FI114369B - telecommunications networks - Google Patents

Description

114369

The communications network

The invention relates to a cellular structure and a packet switched communication network.

There are a large number of telecommunications networks in the world. Among them there are several types which differ in their structure and operation. The traditional network structure of Verk-5 is locally starred, for example, in that the user terminals are connected to the hubs and a number of hubs are connected to the exchange. There may be several exchanges, whereby they and the transmission systems between them form the core of the network. Hubs and hubs (and additionally multiplexers) significantly reduce network cabling costs. A single network can operate in a so-called.

10 in a circuit-switched manner, whereby e.g. a channel-based transmission path reserved for that particular channel. for this duration. An individual network can also function as a so-called. packet-switched, whereby the connection between the two terminals is virtual: The terminal transmits information in the form of fixed frames, or "packets," and packets belonging to different connections can proceed sequentially over the same 15 channels. The contents of each individual packet indicate its recipient. The recipient may appear with the packet in question. a relatively short indicator of the network-wide connection that is agreed upon when the connection is established, and on the basis of which the network centers know how to forward the packet in the right direction. This is called connection-oriented operation. Alternatively, each individual packet may have the entire network address of the receiving terminal on the basis of which the network exchanges transmit the packet on the network. Initial connection set-up is not needed in this case, and talk about connectionless operation.

. ' . The exchanges in this way are usually referred to as routers. Router- ;;; * There are no hubs mentioned in the network, and the network is so called. looped ie routers • #; "There are a large number of 25 direct links.

Mobile networks are extensions of fixed networks. The network includes support. * ·. stations to which the terminal equipment is connected by radio. The base stations are usually connected via the base station controllers to the mobile switching center, while the mobile switching centers are connected to other exchanges in the fixed telecommunications network. The 30 operating areas of a single base station are called a cell. When the number of users of such a cellular network is relatively small, the cells may be large in size. As the number of users increases, the capacity is obtained by reducing the cells, since the frequency allocation channels allocated to the network in question can be used more than once. In a densely built environment with a high number of network users, cell separation is also possible in 35 vertical directions. This prior art radio network structure is illustrated by 114369 2 in Figure 1. It has a number of basic cells, such as 111 and 112. They can be called microcells because they are small and are relatively dense. Above the microcell level there are base stations with a much wider operating range. The figure shows two macrocells 121 and 122 formed in this way. The macrocells ensure the operation of the network. If the quality of any mobile connection is degraded due to high traffic or rapid movement of the communication device, the base station serving the communication can be switched from a basic to a higher level. Figure 1 shows a dot in the cell 111 of a cell 101. According to the foregoing, the mobile station 101 may, if necessary, be handover from the base station of the cell 111 to the base station of the macros 10 to 121. Figure 1 also shows a fixed part of the prior art network. This includes a base station controller BSC with a fixed connection from the base station of three microcells. The base station controller has a fixed connection to the mobile switching center MSC, which in turn connects to other exchanges in the core network.

The disadvantage of prior art networks is that they are relatively heavy in structure. Their design, construction and configuration costs are relatively high. Centralized management of directory numbers contributes to system clutter. Rapid growth in the number of users often leads to situations where network capacity is insufficient. Providing a service to users necessarily requires network-20 operators, which means a further increase in the costs borne by users.

The object of the invention is to reduce the above-mentioned disadvantages associated with the prior art.

. '; : The network structure according to the invention is characterized by what is presented in an independent. Certain preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in. 25 of the other claims.

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The basic idea of the invention is as follows: The basic network consists of subscriber-specific network stations and mainly radio links between them. The address of an individual network • • • man consists of its geographical coordinates and its elevation coordinate. When a network drive is enabled, it automatically determines its position as a pre-30 using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and registers with the surrounding network. The network drive includes a small base station for using wireless terminals. The network connection between the calling and called terminal is established through the network stations based on the routing information contained therein. The wireless * · terminal can also act as a router to connect when needed. The network operates packet-switched and preferably connection-based. Separate basic networks can be: interconnected via higher level network stations and long distance links 114369 3 between them. The wireless terminal has a home cell with its address including the network station address of that home cell. However, the terminal is identified and can be used in a cell of any network station on any base network.

