RU2851601C1 - Mobile phone - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: mobile wireless communication devices.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to cellular telephone devices with repeater functions capable of providing communication between a subscriber located in an area of unstable information exchange but accessible for communication with such a repeater telephone via at least one of the physical channels: radio, acoustic, and optical. Such a device forms a transit communication channel with one of the nearest base stations via available physical channels using radio, acoustic or optical signals, including with other available communication operators. For this purpose, two relay subsystems for acoustic and optical communication channels are placed in the cell phone case, consisting of at least two electronic subscriber identification modules combined into identification, control and redirection units and connected to their controllers, each of which is connected via a system bus to its own control and management unit. In addition, the system bus is connected to the subsystem's own retransmission receiver with a receiving antenna and a retransmission transmitter with a transmitting antenna.

EFFECT: enabling the use of a cellular telephone as a link providing stable information exchange between subscribers located at the edge of the base station's reliable reception zone via the listed physical channels.

2 cl, 1 dwg

Description

The invention relates to mobile wireless communication devices, particularly cellular telephones with enhanced functionality, specifically repeater functions capable of providing communication between a subscriber located in an area of unstable information exchange but accessible to the repeater telephone via at least one of the following physical channels: radio, acoustic, and optical. The device also facilitates the formation of a transit communication channel with one of the nearest base stations. Thus, the proposed cellular telephone can be used as a link, ensuring stable information exchange between subscribers located at the edge of a reliable reception zone from a base station via one of the physical channels.

Problems with reliable mobile communications are typical not only for areas remote from the centers of civilization; they arise in city basement offices and shopping centers, in tunnels, and in buildings with complex floor structures. Furthermore, the constant increase in the volume of information transmitted in mobile radio networks, especially in large cities with developed infrastructure, requires a continuous search for new channels, optimal methods for distributing information flows, and solutions to electromagnetic compatibility issues to reduce mutual interference. The development trend in mobile communications systems calls for an increase in subscriber device density to one million per square kilometer. One solution to these problems is the use of various physical signals—acoustic and optical.

A mobile phone is known that can switch from a public cellular network to a private one [CN 108055682, published May 19, 2018]. It can combine both public and private networks, providing high-speed 4G internet for shared use. When the performance of one network declines, the phone automatically switches to the other, without the user noticing the network switch and without service interruption. The practical application of this method by various operators of existing networks has enabled the cost of creating a new cellular network to be minimized. However, the ability to switch a known phone to a more productive operator during a call does not fully address the issue of improving the reliability of radio communications in areas of unstable information exchange, and due to its design features, the known phone also cannot extend the coverage area of a base station.

Solving the problem of electromagnetic compatibility and ensuring reliable and high-speed delivery of information to subscribers located in areas of poor reception, for example, near the boundary of a base station's coverage area and, especially, beyond it, is possible by using additional communication channels.

Another well-known technical solution is the cell phone [RU 2802707, publ. 31.08.2023], comprising a receiver, a transmitter, a control and management unit with permanent and random access memory, a keyboard, a display, at least two electronic subscriber identification modules placed in a housing, connected via a controller to a system bus, a power supply unit, a voice communication unit, a voice activity detector, an encryption-decryption unit, an analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters, a speech encoder and decoder, a channel encoder and decoder, as well as an equalizer, interconnected via a system bus, at least two electronic subscriber identification modules, connected via a controller to a system bus, the composition of which additionally contains at least two electronic subscriber identification modules participating in the implementation of acoustic communication channels and connected to a second controller, in turn, via a system bus connected to a second control and management unit, equipped with permanent and random access memory, and also includes an acoustic receiver with a receiving antenna and an acoustic transmitter with a transmitting antenna, connected to the system bus.

The presence of an additional acoustic communication transmitter increases the reliability of the mobile network in areas of unstable information exchange, but the main disadvantage of this type of communication is the short range of acoustic signals.

