Abstract: Subscriber units are tracked in a cellular communications system including a plurality of cells which communicate with subscriber units. A cell type is assigned to each cell according to a mobility characteristic of a subscriber unit population of the cell. Each cell is associated with at least one of a plurality of districts based on the cell type of the cell, such that each of the plurality of districts may be characterized according to a mobility characteristic of a subscriber unit population of the district. A subscriber unit is registered with one of the plurality of the districts according to the mobility of the subscriber unit. According to preferred method aspects of the invention, at least one district is defined for each cell, each district having a geographical extent with respect to the cell location of the cell, to thereby associate each cell with at least one district.

Abstract: A method for determining a handover for a mobile station (1) in a multicellular communication system having a serving cell (3), a plurality of neighboring cells (4,5), and at least one control cell where the cells include at least one macrocell (2) and a plurality of microcells. The method includes the steps of comparing the received signal of the control cell with a parameter value.

Abstract: Control signals are processed in a mobile station of a mobile radio system in which control signals are received from one current base station and from other base stations. A reception level of the control signal received from the current base station is determined and evaluated, and a fluctuation value is derived from the control signal received from the current base station. The fluctuation value is compared with a threshold and a decision is made, on the basis of the comparison result, regarding the rate of reception and/or the measurement of the reception level of control signals from the other base stations. The apparatus for processing the control signals includes a receiving device which receives the control signals from the base stations, a determining device which determines the reception level of the control signal received from the current base station, and an evaluation device which evaluates the reception level.

Abstract: A method and receiver for determining the speed of a terminal equipment in a radio system using a time division multiple access method in which a signal is transmitted in a succession of time slots each of a given duration and the signal is received and sampled, the received sampled signal having a signal envelope with a mean strength, in which the speed determination is made by measuring the man strength of the signal envelope of the received sampled signal within a given time window.

Abstract: In cellular communication systems, hand-offs are performed to maintain links as subscriber units (110) and cells (420, 450) move relative to each other. The hand-off process is improved by using a pre-stored time-based cell map (400) and precise geo-location data. This information is used to set a hand-off timer for deterministically initiating the hand-off process in the current cell (500). The timer diminishes the amount of power monitoring which is required in the hand-off initiation process. This capability is especially important in satellite communication systems with fast moving cells and sharp boundaries.

Abstract: In those instances wherein inter-exchange handoff of a cellular call occurs, and a mobile station desires to activate an in-call service change with respect to that cellular call among and between a plurality of supported voice and data services, a change of service request message is initiated by a serving mobile switching center and transmitted to an anchor mobile switching center. The request is processed by each switching node to confirm availability of the necessary facilities to support the requested service (on either the existing call circuit or a new call circuit). Once confirmed, the anchor mobile switching center initiates a change of service request reply for transmission back to the serving mobile switching center. These messages could be relayed through one or more intermediate tandem mobile switching centers if necessary. Reconfiguration of the facilities is also performed to support the requested service change.

Abstract: Method for transmitting data packets between base site and designated mobile unit outside coverage area of base site comprises: identifying data packet; transmitting data packet to unit along calculated traffic path; determining if unit is designated unit; and retransmitting data packet from that unit until receiving unit is designated unit.

Abstract: In a radio communications apparatus according to the present invention, an RSSI detects the strength of a received signal, and a fading pitch detection circuit detects a fading pitch of the signal from the detected strength thereof and determines whether the moving speed of the terminal apparatus exceeds a predetermined value. A high-speed moving time incoming call control means determines whether the apparatus is moving at high speed based on the determination results of the fading pitch detection circuit. If it is doing so, the control means automatically responds to the incoming call, transmits a response message from a response message storage area to a communication party, and stores a message input by the communication party in a message storage area.

Abstract: The present invention relates a method for controlling hand off of a mobile terminal in CDMA mobile communication system which controls hand off of a mobile terminal by dividing the mobile terminals into mobile terminals of high mobile speed and mobile terminals of low mobile speed in CDMA mobile communication system.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for determining the distance between a radio receiver (RX) and a radio transmitter (TX) by uplink time measurements, whereby uplink messages are transmitted by the transmitter (TX) and used primarily for position determination. In one embodiment, the uplink messages are intra-cell handover messages if the transmitter (TX) is a component of a mobile radio terminal which is operating in accordance with an existing TDMA standard. In a second embodiment, the uplink messages are a new type of message transmitted in time slots not used by the mobile radio terminal and preferably, also not used by other mobile radio terminals in the system, if the transmitter (TX) is a component of a mobile radio terminal which is operating in accordance with a new or emerging TDMA standard. The evolving GSM radio air-interface standard is an example of such a TDMA standard.