An advantage of the invention is that the basic network according to the invention is easy to build and maintain: The network does not require massive exchanges, it grows '' by itself '' as people acquire and deploy their own network drives. The basic network is also automatically configured with geographical coordinate addresses. So there is no need for centralized address management. A further advantage of the invention is that for the above reasons no operator is needed in the basic network.

10 As a result, network users do not incur traffic costs when using the network. A further advantage of the invention is that the underlying network according to the invention is reduntant and fault tolerant: no single fault significantly reduces the capacity of the network. For example, when a network station is damaged, it is easy to find alternative routes. A further advantage of the invention is that the increase in the number of subscribers 15 does not cause network capacity problems. In fact, the increase in the number of subscribers will only improve the relative capacity of the network through the aforementioned increase in redundancy. A further advantage of the invention is that the terminals with the routing feature can be used to extend the coverage and capacity of the basic network.

As used herein, the term "subscriber" refers to a network user in control of a network station. Of course, a single network drive can have users other than its owner.

The invention will now be described in more detail. Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows an example of a prior art network structure. · · ·. Fig. 2 shows the structure of the basic network according to the invention, Fig. 3 shows the use of a terminal for extending the network according to the invention, Fig. 4 shows a block diagram of the network station according to the invention, • * ·; Fig. 5 shows a block diagram of the structure of a terminal device according to the invention; Figs. 6a, b illustrate an example of establishing a connection in a network according to the invention, Fig. 7 illustrates expansion possibilities of a network according to the invention; and 4,114,369 Figures 9a, b illustrate an example of a network station address assignment.

Figure 1 was already described in connection with the prior art description.

Figure 2 shows an example of the structure of a network according to the invention. It depicts nine network stations NS1-NS9 (network stations). Each of these is owned by its 5 '' subscriber ', ie private. The network station NS1 cell is represented by an ellipse 211, and a network station NS7 cell is represented by an ellipse 217. Each cell covers an area that typically has several other network stations, so that the cells are strongly overlapped. There are three wireless terminals MS (mobile station) in the vicinity of the network station NS1. Of these, the terminals MSI 1 and MS 12 are in their home area, and the terminal MSnx is a visited terminal. From the shown terminals, radio communication with at least network station NS1 can be established. The range of the terminals is arranged so that they can connect to the network station in a certain area smaller than its entire cell. Relatively close network stations are in radio communication with each other. In the example of Figure 1, such radio links from network gun 15 to network stations NS2-NS7 within cell 211 are indicated by dotted lines. In addition, some other radio links are marked. The network stations NS8 and NS9 are so far away or in places in the example that there is no direct connection from the network station NS1. The network stations NS2, NS3 and NS4 are very geographically close to each other, for example in the overlapping staircase of an apartment building. Their addresses then have a difference of 20 only in the elevation coordinate.

Figure 3 shows examples of the use of a terminal for extending a network according to the invention. It shows the NS31-NS35 network drives and the:: · MS311, MS312 and MS3x wireless terminals. There is a direct connection from the NS31 network station to eg. to the NS32 network drive. Instead, network station NS35 is located so that station NS31: ''; 25 is normally accessed only through stations NS32, NS33 and NS34. In the example of Figure 3, the terminal MS311 happens to be located between the network stations NS31 and NS35. terrain to connect to both network stations. Once the network stations NS31 and NS35 have stored information about the existence of terminal MS311 in their territories, and the terminal MS311 is provided with a routing feature, it can be used as a gateway for packets to be transferred between NS31 and NS35 instead of the normal longer ''. The route through MS311 is, of course, available as a 'l', even if there is a direct connection between NS31 and NS35.

