System and apparatus for handover of mobile communication signals on a passenger carrying vessel

摘要

A mobile communications system for a passenger carrying vessel includes repeaters for relaying radio frequency signals to mobile telephone on the vessel from communications networks in geographically separated locations. Each repeater is controlled to operate at different required gains to maintain signal levels for the telephones at a suitable level, as the passenger carrying vessel moves from one location to another location through the middle region. A computer is programmed to alter the gains of the repeaters according to respective signal strengths of received signals and to determine and control a hand-over at some position according to the signal strengths, when the vessel is within the middle region. The hand-over, and in some cases the gains, may be determined or influenced by the computer in accordance with GPS signals received by the vessel.