MOBILE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WITH MOVING BASE STATION

• US 20130252672A1
• Filed: 05/16/2013
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carucel Investments, L.P.
• Original Assignee: Carucel Investments, L.P.
• Inventors: Gavrilovich, Charles D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,718,543 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1555 Selecting relay station antenna mode, e.g. selecting omnidirectional -, directional beams, selecting polarizations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/021 in wireless networks with changing topologies, e.g. ad-hoc networks self-organizing networks H04W84/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A mobile communication system employs moving base stations moving in the direction of flow of traffic moving along a roadway. The moving base station communicates with fixed radio ports connected to a gateway office. A plurality of moving base stations are spaced apart on a closed loop and move with the flow of traffic along one roadway on one leg of the loop and with a flow of traffic on another roadway in another leg of the loop. The moving base stations communicate with a plurality of fixed radio ports connected by a signal transmission link to a gateway office which, in turn, is connected to the wire line network. The moving base stations are each provided with a pair of directional antennas with one antenna directed toward the flow of traffic and another antenna directed to the fixed radio ports.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of spatially separated antennas;

a receiver configured to receive a mobile device signal from a mobile device moving relative to Earth; and

a transmitter configured to transmit, through the plurality of spatially separated antennas, a cellular signal including data extracted from the mobile device signal, the transmitter configured to transmit the cellular signal to a base station radio interface circuit while the apparatus is moving relative to the base station interface circuit and relative to Earth.

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the cellular signal to the base station radio interface circuit while the apparatus is on an overhead vehicle moving relative to the base station interface circuit and relative to Earth.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the cellular signal while the apparatus is moving in the same direction that the mobile device is moving.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cellular signal is a code division multiple access (CDMA) signal.

5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of spatially separated antennas is configured as directional antenna sectors.

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of spatially separated antennas is configured as a plurality of phased array antennas with directional radio frequency beams.

7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising another plurality of spatially separated antennas, the receiver configured to receive the mobile device signal through the another plurality of spatially separated antennas.

8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein the plurality of spatially separated antennas is configured to transmit spatially separated radio frequency beams separated in time with a predefined time delay.

9. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, the transmitter further configured to transmit the cellular signal at a cellular transmission power level higher than a mobile device transmission power level at which the mobile device signal is transmitted.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of spatially separated antennas;

a receiver configured to receive, through the plurality of spatially separated antennas, a plurality of cellular signals from a plurality of base station interface circuits; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a mobile device radio frequency signal to a mobile device moving relative to Earth while the apparatus is moving relative to the plurality of base station radio interface circuits and relative to Earth, the mobile device radio frequency signal including data extracted from the cellular signals.

11. An apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the mobile device radio frequency signal while the apparatus is on an overhead vehicle moving relative to the plurality of base station radio interface circuits and relative to Earth.

12. An apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein each cellular signal includes the data.

13. An apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein the plurality of cellular signals is a plurality of code division multiple access (CDMA) signals.

14. An apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein the plurality of spatially separated antennas is configured as directional antenna sectors.

15. An apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein the plurality of spatially separated antennas is configured as a plurality of phased array antennas with directional radio frequency beams.

16. An apparatus in accordance with claim 10, further comprising another plurality of spatially separated antennas, the transmitter configured to transmit the mobile device radio frequency signal through the another plurality of spatially separated antennas.

17. An apparatus in accordance with claim 16, wherein the another plurality of spatially separated antennas is configured to transmit spatially separated radio frequency beams separated in time with a predefined time delay.

18. An apparatus in accordance with claim 10, further comprising a controller configured to align and combine the plurality of cellular signals.

19. An apparatus in accordance with claim 10, the transmitter further configured to transmit the mobile device radio frequency signal within time slots of time-division multiplex channels.

20. An apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the mobile device radio frequency signal while the apparatus is moving in the same direction that the mobile device is moving.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of spatially separated antennas;

a first receiver configured to receive, through the plurality of spatially separated antennas, a cellular signal transmitted from a base station radio interface circuit;

a first transmitter configured to transmit a mobile device signal to a mobile device moving relative to Earth while the apparatus is moving relative to the base station radio interface circuit and in the same direction as the mobile device, the mobile device signal including data extracted from the cellular signal;

a second receiver configured to receive another mobile device signal transmitted from the mobile device; and

a second transmitter configured to transmit, using at least one of the plurality of spatially separated antennas, another cellular signal to the base station radio interface circuit while the apparatus is moving relative to the base station radio interface circuit and relative to Earth, the another cellular signal including other data extracted from the another mobile device signal.

22. An apparatus in accordance with claim 21, wherein the first transmitter is configured to transmit the mobile device signal and the second transmitter is configured to transmit the another cellular signal while the apparatus is on an overhead vehicle moving relative to the base station radio interface circuit and relative to Earth.

