Cellular system with cybercells

• US 6,947,405 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2001
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Dailey, Timothy E., Pitcher, Gary J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sam, Phirin
• Assistant Examiner(s): TON, ANTHONY T
• Application Number:
  US09/812,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20020131387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,646 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/311, 370/312, 370/313, 370/314, 370/315, 370/316, 370/317, 370/318, 370/319, 370320-350, 370/352, 370/357, 370/389, 370/401, 370/466, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/426, 455/426.1, 455/432.1, 455/442, 455/443, 455/445, 455/455, 455/458, 709/217
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/16 for PBS [Private Base Station] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A local site communication system, including a broadband connection between the local site and an internet, a wireless local site network in the local site and communicating data between the broadband connection and the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is located at the local site, and a cyber base station connected to the internet and communicating data between the broadband connection and a mobile switching center whereby the mobile terminal when located at the local site connects to a mobile switching center via the wireless local site network, the broadband connection, the internet and the cyber base station. A voice client converts data between wireless signals on the wireless local site network and internet protocol signals on the broadband connection, and the cyber base station mimics a radio base station to the mobile switching center. The communication system is included in a cellular system including a plurality of low power wireless local site networks located in cells and served by the cyber base station. The wireless local site networks include a low power transceiver for communicating with mobile terminals. Methods of handing off a mobile terminal between cells and cybercells, and of placing and receiving calls in cybercells are also described.

Claims

1. A local site communication system providing wireless communication with a mobile terminal in a local site and cooperating with a public communication system including a public service telephone network and a cellular communication network having a plurality of radio base stations covering a plurality of cells where switching of mobile terminal communication links with said public communication system is controlled by a mobile switching center, said local site communication system comprising:

a broadband connection between said local site and an internet wherein said local site is located in one of said plurality of cells covered by one of said plurality of radio base stations;

a wireless local site network in said local site for communicating data between said broadband connection and said mobile terminal when said mobile terminal is located in said local site; and

a cyber base station connected to the internet and communicating data between said broadband connection and said mobile switching center whereby said mobile terminal when located at said local site connects to said public communication system via said wireless local site network, said broadband connection, the internet and said cyber base station, wherein

said local site is located in one of said plurality of cells covered by one of said plurality of radio base stations, and wherein switching of said mobile terminal communication links of said cyber base station with said public communication system is controlled by said mobile switching center controlling switching of said mobile terminal communication links of said one of said plurality of radio base stations with said public communication system.

2. The local site communication system of claim 1, further comprising a voice client converting data between wireless signals on said wireless local site network and internet protocol signals on said broadband connection.

3. The local site communication system of claim 2, wherein said voice client adds internet protocol overhead to date received from said mobile terminal and to be sent from said wireless local site network to said cyber base station, and removes internet protocol overhead from data received from said cyber base station.

4. The local site communication system at claim 2, wherein said data communicated by said cyber base station includes a neighbor cell list for said local site communication system.

5. The local site communication system of claim 1, wherein said cyber base station communicates information on a control channel, and said control channel information includes internet protocol addresses.

6. The local site communication system of claim 1, wherein said cyber base station mimics a radio base station to said mobile switching center.

7. The local site communication system of claim 1, wherein said wireless local site network is a Bluetooth and said local site communication system communicates with a mobile terminal having cellular and Bluetooth communication interfaces.

8. The local site communication system of claim 1, wherein said local site communication system provides wireless communication

with mobile terminals in a plurality of local sites each having a broadband connection to the internet, and

a wireless local sits network communicating data between said broadband connection and a selected mobile terminal when said selected mobile terminal is located at said local site;

and

said cyber base station communicates data between said broadband connections and said mobile switching center.

9. The local site communication system of claim 8, wherein said cyber base station mimics a radio base station to said mobile switching center.

10. The local site communication system of claim 8, wherein said broadband connections are cables.

11. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a plurality of cells each served by a radio base station via wireless signals;

a plurality of low power wireless local site networks located in said plurality of cells, said wireless local site networks served by a cyber base station via an internet and each said wireless local site network including a low power transceiver for communicating with mobile terminals; and

a mobile switching center controlling said cyber base station and said radio base stations, wherein

said wireless local site networks are located in said plurality of cells covered by said radio base stations, and wherein switching of mobile terminal communication links of said cyber base station with a public communication system is accomplished by said mobile switching center controlling switching of said mobile terminal communication links of said radio base station with said public communication system.

12. The wireless communication system of claim 11, wherein said cyber base station communicates information on a control channel, and said control channel information includes internet protocol addresses.

13. The wireless communication system of claim 11, further comprising a voice client at each of said wireless local site networks, said voice clients converting data between wireless signals on said wireless local site network and internet protocol signals on the internet.

14. The wireless communication system of claim 13, wherein said voice client at each of said wireless local site networks adds internet protocol overhead to data received from said mobile terminal and to be sent from said wireless local site network to said cyber base station, and removes internet protocol overhead from data received from said cyber base station.

15. The wireless communication system of claim 11, wherein said cyber base station mimics said radio base stations to said mobile switching center.

16. The wireless communication system of claim 11, wherein said cells each having a list of neighboring cells, and said cyber base station is included in said list of neighboring cells for each of said cells within which said plurality of low power wireless local site networks is located.

17. The wireless communication system of claim 11, wherein each of said wireless local site network is a Bluetooth.

18. The wireless communication system of claim 11, further comprising broadband connections between said wireless local site networks and the internet.

19. The wireless communication system of claim 18, wherein said broadband connections are cables.

20. The wireless communication system of claim 11, wherein said mobile switching center controls said cyber base station like a pico base station.

21. A method of placing a call via a mobile switching center to a mobile terminal registered in a location area having a plurality of cells and a cybercell, comprising:

transmitting a page message from said mobile switching center to radio base stations in the location area end to a cyber base station serving said cybercell;

transmitting a wireless signal with said page message by said radio base stations;

transmitting an internet message with said page message by said cyber base station;

transmitting a low power wireless signal with said page message by a low power wireless local site network serving said cybercell;

responding from said mobile terminal to said base station serving said cell providing service to said the mobile terminal, where when said mobile terminal is being provided service by a wireless local site network serving a cybercell, said mobile terminal response is sent to said cyber base station as an internet protocol response message via said internet; and

establishing a voice path from said mobile terminal to said mobile switching center via said wireless local site network, the internet and said cyber base station.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said voice path carries data in internet protocol packets between said cyber base station and said wireless local site network.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein a voice client at said wireless local site network adds Internet protocol overhead to data received from said mobile terminal and to be sent from said wireless local site network to said cyber base station, and removes internet protocol overhead from data received from said cyber base station.

24. A method of placing a call to a phone via a mobile switching center from a mobile terminal served by a cybercell, comprising:

transmitting a call origination message from said mobile terminal to a wireless local site network serving said cybercell, wherein said wireless local site network is connected to an internet by a broadband connection;

transmitting an internet protocol message with said origination message from the wireless local site network via said broadband connection over the internet to an internet protocol address at a cyber base station providing an interface to said mobile switching center;

paging the called phone; and

establishing a voice path from said mobile terminal to said mobile switching center via said wireless local site network, the internet and said cyber base station.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said voice path carries data in internet protocol packets between said cyber base station end said wireless local site network.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein a voice client at said wireless local site network adds internet protocol overhead to data received from said mobile terminal and to be sent from said wireless local site network to said cyber base station, and removes internet protocol overhead from data received from said cyber base station.