Modularly clustered radiotelephone system

• US 7,245,596 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2002
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cooley, David M., Lemmo, Mark A., Kaewell, John D., Regensburg, Michael W., Kurtz, Scott D., DiGiovanni, Joseph J., Johns, Eric, Vessal, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung; Min
• Application Number:
  US10/193,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20030076802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,832 Days
• Field of Search: 370/336, 370/328, 370/329, 370/463, 370/347, 370/330, 370/458, 375/222
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1615 Switching on; Switching off, e.g. remotely battery saving circuits associated with selective call operation H04W52/00; details of power consumption reduction in a PLL, H03L7/0802, H03L7/14, H03L2207/08, H03L2207/18; muting amplifiers by gain control see H03G3/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2643 using time-division multiple access [TDMA] H04B7/2615, H04B7/2618 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2656 for structure of frame, burst
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0685 Clock or time synchronisation in a node; Intranode synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0891 for synchronized access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/00 Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/021 adapted for Wireless Local Loop operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A subscriber cluster unit for a wireless telecommunication system provides a wireless interface with a base station for a plurality of subscriber units. The cluster unit has a plurality of frequency agile modems for processing wireless communications with the base station and a plurality of subscriber line circuits, each for providing a telecommunication connection with a subscriber unit. A control processor assigns a modem for each communication between the base station and a selected subscriber unit which is coupled to one of the line circuits and associates that line circuit with the assigned modem for that communication. Thus, a subscriber unit coupled with any of the line circuits can communicate with the base station via any of the modems.

Claims

1. A subscriber cluster unit for a wireless telecommunication system which provides a wireless interface with a base station for a plurality of subscriber units comprising:

a plurality of frequency agile modems for processing wireless communications with the base station;

a plurality of subscriber line circuits, each for providing a telecommunication connection with a subscriber unit; and

a control processor that assigns a modem for each communication between the base station and a selected subscriber unit which is coupled to one of said line circuits and associates said one line circuit with said assigned modem for that communication whereby a subscriber unit coupled with any of said line circuits can communicate with said base station via any of said modems.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein wireless communication with said modems is by means of a predefined time slot format such that each communication is communicated in a select time slot or set of time slots whereby the control processor can assign one of said modems for first and second communications between the base station and first and second subscriber units, respectively, which are coupled to respective first and second of said line circuits and associate said first and second line circuits with said assigned modem for facilitating concurrent communication of a plurality of communications via each modem.

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said processor tracks and assigns a priority to all available time slots of said modems and selects one of available time slots based on the assigned priority for each communication between the base station and a selected subscriber unit.