Cellular radio communication system for use with low-power remote stations

Claim 2

A cellular communication system for use over an area comprised of a plurality of cellular regions and with low-power remote stations able to transmit low-power remote station transmit radio signals at a low-power remote station transmit frequency and at a first power level, comprising: a number of base station means, each given base station means being associated with a different one of said cellular regions and being capable of: (i) receiving radio signals transmitted at a base station receive frequency and at a second power level greater than said first power level within the cellular region associated with the given base station means; and (ii) transmitting radio signals at a base station transmit frequency within the cellular region associated with said given base station means; and a number of local access base station means divided into one or more groups each of which being associated with a different one of said cellular regions, each local base station means in a group being further associated with a different sub-cellular region of the cellular region associated with the group and each given local base station means being capable of: (i) receiving, low-power remote station transmit radio signals transmitted within the sub-cellular region associated with the given local access base station means and retransmitting the low-power remote station transmit radio signals at said base station receive frequency and at said second power level for receipt by the base station means of the cellular region associated with the given local access base station means.

Claim 3

A cellular communication system in accordance with claim 1 wherein: sub-cellular regions in each given cellular region overlap such that a low-power remote station radio signal transmitted from a point within the given cellular region is received and restransmitted by at least two local access base station means within the given cellular region.

Claim 4

A cellular communication system in accordance within claim 1 wherein: sub-cellular regions in each given cellular region overlap such that the low-power remote station radio signals transmitted from a point in the given cellular region are able to be received and be retransmitted by at least three local access base station means in the given cellular region.

Claim 5

A cellular communication system in accordance with claim 1 wherein: each given local access base station means is further capable of: receiving radio signals transmitted at the base station transmit frequency by the base station means of the cellular region associated with the given local access base station means and retransmitting said received transmitted base station means radio signals at a low-power remote station receive frequency within the sub-cellular region associated with the given local access base station means.

Claim 6

A cellular communication system in accordance with claim 1 wherein: each of said cellular regions has associated with it a different band of frequencies; and the base station means associated with a given cellular region transmits and receives signals in the band of frequencies associated with the given cellular region.

Claim 7

A cellular communication system in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the different bands of frequencies associated with said cellular regions span a frequency range from about 1.5 to 2.5 GHz.

Claim 8

A cellular communication system in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said first power level is equal to or less than about 0.5 W.

Claim 9

A cellular communication system in accordance with claim 1 wherein: said first power level is within the range of 10 to 100 mW.

Claim 10

A cellular communication system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising: switch control means for controlling and routing signals among said number of base station means.

Claim 11

A cellular communication system in accordance with claim 9 wherein: said switch control means communicates with a telephone and data network and routes signals between said base stations means and said network.

Claim 14

A method of operating a cellular communication system in accordance with claim 11 wherein: sub-cellular regions in each given cellular region overlap such that a low-power remote station radio signal transmitted from a point within the given cellular region is received and restransmitted by at least two local access base station means within the given cellular region.

Claim 15

A method of operating a cellular communication system in accordance within claim 11 wherein: sub-cellular regions in each given cellular region overlap such that the low-power remote station radio signals transmitted from a point in the given cellular region are able to be received and be retransmitted by at least three local access base station means in the given cellular region.

Claim 16

A method of operating a cellular communication system in accordance with claim 11 further comprising: receiving at each given local access base station means radio signals transmitted at the base station transmit frequency by the base station means of the cellular region associated with the given local access base station means and retransmitting said received transmitted base station means radio signals at a low-power remote station receive frequency within the sub-cellular region associated with the given local access base station means.

Claim 17

A method of operating a cellular communication system in accordance with claim 11 wherein: each of said cellular regions has associated with it a different band of frequencies; and the base station means associated with a given cellular region transmits and receives signals in the band of frequencies associated with the given cellular region.

Claim 18

A method of operating a cellular communication system in accordance with claim 15 wherein: the different bands of frequencies associated with said cellular regions span a frequency range from about 1.5 to 2.5 GHz.

Claim 19

A method of operating a cellular communication system in accordance with claim 11 wherein: said first power level is equal to or less than about 0.5 W.

Claim 20

A method of operating a cellular communication system in accordance with claim 11 wherein: said first power level is within the range of 10 to 100 mW.

Claim 21

A method of operating a cellular communication system in accordance with claim 11 further comprising: controlling and routing signals among said number of base station means.

Claim 22

A method of operating a cellular communication system in accordance with claim 19 wherein: said step of controlling and routing signals includes communicating with a telephone and data network and routing signals between said base stations means and said network.

Claim 23

A cellular communication system for use over an area comprising a plurality of cellular regions in each of which regions a plurality of low-power remote stations each transmit low-power remote station radio signals at a respective remote station frequency and at first power level, said system including: a plurality of base stations each associated with a respective cellular region, each base station being capable of (i) receiving radio signals which are transmitted at a base station receive frequency and at a second power level greater than said first power level within the associated cellular region and (ii) transmitting radio signals at a base station transmit frequency within the associated cellular region; a plurality of local access base stations divided into one or more groups each of which is associated with a different cellular region, each local access base station in a group being associated with a different sub-cellular region of the cellular region associated with the group, each local access base station being capable of receiving the low power remote station radio signals transmitted from low-power remote stations in the respective sub-cellular region and re-transmitting the low-power remote station signals at a second power level, the arrangement being such that the sub-cellular regions of two or more local access base stations overlap so that a low-power remote station signal transmitted from a point within the overlapping regions is received by, and re­transmitted from, said two or more local access base stations, at the same base station frequency and that each base station receives the signals re-transmitted from said two or more associated local access base station at the same base station frequency and at the second power level, said base station incuding means for equalising the respective received and delayed signals in order to enhance signal strength and to provide redundancy.

Claim 24

A cellular communication system for use over an area comprising a plurality of cellular regions in each of which regions a plurality of low-power remote stations each transmit low-power remote station radio signals at a respective remote station frequency and at first power level, said system including: a plurality of base stations each associated with a respective cellular region, each base station being capable of (i) receiving radio signals which are transmitted at a base station receive frequency and at a second power level greater than said first power level within the associated cellular region and (ii) transmitting radio signals at a base station transmit frequency within the associated cellular region; a plurality of local access base stations divided into one or more groups each of which is associated with a different cellular region, each local access base station in a group being associated with a different sub-cellular region of the cellular region associated with the group, each local access base station being capable of receiving the low power remote station radio signals transmitted from low-power remote stations in the respective sub-cellular region and re-transmitting the low-power remote station signals at a second power level, the arrangement being such that the sub-cellular regions of two or more local access base stations overlap so that a low-power remote station signal transmitted from a point within the overlapping regions is received by, and re­transmitted from, said two or more local access base stations, at the same base station frequency and that each base station receives the signals re-transmitted from said two or more associated local access base station at the same base station frequency and at the second power level, said base station incuding means for equalising the respective received and delayed signals in order to enhance signal strength and to provide redundancy.

Claim 25

A system according to Claim 21 wherein said local access base stations also include means for equalising the respective receiving and delayed signals in order to enhance signal strength and to provide redundancy.

Claim 26

A system according to Claim 21 or 22 wherein said low power remote stations also include means for equalising the respective received and delayed signals in order to enhance signal strength and to provide redundancy.