System and method for determining guard zone and guard bands in a digital cellular dual mode network

A method for determining whether an analog cell site of an analog network is located in a guard zone of a dual mode system having a digital network overlaid on the analog network, the analog cell site including a plurality of mobile units operating therein, the method comprising the steps of:

• measuring an amount of interference caused by and to the analog cell site;
• measuring an amount of interference caused by and to the mobile units;
• separately comparing the interference amounts to a predetermined threshold;
• and
• determining that the analog cell site is located in the guard zone if either of the interference amounts exceeds the predetermined threshold.

A method for performing guard zone and guard band analysis in a dual mode system having a digital network overlaid on an analog network, the digital network including a plurality of portable units operating within digital cell sites, and the analog network including a plurality of mobile units operating within analog cell sites, the method comprising the steps of:

• measuring an amount of interference power from the analog cell sites that is received by each of the portable units;
• measuring an amount of interference power from the portable units that is received at each of the analog cell sites;
• measuring an amount of interference power from the mobile units that is received at each of the digital cell sites;
• measuring an amount of interference power from the digital cell sites that is received at each of the mobile units;
• defining first through fourth thresholds respectively corresponding to the measuring steps;
• comparing the interference power amounts to the corresponding one of the first through fourth thresholds;
• determining that one of the analog cell sites falls within a guard zone if any of the interference power amounts exceeds the corresponding one of the first through fourth thresholds;
• and
• determining a guard band corresponding to the one analog cell site.

A computer program product for analyzing interference in a dual mode system having a digital network overlaid on an analog network, the digital network including a plurality of portable units operating within digital cell sites, and the analog network including a plurality of mobile units operating within analog cell sites, the computer program product comprising:

• an analog cell site to portable unit interference module configured to determine interference caused by the analog cell sites to the portable units;
• a portable unit to analog cell site interference module configured to determine interference caused by the portable units to the analog cell sites;
• a mobile unit to digital cell site interference module configured to determine interference caused by the mobile units to the digital cell sites;
• and
• a digital cell site to mobile unit interference module configured to determine interference caused by the digital cell sites to the mobile units.

A system for analyzing interference in a dual mode system having a digital network overlaid on an analog network, the digital network including a plurality of portable units operating within digital cell sites, and the analog network including a plurality of mobile units operating within analog cell sites, the system comprising:

• an analog cell site to portable unit interference element configured to determine interference caused by the analog cell sites to the portable units;
• a portable unit to analog cell site interference element configured to determine interference caused by the portable units to the analog cell sites;
• a mobile unit to digital cell site interference element configured to determine interference caused by the mobile units to the digital cell sites;
• and
• a digital cell site to mobile unit interference element configured to determine interference caused by the digital cell sites to the mobile units.