Wireless communication system and device for coupling a base station and mobile stations

A wireless communication system is provided that includes a wireless communication device in wireless communication with a base station and mobile stations. The wireless communication device includes first and second transceivers coupled to each other. The first transceiver is coupled to an antenna and is operable to communicate with the base station, which is also in wireless communication with other wireless communication devices. The second transceiver is coupled to another antenna and is in wireless communication with the plurality of mobile stations. The first transceiver receives a first signal from the base station intended for a one of the mobile stations, and in response the second transceiver transmits the first signal to the mobile station. The second transceiver receives a second signal from the mobile station intended for the base station, and in response the first transceiver transmits the second signal to the base station.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to wireless communication systems and more particularly, to a wireless communication system and associated method for routing messages.

BACKGROUND

Advancements in communication technologies have permitted the development, and implementation, of new types of communication systems. Such communication systems are able to permit the communication of increased amounts of data at increased thruput rates relative to conventional communication systems. And, such new communication systems have permitted communication of information at, and between, communication stations positioned at locations from which communications have conventionally been inconvenient or impractical.

Radio communication systems, for instance, are exemplarily of communication systems of which new types, and improvements to existing types, have been made possible as a result of advancements in communication technologies. Similar to other types of communication systems, in a radio communication system, information is communicated between a sending station and a receiving station by way of a communication channel. In a radio communication system, unlike other types of communication systems, a communication channel formed between the sending and the receiving stations and upon which information is communicated by the sending station to the receiving station, is formed of a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Radio links are defined upon the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum allocated to the radio communication system.

Because a radio link is utilized upon which to form communication channels, a fixed, or wireline, connection is not required to be formed between the sending and receiving stations to form a communication channel. Information can be communicated between the sending and receiving stations at, and between, locations at which conventional wireline communications would not be permitted. Additionally, the infrastructure costs associated with the installation of a radio communication system are also generally lower than the corresponding costs which would be required to install a conventional, wireline communication system. And, as the advancements in communication technologies have permitted the bandwidth allocated to a radio communication system to be utilized more efficiently, a radio communication can increasingly be utilized effectuate a communication service which require relatively significant data thruput capability.

A wireless broadband communication system has been proposed, for instance, by which to permit the effectuation of any of various communication services by way of radio links with fixed-site subscriber stations. Radio links are formed with the subscriber stations by fixed-site base stations. The base stations are installed at spaced-apart locations throughout the geographical area which is to be encompassed by the wireless broadband communication system. Several subscriber stations are capable of communicating with a single base station.

Communication of data is effectuated between the subscriber stations and an associated base station by way of radio links upon which communication channels are defined. Because radio links are utilized between the subscriber stations and the base stations, the infrastructure costs associated with the formation of wireline connections between the subscriber stations are obviated. Broadband communications, and communication services which require the communication of broadband data, as well as communication services necessitating smaller data thruput rates are effectuable through use of the wireless broadband communication system.

Advancements in communication technologies have also permitted the development, and introduction, of other types of radio communication systems. Wireless communication systems, sometimes referred to as micro-cellular networks, private networks, and WLANs (wireless local area networks) are exemplary of such systems. Such networks, generally, provide for radio communications with mobile stations positioned within communication range of such networks.

Generally, the communication ranges of the mobile stations operable in such systems is relatively small as relatively low-power signals are originated at the mobile stations and, correspondingly, originated at the network infrastructure of such systems to be terminated at the mobile stations. The network infrastructure of such systems typically include fixed-location transceivers, sometimes referred to as access points. The access points are capable of communicating with a group of mobile stations positioned within a micro-cellular, or other, area defined by the access point. In some of such systems, the access points are coupled to a conventional, local area network, also used to interconnect the processing stations of an office computer system. In other such systems, the access points are connected in other manners.

Installation of a wireless broadband communication system to provide broadband services with a plurality of subscriber stations provides a radio infrastructure throughout a geographical area throughout which wireless broadband communication services are effectuable. If a manner could be provided by which to utilize the communication capabilities of a wireless broadband communication system to provide additional communication services, additional benefits of a wireless broadband communication system would be provided.

It is in light of this background information related to radio communication systems that the significant improvements of the present disclosure have evolved.

