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US 9,288,730 B2Granted
Multi-homed mobile relay
AssigneeFuturewei Technologies, Inc.
InventorMazin Al-Shalash
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mobile relay node having communication sessions with a plurality of wireless mobile device (UEs) and a communication link to a source base station via a first communication link is located within a moving vehicle. As the vehicle moves from the coverage area of the source base station to the coverage area of a target base station, the relay node performs a hand off process that initiates a second communication link with the target while maintaining and continuing to relay communications between the UEs and the source. Once the second communication link is active, the relay node switches UE traffic from the source base station to the target base station over the second communication link, and then releases the first communication link.
Claims10
A multi-homed mobile relay node handoff method, comprising:
- establishing a first communication link between a mobile relay node and a first base station, the mobile relay node fixed to a moving vehicle, and comprising,
- attaching the mobile relay node to the first base station, and
- configuring the mobile relay node to include a first cell recognizable to UEs as a first cell of the mobile relay node and a second cell recognizable to UEs as a second cell of the mobile relay node, wherein the first cell of the mobile relay node has a first coverage area at the vehicle and the second cell of the mobile relay node has a second coverage area at the vehicle;
- establishing a plurality of communication sessions via the first cell between the mobile relay node and a first group of UEs and a plurality of communication sessions via the second cell between the mobile relay node and a second group of UEs, the first and second group of UEs proximate the moving vehicle and moving at a substantially same velocity as the moving vehicle;
- establishing a second communication link between the mobile relay node and a second base station, comprising, attaching the mobile relay node to the second base station;
- and
- performing a hand off of the mobile relay node from the first base station to the second base station when the vehicle moves from a first area to a second area, comprising,
- performing a hand off of at least one UE with an established communication session with the first cell from the first cell to the second cell of the mobile relay node.
5 more elements
A mobile relay node for use in a moving vehicle, the mobile relay node comprising:
- a processor;
- memory coupled to the processor;
- a transceiver coupled to the processor;
- and
- wherein the mobile relay node is configured to:
- establish a first communication link with a first base station, comprising:
- attach the mobile relay node to the first base station, and
- configure the mobile relay node to include a first cell recognizable to UEs as a first cell of the mobile relay node and a second cell recognizable to UEs as a second cell of the mobile relay node, wherein the first cell of the mobile relay node has a first coverage area at the vehicle and the second cell of the mobile relay node has a second coverage area at the vehicle,
- establish a plurality of communication sessions via the first cell with a first group of UEs and a plurality of communication sessions via the second cell with a second group of UEs, the first and second group of UEs disposed about the moving vehicle and moving at a substantially same velocity as the moving vehicle,
- transmit data received over the plurality of communications sessions over the first communications link;
- establish a second communication link with a second base station, comprising, attach the mobile relay node to the second base station, and
- handoff the mobile relay node from the first base station to the second base station when the vehicle moves from a first area to a second area, and thereafter transmit data received over the plurality of communication sessions over the second communications link, comprising, perform a hand off of at least one UE with an established communication session with the first cell from the first cell to the second cell of the mobile relay node.
9 more elements
A handoff method for use in a wireless communications network, the method comprising:
- establishing a first communication link between a mobile relay node and a source donor evolved Node B (DeNB) device, the mobile relay node fixed to a moving vehicle;
- configuring the mobile relay node to include a first cell recognizable to wireless devices as a first cell of the mobile relay node and a second cell recognizable to wireless devices as a second cell of the mobile relay node, wherein the first cell of the mobile relay node has a first coverage area at the vehicle and the second cell of the mobile relay node has a second coverage area at the vehicle;
- establishing a plurality of communication sessions via the first cell between the mobile relay node and a first group of wireless devices and a plurality of communication sessions via the second cell between the mobile relay node and a second group of wireless devices, the first and second group of wireless devices proximate the moving vehicle and moving at a substantially same velocity as the moving vehicle;
- establishing a second communication link between the mobile relay node and a second base station;
- and
- performing a hand off of the mobile relay node from the first base station to the second base station when the vehicle moves from a first area to a second area, comprising, performing a hand off of at least one wireless device with an established communication session with the first cell from the first cell to the second cell of the mobile relay node.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.