Sensing RF environment to manage mobile network resources

• US 20080085720A1
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: RadioFrame Networks, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Yan, Hirano, Mike, McMeekin, M., Wahlstrom, Donald
• Granted Patent: US 8,744,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/452.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/12 between access points and access point controllers

Abstract

Using radio frequency sensing to manage a mobile network resource is disclosed. A radio frequency environment is sensed to detect one or more base transceiver stations. A resource assignment, such as a frequency or channel assignment, is determined based at least in part on the sensed radio frequency environment.

Claims

1. A method of managing a mobile network resource, comprising:

sensing a radio frequency environment to detect one or more base transceiver stations; and

determining a resource assignment based at least in part on the sensed radio frequency environment.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the base transceiver station comprises a macrocellular base transceiver station configured to provide access to cellular telecommunication service to mobile stations located in a coverage area of the base transceiver station.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein sensing the radio frequency environment comprises detecting a signal broadcast by one of said one or more base transceiver stations.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein sensing the radio frequency environment further comprises determining a carrier frequency of said signal.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising populating a neighbor cell list with data associated with said one or more base transceiver stations.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the resource comprises a frequency.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the resource comprises a range of frequencies.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the resource comprises a code.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the resource comprises a channel.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining a resource assignment based at least in part on the sensed radio frequency environment comprises reporting to a mobile network node a data determined based at least in part on the sensed radio frequency environment and receiving the resource assignment from the mobile network node.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining a resource assignment based at least in part on the sensed radio frequency environment comprises determining that the assigned resource is not already in use by one or more of said one or more base transceiver stations.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining a resource assignment based at least in part on the sensed radio frequency environment comprises selecting the assigned resource from a set of available resources.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein selecting the assigned resource from a set of available resources comprises comparing the sensed radio frequency environment to one or more resources comprising the set of available resources.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the assigned resource is determined by a node to which the resource is to be assigned.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the node reports the assigned resource to the mobile network.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile network informs one or more of said one or more base transceiver stations of the resource assignment.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the resource is assigned to one or more of the following:

a small scale base transceiver station;

a portable base transceiver station; and

a micro-, pico-, or femto-cellular base transceiver station.

18. A system configured to manage a mobile network resource, comprising:

an antenna; and

a processor configured to;

use the antenna to sense a radio frequency environment to detect one or more base transceiver stations; and

determine a resource assignment based at least in part on the sensed radio frequency environment.

19. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein the system comprises a base transceiver station.

20. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein the system is configured to determine the resource assignment locally and report the resource assignment to the mobile network.

21. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein the system is configured to determine the resource assignment at least in part by reporting the sensed radio frequency environment to the mobile network and receiving the resource assignment from the mobile network.

22. A computer program product for managing a mobile network resource, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

sensing a radio frequency environment to detect one or more base transceiver stations; and

determining a resource assignment based at least in part on the sensed radio frequency environment.