Method, apparatus, and computer-readable storage medium for managing utilization of wireless resources between base stations

• US 10,009,901 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2015
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gerszberg, Irwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Fang, Keith
• Application Number:
  US14/855,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20170079024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0041 Frequency-non-contiguous
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/04 Reselecting a cell layer in multi-layered cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 by location data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a wireless communication node that receives instructions in a control channel directing it to utilize a spectral segment at a first carrier frequency to communicate with a mobile communication device. Responsive to the instructions, the wireless communication node receives a modulated signal in the spectral segment at a second carrier frequency from the base station, the modulated signal including communications data provided by the base station. The wireless communication node down-shifts the modulated signal at the second carrier frequency to the first carrier frequency, and wirelessly transmits the modulated signal at the first carrier frequency to the mobile communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

initiating, by a macro base station, first wireless communications services with a first mobile communication device utilizing a first spectral segment at a first carrier frequency;

determining, by the macro base station, that a rate of travel of the first mobile communication device satisfies a threshold;

responsive to the determining, identifying, by the macro base station, a micro base station in a communication range of the first mobile communication device;

assigning, by the macro base station, a second spectral segment to the micro base station to enable the micro base station to communicate with the first mobile communication device;

modulating, by the macro base station, a signal to generate a first modulated signal in the second spectral segment;

up-converting, by the macro base station, the first modulated signal in the second spectral segment to a second carrier frequency;

transmitting, by the macro base station, first instructions in a control channel at the second carrier frequency to direct the micro base station to utilize the second spectral segment for communicating with the first mobile communication device; and

transmitting, by the macro base station, the first modulated signal at the second carrier frequency to the micro base station, the transmitting of the first modulated signal enabling the micro base station to down-convert the first modulated signal at the second carrier frequency to the first modulated signal in the second spectral segment and to wirelessly transmit the first modulated signal in the second spectral segment to the first mobile communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first modulated signal is transmitted by the macro base station to the micro base station as a guided electromagnetic wave that propagates in a physical transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first modulated signal is transmitted by the macro base station to the micro base station over a wireless transmission medium.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning further comprises assigning the micro base station to utilize the second spectral segment at the first carrier frequency when communicating with the first mobile communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first modulated signal at the second carrier frequency includes a reference signal to enable the micro base station to reduce phase error when receiving the first modulated signal at the second carrier frequency.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the modulating comprises modulating the signal according to a signaling protocol, and wherein the up-converting is performed without modifying the signaling protocol.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the signaling protocol comprises a cellular communications protocol or a wireless access protocol.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the cellular communications protocol comprises a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) wireless protocol.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the macro base station, second instructions directing the first mobile communication device to utilize second wireless communications services provided by the micro base station; and

terminating, by the macro base station, the first wireless communications services with the first mobile communication device by way of the first spectral segment.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising initiating, by the macro base station, wireless communications with a second mobile communication device reusing the first spectral segment at the first carrier frequency previously used by the macro base station to wirelessly communicate with the first mobile communication device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first spectral segment utilized by the macro base station to wirelessly communicate with the second mobile communication device and the second spectral segment utilized by the micro base station to communicate with the first mobile communication device overlap in spectrum.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the macro base station, a second modulated signal at the second carrier frequency from the micro base station, wherein the second modulated signal originates from the first mobile communication device, wherein the second modulated signal is up-converted by the micro base station to the second carrier frequency, and wherein the micro base station transmits to the macro base station the second modulated signal at the second carrier frequency.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising down-converting, by the macro base station, the second modulated signal at the second carrier frequency.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the second modulated signal is in a third spectral segment that has a different frequency range than the second spectral segment.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the second modulated signal at the second carrier frequency includes a reference signal to enable the macro base station to remove phase error when receiving the second modulated signal at the second carrier frequency.

16. A device, comprising:

a processing system of a macro base station including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, perform operations, the operations comprising;

initiating wireless communications services with a mobile communication device utilizing a first spectral segment at a first carrier frequency;

determining that a rate of travel of the mobile communication device satisfies a threshold;

responsive to the determining, identifying a micro base station in a communication range of the mobile communication device;

assigning a second spectral segment to the micro base station to enable the micro base station to communicate with the mobile communication device;

modulating a signal to generate a modulated signal in the second spectral segment;

up-converting the modulated signal in the second spectral segment to a second carrier frequency;

transmitting control instructions in a control channel at the second carrier frequency to direct the micro base station to utilize the second spectral segment for communicating with the mobile communication device; and

transmitting the modulated signal at the second carrier frequency to the micro base station, the transmitting of the modulated signal enabling the micro base station to down-convert the modulated signal at the second carrier frequency to the modulated signal in the second spectral segment and to wirelessly transmit the modulated signal in the second spectral segment to the mobile communication device.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the modulated signal is transmitted by the macro base station to the micro base station as a guided electromagnetic wave that propagates in a physical transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the modulated signal is transmitted by the macro base station to the micro base station over a wireless transmission medium.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the assigning further comprises assigning the micro base station to utilize the second spectral segment at the first carrier frequency when communicating with the mobile communication device.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the modulated signal at the second carrier frequency includes a reference signal to enable the micro base station to reduce phase error when receiving the modulated signal at the second carrier frequency.

21. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system of a macro base station including a processor, perform operations, the operations comprising:

initiating wireless communications services with a mobile communication device utilizing a first spectral segment at a first carrier frequency;

determining that a rate of travel of the mobile communication device satisfies a threshold;

responsive to the determining, identifying a micro base station in a communication range of the mobile communication device;

assigning a second spectral segment to the micro base station to enable the micro base station to communicate with the mobile communication device;

modulating a signal to generate a modulated signal in the second spectral segment;

up-converting the modulated signal in the second spectral segment to a second carrier frequency;

transmitting control instructions in a control channel at the second carrier frequency to direct the micro base station to utilize the second spectral segment for communicating with the mobile communication device; and

transmitting the modulated signal at the second carrier frequency to the micro base station, the transmitting of the modulated signal enabling the micro base station to down-convert the modulated signal at the second carrier frequency to the modulated signal in the second spectral segment and to wirelessly transmit the modulated signal in the second spectral segment to the mobile communication device.

22. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the modulating comprises modulating the signal according to a signaling protocol, and wherein the up-converting is performed without modifying the signaling protocol.

23. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the signaling protocol comprises a cellular communications protocol or a wireless access protocol.

24. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the cellular communications protocol comprises a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) wireless protocol.