':' The MS3x terminal is located in the example of Figure 3 so that it cannot directly connect to any network station. Terminal MS312 happens to be located so as to provide: 35 connections to both NS31 and MS3x. After the terminal MS312 has stored 114369 information about the existence of the terminal MS3x in its range and transmitted this information on the network, the terminal MS3x has been connected to the network circuit. Similarly, terminals can be chained: For example, a terminal further away from station NS31 in the direction of MS3x could be connected to a network terminal via MS3x 5 and MS312.

The terminal having the routing feature of the invention, such as the terminals MS311 and MS312 of Figure 3, may further be provided with an automatic positioning feature to enhance the routing operation. Such a terminal may be called a "semi-network drive" by virtue of its features.

Figure 4 shows an example of a rough structure of a network station according to the invention. The network station NS comprises a control unit CU, a radio unit RU, an option unit OU, and a wired interface WI. The control unit CU has e.g. signaling software needed to build and dismantle connections. This uses the HER 15 (home environment register), RR (routing register) and MR (mobile register) registers. The HER register contains address information of the network stations to which the network station has direct access. Figure 4 shows the GPA2, GPA3 and GPA4 (global positioning address) addresses of network stations NS2, NS3 and NS4 in connection with the example of Figure 2. In addition, the environmental register HER contains information about the visiting terminals present in the cell of that network 20 station at any given time. In connection with the example of Figure 2, the register HER has the address GPAnx of the visiting terminal MSnx. The routing register RR contains information on how to advantageously route a packet addressed to a particular remote network station to its destination. There are two cases in the image prefix: The packet addressed to the network station NS8 is transmitted to the network station NS7, and the packet addressed to a network station NS is sent to the network: ***; to station NS5 and here to another network station NSi. In special cases, • · ·. such as cellular and frequent connections in the network station in question, vol. · ·. The entire advantageous route with all the hops is stored in the routing register.

When the network operates on a connection basis, the routing register RR is associated with a register containing connection-specific information. Here are the different connection IDs and their corresponding · 't: web addresses.

114369 6

In the location tracking register MR is information about the current location of the NS1 '' own 'terminals of the network station. In the example of the figure, the terminals MS11 and MS 12 are marked in the home cell and the terminal MS 13 is in a cell Y. The location information of the terminals in the foreign cells is obtained by network roaming.

The radio unit RU has intermediate and radio frequency components for arranging transmission between network stations and between the network station and wireless terminals, and for positioning. Terminal traffic may take place in the same or different frequency band as traffic between network stations. The radio unit and its associated antenna ANT are thus multi-band.

10 The WI in the wired interface is an interface to a LAN or directly to a public wired network. Such an interface can be used to connect, for example, to a network station that cannot be accessed by radio. The unit WI may also have an interface to the fixed terminal of the network station.

The optional function unit OU has possible functions beyond the base station specification 15. These include, for example, visualizing the surrounding network through the learning process, arranging aliases for addresses, and, in the case of a higher-level network drive, billing and address service functions.

Figure 5 shows an example of a rough construction of a terminal device according to the invention. The terminal MS includes a control unit CU, a radio unit RU, a service unit SU 20 and a possible local area network interface WI (wired interface). The control unit CU has the signaling software needed to build and remove connections. It uses the routing registers RR and the TR; terminal: ·: register: The routing register RR has a network station to which the terminal is: The terminal register TR is a situation where <I t ... · 1 25 the terminal in question acts as a link to a network station for terminals * which are not accessible to all network stations.The terminal register TR has the addresses of the associated terminals mentioned therein. The radio unit RU has the intermediate and radio frequency components required for the use of the radio path, The local area network interface WI enables, ···., A connection to the network according to the invention even when no · · · · · · reverse link is established. to a station with a wired network interface ö SU performs functions facilitated and diversified by the device manufacturer to facilitate the use of the terminal.

