Device and method for alerting user to interference

• US 20020142744A1
• Filed: 03/28/2002
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Shuntaro, Okanoue, Kazuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,158,769 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/226.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1027 assessing signal quality or detecting noise/interference for the received signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/005 Control of transmission; Equalising

Abstract

An alerting device allowing easy estimation of possible interference and useful suggestions to eliminate deteriorated communication quality due to interference is disclosed. A signal including a band used by a target radio communication system is selected from a received signal based on a prescribed system specification of the radio communication system. A detected signal level of the selected signal is detected and compared with the prescribed interference level. When the detected signal level is greater than the prescribed interference level, it is determined that interference occurs. Further, an interference source is estimated by analyzing the selected signal with respect to time and frequency components.

Claims

1. An alerting device for alerting a user to occurrence of interference on a band used in a wireless communication system, comprising:

a determiner for determining whether an interference source exists, based on system identifying information prescribed in the wireless communication system; and

an indicator for indicating that interference occurs on the band when it is determined that the interference source exists.

2. The alerting device according to claim 1, wherein the determiner comprises:

an interference detector for detecting occurrence of interference based on interference information included in the system identifying information.

3. The alerting device according to claim 2, wherein the determiner further comprises:

an estimator for estimating an interference source from a received signal when the occurrence of interference is detected.

4. The alerting device according to claim 1, wherein the system identifying information includes a carrier frequency of the wireless communication system, a bandwidth thereof, and a threshold value used to determine whether a good communication can be made,

5. The alerting device according to claim 1, wherein the determiner comprises:

an envelope level detector for detecting an envelope level of a received signal; and

a comparator for comparing the envelope level with a prescribed interference level obtained from the system identifying information to determine whether interference occurs.

6. The alerting device according to claim 5, wherein the determiner further comprises:

an estimator for estimating an interference source from a received signal when the occurrence of interference is detected.

7. The alerting device according to claim 6, wherein the estimator comprises:

a memory retrievably storing data of a plurality of interference sources;

an analyzer for analyzing the received signal to produce a duration of the interference and frequency components of the received signal when the interference occurs; and

a retriever for retrieving an interference source from the memory according to the duration and the frequency components obtained by the analyzer.

8. An alerting device for alerting a user to occurrence of interference in a radio communication system, comprising:

a signal extractor for extracting an interference component from a received signal based on system identifying information prescribed in the radio communication system;

an interference detector for detecting whether the interference component deteriorates quality of communication, to produce an interference detection signal; and

an indicator for notifying a user of occurrence of interference when the interference detection signal indicates deteriorated quality of communication.

9. An alerting device for alerting a user to occurrence of interference in a radio communication system, comprising:

a signal extractor for extracting an interference component from a received signal based on system identifying information prescribed in the radio communication system;

an interference detector for detecting whether the interference component deteriorates quality of communication, to produce an interference detection signal;

p1 an estimator for estimating an interference source from the interference component when the interference detection signal indicates deteriorated quality of communication; and

an indicator for notifying a user of occurrence of interference and the interference source when the interference detection signal indicates deteriorated quality of communication.

10. The alerting device according to claim 9, wherein the estimator comprises:

a time-domain analyzer for analyzing the interference component with respect to time to produce a time-domain analysis result;

a frequency-domain analyzer for analyzing the interference component with respect to frequency to produce a frequency-domain analysis result; and

an interference analyzer for estimating the interference source based on the time-domain analysis result and the frequency domain analysis result.

12. The alerting method according to claim 10, wherein the determining step comprises the step of:

detecting occurrence of interference based on interference information included in the system identifying information.

14. The alerting method according to claim 10, wherein the system identifying information includes a carrier frequency of the wireless communication system, a bandwidth thereof, and a threshold value used to determine whether a good communication can be made.

11. An alerting method for alerting a user to occurrence of interference on a band used in a wireless communication system, comprising the steps of:

determining whether an interference source exists, based on system identifying information prescribed in the wireless communication system; and

indicating that interference occurs on the band when it is determined that the interference source exists,

13. The alerting method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of:

estimating an interference source from a received signal when the occurrence of interference is detected.

15. A program instructing a computer to alert a user to occurrence of interference on a band used in a wireless communication system, the program comprising the steps of:

detecting occurrence of interference based on interference information included in system identifying information prescribed in the wireless communication system; and

indicating that interference occurs on the band when it is determined that the interference source exists.

16. A program instructing a computer to alert a user to occurrence of interference on a band used in a wireless communication system, the program comprising the steps of:

detecting occurrence of interference based on interference information included in system identifying information prescribed in the wireless communication system;

estimating an interference source from a received signal when the occurrence of interference is detected, and

indicating occurrence of the interference and the interference source when it is determined that the interference source exists.