Ad hoc peer-to-peer mobile radio access system interfaced to the PSTN and cellular networks

• US 20020058504A1
• Filed: 09/17/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Strong Force IoT Portfolio 2016, LLC (Strong Force Intellectual Capital, LLC)
• Original Assignee: MESH Network
• Inventors: Stanforth, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 6,961,575 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/08 based on transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 Connectivity information update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/30 for proactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An ad-hoc, peer-to-peer radio access system for cellular communications systems using time division duplex as a way of maximizing the bits/hz/k2 for cellular systems. The network architecture of the ad-hoc system allows the radio access to be integrated with the fixed components of a conventional cellular system, PSTN or ISP. The objective is to make the system of the invention transparent to the features and services provided by the external network. The advantages of such a system to a cellular operator are that significantly less infrastructure is required, and that the RF spectrum is more efficiently utilized resulting in much lower building and operating costs. The system architecture is comprised of remote terminals, routers, gateways, and at least one gateway controller that interfaces the ad-hoc system to a cellular network system. The ad-hoc system of the invention allows for both voice and data transmissions and receptions.

Claims

1. An ad-hoc radio system comprising:

a series of remote radio terminals each comprising a radio transceiver and a control processor, said control processor comprising software means for determining a routing path of a call;

at least one gateway in operative communication with at least some of said series of remote radio terminals;

a gateway controller in operative communication with said at least one gateway;

said gateway controller comprising a wide area network (WAN), call control and routing means for directing calls to a destination, and interconnecting means for connecting said WAN to an external network, whereby originating calls from a said radio terminal may be directed to a destination serviced by the external network and calls originating from the external network may be directed to a said radio terminal;

said call control and routing means comprising routing information means for directing an originating call from a said radio terminal to its destination via the intermediary of said at least one gateway and the external network, and for directing a call from an external network to a said radio terminal via said at least one gateway.

2. The ad ad-hoc radio system according to claim 1, wherein said interconnecting means comprises means for connecting said WAN to at least one of a:

switched cellular network, a PSIN, and an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

3. The ad-hoc radio system according to claim 2, wherein said interconnecting means further comprises interfacing means for translating identifying information received from a switched cellular network and for translating identifying information received from said at least one gateway.

4. The ad-hoc radio system according to claim 1, in combination with at least one of a:

switched cellular network, PSTN, and Internet Service Provider (ISP);

said interconnecting means comprising means for connecting said WAN to at least one of said switched cellular network, PSTN, and Internet Service Provider (ISP).

5. The ad-hoc radio system according to claim 4, wherein said interconnecting means further comprises interfacing means for translating identifying information received from said switched cellular network, and for translating identifying information received from said at least one gateway for transmission to said switched cellular network.

6. The ad-hoc radio system according to claim 2, wherein said interconnecting means comprises a first connection means for connecting said WAN to the cellular switched network, and second connection means for connecting said WAN to the PSTN.

7. The ad-hoc radio system according to claim 2, wherein said interconnecting means comprises a fist connection means for connecting said WAN to the cellular switched network, and second connection means for connecting said WAN to an Internet Service Provider.

8. In an ad-hoc radio system comprising a series of remote radio terminals, each said radio terminal comprising a radio transceiver and a control processor, at least one gateway in operative communication with at least some of said series of remote radio terminals, and a gateway controller in operative communication with said at least one gateway, a method of connecting an outgoing call from a radio terminal of the ad-hoc radio system, comprising:

(a) routing the outgoing call from the radio terminal to a gateway;

(b) delivering the call from the gateway to the gateway controller,

(c) connecting the call via the gateway controller to an external network.

9. The method of making an outgoing call from a radio terminal of an ad-hoc radio system according to claim 8, wherein said step (c) comprises:

(d) connecting the outgoing call to one of a;

switched cellular network, a PSTN, and an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

10. The method of making an outgoing call from a radio terminal of an ad-hoc radio system according to claim 8, further comprising before said step (a):

(d) registering the radio terminal with a gateway;

(e) said step (d) comprising determining a routing table for the path of connection to the gateway, and sending authentication information to the gateway.

11. The method of making an outgoing call from a radio terminal of an ad-hoc radio system according to claim 10, wherein said step (d) comprises:

(f) transmitting registration identification information from the gateway to the radio terminal, whereby the radio terminal is uniquely identified.

13. The method of receiving an incoming call to a radio terminal of an ad-hoc radio system according to claim 12, wherein said step (a) comprises:

(d) transmitting the incoming call from one of a;

switched cellular network and a PSTN.

14. The method of receiving an incoming call to a radio terminal of an ad-hoc radio system according to claim 12, further comprising before said step (c):

(d) registering the radio terminal with a gateway;

(e) said step (d) comprising determining a routing table for the path of connection to the gateway, and sending authentication information to the gateway.

15. The method of receiving an incoming call from a radio terminal of an ad-hoc radio system according to claim 14, wherein said step (d) comprises:

(f) transmitting registration identification information from the gateway to the radio terminal, whereby the radio terminal is uniquely identified.

16. The method of receiving an incoming call from a radio terminal of an ad-hoc radio system according to claim 14, wherein before said step (d):

(f) said radio terminal listening to RTS/CTS communication signals transmitted by other said radio terminals in its neighborhood over the reservation channel.

17. The method of receiving an incoming call from a radio terminal of an ad-hoc radio system according to claim 16, wherein after said step (f) and before said step (d):

(g) said radio terminal sending out a request-to-register communication-signaling to other said radio terminals in its neighborhood for determining the optimal gateway with which to register.