The closest to the claimed invention in its technical characteristics is a cellular telephone [RU 2754639, published 30.1 1.2021], which contains the following structural elements: a receiver, a transmitter, a control and management unit with permanent and random access memory, a keyboard, a display, a power supply, a voice communication unit, a voice activity detector, an encryption-decryption unit, analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters, a speech encoder and decoder, a channel encoder and decoder, as well as an equalizer, connected to each other via a system bus, which includes a data bus, an address bus and a control bus, in addition it contains at least two subscriber identification modules, combined into a unit connected to a controller, which, in turn, is connected to an antenna via a system bus, all elements are housed in a housing with a connector for connecting external elements. In addition, the telephone also contains a radio relay subsystem, comprising at least two electronic modules for identifying subscribers participating in the relay, whose cellular telephones are equipped with the appropriate function for accessing the relay mode via the given cellular telephone. Furthermore, these modules are combined into an identification, control, and forwarding unit, connected to a second controller, which, in turn, is connected via a system bus to a second control and management unit. A relay receiver with a receiving antenna and a relay transmitter with a transmitting antenna are also connected to the system bus.

However, retransmission cannot always ensure the desired result in delivering information to subscribers in areas with poor radio coverage. The rapid growth of bandwidth across various radio technologies of all generations leads to high levels of mutual interference.

This technical solution proposes implementing this by incorporating additional relay subsystems into the mobile phone device, using both acoustic and optical channels. The combination of radio, acoustic, and optical channels improves the reliability and stability of communications in information and communications networks.

The objective of the invention is to develop a mobile communication device in the form of a cellular telephone that provides reliable high-speed information exchange for subscribers directly with each other and through base stations located in an area of insufficiently reliable information exchange, as well as in the case of an overloaded radio network (base stations, including when they fail).

The technical result of the proposed invention consists in improving the stability and increasing the speed of information exchange of a cellular telephone when servicing subscribers located outside the coverage area of a base station or at its border, due to the organization of communication channels for cellular telephones and similar telecommunications devices (laptops, tablets, bracelets, etc.) with the nearest base stations, including other cellular operators, using it as a repeater, not only radio technologies, but also the retransmission of acoustic and optical signals.

An additional positive effect of this invention is the increase in the throughput of a cellular telephone due to the fact that signals from different physical fields do not create mutual interference, so that the relay subsystems are able to simultaneously exchange information without interfering with each other.

The specified technical result is achieved by placing in the housing of a cellular telephone (or other similar devices, for example a laptop), which contains a receiver, a transmitter, a control and management unit with permanent RAM, a keyboard, a display, a power supply, a voice communication unit, a voice activity detector, an encryption/decryption unit, analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters, a speech encoder and decoder, a channel encoder and decoder, an equalizer, interconnected by means of a system bus, which includes a data bus, an address bus and a control bus; at least two electronic subscriber identification modules, combined through a controller connected to the system bus, with an antenna; a radio relay subsystem containing at least two electronic subscriber identification modules, combined into an identification unit connected to a second controller, which, in turn, is connected by means of a system bus to a second control and management unit; a repeater receiver with a receiving antenna and a repeater transmitter with a transmitting antenna, also connected to the system bus; unlike the known one, two retransmission subsystems are additionally connected to the system bus via acoustic and optical communication channels, each of which consists of at least two electronic modules for identifying subscribers participating in the retransmission, combined into identification, control and forwarding units and connected to their controller and, via the system bus, to their control and management unit, while the corresponding acoustic subsystem also has its own retransmission receiver with a receiving antenna and a retransmission transmitter with a transmitting antenna, corresponding to the optical subsystem its own retransmission receivers with a receiving antenna and a retransmission transmitter with a transmitting antenna, in each retransmission subsystem (radio, acoustic and optical) the corresponding retransmission receivers are configured with the ability to monitor the quality of their channel for selecting methods of separation within their physical signals by form and parameters, types of modulation and coding, as well as for informing the control and management unit with permanent and random access memory via the system bus for effective data management a block for coupling and connecting various physical channels.

Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of the proposed cellular telephone, including the following structural elements: receiver 1, transmitter 2, control and management unit 3 with constant and random access memory, keyboard 4, display 5, power supply 6, voice communication unit 7, voice activity detector 8, encryption-decryption unit 9, analog-to-digital (ADC) 10 and digital-to-analog (DAC) 11 converters, encoder 12 and speech decoder 13, encoder 14 and channel decoder 15, as well as equalizer 16, connected to each other via a system bus 17, which includes a data bus, an address bus and a control bus. The telephone also contains at least two subscriber identification modules 18, combined into a block 19 connected to a controller 20, which, in turn, is connected to an antenna 21 via a system bus 17. All of the listed elements are located in a housing 22 with a connector 23 for connecting external elements. The claimed invention comprises a radio relay subsystem 24, containing at least two electronic modules 25 for identifying subscribers participating in the relay, whose cellular telephones are equipped with the corresponding function, wherein said modules 25 are combined into an identification unit 26, connected to a second controller 27, which, in turn, is connected via a system bus 17 to a second control and management unit 28. A relay receiver 29 with a receiving antenna 30 and a relay transmitter 31 with a transmitting 32 antenna are also connected to the system bus 17, wherein two relay subsystems are additionally connected to the housing 22 of the cellular telephone to the system bus 17 via acoustic 33 and optical 34 communication channels, each of which consists of at least two electronic modules 35 for identifying subscribers participating in the relay. These modules 35 are combined into identification, control and redirection blocks 36 and are connected to their controllers 37 and 43, respectively, each of which is connected via a system bus 17 to its control and management block 38 and 44, respectively. Also connected to the system bus 17 are the corresponding acoustic retransmission subsystem 33's retransmitting receiver 39 with a receiving antenna 40 and the retransmitting transmitter 41 with a transmitting 42 antenna, and the corresponding optical retransmission subsystem 34's retransmitting receivers 45 with a receiving antenna 46 and the retransmitting transmitter 47 with a transmitting 48 antenna. In each retransmission subsystem 24, 33 and 34, the corresponding retransmission receivers: 29, 39 and 45 are designed with the ability to control the quality of their channel for selecting methods of separation within their physical signals by form and parameters, types of modulation and coding, as well as for informing the control and management unit 3 with constant and operational memory through the system 17 bus for the effective control of this unit 3 of the modes of pairing and connection of various physical channels.

In the event of communication degradation due to electromagnetic conditions or radio component failure, the device analyzes available other physical channels and, based on previous experience and established practice, switches to using channels based on acoustic or optical signals. Unlike the prototype, however, it selects between three communication channels.

Operational options are possible where retransmission is performed without changing the physical signal (channel)—option one, for example, a radio signal is received and the radio signal is retransmitted—or with a change (option two) to the physical channel. For example, a radio signal is received, but all radio channels do not meet the retransmission requirements, so control and management unit 3 assigns retransmission via the acoustic channel.

In the first variant and similar ones, when the physical channel does not change (for example, we have received a radio signal and are retransmitting it), the coordination of the operation of the retransmitting subsystem is performed by control and management units 28 or 38 or 44, respectively, informing control and management unit 3 and executing their instructions in accordance with the delegated powers (from control and management unit 3).

In the second variant (with a change in the physical relay signals), control and management units 28 or 38 or 44, respectively, are controlled by control and management unit 3.

Controller 20 facilitates interaction between control and management unit 3 and each of the subscriber identification modules 18 installed in block 19, while relay subsystem controllers 27, 37, and 43 similarly facilitate interaction between the corresponding control and management unit 28, 38, and 44 and the electronic subscriber identification modules 25 and 35 located in blocks 26 or 36, respectively (remotely configured and reconfigured by command from base stations using e-SIM cards). The use of e-SIM cards allows, in a specific situation, the download of information necessary for implementing the relay mode from the base station of the nearest cellular operator.

The controllers of the subsystems 27, 37 and 43 connect the identification blocks 26 and 36, containing the electronic modules 25 and 35 for identifying subscribers with the relay cellular telephones through the control and management block 3 in the relay mode through the receiving antennas 30, 40, 46, ensure the passage of incoming signals through the corresponding receiving blocks 29, 39 and 45 of the relay subsystems 24, 33 and 34 and the system bus 17 into the corresponding blocks 28, 38, 44, where the forwarding of messages is determined from which, again through the said system bus 17, the received and converted information is sent to the corresponding relay transmitters 31, 41, 47 of the relay subsystem and is emitted by the transmitting antennas 32, 42, 48, respectively.

In addition, the presence of controllers of subsystems 27, 37 and 43 makes it possible, under the control of control and management unit 3, to distribute data flows according to specified exchange protocols, linking them to the numbers of user identification modules (SIM card numbers) and electronic identification numbers (eSIM cards) as trusted elements of base stations of various telecom operators (located at a distance of confident information exchange).

