Cellular communication system utilizing upgraded moving relays and methods useful in conjunction therewith

A method for providing moving cellular communication, the method comprising:

• providing at least one upgraded moving relay including
• at least one base station functionality,
• a relay resource manager, and
• at least two mobile station functionalities each of which includes a modem,
• all co-located,
• wherein each base station functionality of said upgraded moving relay is operative to communicate via antennae with at least one mobile station thereby to define at least one first radio link therebetween,
• and wherein each base station functionality has a connection to its co-located relay resource manager,
• wherein each mobile station functionality from among said at least two mobile station functionalities of said upgraded moving relay communicates via antennae with a unit which has base station functionality thereby to define at least two second radio links, respectively,
• wherein providing the relay resource manager in each individual moving relay comprises:
• providing a radio resource manager which includes a tunneling subsystem operative to provide tunnels for multi-hop encapsulation;
• and
• providing functionality for exchanging information with relay resource managers included in moving relays other than said individual moving relay,
• wherein the relay resource manager and at least some mobile stations are not all aboard a single moving object
• wherein a Virtual S-GW (serving gateway) and Virtual mobility management entity (MME) are provided having corresponding standard S-GW and MME interfaces with the base station functionality and wherein when a remote core is used by the relay, the Virtual S-GW and Virtual MME emulate core functions as proxies thereby to allow the base station functionality to operate smoothly and seamlessly despite remoteness of the core.

A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium, which is not a transitory signal, having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for providing moving cellular communication, the method comprising:

• providing at least one upgraded moving relay including
• at least one base station functionality,
• a relay resource manager which includes a tunneling subsystem operative to provide tunnels for multi-hop encapsulation, and
• at least two mobile station functionalities each of which includes a modem,
• all co-located,
• wherein each base station functionality of said upgraded moving relay is operative to communicate via antennae with at least one mobile station thereby to define at least one first radio link therebetween,
• and wherein each base station functionality has a connection to its co-located relay resource manager,
• wherein each mobile station functionality from among said at least two mobile station functionalities of said upgraded moving relay communicates via antennae with a unit which has base station functionality thereby to define at least two second radio links, respectively,
• wherein providing the relay resource manager in each individual moving relay comprises:
• providing a radio resource manager;
• and
• providing functionality for exchanging information with relay resource managers included in moving relays other than said individual moving relay,
• wherein the relay resource manager and at least some mobile stations are not all aboard a single moving object
• wherein a Virtual S-GW (serving gateway) and Virtual mobility management entity (MME) are provided having corresponding standard S-GW and MME interfaces with the base station functionality and wherein when a remote core is used by the relay, the Virtual S-GW and Virtual MME emulate core functions as proxies thereby to allow the base station functionality to operate smoothly and seamlessly despite remoteness of the core.