EP1347660A2

PCS pocket phone/microcell communication over-air protocol

Abstract

A simple and flexible over-air protocol for use with a mobile telephone system, having hand-held telephones in a microcell or other type of cellular communication system. A method in which user stations communicate with one or more base stations to place and receive telephone calls, in which the user stations are provided a secure voice or data link and have the ability to handoff calls between base stations while such calls are in progress. Each base station has a set of "air channels" to which it transmits in sequence. The air channels supported by each base station are called that base station's "polling loop". A user station receives general polling information on an unoccupied air channel, transmits responsive information to the base station, and awaits acknowledgment from the base station. Each base station may therefore simultaneously maintain communication with as many user stations as there are air channels in its polling loop. The ability of a user station to communicate on any unoccupied air channel makes the protocol air-channel agile, while the stability of user station and base station clocks may define air channels, gaps, and minor frames. <IMAGE>

EP1347660A2, drawing sheet 1
Sheet 1 of 129

Term

Term ended

Projected expiry passed 20 March 2015, 11.5 years ago.

  1. Priority
  2. Filed
  3. Published
  4. Projected expiry
  5. Today

4 claims: 2 independent, 2 dependent

  1. 1
    A method for increasing a data rate between a base station and a user station in a time division duplex communication system, wherein a major time frame is divided into a plurality of minor time frames, and wherein said base station and said user station are in established communication in at least one of said minor time frames, said method comprising the steps of:assigning a user nickname to a user station in established communication with a base station in a first minor time frame, said minor time frame one of a plurality of minor time frames in a major time frame;transmitting from said base station, during a second minor time frame and using a spread-spectrum technique, said user nickname in a control field of a base-to-user message;receiving said base-to-user message at said user station;detecting at said user station said user nickname in said control field;transmitting from said base station, during said second minor time frame and using a spread-spectrum technique, an information message in a data field of said base-to-user message;anddetecting at said user station said information message in said data field in response to detecting said user nickname.
  2. 4
    A spread-spectrum time division duplex communication system comprising:a plurality of major time frames, each divided in a plurality of minor time frames;a base station;a user station in established spread-spectrum communication with said base station in a first minor time frame, said user station capable of increasing a communication data rate by communicating with said base station in additional minor time frames in each of said major time frames, and decreasing said communication data rate by periodically skipping communication with said base station in selected major time frames.