Figures 6a, b show an example of the operation of a network according to the invention. Figure 6a shows the parties involved. It has three cells Cl, Cx and Cy, whose network stations 114369 7 are NS1, NSx and NSy, and two terminals MSI and MSx. The terminal MSx is in its home cell Cx. The home cell of the terminal MSI is cell Cl, but it is a visitor to cell Cy. The cells in the image may be so far apart that transfer between them requires routing through other cells. From terminal MSx '' is called 'terminal 5 MSI.

Figure 6b is a simplified representation of the signaling associated with the situation described above. Initially, a call or connection request is sent from the MSx to the network station NSx. The connection request message naturally includes the MSI address of the called terminal. Based on this address, the network station NSx transmits a connection request 10 to the home cell of the terminal MS 1 to the network station NS 1. The network station NS 1 detects from its registers that the terminal MSI is presently in the cell Cy. It has already received this information from the network station NSy immediately after the terminal MSI had arrived at the cell Cy and registered there. The network station NS1 transmits the location info of the terminal MSI to the network station NSx. The network station NSx 15 then transmits a connection request to the location cell of the terminal MS 1 to the network station NSy, which forwards it to the MSI. The terminal MSI sends a response message which, based on the address here, is transmitted to the original sender of the call, to the terminal MSx. Thereafter, a network connection has been established between the two terminals, which is available for the actual information transfer. Based on the contents of the call-20 response and response messages, a code has been agreed for that network connection, which is significantly shorter than the global addresses of the terminals. The token is stored in the memory of the network stations involved in the information transfer, so that they can routinely use the token * 'for the duration of the connection.

The network according to the invention also has a handover function: When the connection is valid, the terminal can start the serving network drive. · · ·. switching to a network drive that is cheaper in terms of connection quality.

Fig. 7 is a conceptual representation of the expansion possibilities of the basic network according to the invention. It has two basic networks N1 and N2, which are located relatively distant from each other. Each basic network has a number of standard network drives.

: '': Network N1 has a direct connection to the upper layer network station UNS11. Similarly, network N2 has a direct connection to the top-level network station UNS21. In this example, there is a satellite connection between the top-level stations UNS 11 and UNS21 »· ·; * '701. The connection 701 is'' direct '', which means in this specification and claims that network packets of other networks are not required to transfer information packets. s rosprotocol. Yes, network layer information packets can be encapsulated along different paths along the way.

Figure 7 also shows an alternative way of establishing a top-level connection between networks. In network N1 there is another top-level network station UNS12, and in network 5 N2 there is another top-level network station UNS22. The network stations UNS12 and UNS22 each have an Internet connection through which a top-level connection 702 can be established to connect networks N1 and N2, which means that the information packet of the network according to the invention is handled during transmission by network layer protocols 10 way.

The address of the network drives has a specific part indicating whether it is a standard or a higher level network drive. If the network station serving the calling terminal detects that the called terminal is remote, it can immediately select the address of the top-level network station as the route address.

Figure 7 further shows a connection 703 between a regular network station NS 11 of a network N1 and a normal network station NS21 of a network N2. This may be, for example, a fixed connection of a telecommunications network. Arrangements such as connections 701, 702 and 703 provide a global network of the invention. In practice, the use of the top level requires e.g. billing and therefore operator activity.

Figure 8 shows a principle representation of the extension of the basic network according to the invention ... to three levels. It has basic networks N1, N2, N3 and N4. They each have a higher-level network station, such as network station NS1. Higher level stations: form a network with UNI. This has the third, or in this example: '' high-level network station HNS 1. Of the 25 network stations in the third-level network, HNS 1 again has connections to other network stations on the same level.

