Automatic frequency planning for a wireless network
AssigneeNortel Networks Limited
InventorPaul Chan Ho Tse
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Abstract
A system and method for automatic frequency planning in a wireless communications network is disclosed. The method determines frequency isolation between a first and second cell of the wireless communication network. The method broadcasts a first frequency in the first cell and a second frequency in the second cell. A mobile unit operating in the first cell measures both the first and second frequencies and reports the measurements using a mobile assisted handoff (MAHO) procedure. In some embodiments, the mobile unit repeatedly measures and reports the first and second frequencies. The difference between the first and second frequency is stored in an isolation matrix and analyzed to determine the frequency isolation.
Claims23
A method for determining a frequency plan for a wireless communication network, the method comprising the steps of:
- broadcasting a reference frequency in a first cell wherein the reference frequency is not used by the network for voice or data communications;
- broadcasting a second frequency in a second cell;
- instructing a first mobile unit operating in the second cell to measure both the reference and second frequencies and report the measurements;
- computing a difference between the measurements of the reference and second frequency;
- and
- analyzing the difference to determine frequency isolation,
- storing the difference in an isolation matrix,
- repeating the above steps for a predetermined number of cells in the network, and
- using the isolation matrix to determine the frequency plan for the network.
An automatic frequency planning system for use in a multi-frequency wireless communication network, the system comprising:
- a first transmitter for broadcasting control signals at a first frequency in a first cell of the network and receiving data from a first mobile unit in the first cell, the control signals instructing the first mobile unit to measure the first frequency as part of an assisted handoff method and provide the measurement of the first frequency as part of the data;
- a second transmitter for broadcasting a reference frequency in a second cell of the network, wherein the reference frequency is not used by the network for voice or data communications;
- and
- a computing component connected to the first transmitter for receiving and analyzing the data received from the first mobile unit;
- wherein the first frequency provides instructions to the first mobile unit to also measure the reference frequency and provide the measurement of the reference frequency as part of the data;
- wherein the computing component obtains a measurement difference between the first and reference frequencies and analyzes the difference to determine frequency isolation between the first and reference cell for planning frequency allocation and reuse in the network;
- and
- wherein the computing component creates an isolation matrix comprising the measurement difference between the first and reference frequencies for a predetermined number of cells in the network.
A method for updating a frequency plan for a multi-frequency wireless communication network, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) sending out a test frequency from a test cell, wherein the test frequency is not used by the network for voice or data communications;
- b) instructing a mobile unit to measure the test frequency in a serving sector of a serving cell, the mobile unit also measuring a serving frequency for the serving cell for assisting in a handoff procedure;
- c) providing the measurement of the serving and test frequencies to a computing component;
- d) recording a difference between the serving and test frequencies in an isolation matrix;
- e) repeating steps a) through d) for a predetermined number of cells in the network,
- f) using the isolation matrix to update the frequency plan for the network.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.