SUMMARY

Aspects of the disclosure may be found in a wireless communication system that includes a wireless communication device in wireless communication with a base station and mobile stations. The wireless communication device includes first and second transceivers coupled to each other. The first transceiver is coupled to an antenna and is operable to communicate with the base station, which is also in wireless communication with other wireless communication devices. The second transceiver is coupled to another antenna and is in wireless communication with the plurality of mobile stations. The first transceiver receives a first signal from the base station intended for a one of the mobile stations, and in response the second transceiver transmits the first signal to the mobile station. The second transceiver receives a second signal from the mobile station intended for the base station, and in response the first transceiver transmits the second signal to the base station.

A more complete appreciation of the present disclosure and to the scope thereof can be obtained from the accompanying drawings which are briefly summarized below, the following detailed description of the presently-preferred embodiments of the disclosure, and the appended claims.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present disclosure so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the disclosure that follows. Additional features and advantages of the disclosure will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the disclosure in its broadest form.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1illustrates exemplary fixed wireless access network100according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Fixed wireless network100comprises a plurality of transceiver base stations, including exemplary transceiver base station110, that transmit forward channel (i.e., downstream) broadband signals to a plurality of subscriber premises, including exemplary subscriber premises121,122and123, and receive reverse channel (i.e., upstream) broadband signals from the plurality of subscriber premises. Subscriber premises121-123transmit and receive via fixed, externally-mounted antenna(r)131-133, respectively. Subscriber premises121-123may comprise many different types of residential and commercial buildings, including single family homes, multi-tenant offices, small business enterprises (SBE), medium business enterprises (MBE), and so-called “SOHO” (small office/home office) premises.

The transceiver base stations, including transceiver base station110, receive the forward channel signals from external network150and transmit the reverse channel signals to external network150. External network150may be, for example, the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or one or more data networks, including the Internet or proprietary Internet protocol (IP) wide area networks (WANs) and local area networks (LANs). Exemplary transceiver base station110is coupled to RF modem140, which, among other things, up-converts baseband data traffic received from external network150to RF signals transmitted in the forward channel to subscriber premises121-123, RF modem140also down-converts RF signals received in the reverse channel from subscriber premises121-123to baseband data traffic that is transmitted to external network150. In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure in which external network150is the public switched telephone network (PSTN), RF modem140transmits baseband data traffic to, and receives baseband data traffic from, access processor165, which is disposed in central office facility160of the PSTN.

It should be noted that network100was chosen as a fixed wireless network only for the purposes of simplicity and clarity in explaining a subscriber integrated access device according to the principles of the present disclosure. The choice of a fixed wireless network should not be construed in any manner that limits the scope of the present disclosure in any way. As will be explained below in greater detail, in alternate embodiments of the present disclosure, a subscriber integrated access device according to the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in other types of broadband access systems. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, such access systems may include wireline systems (i.e, digital subscriber line (DSL), cable modem, fiber optic, and the like) in which a wireline connected to the subscriber integrated access device carries forward and reverse channel signals.

Referring toFIG. 2, a fixed wireless access (FWA) communication system210provides for radio communications between fixed-site base stations, of which the base station212is exemplary and fixed-site subscriber stations214of which the subscriber station214is exemplary. A radio link216upon which forward link channels218and reverse link channels222is of a bandwidth permitting broadband communication services to be effectuated with devices located at the subscriber station214.

In the exemplary implementation, an integrated access device (IAD)224forms a transceiver located at the subscriber station and at which forward link signals transmitted upon the forward link channels of the radio link are detectable and which generate reverse link signals for transmission upon the reverse link channels of the radio link. A separate IAD224is located at each subscriber station of the communication system.

In the exemplary implementation, each base transceiver station includes a remote modem (modulator-demodulator) capable of communicating with seven separate subscriber stations located within a radial sector. In other implementations, the circuitry of the base transceiver station is configured in other manners.

The base station212, and the set of remote modems thereof, is coupled to an access process228which is operable, amongst other things, to perform control operations to control operation of the communication system. The access process228is, in turn, coupled to a communication network232such as a public-switched telephonic network or a packet data network. And, a correspondent node234is coupled toe the communication network. A communication path is formable between the correspondent node and the IAD224positioned at the subscriber station by way of the communication network, the access process228, the base station212, and the radio link216, Communication of information by the correspondent node to the integrated access device and from the integrated access device to the correspondent node is effectuable by way of the communication path.