23. An apparatus in accordance with claim 21, wherein the second transmitter is further configured to transmit the another cellular signal at a cellular transmission power level higher than a mobile device transmission power level at which the another mobile device signal is transmitted.

24. An apparatus in accordance claim 21, wherein the second transmitter is further configured to transmit the another cellular signal using at least two of the plurality of spatially separated antennas.

25. An apparatus in accordance with claim 21, wherein the cellular signal is a code division multiple access (CDMA) signal.

26. An apparatus in accordance with claim 21, the second transmitter further configured to transmit the cellular signal at a cellular transmission power level higher than a mobile device transmission power level at which the another mobile device signal is transmitted.

27. An apparatus comprising:

a first plurality of spatially separated antennas;

a second plurality of spatially separated antennas;

a first receiver configured to receive, through the first plurality of spatially separated antennas, a first plurality of cellular signals transmitted from a plurality of base station radio interface circuits;

a first transmitter configured to transmit, through the second plurality of spatially separated antennas, a first plurality of mobile device signals including first data extracted from the first plurality of cellular signals, the first transmitter configured to transmit the first plurality of mobile device signals to a mobile device moving relative to Earth while the apparatus is moving relative to the base station radio interface circuits and in the same direction as the mobile device;

a second receiver configured to receive, through the second plurality of spatially separated antennas, a second plurality of mobile device signals transmitted from the mobile device; and

a second transmitter configured to transmit, through the first plurality of spatially separated antennas, a second plurality of cellular signals including second data extracted from the second plurality of mobile device signals, the second transmitter configured to transmit the second plurality of cellular signals to the plurality of base station radio interface circuits while the apparatus is moving relative to the base station and relative to Earth.

28. An apparatus in accordance with claim 27, wherein the first plurality of cellular signals and the second plurality of cellular signals are code division multiple access (CDMA) signals.

29. An apparatus in accordance with claim 28, the second transmitter further configured to transmit the second plurality of cellular signals at a cellular transmission power level higher than a mobile device transmission power level at which the second plurality of mobile device signals are transmitted.

30. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of spatially separated antennas;

a first receiver configured to receive, through the plurality of spatially separated antennas, a first plurality of cellular signals transmitted from a plurality of base station radio interface circuits;

a first transmitter configured to transmit a first mobile device signal including first data extracted from the first plurality of cellular signals, the first transmitted configured to transmit the first mobile device signal to a mobile device moving relative to Earth while the apparatus is moving relative to the base station radio interface circuits, the mobile device moving relative to Earth while the apparatus is moving in the same direction that the mobile device is moving;

a second receiver configured to receive a second mobile device signal transmitted from the mobile device; and

a second transmitter configured to transmit, through the plurality of spatially separated antennas, a second plurality of cellular signals including second data extracted from the second mobile device signal, the second transmitter configured to transmit the second plurality of cellular signals to the plurality of base station radio interface circuits while the apparatus is moving relative to the base station radio interface circuits and to Earth.

31. An apparatus in accordance with claim 30, wherein the first transmitter is configured to transmit the first mobile device signal and the second transmitter configured to transmit the second plurality of cellular signals while the apparatus is on an overhead vehicle moving relative to the base station radio interface circuits and relative to Earth.

32. An apparatus in accordance with claim 30, wherein the first plurality of cellular signals and the second plurality of cellular signals are code division multiple access (CDMA) signals.

33. An apparatus in accordance with claim 30, the second transmitter further configured to transmit the second plurality of cellular signals at a cellular transmission power level higher than a mobile device transmission power level of the second mobile device signal.

34. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of spatially separated antennas;

a first radio interface circuit configured to receive, through the plurality of spatially separated antennas, a first plurality of code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular signals transmitted from a plurality of base station radio interface circuits and configure to transmit, at a cellular transmission power level, a second plurality of CDMA cellular signals to the plurality of base station radio interface circuits; and

a second radio interface circuit configured to transmit a first mobile device signal including first data extracted from the first plurality of CDMA cellular signals, the second radio interface circuit configured to transmit the first mobile device signal to a mobile device and configured to receive a second mobile device signal transmitted from the mobile device at a mobile device transmission power level less than the cellular transmission power level,

the second plurality of CDMA cellular signals including second data extracted from the second mobile device signal,

the mobile device moving relative to Earth while the apparatus is moving relative to the base station radio interface circuits, and

the mobile device moving relative to Earth while the apparatus is moving in the same direction that the mobile device is moving.

