Activiation method for wireless communication system

• US 20040224631A1
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eagle Technology, LLC (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: M/A Com
• Inventors: Konopka, Tomasz Kazimierz, Gaudet, Paul Joseph, Davis, Robert Andrew, Zekanovich, Goran
• Granted Patent: US 7,313,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/10 Dynamic resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A method for determining an open or available channel from a plurality of predetermined channels for communication between a portable unit and a mobile repeater unit operating within the same wireless communication system. After an available channel has been selected, communication between the portable unit and the mobile repeater unit is established on the selected channel, and the selected channel is identified as active to all other portable units and mobile repeater units operating on the system.

Claims

1. A method of communication within a wireless communication system comprising at least one base station, at least one mobile repeater unit, and at least one portable unit, comprising the steps of:

1. monitoring at least one transmission channel by said at least one mobile repeater unit;

2. transmitting an access request from said at least one portable unit to said at least one mobile repeater unit on one of said at least one transmission channels;

3. determining if said one of said at least one transmission channels is available for communication between said at least one portable unit and said at least one mobile repeater unit;

4. establishing communication between the portable unit and the mobile repeater unit on said one of said at least one transmission channel; and

5. identifying said one of said at least one transmission channel as active.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one transmission channel comprises a plurality of transmission channels and wherein step 1 further comprises the steps of:

1.1. monitoring one of a predetermined list of channels for a predetermined period of time; and

1.2. after said predetermined period of time elapses, selecting another channel from said list of channels.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the channel selection performed in step 1.2 is random.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one transmission channel comprises a plurality of transmission channels and wherein step 2 comprises the steps of:

2.1. selecting a channel from said plurality of transmission channels;

2.2. transmitting a request for an active mobile repeater unit on said selected channel;

2.3. monitoring said selected channel for a predetermined period of time for a response;

2.4. if no response is received after said predetermined period of time elapses, selecting another channel from said list of channels; and

2.5. if a response from a mobile repeater unit is received on said selected channel, sending a connection request to said mobile repeater unit.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein step 2.5 further comprises the steps of:

2.5.1. marking said selected channel as active;

2.5.2. storing quality parameters associated with said selected channel;

2.5.3. repeating steps 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3 for all remaining channels on predetermined list of channels;

2.5.4. selecting the channel with the highest quality parameters; and

2.5.5. sending a connection request to said channel with the highest quality parameters.

6. A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein said at least one transmission channel comprises a plurality of transmission channels and wherein step 2 further comprises the steps of:

2.6. selecting a channel from said plurality of transmission channels;

2.7. transmitting a request for an inactive mobile repeater unit on said selected channel;

2.8. monitoring said selected channel for a predetermined period of time for a response;

2.9. if no response is received after said predetermined period of time elapses, selecting another channel from said list of channels; and

2.10. if a response from a mobile repeater unit is received on selected channel, sending a connection request to said mobile repeater unit.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6, wherein step 2.10 further comprises the steps of:

2.10.1. marking said selected channel as containing an inactive mobile repeater unit;

2.10.2. storing quality parameters associated with said selected channel;

2.10.3. repeating steps 2.6, 2.7, 2.8 and 2.9 for all remaining channels on predetermined list of channels;

2.10.4. selecting the channel with the highest quality parameters; and

2.10.5. sending a connection request to said channel with the highest quality parameters.

8. A wireless communication system comprising

at least one base station;

at least one portable unit; and

at least one mobile repeater unit, said mobile repeater unit capable of communication with said base station and at least one portable unit;

wherein said portable unit connects to one of said at least one mobile repeater units by querying a predetermined list of channels and selecting one of said at least one mobile repeater units based upon responses to said queries.

9. A system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said portable unit connects to said at least one mobile repeater unit by:

selecting a channel from said predetermined list of channels;

sending a request to said at least one mobile repeater unit on said selected channel;

waiting a predetermined period of time for a response from said at least one mobile repeater unit; and

following receipt of at least one response, sending a connection request to one of said at least one mobile units.

10. A system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said at least one response comprises a plurality of responses each containing quality parameters associated with said mobile repeater unit from which said response originated, and wherein said portable unit stores said quality parameters and sends said connection request to said mobile unit associated with the highest quality parameters.

11. A system as set forth in 9, wherein said response contains quality parameter and wherein said portable unit sends said connection request to the first responding mobile repeater unit with quality parameters above a predetermined threshold.

12. A system as set forth in 10, wherein said at least one mobile repeater unit comprises a plurality of active mobile repeater units.

13. A system as set forth in 10, wherein said at least one mobile repeater unit comprises a plurality of mobile repeater units in either active or inactive states.

14. A mobile repeater unit operating on a wireless communication system containing at least one portable unit, wherein said mobile repeater unit connects to said at least one portable unit in response to a query on one of a predetermined list of channels sent by said at least one portable unit.

15. A mobile repeater unit as set forth in claim 14, wherein said mobile repeater unit connects to said at least one portable unit by:

monitoring a channel from said predetermined list of channels;

waiting a predetermined period of time for a query from said at least one portable unit; and

following receipt of said query, sending a response to said at least one portable units.

16. A mobile repeater unit as set forth in claim 15, wherein said response contains quality parameters associated with said mobile repeater unit.

17. A portable unit operating on a wireless communication system containing at least one mobile unit, wherein said portable unit connects to one of said at least one mobile repeater units by querying said at least one mobile unit on a predetermined list of channels and selecting one of said at least one mobile repeater units based upon responses to said queries.

18. A portable unit as set forth in claim 17, wherein said portable unit:

selects a channel from said predetermined list of channels;

sends a request to said at least one mobile repeater unit on said selected channel;

waits a predetermined period of time for a response from said at least one mobile repeater unit; and

following receipt of at least one response, sends a connection request to one of at least one mobile units.

19. A system as set forth in claim 18, wherein said at least one response comprises a plurality of responses each containing quality parameters associated with said mobile repeater unit from which said response originated, and wherein said portable unit stores said quality parameters and sends said connection request to said mobile unit associated with the highest quality parameters.

20. A system as set forth in 18, wherein said at least one response contains quality parameters and said portable unit sends said connection request to the first responding mobile repeater unit with quality parameters above a predetermined threshold.

21. A system as set forth in 19, wherein said at least one mobile repeater unit comprises a plurality of active mobile repeater units.

22. A system as set forth in 19, wherein said at least one mobile repeater unit comprises a plurality of mobile repeater units in either active or inactive states.