Mobile cellular networks

• US 9,198,221 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2013
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oceus Networks Inc.
• Original Assignee: Oceus Networks Inc.
• Inventors: Schemagin, Pamela, Graffagnino, Vincent, Rytilahti, Jouko, Gibbs, Ian, McGovern, James, Green, John, Collins, Kyle
• Primary Examiner(s): Rampuria, Sharad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bassinan, Obidon
• Application Number:
  US13/972,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20140057636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 455/441, 455/436, 455/437, 455/438, 455/439, 455/440, 455/444, 455/442, 455/445, 455/422.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

Multiple mobile cellular network (MCN) communication systems can be networked together to form a network of MCN communication systems (NOM). Each MCN communication system within the NOM can operate as an independent cellular network to provide communications between user equipment within a covered area. When a UE in one MCN of the NOM moves into a different MCN of the NOM, the corresponding MCN communication systems can handover the UE. The UE can also be handed over between MCN communication systems when the MCN communication systems move.

Claims

1. A network of mobile cellular networks comprising:

a first mobile cellular network (MCN) communication system located within a first covered area and configured to generate a first MCN for the first covered area, the first MCN communication system comprising;

a first radio access component configured to receive wireless communications from one or more first user equipment within the first covered area,

a first control and data component in communication with the first radio access component and configured to provide first communication links between the one or more first user equipment within the first covered area, and

a first data store comprising;

authentication data of the one or more first user equipment within the first covered area,

identification data of one or more additional MCN communication systems,

location data of the one or more additional MCN communication systems, and

identification data of user equipment associated with the one or more additional MCN communication systems,

wherein the first MCN communication system independently provides the first communication links between the one or more first user equipment without communication to another MCN communication system; and

a second MCN communication system located within a second covered area and configured to generate a second MCN for the second covered area, the second MCN communication system comprising;

a second radio access component configured to receive wireless communications from one or more second user equipment within the second covered area,

a second control and data component in communication with the second radio access component and configured to provide second communication links between the one or more second user equipment within the second covered area, and

a second data store comprising authentication data of the one or more second user equipment within the second covered area,

wherein the second MCN communication system independently provides the second communication links between the one or more second user equipment without communication to another MCN communication system,

wherein the first MCN communication system and the second MCN communication system are each independently mobile with respect to each other and communicate with each other to provide third communication links between the one or more first user equipment and the one or more second user equipment, and

wherein the first MCN communication system is further configured to;

track location and movement of the second MCN communication system, and

determine whether handover operations are possible between the first and second MCN communication systems based at least in part on the tracked location and movement of the second MCN communication system with respect to the first MCN communication system.

18. The network of mobile cellular networks of claim 1, wherein during movement of the second MCN communication system, the second MCN communication system is further configured to detect a signal strength of at least one second user equipment of the one or more second user equipment and provide the at least one second user equipment with location information of another MCN communication system upon detecting a weak signal between the second MCN communication system and the at least one second user equipment.

19. The network of mobile cellular networks of claim 1, wherein

the first MCN communication system independently provides the first communication links between the one or more first user equipment without communication to another MCN communication system when in a first operation mode,

the second MCN communication system independently provides the second communication links between the one or more second user equipment without communication to another MCN communication system when in the first operation mode, and

the first MCN communication system and the second MCN communication system communicate with each other to provide third communication links between the one or more first user equipment and the one or more second user equipment when in a second operation mode.

2. A method for establishing a network of mobile cellular network (MCN) communication systems (NOM), the method comprising:

detecting a plurality of MCN communication systems for association based at least in part on at least one of location information of the plurality of MCN communication systems, responses to a broadcast query, or identification of users of the plurality of MCN communication systems, wherein each of the MCN communication systems is located within a covered area, is configured to generate an MCN for the respective covered area, and is independently mobile with respect to the other MCN communication systems, and wherein each MCN communication system comprises;

a radio access component configured to receive wireless communications from one or more user equipment (UE) within the respective covered area,

a control and data component in communication with the radio access component and configured to provide communication links between the one or more UE within the respective covered area, and

a data store comprising authentication data of the one or more UE within the respective covered area,

wherein each of the MCN communication systems independently provides the communication links between the one or more UE without communication to another MCN communication system;

identifying a master device from among the plurality of MCN communication systems, wherein the data store of the master device further comprises;