Pursuant to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a WLAN (wireless local area network) transceiver238is positioned at the subscriber station214at the integrated access device224to be connected to the transceiver circuitry of the integrated access device. The WLAN transceiver defines a coverage area242defining a cell. A mobile station244positioned within the cell242is capable of communicating with the transceiver238. That is to say, the radio link246is formable between the transceiver238and the mobile station244upon which forward and reverse link signals are communicated therebetween. Signals originated at the mobile station are communicated upon reverse link channels of the radio link246to the WLAN transceiver238. And, communication signals to be terminated at the mobile station244are communicated upon forward link channels of the radio link246.

Because of the connection of the WLAN transceiver to the transceiver of the integrated access device224, signals originated at the mobile station and communicated to the WLAN transceiver can, in turn, be provided to the transceiver of the integrated access device to be communicated upon reverse link channels of the radio link216and, thereafter, be communicated to another device, such as the correspondent node234. Analogously, signals originated at the correspondent node, or elsewhere, can be communicated to the mobile station by way of forward link channels of the radio links216and246to the mobile station. Thereby communications are effectuable with a mobile station in the fixed wireless access communication system.

In the exemplary implementation, the integrated access device224forms a rack-assembly having expansion slots to receive expansion cards thereat. And, the WLAN transceiver is mounted upon, or is otherwise formed at, an expansion card connectable to the expansion slot of the rack-assembly. Thereby the integrated access device together with the WLAN transceiver form an integrated device providing for two-way communication upon the radio link216as well as two-way communication upon the radio link246.

FIG. 3illustrates exemplary subscriber premises121in which subscriber integrated access device (IAD)310according to the principles of the present disclosure is implemented. Subscriber IAD310is connected to one or more communication devices in subscriber premises121via network termination (NT)320or (optionally) via a wireless local area network (LAN) connection. Subscriber premises121may contain one or more processing devices, such as exemplary personal computers331,332,333and334, and one or more telephones, including exemplary telephones341,342and343, that are capable of communicating via the broadband access capability of fixed wireless access network100.

NT320is the external point to which data lines and phone lines within a residence or office are brought in order to be connected to the local telephone service provider. AC/DC converter390converts the main AC power in subscriber premises121to primary DC power that powers subscriber IAD310. In order to comply with government regulations for telephone service to one or more telephones in subscriber premises121, DC battery361is charged from the DC output of AC/DC converter390in order to provide at least eight hours of backup power in case of a failure of the AC main power in subscriber premises121. Battery monitor (BM)362in subscriber IAD310detects main AC power failures and detects low power conditions on DC battery361and transmits alarms to fixed wireless access network100through subscriber IAD310.

In an alternate embodiment of the present disclosure, DC battery361may be located inside subscriber premises121(as shown by dotted lines), rather than mounted on the outside of subscriber premises121. However, in a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, DC battery361is externally mounted in order to give maintenance personnel easy access to nearly all components of the subscriber access system (i.e., subscriber IAD310, DC battery361antenna131) without requiring the homeowner to be present. Although AC/DC converter390is disposed in subscriber premises121, this does not present a problem. Conventional AC/DC converters have very large mean time between failure (MTBF) ratings, so that failures are rare. Furthermore, AC/DC converters are common, inexpensive commercial products that may be purchased and easily installed by the subscriber without the assistance of maintenance personnel. As will be described below in greater detail, since DC battery361is often mounted on the outside of subscriber premises121, DC battery361may comprise an internal tamper alarm circuit that transmits an alarm to battery monitor362if DC battery361is opened or otherwise tampered with by someone other than maintenance personnel.

FIG. 4depicts exemplary subscriber integrated access device (IAD)310in greater detail according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Subscriber IAD310is an external unit capable of, for example, radio frequency down-conversion, protocol conversion, voice decompression and control functions. As noted above, the entire subscriber IAD system comprises three major elements:1) external antenna131allows for multiple antenna options for increased gain or multiple element antenna subsystems;2) subscriber IAD310main assembly contains the integrated printed circuit board (PCB) motherboard and a mezzanine interface into which an optional expansion module may be inserted to provide, for example, two additional voice frequency (VF) pairs, a T1/E1 module, or a TE/E3 module for use in a SOHO premises, a small/medium enterprise (SME) premises, or a multi-tenant unit (MTU) premises; and3) DC battery361and AC/DC converter390, which may be deployed inside or (preferably) outside subscriber premises121to provide at least eight (8) hours of operation without AC main power.

