Mobile network for remote service areas using mobile stations

• US 6,778,809 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2001
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Colondot Com
• Original Assignee: Colondot Com
• Inventors: Morimoto, Nobuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Application Number:
  US09/827,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20020142717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 455/11.1, 455/7, 455/13.1, 455/41.2, 455/445, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A system and method for transmitting and receiving data in a mobile communications network. The system includes one or more mobile station for transmitting data in a mobile digital network. The mobile stations are configured to act as buffer/repeaters by storing and forwarding data signals until they are received by a designated destination station. The mobile stations include an antenna, a transceiver coupled to the antenna, a processor coupled to the transceiver, a data storage memory coupled to the processor, and a power supply. The processor may be configured to cause the transceiver to broadcast interrogation signals to determine whether other mobile or base stations are present for store-forwarding.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting data in a mobile digital network, the method comprising:

broadcasting a first interrogation signal from a first mobile station;

receiving the first interrogation signal in a second mobile station;

transmitting a first response-to-interrogation signal from the second mobile station to the first mobile station;

transmitting a data packet from the first mobile station to the second mobile station;

receiving the data packet in the second mobile station;

transmitting a confirmation signal to the first mobile station from the second mobile station to confirm receipt of the data packet;

storing the data packet in the second mobile station;

periodically transmitting a second interrogation signal from the second mobile station, and, in response to detecting a second response-to-interrogation signal from a third mobile station, transmitting the stored data packet from the second mobile station to the third mobile station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the mobile stations are on ships.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the mobile stations are on aircraft.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the mobile stations are on trucks.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the mobile stations are on automobiles.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the mobile stations are on buoys.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the buoys include a solar panel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data packet includes a checksum, and wherein the second mobile station is configured to use the checksum to verify the accuracy of the received data packet before the transmitting of the confirmation signal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data signals include at least one destination address, wherein the mobile stations each have a unique address, and wherein the mobile stations are configured to examine the destination address of the received data packet to determine whether the mobile station is a designated destination for the data packet, wherein the mobile stations are configured to transmit a destination-receipt signal in response to determining that the mobile station is a designated destination for the data packet.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the signals are transmitted using whip antennas in an omni directional cell configuration.

11. A mobile station for transmitting data in a mobile digital network, wherein the mobile station comprises:

an antenna;

a transceiver coupled to the antenna;

a processor coupled to the transceiver;

a data storage memory coupled to the processor; and

a power supply coupled to the processor and the transceiver, wherein the processor is configured to cause the transceiver to broadcast a first interrogation signal in response to receiving data that is to be transmitted, wherein the processor is configured to transmit the data in response to detecting a response-to-interrogation signal, wherein the processor is configured to store the transmitted data in the memory and repeat the interrogation and transmission until receiving a destination-receipt signal corresponding to the data.

12. The mobile station of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the source of the response-to-interrogation signal has already received a copy of the data before transmitting the data.

13. The mobile station of claim 11, wherein the response-to-interrogation signal is from another mobile station or a base station.

14. The mobile station of claim 11, further comprising a floating buoy.

15. The mobile station of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to use encryption to encrypt the data before the data is transmitted.

16. The mobile station of claim 11, wherein the memory includes a unique address and a table of information identifying transmitted data packets and the addresses of other mobile stations having received the transmitted data packets and where or not a confirmation-of-receipt message has been received.

17. The mobile station of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to cause the memory to erase entries in the table corresponding to a particular transmitted data signal for which the mobile station has received a confirmation-of-receipt message.

18. The mobile station of claim 11, further comprising a means for elevating the antenna.

19. The mobile station of claim 11, further comprising a wind sensor coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to cause the means for elevating the antenna to lower the antenna in response to detecting winds greater than a predetermined threshold.

20. The mobile station of claim 11, wherein the antenna is an omni-directional dipole antenna.

21. The mobile station of claim 11, further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) module configured to provide the processor with position information.

22. The mobile station of claim 11, further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) module configured to provide the processor with position and orientation information.

23. The mobile station of claim 11, further comprising a compass configured to provide the processor with orientation information.

24. The mobile station of claim 11, further comprising a motor rotatably connected to the antenna, wherein the processor is configured to cause the motor to rotate the antenna, wherein the antenna is directional.

25. The mobile station of claim 11, wherein the mobile station is configured to be housed in an airplane.

26. The mobile station of claim 11, wherein the mobile station is configured to be housed in an buoy.

27. The mobile station of claim 11, wherein the mobile station is configured to be housed in a ship.

28. A system for transmitting data in a mobile digital network, the system comprising:

a base station configured to be coupled to the Internet;

a first mobile station configured to be installed on a first ship, wherein the first mobile station comprises;

an antenna,

a transceiver coupled to the antenna,

a controller coupled to the transceiver, and

a memory coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to cause the transceiver to broadcast a first interrogation signal in response to receiving data that is to transmitted, wherein the controller is configured to transmit the data in response to detecting a response-to-interrogation signal, wherein the controller is configured to store the transmitted data in the memory and repeat the interrogation and transmission until receiving a destination-receipt signal corresponding to the data; and

a second mobile station configured to be installed on a second ship.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising a third mobile station configured to installed on an aircraft.

30. The system of claim 28, further comprising a fourth mobile station configured to be installed on a buoy.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein each mobile station is configured to act as a store-and-forward repeater for data received by the mobile station.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein each mobile station is configured to purge a particular set of data in response to receiving a destination-receipt signal corresponding to the particular set of data.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein each mobile station is configured to purge a particular set of data in response to receiving a destination-receipt signal corresponding to the particular set of data.

34. The system of claim 28, further comprising a base station installed in a fixed location and coupled to an Internet connection.