Mobile network base station controller comprising a central gateway and a physically separate remote gateway which communicate via a remote link

• US 7,783,288 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2006
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: iDirect UK Limited (Singapore Technologies Engineering Limited)
• Original Assignee: Slieve Mish Inventions Limited
• Inventors: Young, Christopher, Lord, Richard, Waugh, Guy, Godley, Michael, Fitzgerald, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Gesesse; Tilahun
• Application Number:
  US11/364,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20060154660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,637 Days
• Field of Search: 455427-431, 455/12.1, 455/13.17
• US Class Current: 455/429
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18558 Arrangements for managing communications, i.e. for setting up, maintaining or releasing a call between stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18569 Arrangements for system physical machines management, i.e. for construction operations control, administration, maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices

Abstract

A remote mobile network part (2, 11, 12) may be on an aircraft, a ship, or in a geographically remote location. It comprises a gateway (6) which communicates with a central gateway (9) via a satellite link. The two gateways (6, 9) together are a base station controller (BSC), the satellite link being used for BSC-internal communication. Such communication can be optimised to make best use of the limited bandwidth available on the satellite link.

Claims

1. A mobile network base station controller split into two physically separated parts, said parts being a central gateway and a physically separate remote gateway, in which:

the remote gateway and the central gateway together constitute a base station controller for a remote cell of the mobile network, the remote gateway being physically located in the remote cell,

the remote gateway communicates with cell equipment including a base transceiver station in said remote cell via a standard protocol for said remote mobile network cell,

the central gateway communicates via a standard protocol with a mobile network switching node, and

the gateways perform internal base station controller communication between each other using a remote communication link such that the two gateways together constitute said base station controller;

wherein the gateways use compression for at least some internal communication on the remote link.

2. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote communication link is a satellite link.

3. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote communication link is a satellite link;

and wherein the remote communication link is a craft-to-ground communication link.

4. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote communication link is terrestrial based radio, microwave, cable or optical fibre.

5. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein each gateway buffers speech packets and combines a plurality of buffered speech packets into a single transmission packet.

6. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein each gateway buffers speech packets and combines a plurality of buffered speech packets into a single transmission packet;

and wherein the transmission packet is an RTP packet.

7. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gateways perform transcoding and rate adaptation at the most appropriate gateway according to the nature of the remote link.

8. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central gateway comprises an operations and maintenance function for both gateways.

9. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote gateway comprises an operations and maintenance function for itself and the remote mobile network cell.

10. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central gateway comprises an operations and maintenance function for both gateways;

and wherein the operations and maintenance function downloads updates to the remote gateway.

11. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central gateway comprises an operations and maintenance function for both gateways;

and wherein the operations and maintenance function uploads fault information, status information and statistics from the remote gateway.

12. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central gateway maintains a database of data pertaining to remote gateways with which it communicates.

13. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote gateway is linked to an entertainment or public announcement system.

14. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 13, wherein the remote gateway allows calls to be interrupted by the public announcement or entertainment system.

15. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote gateway determines if a locally-initiated call or message is to a person located in its cell, and avoids use of the remote link if this is the case.

16. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central gateway detects Ocean Region changes from a remote gateway logon message and from the full address of the remote craft, builds a full correct dialled number including the Ocean region that will be used to terminate voice calls to each subscriber.

17. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central gateway automatically generates a response to an MSC class mark enquiry.

18. The mobile network cell comprising a base station controller as claimed in claim 1, and a base station transceiver.

19. The method of communication between a remote mobile network cell and a central mobile network node, the method comprising a base station transceiver of the remote cell communicating with a remote gateway of a base station controller of claim 1, the remote gateway processing signals received from the transceiver and transmitting internal base station controller signals to the central gateway via a remote link.

20. A mobile network base station controller split into two physically separate parts, said parts being a central gateway and a physically separate remote gateway, in which:

the remote gateway and the central gateway together constitute a base station controller for a remote cell of the mobile network, the remote gateway being physically located in the remote cell,

the remote gateway communicates with cell equipment including a base transceiver station in said remote cell via a standard protocol for said remote mobile network cell,

the central gateway communicates via a standard protocol with a mobile network switching node,

the gateways perform internal base station controller communication between each other using a remote communication link such that the two gateways together constitute said base station controller;

wherein the gateways perform transcoding and rate adaptation at the most appropriate gateway according to the nature of the remote link.

21. A mobile network base station controller split into two physically separated parts, said parts being a central gateway and a physically separate remote gateway, in which:

the remote gateway and the central gateway together constitute a base station controller for a remote cell of the mobile network, the remote gateway being physically located in the remote cell,

the remote gateway communicates with cell equipment including a base transceiver station in said remote cell via a standard protocol for said remote mobile network cell,

the central gateway communicates via a standard protocol with a mobile network switching node, and

the gateways perform internal base station controller communication between each other using a remote communication link such that the two gateways together constitute said base station controller;

wherein the gateways use compression for at least some internal communication on the remote link;

wherein the remote gateway terminates radio measurement signalling and link measurement signalling; and

wherein the central gateway terminates link management signalling and “

heartbeat”

signalling from a mobile network node.

22. A mobile network base station controller split into two physically separated parts, said parts being a central gateway and a physically separate remote gateway, in which:

the remote gateway and the central gateway together constitute a base station controller for a remote cell of the mobile network, the remote gateway being physically located in the remote cell,

the remote gateway communicates with cell equipment including a base transceiver station in said remote cell via a standard protocol for said remote mobile network cell,

the central gateway communicates via a standard protocol with a mobile network switching node, and

the gateways perform internal base station controller communication between each other using a remote communication link such that the two gateways together constitute said base station controller;

wherein the gateways use compression for at least some internal communication on the remote link, and

wherein at least one gateway terminates some signalling received from an external entity to minimize internal traffic on the remote communication link.

23. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 22, wherein the remote gateway terminates “

heartbeat”

signalling from remote network nodes.

24. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 22, wherein the remote gateway terminates radio measurement signalling.

25. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 22, wherein the remote gateway terminates link measurement signalling.

26. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 22, wherein the central gateway terminates link management signalling.

27. The mobile network base station controller as claimed in claim 22, wherein the central gateway terminates “

heartbeat”

signalling from a mobile network node.