Method and system for controlling the operation of movable wireless networks

• US 7,324,813 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2004
• Issued: 01/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Verstegen, Mike D., Niemi, Kevin J., Mountney, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perez-Gutierrez; Rafael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Au; Gary
• Application Number:
  US10/938,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20050208935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 455/448, 455/426.1
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

The invention can provide a movable wireless network that is capable of operating in a multiple network environment. The movable wireless network has a coverage area and includes a detector that detects a network event when the coverage area of the movable wireless network overlaps with a coverage area of another wireless network. The invention can further include a controller that changes an operational state of the movable wireless network when the detector detects the network event so that the movable wireless network is able to operate within the coverage area of the other wireless network.

Claims

1. A movable wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices, the movable wireless network further comprising:

a detector that senses a network event caused by a proximity of the movable wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices to another wireless network;

a position sensor for determining a position of the movable wireless network;

a memory for storing other wireless network position data including a coverage area of each of a plurality of other wireless networks and related network data; and

a controller that changes an operational state of the movable wireless network based on the network event so that the movable wireless network operates with the other wireless network according to network data stored in the memory, the changed operational state corresponding to one of a mobile country code or of a mobile network code and its associated mobile country code.

2. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the detector detects the network event by sensing at least two of a power, phase, frequency, interference, frequency plan, frequency portfolio, mobile network code and mobile country code of the other wireless network.

3. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller changes the operational state of the movable wireless network by changing at least two of a power, antenna selection, antenna direction, phase, frequency, frequency plan, mobile network code, and mobile country code of the movable wireless network to avoid interfering with the other wireless network.

4. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the position sensor is at least one of a global positioning system (GPS), LORAN, compass, gyroscope, and altimeter.

5. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller changes the operational state of the movable wireless network when the network event occurs based on network data stored in the memory, said network data stored in the memory comprising position data representing coverage areas and physical location for each of a plurality of stationary wireless networks.

6. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 5, wherein the network data stored in the memory further includes operational mode information of other networks currently being operated, and the controller changes the operational state of the movable wireless network so that the movable wireless network operates in conjunction with another network that has triggered the network event.

7. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 6, wherein the operational mode information of other networks currently being operated includes at least one of an owner, operator, mobile network code and mobile country code of the other network.

8. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller changes the operational state of the movable wireless network when a network event occurs based on operational mode information of another wireless network received from the other wireless network said detector detecting communication in relevant spectrum of the other wireless network and the change in operational state including a change of one of a mobile country code or a mobile network code and its associated mobile country code to be the same as that of the other wireless network.

9. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the movable wireless network is located on a ship, car, truck, bus, aircraft, or other movable object, the movable network approaching the other wireless network at a non-zone velocity and the detector detecting the network event by detecting communication in a relevant spectrum of the approach wireless network.

10. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication devices include wireless personal digital assistants, cellular telephones, wireless computers, and wireless video phones.

11. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 10, wherein the other wireless network is a stationary wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices.

12. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 10, wherein the other wireless network is a movable wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices.

28. The moveable wireless network as recited in claim 1 wherein the other wireless network is a stationary wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices, the controller changing an operational state of the movable wireless network based on the network event so that a wireless communication device of the movable wireless network is able to communicate with a wireless communication device of the stationary wireless network.

13. A movable wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices having a coverage area, the moveable wireless network further comprising:

a detector that detects a network event when the coverage area of the movable wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices overlaps with a coverage area of another wireless network;

a position sensor for determining a position of the movable wireless network;

a memory for storing position data including a coverage area of each of a plurality of other wireless networks and related network data; and

a controller that changes an operational state of the movable wireless network when the detector detects the network event so that the movable wireless network operates within the coverage area of the other wireless network according to network data stored in the memory, the changed operational state corresponding to one of a mobile country code or of a mobile network code and its associated mobile country code.

14. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 13, wherein the detector detects the network event by sensing at least one of a power, phase, frequency, interference, frequency plan, frequency portfolio, mobile network code and mobile country code of the other wireless network.

15. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 13, wherein the controller changes the operational state of the movable wireless network by changing at least two of a power, antenna selection, antenna direction, phase, frequency, frequency plan, mobile network code, and mobile country code of the movable wireless network.

16. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 13, wherein the position sensor is at least one of a global positioning system (GPS), a LORAN, compass, gyroscope, and altimeter.

17. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 13, wherein the controller changes the operational state of the movable wireless network when the network event occurs based on network data stored in the memory, where the network when network data stored in the memories includes physical location, coverage area and operational state information of other wire networks currently being operated, and the controller changes the operational state of the network wireless network to conform to the stored operational state information of a determined other wireless network so that the movable wireless network operates in conjunction with the other wireless network that has triggered the network event.

18. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 13, wherein the controller changes the operational state of the movable wireless network to conform to that of an identified other wireless network when a network event occurs based on operational mode information of the other wireless network received from the other wireless network.

19. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 13, wherein the movable wireless network is located on a ship, car, truck, bus, aircraft, or other movable object, the movable network approaching the wireless network at a non-zero velocity and the detector detecting the network event by detecting communications in relevant spectrum of the approached wireless network.

20. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 13, wherein the wireless communication devices include wireless personal digital assistants, cellular telephones, wireless computers, and wireless video phones.

21. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 20, wherein the other wireless network is a stationary wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices.

22. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 20, wherein the other wireless network is a movable wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices.

23. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 13, further comprises a network interface coupled to the controller, the network interface for permitting the controller to communicate with and to control operational states of the movable wireless network to conform with operational states of the other wireless network.

24. A method of operating of a movable wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices, the movable wireless network further comprising:

sensing a network event caused by a proximity of the movable wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices to another wireless network;

sensing a position of the movable wireless network;

storing position data including a coverage area of each of a plurality of other wireless networks and related network data in a memory of the movable wireless network and

changing an operational state of the movable wireless network based on the network event so that a wireless communication device of the movable wireless network operates with a wireless communication device of the other wireless network according to the related network data, the changed operational state corresponding to one of a mobile country code or of a mobile network code and its associated mobile country code.

25. A method for withdrawing a movable wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices from a stationary wireless network, comprising:

detecting a network event;

sensing, a position of the movable wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices;

storing position data including a coverage area of each of a plurality of other stationary wireless networks and related network data in a memory of the movable wireless network and

withdrawing the movable wireless network from the stationary wireless network upon detection of the network event of overlapping networks by changing an operational state of the movable wireless network such that said movable and said stationary wireless network continue to operate.

26. A method for merging a movable wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices and a second wireless network and for withdrawing the movable wireless network from the second wireless network, comprising:

detecting a first network event;

sensing a position of the movable wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices;

storing position data for the second wireless network and related network data in a memory of the movable wireless network, said position data corresponding to a physical location and a coverage area of said second wireless network;

country code to conform the movable wireless network to the second wireless network;

detecting a second network event; and

withdrawing the movable wireless network from the second wireless network upon detection of the second network event, the movable wireless network continuing to operate separately from the second wireless network.

27. A method for merging a movable wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices with a plurality of wireless networks and for withdrawing the movable wireless network from the plurality of wireless networks, comprising:

detecting a first network event;

sensing a position of the movable wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices;

storing including physical location and coverage area for each of the plurality of wireless networks and related network data in a memory of the movable wireless network;

merging the movable wireless network with the plurality of wireless networks upon detection of the first network event according to the related network data by changing an operational state including one of a mobile country code or a mobile network code and its associated mobile country code to conform the movable wireless network to the second wireless network;

detecting a second network event; and

withdrawing the movable wireless network from the plurality of wireless networks upon detection of the second network event.

29. A movable wireless network, comprising:

a detector that senses a network event caused by a proximity of the movable wireless network to another wireless network;

a position sensor for determining a position of the movable wireless network;

a memory for storing other wireless network position data and related network data including operational state information of a plurality of other wireless networks currently being operate, said other wireless network position data comprising coverage area and physical position, said operational state information comprising frequencies and power of each said other wireless network; and

a controller that changes an operational state of the movable wireless network based on the network event and when the network event occurs so that the movable wireless network operates with the other wireless network according to the network data stored in the memory, the operational state changing based on the network data stored in the memory, the operational state information further including at least one of an owner, operator, mobile network code and mobile country code of the other wireless network so that the movable wireless network operates in conjunction with the other wireless network that has triggered the network event.

30. A movable network as recited in claim 29,

the detector for detecting the existence of the other wireless network by detecting communications in a relevant spectrum,

the memory for farther storing rules associated with said other wireless network for transmit power and frequency within said network,

the controller for comparing data associated with said detected communications in the relevant spectrum with predetermined data stored in memory to determine the occurrence of a network event of overlapping networks, for determining the other wireless network and for changing the operational state of the movable wireless network to merge with the other wireless network such that interference between said overlapping networks is alleviated.

31. A movable network as recited in claim 29,

the detector for detecting the present position of the movable network,

the memory for storing data representing a known coverage area of the other wireless network of a plurality of such other networks besides said movable network,

the controller for determining a correspondence between said detected position of the movable network with predetermined data stored in memory of the known coverage area of the other wireless network, for determining the occurrence of a network event of overlapping networks, for determining the other wireless network with which the movable network is overlapping and for changing the operational state of the movable wireless network to merge with the other wireless network such that interference between said overlapping networks is alleviated.

32. A movable network as recited in claim 30,

the controller for changing codes of the movable network including a mobile country code and a mobile network code to conform to the mobile country code and the mobile network code of the other wireless network.

33. A movable network as recited in claim 31,

the controller for changing codes of the movable network including a mobile country code and a mobile network code to conform to the mobile country code and the mobile network code of the other wireless network.

34. A movable network as recited in claim 29,

the detector for detecting the existence of the other wireless network by detecting communications in a relevant spectrum,

the memory for further storing rules associated with said other wireless network for transmit power and frequency within said other wireless network,

the controller for comparing data associated with said detected communications in the relevant spectrum with predetermined data stored in memory to determine the occurrence of a network event of overlapping networks and changing the operational state of the movable wireless network to withdraw from the other wireless network such that interference between said overlapping networks is alleviated and each of the movable wireless network and the other wireless network continue to operate.

35. A movable network as recited in claim 30 approaching another wireless network at a non-zero velocity, the controller for detecting the network event of overlapping networks when the detector detects communications in the relevant spectrum of the other wireless network.