Subscriber IAD310is connected directly to some subscriber premises equipment (i.e., PC331-333, telephones341-343) to provide direct access to voice and broadband data in fixed wireless access network100at the NT320demarcation point at the customer premise. Both product cost and life-cycle/installation costs are reduced by integrating voice and data interfaces into a single external unit that connects to the standard NT320interface at the subscriber premises. Optionally, subscriber IAD310may also communicate wirelessly with some subscriber premises equipment, such as PC334, via a wireless LAN connection. As will be explained below, subscriber IAD310may wirelessly transmit data to and receive data from PC334via antenna395. Similarly, PC334may wirelessly transmit data to and receive data from subscriber IAD310via antenna392.

In an advantageous embodiment of the present disclosure, subscriber IAD310may provide at least four data interface options, including;1) separate Cat-5 twisted pairs for 10Base-T Ethernet;2) one of the VF pairs may be used with, for example, a 1 Mbps or 10 Mbps Home Phone Network Alliance (HPNA) interface or other shared voice/data home wiring twisted pair system;3) home power line interface with release of higher bandwidth implementations (>1 Mbps); and4) wireless LAN connection to subscriber premises equipment.

In an advantageous embodiment, subscriber IAD310comprises RF interface (IF)405, control/networking PAD/voice processing circuitry410, DC/DC converter415, battery monitor362, and mezzanine interface420. In a fixed wireless embodiment, RF IF405provides modulation and demodulation of forward and reverse channel signals between transceiver base station110and subscriber IAD310. DC/DC converter415converts the external DC power received from battery361to the necessary internal DC power levels used by the components of subscriber IAD310. Battery monitor362monitors the battery power from DC battery361and receives alarm signals, if any, from DC battery361.

If main AC power fails, or if DC battery361is tampered with, DC battery361transmits alarm signals to battery monitor362. If the DC power level from DC battery falls too low after an AC power failure, battery monitor362detects the low DC power level condition and generates an alarm. The alarms generated by or received by battery monitor362are sent to control/networking PAD/voice processing circuitry410in order to be transmitted back to the fixed wireless service provider.

In a standard (and low cost) configuration, control/networking PAD/voice processing circuitry410comprises, among other things, two voice frequency (VF) pair interface (IF)412and data interface (IF)325. Control/networking PAD/voice processing circuitry410performs the overall control functions of subscriber IAD310and converts reverse channel voice and data signals received from telephones341-343and PC331-333to the necessary protocols for transmission to transceiver base station110via RF IF405. Similarly, control/networking PAD/voice processing circuitry410converts forward channel signals received from transceiver base station110via RF IF405to voice and data signals that are used by telephones341-343and PC331-333.

In alternate wireline embodiments of the present disclosure, subscriber IAD310may also comprise an expansion slot for one or more wireline interfaces, including for example, cable modem430. Alternative wireline interfaces may include an optical interface, a DSL router, or the like, in addition to, or in place of, RF IF405, Cable modem430(or an optical interface or a DSL router) provide external interface connection points for a cable modem data line, a fiber optic line, and a DSL line, respectively.

As noted above, in an advantageous embodiment of the present disclosure, mezzanine IF420receives expansion module421in order to provide additional capabilities to subscriber IAD310, particularly to meet the needs of small-medium business enterprises and multi-tenant units. For example, expansion module421may comprise a voice frequency pair interface, similar to two VP IF412, providing subscriber IAD310with a total capability or four voice lines and one data line (4V/1D).

In a second embodiment, expansion module421may comprise a T1/E1 interface. In a third embodiment, expansion module421may comprise a T3/E3 interface. In a fourth embodiment, expansion module421may comprise a DSL or cable modem interface.

Finally, in a wireless LAN embodiment, expansion module421may comprise a wireless transceiver interface that communicates with PC334via antenna395. In the illustrated embodiment, antenna395is an integral component of subscriber IAD310that is coupled to a connection pin on mezzanine IF420. In such an embodiment, expansion module421comprises conventional RF transceiver circuitry, but does not require its own antenna. However, in an alternate embodiment, antenna395may be an integral component of expansion module421, such that subscriber IAD310does not contain a separate antenna for wireless LAN purposes.