identification data of the plurality of MCN communication systems,

location data of the plurality of MCN communication systems, and

identification data of user equipment associated with the plurality of MCN communication systems;

generating NOM data based at least in part on UE data received from each of the plurality of MCN communication systems; and

providing the NOM data to each of the plurality of MCN communication systems.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the master device is identified based at least in part on at least one of elevation of each of the plurality of MCN communication systems, a range of the MCNs corresponding to the plurality of MCN communication systems, a location of the plurality of MCN communication systems, or the users of the plurality of MCN communication systems.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the NOM data comprises identification information of UE associated with each of the MCN communication systems, and location information of the plurality of MCN communication systems.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the NOM data is provided to the plurality of MCN communication systems via at least one of satellite communication or microwave or radio wave communication from the master device.

20. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the MCN communication system independently provides the communication links between the one or more UE without communication to another MCN communication system when in a first operation mode.

6. A method for establishing a communication link between a first user equipment and a second user equipment, the method comprising:

receiving at a first mobile cellular network (MCN) communication system a request from a first user equipment located within a first MCN corresponding to the first MCN communication system for a communication link with a second user equipment;

determining at the first MCN communication system whether the second user equipment is located within the first MCN;

upon determining that the second user equipment is located within the first MCN, establishing the communication link between the first user equipment and the second user equipment;

upon determining that the second user equipment is not located within the first MCN, determining whether the second user equipment is located within a first network of MCN communication systems (NOM);

upon determining that the second user equipment is located within the first NOM;

retrieving communication link information from NOM data previously received from a master MCN communication system within the NOM, wherein the first MCN communication system and the master MCN communication system are each independently mobile with respect to each other and the master MCN communication comprises a data store comprising;

identification data of the first MCN communication system,

location data of the first MCN communication system, and

identification data of user equipment associated with the first MCN communication system, and

establishing the communication link between the first user equipment and the second user equipment; and

upon determining that the second user equipment is not located within the first NOM;

querying a second NOM,

obtaining communication link information from the second NOM, and

establishing the communication link between the first user equipment and the second user equipment.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the NOM data comprises identification information of user equipment (UE) associated with each of the MCN communication systems, and location information of the MCN communication systems.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the querying the second NOM comprises requesting the master MCN communication system to communicate with the second NOM.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the obtaining communication link information comprises receiving the communication link information from the second NOM via the master MCN communication system.

10. A method for handing over user equipment (UE) between a moving mobile cellular network (MCN) communication system and an adjacent MCN communication system, the method comprising:

detecting movement of a moving MCN communication system;

determining a first time when handover operations will be unavailable between the moving MCN communication system and an adjacent MCN communication system, wherein the moving MCN communication system and the adjacent MCN communication system are independently mobile with respect to each other, and the adjacent MCN communication comprises a data store comprising;

identification data of the moving MCN communication system,

location data of the moving MCN communication system, and

identification data of user equipment associated with the moving MCN communication system;

identifying a first set of user equipment (UE) comprising UE associated with the moving MCN communication system;

identifying a second set of UE comprising UE associated with the adjacent MCN communication system;

identifying one or more UE within the first set of UE for handover to the adjacent MCN communication system due to the movement of the moving MCN communication system;

identifying one or more UE within the second set of UE for handover to the moving MCN communication system due to the movement of the moving MCN communication system and the movement of the identified one or more UE within the second set of UE;

handing over the identified one or more UE within the first set of UE to the adjacent MCN communication system prior to the first time; and

handing over the identified one or more UE within the second set of UE to the moving MCN communication system prior to the first time.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein prior to the movement of the moving MCN communication system, the moving MCN communication system and the adjacent MCN communication system are adjacent to each other.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the moving MCN communication system detects the movement and communicates the movement to the adjacent MCN communication system.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein a master MCN communication system detects the movement and communicates the movement to the adjacent MCN communication system.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first set of UE comprise UE within a moving MCN corresponding to the moving MCN communication system.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first set of UE comprise UE within an adjacent MCN corresponding to the adjacent MCN communication system.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more UE within the first set of UE are identified based at least in part on a radio signal strength between the one or more UE within the first set of UE and the moving MCN communication system and the radio signal strength between the one or more UE within the first set of UE and the adjacent MCN communication system.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more UE within the second set of UE are identified based at least in part on a radio signal strength between the one or more UE within the second set of UE and the moving MCN communication system and the radio signal strength between the one or more UE within the second set of UE and the adjacent MCN communication system.