Cellular communication system with moving base stations and methods and apparatus useful in conjunction therewith

• US 9,924,439 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2015
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ELTA Systems Limited (Government of Israel)
• Original Assignee: ELTA Systems Limited (Government of Israel)
• Inventors: Giloh, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLLIDAY, JAIME MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US14/604,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20150237559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 455 221, 4554261, 4554321, 455445
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15507 Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/54 Organization of routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/022 with dynamic range variability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/16 based on interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 Connectivity information update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile communication network system operative in conjunction with a network includes a core device, a plurality of base stations including at least one static base station, and a population of mobile stations communicating via antennae with at least one of the base stations. The system includes at least one moving base station included in the plurality of base stations which communicates via antennae with the mobile stations and includes base station functionality, a first radio manager and mobile station functionality all co-located with the base station functionality. The base station functionality has a physical back-connection to the first radio manager. The mobile station functionality communicates via antennae with at least one selectable base station. The plurality of routes of base stations via which the individual moving base station can communicate with the core network includes at least one route characterized by multi-hop backhauling.

Claims

1. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory tangible computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a mobile communication network method serving a population of mobile stations communicating via antennae with base stations, the method including:

Providing a plurality of base stations including at least one static base station and at least one moving base station which communicates via antennae with the mobile stations and includes base station functionality, a first radio manager and mobile station functionality all co-located with the base station functionality, the base station functionality having a physical back-connection to the first radio manager, the first radio manager having a physical connection with the mobile station functionality, the mobile station functionality communicating via antennae with at least one selectable base station; and

a core device which allocates constant communication session traffic between each mobile station functionality and the base station with which it is communicating so as to maintain a constant active mode of communication between each mobile station functionality and the base station,

wherein the first radio manager comprises;

a radio resource manager; and

functionality for receiving information from, and sending information to, other radio managers, respectively co-located with other moving base stations,

and wherein the radio resource manager also communicates with mobile stations, including providing at least one “

end-user MS”

mobile station which is not co-located with moving base stations, from among said mobile stations, with at least one parameter characterizing quality of at least one routes via which said “

end-user MS”

mobile station can communicate with the core network, to facilitate at least said “

end-user MS”

mobile station'"'"'s cell reselection process,

and also comprising providing functionality for deciding on handover and network entry, implemented in said computer readable program code, in which routes between end-user mobile stations up to a static base station are established through the moving base station'"'"'s relay backhauling mobile stations in plural hops and wherein radio sections of each alternative route established by the mobile relays are measured thereby to yield measurements and wherein the measurements are combined to determine handover and mobile station admission.

2. A computer program product according to claim 1 wherein each said other radio manager is operative to compute, for at least one individual mobile station, route comparison information including a plurality of routes of base stations via which the individual mobile station can communicate with the core network and at least one parameter characterizing the relative quality of each of said routes and to communicate to said individual mobile station information indicative of said route comparison information and wherein said individual mobile station is operative to select a base station to be connected to at least partly based on said information indicative of said route comparison information.

3. A computer program product according to claim 1 wherein the radio manager computes said route comparison information for an individual moving base station served thereby whose mobile station functionality is communicating in idle mode, via antenna, with at least one selectable base station.

4. A computer program product according to claim 3 and wherein the individual moving base station camps on said serving base station selected at least partly based on said information indicative of said route comparison information.

5. A computer program product according to claim 1 wherein the radio manager computes said route comparison information for a moving base station co-located therewith whose mobile station functionality is communicating in active mode, via antenna, with at least one selectable base station.

6. A computer program product according to claim 5 and wherein the individual moving base station is handed over to said serving base station selected at least partly based on said information indicative of said route comparison information.

7. A computer program product according to claim 1 and also comprising a core device and wherein the core device allocates constant communication session bandwidth between each mobile station functionality and the base station with which it is communicating so as to maintain a constant active mode of communication between each mobile station functionality and the base station.

8. A computer program product according to claim 1 wherein said information includes information regarding channel qualities which said first radio manager'"'"'s own base station, and base stations other than said first radio manager'"'"'s own base station, are respectively able to provide, to mobile stations in the vicinity of the first radio manager.

9. A computer program product according to claim 1 wherein said information includes information regarding qualities of other base stations'"'"' respective connections back to the core network.

