Method and system for mobile communications

• US 7,630,716 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Kusunose, Kenya, Watanabe, Yasuyuki, Sato, Takaaki, Hata, Masafumi, Tamura, Motoshi, Uchiyama, Nobuhide, Igarashi, Daisuke, Uchikoshi, Akihiro, Okamoto, Akiko, Ishikawa, Nobutaka, Hagiwara, Junichiro, Miki, Mutsumaru, Hamajima, Takuya, Yunoki, Kazufumi, Yasuda, Yoshiyuki, Yamagata, Katsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Danh C
• Application Number:
  US11/712,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20070298804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 455/439, 455/550.1, 455/561, 370/331, 370/347, 370/328
• US Class Current: 455/439
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/12 Outer and inner loops
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices

Abstract

When a network pages the temporary user mobile identifier of a mobile station, the mobile station sends a response to the network. Next, the network checks the authenticity of the user using a ciphering key, corresponding to the temporary user mobile identifier and a random number. If the temporary user mobile identifier is authenticated, a normal incoming call acceptance procedure is executed. If the mobile station is authenticated although the temporary user mobile identifier is wrong, the network reassigns a new temporary user mobile identifier to the mobile station and stops the current communication. In communication, the network and the mobile station mutually notify encipherment-onset time and negotiate about encipherment manner with each other. In addition, diversity handover is commenced upon a call attempt. Furthermore, if a branch replacement is necessary, the current branch is replaced by new branches capable of executing the diversity handover. Additionally, when a new call occurs to or from the mobile station capable of treating a plurality of calls simultaneously, the mobile station uses the same branch structure and the same communication frequency band for all of calls. Additionally, when a new call occurs to or from the mobile station capable of treating a plurality of calls simultaneously, a branch structure and a communication frequency band, which can continue all of the calls, are selected and used. Therefore, the mobile communications system is suitable for transmission of various sorts of data in accordance with the development of multimedia.

Claims

1. A mobile station, comprising:

a receiver that is configured to receive a message from a network;

an access link controller that is configured to establish a plurality of branches between the network and the mobile station when no access link is established between the network and the mobile station, and when the receiver receives a message, the message including a request for establishing the plurality of branches, the establishment being triggered by a call; and

a communication controller that is configured to commence communication using the plurality of branches with the diversity of handover.

2. A mobile station according to claim 1, wherein if the request includes an instruction to establish the plurality of branches between the mobile station and a single base station, the mobile station establishes the requested branches between the mobile station and the single base station, thereby commencing communication using the plurality of branches.

3. A mobile station according to claim 1, wherein if the request includes a request to establish the plurality of branches between the mobile station and a plurality of base stations, the mobile station establishes the requested branches between the mobile station and the base stations, thereby commencing communication using the plurality of branches.

4. A base station controller for controlling a base station in a network, comprising:

a receiver that is configured to receive a notification from a mobile station, the notification including information indicating that the mobile station is capable of performing diversity handover;

a detector that is configured to detect a call attempt to or from the mobile station;

an access link controller that is configured to establish a plurality of branches between the network and the mobile station when the detector detects a call attempt to or from the mobile station, and when the receiver receives the notification, the plurality of branches being used for diversity handover, the establishment being triggered by a call; and

a communication controller that is configured to control the base station to perform communication with the mobile station, the communication using diversity handover.

5. A base station controller according to claim 4, further comprising:

a transmitter that is configured to transmit a message to both of the base station and the mobile station when the detector detects a call attempt to or from the mobile station, and when the receiver receives the notification, the message including a request for establishing the plurality of branches;

wherein the communication controller performs communication using the intra-cell diversity handover.

6. A base station controller according to claim 4, wherein:

the network includes a plurality of base stations;

the base station controller further comprises a transmitter that is configured to transmit a message to the plurality of base stations and the mobile station when the detector detects a call attempt to or from the mobile station, and when the receiver receives the notification, the message including a request for establishing the plurality of branches; and

the communication controller performs the communication using inter-cell diversity handover.

7. A base station for communicating with a mobile station under the control of a base station controller, comprising:

a receiver that is configured to receive an instruction from the base station controller, the instruction being triggered by a call attempt to or from the mobile station;

an access link controller that is configured to establish a plurality of branches between the base station and the mobile station, on the basis of the instruction received by the receiver; and

a communication controller that is configured to commence communication with the mobile station, the communication using intra-cell diversity handover, the intra-cell diversity handover using the plurality of branches.