Efficiency of wireless wide area networks utilizing local wireless connections

• US 9,907,113 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2012
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Cheng, Marco Y. C., Su, Huan-Yu, Johnston, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jain, Ankur
• Application Number:
  US13/468,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20130267270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,119 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/00 Technologies for an efficient end-user side electric power management and consumption
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Provided is a system for wireless communications including several base stations supporting a wide area wireless network and several mobile user equipment (UE) devices. Each mobile UE device may be configured to transmit a request to establish a local wireless connection with one or more of the UE devices. The mobile UE device may receive a response containing connectivity information from each of the mobile UE devices and then select one of the mobile UE devices based on the connectivity information received from each of the mobile UE devices. The mobile UE device may then establish a local wireless connection with the selected mobile UE device. The mobile UE device may then communicate with one of the base stations in the wide area wireless network through the selected mobile UE device, utilizing the local wireless connection.

Claims

1. A mobile base station for wireless communications with at least a first mobile user equipment (UE) device and at least a second mobile UE device, wherein the first mobile UE device is inside a coverage area of the mobile base station, wherein the second mobile UE device is outside the coverage area of the mobile base station, and wherein the second mobile UE device is wirelessly connected to the first mobile UE device and indirectly connected to the mobile base station vis-a-vis the first mobile UE device, the mobile base station comprising:

a processor configured to;

establish a wireless connection with one or more base stations supporting a wide area wireless network;

establish a wireless connection with the first mobile UE device;

select a base station from the one or more base stations having a service provider identity that matches a service provider identity of the first mobile UE device and the second mobile UE device;

relay communications between the first mobile UE device and the second mobile UE device with the selected base station of the one or more base stations in the wide area wireless network; and

a clock configured to provide a master timing signal for controlling wireless communication between the mobile base station and the first mobile UE and the second mobile UE on the wide area wireless network.

2. The mobile base station of claim 1, wherein the mobile base station is located in or on a moving mobile vehicle.

3. The mobile base station of claim 1, further comprising at least a third mobile UE device wirelessly connected to the second mobile UE and indirectly connected to the first mobile UE and the mobile base station.

4. A method for wireless communications in a wireless wide area network, the method comprising:

establishing, using a processor of a mobile base station, a wireless connection with one or more base stations supporting a wide area wireless network, wherein each of the one or more base stations provides wireless communications using a different service provider;

establishing, using the processor of the mobile base station, a wireless connection with at least a first mobile user equipment (UE) device located inside the coverage area of the mobile base station;

establishing a wireless connection with a second mobile UE to the first mobile UE device, wherein the second mobile UE device is outside the coverage area of the mobile base station such that the second mobile UE device is indirectly connected to the mobile base station vis-à

-vis the wireless connection to the first mobile UE device;

selecting, using the processor of the mobile base station, a base station of the one or more base stations having a service provider identity that matches a service provider identity of the first mobile UE device and the second mobile UE device;

controlling wireless communication between the mobile base station and the first mobile UE and the second mobile UE on the wide area wireless network using a clock of the mobile base station configured to provide a master timing signal; and

relaying, using the processor of the mobile base station, communications between the first mobile UE device and the second mobile UE device with the selected base station of the one or more base stations in the wide area wireless network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the connectivity information further includes one or more of a signal strength with one or more of the plurality of base stations.

6. A mobile base station for wireless communications with at least a first mobile user equipment (UE) device and at least a second mobile UE device, the mobile base station comprising:

a processor configured to;

establish a wireless connection with one or more base stations supporting a wide area wireless network;

establish a wireless connection with the first mobile UE device;

select a base station from the one or more base stations having a service provider identity that matches a service provider identity of the first mobile UE device and the second mobile UE device;

relay communications between the first mobile UE device and the second mobile UE device with the selected base station of the one or more base stations in the wide area wireless network; and

a clock configured to provide a master timing signal for controlling wireless communication between the mobile base station and a first mobile UE and a second mobile UE on the wide area wireless network, wherein the first mobile UE device is inside a coverage area of the mobile base station, wherein the second mobile UE device is outside the coverage area of the mobile base station, and wherein the second mobile UE device is wirelessly connected to the first mobile UE device and indirectly connected to the mobile base station vis-a-vis the first mobile UE device.