Abstract: The approximate position of a mobile station in a cell can be predicted by measuring the signal strength between the mobile station and the base station of the cell in which it is located and the base stations of the neighboring cells. After a series of instantaneous signal strength measurements have been collected, the velocity and direction of the mobile unit can be determined. Based on the velocity and direction of the mobile unit, future locations of the mobile unit can be predicted including the projected signal strength between the mobile station and the base stations of the cell in which it is located and neighboring cells. Analyzing the projected signal strength values, the time when the mobile unit will require handover to a neighboring cell can be determined and if desired, resources in a neighboring cell can be allocated in anticipation of the mobile unit being handed over to that cell.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for tracking the location of, and for providing cellular telephone handoff for, a mobile cellphone user as the user moves from one cell to another. A boundary curve B12 between a first cell and an adjacent second cell is defined in an electronic map. First and second quasi-boundary curves QB1 and QB2, lying within the first and second cell, respectively, are defined, where each point on the curve QBi (i=1,2) lies at a selected distance from the boundary curve B12. A common region CR12 of points lying between the quasi-boundary curves QB1 and QB2 and including the boundary curve B12 is defined. The present cellphone location of the cellphone user is determined using a location determination system, such as GPS or GLONASS or a ground-based system. Cellular telephone service for the cellphone user is provided by a first cell site or by a second cell site, when the cellphone user is located within the first cell or the second cell, not including the overlap region CR12.

Abstract: A mobile communication system includes mobile terminals, radio base stations belonging to low- and high-speed mobile communication systems, and a mobile subscriber connecting apparatus to which the radio base stations are connected. The system uses both a first communication mode including the low-speed mobile communication system and a micro-cell zone and a second communication mode including the high-speed mobile communication system and a macro-cell zone.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method and apparatus for detecting a moving speed of a mobile terminal in a mobile communication utilizing time division multiple access system, wherein a measurement is made for a variation in delay of a burst radiowave received from the mobile terminal with reference to a transmission burst signal before a calculation of a moving speed of the mobile terminal is made on the basis of the measured variation in the delay.

Abstract: A cellular network includes a control station and a network of base stations installed one per cell with which one or more mobile stations can communicate as they roam through a cell. Redundantly deployed spare base stations are introduced along with the primary base station at a central area of each cell. The redundantly deployed spare base stations handle new calls when the associated primary base station is overloaded, participate in retransmission of data lost due to degraded channel conditions and congestion in the network, and assist in handoffs. Primary and spare satellite stations are deployed in regions marked by hills or valleys to augment the communicative capabilities of the primary and spare base stations.

Abstract: In telecommunication systems, for instance of the type DECT, there are mobile units which move within and between the cells of the system. The new device identifies mobile units which move with a predetermined speed and the identification is performed by means of fading measurements.

Abstract: The power control process switches between IS-95 forward power control and fast forward power control using either speed or hand-off status information from the mobile radiotelephone. If the received information indicates either a slower speed or the number of communication links is less than a predetermined number, the fast forward power control process is used. If the received information indicates either a fast speed or the number of links is greater than or equal to the predetermined number (the radiotelephone is in a hand-off situation), the forward power control process is used.

Abstract: A method and apparatus used by a communication system (100) to optimize the re-registration of communication system users that use a variable speed multiple-user communication unit (VSMCU) (110). VSMCUs (110) can be located on mobile vehicles, these mobile vehicles can move at different speeds at different times. VSMCUs (110) can collect registration information, obtain velocity information, determine re-registration distances, and determine re-registration factors. VSMCUs (110) send re-registration factors to the system. The system uses the re-registration factors to determine a modified ring-alert area for the associated VSMCU.

Abstract: A cellular network includes a mobile switching center and a network of cells through which one or more mobile stations can move. Each of the cells is managed by a base station, while a plurality of base stations are controlled by a control processor within the mobile switching center. Spare stations are introduced at strategic locations in the cellular network. As mobile stations move through the network of cells communicating with various base stations and spare stations the mobile switching center receives reports from spare stations relating to the status of various parameters characterizing conditions within the network of cells. The mobile switching center determines the position and velocity of mobile stations moving through the network of cells based on incoming reports. The assignment of a call associated with a mobile station can be changed from a base station to a spare station, and can then be changed from the spare station to another base station if the base station fails or becomes overloaded.

