Multi-sensor assisted cellular handoff technique

• US 6,587,689 B1
• Filed: 08/19/1999
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Panasik, Carl M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUC M
• Application Number:
  US09/377,425
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 455/436-444, 455/456, 370/331, 370/332, 701/217, 701/300, 701/202, 340/992, 340/993, 340/994, 340/991, 340/989, 342/357-7-3
• US Class Current: 455/440
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/53 Determining attitude
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 by location data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A system and method for assisting in handoff in a cellular communication system. The system includes a base station having a data base of patterns of known handoff to predetermined different base stations and a mobile cellular device having apparatus for indicating the direction of a change of direction of the mobile device and circuitry for providing a signal to the base station indicative of the direction of change of direction. Circuitry is provided at the base station responsive to the signal to the base station indicative of the direction of change of direction to select the different base station for handoff of the mobile cellular device. The apparatus for indicating the direction of change of direction of the mobile device is one of a gyroscope, an accelerometer, an electronic compass, the GPS or a device determining direction based upon the magnetic field of the earth.

Claims

1. A system for assisting in handoff in a cellular communication system having a plurality of base stations for communication with mobile cellular devices, comprising:

(a) a first base station of said plurality of base stations having a data base of patterns of known handoffs to predetermined different base stations of said plurality of base stations;

(b) a mobile cellular device having;

(i) apparatus for indicating the direction of a change of direction of said mobile device;

(ii) circuitry for providing a signal to said first base station indicative of said direction of a change of direction; and

(c) circuitry at said first base station responsive to said signal to said first base station from said mobile cellular device indicative of said direction of a change of direction of said mobile cellular device and responsive to said data base of patterns at said first base station to select a different base station of said plurality of base stations for handoff of said mobile cellular device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said apparatus for indicating the direction of a change of direction of said mobile device is a gyroscope.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said apparatus for indicating the direction of a change of direction of said mobile device is an accelerometer.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said apparatus for indicating the direction of a change of direction of said mobile device is an electronic compass.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said apparatus for indicating the direction of a change of direction of said mobile device is a device determining change of direction based upon the GPS.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said apparatus for indicating the direction of a change of direction of said mobile device is a device determining direction based upon the magnetic field of the earth.

7. A method for assisting in handoff in a cellular communication system having a plurality of base stations for communication with mobile cellular devices, comprising:

(a) providing a first base station of said plurality of base stations having a data base of patterns of known handoff to predetermined different base stations of said plurality of base stations;

(b) providing a mobile cellular device having;

(i) apparatus for indicating the direction of a change of direction of said mobile device;

(ii) circuitry for providing a signal to said first base station indicative of said direction of change of direction and a said pattern from said data base at said first base station; and

(c) responsive to said signal to said first base station from said mobile cellular device indicative of a direction of said change of direction of said mobile cellular device and responsive to said pattern from said data base, selecting a different base station of said plurality of base stations for handoff of said mobile cellular device.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said apparatus for indicating the direction of a change of direction of said mobile device is a gyroscope.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said apparatus for indicating the direction of a change of direction of said mobile device is an accelerometer.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said apparatus for indicating the direction of a change of direction of said mobile device is an electronic compass.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein said apparatus for indicating the direction of a change of direction of said mobile device is a device determining direction based upon the magnetic field of the earth.

12. The method of claim 7 where said apparatus for indicating the direction of a change of direction of said mobile device is a device determining direction based upon the GPS.

13. A mobile cellular device capable of selective concurrent communication of information to and from a base station, which comprises:

(a) a mobile device having a transmitter for transmitting data to a base station and a receiver for concurrently receiving data from a base station;

(b) apparatus at said mobile device for non-manually indicating the direction of a change of direction of said mobile device; and

(c) said transmitter at said mobile device including circuitry which, when communicating with a base station, continuously provides indicia of said direction of a change of direction of said mobile device to a base station.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein said apparatus for indicating the direction of a change of direction of said mobile device is a gyroscope.

15. The device of claim 13 wherein said apparatus for indicating the direction of a change of direction of said mobile device is an accelerometer.

16. The device of claim 13 wherein said apparatus for indicating the direction of a change of direction of said mobile device is an electronic compass.

17. The device of claim 13 wherein said apparatus for indicating the direction of a change of direction of said mobile device is a device determining direction based upon the magnetic field of the earth.

18. The device of claim 13 wherein said apparatus for indicating the direction of a change of direction of said mobile device is a device determining direction based upon the GPS.