile radio network is a Global System for Mobile Communications network.

15. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile radio network is a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System network.

16. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station as claimed in claim 1, wherein communication on the internal frequencies is handled in accordance with a DECT principle.

17. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intermediate station additionally communicates with a landline network.

18. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station as claimed in claim 17, wherein the landline network is an Integrated Services Digital Network.

19. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station as claimed in claim 17, wherein the landline network is a Public Switched Telephone Network.

20. A method for radio coverage of a mobile terminal of a mobile radio network in a catchment area of an intermediate station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intermediate station can switch between landline network and radio network.