35. An apparatus in accordance with claim 34, wherein:

the first radio interface circuit is configured to receive CDMA cellular signals and transmit the second plurality of CDMA cellular signals while the apparatus is on an overhead vehicle moving relative to the base station radio interface circuits and relative to Earth and while the overhead vehicle is moving in the same direction that the mobile device is moving; and

the second radio interface circuit is configured to transmit the first mobile device signal and to receive the second mobile device signal while the apparatus is on an overhead vehicle moving relative to the base station radio interface circuits and relative to Earth and while the overhead vehicle is moving in the same direction that the mobile device is moving.

36. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of spatially separated antennas;

a receiver configured to receive a mobile device signal from a mobile device moving relative to Earth; and

a transmitter configured to transmit, through the plurality of spatially separated antennas, a cellular signal including data extracted from the mobile device signal, the transmitter configured to transmit the cellular signal to a base station radio interface circuit while the apparatus is on a vehicle moving relative to the base station interface circuit and relative to Earth.

37. An apparatus in accordance with claim 36, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the cellular signal while the apparatus is moving in the same direction that the mobile device is moving.

38. An apparatus in accordance with claim 36, wherein the cellular signal is a code division multiple access (CDMA) signal.

39. An apparatus in accordance with claim 36, wherein the plurality of spatially separated antennas is configured as directional antenna sectors.

40. An apparatus in accordance with claim 36, wherein the plurality of spatially separated antennas is configured as a plurality of phased array antennas with directional radio frequency beams.

41. An apparatus in accordance with claim 36, further comprising another plurality of spatially separated antennas, the receiver configured to receive the mobile device signal through the another plurality of spatially separated antennas.

42. An apparatus in accordance with claim 36, wherein the plurality of spatially separated antennas is configured to transmit spatially separated radio frequency beams separated in time with a predefined time delay.

43. An apparatus in accordance with claim 36, the transmitter further configured to transmit the cellular signal at a cellular transmission power level higher than a mobile device transmission power level at which the mobile device signal is transmitted.

44. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of spatially separated antennas;

a receiver configured to receive, through the plurality of spatially separated antennas, a plurality of cellular signals from a plurality of base station interface circuits; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a mobile device radio frequency signal including data extracted from the plurality of cellular signals, the transmitter configured to transmit the mobile device radio frequency signal to a mobile device moving relative to Earth while the apparatus is on a vehicle moving relative to the plurality of base station radio interface circuits and relative to Earth.

45. An apparatus in accordance with claim 44, wherein the plurality of cellular signals is a plurality of code division multiple access (CDMA) signals.

46. An apparatus in accordance with claim 44, wherein the plurality of spatially separated antennas is configured as directional antenna sectors.

47. An apparatus in accordance with claim 44, wherein the plurality of spatially separated antennas is configured as a plurality of phased array antennas with directional radio frequency beams.

48. An apparatus in accordance with claim 44, further comprising another plurality of spatially separated antennas, the transmitter configured to transmit the mobile device radio frequency signal through the another plurality of spatially separated antennas.

49. An apparatus in accordance with claim 44, further comprising a controller configured to align and combine the plurality of cellular signals.

50. An apparatus in accordance with claim 44, the transmitter further configured to transmit the mobile device radio frequency signal within time slots of time-division multiplex channels.

51. An apparatus in accordance with claim 44, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the mobile device radio frequency signal while the apparatus is moving in the same direction that the mobile device is moving.

52. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of spatially separated antennas;

a first receiver configured to receive, through the plurality of spatially separated antennas, a cellular signal transmitted from a base station radio interface circuit;

a first transmitter configured to transmit a mobile device signal including data extracted from the cellular signal, the first transmitter configured to transmit the mobile device signal to a mobile device moving relative to Earth while the apparatus is on a vehicle moving relative to the base station radio interface circuit and in the same direction that the mobile device is moving;

a second receiver configured to receive another mobile device signal transmitted from the mobile device; and

a second transmitter configured to transmit, through at least one of the plurality of spatially separated antennas, another cellular signal including other data extracted from the another mobile device signal, the second transmitter configured to transmit the another cellular signal to the base station radio interface circuit while the apparatus is on the vehicle moving relative to the base station radio interface circuit and relative to Earth.

53. An apparatus in accordance with claim 52, wherein the second transmitter is further configured to transmit the another cellular signal at a cellular transmission power level higher than a mobile device transmission power level at which the another mobile device signal is transmitted.

54. An apparatus in accordance claim 52, wherein the second transmitter is further configured to transmit the another cellular signal through at least two of the plurality of spatially separated antennas.

55. An apparatus in accordance with claim 52, wherein the cellular signal is a code division multiple access (CDMA) signal.

