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US 8,744,466 B2Granted
Sensing RF environment to manage mobile network resources
AssigneeBroadcom Corporation
InventorsMike Hirano, M. Sue McMeekin, Donald P. Wahlstrom, Yan Zhang
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Abstract
Using radio frequency sensing to manage a mobile network resource is disclosed. A radio frequency environment is sensed to detect one or more base transceiver stations. A resource assignment, such as a frequency or channel assignment, is determined based at least in part on the sensed radio frequency environment.
Claims22
A method of managing a mobile network resource, comprising:
- sensing, by a first base transceiver station, a radio frequency environment to detect a signal broadcast by a second base transceiver station;
- preconfiguring the first base transceiver station to operate in accordance with absolute radio frequency channel numbers reserved in a network frequency planning process (reserved ARFCN) for use by the first base transceiver station;
- evaluating, by the first base transceiver station, the sensed radio frequency environment by determining which sensed signals are of interest;
- determining, by the first base transceiver station, a resource assignment based, at least in part, on the evaluated radio frequency environment and a prescribed rule, wherein the determining of the resource assignment comprises selecting at least one of the reserved ARFCNs to configure the first base transceiver station based, at least in part, on the evaluated radio frequency environment;
- and
- implementing, by the first base transceiver station, the resource assignment:
- wherein the first base transceiver station is a small scale base transceiver station, wherein an aggregation gateway aggregates traffic from a plurality of small scale base transceiver stations that communicate over an IP network to reach the aggregation gateway, and wherein the aggregation gateway sends the aggregated traffic from the plurality of small scale base transceiver stations to a base station controller.
4 more elements
A wireless communication device, comprising:
- an antenna;
- and
- a processor configured to use the antenna to sense a radio frequency environment to detect a signal broadcast by a base transceiver station, to evaluate the sensed radio frequency environment by determining a sensed signal of interest, to determine a proposed resource assignment based, at least in part, on the evaluated radio frequency environment, and to implement the proposed resource assignment,
- wherein the wireless communication device is preconfigured to operate in accordance with absolute radio frequency channel numbers reserved in a network frequency planning process (reserved ARFCNs) for use by the wireless communication device,
- wherein the determining of the proposed resource assignment comprises selecting at least one of the reserved ARFCNs with which to configure the wireless communication device based, at least in part, on the evaluated radio frequency environment and a prescribed rule,
- wherein the wireless communication device sends the proposed resource assignment to a base station controller through an IP network and an aggregation gateway, the aggregation gateway receiving traffic over the IP network from a plurality of small scale base transceiver stations including the wireless communication device, the aggregation gateway sending the aggregated traffic from the plurality of small scale base transceiver stations to the base station controller, and
- wherein the wireless communication device does not configure itself and awaits assignment of the at least one selected ARFCN from the base station controller.
4 more elements
A system of managing a mobile network resource, comprising:
- a first small scale base transceiver station that senses a radio frequency environment to detect a signal broadcast by a second base transceiver Station,
- wherein the first small scale base transceiver station is preconfigured to use at least one channel or frequency reserved during a network frequency planning process for use by the first small scale base transceiver station,
- wherein the first small scale base transceiver station evaluates the sensed radio frequency environment by determining a sensed signal of interest,
- wherein the first small scale base transceiver station reports evaluated radio frequency environment data to a base station controller through an IP network and an aggregation gateway, the aggregation gateway receiving traffic over the IP network from a plurality of small scale base transceiver stations including the first small scale base transceiver station, the aggregation gateway aggregating the traffic from the plurality of small scale transceiver stations and sending the aggregated traffic to the base station controller,
- wherein the base station controller determines a resource assignment based, at least in part, on the sensed radio frequency environment and a prescribed rule, and wherein the determining of the resource assignment comprises selecting at least one of the reserved channels or frequencies to configure the first small scale base transceiver station based, at least in part, on the evaluated radio frequency environment.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.