·· *. Figure 9a shows the operation of the network drive after commissioning. In step 900, the weapon is positioned at or near its operating location, is powered on, and for example the RESTART key is pressed. In step 901, the network station requests and receives from the surrounding and possible fixedly connected network stations their addresses; At the same time, GPS positioning in this example will automatically start positioning the station. For example, the positioning accuracy is such that: it gives the coordinates of one hundredth of a minute of the latitude of the globe. six, and one hundredth of a minute for the longitude of the globe. Phase ;;;; 902 checks whether the positioning result has been obtained. If not, the company will continue. Once the incentive result has been obtained, the elevation coordinate is determined by any suitable technique (step 903). The GPA of the new network drive is then complete. Step 904 checks whether the specified address is different from the one used. If the same address is already in use, the elevation coordinate will be re-determined according to the agreed rule so that the address difference is achieved. In step 905, the station transmits its newly assigned address to a broadcast channel BCH, where it can be read by other network stations. In step 906, a deadline ΔΤ is expected, after which the address is retransmitted. This round will be repeated.

Figure 9b shows the registration of addresses on network drives. In step 911, the network-10 station software monitors the data in the distribution channel. Monitoring continues until a new address is detected (step 912). In the next step 913, the station registers are updated according to the new address. Then continue from step 911.

The wireless terminal of the telecommunication network according to the invention has an address including an address of a specific network station and an additional identifier. The terminal is tracked 15 to transmit its address and routing information to those network stations responding to the terminal's connection request.

Some of the solutions according to the invention have been described above. The invention is not specifically limited thereto. The inventive idea can be applied in numerous ways within the scope of the independent claim.

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Claims (12)

114369 10 1. A telecommunications network consisting of geographic coordinates of network stations and wireless terminals, the 5 network stations being radio or otherwise directly connected to at least one other network station transmitting information packets of the other network stations arranged to automatically determine their unique address. geographic coordinates, characterized in that: 10. the geographical address (GPA) also contains the elevation coordinate, the geographical address of which is arranged by the network station to automatically transmit to readable network stations and wireless terminals, - the wireless terminals send their identities to those network stations; 15 and the wireless terminals to which those terminals have a direct connection and the terminals of those wireless terminals the identifier is determined automatically based on the three-dimensional address (GPA) of the home network station and the wireless terminal in question. • 1:,: 20 - some network stations act as home networks for wireless terminals 1 • · and maintain in their registers (MR) information on the location of these terminals in the network to connect to those master: '' if necessary; devices for end A telecommunications network according to claim 1, characterized in that the network station and the wireless terminal have means for three-dimensionally controlling the information packets in an optimal direction. to a network station or wireless terminal using the highway geographical address (· 1) (GPA) so that the packet eventually ends up in, ·. destination base station. 30 Telecommunication network according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the telecommunication network further comprises higher level network stations (UNS11, UNS12) as compared to said network stations for directing traffic to this upper level for long-distance connections. 35 11 114369 Telecommunication network according to claim 1 or 2 or 3, characterized in that the network station and the wireless terminal have registers (HER, RR, MR, TR) which are used in addition to the geographical address information to enhance the routing. 5 A telecommunications network according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4, characterized in that said means for routing information packets in a three-dimensionally optimal direction to a network station or wireless terminal comprises a routing algorithm. The communication network according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4, characterized in that it is arranged to operate on a connection basis, whereby the information packet transmitted from the network terminal to another terminal has a dedicated identification number instead of the network address. A telecommunications network according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4, characterized in that its wireless terminals are further mimicked to automatically determine their three-dimensional position information in order to enhance routing. A telecommunications network according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4, characterized in that its network stations further have an interface to a fixed information network to stiffen the connection to another network; : ': drive via said fixed network. * * · * · A telecommunications network according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4,; ; 'Characterized by the fact that its terminals also have an interface to a fixed communications network. Telecommunication network according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the upper network level connection (702) between the higher level network stations (UNS11, UNS12) is implemented over the Internet. '; 11. A telecommunications network according to claim 3 or 4 or 10, characterized in that its network stations are identifiable as upper-level network stations. A telecommunications network according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4, characterized in that its network stations have a direct connection to a local area network or directly to a public fixed network. 114369 12 Patent Patent Office