56. An apparatus comprising:

a first plurality of spatially separated antennas;

a second set of spatially separated antennas;

a first receiver configured to receive, through the first plurality of spatially separated antennas, a first plurality of cellular signals transmitted from a plurality of base station radio interface circuits;

a first transmitter configured to transmit, through the second plurality of spatially separated antennas, a first plurality of mobile device signals including first data extracted from each of the plurality of cellular signals, the first transmitter configured to transmit the first plurality of mobile device signals to a mobile device moving relative to Earth while the apparatus is on a vehicle moving relative to the base station radio interface circuits and in the same direction that the mobile device is moving;

a second receiver configured to receive, through the second plurality of spatially separated antennas, a second plurality of mobile device signals transmitted from the mobile device; and

a second transmitter configured to transmit, through the plurality of spatially separated antennas, a second plurality of cellular signals including second data extracted from each mobile device signal of the second plurality of mobile device signals, the second transmitter configured to transmit the second plurality of cellular signals to the plurality of base station radio interface circuits while the apparatus is on the vehicle moving relative to the base station and relative to Earth.

57. An apparatus in accordance with claim 56, wherein the first plurality of cellular signals and the second plurality of cellular signals are a plurality of code division multiple access (CDMA) signals.

58. An apparatus in accordance with claim 56, the second transmitter further configured to transmit the second plurality of cellular signals at a cellular transmission power level higher than a mobile device transmission power level of the second plurality of mobile device signals.

59. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of spatially separated antennas;

a first receiver configured to receive, through the plurality of spatially separated antennas, a first plurality of cellular signals transmitted from a plurality of base station radio interface circuits;

a first transmitter configured to transmit a first mobile device signal including first data extracted from each of the plurality of cellular signals, the first transmitter configured to transmit the first mobile device signal to a mobile device moving relative to Earth while the apparatus is on a vehicle moving relative to the base station radio interface circuits and in the same direction that the mobile device is moving;

a second receiver configured to receive a second mobile device signal transmitted from the mobile device; and

a second transmitter configured to transmit, through the plurality of spatially separated antennas, a second plurality of cellular signals including second data extracted from the second mobile device signal, the second transmitter configured to transmit the second plurality of cellular signals to the plurality of base station radio interface circuits while the apparatus is on the vehicle moving relative to the base station radio interface circuits and relative to Earth.

60. An apparatus in accordance with claim 59, wherein the vehicle is overhead.

61. An apparatus in accordance with claim 59, wherein the first plurality of cellular signals and the second plurality of cellular signals are a plurality of code division multiple access (CDMA) signals.

62. An apparatus in accordance with claim 59, the second transmitter further configured to transmit the second plurality of cellular signals at a cellular transmission power level higher than a mobile device transmission power level at which the second mobile device signal is transmitted.

63. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of spatially separated antennas;

a first radio interface circuit configured to receive, through the plurality of spatially separated antennas, a first plurality of cellular signals transmitted from a plurality of base station radio interface circuits and configured to transmit a second plurality of cellular signals to the plurality of base station radio interface circuits;

a second radio interface circuit configured to transmit a first mobile device signal including first data extracted from each cellular signal of the first plurality of cellular signals, the second radio interface circuit configured to transmit the first mobile device signal to a mobile device and configured to receive a second mobile device signal from the mobile device, the second plurality of cellular signal including second data extracted from the second mobile device signal, the mobile device moving relative to Earth while the apparatus is on a vehicle moving relative to the base station radio interface circuits, the vehicle moving in the same direction that the mobile device is moving.

64. An apparatus in accordance with claim 63, wherein the first plurality of cellular signals and the second plurality of cellular signals are a plurality of code division multiple access (CDMA) signals.

65. An apparatus in accordance with claim 63, the first radio interface circuit further configured to transmit the second plurality of cellular signals at a cellular transmission power level higher than a mobile device transmission power level at which the second mobile device signal is transmitted.

66. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of spatially separated antennas;

a first radio interface circuit configured to receive, through the plurality of spatially separated antennas, a first plurality of code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular signals transmitted from a plurality of base station radio interface circuits and configured to transmit, at a cellular transmission power level, a second plurality of CDMA cellular signals to the plurality of base station radio interface circuits; and

a second radio interface circuit configured to transmit a first mobile device signal including first data extracted from each CDMA signal of the first plurality of CDMA cellular signals, the second radio interface configured to transmit the first mobile device signal to a mobile device and configured to receive a second mobile device signal transmitted from the mobile device at a mobile device transmission power level less than the cellular transmission power level, each CDMA signal of the second plurality of CDMA cellular signals including second data extracted from the second mobile device signal,

the mobile device moving relative to Earth while the apparatus is on a vehicle moving relative to the base station radio interface circuits, and

the vehicle moving in the same direction that the mobile device is moving.

67. An apparatus in accordance with claim 66, wherein the vehicle is overhead.