Systems and methods for modifying antenna radiation patterns of peripheral base stations of a terrestrial network to allow reduced interference

• US 20050026606A1
• Filed: 06/28/2004
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Karabinis, Peter D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,558,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18543 for adaptation of transmission parameters, e.g. power control for detecting or preventing errors in the information received H04L1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/12 Fixed resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/30 Special cell shapes, e.g. doughnuts or ring cells

Abstract

A wireless communications system may include a terrestrial network including a plurality of base stations providing communications service for radioterminals over a terrestrial network coverage area. The plurality of base stations may include interior base stations providing communications service for radioterminals in an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area and peripheral base stations providing communications service for radioterminals at a peripheral portion of the terrestrial network coverage area. At least one of the peripheral base stations provides transmissions directed toward an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area with greater power than transmissions directed away from interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area. Related methods are also discussed.

Claims

1. A wireless communications system comprising:

a terrestrial network including a plurality of base stations providing communications service for radioterminals over a terrestrial network coverage area, the plurality of base stations including interior base stations providing communications service for radioterminals in an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area and peripheral base stations providing communications service for radioterminals at a peripheral portion of the terrestrial network coverage area, wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations provides transmissions directed toward an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area with greater power than transmissions directed away from interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area.

2. A wireless communications system according to claim 1 wherein the peripheral base stations and/or interior base stations define a portion of a perimeter of the terrestrial network coverage area such that interior base stations of the terrestrial network are located on one side of the perimeter and not on the other side of the perimeter.

3. A wireless communications system according to claim 2 wherein the perimeter is closed surrounding interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area.

4. A wireless communications system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the interior base stations defines a plurality of sectors surrounding the interior base station and wherein transmissions are directed from the at least one interior base station to each of the sectors so that transmissions are directed over a 360 degree pattern surrounding the at least one interior base station.

5. A wireless communications system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations defines a plurality of sectors surrounding the at least one peripheral base station and wherein the at least one peripheral base station provides transmissions to at least one sector directed substantially toward an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area with greater power than toward another sector directed substantially away from interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area.

6. A wireless communications system according to claim 5 wherein the at least one peripheral base stations includes directional transmission antennas for sectors directed substantially toward interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area but not for the sector directed substantially away from interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area.

7. A wireless communications system according to claim 6 wherein the at least one peripheral base stations includes directional receive antennas directed to each of the sectors surrounding the at least one peripheral base station.

8. A wireless communications system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations has fewer transmit sectors, fewer transmit antenna elements, different transmit antenna elements, and/or different transmit gain patterns than at least one interior base station.

9. A wireless communications system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a second terrestrial network including a second plurality of base stations providing communications service for radioterminals over a second terrestrial network coverage area, wherein a no-service region separates the first and second terrestrial network coverage areas such that communications services are not provided by base stations of either of the first or the second terrestrial networks in the no-service region.

10. A wireless communications system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a space based network comprising at least one satellite, the space based network providing communications service for radioterminals in a first satellite coverage area using at least a first frequency of a satellite frequency band and providing communications service for radioterminals in a second satellite coverage area using at least a second frequency of the satellite frequency band, wherein at least a portion of the terrestrial network coverage area is within the first satellite coverage area, wherein an entirety of the terrestrial network coverage area is outside the second satellite coverage area, wherein at least one of the base stations provides communications service using the second frequency of the satellite frequency band, and wherein at least one of the base stations does not provide communications to and/or from the radioterminals receiving communications from the at least one of the base stations using the first frequency of the satellite frequency band.

11. A wireless communications system according to claim 10 wherein the space based network transmits communications to radioterminals in the first satellite coverage area using the first frequency, wherein the space based network transmits communications to radioterminals in the second satellite coverage area using the second frequency, and wherein the at least one of the base stations transmits communications using the second frequency.

12. A wireless communications system according to claim 11 wherein the space based network receives communications from radioterminals in the first satellite coverage area using at least a third frequency, wherein the space based network receives communications from radioterminals in the second satellite coverage area using at least a fourth frequency, wherein at least one of the base stations receives communications using the fourth frequency, and wherein at least one of the base stations does not receive communications, from the radioterminals receiving communications from the at least one of the base stations, using the third frequency.

13. A wireless communications system according to claim 1 wherein the terrestrial network includes a plurality of receive-only base stations configured to receive communications from radioterminals at the peripheral portion of the terrestrial network coverage area so that communications service for a radioterminal is provided by a receive-only base station receiving communications from the radioterminal and by another base station transmitting communications to the radioterminal.

