Apparatus, and an associated method, for providing WLAN service in a fixed wireless access communication system

• US 20020098843A1
• Filed: 04/20/2001
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Access Solutions, Ltd. (LOXAM SAS)
• Original Assignee: Access Solutions, Ltd. (LOXAM SAS)
• Inventors: Struhsaker, Paul F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,346,347 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/444
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Apparatus, and an associated method, for providing WLAN (wireless local area network) service through a fixed wireless access communication system. WLAN transceivers are fixed in position at subscriber stations of the fixed wireless access communication system. Each WLAN transceiver defines a coverage area. Through appropriate positioning of the WLAN transceivers at the subscriber stations, overlapping coverage areas are formable and between which handovers of communications with a mobile station are effectuated when a mobile station travels out of one coverage area and into another coverage area.

Claims

1. In a fixed wireless access (FWA) communication system having at least a first fixed-site base station and at least a first fixed-site subscriber station capable of communicating with the first fixed-site base station, an improvement of apparatus for facilitating radio communication with a mobile station, said apparatus comprising:

a first local-network radio transceiver positioned at the at least the first fixed-site subscriber station said first local-network radio transceiver for selectably transceiving communication signals with the mobile station upon a first local radio link formed between the first local-network radio transceiver and the mobile station when the mobile station is positioned within a selected range of the first fixed-site subscriber station.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fixed-site subscriber station includes a large-area-network transceiver positioned thereat for transceiving communication signals upon a large-area radio link with the fixed-site base station and wherein said first local-network radio transceiver is coupled to the large-area-network transceiver such that communication signals generated at the fixed-site base station, communicated upon the large-area radio link and received at the large-area-network transceiver, are routed to said first local-area-network transceiver to be communicated to the mobile station upon the local radio link.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein communication signals generated at the mobile station and communicated upon the local radio link to said first local-network transceiver are routed to the large-area-network transceiver to be communicated upon the large-area radio link to the fixed-sited base station.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the large-area-network transceiver comprises a rack assembly having at least one expansion slot at which card-mounted circuitry is connectable, thereafter to form a portion of the rack assembly and wherein said first local-network transceiver comprises a local area network card connectable to the expansion slot.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least the first fixed-site subscriber station comprises the first fixed-site subscriber station and at least a second fixed-site subscriber station, and wherein said apparatus further comprises:

a second local-network transceiver positioned at the second fixed-site subscriber station, said second local-network radio transceiver for selectably transceiving communication signals with the mobile station upon a second local radio link formed between the second local-network radio transceiver and the mobile station when the mobile station is positioned within a selected range of the second fixed-site subscriber station.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said first local-network transceiver defines a first cellular area within which the mobile station is capable of transceiving the communication signals with said first local-network transceiver and wherein said second local-network transceiver defines a second cellular area within which the mobile station is capable of transceiving the communication signals with said second local-network transceiver.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the first cellular area defined by said first local-network transceiver and the second cellular area defined by said second local-network transceiver at least partially overlap and wherein selection is made of with which one of said first and second local-network transceivers, respectively, that the mobile station communicates responsive to determination of at least one communication parameter.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the at least one communication parameter responsive to which selection is made of with which one of said first and second local-network transceiver that the mobile station communicates comprises a signal quality parameter.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the at least one communication parameter responsive to which selection is made of with which one of said first and second local-network transceivers that the mobile station communicates comprises a system load-related parameter.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the mobile station is permitted movement at least between the first cellular area and the second cellular area and wherein communication hand-offs are performed between said first local-network transceiver and said second local-network transceiver responsive to movement of the mobile station between the first cellular area and the second cellular area defined by said first local-network transceiver and said second local-network transceiver, respectively.

11. In the fixed wireless access system of claim 10, a further improvement of a routing map coupled to the at least the first fixed-site base station, said routing map containing an indication of in which of the first cellular area and the second cellular area that the mobile station is positioned.

12. In the fixed wireless access system of claim 11 wherein the at least the first fixed-site base station is connected to an access processor and wherein said routing map is located at the access processor.

13. The routing map of claim 12 wherein the indication of in which cellular area that the mobile station is located is updated responsive to changes in location of the mobile station.

14. The routing map of claim 12 wherein routing of communication signals to the mobile station is selected responsive to values of the indication contained thereat.

15. The routing map of claim 14 wherein, subsequent to updating of the values of the indication contained thereat, and responsive to hand-off of communications between said first local-network radio transceiver and said second local-network radio transceiver, undelivered communication signals are rerouted according to updated values of the indication.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the first fixed-site subscriber station includes a large-area-network transceiver positioned thereat for transceiving communication signals upon a large-area radio link with the fixed-site base station and wherein said operation of positioning comprises coupling the first local-network radio transceiver to the large-area-network transceiver such that communication signals generated at the fixed-site base station, communicated upon the large-area radio link and received at the large-area-network transceiver, are routed to the first local-area-network transceiver to be communicated to the mobile station upon the local radio link.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the at least the fixed-site subscriber station comprises the first fixed-site subscriber station and at least a second fixed-site subscriber station, said method further comprising the operation of positioning a second local-network radio transceiver at the second fixed-site subscriber station.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the mobile station moves between coverage areas defined by the first local-network radio transceiver and by the second local-network radio transceiver, said method further comprising the operation of handing-off communications with the mobile station between the first local-network radio transceiver and the second local-network radio transceiver when the mobile station moves between the coverage areas.

20. The method of claim 19 comprising the additional operation of maintaining a routing map indicting a routing map indicating in which coverage area the mobile station is positioned.

16. In a method for communicating in a fixed wireless access (FWA) communication system having at least a first fixed-site base station and at least a first fixed-site subscriber station capable of communicating with the first fixed-site base station, an improvement of a method for facilitating radio communications with a mobile station, said method comprising:

positioning a first local-network radio transceiver at the at least the first fixed-site subscriber station; and

selectably transceiving communication signals with the mobile station when a first local radio link formed between the first local-network radio transceiver and the mobile station when the mobile station is positioned within a selected range of the first fixed-site subscriber station.