Cellular radio routing system

Abstract

A routing system of call connection and call routing for radio telephone communications system including cellular radio systems wherein the mobiles transmit on channels in a first band, and the bases transmit on channels in a second band. The routes are selectable from more than one possible route to a desired destination using routing tables to permit different destinations for different calls selectively based on telephone number indications. The system includes multiple blind nodes that do not support direct base to mobile communication. The blind nodes transmitting in the band used for transmission by the mobiles, and nodes receive in the band used for receiving by the mobiles such that the system performs in a limited number of bands of frequencies.

1. In multi-node, multi-remote radio telephone systems, a method of call connection and call routing between said multiple nodes comprising:
 a) using destination number designations and routing tables to select different routes for different calls;  
 b) utilizing directional or beam antennae for communications between said nodes;  
 c) providing a first set of beams from a first node, and providing a second set of beams from a second node, a beam from the first node and a beam from the second node comprising a pair;  
 d) measuring the signal strengths created by pairs of beams; and  
 e) selecting a beam pair between different nodes with the highest signal strength, for communications by eliminating beam pairs that have the weaker signals,  
 whereby the multi-nodes comprise base sites, repeaters, and exchanges,  
 wherein the exchanges may be  are from different radio telephone systems.  
 
     
     
       2. In a multi-node, multi-remote radio telephone communications system including cellular radio systems wherein the mobiles transmit in a first band and receive in a second band, and the bases transmit in said second band and receive in said first band, a routing system of call connection and call routing comprising the following:
 a) routing tables to permit different destinations for different calls selectively based on telephone number indications;  
 b) multiple blind nodes, each of which comprises a combination of a repeater and routing tables, said blind nodes using said routing tables to selectively communicate with base sites required to establish the selected routes;  
 c) said blind nodes transmitting in the band used for transmission by the mobiles;  
 d) said blind nodes receiving in the band used for receiving by the mobiles; and  
 e) each said selected route comprising a path that alternates between blind nodes and bases;  
 whereby the entire system performs in a limited number of bands of frequencies.  
 
     
     
       3. A radio communications system including a plurality of individual nodes capable of distribution arbitrarily relative to each other, said nodes being controllable independent of a central computer separate from said nodes, each said node comprising:
   transmitting apparatus for transmitting radio signals to other said nodes and receiving apparatus for receiving said radio signals from other said nodes;        circuitry for using said radio signals to establish radio links between plural pairs of said nodes; and        routing circuitry for using said radio signals to assemble selected said links into a radio communication route between an originating node and a destination node, said route including plural said links,        wherein at least one of said nodes is a directional node including:      at least one of  ( i )  directional transmitting apparatus for transmitting directional radio signals associated with respective different directions and  ( ii )  directional receiving apparatus for associating received radio signals with respective different directions from which they are received; and        selection circuitry for establishing a said selected link with another said node using said radio signals transmitted from said directional transmitting apparatus or received by said directional receiving apparatus.       
     
     
       4. A system as in  claim 3 , wherein said directional transmitting apparatus, comprises plural transmitting devices, each of which transmits a said directional radio signal associated with a predetermined spatial sector of the area around said node.  
     
     
       5. A system as in  claim 3 , wherein said directional receiving apparatus comprises plural receiving devices, each of which associates a said received radio signal with a predetermined spatial sector of the area around said node. 
     
     
       6. A system as in  claim 3 , wherein:
   at least one said directional node includes said directional transmitting apparatus and said directional receiving apparatus;        said directional transmitting apparatus includes plural transmitting devices, each of which transmits a said directional radio signal associated with a predetermined spatial sector of the area around said node; and        said directional receiving apparatus includes plural receiving devices, each of which associates a said received radio signal with a predetermined spatial sector of the area around said node.     
     
     
       7. A system as in  claim 6 , wherein each said directional transmitting device comprises a directional transmitting antenna, and each said directional receiving device comprises a directional receiving antenna. 
     
     
       8. A system as in  claim 7 , wherein each said spatial sector comprises a portion of the entire area surrounding said directional node. 
     
     
       9. A system as in  claim 7 , wherein at least one said directional transmitting antenna or one said directional receiving antenna comprises a steerable array antenna that is associated with a portion of a corresponding said spatial sector. 
     