14. A wireless communications system comprising:

a terrestrial network including a plurality of base stations providing communications service for radioterminals over a terrestrial network coverage area, the plurality of base stations including interior base stations providing communications service for radioterminals in an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area and peripheral base stations providing communications service for radioterminals at a peripheral portion of the terrestrial network coverage area, wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations is a receive-only base station that does not transmit.

15. A wireless communications system according to claim 14 wherein the peripheral base stations and/or interior base stations define a portion of a perimeter of the terrestrial network coverage area such that interior base stations of the terrestrial network are located on one side of the perimeter and not on the other side of the perimeter.

16. A wireless communications system according to claim 15 wherein the perimeter is closed surrounding interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area.

17. A wireless communications system according to claim 14 wherein at least one of the interior base stations defines a plurality of sectors surrounding the at least one interior base station and wherein transmissions are directed from the at least one interior base station to each of the sectors so that transmissions are directed over a 360 degree pattern surrounding the at least one interior base station.

18. A wireless communications system according to claim 14 wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations defines a plurality of sectors surrounding the at least one peripheral base station and wherein the at least one peripheral base stations includes directional reception antennas for at least one of the sectors.

19. A wireless communications system according to claim 14 further comprising:

a second terrestrial network including a second plurality of base stations providing communications service for radioterminals over a second terrestrial network coverage area, wherein a no-service region separates the first and second terrestrial network coverage areas such that communications services are not provided by base stations of either of the first or the second terrestrial networks in the no-service region.

20. A wireless communications system according to claim 14 further comprising:

a space based network comprising at least one satellite, the space based network providing communications service for radioterminals in a first satellite coverage area using at least a first frequency of a satellite frequency band and providing communications service for radioterminals in a second satellite coverage area using at least a second frequency of the satellite frequency band, wherein at least a portion of the terrestrial network coverage area is within the first satellite coverage area, wherein an entirety of the terrestrial network coverage area is outside the second satellite coverage area, wherein at least one of the base stations provides communications service using the second frequency of the satellite frequency band, and wherein at least one of the base stations does not provide communications to and/or from the radioterminals receiving communications from the base stations, using the first frequency of the satellite frequency band.

21. A wireless communications system according to claim 20 wherein the space based network transmits communications to radioterminals in the first satellite coverage area using the first frequency, wherein the space based network transmits communications to radioterminals in the second satellite coverage area using the second frequency, and wherein the at least one of the base stations transmits communications using the second frequency.

22. A wireless communications system according to claim 21 wherein the space based network receives communications from radioterminals in the first satellite coverage area using at least a third frequency, wherein the space based network receives communications from radioterminals in the second satellite coverage area using at least a fourth frequency, wherein at least one of the base stations receives communications using the fourth frequency, and wherein at least one of the base stations does not receive communications from the radioterminals receiving communications from the base stations, using the third frequency.

23. A wireless communications system comprising:

a terrestrial network including a plurality of base stations providing communications service for radioterminals over a terrestrial network coverage area, the plurality of base stations including interior base stations providing communications service for radioterminals in an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area and peripheral base stations providing communications service for radioterminals at a peripheral portion of the terrestrial network coverage area, wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations is substantially disabled for transmission away from interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area.

24. A wireless communications system according to claim 23 wherein the peripheral base stations and/or the interior base stations define a portion of a perimeter of the terrestrial network coverage area such that interior base stations of the terrestrial network are located on one side of the perimeter and not on the other side of the perimeter.

25. A wireless communications system according to claim 24 wherein the perimeter is closed surrounding interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area.

26. A wireless communications system according to claim 23 wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations has fewer transmit sectors, fewer transmit antenna elements, different transmit antenna elements, and/or different transmit gain patterns than at least one of the interior base stations.

27. A wireless communications system according to claim 23 wherein at least one of the interior base stations transmits and receives communications and wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations comprises a receive-only peripheral base station.

28. A wireless communications system according to claim 23 further comprising:

a second terrestrial network including a second plurality of base stations providing communications service for radioterminals over a second terrestrial network coverage area, wherein a no-service region separates the first and second terrestrial network coverage areas such that communications services are not provided by base stations of either of the first or the second terrestrial networks in the no-service region.

29. A wireless communications system according to claim 23 further comprising:

a space based network comprising at least one satellite, the space based network providing communications service for radioterminals in a first satellite coverage area using at least a first frequency of a satellite frequency band and providing communications service for radioterminals in a second satellite coverage area using at least a second frequency of the satellite frequency band, wherein at least a portion of the terrestrial network coverage area is within the first satellite coverage area, wherein an entirety of the terrestrial network coverage area is outside the second satellite coverage area, wherein at least one of the base stations provides communications service using the second frequency of the satellite frequency band, and wherein at least one of the base stations does not provide communications to and/or from the radioterminals receiving communications from the base stations, using the first frequency of the satellite frequency band.

