TDMA cellular communication system using a receiver station for detecting a timing difference between adjacent base stations

Abstract

In a time-division multiple access cellular mobile communication system, first and second base stations respectively provide coverages over adjacent cells. A receiver station is located in a region where the coverages of the base stations partially overlap for receiving first and second synchronization signals from the first and second base stations, respectively, to detect a time difference between the received synchronization signals. The receiver station then communicates time difference data to the first and second base stations, the data representing the detected time difference and channel identifiers of the first and second base stations. The first and second base stations time-division multiplex the time difference data with a downlink traffic signal and broadcast the multiplexed time difference data. A mobile station is arranged to receive the multiplexed time difference data from the first base station and makes a timing adjustment with respect to the second base station according to the time difference data.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.