Access network for mobile terminals

• US 6,952,412 B1
• Filed: 08/11/1999
• Issued: 10/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Roussel, Olivier, Quinquis, Jean-Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu, Alpus H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KHUONG, LEE T
• Application Number:
  US09/786,910
• Time in Patent Office: 2,246 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310.1, 370/310.2, 370/329, 370/331, 370/340, 370/395.1, 370/338, 370/395.2, 370/397, 370/357, 370/395.3, 370/398, 370/399, 370/349, 370/401, 370/465, 370/466, 455/450, 455/507, 455/509, 455/517
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5607 Radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3081 ATM peripheral units, e.g. policing, insertion or extraction
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

An access network for mobile terminals includes a switch arranged to be connected to at least one external network and a local access network connected to a plurality of radio base stations. Each base station is arranged to enter into communication with mobile terminals, each terminal being arranged for receiving or sending user cells on a virtual channel identifiable by a fixed virtual path identifier and a specific virtual circuit identifier allocated thereto at the time a call is established. Signaling cells on a virtual channel are identified by a specific virtual path identifier and a specific fixed virtual circuit identifier. The switch allocates a virtual path identifier and a virtual circuit identifier to each user channel. To each signaling channel, the switch allocates a virtual path identifier equal to the virtual path identifier of the user circuit and a fixed virtual circuit identifier.

Claims

1. Access network for mobile terminals comprising:

a switch (VCX) arranged to be linked to at least one external network and to a local access network (RLA), said local access network (RLA) being connected to a plurality of radio base stations (BR), each radio base station being arranged to enter into communication with mobile terminals (MT), each mobile terminal (MT) being arranged for receiving or sending user cells on a virtual channel identifiable by a fixed virtual path identifier and a virtual circuit identifier allocated to said virtual path identifier at the time a call is established, and signaling cells on a virtual channel identifiable by a virtual path identifier and a fixed virtual circuit identifier, the switch (VCX) being arranged to allocate, to each of a group of user channels, a virtual path identifier and a virtual circuit identifier and, to each of a group of signaling channels, a virtual path identifier equal to the virtual path identifier of the user channel and a fixed virtual circuit identifier, the local access network (RLA) being arranged to transport the user cells, the signaling cells in channels having predetermined virtual path identifiers, and the mobile terminal (MT) and the local access network being arranged so that in response to the mobile terminal entering into the coverage of said local access network, a signaling channel is formed between said terminal (MT) and said switch (VCX), the switch (VCX) being arranged for determining a virtual path identifier (VPIu) which, associated with the predetermined signaling virtual circuit identifier, is arranged for identifying said signaling channel at the switch (VCX), and the local access network (RLA) being arranged for determining a virtual circuit identifier (VCI-sig), which, associated with the signaling virtual path identifier, is arranged for identifying, at said local access network (RLA), said signaling channel, and at the time a communication is established, the switch (VCX) is arranged to allocate, to the user channel providing the transport of the user cells of said communication, a virtual circuit identifier (VCI dat) which is associated, at the switch (VCX), with the virtual path identifier (VPIu) already allocated to the signaling channel, at the local access network (RLA), with the virtual path identifier for the transport of the user cells, and, at the terminal, with the predetermined virtual path identifier.

2. Access network for mobile terminals according to claim 1, further comprising means for providing a one-to-one correspondence between the virtual path identifier (VPIu) assigned, at the switch (VCX), to the transport of the signaling cells and the virtual circuit identifier (VCI sig) assigned, at the local access network (RLA), to the transport of the same cells.

3. Access network for mobile terminals according to claim 1, wherein the virtual circuit identifier (VCI sig) assigned, at the local access network (RLA), to the transport of the same cells is equal to the virtual path identifier (VPIu) assigned, at the switch (VCX), to the transport of the signaling cells.

4. Access network for mobile terminals according to claim 1, further including an allocation table for mapping, to each virtual path identifier VPI which the switch (VCX) is capable of allocating to a signaling channel, a group of virtual circuit identifiers VCI different from one VPI identifier to another, said switch (VCX) being arranged for allocating to the user channel, at the time it is connected, at least one virtual circuit identifier (VCI_—

dat) from the group corresponding to the virtual path identifier (VPI_—

u) of said user channel.

5. Access network for mobile terminals according to claim 1, further including an adaptation unit for effecting the translation, both in the uplink direction and in the downlink direction, of (a) the virtual path identifiers respectively assigned, in the local network (RLA), to the user cells and the signaling cells, into the corresponding predetermined identifiers in said terminal (MT), and vice versa and, (b) the virtual circuit identifier assigned, in the local network (RLA), to the signaling cells, into the corresponding predetermined identifier in said terminal (MT), and vice versa.

6. Access network for mobile terminals according to claim 1, further including an adaptation server (ARX) for effecting the translation, both in the uplink direction and in the downlink direction, of (a) the virtual path identifier assigned, in the switch (VCX), to the user cells and the signaling cells, into the virtual path identifiers respectively assigned, in said local access network (RLA), to said user and signaling cells, and vice versa and (b) the virtual circuit identifier assigned, in the switch (VCX), to the signaling cells, into the identifier assigned, in said local network, to said signaling cells, and vice versa.

7. Access network for mobile terminals according to claim 1, wherein said local access network (RLA) comprises a distribution network (RD) connected to (a) a set of concentrators (CTR) to which the radio base stations (BR) are linked in order to establish or release, according to a given marking, the virtual half-connections of said base stations (BR) to said distribution network (RD) and (b) cross-connection equipment (BRIDGE) for providing connection of the distribution network (RD) to the switch (VCX), said local access network (RLA) also having an adaption server (ARX) arranged so said signaling channel passes through it in order to be able to (a) intercept and interpret the signaling messages exchanged between the terminals (MT) and the switch (VCX) and (b) control the marking of the half-connections in the concentrators (CTR) on the basis of the content of these signaling messages.

8. Access network for mobile terminals according to claim 1, further including a routing table in which, to each virtual path identifer capable of being allocated by the switch to each signaling channel, corresponding to the number of terminals, said table being arranged to be updated according to arrivals and departures of terminals into and out of the coverage of the access network for mobile terminals RLAM.