     
       10. A system as in  claim 3 , wherein said directional transmitting apparatus transmits said directional radio signals in different time slots and said directional receiving apparatus receives said received radio signals in different time slots. 
     
     
       11. A system as in  claim 3 , further comprising:
   a first said directional node with a said directional transmitting apparatus including a plurality of directional transmitting devices, each capable of transmitting a different said radio signal associated with a predetermined spatial sector of the area around said first directional node; and        a second said directional node with a said directional receiving apparatus including a plurality of directional receiving devices, each capable of distinguishing a different said radio signal associated with a predetermined spatial sector of the area around said second directional node,        wherein said selection circuitry establishes said selected links using one of said transmitting devices and one of said receiving devices.     
     
     
       12. A system as in  claim 11 , wherein said selection circuitry establishes a selected said link between said first and second directional nodes. 
     
     
       13. A directional node for use in a radio communications system including a plurality of nodes capable of distribution arbitrarily relative to each other, said nodes being controllable independent of a central computer separate from said nodes, each said node including transmitting apparatus for transmitting radio signals to other said nodes, receiving apparatus for receiving radio signals from other said nodes, circuitry for establishing radio links between plural pairs of said nodes, and computer means for assembling selected said links into a radio communication route between an originating node and a destination node, said route including plural said links, wherein:
   said directional node comprises at least one of  ( i )  directional transmitting apparatus for transmitting directional radio signals associated with respective different directions and  ( ii )  directional receiving apparatus for associating received radio signals with respective different directions from which they are received; and        said computer means in said directional node establishes a said selected link with another said node using said radio signals transmitted from said directional transmitting apparatus or received by said directional receiving apparatus.      
     
     
       14. A directional node as in  claim 13 , further comprising detecting circuitry for detecting the strength of said radio signals received from other said nodes, wherein said computer means uses said signal strength to establish said links and said computer means in said directional node establishes a said selected link with another said node depending on the strength of said radio signals transmitted from said directional transmitting apparatus or received by said directional receiving apparatus. 
     
     
       15. A directional node as in  claim 14 , further comprising:
   a said directional transmitting apparatus including plural transmitting devices, each of which transmits a said directional radio signal associated with a predetermined spatial sector of the area around said node; and        a said directional receiving apparatus including plural receiving devices, each of which associates a said received radio signal with a predetermined spatial sector of the area around said node,        wherein said computer means in said directional node establishes said selected links using said directional transmitting device that transmits the strongest radio signal received at another said node and said directional receiving device that receives the strongest radio signal transmitted by another said node.     
     
     
       16. A directional node as in  claim 15 , wherein each said directional transmitting device comprises a directional transmitting antenna, and each said directional receiving device comprises a directional receiving antenna. 
     
     
       17. A directional node as in  claim 16 , wherein each said spatial sector comprises a portion of the entire area surrounding said directional node. 
     
     
       18. A directional node as in  claim 16 , wherein at least one said directional transmitting antenna or one said directional receiving antenna comprises a steerable array antenna that is associated with a portion of a corresponding said spatial sector. 
     
     
       19. A directional node as in  claim 13 , wherein said directional transmitting apparatus transmits said directional radio signals in different time slots and said directional receiving apparatus receives said received radio signals in different time slots. 
     
     
       20. A directional node as in  claim 13 , wherein said computer means establishes a selected said link with another said directional node in said system. 
     
     
       21. A radio communications system including a plurality of individual nodes capable of distribution arbitrarily relative to each other, said nodes being controllable independent of a central computer separate from said nodes, each said node comprising:
   transmitting apparatus for transmitting radio signals to other said nodes and receiving apparatus for receiving said radio signals from other said nodes;        circuitry for using said radio signals to establish radio links between plural pairs of said nodes; and        routing circuitry for using an actual radio parameter of said radio signals to assemble selected said links into a radio communication route between an originating node and a destination node, said route including plural said links,        wherein at least one of said nodes is a directional node including:      at least one of  ( i )  directional transmitting apparatus for transmitting directional radio signals associated with respective different directions and  ( ii )  directional receiving apparatus for associating received radio signals with respective different directions from which they are received; and        selection circuitry for establishing a said selected link with another said node using said actual radio parameter of said radio signals transmitted from said directional transmitting apparatus or received by said directional receiving apparatus.       
     
