Mobile communication system enabling efficient use of small-zone base stations

• US RE42,374 E1
• Filed: 04/05/2006
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Hajime
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, SIMON
• Application Number:
  US11/398,460
• Time in Patent Office: 1,868 Days
• Field of Search: 455436-439, 455442-443, 455/515, 455/525, 455/67.11, 455450-453, 455509-513, 455/435.2, 455/485.3, 455/452.2
• US Class Current: 455/512
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point

Abstract

A mobile communication system includes a plurality of radio base stations forming respective radio zones and a mobile station selecting a wait zone and a base station to which a request for a message channel is to be issued. Each of the plurality of radio base stations is assigned an order of priority. Information relating to the order of priority is used by the mobile station to select a wait zone and a base station to which a request for a message channel is to be issued.

Claims

1. A mobile communication system comprising:

a plurality of radio base stations forming respective radio zones and effecting a radio channel setting control in accordance with a predetermined procedure; and

a mobile station selecting, as a wait zone, one of the radio zones that satisfies a criteria demanded by the predetermined procedure, and receiving communication service via the selected wait zone,

each of the radio base stations comprising;

traffic control means for setting a traffic distribution for the plurality of radio zones; and

announcing means for generating announcement information including the order of priority assigned to the plurality of radio zones, the order of priority being assigned in accordance with a probability density given to each of the plurality of radio zones under the distribution set by the traffic control means, and for transmitting announcement information to the radio zone formed by the radio station to which the announcing means belongs,

the mobile station comprising;

announcement information receiving means for receiving the announcement information transmitted by the announcing means in accordance with the predetermined procedure; and

wait control means for selecting one of the radio zones as a wait zone, the radio zone to which a highest priority is assigned being a first candidate for selection by the wait control means.

2. A mobile communication system comprising:

a plurality of radio base stations forming one or a plurality of radio zones and one or a plurality of small-scale radio zones, resulting in a hierarchy of overlapping radio zones, and effecting a radio channel setting control in accordance with a predetermined procedure; and

a mobile station accessing one of the radio zones formed by the respective one of the plurality of radio base stations, in accordance with a predetermined procedure, and receiving communication service via the accessed radio zone,

each of the plurality of radio base stations comprising;

announcing means for transmitting announcement information which includes identification information for identifying radio channels assigned to respective radio zones and small-scale radio zones, via the radio channel assigned to the radio zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs, the identification information being arranged in the announcement information so as to correspond to the hierarchy of overlapping radio zones,

the mobile station comprising;

announcement information receiving means for receiving the announcement information transmitted by the announcing means, in accordance with the procedure for radio channel setting control;

measuring means for measuring an electric field intensity for the radio channel corresponding to the identification information included in the announcement information received by the announcement information receiving means; and

wait control means for comparing an electric field intensity measured by the measuring means with a preset threshold level, and designating a radio zone to which the radio channel lowest in the hierarchy is assigned as a wait zone in which to receive the communication service, on the condition that the electric field intensity measured by the measuring means exceeds the preset threshold level.

3. The mobile communication system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said announcing means comprises means for adding, in the announcement information, preset threshold values individually provided for the radio zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs and the overlapping radio zones and small-scale radio zones, resulting in a hierarchy that corresponds to the hierarchy of overlapping zones, and

said wait control means employs the threshold values added to the announcement information by the announcing means in making comparisons with the electric field intensity.

4. The mobile communication system as claimed in claim 2 wherein announcing means comprises means for adding a relative value indicating the preset threshold value for the zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs, in the form of a difference with respect to a reference value for the threshold value, and

said announcement information receiving means includes means for determining the relative value added to the announcement information, in relation to the radio zone in which the announcement information is received, and

said wait control means compares the electric field intensity measured by the measuring means with a sum of the reference value and the relative value determined by the announcement information receiving means in relation to the radio zone in which the electric field intensity is measured.

5. The mobile communication system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said announcing means comprises means for adding relative values indicating the preset threshold values for the radio zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs and the overlapping radio zones and small-scale radio zones, in the form of differences with respect to a reference value common to the threshold values, resulting in a hierarchy that corresponds to the hierarchy of overlapping zones, and

said wait control means compares the electric field intensity with a sum of the relative value and the reference value.

