Communication system with floating call anchor

• US 8,406,763 B1
• Filed: 12/05/2005
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Malcolm M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Agosta, Steve D
• Application Number:
  US11/294,821
• Time in Patent Office: 2,668 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455436-445, 455/453, 370/310.2, 370/322, 370331-334
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/16 Performing reselection for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/12 between access points and access point controllers

Abstract

A floating call anchor is used to improve the efficiency of utilization of wireless and backhaul resources in cellular communication systems. For conditions under which soft handoff can be effectively used to conserve wireless resources, data transmitted from a first mobile unit (MU) via a wireless signal are received by one or more base transceiver stations (BTSs) and sent to a base station controller (BSC) or other device remote from the BTSs. The data are then sent from the remote device to the BTS(s) transmitting data to a second MU. If the two MUs engaged in communication are within the same cell or adjacent cells, and the savings of backhaul resources outweighs the additional wireless resource costs associated with performing the call anchor function at a BTS, then a single BTS is used to communicate with both MUs. This single BTS performs the call anchor function.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a primary base transceiver station engaged in wireless communication with a first mobile unit and carrying data being transmitted between the first mobile unit and a second mobile unit, the primary base transceiver station performing a call anchor function for the data, the call anchor function including controlling various characteristics of the digital transmission of the data between the first mobile unit and the primary base transceiver station and controlling allocation of wireless resources among mobile units and secondary base transceiver stations in the communication system, the call anchor function operable to relocate between the primary base transceiver station and the secondary base transceiver stations or a base station controller during data transmission between the first and second mobile units in response to a communication characteristic of the data.

2. The communication system of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication device in communication with the primary base transceiver station, wherein either one of the primary base transceiver station and the communication device are dynamically selected, by a selection procedure, to perform a call anchor function for the data, the selection procedure comprising determining a communication characteristic including either one of;

a traffic characteristic of the data, and

a characteristic of wireless communication between the primary base transceiver station and at least one of the first and second mobile units.

3. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the selection procedure further includes:

using the communication characteristic to determine a wireless savings amount, the wireless savings amount including an amount of wireless resource savings associated with performing the call anchor function by the communication device;

using the communication characteristic to determine a backhaul cost amount, the backhaul cost amount including an amount of backhaul resource cost associated with performing the call anchor function by the communication device.

4. The communication system of claim 3, wherein the communication device is selected if the wireless savings amount exceeds the backhaul cost amount.

5. The communication system of claim 3, wherein the primary base transceiver station is selected if the backhaul cost amount exceeds the wireless savings amount.

6. The communication system of claim 2, the selection procedure being performed for a first communication session, thereby generating a first selection result, the selection procedure being further performed for a second communication session, thereby generating a second selection result, and the first and second selection results being independent from each other.

7. The communication system of claim 6, wherein the selection procedure is performed exactly once for at least one of the first and second communication sessions.

8. The communication system of claim 6, wherein the selection procedure is performed at least twice for at least one of the first and second communication sessions.

9. A method for communicating, comprising:

using a primary base transceiver station to engage in wireless communication with a first mobile unit;

using the primary base transceiver station to carry data being transmitted between the first mobile unit and a second mobile unit;

using the primary base transceiver station to perform a call anchor function for the data, the call anchor function including controlling various characteristics of the digital transmission of the data between the first mobile unit and the primary base transceiver station and controlling allocation of wireless resources among mobile units and secondary base transceiver stations in the communication system;

relocating the call anchor function between the primary base transceiver station and the secondary base transceiver stations or a base station controller during data transmission between the first and second mobile units in response to a communication characteristic of the data.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

using a communication device to communicate with the primary base transceiver station;

determining a communication characteristic comprising either one of;

a traffic characteristic of the data, and

a characteristic of wireless communication between the primary base transceiver station and at least one of the first and second mobile units; and

using the communication characteristic to dynamically select either one of the primary base transceiver station and the communication device to perform a call anchor function for the data.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein using the communication characteristic includes:

using the communication characteristic to determine a wireless savings amount, the wireless savings amount including an amount of wireless resource savings associated with performing the call anchor function by the communication device;

using the communication characteristic to determine a backhaul cost amount, the backhaul cost amount including an amount of backhaul resource cost associated with performing the call anchor function by the other communication device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

selecting the communication device if the wireless savings amount exceeds the backhaul cost amount.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

selecting the primary base transceiver station if the backhaul cost amount exceeds the wireless savings amount.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein:

using the communication characteristic is being performed for a first communication session, thereby generating a first selection result;

dynamically selecting being further performed for a second communication session, thereby generating a second selection result, and the first and second selection results being independent from each other.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein using the communication characteristic is performed exactly once for at least one of the first and second communication sessions.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein using the communication characteristic is performed at least twice for at least one of the first and second communication sessions.

17. A computer-readable medium having a set of instructions operable to direct a processor to:

use a primary base transceiver station to engage in wireless communication with a first mobile unit;

use the primary base transceiver station to carry data being transmitted between the first mobile unit and a second mobile unit;

use the primary base transceiver station to perform a call anchor function for the data, the call anchor function including controlling various characteristics of the digital transmission of the data between the first mobile unit and the primary base transceiver station and controlling allocation of wireless resources among mobile units and secondary base transceiver stations in the communication system;

relocate the call anchor function between the primary base transceiver station and the secondary base transceiver stations or a base station controller during data transmission between the first and second mobile units in response to a communication characteristic of the data.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions are further operable to direct the processor to:

use a communication device to communicate with the primary base transceiver station;

determine a communication characteristic comprising either one of;

a traffic characteristic of the data,

a characteristic of wireless communication between the primary base transceiver station and at least one of the first and second mobile units; and

use the communication characteristic to dynamically select either one of the primary base transceiver station and the communication device to perform a call anchor function for the data.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the instructions are further operable to direct the processor to:

use the communication characteristic to determine a wireless savings amount, the wireless savings amount including an amount of wireless resource savings associated with performing the call anchor function by the communication device;

use the communication characteristic to determine a backhaul cost amount, the backhaul cost amount includes an amount of backhaul resource cost associated with performing the call anchor function by the communication device station;

select the other communication device if the wireless savings amount exceeds the backhaul cost amount; and

select the primary base transceiver station if the backhaul cost amount exceeds the wireless savings amount.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions use the communication characteristic for a first communication session, thereby generating a first selection result, the instructions to dynamically select being further performed for a second communication session, thereby generating a second selection result, and the first and second selection results being independent from each other.