Reconfigurable wireless communication access system and method
View Patent ↗A reconfigurable radio access network architecture may connect a base station with different base station controllers. By enabling direct connections between the base station and a plurality of base station controllers, a serving base station controller may directly connected to base stations in soft handoff with a wireless unit, thereby reducing the differential delays between signals received by the base stations. The reconfigurable access system reduces the need for having additional base station controllers beyond the serving base station controller involved in communications with a wireless unit.
1. A method of providing access to a wireless communications system in which a plurality of nodes in a first set establish wireless links with wireless units located in geographic proximity to said nodes, said method comprising the steps of:
receiving information characterizing usage level of nodes of a second set, said set node of said second set responsible for frame selection, encryption and handling of access network mobility;
using said information by a node of said first set to determine a first node of said second set with which to connect; and connecting said node of said first set with said first node of said second set;
receiving information by said node of said first set from said nodes of said second set using a multicast address associated with said nodes of said second set;
maintaining a list by said node of said first set of nodes of said second set based on said information; and
using said list by said node of said first set to determine said first node of said second set with which to connect.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said using step uses said information characterizing usage levels of the nodes of the second set and information characterizing said node of said first set to determine a node of said second set with which to connect.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said using step uses said information characterizing usage level of the node of the second set and information characterizing a wireless unit for which a connection is being established.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of connecting further comprising connecting said node of said first set with a second node of said second set.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of connecting further comprising:
connecting said node of said first set with said first node of said second set for establishing a connection with a first wireless unit; and
connecting said node of said first set with a second node of said second set for establishing a connection with a second wireless unit.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the wireless links between the nodes of the first set with the wireless units located in geographic proximity to said nodes is through a connection network.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein said connection network is an internet protocol (IP) based network.
8. A radio access system in a wireless communications system comprising:
a plurality of nodes in a first set adapted to establish wireless links with wireless units located in geographic proximity to said nodes;
a connection network coupled to said plurality of nodes of said first set;
a plurality of nodes of a second set coupled to said connection network adapted to provide connections between a node of said plurality of nodes of said first set and said plurality of nodes of said second set, said plurality of nodes of said second set responsible for frame selection, encryption and handling of access network mobility; and
processing circuitry adapted to receive information characterizing usage levels of the nodes of the second set and to use said information to determine a node of said second set to connect with said node of said first set;
wherein said processing circuitry being at said node of said first set and being adapted to receive information characterizing usage levels of said nodes of said second set and to use said information by said processing circuitry to determine said node of said second set with which to connect said node of said first set;
wherein said processing circuitry further adapted to receive information from nodes of said second set using a multicast address associated with said nodes of said second set, to maintain a list of nodes of said second set based on said information, and to use said list to determine said node of said second set with which to connect said node of said first set.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein said processing circuitry adapted to use information including usage level of the nodes of the second set and to use information including nodes of said second set to determine said node of said second set with which to connect.
10. The system of claim 8 wherein said processing circuitry is adapted to use said information characterizing usage levels of the nodes of the second set and information characterizing said node of said first set to determine said node of said second set.
11. The system of claim 8 wherein said processing circuitry is adapted to use said information characterizing usage levels of the nodes of the second set and information characterizing a wireless unit for which a connection is being established to determine said node of said second set.
12. The system of claim 8 wherein said radio access system adapted to connect a node of said first set with a first node of said second set and to connect said node of said first set with a second node of said second set.
13. The system of claim 8 wherein said radio access system further adapted to connect a node of said first set with a first node of said second set of base station controllers for establishing a connection with a first wireless unit and to connect said node of said first set with a second node of said second set for establishing a connection with a second wireless unit.
14. The system of claim 8 wherein said connection network is an internet protocol (IP) based network.