Networks and methods integrating digital mobile standards

• US 7,742,440 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2008
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jasper, Dan, Wise, Cathy
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed; Salman
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong; Blanche
• Application Number:
  US12/256,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20090046651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation

Abstract

Communications in a wireless communication system based on two or more communication standards are configured for delivery to cell sites or to subscribers using a digital link having channels assigned to the two or more communication standards. A T-1 level can be divided into twenty four channels that are assigned to two or more mobile standards, and subscriber or network communications based on the two or more standards can be delivered to, for example, radio transmitters associated with the mobile standards. Channel allocation can be revised based upon requested capacity associated with the mobile standards.

Claims

1. A multi-standard mobile communication system comprising:

a first radio transmitter configured to transmit communications using a first communication standard;

a second radio transmitter configured to transmit communications using a second communication standard different from the first communication standard;

a digital link, transmitting at a T-1 data rate or an E1 data rate, the digital link comprising a plurality of channels;

a controller configured to direct a demultiplexer to allocate a first channel of the plurality of channels to the first communication standard and to allocate a second channel of the plurality of channels to the second communication standard;

the demultiplexer comprising;

a communication link with the controller;

an input configured to receive a multiplexed signal on the plurality of channels of the digital link;

a processor configured to;

allocate the first channel of the plurality of channels to the first communication standard and the second channel of the plurality of channels to the second communication standard in response to a direction to do so received from the controller over the communication link; and

identify a first communication within the multiplexed signal received on the first channel of the plurality of channels of the digital link and a second communication within the multiplexed signal received on the second channel of the plurality of channels of the digital link;

a first output configured to deliver the first communication to a first destination; and

a second output configured to deliver the second communication to a second destination;

wherein the processor is configured to identify the first and second communications within the multiplexed signal received on the first and second channels, respectively, of the plurality of channels received at the T-1 data rate or the E-1 data rate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication standard is an IS-95 standard, a CDMA2000 standard, or a wideband code-division multiple access (“

W-CDMA”

) standard.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication standard is GSM standard and the second communication standard is an IS-136 standard.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication standard uses a first Time Division Multiple Access (“

TDMA”

) format the second communication standard uses a second TDMA format different from the first TDMA format.

5. A demultiplexer for use with a digital link, transmitting at a T-1 data rate or an E-1 data rate, the digital link comprising a plurality of channels, and a controller configured to direct the demultiplexer to allocate a first channel of the plurality of channels to a first communication standard and to allocate a second channel of the plurality of channels to a second communication standard that is different from the first communication standard, the demultiplexer comprising:

a communication link with the controller;

an input configured to receive a multiplexed signal on the plurality of channels of the digital link;

a processor configured to;

allocate the first channel of the plurality of channels to the first communication standard and the second channel of the plurality of channels to the second communication standard in response to a direction to do so received from the controller over the communication link; and

identify a first communication within the multiplexed signal received on the first channel of the plurality of channels of the digital link and a second communication within the multiplexed signal received on the second channel of the plurality of channels of the digital link;

a first output configured to deliver the first communication to a first destination; and

a second output configured to deliver the second communication to a second destination;

wherein the processor is configured to identify the first and second communications within the multiplexed signal received on the first and second channels, respectively, of the plurality of channels received at the T-1 data rate or the E-1 data rate.

6. The demultiplexer of claim 5, wherein at least one of the first and second communication standards is a GSM standard or an IS-136 standard.

7. The demultiplexer of claim 5, wherein the first communication standard is an IS-95 standard, a CDMA2000 standard, or a wideband code-division multiple access (“

W-CDMA”

) standard.

8. The demultiplexer of claim 5, wherein the first communication standard is a GSM standard the second communication standard is an IS-136 standard.

9. The demultiplexer of claim 5, wherein the first communication standard uses a first Time Division Multiple Access (“

TDMA”

) format and the second communication standard uses a second TDMA format different from the first TDMA format.

10. A method for operating a demultiplexer for use with a digital link, transmitting at a T-1 data rate or an E-1 data rate, the digital link comprising a plurality of channels, and a controller configured to direct the demultiplexer to allocate a first channel of the plurality of channels to a first communication standard and to allocate a second channel the plurality of channels to a second communication standard that is different from the first communication standard, the method comprising:

receiving, at an input of the demultiplexer, a multiplexed signal on the plurality of channels of the digital link;

allocating, via a processor of the demultiplexer, the first channel of the plurality of channels to the first communication standard and the second channel of the plurality of channels to the second communication standard in response to a direction to do so received from a controller that is in communication with the demultiplexer;

identifying, via the processor of the demultiplexer, a first communication within the multiplexed signal received on the first channel of the plurality of channels of the digital link and a second communication within the multiplexed signal received on the second channel of the plurality of channels of the digital link;

delivering, via a first output of the demultiplexer, the first communication to a first destination; and

delivering, via a second output of the demultiplexer, the second communication to a second destination;

wherein identifying, via the processor of the demultiplexer, the first and second communications within the multiplexed signal received on the first and second channels, respectively, of the plurality of channels received at the T-1 data rate or the E-1 data rate.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first communication standard is an IS-95 standard, a CDMA2000 standard, or a wideband code-division multiple access (“

W-CDMA”

) standard.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first communication standard is a GSM standard and the second communication standard is an IS-136 standard.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein in accordance with the first communication standard, the first communication was divided into time slots for transmission using a first Time Division Multiple Access (“

TDMA”

) format and in accordance with the second communication standard, the second communication was divided into time slots for transmission using a second TDMA format.