Nortel Networks Corporation

Northern Telecom Limited

Hakan Ernam

Nhut Nguyen

Jim Xu

Christopher S Reece

Will A Egner

Carlos M Garcia

Mini Vasudevan

Sairam Subramanian

Joseph S Ho

Chang Yu

Joseph S M Ho

Kenni Rasmussen

A wireless communication system constructed according to the present invention assigns each serviced mobile unit to a serving mobile switching center to minimize mobility management overhead and to equalize loading among a plurality of mobile switching centers. The wireless communication system includes the plurality of mobile switching centers and a base station system which includes a plurality of base station controllers, each of which couples to a plurality of base stations. A plurality of mobile units served by the system are assigned to the mobile switching centers so that loading is equalized. In one particular construction of the wireless communication system, a dispatching switch couples the base station system to the plurality of mobile switching centers and performs the assignments of the mobile units. In an example of operation, upon attachment of a mobile unit, the dispatching switch determines loading of each of the mobile switching centers. Then, based upon the loading, the dispatching switch assigns the mobile unit to one of the mobile switching centers, the &ldquo;serving&rdquo; mobile switching center.

Distributed signaling message routing in a scalable wireless communication system

The present invention is a system for optimizing an existing wireless network and additions to an existing network. The system determines a value representing estimation of traffic in discrete bins within a geographic area. The traffic estimation includes a distribution of handover and new cell traffic based at least in part on the presence of a road in any bin or the proximity of a bin to a handover boundary. The cell coverage and carrier allocations of existing cells are adjusted in view of the traffic estimation.

Automated wireless network design

A wireless communication system constructed according to the present invention assigns mobile units to equalize loading among a plurality of mobile switching centers. The wireless communication system includes the plurality of mobile switching centers and a base station system which includes a plurality of base station controllers, each of which couples to a plurality of base stations. A plurality of mobile units served by the system are assigned to the mobile switching centers so that loading is equalized. In one particular construction of the wireless communication system, a dispatching switch couples the base station system to the plurality of mobile switching centers and performs the assignments of the mobile units. In an example of operation, upon attachment of a mobile unit, the dispatching switch determines loading of each of the mobile switching centers. Then, based upon the loading, the dispatching switch assigns the mobile unit to one of the mobile switching centers, the 'serving' mobile switching center. During subsequent calls, the dispatching switch establishes a transparent path between a base station controller servicing the call and the serving mobile switching center. Thus, once the serving mobile switching center is determined, operation is transparent to the serving base station controller and the serving mobile switching center. In another particular construction, each of the base station controllers couple to each of the mobile switching centers via a network. In such case, each of the base station controllers and each of the mobile switching centers includes additional equipment which performs at least a portion of the operations of the dispatching switch. The network may be dissimilar to a conventional data structure supported by the wireless communication system.

Scalable wireless network architecture based on subscriber distribution

A method and apparatus for scaling a wireless telecommunications network having an architecture based upon subscriber distribution includes providing a base station subsystem (BSS) and a pool of mobile switching centers (MSCs) interconnected with one another. The mobile switching centers include visitor location registers (VLRs). Lastly, a dispatcher mobile switching center (DMSC) is provided, the dispatcher mobile switching center being coupled between the base station subsystem (BSS) and the pool of mobile switching centers (MSCs) for establishing communication between the base station subsystem (BSS) and the pool of mobile switching centers (MSCs). The dispatcher mobile switching center (DMSC) further provides for distributing mobile station subscribers and call related work among the pool of mobile switching centers (MSCs).

Method and apparatus for wireless network architecture based on

A wireless communication system constructed according to the present invention assigns each serviced mobile unit to a serving mobile switching center to minimize mobility management overhead and to equalize loading among a plurality of mobile switching centers. The wireless communication system includes the plurality of mobile switching centers and a base station system which includes a plurality of base station controllers, each of which couples to a plurality of base stations. A plurality of mobile units served by the system are assigned to the mobile switching centers so that loading is equalized. In one particular construction of the wireless communication system, a dispatching switch couples the base station system to the plurality of mobile switching centers and performs the assignments of the mobile units. In an example of operation, upon attachment of a mobile unit, the dispatching switch determines loading of each of the mobile switching centers. Then, based upon the loading, the dispatching switch assigns the mobile unit to one of the mobile switching centers, the 'serving' mobile switching center. During subsequent calls, the dispatching switch establishes a transparent path between a base station controller servicing the call and the serving mobile switching center. Thus, once the serving mobile switching center is determined, operation is transparent to the serving base station controller and the serving mobile switching center. In another particular construction, each of the base station controllers couple to each of the mobile switching centers via a network. In such case, each of the base station controllers and each of the mobile switching centers includes additional equipment which performs at least a portion of the operations of the dispatching switch. The network may be dissimilar to a conventional data structure supported by the wireless communication system. In still another implementation, a signaling message router function routes signaling messages to the serving mobile switching center by using the mobile unit's temporary identification number (as assigned by the serving mobile switching center). The signaling message router function may be implemented in the network coupling the base station sub-system with the mobile switching center (in a message router), in the base station controller or in the mobile switching center.

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Plano, TX, United States of America

Hakan Ernam