The presence of an expanded number of subscriber identification module blocks, transmitter and receiver blocks, each with its own antenna, makes it possible to implement the simultaneous uninterrupted operation of information channels providing a relay mode, without interfering with the information channels of the normal operating mode of the cellular telephone.

As a result, the proposed mobile phone takes over some of the functions delegated by the nearest base station and creates transit communication channels with base stations of its own or other operators, ensuring stable information exchange with the subscriber, including with subscribers located outside the base station's coverage area, thereby expanding its coverage area. Distributing information flows across physical channels increases the throughput of this mobile repeater and the cellular communications system as a whole.

The proposed mobile phone allows, with appropriate separation between the receiving and transmitting antennas, simultaneous data exchange with other subscribers on behalf of at least two SIM cards and data exchange with base stations on behalf of at least six eSIM repeater cards. At the same time, other mobile phones are unaware that they are communicating with the base station via the mobile phone's repeater function via radio, optical, and acoustic channels.

The control and management unit 3 is a digital signal processor (DSP) with a read-only memory (ROM), which contains a program that coordinates the operation of the processor, and a random access memory (RAM), designed for the temporary storage of data and the results of logical or mathematical operations that are performed by the above-mentioned processor.

In the case of using three physical channels, additional steps of the algorithm for alternate pairwise selection of the best channel are provided, including:

control of the operability of each physical channel in the corresponding relay subsystems by its control and management unit 28, 38, 44 and, in the event of the availability of a communication resource and the possibility of relaying within its physical channel, carries out control of its receivers with antennas: 29 and 30; 39 and 40 or 45 and 46. As well as transmitters with antennas: 31 and 32; 41 and 42 or 47 and 48.

- In the event of a lack of free communication resources within the relay subsystems, units 28, 38, and 44 are configured to request free, available communication resources for pairing one physical channel (signal) with another via control and management unit 3 with ROM and RAM. This unit, using a pairing algorithm, evaluates the feasibility of using free communication resources for relaying and controls units 28, 38, and 44 of the corresponding relay subsystems. Upon completion of a relay session, these units inform unit 3 of the release of the resource in use. The selection of a particular physical channel is performed using pairwise comparison algorithms, taking into account the established rating.

The advanced technical capabilities of the proposed phone allow, taking into account the periodic rise/fall of user activity, to organize additional relay channels with the implementation of a relay mode, allowing signals to be received from a base station and, under the repeater eSIM card, transmitted to another subscriber through one of three relay subsystems or duplicating the transmission simultaneously over several physical channels.

In this case, it is possible to use the currently unused elements of the device for harmonization in unforeseen situations, for example, antenna 21 in the case of a busy radio relay subsystem 24.

Claims (2)

1. A cellular telephone comprising a receiver, a transmitter, a control and management unit with permanent and random access memory, a keyboard, a display, a power supply, a voice communication unit, a voice activity detector, an encryption/decryption unit, analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters, a speech encoder and decoder, a channel encoder and decoder, and an equalizer, all of whose units and components are connected via a system bus consisting of a data bus, an address bus, and a control bus, and comprising at least two subscriber identification modules combined into a unit connected to a controller connected via a system bus to an antenna, comprising a radio relay subsystem consisting of at least two electronic subscriber identification modules combined into an identification unit connected to a second controller, which is connected via a system bus to a second control and management unit, as well as a repeater receiver with a receiving antenna and a repeater transmitter with a transmitting antenna connected to the system bus, characterized in that two retransmission subsystems are additionally connected to the system bus via acoustic and optical communication channels, consisting of at least two electronic subscriber identification modules, combined into identification, control and forwarding units, and connected to their controllers, each of which is connected via the system bus to its own control and management unit, and wherein a retransmission receiver with a receiving antenna and a retransmission transmitter with a transmitting antenna corresponding to each retransmission subsystem are additionally connected to the system bus. 2. A cellular telephone according to paragraph 1, characterized in that in each relay subsystem the corresponding relay receivers are designed with the ability to control the quality of their channel for selecting methods of separation within their physical signals by form and parameters, types of modulation and coding, as well as for informing the control and management unit with constant and random access memory via the system bus for the effective control of this unit by the modes of pairing and connection of various physical channels.