6. The mobile communication system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said mobile station comprises zone determination means for performing a cyclic measurement of the electric field intensity of the radio zones in which the mobile station can be located, comparing a measured electric field intensity with a lower acceptance value by which an entry into the radio zone is enabled, stopping processes of measurement and comparison when it is found that the former exceeds the latter, and selecting the associated radio zone as a candidate in which the announcement information receiving means is to receive the announcement information.

7. The mobile communication system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said wait control means compares the electric field intensity measured by the measuring means with the threshold value in the descending order in the hierarchy of the radio zones subject to the measurement, and designates the radio zone for which it is found that the former exceeds the latter as a wait zone.

8. The mobile communication system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said measuring means comprises means which omits a measurement of the radio zone selected by the zone determination means and substitutes therefor the electric field intensity measured by the zone determination means.

9. A mobile communication system comprising:

a plurality of radio base stations forming one or a plurality of radio zones and one or a plurality of small-scale radio zones, resulting in a hierarchy of overlapping zones, and effecting a radio channel setting control in accordance with a predetermined procedure; and

a mobile station accessing one of the radio zones formed by the respective one of the plurality of radio base stations, in accordance with a predetermined procedure, and receiving communication service via the accessed radio zone,

each of the plurality of radio base stations comprising;

announcing means for transmitting announcement information which includes identification information for identifying the one or the plurality of radio zones and the one or the plurality of small-scale radio zones, via the radio channel assigned to the radio zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs, the identification information being arranged in the announcement information according to respective positions in the hierarchy of overlapping zones,

the mobile station comprising;

announcement information receiving means for receiving the announcement information transmitted by the announcing means, in accordance with the procedure for radio channel setting control;

measuring means for measuring an electric field intensity for the radio zone corresponding to the identification information included in the announcement information received by the announcement information receiving means; and

wait control means for comparing an electric field intensity measured by the measuring means with a preset threshold level, and designating, as a wait zone in which to receive the communication service, a radio zone lowest in the hierarchy of overlapping zones on the condition that the electric field intensity measured by the measuring means exceeds the threshold level.

10. A mobile communication system comprising:

a plurality of radio base stations forming one or a plurality of radio zones and one or a plurality of small-scale radio zones, resulting in a hierarchy of overlapping zones, and effecting a radio channel setting control in accordance with a predetermined procedure; and

a mobile station accessing one of the radio zones formed by the respective one of the plurality of radio base stations, in accordance with a predetermined procedure, and receiving communication service via the accessed radio zone,

each of the plurality of radio base stations comprising;

announcing means for transmitting announcement information which includes identification information for identifying radio channels for the one or the plurality of radio zones and the one or the plurality of small-scale radio zones, via the radio channel assigned to the radio zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs, the identification information being arranged in the announcement information according to respective positions in the hierarchy of overlapping zones,

the mobile station comprising;

announcement information receiving means for receiving the announcement information transmitted by the announcing means, in accordance with the procedure for radio channel setting control;

measuring means for measuring an electric field intensity for the radio channel corresponding to the identification information included in the announcement information received by the announcement information receiving means; and

wait control means for comparing an electric field intensity measured by the measuring means with a preset threshold level, and designating one of the radio channels, which is assigned to the radio zone lowest in the hierarchy and for which the control means has determined that the electric field intensity measured by the measuring means exceeds the preset threshold level, as a radio channel via which to receive the communication service.

11. A mobile communication system comprising:

a plurality of radio base stations forming one or a plurality of radio zones and one or a plurality of small-scale radio zones, resulting in a hierarchy of overlapping zones, and effecting a radio channel setting control in accordance with a predetermined procedure; and

a mobile station accessing one of the radio zones formed by the respective one of the plurality of radio base stations, in accordance with a predetermined procedure, and receiving communication service via the accessed radio zone,

each of the plurality of radio base stations comprising;

announcing means for transmitting announcement information which includes identification information for identifying the one or the plurality of radio zones and the one or the plurality of small-scale radio zones, via the radio channel assigned to the radio zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs, the identification information being arranged in the announcement information according to respective positions in the hierarchy of overlapping zones,

the mobile station comprising;

announcement information receiving means for receiving the announcement information transmitted by the announcing means, in accordance with the procedure for radio channel setting control;

measuring means for measuring an electric field intensity for the radio zone corresponding to the identification information included in the announcement information received by the announcement information receiving means; and

wait control means for comparing an electric field intensity measured by the measuring means with a preset threshold level, and designating, as a wait zone in which to receive the communication service, a radio zone identified by the identification information to be lowest in the hierarchy of overlapping zones, on the condition that the electric field intensity measured by the measuring means exceeds the threshold level.

