Patent EA-005180-B1 (EA)
Title: Mobile communications network, method and apparatus
Inventor: MONTEBRUNO LIDIA
IPC: H04W84/20
Filed: 2002-03-06
Abstract: 1. A public cellular telecommunication network for mobile users comprising a user subsystem (STU) and a transport subsystem (STT) associated by means of an access subsystem (STA) that offers towards them respectively, a user access communications interface (Uu) and a transport access communications interface (lu), apt to allow the exchange of first information flows (TS) between said subsystems, said access subsystem (STA) identifying a coverage area of the cellular telephone network, characterized in that said access subsystem (STA) is linked by means for interconnection (GSB, NGS) in order to receive second information flows broadcast by one or more geostationary satellites (GS) and send them on the telecommunications network for mobile users (UNET), said means of interconnection (GSB, NGS) being located within the coverage area of the public cellular telecommunications network. 2. A public cellular telecommunication network for mobile users according to Claim 1, characterized in that the means of interconnection (GSB, NGS) for receiving second information flows (BS) broadcast by one or more geostationary satellites and sending them on the telecommunications network for mobile users (UNET) comprise the means of reception of satellite signals (RTS, NRTS). 3. A public cellular telecommunication network for mobile users according to Claim 2, characterized in that the access subsystem (STA) comprises network radio controllers (CRR) that control base stations (SNB) by means of a suitable station control interface (lub) and in that the means of interconnection (GSB, NGS) in order to receive second information flows broadcast by one or more geostationary satellites and send them through the telecommunications network for mobile users are associated to the base stations (SNB) through the station controller interface (lub) and in that said means of interconnection (GSB) also communicate with the radio network controllers (CRR). 4. A public cellular telecommunication network for mobile users according to Claim 2, characterised in that said means of interconnection (NGS), in order to receive second information flows broadcast by one or more geostationary satellites and send them via the mobile telecommunications network (UNET), are associated to the network radio controllers (CRR) by means of the transport access interface (lu). 5. A public cellular telecommunication network for mobile users according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that that the means for reception (RTS, NRTS) are associated to means of transmission to the geostationary satellites (GS). 6. A public cellular telecommunication network for mobile users according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that that the telecommunications network (UNET) is a network according to the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) standard and the as the access subsystem (STA) of the UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) type. 7. A public cellular telecommunication network for mobile users according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that that the telecommunications network (UNET) uses Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) and the UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) as the access subsystem (STA). 8. A public cellular telecommunication network for mobile users according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that that the means for reception (RTS, NRS) comprise low-cost domestic satellite radio receivers especially for television signals. 9. A public cellular telecommunication network for mobile users according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that that the access subsystem (STA) includes additional means for connections with terrestrial radio transmitters, both video and audio, associated to base stations (SNB) and/or radio controllers (CRR). 10. A public cellular telecommunication network for mobile users according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that that the means of interconnection (GSB, NGS) to receive second information flows broadcast by one or more geostationary satellites and send them to the access subsystem (STA) on the mobile telecommunications network (UNET), comprises at least one storage means able to store part or all of the secondary information flows (BS). 11. A public cellular telecommunication network for mobile users according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that that the means of interconnection (GSB, NGS) to receive second information flows broadcast by one or more geostationary satellites and send them to the access subsystem (STA) on the mobile telecommunications network (UNET), comprise means for two-way terrestrial broadcast signals, in particular, DAB signals. 12. A public cellular telecommunication network for mobile users according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the access subsystem (STA) is associated to means of interconnection (GSB, NGS) to receive second information flows broadcast by one or more geostationary satellites and send them on the telecommunication network for mobile user (UNET) is shared with a wireless Local Area Network in order to allow sending said second information over said wireless Local Area Network. 13. A public cellular telecommunication network for mobile users according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that comprises base stations operatively connected to said interconnection means (GSB, NGS) for receiving said second information flows (BS) broadcast by one or more geostationary satellites (GS) and send them to the access subsystem (STA) on the mobile telecommunications. 14. A public cellular telecommunication network for mobile users according to claim 1, characterised in that comprises radio network controllers operatively connected to said interconnection means (GSB, NGS) for receiving said second information flows broadcast by one or more geostationary satellites and send them to the access subsystem (STA) on the telecommunication network for mobile user (UNET). 15. A method for sending information to user terminals of a public cellular telecommunications network for mobile users comprising: implementing switching and routing function of the public cellular telecommunication network via a transport subsystem (STT); sending first information from the transport subsystems (STT), broadcasting second information by means of at least one geostationary satellites in a coverage area of said public telecommunications network for mobile users; and receiving said second information broadcasted by said geostationary satellites (GS) by means of a base stations (SNB) and/or a network radio controller (CRR) of the access subsystems (STT) of the cellular public telecommunications network for mobile users (UNET), and making said second information available to said user terminals. 16. A method for sending information to the user terminals of a public cellular telecommunications network for mobile users according to claim 14 further comprising using the access subsystem (STT) as an access system to said geostationary satellites for the user terminals of the public cellular telecommunications network for mobile users in order to allow bidirectional communications between said user terminals and said satellite. 17. A method for sending information to the user terminals of a public cellular telecommunications network for mobile users according to claim 15 further comprising integrating the base stations (SNB) and/or network radio controllers (CRR) of the access subsystems (STA) of said public cellular telecommunications network for mobile users (UNET) with two-way satellite systems for single family homes or apartment buildings. 18. A method for sending information to the user terminals of a public cellular telecommunications network for mobile users according to claim 15 further comprising integrating said base stations (SNB) and/or network radio controllers (CRR) of the access subsystems (STA) of said public cellular telecommunications network for mobile users (UNET) with already installed two-way satellite systems.