Patent ID: 6597927
Filing Date: 2003-07-22
Classification: H01Q,H04W

Abstract:
A cellular system comprising:a mobile switching center (MSC); a plurality of BTSs (base transceiver stations); a base station controller interfacing between said MSC, and said plurality of BTSs; a plurality of antennas, associated with at least one of said plurality of BTSs, transmitting differently directional but overlapping voice channel signal transmission beams wherein said overlapping beams form an area of cell coverage for communicating with mobile stations (MSs); a plurality of antennas, associated with at least one of said plurality of BTSs, transmitting a plurality of beacon traffic signal beams each covering a different portion of an area of cell coverage for communication between the BTS and any MSs in that area; an umbrella beam antenna, transmitting a control channel signal, for communicating with all MSs within said area of cell coverage to assign voice traffic channels to be used by MSs within said area of cell coverage; maintaining a given power level on each of said plurality of beacon traffic signal beams, each of said plurality of beacon traffic signal beams being transmitted on a different carrier frequency; determining the position of an MS relative to said plurality of beacon traffic signal beams based upon the relative strength of the received beacon traffic signal beams; and assigning a traffic channel to an MS in accordance with its position within said plurality of beacon traffic signal beams.