Providing broadband service to trains

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016249233-A1
Application number	US-201415031565-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 24, 2014
Priority date	Oct 24, 2013
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cellular radio network system and method for communicating with at least one vehicle-based mobile gateway terminal is provided. The at least one mobile gateway terminal is configured to communicate a network service for one or more user mobile terminals on-board the vehicle. A plurality of network cells provide cellular radio network coverage along a route of the vehicle. Each network cell is dedicated for communication with the at least one vehicle-based mobile gateway terminal so as to allow communication between the at least one vehicle-based mobile gateway terminal and a core network of the cellular radio network.

First claim

1 . A cellular radio network system for communicating with at least one vehicle-based mobile gateway terminal, the at least one mobile gateway terminal being configured to communicate a network service for one or more user mobile terminals on-board the vehicle, the system comprising:
a plurality of network cells, configured to provide cellular radio network coverage along a route of the vehicle, each network cell being dedicated for communication with the at least one vehicle-based mobile gateway terminal so as to allow communication between the at least one vehicle-based mobile gateway terminal and a core network of the cellular radio network.

2 . The cellular radio network system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle route is predetermined and the plurality of network cells are located along the predetermined route.

3 . The cellular radio network system of claim 2 , wherein a spatial separation between at least one of the plurality of network cells and the predetermined route is based on one or more of: the height of an antenna of the cell; a height of the vehicle; a maximum, minimum or average distance between the vehicle and the antenna; and the frequency of communication.

4 . The cellular radio network system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a train.

5 . The cellular radio network system of claim 1 , wherein each network cell is configured to allow the network service for the one or more user mobile terminals on-board the vehicle to be one or more of: a circuit-switched cellular radio network service; a packet-switched cellular radio network service; and a packet-switched non-cellular radio network service.

6 . The cellular radio network system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of network cells has at least one respective antenna, the at least one antenna of a first of the plurality of network cells being co-located with the at least one antenna of a second of the plurality of network cells.

7 . The cellular radio network system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of network cells has a respective MIMO antenna structure.

8 . The cellular radio network system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of network cells has a respective directional antenna structure.

9 . The cellular radio network system of claim 8 , wherein each directional antenna structure has a beam width not greater than 30°, 33°, 35°, 40°, 50° or 60°.

10 . The cellular radio network system of claim 1 , wherein each network cell is configured for communication with the at least one vehicle-based mobile gateway terminal using a Long Term Evolution architecture.

11 . The cellular radio network system of claim 1 , wherein each network cell is configured to allow communication between a network cell onboard the vehicle that is in communication with the at least one vehicle-based mobile gateway terminal and a core network of the cellular radio network using an Iub over IP protocol.

12 . The cellular radio network system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one mobile gateway terminal is configured to act or be in communication with another device that is configured to act, in order to provide the cellular radio network service to one or more user mobile terminals on-board the vehicle, as one or more of: a cellular radio network repeater; a local access point for the cellular radio network; a gateway to a Local Area Network; and a network cell.

13 . The cellular radio network system of claim 1 , further comprising the at least one mobile gateway terminal.

14 . A method for communicating with at least one vehicle-based mobile gateway terminal, so as to allow the at least one mobile gateway terminal to provide a cellular radio network service to one or more user mobile terminals onboard the vehicle, the method comprising:
providing cellular radio network coverage along a route of the vehicle using a plurality of network cells, each network cell being dedicated for communication with the at least one vehicle-based mobile gateway terminal; configuring the plurality of network cells to allow communication between the at least one vehicle-based mobile gateway terminal and a core network of the cellular radio network.

Assignees

• Vodafone Ip Licensing Ltd

Inventors

• Murray Eric
• Banks Robert
• Newton Ian
• Longden Peter
• White Philip
• Irmer Ralf

Classifications

• H04B7/0413

  MIMO systems · CPC title

• H04W24/02 Primary

  Arrangements for optimising operational condition · CPC title

• B61K13/00

  Other auxiliaries or accessories for railways · CPC title

• H04W16/26

  Cell enhancers {or enhancement}, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow · CPC title

• H04L67/12 Primary

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title