Small-cell gateway configured for multiple air interfaces
First Claim
1. A small-cell gateway for multi-access network communication, the small-cell gateway comprising:
- first radio transceiver circuitry to communicate with at least one mobile device according to a cellular air interface standard including providing at least one small cell according to the cellular air interface standard;
second radio transceiver circuitry to communicate with mobile devices according to a wireless local area network (WLAN) air interface standard including forming a mesh network according to the WLAN air interface standard; and
control circuitry to communicate coordination information to coordinate handoffs between the cellular and WLAN air interface standards, to coordinate handoffs among cells of the mesh network, and to coordinate handoffs among small cells of the cellular air interface standard when more than one small cell is provided.
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Abstract
A communication networks including a plurality of small cell providing air interface infrastructure functionality is provided. Aspects of the present disclosure relate to the management of inter-small cell communication in accordance multiple air interfaces supported within individual small cells. Additionally, aspects of the present disclosure relate to the management of intra-small cell communication in accordance with communication networks implementing multiple small cells. In other aspects, small cells coordinate handovers through the use of a controller, or by leveraging wireless connections created between the small cells. In further aspects, the small cells enable the utilization of multiple air interface standards within a small cell.
57 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A small-cell gateway for multi-access network communication, the small-cell gateway comprising:
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first radio transceiver circuitry to communicate with at least one mobile device according to a cellular air interface standard including providing at least one small cell according to the cellular air interface standard; second radio transceiver circuitry to communicate with mobile devices according to a wireless local area network (WLAN) air interface standard including forming a mesh network according to the WLAN air interface standard; and control circuitry to communicate coordination information to coordinate handoffs between the cellular and WLAN air interface standards, to coordinate handoffs among cells of the mesh network, and to coordinate handoffs among small cells of the cellular air interface standard when more than one small cell is provided. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A small-cell gateway for multi-access network communication, the small-cell gateway comprising:
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first radio transceiver circuitry to communicate with at least one mobile device according to a cellular air interface standard including providing at least one small cell according to the cellular air interface standard; second radio transceiver circuitry to communicate with mobile devices according to a wireless local area network (WLAN) air interface standard including forming a communication network according to the WLAN air interface standard; and control circuitry to coordinate communications including handoff of communications between the cellular and WLAN air interface standards. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for multi-access network communication, the system comprising:
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a first small-cell gateway comprising radio transceiver circuitry to communicate with at least one mobile device according to a cellular air interface standard including providing at least a small cell according to the cellular air interface standard; a second small-cell gateway comprising radio transceiver circuitry to communicate with mobile devices according to a wireless local area network (WLAN) air interface standard including forming a communication network according to the MAN air interface standard; and a third small-cell gateway comprising control circuitry to generate and transmit coordination information for the first and second small-cell gateway to coordinate communications between the cellular and WLAN air interface standards. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A system for multi-access network communication, the system comprising:
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a first small-cell gateway and a second small-cell gateway, each small-cell gateway comprising; first radio transceiver circuitry to communicate with at least one mobile device according to a cellular air interface standard including providing at least one small cell according to the cellular air interface standard; second radio transceiver circuitry to communicate with mobile devices according to a wireless local area network (WLAN) air interface standard including forming a communication network according to the WLAN air interface standard; and control circuitry to coordinate communications between the other small-cell gateway including handoff of communications between the cellular and WLAN air interface standards including handoffs between the first and second small-cell gateways.
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28. A system for multi-access network communication, the system comprising:
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a first apparatus configured to provide functionality of multiple access points to operate in accordance with a wireless local area network (WLAN) air interface standard; a second apparatus configured to provide functionality of a small cell to operate in accordance with a cellular air interface standard; and control circuitry to coordinate operations of the multiple access points to form a mesh network and to coordinate intra-cell handoffs between the access points of the mesh network and handoffs between the cellular and WLAN air interface standards.
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Specification