EP0757453A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A telecommunications system
Assignee: Leonardo UK Ltd
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Filing: 1996-07-23
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-07-23
Abstract
Abstract The invention provides a system and method whereby a mobile station of a telecommunications system selects one of a number of fixed ground stations by which the mobile station communicates with the public switched telephone network or other such system, selection being made by the mobile station receiving selected criteria and deriving from a plurality of these criteria a score for each of a plurality of the fixed stations, the fixed station via which communication is to be made being selected in dependence upon the score derived for that fixed station.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Anthony Severwright
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 03:19
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W48/00; H04W48/20; H04W84/00; H04W84/02; H04W84/04; H04W84/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
A telecommunications system comprising at least one mobile station (1-5) and a plurality of fixed stations (6-8) with which the at least one mobile station can communicate, characterised in that the at least one mobile station comprising processing means (2) for receiving selected criteria, deriving from a plurality of these criteria a score for each of a plurality of fixed stations with which the at least one mobile station is able to communicate, and selecting on the basis of these scores the fixed station via which a transmission is to be routed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the score for a particular fixed station is derived from an algorithm into which the selected criteria are input.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
72 words
A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the processing means comprises means for receiving signals relating to the status of the mobile station and/or a fixed station for which it is determining a score, at least one criterion being multiplied by a constant associated with that criterion, the value of the constant being selected from one of a number of values depending on the status of the mobile and/or fixed station.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
59 words
A system as claimed in claims 2 or 3 comprising a plurality of classes of fixed station and wherein the processing means has means for identifying the class to which a particular fixed station belongs and inserting a value in the algorithm in dependence upon the class of the fixed station for which a score is to be derived.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system as claimed in claim 4 when dependent on claim 3, wherein at least some constants are selected in dependence on the class of fixed station.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the fixed stations are categorised as macro, micro or pico stations.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
36 words
A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a transmission is rerouted during transmission if the score of an alternative fixed station exceeds that of the present fixed station by a predetermined value or ratio.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A terrestrial flight telephone system (TFTS) comprising a cellular communication system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the at least one mobile station is an air station for location aboard an aircraft, and the plurality of fixed stations are ground stations.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
105 words
A TFTS as claimed in claim 8 comprising a number of ground stations categorised as airport ground stations, located at or close to airports, a number of intermediate ground stations and a number of en-route ground stations, wherein an algorithm implemented by a processing means, and constants associated with that algorithm are such that selection of a transmission route to or from an air station located on an aircraft: on the ground is biased in preference of an airport ground station; on a plane taking off or landing in preference of an intermediate station; and on a plane en-route in preference of an en-route station.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
78 words
A TFTS as claimed in claim 8 or 9 wherein the processor receives at least four of the following criteria: closing rate to a ground station; quality of signal to or from a ground station; signal strength to or from a ground station; the cell limit of a ground station; the range to a ground station; whether the aircraft with which the processing means is associated is on the ground; whether a ground station can be legally assessed.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
67 words
A TFTS as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10 employing the algorithm [S] gs = (k cr x C cr + k r x C r + k ss x C ss + k mr x C mr ) k q x C q x k sl /k ho , where the terms are as defined on pages 10 to 12 of the specification.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
A TFTS substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or illustrated in the accompanying figures.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of selecting in a cellular telecommunications system via which of a plurality of fixed stations a transmission with a mobile station is to be routed, the method comprising, for each fixed station with which the mobile station can communicate, receiving selected criteria and deriving from a plurality of these a score for each fixed station, and deciding on the basis of the scores through which fixed station the transmission is to be routed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 13 comprising substituting the selected criteria into an algorithm to derive a score for each fixed station with which the mobile station can communicate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as claimed in claim 14 comprising determining the status of the fixed station and/or mobile station, multiplying the value of at least one criterion by a constant the value of which depends on the status of the fixed station or mobile station.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as claimed in claim 14 or 15 comprising deploying fixed stations of different classes, identifying the class to which a fixed station belongs and inserting a value in the algorithm in dependence on the class of the fixed station for which a score is to be derived.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as claimed in claim 16 when dependent on claim 13 comprising selecting a value of at least some constants in dependence on the class of a fixed station for which a score is to be derived.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
37 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 17 comprising rerouting a transmission if the score of an alternative fixed station exceeds that of the present fixed station by a predetermined value or ratio.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
49 words
A method of selecting in a Terrestrial Flight Telephone System via which of a plurality of fixed ground stations a transmission to a mobile air station located aboard an aircraft is to be routed, the method comprising the method as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 18.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
101 words
A method as claimed in claim 19 comprising categorising the ground stations into three classes: airport, intermediate and en-route, and selecting through which ground station a transmission is to be routed by applying an algorithm, the algorithm and constants associated with that algorithm being selected such that if the air station is located in an aircraft on the ground the algorithm is biased in favour of selection of an airport ground station, if the aircraft is taking off or landing, biased in favour of selection of an intermediate ground station, and if en-route, biased in favour of an en-route ground station.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
84 words
A method as claimed in claim 19 or 20 comprising making a selection of ground station in dependence on at least four of the following criteria: closing rate to a ground station; quality of signal to or from a ground station; signal strength to or from a ground station; the cell limit of a ground station; the range to a ground station; whether the aircraft with which the processing means is associated is on the ground; whether a ground station can be legally assessed.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
16 words
A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying figures.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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