System for and method of providing priority access service and cell load redistribution

• US 7,623,870 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: F Poszat Hu LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Green Wireless LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Marshall, James, Nissley, Mike, Shyy, Dong-Jye
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cho; Un C
• Application Number:
  US11/171,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20050282554A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,609 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435.3, 455/453, 455/452.1, 455/509, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/512, 455/445, 455/421, 455/515, 455/553.1, 455/457, 455/456.2, 455/456.6
• US Class Current: 455/453
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/20 Hop count for routing purposes, e.g. TTL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/34 Source routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/122 by diverting traffic away from congested entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/745 Reaction in network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/762 triggered by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/808 User-type aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/828 Allocation of resources per group of connections, e.g. per group of users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0892 between different intermediate nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/04 based on wireless node resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 : for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 : Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Systems of and methods for providing cellular priority access and topological guidance information to cellular users are described, employing wireless ad hoc network and cellular logic. A centralized aspect of acquiring cell loading information and geographic coordinates is combine with a distributed scatternet forming aspect to enable guidance information to be computed and indicated to the user. The guidance information is reflective of cell loading and congestion status of neighboring cells, as well as the availability of alternative radio resources in the user'"'"'s current cell or neighboring cells. The system may also be employed in redistributing cell traffic among cells to optimally balance cell loads.

Claims

1. A method performed by a mobile device configured to communicate in a cellular network and an ad hoc network, said ad hoc network facilitating communication between the mobile device and at least one other mobile device that is a member of the ad hoc network, said method comprising:

in response to having a call attempt blocked by the cellular network, receiving, from at least one other mobile device communicating with the mobile device via the ad hoc network, cell status and geographic data for a cell of the cellular network associated with the mobile device;

based on the received data, identifying a candidate cell having a greater amount of available cellular communication resources than a cell currently associated with the mobile device; and

displaying a message on the mobile device identifying the at least one candidate cell, and at least one of the cell status or the geographic data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ad hoc network includes at least one fixed communication device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein communication between the mobile device and the at least one other mobile device is facilitated through at least one of another mobile device or the at least one fixed communication device of the ad hoc network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cell status includes at least one of cell congestion and cell loading.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellular communication resources includes at least one of alternative radio frequencies, codes, service providers or communication networks.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a geographic location of the at least one other mobile device associated with the candidate cell.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing the geographic location of the candidate cell to the at least one other mobile device.

8. A mobile device configured to communicate in a cellular network and an ad hoc network, said ad hoc network facilitating communication between the mobile device and at least one other mobile device that is a member of the ad hoc network, said device comprising:

a receiver to receive, in response to having a call attempt blocked by the cellular network, from the at least one other mobile device communicating with the mobile device via the ad hoc network, cell status and geographic data for a cell of the cellular network associated with the mobile device;

a controller to identify, based on the received data, a candidate cell having a greater amount of available cellular communication resources than a cell currently associated with the mobile device; and

a display to display a message on the mobile device identifying the at least one candidate cell with the cell status and the geographic data.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the ad hoc network includes at least one fixed communication device.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein communication between the mobile device and the at least one other mobile device is facilitated through at least one of another mobile device or the at least one fixed communication device of the ad hoc network.

11. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the cell status includes at least one of cell congestion and cell loading.

12. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the cellular communication resources includes at least one of alternative radio frequencies, codes, service providers, or communication networks.

13. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a geographic location of the at least one other mobile device associated with the candidate cell.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, further comprising a transmitter to provide the geographic location of the candidate cell to the at least one other mobile device.