US 5,787,077 AGranted

Dynamic connection mapping in wireless ATM systems

AssigneeAscom Tech AG

InventorsThomas Kuehnel, Yung-Shain Wu

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Abstract

A wireless communication system for asynchronous transfer mode includes the dynamic mapping of ATM cells on a wireless ATM link into a unique Virtual Path on a wired ATM link, and in the reverse direction as well. The access point includes a radio medium access controller which assigns a unique radio connection identifier RCI to the wireless link established between the access point and a mobile terminal. The Virtual Path identifier (VPI) used on the fixed link is selected based on the RCI assigned by the access point. The radio connection identifier RCI remains unchanged as long as the mobile terminal is associated with that access point. ATM cells sent from the control function include the VPI and are mapped by the access point into the connection referenced by the RCI. ATM cells from the mobile terminal are received on a particular connection. According to the connection identifier (RCI) cells are mapped by the access point into a particular Virtual Path, which corresponds to the RCI.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A digital communication system providing wireless access to an ATM environment, comprising:

a controller for controlling ATM communications;
a first mobile terminal having a wireless communication interface;
at least one access point covering wireless communications within a geographical area, for facilitating communication between said controller and said first mobile terminal when said first mobile terminal is located within the geographical area, said access point including:
a wireless access part for establishing a wireless connection with the wireless communication interface of said first mobile terminal,
an interface part operatively connected to said controller through a respective fixed link, and
a mapping unit for mapping ATM cells received on the wireless access part into a selected virtual path on the respective fixed link to said controller, and for mapping ATM cells received on the selected virtual path of the respective fixed link into the wireless connection to said first mobile terminal;
a plurality of mobile terminals associated with a first one of said at least one access point through respective wireless connections, the fixed link between said first access point and said controller including a plurality of virtual paths, each virtual path being unique to a respective one of said plurality of mobile terminals;
and
at least one identical predefined signalling virtual channel within each of the virtual Paths, the identical predefined signalling virtual channels being for use in communicating predetermined information between said controller and said plurality of mobile terminals.

6 more elements

A process for dynamic connection mapping of ATM cells in a digital communications system with a plurality of mobile terminals, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a wireless ATM connection between at least one of said plurality of mobile terminals and an access point when said at least one mobile terminal is within a geographical region covered by the access point;
(b) providing a fixed ATM connection over a fixed communications link between the access point and a controller;
(c) providing a virtual path for each of said at least one of said plurality of mobile terminals, the virtual path being unique for each of said at least one of said plurality of mobile terminals;
(d) providing at least one predefined signalling virtual channel within each virtual path, the predefined signalling virtual channels being for use in communicating information of a predetermined type between controller and said plurality of mobile terminals in the access point;
(e) mapping the ATM cells received on the wireless ATM connection into a first selected virtual path on the fixed ATM connection;
and
(f) mapping the ATM cells received on the first selected virtual path of the fixed ATM connection into the wireless ATM connection.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.