12. A mobile communication system comprising:

a plurality of radio base stations forming one or a plurality of radio zones and one or a plurality of small-scale radio zones, resulting in a hierarchy of overlapping zones, and effecting a radio channel setting control in accordance with a predetermined procedure; and

a mobile station accessing one of the radio zones formed by the respective one of the plurality of radio base stations, in accordance with a predetermined procedure, and receiving communication service via the accessed radio zone,

each of the plurality of radio base stations comprising;

announcing means for transmitting announcement information which includes first identification information for identifying a radio channel assigned to the radio zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs, as well as including second identification information identifying the radio zones and the small-scale radio zones which overlap the radio zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs, via the radio channel assigned to the radio zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs, the second identification information being arranged in the announcement information according to respective positions in the hierarchy of overlapping zones,

the mobile station comprising;

announcement information receiving means for receiving the announcement information transmitted by the announcing means, in accordance with the procedure for radio channel setting control;

measuring means for measuring an electric field intensity for the radio channel corresponding to the identification information included in the announcement information received by the announcement information receiving means; and

wait control means for comparing an electric field intensity measured by the measuring means with a preset threshold level, determining the radio channel which is identified by the associated second identification information, if available, to have a lowest hierarchical order, and designating, as a wait zone in which to receive the communication service, the radio zone to which the determined radio channel is assigned, on the condition that the electric field intensity measured by the measuring means exceeds the threshold level.

13. A mobile communication system comprising:

a plurality of radio base stations forming one or a plurality of radio zones and one or a plurality of small-scale radio zones, resulting in a hierarchy of overlapping zones, and effecting a radio channel setting control in accordance with a predetermined procedure; and

a mobile station accessing one of the radio zones formed by the respective one of the plurality of radio base stations, in accordance with a predetermined procedure, and receiving communication service via the accessed radio zone,

each of the plurality of radio base stations comprising;

announcing means for transmitting announcement information which includes first identification information for identifying a radio channel assigned to a radio zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs, as well as including second identification information identifying the radio zones and the small-scale radio zones which overlap the radio zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs, over the radio zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs, the second identification information being arranged in the announcement information according to respective positions in the hierarchy of overlapping zones,

the mobile station comprising;

announcement information receiving means for receiving the announcement information transmitted by the announcing means, in accordance with the procedure for radio channel setting control;

measuring means for measuring an electric field intensity for the radio zone corresponding to the identification information included in the announcement information received by the announcement information receiving means; and

wait control means for comparing an electric field intensity measured by the measuring means with a preset threshold level, determining the radio zone corresponding to the radio channel which is identified by the associated second identification information, if available, to have a lowest hierarchical order, and designating the determined radio zone as a wait zone in which to receive the communication service on the condition that the electric field intensity measured by the measuring means exceeds the threshold level.

14. A mobile communication system comprising:

a plurality of radio base stations forming one or a plurality of radio zones and one or a plurality of small-scale radio zones, resulting in a hierarchy of overlapping zones, and effecting a radio channel setting control in accordance with a predetermined procedure; and

a mobile station accessing one of the radio zones formed by the respective one of the plurality of radio base stations, in accordance with a predetermined procedure, and receiving communication service via the accessed radio zone,

each of the plurality of radio base stations comprising;

announcing means for transmitting announcement information which includes a hierarchical (equal or subordinate) order of the radio zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs with respect to the overlapping radio zones and small-scale radio zones, and which also includes identification information for identifying radio channels assigned to the radio zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs and the overlapping radio zones and small-scale radio zones, via the radio channel assigned to the radio zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs,

