Method for providing communication service to communication units located within a common carrier transportation device

A method for providing communication service to communication units located within a common carrier transportation device, the method comprising the steps of:

• allocating, by a stationary system controller, a first plurality of communication resources to a mobile system controller located at the common carrier transportation device, the first plurality of communication resources being a subset of communication resources assigned to a first stationary base site of a plurality of stationary base sites controlled by the stationary system controller;
• selecting, by the mobile system controller, a second plurality of communication resources, the second plurality of communication resources being distinct from the first plurality of communication resources;
• mapping, by the mobile system controller, the first plurality of communication resources to the second plurality of communication resources;
• allocating, by the mobile system controller, at least two communication resources of the second plurality of communication resources to at least two communication units located in the common carrier transportation device to support communications involving the at least two communication units;
• receiving, at the mobile system controller, the communications via the at least two communication resources of the second plurality of communication resources;
• transmitting, by the mobile system controller, the communications to the stationary system controller via at least two communication resources of the first plurality of communication resources;
• determining whether the mobile system controller is to be handed off from the first plurality of communication resources to a third plurality of communication resources, the third plurality of communication resources being a subset of communication resources assigned to a third stationary base site of the plurality of stationary base sites;
• when the mobile system controller is to be handed off, allocating, by the stationary system controller, the third plurality of communication resources substantially simultaneously to the mobile system controller to thereby maintain the communications involving the at least two communication units;
• and
• transmitting, by the mobile system controller, the communications to the stationary system controller via at least two communication resources of the third plurality of communication resources.

A method for a mobile system controller located at a common carrier transportation device to provide communication service to communication units located within the common carrier transportation device, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving an allocation of a first plurality of communication resources from a stationary system controller, the first plurality of communication resources being a subset of communication resources assigned to a first stationary base site of a plurality of stationary base sites controlled by the stationary system controller;
• mapping the first plurality of communication resources to a second plurality of communication resources, the second plurality of communication resources being distinct from the first plurality of communication resources
• allocating at least two communication resources of the second plurality of communication resources to at least two communication units located within the common carrier transportation device to support communications involving the at least two communication units;
• determining whether the mobile system controller is to be handed off from the first plurality of communication resources to a third plurality of communication resources, the third plurality of communication resources being a subset of communication resources assigned to a target stationary base site of the plurality of stationary base sites that provides communication service to a service coverage area that is adjacent to a service coverage area serviced by the first stationary base site;
• when the mobile system controller is to be handed off, receiving an allocation of the third plurality of communication resources substantially simultaneously from the stationary system controller to thereby maintain the communications involving the at least two communication units;
• and
• transmitting the communications to the stationary system controller via at least two communication resources of the third plurality of communication resources.

A method for a stationary system controller to provide communication service to communication units located within a common carrier transportation device, the method comprising the steps of:

• allocating a first set of communication resources to a mobile system controller located at the common carrier transportation device, the first set of communication resources being a subset of communication resources assigned to a first stationary base site of a plurality of stationary base sites controlled by the stationary system controller;
• receiving communications of at least two communication units located within the common carrier transportation device from the mobile system controller via at least two communication resources of the first set;
• determining a direction of travel of the common carrier transportation device;
• determining whether the mobile system controller is to be handed off from the first set of communication resources to a second set of communication resources, the second set of communication resources being a subset of communication resources assigned to a second stationary base site of the plurality of stationary base sites;
• establishing switching connections between the stationary system controller and the second stationary base site prior to handoff of the mobile system controller based on the direction of travel of the common carrier transportation device;
• when the mobile system controller is to be handed off, allocating the second set of communication resources substantially simultaneously to the mobile system controller to thereby maintain the communications involving the at least two communication units;
• and
• receiving the communications from the mobile system controller via at least two communication resources of the second set.