System and method of wirelessly communicating with mobile devices

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing network access to mobile devices that travel with a vehicle, such as a train, a bus, a boat. etc. along or adjacent to a relatively fixed path that may extend over a large geographic area. Mobile devices access the network through stationary access points arranged along or adjacent to the path and communicate with a communication network. The communication network may be arranged as an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) local area network emulation (LANE) network. One of the mobile devices may be a mobile access point which can couple other mobile devices to the network and record authentication information of other mobile devices so that fast transitions can be made from one stationary access point to another as the vehicle moves along the path.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication system comprising:
 a plurality of stationary access points coupled to a communication network; and   
       a mobile access point configured to communicate with the plurality of stationary access points and provide a plurality of host devices access to the communication network, wherein the mobile access point and the plurality of host devices move relative to the plurality of stationary access points;
 wherein the plurality of stationary access points are disposed at spaced apart positions along a path traversed by the mobile device and each of the plurality of stationary access points transmits and receives signals through connection to a single leaky coaxial cable. 
 
     
     
         2 . A communication system according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a first access point, a second access point, and a third access point connected to the leaky coaxial cable with the second access point being disposed between the first access point and the third access point along an extent of the leaky coaxial cable, 
 wherein the signal of the first access point extends beyond the second access point toward the third access point, and the signal of the third access point extends beyond the second access point toward the first access point. 
 
     
     
         3 . A communication system according to  claim 1  wherein the leaky coaxial cable is placed within a tunnel. 
     
     
         4 . A communication system according to  claim 2  wherein the leaky coaxial cable is placed within a passage under water.