the mobile station comprising;

announcement information receiving means for receiving the announcement information transmitted by the announcing means, in accordance with the procedure for radio channel setting control, for extracting the identification information from the announcement information, and for determining the hierarchy of the radio zones to which the radio channels identified by the identification information are assigned;

measuring means for measuring an electric field intensity for the radio channel corresponding to the identification information obtained by the announcement information receiving means; and

wait control means for comparing an electric field intensity measured by the measuring means with a preset threshold level, and designating a radio zone to which the radio channel lowest in the hierarchy is assigned as a wait zone in which to receive the communication service, on the condition that the electric field intensity measured by the measuring means for the radio channel lowest in the hierarchy exceeds the preset threshold level.

15. A mobile communication system comprising:

a plurality of radio base stations forming one or a plurality of radio zones and one or a plurality of small-scale radio zones, resulting in a hierarchy of overlapping zones, and effecting a radio channel setting control in accordance with a predetermined procedure; and

a mobile station accessing one of the radio zones formed by the respective one of the plurality of radio base stations, in accordance with a predetermined procedure, and receiving communication service via the accessed radio zone, each of the plurality of radio base stations comprising;

announcing means for transmitting announcement information which includes a hierarchical (equal or subordinate) order of the radio zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs with respect to the overlapping radio zones and small-scale radio zones, and which also includes identification information for identifying the radio zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs and the overlapping radio zones and small-scale radio zones, over the radio zone formed by the radio base station to which the announcing means belongs,

the mobile station comprising;

announcement information receiving means for receiving the announcement information transmitted by the announcing means, in accordance with the procedure for radio channel setting control, for extracting the identification information from the announcement information, and for determining the hierarchy of the radio zones corresponding to the identification information;

measuring means for measuring an electric field intensity for the radio zone corresponding to the identification information extracted by the announcement information receiving means 14g; and

wait control means for comparing an electric field intensity measured by the measuring means with a preset threshold level, and designating a radio zone lowest in the hierarchy determined by the announcement information receiving means as a wait zone in which to receive the communication service, on the condition that the electric field intensity measured by the measuring means for the radio zone lowest in the hierarchy exceeds the preset threshold level.

16. A mobile station comprising:

announcement information receiving

means for receiving announcement information including orders of priority assigned to radio zones formed by a plurality of radio base stations, the reception by the announcement information receiving means being conducted according to a descending order of preset traffic distribution and in accordance with a radio channel setting control procedure;

wait means for determining whether the radio zone associated with the order of priority included in the announcement information received by the announcement information receiving means satisfies a criteria adapted for the radio channel setting control procedure, and for designating the radio zone for which an affirmative answer is given as a wait zone; and

communication control means which receives communication service from the radio base station forming the radio zone designated by the wait means.

17. A mobile communication system comprising:

a plurality of base stations forming respective radio zones that overlap each other;

a mobile station transportable between said radio zones;

wherein

each of said plurality of base stations having;

announcing means for sending announcement information including an order of priority of said plurality of base stations to the mobile station located in one of said radio zones, and

said mobile station having;

a control means for selecting a base station from among said plurality of base stations, to which a request for a message channel is to be issued, based on the order of priority of said plurality of base stations included in the announcement information transmitted from said plurality of base stations, rather than based on an order of respective received electric field intensities provided by the plurality of base stations and being equal to or greater than a predetermined received electric field intensity.

18. The mobile communication system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said mobile station further comprises:

announcement information receiving means for receiving the announcement information including the order of priority of said plurality of base stations and transmitted from said plurality of base stations; and

transmission means for issuing a request for a message channel to the base station selected by said control means.

19. The mobile communication system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said transmission means includes first transmission means for issuing a request for a message channel to the base station selected by the control means when a call is originated.

20. The mobile communication system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said transmission means includes second transmission means for issuing a request for a message channel to the base station selected by the control means when a call is incoming.

21. The mobile communication system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said transmission means includes third transmission means for transmitting a request for a communication to the base station selected by the control means when a message channel is switched from one to another in the event of a handover of a call.

