Methods and apparatus for detecting and mitigating radio interference among user equipment and base stations of geographically co-located and spectrally distinct wireless systems

A method for detecting a predetermined threshold level of radio frequency interference from an adjacent frequency channel, the method comprising:

• determining a transmit power level at which a reference signal is transmitted from a first mobile device to a first base station in a first frequency band and in accordance with a first modulation scheme;
• determining a received power level at which said reference signal is received at said first base station;
• determining a path loss of said reference signal by subtracting said received power of said reference signal from said transmit power of said reference signal;
• determining a transmit power level at which a second signal is transmitted from a second mobile device to a second base station in a second frequency band and in accordance with a second modulation scheme;
• interrogating a database to determine whether said first and said second mobile devices are geographically co-located;
• estimating a received power level at which said second signal is received at said first base station by subtracting said path loss from said transmit power level of said second signal when said first and second mobile devices are co-located;
• and
• comparing said received power of said second signal to a threshold value.

A system for determining a power level at which a signal transmitted between a first radio and a first base station in a first network is received at a second network operating in an adjacent RF channel and including a second base station and a second radio geographically co-located with said first radio, the system comprising:

• a gateway for sharing operational data between said networks;
• and
• a computer configured to communicate with said gateway and to:
• calculate a first path loss associated with a first signal transmitted between said first radio and said first base station;
• estimate, based on said first path loss, a second path loss associated with a second signal transmitted between said first network and said second network;
• determine a power level at which said second signal is received, based on the difference between:
• a) a power level at which said second signal is transmitted;
• and
• b) said second path loss;
• compare said received power of said second signal to a threshold value;
• and
• direct, via said gateway, said second base station to execute an interference mitigation protocol if said power level of said second signal exceeds said threshold value.