Patent ID: 6625153
Filing Date: 2003-09-23
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
A distributed cellular communication system that functions to implement communications connections for a plurality of mobile subscriber stations that are extant in a service area covered by said distributed cellular communication system, wherein said distributed cellular communication system supports multiple technologies and signaling protocols to implement said communications connections for said plurality of mobile subscriber stations, comprising:network means, having a plurality of ports, for transmitting signals between selected ones of said plurality of ports; a plurality of base stations connected to said network means for extending cellular communications connections from said mobile subscriber stations that are extant in said service area to said network means; at least one network managing means connected to said network means for managing said cellular communications connections; at least one network interface means connected to said network means for interfacing said network means with at least one non-cellular switched communication network; wherein said plurality of base stations, said at least one network managing means, and said at least one network interface means connected to said plurality of ports are implemented in at least two differing technologies and signaling protocols; and means for selecting ones of said plurality of ports of said network means to interconnect ones of said plurality of base stations, said at least one network managing means, and said at least one network interface means of same technology and signaling protocols, comprising: means for populating a routing table in said means for selecting with data indicating a correspondence between said at least one non-cellular switched communication network and said plurality of base stations as a function of said same technology and signaling protocols.