Method and apparatus for extending coverage in a cellular communication system

• US 6,125,279 A
• Filed: 01/07/1998
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Panjwani, Prakash, Hyziak, Janusz Ryszard, Oprescu-Surcobe, Valentin
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US09/003,608
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/31.2, 455/31.3, 455/445, 455/11.1, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/456, 455/550, 455/525, 455/500, 455/561
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

Method for transmitting data packets between base site and designated mobile unit outside coverage area of base site comprises: identifying data packet; transmitting data packet to unit along calculated traffic path; determining if unit is designated unit; and retransmitting data packet from that unit until receiving unit is designated unit.

Claims

1. A base site for transmitting data packets in a cellular communication system including:

a microcomputer;

a receiver coupled to the microcomputer for receiving mobile unit position data from a global positing satellite;

a transmitter and a second receiver coupled to the microcomputer for communicating with mobile units within the coverage area of the base site;

protocol associated with the microcomputer for establishing a traffic route and a general direction of movement of a particular mobile unit;

the second receiver receiving data packets;

and circuitry for causing the transmitter to transmit data packets addressed to the particular mobile unit to mobile units along the traffic route of the particular mobile unit.

2. The base site of claim 1 comprising location determined circuitry coupled to said microcomputer;

path routing logic coupled to said microcomputer, and a mobile unit location register coupled to said microcomputer.

3. The base site of claim 2 including a path description and gateway location table coupled to said path routing logic.

4. A mobile unit for receiving and retransmitting data packets, said mobile unit comprising a microcomputer, circuitry coupled to said microcomputer for identifying from data packet the address of a designated mobile unit, circuitry coupled to said microcomputer for determining from the data packet the last known location of the designated mobile unit and circuitry for determining the most logical path or route of the designated mobile unit whereby said microcomputer can retransmit the data packet in a direction along the most logical path or route of the designated mobile unit.

5. The mobile unit of claim 4 including path routing logic coupled to said microcomputer.

6. The mobile unit of claim 5 including a path description and gateway location table having path descriptions and gateway locations coupled to said path routing logic.

7. The mobile unit of claim 4 comprising location determining circuitry coupled to said microcomputer.

8. The mobile unit of claim 4 including a repeater circuit coupled between said microcomputer and a transmitter for causing said transmitter to retransmit a data packet.

9. The mobile unit of claim 4 combined with a coupled to a personal computer for displaying, processing or storing received data packets, e-mail, fax, video data or other data and/or for creating and transmitting such data packets to the mobile unit for transmission to another telephone station.