# US 11,445,571 B1 · Tower mounted amplifier (TMA) control based on user equipment (UE) concentration

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- Number: US 11,445,571 B1
- Document ID: US11445571B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 17/148,983
- Filed: 2021-01-14
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2021-01-14
- Applicants: T-Mobile Innovations LLC
- Inventors: Sreekar Marupaduga; Rajveen Narendran
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11445571B1

## CPC

- H04W 4/023: {using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds}
- H04W 88/085: {Access point devices with remote components}
- H04W 4/70: Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
- H04W 28/18: Negotiating wireless communication parameters
- H04W 52/367: {Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range}
- H04W 52/383: {power control in peer-to-peer links}
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

A Radio Access Network (RAN) is configured to serve wireless User Equipment (UEs). The RAN comprises a Baseband Unit (BBU) and a Tower Mounted Amplifier (TMA). The BBU determines an amount of proximate wireless UEs that have transmit power levels that fall below a proximity threshold and when the amount of the proximate UEs exceeds a concentration threshold. When the proximate UEs exceeds the concentration threshold, the BBU schedules the proximate wireless UEs to use proximate UE Transmit Time Intervals (TTIs) and schedules other wireless UEs to use other TTIs. The BBU transfers control signals to deactivate TMA amplification during the proximate UE TTIs and to activate the TMA amplification during the other TTIs. The TMA receives UE signals, and in response to the control signals, deactivates TMA amplification on UE signals during the proximate UE TTIs and activates TMA amplification on UE signals during the other TTIs.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of operating a Radio Access Network (RAN) that comprises a Tower Mounted Amplifier (TMA), the method comprising:
a Baseband Unit (BBU) determining an amount of proximate wireless User Equipment (UEs) that have transmit power levels that fall below a proximity threshold and determining when the amount of the proximate UEs exceeds a concentration threshold;
when the amount of the proximate UEs exceeds the concentration threshold, the BBU scheduling the proximate wireless UEs to use proximate-UE Transmit Time Intervals (TTIs) and scheduling other wireless UEs to use other TTIs;
the BBU transferring control signals to deactivate TMA amplification during the proximate-UE TTIs and to activate the TMA amplification during the other TTIs; and
the TMA receiving UE signals, and in response to the control signals, deactivating TMA amplification on the UE signals during the proximate-UE TTIs and activating the TMA amplification on the UE signals during the other TTIs.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the BBU determining an amount of the proximate wireless UEs comprises the BBU executing a Media Access Control (MAC) and the MAC determining the amount of the proximate wireless UEs.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the BBU determining when the amount of the proximate UEs exceeds a concentration threshold comprises the BBU executing a Media Access Control (MAC) and the MAC determining when the amount of the proximate UEs exceeds the concentration threshold.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the BBU scheduling the proximate wireless UEs to use the proximate-UE TTIs and scheduling other wireless UEs to use the other TTIs comprises the BBU executing a Media Access Control (MAC) and the MAC scheduling the proximate wireless UEs to use the proximate-UE TTIs and scheduling other wireless UEs to use the other TTIs.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the BBU transferring the control signals to deactivate the TMA amplification during the proximate-UE TTIs and to activate the TMA amplification during the other TTIs comprises the BBU executing a Media Access Control (MAC) and the MAC transferring the control signals to deactivate the TMA amplification during the proximate-UE TTIs and to activate the TMA amplification during the other TTIs.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the BBU transferring the control signals to deactivate the TMA amplification and to activate the TMA amplification comprises the BBU executing a Media Access Control (MAC) and the MAC transferring the control signals to the TMA over an enhanced Common Public Radio Interface (eCPRI).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the BBU transferring the control signals to deactivate the TMA amplification and to activate the TMA amplification comprises the BBU executing a Media Access Control (MAC) and the MAC transferring the control signals to the TMA over an Antenna Interface Standards Group (ASIG) link.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein:
the RAN comprises antennas, the TMA, a radio, and the BBU; and
the BBU transferring the control signals to deactivate TMA amplification during the proximate-UE TTIs comprises inhibiting energy saturation in the radio.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein:
the RAN comprises antennas, the TMA, a radio, and the BBU; and
the BBU transferring the control signals to deactivate TMA amplification during the proximate-UE TTIs comprises inhibiting energy saturation in a low-noise amplifier in the radio.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein:
the RAN comprises antennas, the TMA, a radio, and the BBU;
the radio and the BBU are positioned at a ground elevation; and
the antennas and the TMA are positioned at a higher elevation that is above the ground elevation.

### Claim 11

A Radio Access Network (RAN) that comprises a Tower Mounted Amplifier (TMA), the RAN comprising:
a Baseband Unit (BBU) configured to determine an amount of proximate wireless User Equipment (UEs) that have transmit power levels that fall below a proximity threshold and determine when the amount of the proximate UEs exceeds a concentration threshold;
when the amount of the proximate UEs exceeds the concentration threshold, the BBU configured to schedule the proximate wireless UEs to use proximate-UE Transmit Time Intervals (TTIs) and schedule other wireless UEs to use other TTIs;
the BBU configured to transfer control signals to deactivate TMA amplification during the proximate-UE TTIs and to activate the TMA amplification during the other TTIs; and
the TMA configured to receive UE signals, and in response to the control signals, deactivate the TMA amplification on the UE signals during the proximate-UE TTIs and activate the TMA amplification on the UE signals during the other TTIs.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The RAN of claim 11 wherein the BBU is configured to execute a Media Access Control (MAC) and the MAC configured to determine the amount of the proximate wireless UEs.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The RAN of claim 11 wherein the BBU is configured to execute a Media Access Control (MAC) and the MAC is configured to determine when the amount of the proximate UEs exceeds the concentration threshold.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The RAN of claim 11 wherein the BBU is configured to execute a Media Access Control (MAC) and the MAC configured to schedule the proximate wireless UEs to use the proximate-UE TTIs and schedule other wireless UEs to use the other TTIs.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The RAN of claim 11 wherein the BBU is configured to execute a Media Access Control (MAC) and the MAC configured to transfer the control signals to deactivate the TMA amplification during the proximate-UE TTIs and to activate the TMA amplification during the other TTIs.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The RAN of claim 11 wherein the BBU is configured to execute a Media Access Control (MAC) and the MAC configured to transfer the control signals to the TMA over an enhanced Common Public Radio Interface (eCPRI).

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The RAN of claim 11 wherein the BBU is configured to execute a Media Access Control (MAC) and the MAC configured to transfer the control signals to the TMA over an Antenna Interface Standards Group (ASIG) link.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The RAN of claim 11 wherein:
the RAN comprises antennas, the TMA, a radio, and the BBU; and
the BBU is configured to transfer the control signals to deactivate TMA amplification during the proximate-UE TTIs to inhibit energy saturation in the radio.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The RAN of claim 11 wherein:
the RAN comprises antennas, the TMA, a radio, and the BBU; and
the BBU is configured to transfer the control signals to deactivate TMA amplification during the proximate-UE TTIs to inhibit energy saturation in a low-noise amplifier in the radio.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The RAN of claim 11 wherein:
the RAN comprises antennas, the TMA, a radio, and the BBU;
the radio and the BBU are positioned at a ground elevation; and
the antennas and the TMA are positioned at a higher elevation that is above the ground elevation.