FIG. 5illustrates another view of the communication system210, here illustrating an implementation in which a plurality of subscriber stations214include WLAN transceivers238(shown inFIG. 2) connected to corresponding integrated access devices224(also shown inFIG. 2). The coverage areas242defined by respective ones of the WLAN transceivers are shown in the figure. Adjacent ones of the coverage areas overlap with one another. The remote modems of the base transceivers are again shown in the Figure as is the access process. An arrangement in which the remote modems communicate with subscriber stations positioned within a radio sector is shown in the figure. In other implementations, other arrangements are utilized.

A mobile station initially positioned within, or approximate to, a coverage area242defined by a WLAN transceiver positioned at a first subscriber station is permitted movement, such as out of the coverage area defined by the transceiver positioned at a first subscriber station and into the coverage area defined by a WLAN transceiver of another subscriber station. Through operation of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a handover of communications is effectuated from the first WLAN transceiver to another WLAN transceiver, thereby to permit continued communications with the mobile station.

Determination of when to initiate handover of communications is made responsive to measurements of signal characteristics of communication signals communicated between the WLAN transceiver and the mobile station. In one implementation signal characteristics are measured, or otherwise determined, at the mobile station and results of such measures or determinations of are reported back to the WLAN transceiver, and appropriate control circuitry. Thereafter, if appropriate, the handover of communications is effectuated.

A routing map252is further shown in the figure. The routing map is functionally connected to the access process228. The routing map includes a listing of the mobile stations, such as the mobile station246operable to transceive communication signals pursuant to the WLAN service. Indexed together with the listing of the mobile stations are the locations at which the mobile stations are positioned. When communications are to be effectuated with a particular mobile station, such as communications originated by the correspondent node234, the routing map is accessed and the communication signals are routed to the mobile stations at the position indicated in the routing map. And, when a handover is effectuated, information routed to a mobile station but not yet delivered is rerouted to the WLAN transceiver to which communications have been handed over.

FIG. 6again illustrates the communication system210, here showing a plurality of base stations212and subscriber stations214associated with various ones of the base stations. Each of the subscriber stations includes a WLAN transceiver (shown inFIG. 2) various of the base transceiver stations are here shown also to be coupled by way of the communication network232, again either a PSTN, a packet data network, or a combination of such networks. Movement of a mobile station between the coverage areas is defined by different ones of the subscriber stations are shown in the figure. For instance, movement of a mobile station indicated by the arrow656represents movement of the mobile station between subscriber stations associated with separate cells of separate base stations. Such movement results in access process routing of subsequent communication signals to a new cell of the fixed wireless access communication system, access process routing to a separate remote mode sector, and remote modem routing to a new subscriber integrated access device. The arrow658is representative of movement of a mobile station within a single sector of a single base station. Here, the result is a subscriber integrated access device to a remote modem routing change.

The arrow662is representative of movement of a mobile station between adjacent sectors defined by a single base station. Such movement results in access process routing of the communication signal to the new remote modem sector transceiver. And, the arrow664is representative of movement of a mobile station between sectors of different cells defined by two different base stations. Such movement results in access process to access process routing resolution, access processing routing to the new cell, access process routing to the new remote modem sector, and remote modem routing to the new subscriber access integrated device. Thereby, handovers of communications are effectuable through any movement of a mobile station between coverage areas defined by WLAN transceivers forming a portion of a fixed wireless access communication system.

FIG. 7illustrates a method, shown generally at772of an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method facilitates radio communications with the mobile station in a fixed wireless access communication system having at least a first base station and at least a first subscriber station capable of communicating with the base station. First, and as indicated by the block774, a local-network radio transceiver is positioned at the fixed-site subscriber station. Then, and as indicated by the block776, communication signals are selectably transceived with the mobile station upon a first local radio link between the local-network radio transceiver and a mobile station when the mobile station is positioned within a coverage area defined by the local-network radio transceiver.

Through operation of the method of an embodiment of the present disclosure, WLAN service is provided in a fixed wireless access in a communication system. A mobile station operable in a wireless local area network is thereby able to communicate in the WLAN coverage area encompassing the subscriber station at which the local-network radio transceiver is positioned.

The previous descriptions are of preferred examples for implementing the disclosure, and the scope of the disclosure should not necessarily be limited by this description. The scope of the present invention is defined by the following claims.