30. A wireless communications system according to claim 23 wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations provides transmissions directed toward an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area with greater power than transmissions directed away from interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area.

31. A wireless communications system according to claim 23 wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations is a receive-only base stations that does not transmit.

32. A method of providing communications for radioterminals, the method comprising:

providing communications service for radioterminals at an interior portion of a terrestrial network coverage area using interior base stations; and

providing communications service for radioterminals at a peripheral portion of the terrestrial network coverage area using peripheral base stations, wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations provides transmissions directed toward an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area with greater power than transmissions directed away from interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area.

33. A method according to claim 32 wherein the peripheral base stations and/or interior base stations define a portion of a perimeter of the terrestrial network coverage area such that interior base stations of the terrestrial network are located on one side of the perimeter and not on the other side of the perimeter.

34. A method according to claim 33 wherein the perimeter is closed surrounding interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area.

35. A method according to claim 33 wherein at least one of the interior base stations defines a plurality of sectors surrounding the at least one interior base station and wherein transmissions are directed from the at least one interior base station to each of the sectors so that transmissions are directed over a 360 degree pattern surrounding the at least one interior base station.

36. A method according to claim 32 wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations defines a plurality of sectors surrounding the at least one peripheral base station and wherein the at least one peripheral base station provides transmissions to at least one sector directed substantially toward an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area with greater power than toward another sector directed substantially away from interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area.

37. A method according to claim 36 wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations includes directional transmission antennas for sectors directed substantially toward interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area but not for the sector directed substantially away from interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area.

38. A method according to claim 37 wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations includes directional receive antennas directed to at least one of the sectors surrounding the at least one peripheral base station.

39. A method according to claim 32 wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations has fewer transmit sectors, fewer transmit antenna elements, different transmit antenna elements, and/or different transmit gain patterns than at least one interior base station.

40. A method according to claim 32 further comprising:

providing communications for radioterminals at a second terrestrial network coverage area using a second plurality of base stations wherein a no-service region separates the first and second terrestrial network coverage areas such that communications services are not provided by base stations of either of the first or the second terrestrial network coverage areas in the no-service region.

41. A method of providing communications for radioterminals, the method comprising:

providing communications service for radioterminals at an interior portion of a terrestrial network coverage area using a plurality of interior base stations; and

providing communications service for radioterminals at a peripheral portion of the terrestrial network coverage area using a plurality of peripheral base stations wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations is a receive-only base station that does not transmit.

42. A method according to claim 41 wherein the peripheral base stations and/or interior base stations define a portion of a perimeter of the terrestrial network coverage area such that interior base stations of the terrestrial network are located on one side of the perimeter and not on the other side of the perimeter.

43. A method according to claim 42 wherein the perimeter is closed surrounding interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area.

44. A method according to claim 41 wherein at least one of the interior base stations defines a plurality of sectors surrounding the interior base station and wherein transmissions are directed from the at least one interior base station to each of the sectors so that transmissions are directed over a 360 degree pattern surrounding the at least one interior base station.

45. A method according to claim 41 wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations defines a plurality of sectors surrounding the at least one peripheral base station and wherein the at least one peripheral base station includes directional reception antennas for at least one of the sectors.

46. A method according to claim 41 further comprising:

providing communications service for radioterminals at a second terrestrial network coverage area using a second plurality of base stations wherein a no-service region separates the first and second terrestrial network coverage areas such that communications services are not provided by base stations of either of the first or the second terrestrial network coverage areas in the no-service region.

47. A method of providing communications for radioterminals, the method comprising:

providing communications for radioterminals at an interior portion of a terrestrial network coverage area using a plurality of interior base stations; and

providing communications for radioterminals at a peripheral portion of the terrestrial network coverage area using a plurality of peripheral base stations wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations is substantially disabled for transmission away from interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area.

48. A method according to claim 47 wherein the peripheral base stations and/or the interior base stations define a portion of a perimeter of the terrestrial network coverage area such that interior base stations of the terrestrial network are located on one side of the perimeter and not on the other side of the perimeter.

49. A method according to claim 48 wherein the perimeter is closed surrounding interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area.

50. A method according to claim 47 wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations has fewer transmit sectors, fewer transmit antenna elements, different transmit antenna elements, and/or different transmit gain patterns than at least one of the interior base stations.

51. A method according to claim 47 wherein at least one of the interior base stations transmits and receives communications and wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations comprises a receive-only peripheral base-station.