     
       22. A system as in  claim 21 , further comprising:
   a first said directional node with a said directional transmitting apparatus including a plurality of directional transmitting devices, each capable of transmitting a different said radio signal associated with a predetermined spatial sector of the area around said first directional node; and        a second said directional node with a said directional receiving apparatus including a plurality of directional receiving devices, each capable of distinguishing a different said radio signal associated with a predetermined spatial sector of the area around said second directional node,        wherein said selection circuitry establishes said selected links using one of said transmitting devices and one of said receiving devices.     
     
     
       23. A system as in  claim 22 , wherein said selection circuitry establishes a selected said link between said first and second directional nodes. 
     
     
       24. A radio communications system including a plurality of individual nodes capable of distribution arbitrarily relative to each other, said nodes being controllable independent of a central computer separate from said nodes, each said node comprising:
   transmitting apparatus for transmitting radio signals to other said nodes and receiving apparatus for receiving said radio signals from other said nodes;        circuitry for using said radio signals to establish radio links between plural pairs of said nodes;        circuitry for detecting the strength of said radio signals received from said other nodes; and        routing circuitry for using the strength of said radio signals to assemble selected said links into a radio communication route between an originating node and a destination node, said route including plural said links,        wherein at least one of said nodes is a directional node including:      at least one of  ( i )  directional transmitting apparatus for transmitting directional radio signals associated with respective different directions and  ( ii )  directional receiving apparatus for associating said radio signals with respective different directions from which they are received; and        selection circuitry for establishing a said selected link with another said node depending on the strength of said radio signals transmitted from said directional transmitting apparatus or received by said directional receiving apparatus.       
     
     
       25. A system as in  claim 24 , further comprising:
   a first said directional node with a said directional transmitting apparatus including a plurality of directional transmitting devices, each capable of transmitting a different said radio signal associated with a predetermined spatial sector of the area around said first directional node; and        a second said directional node with a said directional receiving apparatus including a plurality of directional receiving devices, each capable of distinguishing a different said radio signal associated with a predetermined spatial sector of the area around said second directional node,        wherein said selection circuitry establishes said selected links using one of said transmitting devices and one of said receiving devices.     
     
     
       26. A system as in  claim 25 , wherein said selection circuitry establishes a selected said link between said first and second directional nodes. 
     
     
       27. A radio communications system including a plurality of individual nodes capable of distribution arbitrarily relative to each other, said nodes being controllable independent of a central computer separate from said nodes, each said node comprising:
   transmitting apparatus for transmitting radio signals to other said nodes and receiving apparatus for receiving said radio signals from other said nodes;        detecting circuitry for detecting the quality of said radio signals received from said other nodes;        circuitry for using said radio signals to establish radio links between plural pairs of said nodes; and        routing circuitry for assembling selected said links into a radio communication route between an originating node and a destination node, said route including plural said links, wherein each said link of said route comprises a radio signal of a higher quality than the quality of said radio signal within any other potential radio communication route between said originating node and said destination node,        wherein at least one of said nodes is a directional node including:      at least one of  ( i )  directional transmitting apparatus for transmitting directional radio signals associated with respective different directions and  ( ii )  directional receiving apparatus for associating received radio signals with respective different directions from which they are received; and        selection circuitry for establishing a said selected link with another said node depending on the quality of said radio signals transmitted from said directional transmitting apparatus or received by said directional receiving apparatus.       
     
     
       28. A system as in  claim 27 , further comprising:
   a first said directional node with a said directional transmitting apparatus including a plurality of directional transmitting devices, each capable of transmitting a different said radio signal associated with a predetermined spatial sector of the area around said first directional node; and        a second said directional node with a said directional receiving apparatus including a plurality of directional receiving devices, each capable of distinguishing a different said radio signal associated with a predetermined spatial sector of the area around said second directional node,        wherein said selection circuitry establishes said selected links using one of said transmitting devices and one of said receiving devices.     
     
     
       29. A system as in  claim 28 , wherein said selection circuitry establishes a selected said link between said first and second directional nodes.