VoIP Enabled Femtocell with a USB Transceiver Station

US 20080244148A1
Filed: 04/02/2007
Published: 10/02/2008
Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2007
Status: Active Grant

First Claim

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1. A universal serial bus transceiver station comprising:

a universal serial bus port;

a universal serial bus controller coupled to the universal serial port, for managing signals entering and exiting the universal serial bus port;

a public land mobile network synchronization unit in communication with the universal serial bus controller for maintaining a timing between the universal serial bus transceiver station and a clock not contained within the universal serial bus transceiver station;

a radio-frequency front end for processing received and generating radio-frequency signals; and

an antenna for receiving and transmitting the radio-frequency signals.

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Abstract

Telephone calls between a mobile station (MS) and the mobile network or PSTN are routed through the Internet via VoIP using a femtocell, as opposed to the traditional macrocellular network. The femtocell can comprise a USB Transceiver Station that is connected to a personal computer through a universal serial bus port, which provides both power and a multi-megabit per second connection between the personal computer and the USB transceiver station. The USB transceiver station can comprise a microcontroller to manage signaling between the RF front end/baseband processor and the personal computer, as well as a precise timing mechanism to assist the synchronization of femtocell timing with the surrounding macrocellular network, if it is present. The USB transceiver station can have a compact form factor that that facilitates a high degree of portability by the subscriber, such as being readily attachable to their keychain.

382 Citations

20 Claims

1. A universal serial bus transceiver station comprising:
- a universal serial bus port;
  
  a universal serial bus controller coupled to the universal serial port, for managing signals entering and exiting the universal serial bus port;
  
  a public land mobile network synchronization unit in communication with the universal serial bus controller for maintaining a timing between the universal serial bus transceiver station and a clock not contained within the universal serial bus transceiver station;
  
  a radio-frequency front end for processing received and generating radio-frequency signals; and
  
  an antenna for receiving and transmitting the radio-frequency signals.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- - 2. The station of claim 1, further comprising a base band processor for converting received analog intermediate frequency radio-frequency signals into digital baseband output signals.
  - 3. The station of claim 1, further comprising a microcontroller for managing adjustments to the synchronization unit.
  - 4. The station of claim 1, wherein the antenna receives and transmits radio-frequency signals operating in a mobile phone frequency range.
  - 5. The station of claim 1, further comprising memory for storing a boot file.
  - 6. The station of claim 1, wherein the station is portable.
  - 7. The station of claim 1, wherein the station is hand carryable.
  - 8. The station of claim 1, further comprising a housing for enclosing each component of the station, the housing comprising a volume that is less than a volume defined by a housing of a laptop computer.
  - 9. The station of claim 1, further comprising a housing for enclosing each component of the station, the housing comprising a volume that is at least one of less than and equal to a volume defined by a housing of a USB Ethernet port adapter.

10. A femtocell system for coupling mobile phone signals with voice over internet protocol messaging, having a processor for executing modules, the system comprising:
- a voice over internet protocol client module for sending registration messages for the femtocell system and for maintaining network address transport bindings; and
  
  a software defined radio module for communicating with the voice over internet protocol client module, for processing and generating digital radio baseband signals, and for measuring received signal strength of digital radio based band signals in a predetermined frequency range.
- View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
- - 11. The femtocell system of claim 10, further comprising a configuration file that comprises an allowed radio-frequency range for the femtocell system and an address of a voice over internet protocol server on the Internet.
  - 12. The femtocell system of claim 10, wherein the voice over internet protocol client monitors quality of an Internet connection.
  - 13. The femtocell system of claim 10, wherein the software defined radio disables radio communications if a quality of an Internet connection falls below a predetermined level.
  - 14. The femtocell system of claim 10, wherein the voice over internet protocol client manages a forward error correction on communications to compensate for packet loss related to an Internet connection.

15. A computer-implemented method for coupling mobile phone signals with voice over internet protocol messaging comprising:
- identifying an allowed frequency range of a femtocell system;
  
  determining an address of a voice over internet protocol server for establishing communications with the femtocell system;
  
  scanning the allowed frequency range of the femtocell system to measure received signal strength;
  
  calculating a transmission power level of the femtocell system based upon the received signal strength; and
  
  receiving timing signals with the femtocell system.
- View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- - 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising monitoring a quality of an Internet connection.
  - 17. The method of claim 15, further comprising disables radio communications if a quality of an Internet connection falls below a predetermined level.
  - 18. The method of claim 15, further comprising managing forward error correction on communications to compensate for packet loss related to an Internet connection.
  - 19. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving analog radio-frequency signals operating in a mobile phone frequency range.
  - 20. The method of claim 15, further comprising converting analog radio-frequency signals into digital baseband output signals.

Specification

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Current Assignee
Small Cell Innovations LLC
Original Assignee
Go2call Com Incorporated (Praescient LLC)
Inventors
Kwong, Andrew, Nix, John A. Jr., Wakeman, John

Granted Patent

US 7,990,912 B2
Time in Patent Office

Days
Field of Search
US Class Current

710/313
CPC Class Codes

H04L 41/0856   by backing up or archiving ...

H04L 65/1016   IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]

H04L 65/1036   at the edge

H04M 1/2535   adapted for voice communica...

H04M 1/72409   by interfacing with externa...

H04W 16/16   for PBS [Private Base Stati...

H04W 84/045   using private Base Stations...

H04W 88/08   Access point devices

VoIP Enabled Femtocell with a USB Transceiver Station

First Claim

2 Assignments

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Abstract

382 Citations

20 Claims

Specification

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VoIP Enabled Femtocell with a USB Transceiver Station

First Claim

2 Assignments

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0 Petitions

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Accused Products

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Abstract

382 Citations

20 Claims

Specification

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Solutions

Use Cases

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