22. The mobile communication system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said mobile station further comprises:

storage means for storing the announcement information;

measuring means for measuring a reception level in reception-level determining channels in a descending order of priority of said plurality of base stations, based on the announcement information stored in said storage means and including the order of priority and based on information relating to the reception-level determining channels.

23. The mobile communication system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said control means includes determining means for determining whether the reception level in a reception-level determining channel is equal to or exceeds a predetermined level that enables a request for a message channel.

24. The mobile communication system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said announcing means includes first arranging means for ordering the announcement information so as to arrange information relating to reception-level determining channels in a descending order of priority.

25. The mobile communication system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said announcing means includes second arranging means for ordering the announcement information so as to couple information relating to each reception-level determining channel to an order of priority associated therewith.

26. A mobile station for use in a mobile communication system, comprising:

control means for selecting a base station from among a plurality of base stations, to which a request for a message channel is to be issued, based on an order of priority of said plurality of base stations included in announcement information from said plurality of base stations, rather than based on an order of respective received electric field intensities provided by the plurality of base stations and being equal to or greater than a predetermined received electric field intensity.

27. The mobile station as claimed in claim 26, further comprising:

announcement information receiving means for receiving, from said plurality of base stations, the announcement information including the order of priority of said plurality of base stations; and

transmission means for transmitting a request for a message channel to the base station selected by said control means.

28. The mobile station as claimed in claim 27, wherein said transmission means includes first transmission means for issuing a request for a message channel to the base station selected by the control means when a call is originated.

29. The mobile station as claimed in claim 27, wherein said transmission means includes second transmission means for issuing a request for a message channel to the base station selected by the control means when a call is incoming.

30. The mobile station as claimed in claim 27, wherein said transmission means includes third transmission means for transmitting a request for a communication to the base station selected by the control means when a message channel is switched from one to another in the event of a handover of a call.

31. The mobile station as claimed in claim 26, further comprising:

storage means for storing the announcement information;

measuring means for measuring a reception level in reception-level determining channels in a descending order of priority of said plurality of base stations, based on the announcement information stored in said storage means and including the order of priority and based on information relating to the reception-level determining channels.

32. The mobile station as claimed in claim 31, wherein said control means includes determining means for determining whether the reception level in a reception-level determining channel is equal to or exceeds a predetermined level that enables a request for a message channel.

33. A base station forming a radio zone that overlaps radio zones formed by other base stations of a plurality of base stations in a mobile communication system;

comprising;

announcing means for sending announcement information including an order of priority of said plurality of base stations constituting the mobile communication system to a mobile station located in one of the radio zones, a sending base station being selected by a mobile station from among the plurality of base stations, to which a request for a message channel is to be issued, based on the order of priority of the plurality of base stations included in the announcement information, rather than based on an order of respective received electric field intensities provided by the plurality of base stations and being equal to or greater than a predetermined received electric field intensity.

34. The base station as claimed in claim 33, wherein said announcing means includes first arranging means for ordering the announcement information so as to arrange information relating to reception-level determining channels in a descending order of priority.

35. The base station as claimed in claim 33, wherein said announcing means includes second arranging means for ordering the announcement information so as to couple information relating to each reception-level determining channel to an order of priority associated therewith.

36. A mobile station for use in a mobile communication system including a plurality of base stations which respectively transmit announcement information including an order of priority of said plurality of base stations, said mobile station comprising:

control means for selecting a base station from among the plurality of base stations, to which a request for a message channel is to be issued, based on said order of priority of said plurality of base stations included in said announcement information from said plurality of base stations, rather than based on an order of respective received electric field intensities provided by the plurality of base stations and being equal to or greater than a predetermined received electric field intensity.

37. A base station for use in a mobile communication system having a plurality of base stations, forming a plurality of radio zones, resulting in overlapping radio zones, and effecting a radio channel setting control in accordance with a predetermined procedure, and a mobile station accessing one of the radio zones formed by the respective one of the plurality of base stations, in accordance with a predetermined procedure, and receiving communication service via the accessed radio zone, the base station comprising:

an announcing unit to transmit announcement information which includes identification information for identifying radio channels assigned to respective radio zones via a radio channel assigned to the radio zone formed by the base station to which the announcing unit belongs, the announcement information including level information indicating a wait-control-related threshold level of the respective radio zones and difference information indicating a difference in the wait-control-related threshold level between the respective radio zones.