10. A mobile communication network system serving a population of mobile stations communicating via antennae with base stations, the system including:

a plurality of base stations including at least one static base station and at least one moving base station which communicates via antennae with the mobile stations and includes base station functionality, a first radio manager and mobile station functionality all co-located with the base station functionality, the base station functionality having a physical back-connection to the first radio manager, the first radio manager having a physical connection with the mobile station functionality, the mobile station functionality communicating via antennae with at least one selectable base station; and

a core device which allocates constant communication session traffic between each mobile station functionality and the base station with which it is communicating so as to maintain a constant active mode of communication between each mobile station functionality and the base station,

wherein the first radio manager comprises;

a radio resource manager; and

functionality for receiving information from, and sending information to, other radio managers, respectively co-located with other moving base stations,

and wherein the radio resource manager also communicates with mobile stations, including providing at least one “

end-user MS”

mobile station which is not co-located with moving base stations, from among said mobile stations, with at least one parameter characterizing quality of at least one routes via which said “

end-user MS”

mobile station can communicate with the core network, to facilitate at least said “

end-user MS”

mobile station'"'"'s cell reselection process,

wherein functionality for deciding on handover and network entry is provided in which routes between end-user mobile stations up to a static base station are established through the moving base station'"'"'s relay backhauling mobile stations in plural hops and wherein radio sections of each alternative route established by the mobile relays are measured thereby to yield measurements and wherein the measurements are combined to determine Handover and mobile station admission.

11. A system according to claim 10 wherein said other base stations include all base stations along a route connecting said moving base station and said core, via which route said core serves said moving base station.

12. A system according to claim 10 wherein the radio manager computes said route comparison information for an individual moving base station served thereby whose mobile station functionality is communicating in idle mode, via antenna, with at least one selectable base station.

13. A system according to claim 12 and wherein the individual moving base station camps on said serving base station selected at least partly based on said information indicative of said route comparison information.

14. A system according to claim 10 wherein the radio manager computes said route comparison information for a moving base station co-located therewith whose mobile station functionality is communicating in active mode, via antenna, with at least one selectable base station.

15. A system according to claim 14 and wherein the individual moving base station is handed over to said serving base station selected at least partly based on said information indicative of said route comparison information.

16. A system according to claim 10 and also comprising a core device and wherein the core device allocates constant communication session bandwidth between each mobile station functionality and the base station with which it is communicating so as to maintain a constant active mode of communication between each mobile station functionality and the base station.

17. A system according to claim 10 wherein each said other radio manager is operative to compute, for at least one individual mobile station, route comparison information including a plurality of routes of base stations via which the individual mobile station can communicate with the core network and at least one parameter characterizing the relative quality of each of said routes and to communicate to said individual mobile station information indicative of said route comparison information and wherein said individual mobile station is operative to select a base station to be connected to at least partly based on said information indicative of said route comparison information.

18. A mobile communication network method serving a population of mobile stations communicating via antennae with base stations, the method including:

Providing a plurality of base stations including at least one static base station and at least one moving base station which communicates via antennae with the mobile stations and includes base station functionality, a first radio manager and mobile station functionality all co-located with the base station functionality, the base station functionality having a physical back-connection to the first radio manager, the first radio manager having a physical connection with the mobile station functionality, the mobile station functionality communicating via antennae with at least one selectable base station; and

a core device which allocates constant communication session traffic between each mobile station functionality and the base station with which it is communicating so as to maintain a constant active mode of communication between each mobile station functionality and the base station,

wherein the first radio manager comprises;

a radio resource manager; and

functionality for receiving information from, and sending information to, other radio managers, respectively co-located with other moving base stations,

and wherein the radio resource manager also communicates with mobile stations, including providing at least one “

end-user MS”

mobile station which is not co-located with moving base stations, from among said mobile stations, with at least one parameter characterizing quality of at least one routes via which said “

end-user MS”

mobile station can communicate with the core network, to facilitate at least said “

end-user MS”

mobile station'"'"'s cell reselection process,

and also comprising providing functionality for deciding on handover and network entry in which routes between end-user mobile stations up to a static base station are established through the moving base station'"'"'s relay backhauling mobile stations in plural hops and wherein radio sections of each alternative route established by the mobile relays are measured thereby to yield measurements and wherein the measurements are combined to determine handover and mobile station admission.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein said information includes information regarding channel qualities which said first radio manager'"'"'s own base station, and base stations other than said first radio manager'"'"'s own base station, are respectively able to provide, to mobile stations in the vicinity of the first radio manager.

20. A method according to claim 18 wherein said information includes information regarding qualities of other base stations'"'"' respective connections back to the core network.