SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SCORING COMMMUNICATION SPECTRUM MAXIMIZATION

• US 20070225006A1
• Filed: 03/22/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Broadcast Sciences Corporation
• Original Assignee: First Broadcasting Investment Partners, LLC
• Inventors: Keon, Neil, Kalvenes, Joakim, Unkefer, Ronald, Lawrence, Gary, Rose, Harold, Hieatt, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,613,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/391 Modelling the propagation channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/00 Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

A computer-based program performs calculations to analyze, vary, test, manage, and/or improve the performance of channels and/or frequencies in the communication spectrum. The program varies parameters of a point of communication, such as the location, transmission power, channel frequency, antenna height, and the like, alone or in combination, to measure, test, and/or evaluate which parameter changes increase the market coverage of a target market or area. In some scenarios, changes to one point of communication cause the regulations governing the broadcast relationship between one or more nearby points of communication to be violated. When this occurs, the program determines which of the parameters, such as the location, transmission power, channel and/or frequency, antenna height, and the like, alone or in combination, of the point of communication interfering with the increased market coverage scenario to vary to overcome the conflict with communications and/or regulatory law. In addition, the program can determine simultaneously which of the parameters of multiple points of communication to vary to overcome the conflict with communications and/or regulatory law. The program outputs multiple solutions with varying degrees of difficulty and varying amounts of performance improvement.

Claims

1. A computerized method of improving the coverage of a target area by a radio transmitter, the method comprising:

creating multiple potential alternative locations for a radio transmitter;

analyzing potential alternative locations, alternative classes, alternative frequencies, and/or alternative channels associated with the radio transmitter;

testing whether the alternative locations, alternative classes, alternative frequencies and/or alternative channels or combinations thereof are feasible; and

scoring the alternative locations, alternative classes, alternative frequencies and/or alternative channels, wherein the scoring generates a numerical score that represents population and/or demographic coverage within a target area and potential implementation costs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the numerical score comprises a net present value of the radio transmitter having the alternative locations, alternative classes, alternative frequencies and/or alternative channels of a scenario k.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein further scoring comprises determining the probability of success for the radio transmitter in the scenario k.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein scoring further comprises determining a cost due to a change in population and/or demographics coverage and a cost of a new transmission facility for the radio transmitter in the scenario k.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the cost of a new transmission facility for the radio transmitter in the scenario k comprises determining a cost of an antenna, a fixed cost to construct a new tower, a variable cost to construct a new tower, a fixed cost to extend an existing tower, a variable cost to extend the existing tower, and a quantity of additional radio transmitters being relocated in the scenario k.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein scoring further comprises determining a cost of negotiations in the scenario k.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein scoring further comprises determining a return on investment.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the numerical score is based at least in part on the probability of success, the cost due to a change in population and/or demographics coverage, the cost of a new transmission facility, the cost of negotiations, and the return on investment for the radio transmitter in the scenario k.

9. An apparatus for improving the coverage of a target area by a radio transmitter, the method comprising:

one or more processors configured to create multiple potential alternative locations for a radio transmitter;

one or more processors configured to analyze potential alternative locations, alternative classes alternative frequencies and/or alternative channels associated with a radio transmitter;

one or more processors configured to test whether the alternative locations, alternative classes, alternative frequencies and/or alternative channels or combinations thereof are feasible; and

one or more processors configured to score the alternative locations, alternative classes, alternative frequencies and/or alternative channels, wherein the scoring generates a numerical score that represents potential population and/or demographic coverage within a target area and potential implementation costs.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the numerical score comprises a financial feasibility score.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the numerical score comprises a net present value (NPV_k) of a radio transmitter j having the alternative locations, alternative classes, alternative frequencies and/or alternative channels of a scenario k, wherein

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein

ERP_j comprises a transmission power for the radio transmitter j,

ERP_j^New comprises a new transmission power for the radio transmitter j in the scenario k,

FS comprise a field strength in dBu defining a field strength contour using F^50,50,

HAAT_j comprises a height above average terrain for the radio transmitter j.

HAAT_j,k^New comprises a new height above average terrain for the radio transmitter j in the scenario k,

α

_j comprises a marginal value per population and/or demographic covered for the radio transmitter j, and

Δ

_j,k^Pops comprises a change in covered population and/or demographic for the radio transmitter j in the scenario k.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein

C_j,k comprises a cost attributed to the radio transmitter j for the scenario k,

C_j,k^NewTX comprises a cost of a new transmission facility for the radio transmitter j for scenario k,

FC^Antenna comprises a cost of an antenna,

FC^Construct comprises a fixed cost to construct a new tower,

VC^Construct comprises a variable cost per meter to construct the new tower,

FC^Extend comprises a fixed cost to extend an existing tower, and

VC^Extend is the variable cost per meter to extend the existing tower.

16. A computerized method of analyzing a communication transmission, the method comprising:

analyzing potential alternative locations, alternative classes, alternative frequencies, and/or alternative channels associated with a transmitter; and

scoring the alternative locations, alternative classes, alternative frequencies and/or alternative channels, wherein the scoring generates a numerical score based on one or more user defined criteria.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the numerical score is a net present value of the transmitter having the alternative locations, alternative classes, alternative frequencies and/or alternative channels of a scenario k.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the numerical score is based at least in part on a probability of success, a cost of negotiations, and a return on investment for the transmitter in the scenario k.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the numerical score is based at least in part on a cost due to a change in population and or demographic coverage and a cost of a new transmission facility for the radio transmitter in the scenario k.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the numerical score is based at least in part on the probability of success, the cost due to a change in population and/or demographic coverage, the cost of a new transmission facility, the cost of negotiations, and the return on investment for the transmitter in the scenario k.