40. The base station of claim 37, wherein

the plurality of radio zones include one or a plurality of first radio zones and one or a plurality of second radio zones, scales of the first radio zones and the second radio zones being different, and

the difference, indicated by the difference information, includes a difference in the wait-control-related threshold level between the respective first radio zones and the respective second radio zones.

38. A mobile station for use in a mobile communication system having a plurality of base stations, forming a plurality of radio zones, resulting in overlapping radio zones, and effecting a radio channel setting control in accordance with a predetermined procedure, and a mobile station accessing one of the radio zones formed by the respective one of the plurality of base stations, in accordance with a predetermined procedure, and receiving communication service via the accessed radio zone, the mobile station comprising:

an announcement information receiving unit to receive announcement information transmitted by one of the plurality of base stations in accordance with the predetermined procedure, the announcement information including level information indicating a wait-control-related threshold level of the respective radio zones and difference information indicating a difference in the wait-control-related threshold level between the respective radio zones;

a measuring unit to measure an electric field intensity of a radio zone corresponding to identification information included in the received announcement information; and

a wait control unit to designate a radio zone as a wait zone based on the measured electric field intensity, the level information, and the difference information included in the received announcement information.

41. The mobile station of claim 38, wherein

the plurality of radio zones include one or a plurality of first radio zones and one or a plurality of second radio zones, scales of the first radio zones and the second radio zones being different, and

the difference, indicated by the difference information, includes a difference in the wait-control-related threshold level between the respective first radio zones and the respective second radio zones.

39. A mobile communication system comprising:

a plurality of base stations forming plurality of radio zones, resulting in overlapping radio zones, and effecting a radio channel setting control in accordance with a predetermined procedure; and

a mobile station accessing one of the radio zones formed by the respective one of the plurality of radio base stations, in accordance with a predetermined procedure, and receiving communication service via the accessed radio zone,

each of the plurality of base stations comprising;

an announcing unit to transmit announcement information which includes identification information for identifying radio channels assigned to respective radio zones via a radio channel assigned to the radio zone formed by the base station to which the announcing unit belongs, the announcement information including level information indicating a wait-control-related threshold level of the respective radio zones and difference information indicating a difference in the wait-control-related threshold level between the respective radio zones,

the mobile station comprising;

an announcement information receiving unit to receive the announcement information transmitted by the announcing unit in accordance with the predetermined procedure;

a measuring unit to measure an electric field intensity of a radio zone corresponding to the identification information included in the received announcement information; and

a wait control unit to designate a radio zone as a wait zone based on the measured electric field intensity, and the level information and the difference information included in the received announcement information.

42. The mobile communication system of claim 39, wherein the plurality of radio zones include one or a plurality of first radio zones and one or a plurality of second radio zones, scales of the first radio zones and the second radio zones being different, and

the difference, indicated by the difference information, includes a difference in the wait-control-related threshold level between the respective first radio zones and the respective second radio zones.

43. A communication method for use in a mobile communication system including a plurality of base stations, forming a plurality of radio zones, resulting in overlapping radio zones, and effecting a radio channel setting control in accordance with a predetermined procedure, and a mobile station accessing one of the radio zones formed by the respective one of the plurality of base stations, in accordance with a predetermined procedure, and receiving communication service via the accessed radio zone, the communication method comprising:

transmitting, by an announcing unit of a base station, announcement information which includes identification information for identifying radio channels assigned to respective radio zones via a radio channel assigned to the radio zone formed by the base station to which the announcing unit belongs, the announcement information including level information indicating a wait-control-related threshold level of the respective radio zones and difference information indicating a difference in the wait-control-related threshold level between the respective radio zones;

receiving, by an announcement information receiving unit of the mobile station, the announcement information transmitted by the announcing unit in accordance with the predetermined procedure;

measuring, by a measuring unit of the mobile station, an electric filed intensity of a radio zone corresponding to the identification information included in the received announcement information; and

designating, by a wait control unit of the mobile station, a radio zone as a wait zone based on the measured electric filed intensity, and the level information and the difference information included in the received announcement information.