Cellular mobile telephone system usable on board a passenger transport vehicle

• US 6,889,042 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2001
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Criqui, Jean-Francois, Rousseau, Jean-Rene
• Primary Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US09/892,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20020016168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 455/522, 455/13.4, 455/127.4, 455/575.9, 455/431, 455/430, 455/427, 455/11.1, 455/98, 455/12.1, 455/99, 455/562.1, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408
• US Class Current: 455/431
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service

Abstract

A cellular mobile telephone system usable on board a passenger transport vehicle includes a first transmitter-receiver station on board the vehicle and connected to an antenna external to the vehicle to establish an external radio link between the vehicle and a terrestrial mobile telephone network via a satellite. A base station system having at least one antenna inside the vehicle is connected to a base station controller. The base station system and the base station controller have functions analogous to those of a base station system in a standard mobile telephone network.

Claims

1. A cellular mobile telephone system usable on board a passenger transport vehicle, the system comprising:

a transmitter-receiver station on board said vehicle and connected to a first antenna external to said vehicle to establish an external radio link between said vehicle and a terrestrial mobile telephone network, and

means in said vehicle for coupling portable mobile telephone terminals inside said vehicle to said transmitter-receiver station, said means including at least one base station system having at least a second antenna inside said vehicle and a base station controller connected to said base station system and to said transmitter-receiver station, said base station controller and said base station system having functions analogous to those of a base station system in a standard mobile telephone network, wherein said base station system utilizes said second antenna to communicate with said portable telephones via a wireless radio frequency communication link, and said base comprises means enabling the terminal to regulate its transmission power.

2. The system claimed in claim 1 wherein said external radio link is relayed by at least one satellite.

3. The system claimed in claim 1 wherein a base station system includes means enabling said portable mobile telephone terminals inside said vehicle to send and receive data.

4. The system claimed in claim 1 wherein a base station system includes means enabling portable mobile telephone terminals inside said vehicle to set up calls between them.

5. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said base station controller comprises means for transferring charging data to the terrestrial mobile telephone network via the external radio link.