Radio telephone call handover

• US 6,073,019 A
• Filed: 07/17/1997
• Issued: 06/06/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EADS Secure Networks
• Original Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Lowdon, Christopher John
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US08/849,141
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41, 455/436, 455/523, 455/14, 455/116, 455/437, 455/443, 455/524, 455/525
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/28 using the near field of leaky cables, e.g. of leaky coaxial cables
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00 Hand-off or reselection arrangements

Abstract

Radio telephone apparatus for use in an underground railway system comprises two base stations 3, 4 respectively located at successive railway stations 1, 2. The base station 3 feeds a radiating cable 7 extending in the tunnel bore towards the base station 4 which feeds a radiating cable 12 extending in the tunnel bore towards the base station 3. When a train travels from the station 1 to the station 2, the mobile radio on the train effects call handover, ie transference of communication with cable 7 to communication with cable 12. To ensure no interruption in a call during handover, an attenuator 16 is incorporated in the cable 7 adjacent its end, such that the mobile radio effects call handover to the cable 12 before losing communication with the cable 7, even at the maximum possible speed of the train.

Claims

1. Radio telephone apparatus comprising a first base station, a first radiating cable extending from the first base station to a remote end, a second base station, a second radiating cable extending from the second base station and terminating in a remote end, the two remote ends being located in a transition area where a mobile radio effects call handover from the first base station to the second base station, an attenuator being incorporated in the first radiating cable adjacent the end thereof to cause the mobile radio to sense the diminution in the radiated signal caused by the attenuator and thereby to commence call handover from the first base station to the second base station.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 and fitted in an underground railway system, the first and second base stations being located at respective railway stations and the radiating cables extending along a tunnel bore interconnecting the railway stations.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attenuator is a resistive network.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first cable comprises a main section extending up to the attenuator and a second section extending from the attenuator to the end of the first cable, the second section having higher loss characteristics than the main section.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second section has a length between 15 meters and 25 meters.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second section has a length of the order of 20 meters.

7. Radio telephone apparatus comprising a mobile radio, a first base station, a first radiating cable extending from the first base station to a remote end, the first radiating cable producing a first radio field, a second base station, a second radiating cable extending from the second base station and terminating in a remote end, the second radiating cable producing a second radio field, the two remote ends being located in a transition area where the mobile radio effects call handover from the first base station to the second base station, the mobile radio detecting when a received signal falls below a threshold corresponding to a magnitude of received signal below which the mobile radio commences call handover, an attenuator being incorporated in the first radiating cable adjacent the end thereof to cause a sudden diminution in the first radio field such that when the mobile radio is in the transition area the received signal resulting from the first field drops suddenly through the threshold after the received signal from the second field rises above the threshold, thereby to effect call handover from the first base station to the second base station.

8. A radio transmission system for providing communication between a base station and a vehicle, moving in a known direction, said vehicle traveling in a controlled environment in which transmission is restricted, said system comprising:

a first base station for transmitting and receiving communication signals having a first cable extending to a remote end therefrom within the controlled environment, to carry said communication signals, the strength of said signal gradually diminishing, as the vehicle travels towards said remote end, to a non-operational level;

a second base station for transmitting and receiving communication signals, located remote from said first base station in said direction of travel, having a second cable extending to a remote end therefrom towards said first base station within the controlled environment, to carry said communication signals, said second cable overlapping said first cable for a predetermined distance;

a mobile unit mounted on the vehicle for receiving and transmitting communicate signals to and from said first and second base stations as the vehicle travels in the controlled environment, said mobile unit constructed to sense the strength of the communication signals received from each of said base stations, and to initiate a handoff process when a drop in signal strength is sensed; and

an attenuator connected to said first cable at a position spaced from said remote end a distance at which the signal strength of said first base station is within an operational range, said attenuator operating to cause a reduction in strength sufficient to cause the mobile unit to initiate handoff, at a distance at which the signal strength of said first base station is within its operational range, to avoid loss of communications.