Method and system for controlling the operation of movable wireless networks

• US 8,503,990 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Wireless Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mountney, Scott A., Verstegen, Mike D., Niemi, Kevin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cai, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Chuck
• Application Number:
  US11/877,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20080045222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,113 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/443, 455/448, 455/454
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

The invention can provide a movable wireless network that is capable of operating in a multiple network environment. The movable wireless network has a coverage area and includes a detector that detects a network event when the coverage area of the movable wireless network overlaps with a coverage area of another wireless network. The invention can further include a controller that changes an operational state of the movable wireless network when the detector detects the network event so that the movable wireless network is able to operate within the coverage area of the other wireless network.

Claims

1. A movable wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices, the movable wireless network further comprising:

a detector configured to detect a network event; and

a controller configured to change an operational state of the movable wireless network by changing at least one of a mobile country code and a mobile network code of the movable wireless network to be the same as that of another wireless network, responsive to detection of the network event by the detector, the changed operational state corresponding to a state of coordinated operation as a single wireless network of the movable wireless network and the other wireless network, the coordinated operation including continued operation of the movable wireless network and the other wireless network in a merged network formation.

2. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the detector detects the network event by sensing at least two of a power, phase, frequency, interference, frequency plan, frequency portfolio, mobile network code and mobile country code of the other wireless network.

3. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller changes the operational state of the movable wireless network by changing at least two of a power, antenna selection, antenna direction, phase, frequency, frequency plan, mobile network code, and mobile country code of the movable wireless network.

4. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1 further comprising a position sensor of at least one of a global positioning system (GPS), LORAN, compass, gyroscope, and altimeter, the position sensor for determining the position of the moveable wireless network for comparison by said controller with stored other wireless network position data.

5. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller changes the operational state of the movable wireless network when the network event occurs at least partially based on other wireless network data stored in memory, said network data stored in the memory comprising position data representing coverage area and physical location for each of a plurality of stationary wireless networks.

6. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 5, wherein said network data stored in the memory further includes operational mode information of stationary wireless networks.

7. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 6, wherein the operational mode information of the stationary wireless networks includes at least one of an owner, operator, mobile network code and mobile country code of the stationary wireless network.

9. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1, the movable wireless network being located on one of a ship, car, truck, bus, aircraft or train, the movable network approaching the other wireless network at a non-zero velocity, the movable wireless network further comprising a detector for detecting the network event by detecting communications in a relevant spectrum of the other wireless network.

10. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1, a wireless communication device of said moveable wireless network receiving uninterrupted service before and after said network event.

11. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the other wireless network is a stationary wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices, a wireless communication device of said stationary wireless network being capable of communicating with a wireless communication device of said moveable wireless network after said network event.

12. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the other wireless network is a movable wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices, a wireless communication device of said other wireless movable network being capable of communicating with a wireless communication device of said moveable wireless network after said network event.

13. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the network event includes detection of an overlap of the coverage area of the movable wireless network and the coverage area of the other wireless network.

14. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to change, in response to another network event, the operational state of the movable wireless network from the coordinated operation as a single wireless network of the movable wireless network with the other wireless network to independent operation of the moveable wireless network and the other wireless network.

15. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to change, in response to a network event, the operational state of the movable wireless network to reduce interference with the other wireless network prior to configuring the operational state of the movable wireless network for the coordinated operation with the other wireless network.

16. The movable wireless network as recited in claim 1, wherein the network event includes detection of the movable wireless network leaving the coverage area of the other wireless network.

17. The movable wireless network, as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to change the operational state of the movable wireless network only when the movable wireless network is compatible with the at least one other wireless network.

18. The movable wireless network, as recited in claim 1, wherein the coordinated operation extends the coverage area of the at least one other network.

27. The movable wireless network, as recited in claim 1, wherein the operational state of the movable wireless network is changed to be the same as a corresponding operational state of the at least one other wireless network.

8. A movable wireless network comprising one or more wireless communication devices, the movable wireless network further comprising:

a detector configured to detect a network event by sensing at least two of a power, phase, frequency, interference, frequency plan, frequency portfolio, mobile network code and mobile country code of another wireless network; and

a controller configured to change an operational state of the movable wireless network, responsive to detection of the network event by the detector, the changed operational state corresponding to a state of coordinated operation as a single wireless network of the movable wireless network and the other wireless network, the coordinated operation including continued operation of the movable wireless network and the other wireless network in a merged network formation,

wherein the controller changes the operational state of the movable wireless network when the network event occurs based on operational mode information of another wireless network received from the other wireless network, said detector detecting communications in a relevant spectrum of the other wireless network and the change in operational state including a change of at least one of a mobile country code and a mobile network code to be the same as that of the other wireless network.

19. A method comprising:

coordinating operation of a movable wireless network and at least one other wireless network to operate as a single wireless network, in response to a network event, by configuring-an operational state of the movable wireless network by configuring at least one of a mobile country code and a mobile network code of the movable wireless network to be the same as that of the at least one other wireless network, the coordinating operation including continued operation of the movable wireless network and the at least one other wireless network in a merged network formation.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising storing, in a memory of the movable wireless network, position data including a coverage area and network data associated with each of a plurality of other wireless networks.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

detecting the network event at least partially based on data sensed by a mobile network controller associated with the mobile wireless network.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

determining the operational state at least partially based on the sensed data.

23. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

changing, in response to a second network event, the operational state of the movable wireless network to an operational state corresponding to operation of the moveable wireless network independent from the at least one other wireless network, thereby withdrawing the movable wireless network from the coordinated operation as the single wireless network of the movable wireless network with the other wireless network.

24. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

changing, in response to a network event, the operational state of the movable wireless network to an operational state that reduces interference with the other wireless network, prior to coordinating the operational state of the movable wireless network with the operation with the other wireless network.

28. The method, as recited in claim 19, wherein the operational state of the movable wireless network is changed to be the same as a corresponding operational state of the at least one other wireless network.

25. An apparatus comprising:

means for detecting a network event associated with a movable wireless network and at least one other wireless network; and

means for coordinating operation of the movable wireless network and the at least one other wireless network by configuring an operational state of the movable wireless network by changing at least one of a mobile country code and a mobile network code of the movable wireless network to be the same as that of the other wireless network in response to the network event,

wherein, when the network event is overlapping coverage areas of the movable wireless network and the other wireless network, the movable wireless network is configured to operate in coordination with the other wireless network as a single wireless network including continued operation of the movable wireless network and the at least one other network in a merged network formation.

26. The apparatus, as recited in claim 25, wherein, when the network event is withdrawal of the movable wireless network from the coverage area of the other wireless network, the movable wireless network is configured to operate independent from the other wireless network.

29. The apparatus, as recited in claim 25, wherein the operational state of the movable wireless network is changed to be the same as a corresponding operational state of the at least one other wireless network.