52. A method according to claim 47 further comprising:

providing communications service for radioterminals at a second terrestrial network coverage area using a second plurality of base stations, wherein a no-service region separates the first and second terrestrial network coverage areas such that communications services are not provided by base stations of either of the first or the second terrestrial network coverage areas in the no-service region.

53. A method according to claim 47 wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations provides transmissions directed toward an interior portion of the terrestrial network coverage area with greater power than transmissions directed away from interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area.

54. A method according to claim 47 wherein at least one of the peripheral base stations is a receive-only base stations that does not transmit.

55. A wireless communications system comprising:

a plurality of interior down-link transmitters configured to transmit communications to radioterminals located in interior portions of a terrestrial network coverage area;

a plurality of interior up-link receivers configured to receive communications from radioterminals located in the interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area; and

a plurality of peripheral up-link receivers configured to receive communications from radioterminals located in a peripheral region of the terrestrial network coverage area adjacent the interior portions of the terrestrial network coverage area, wherein at least a portion of the peripheral region is outside an engineered coverage area of any down-link transmitters of the communications system.

56. A wireless communications system according to claim 55 wherein a down-link for a radioterminal in the peripheral region is provided from one of the interior down link transmitters and wherein an up-link for the radioterminal in the peripheral region is provided from one of the peripheral up-link receivers.

57. An Ancillary Terrestrial Component (ATC) that is configured to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of radiotelephones using at least one satellite radiotelephone frequency over an ATC service area, the ATC comprising:

a plurality of base stations that are configured to wirelessly communicate with the plurality of radiotelephones using at least one satellite radiotelephone frequency, the plurality of base stations including at least one interior base station that is located in an interior portion of the ATC service area and at least one peripheral base station that is located at a periphery of the ATC service area, at least one peripheral base station having fewer transmit sectors, fewer transmit antenna elements, different transmit antenna elements and/or different transmit gain patterns than at least one interior base station.

58. An ATC according to claim 57 wherein at least one interior base station is at least one transmit and receive interior base station, the ATC further comprising:

at least one receive-only peripheral base station.

59. A terrestrial communications network that is configured to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of radiotelephones, the terrestrial communications network comprising:

a plurality of base stations that are configured to wirelessly communicate with the plurality of radiotelephones, the plurality of base stations including at least one base station having a return link margin greater than a forward link margin over at least a portion of a coverage area thereof.

60. A terrestrial communications network according to claim 59 wherein the at least one base station having a return link margin greater than a forward link margin comprises a peripheral base station that is located at a periphery of the terrestrial communications network service area.

61. A terrestrial communications network according to claim 60 further comprising:

at least one interior base station that is located in an interior portion of the terrestrial communications network service area.

62. A terrestrial communications network according to claim 61 wherein the at least one interior base station is at least one transmit and receive interior base station, and wherein the peripheral base station comprises a receive-only peripheral base station.

63. A terrestrial communications network according to claim 60 wherein the portion of the coverage area comprises a 120 degree sector extending from the base station.

64. A terrestrial communications network according to claim 61 wherein the peripheral base station is located between the at least one interior base station and an airport.

65. A terrestrial communications network according to claim 61 wherein the peripheral base station is located between the at least one interior base station and a navigable waterway.

66. A terrestrial communications network according to claim 61 wherein the peripheral base station includes at least two coverage area sectors.

67. A terrestrial communications network according to claim 66 wherein a first one of the coverage area sectors is configured to radiate in a substantially southern direction at an increased power level relative to a second one of the coverage area sectors.

68. A terrestrial communications network according to claim 66 wherein a first one of the coverage ara sectors is configured to radiate in a substantially northern direction at an increased power level relative to a second one of the coverage area sectors.

69. A terrestrial communications network according to claim 66 wherein a first one of the coverage area sectors is configured to radiate in a substantially northern direction at a reduced power level relative to a second one of the coverage area sectors.

70. A terrestrial communications network according to claim 66 wherein a first one of the coverage ara sectors is configured to radiate in a substantially southern direction at a reduced power level relative to a second one of the coverage area sectors.

71. A terrestrial communications network that is configured to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of radiotelephones, the terrestrial communications network comprising:

a plurality of base stations that are configured to wirelessly communicate with the plurality of radiotelephones, the plurality of base stations including at least one base station having at least one antenna that transmits information to at least one radiotelephone using substantially Left-Hand Circular Polarization (LHCP).

72. A terrestrial communications network according to claim 71 wherein the at least one base station receives information from at least one radiotelephone using a polarization diversity and/or a space diversity antenna configuration.