18. The method of receiving an incoming call from a radio terminal of an ad-hoc radio system according to claim 17, wherein said step (g) comprises:

(h) allowing enough time via a poll timer for said request-to-register communication-signaling in order to receive back signaling from a plurality of other said radio terminals in its neighborhood in order to allow exchange of routing information, and in order to provide the capability of registering with a plurality of gateways, whereby said optimal gateway may be selected.

19. The method of receiving an incoming call from a radio terminal of an ad-hoc radio system according to claim 18, wherein said step (h) comprises:

(i) resetting said toll timer continually until routing exchange information with at least one other said radio terminal allows establishment of communication with at least one gateway for allowing said step (d) to be performed.

12. In an ad-hoc radio system comprising a series of remote radio terminals each comprising a radio transceiver and a control processor, at least one gateway in operative communication with at least some of said series of remote radio terminals, and a gateway controller in operative communication with said at least one gateway, a method of receiving an incoming call from an network external to said ad-hoc radio system to a radio terminal of the ad-hoc radio system, comprising:

(a) transmitting the incoming call from the external network to the gateway controller;

(b) relaying the incoming call from the gateway controller to a gateway;

(c) routing the call from the gateway to the radio terminal.

20. In an ad-hoc radio system comprising a series of remote radio terminals each comprising a radio transceiver and a control processor for said transceiver, said control processor comprising memory means, each said radio terminal comprising software means for determining a routing path of a call made from said radio terminal or to be received by said radio terminal, said software means comprising means for establishing said radio terminal as one node in the routing path of another said radio terminal, the improvement comprising:

a plurality of gateways, each said gateway being in operative communication with at least some of said series of remote radio terminals;

a gateway controller in operative communication with said plurality of gateways;

said gateway controller comprising a wide area network (WAN), call control and routing means for directing calls to a destination, and interconnecting means for connecting said WAN to an external network, whereby originating calls from a said radio terminal may be directed to a destination serviced by the external network, and calls originating from the external network may be directed to a said radio terminal;

said call control and routing means comprising routing information means for directing an originating call from a said radio terminal to its destination via the intermediary of at least one said gateway and the external network, and for directing a call from an external network to a said radio terminal via at least one said gateway.

21. The ad-hoc radio system according to claim 20, wherein said interconnecting means comprises means for connecting said WAN to at least one of a:

switched cellular network, a PSTN, and an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

22. The ad-hoc radio system according to claim 21, wherein said interconnecting means further comprises interfacing means for translating identifying information received from an external network and for translating identifying information received from a said gateway.

23. The ad-hoc radio system according to claim 20, in combination with at least one of a:

switched cellular network, PSTN, and Internet Service Provider (ISP);

said interconnecting means comprising means for connecting said WAN to at least one of said switched cellular network, PSTN, and Internet Service Provider (ISP).

24. The ad-hoc radio system according to claim 23, wherein said interconnecting means further comprises interfacing means for translating identifying information received from said at least one of the switched cellular network, PSTN, and Internet Service Provider (ISP), and for translating identifying information received from said at least one gateway for transmission to said at least one of the switched cellular network, PSTN, and Internet Service Provider (ISP).

25. The ad-hoc radio system according to claim 21, wherein said interconnecting means comprises a first connection means for connecting said WAN to the cellular switched network, and second connection means for connecting said WAN to the PSTN.

26. The ad-hoc radio system according to claim 21, wherein said interconnecting means comprises a first connection means for connecting said WAN to the cellular switched network, and second connection means for connecting said WAN to an Internet Service Provider.

28. The improvement according to claim 27, wherein said ad-hoc radio system comprises a reservations channel and a plurality of data channels, said reservations channel providing communications between ad-hoc radio devices for establishing routing paths among ad-hoc radio devices and radio communications set up;

each said ad-hoc radio device comprising a processor, memory means, and software stored in said memory means;

said software means comprising first application means for determining a routing table for the path of connection to the gateway, and sending authentication information to the gateway; and

second application means for registering the respective said ad-hoc radio device with the said gateway.

29. The improvement claim 28, wherein said at least one gateway comprises third application means for transmitting registration identification information to the respective said ad-hoc radio device, whereby the ad-hoc radio device is uniquely identified.

30. The improvement according to claim 29, wherein software means comprises fourth application means for listening to RTS/CTS communication signals transmitted by other said ad-hoc radio device in its neighborhood over said reservation channel for use by said first application means.

31. The improvement according to claim 30, wherein said software means further comprises fifth application means for sending out request-to-register communication-signaling to other said radio terminals in its neighborhood for determining the optimal gateway with which to register.

27. In a switched cellular network comprising a series of base stations, a mobile switching center (MSC), and remote radio terminals serviced by said base stations, the improvement comprising:

an ad-hoc radio system operatively connected to said MSC;

said ad-hoc radio system comprising a series of remote ad-hoc radio devices, at least one gateway with which at least some of said remote ad-hoc radio devices are registered and in communication, and a gateway controller;

said gateway controller comprising means for coupling said remote ad-hoc radio devices to said MSC of said switched cellular network, whereby an originating outgoing call made by a said remote ad-hoc radio device may be connected to a said remote radio terminal of said switched cellular network via said gateway controller and said MSC, and whereby an incoming call from a said remote radio terminal of said switched cellular network make be connected to a said remote ad-hoc radio device via said MSC and said gateway controller.