Communication system

• US 6,788,656 B1
• Filed: 05/05/2000
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Alexius, Staffan, Smolentzov, André, Dovner, Lars, Granberg, Olof Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang Bin
• Application Number:
  US09/565,551
• Time in Patent Office: 1,586 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/329, 370/330, 370/331, 370/332, 370/333, 370/345, 370/349, 370/350, 455/435.1, 455/436, 455/437, 455/438, 455/442, 455/502, 455/504, 455/67.11, 455/67.13
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/713 using frequency hopping
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/02 Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods and means for creating a cellular radio communication system (100) out of a number of local radio networks (109, 110), e.g. piconets. The local radio networks (109,110) are unsynchronised with each other and uses a radio interface that has no broadcast channel, e.g. the Bluetooth radio interface. A control unit (108) is connected to each local radio network to provide the basic means and methods for a cellular radio communication system (100). Radio units (101-103) can attach and retain a connection to the control unit (108) via their respective radio node (104-107). The radio units (101-103) can also perform roaming, handover, measurments and fast connection set-ups in the system (100).

Claims

1. A method for retaining a connection to a first radio unit in a cellular radio communication system comprising a number of local radio networks utilizing radio interfaces which, between said local radio networks, are unsynchronized with each other, and where each of said local radio networks comprises a radio node arranged to communicate with a plurality of radio units, the method comprising:

establishing a beacon signaling from said first radio node to said first radio unit in a first local radio network;

measuring in a first measurement at least one signal parameter on said beacon signal from said first radio node at said first radio unit and transmitting said first measurement to said first radio node in a response signal; and

measuring in a second measurement said at least one signal parameter on at least one signal from said first radio unit at said first radio node and forwarding said first and second measurement to a control node associated with said radio nodes.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said method further comprising the steps of:

ordering neighboring radio nodes to said first radio node to page said first radio unit;

establishing a beacon signaling from said neighboring radio nodes to said first radio unit; and

measuring said at least one signal parameter on signals from said first radio unit at said radio nodes.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said neighboring radio nodes are registered in a neighboring list (FIG. 5) in said control node, where said neighboring list includes information of which radio nodes in said system that are within radio coverage of said first radio unit when said first radio unit is located In said first local radio network.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each one of said radio nodes shares one frequency hopping channel with those radio units that said radio nodes are connected to in their respective local radio network.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second measurement are stored in a BRFP_candidates list in said control node.

6. A method for collecting data for a neighboring list in a cellular radio communication system comprising a number of local radio networks utilizing radio interfaces which, between said local radio networks, are unsynchronized with each other, and where each of said local radio networks comprises a radio node arranged to communicate with a plurality of radio units, the method comprising:

transmitting a page signal from all radio nodes in said system to a first radio unit connected to a first radio node;

transmitting a response signal from said first radio unit to said first radio node where said response signal includes information of which of said radio nodes said first radio unit has detected a page signal from; and

forwarding said response signal from said first radio node to a control node associated with said radio nodes.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said neighboring list is created from said response signal in said control node by registrating said radio nodes from which said first radio unit has detected a page signal as neighbors to said first radio node.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said neighboring list in said control node is updated from said response signal in said control node.

9. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said response signal also includes information of at least one signal parameter measured by said first radio unit on said detected page signals from said radio nodes.