Abstract: In a multicellular radio communications network, when a mobile station satisfies a criterion for automatic intercellular handover from a source cell to a target cell, the speed of movement of the mobile station with respect to the base station of the target cell is estimated on the basis of the measured levels of the signal which the mobile station has received from this base station before the handover criterion is satisfied. Depending on the layers of the cells concerned, it is then possible to take account of this speed estimate in order to decide whether or not to trigger intercellular handovers.

Abstract: In a hierarchical micro/macro-cell network, a mobile station will be handed over from a microcell to a macrocell if a number of microcells recognize the mobile station as fast, so that the fast moving mobile stations do not cause a considerable number of handovers between microcells, which make the call control difficult. However, in order to avoid unnecessary switches up to macrocells, a mobile station and the call are handed over to a macrocell only when the mobile station is recognized as fast in a sufficient number of microcells.

Abstract: In a simplified portable telephone system having a small radius of a radio zone, a channel switching failure during high-speed movement or an instantaneous disconnection at the time of switching often occurs. Judgment is made upon whether a mobile station moves at high speed or low speed based on a degree of reduction in an electric field intensity of a channel currently used for a telephone call, and a radio base station having an electric field intensity, which is above a specified value and shows a largest increases is selected froze surrounding radio base stations which can be a target of channel switching during high-speed movement, thereby performing channel switching.

Abstract: A method and apparatus takes into account the Doppler shift of the information in a received burst, a frequency offset value is calculated for each received burst. For each burst, a signal quality value is calculated, which is compared with a predetermined signal quality threshold level. The absolute value of each of the frequency offset values whose signal quality value meets or exceeds the predetermined signal quality threshold is obtained. The frequency offset values whose signal quality values do not meet the threshold level are disregarded. The total mean of all of the absolute frequency offset values is then calculated. The total mean value is used to accurately estimate the speed of the mobile station. Consequently, the speed of faster and slower mobile stations can be readily distinguished, and a hierarchical cell structure can be effectively used to increase capacity and reduce handovers in a cellular communications system.

Abstract: A communication system (100) employs a method and apparatus for providing communication service to communication units (207-213) located within a common carrier transportation device (115). A stationary system controller (101) allocates a first set of communication resources (e.g., 140-149) to a mobile system controller (200) located at the common carrier transportation device (115). The first set of communication resources (140-149) are a subset of the communication resources assigned to a first stationary base site (109) of multiple stationary base sites (102-112) controlled by the stationary controller (101). The mobile controller (200) maps the first set (140-149) to a second set of communication resources (220-229) for use within the common carrier transportation device (115). The second set (220-229) is distinct from the first set (140-149) and is preferably selected to not interfere substantially with communication resources assigned to the stationary base sites (102-112).

Abstract: A radio telecommunication network (10) includes satellites (12) which project cells (30) on the surface of the earth. Mobile units (16) are alerted to incoming calls when they receive ring signals. Ring signal coverage parameter values are selected in response to differentiating data (46) which cause different ring signals to be activated for mobile units (16) which appear to be proximately located. An illumination area ring signal coverage parameter may have a value selected in response to differentiating data (46) so that larger illumination areas are used for higher speed mobile units (16"). A transmission power ring signal coverage parameter may have a value selected in response to differentiating data (46) so that higher power ring signals are used in specific situations identified by the differentiating data (46).

Abstract: A method of using the existing radio resources to automatically determine the current cellular topology is described. Wireless basestations are placed into a mode where they can transmit a signal which can be received by all of the base stations in range of the transmitting basestation. Each base station in the system serially broadcast a signal which is received by all other basestations within the range of the transmitting basestation. Each of the receiving radios determines the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) at which they received the transmitted signal. The RSSI values are used to determine which base stations are physically co-located into cells and then determine the relative locations of the cells to each other.

Abstract: A method of measuring speed of a mobile unit for use in a wireless communication system 20. The method includes the steps of receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal from the mobile unit 202, measuring signal quality of the RF signal to produce a received quality signal 204, sampling the received quality signal during a first time period to produce a first group of samples 206, sampling the received quality signal during a second time period to produce a second group of samples 208, calculating a variation in signal quality of the RF signal in response to the first and second group of samples 210, and determining a speed measurement in response to the variation in signal quality 212.

Abstract: A method for increasing the high mobility capacity of a personal access communications system (PACS) includes provides high and low tier channel links to service high and low speed subscriber units, respectively. The subscriber units determine their relative speed and select from among the high and low tier channels available to them based upon self-determined velocity and signal quality measurements.