Method of operating a communications system, a communications system and a secondary station for use in the system
US5258981A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 8, 1991 |
| Grant date | Nov 2, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 8, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02D30/70
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In a cellular communication system an out-of-lock secondary station scans the physical channels of each of the respective carrier channels in order to find a carrier channel onto which to lock. In order to expedite such scanning, the secondary station follows a scanning sequence such that each scan is of consecutive physical channels of one of a series of non-adjacent carrier channels. Due to spill-over of transmitted beacon signals which may be present in the non-scanned adjoining carrier channels, it is possible during each scan to detect the presence of beacon signals in an adjoining non-scanned carrier channel as well as in the scanned channel. This achieves more rapid identification of an available physical channel in a carrier channel selected by the secondary station, thereby reducing the time to establish lock-on and so saving battery power. During each scan the secondary station may also monitor the signal strength in the respective physical channels for only a fraction of the duration of each channel, thereby reducing the time to select an available carrier channel having the best transmission characteristics.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.