Fractional reuse through channel allocation tiering

• US 20040203806A1
• Filed: 03/26/2001
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Craig, Stephen, Kronestedt, Fredric
• Granted Patent: US 6,882,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/10 Dynamic resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference

Abstract

A cellular telecommunications method and system for fractional reuse of resources through channel allocation tiering, thereby increasing the spectral efficiency of the telecommunications system. A number of available channels in a cell are divided into logical groups, each of which share the same radio resources. The system reduces or eliminates interference using a number of techniques, such as interference diversity, interference suppression and/or interference avoidance. This utilization of resources in the system will create a spectrally efficient network or cell and enable a reuse less than one.

Claims

1. A method for increasing the spectral efficiency of a wireless telecommunications system, said method comprising the steps of:

dividing a plurality of channels within a cell of said wireless telecommunications system into a plurality of logical groups;

mapping a first group of said plurality of logical groups onto a first plurality of radio resources; and

mapping at least one other group of said plurality of logical groups onto a second plurality of radio resources, at least one radio resource in said second plurality of radio resources corresponding to at least one radio resource in said first plurality of radio resources.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of logical groups has a different radio frequency hopping sequence.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of logical groups has a different training sequence.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of logical groups being spatial separated.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first plurality of radio resources and said second plurality of radio resources are substantially the same.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

enforcing silence on an interfering channel within said plurality of logical groups.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said step of enforcing silence is based on a quality of service (QoS) measure.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a timing offset is applied between said plurality of logical groups mapped onto said plurality of radio resources.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said steps of mapping said first group and mapping said at least one other group are performed according to a communication measure.

10. The method according to claims 9, wherein said communication measure is selected from the group consisting of:

current load in said plurality of logical groups, prevailing quality of active service sessions, Quality-of-Service requirements of service sessions, directions of users with respect to a base station, distance of users from a base station, path loss of users from a base station, users received signal strengths, geographical distance from users to a cell border, radio distance from users to a cell border and any combination of communication measures.

11. A wireless telecommunications system for increasing the spectral efficiency of a wireless telecommunications system, said system comprising:

a divider for dividing a plurality of channels within a cell of said wireless telecommunications system into a plurality of logical groups; and

mapping means for mapping said plurality of logical groups onto a plurality of radio resources.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said mapping means comprises flexibly mapping said plurality of logical groups onto said plurality of radio resources.

13. The system according to claim 11, further comprising implementing means for implementing different radio frequency hopping sequences in each of said plurality of logical groups.

14. The system according to claim 11, further comprising means for using different training sequences in each of said plurality of logical groups.

15. The system according to claim 11, further comprising separating means for spatially separating said plurality of logical groups.

16. The system according to claim 11, further comprising silencing means for enforcing silence for an interfering channel.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said silencing means comprises enforcing silence on a user based on a quality of service (QoS) measure.

18. The system according to claim 11, further comprising offset means for applying a time offset between said plurality of logical groups mapped on said plurality of radio resources.

19. The system according to claim 11, further comprising determining means for determining a communication measure used to aid said mapping means in mapping said plurality of logical groups onto said plurality of radio resources efficiently, thereby maximizing the performance of the system.