Intelligent Sector Channel Allocation

• US 20090233617A1
• Filed: 03/13/2008
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxlinear Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lantiq Deutschland GMBH (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Kluwe, Stefan, Bjarnason, Elias, Zettler, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,315,215 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/452.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

Allocation of a plurality of channels in a wireless network is described. The allocation process has each base station serving the sectors in the network scan each unused channel of the plurality of channels in its served sector. The signal quality of each scanned, unused channel is measured and sorted according to the measured signal quality. The quality-sorted unused channels are then ordered according to a statistical algorithm. An ordered list of available channels is generated according to results of the statistical algorithm ordering. This ordered list is broadcast to each access terminal (AT) registered with the base station. New communication between the base station and its registered ATs is then initiated using one of the unused channels in the ordered list.

Claims

1. A method for allocating a plurality of channels in a wireless network, said method comprising:

scanning each unused channel of said plurality of channels in each sector of said wireless network, wherein said scanning is performed by a base station serving said each sector;

measuring a signal quality of said each scanned unused channel;

sorting said each unused channel according to said measured signal quality;

ordering said each sorted unused channel according to a statistical algorithm;

generating an ordered list of available channels according to results of said ordering;

broadcasting said ordered list of available channels to each one or more access terminals (ATs) registered with said base station; and

initiating new communication between said base station and said one or more ATs using a channel selected from said ordered list.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, at said base station, a transmission on a received channel;

comparing said received channel against said ordered list of available channels; and

determining said transmission is a call request when said received channel matches a first channel on said ordered list of available channels.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

re-performing said scanning, said measuring, said sorting, said ordering, said generating, and said broadcasting responsive to initiating communication using said received channel.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

periodically re-performing said scanning, said measuring, said sorting, said ordering, said generating, and said broadcasting responsive to initiating communication using said received channel.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said measuring comprises one of:

measuring a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of said each scanned unused channel; and

reading a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) related to said each scanned unused channel.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

dividing said ordered list according to a channel deployment rule.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said channel deployment rule is set by administration signals of said wireless network and divides said ordered list between two or more bearer signals.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising one of:

receiving said statistical algorithm from administration signals of said wireless network;

receiving a set of statistical algorithms from said administration signals, wherein one of said set is selected by said base station according to a sector condition;

or

independently selecting said statistical algorithm by said base station according to said sector condition.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said statistical algorithm comprises one of:

least recently used (LRU);

least frequently used (LFU);

or

adaptive replacement.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving information indicating to page one of said one or more ATs;

accessing said ordered list to select a first available paging channel; and

transmitting said page to said one of said one or more ATs using said first available paging channel.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving, at said one of said one or more ATs, a transmission over a transmit channel;

comparing said transmit channel to said ordered list; and

recognizing said page when said transmit channel corresponds to said first available paging channel on said ordered list.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

scanning each unused local channel of said plurality of channels in a location surrounding one of said one or more ATs, wherein said scanning is performed by said one of said one or more ATs;

measuring a local signal quality of said each scanned unused local channel;

sorting said each unused local channel according to said measured local signal quality;

ordering said each sorted unused local channel according to an AT statistical algorithm;

generating an AT ordered list of available local channels according to results of said ordering;

receiving said ordered list from said base station; and

comparing said AT ordered list with said ordered list to determine a highest channel common to both of said lists, wherein said common highest channel is located in said top portion of said ordered list and said channel selected comprises said common highest channel.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said measuring includes:

measuring channel interference from a channel deployment pattern in neighboring sectors; and

measuring channel interference from an environmentally occurring signal source.

14. A wireless communication device comprising:

a processor;

a signal detector operable by said processor and configured to detect one or more channels in wireless communication signals and to measure a signal quality of said one or more channels; and

a signal comparator operable by said processor and configured to sort unused ones of said one or more channels according to said signal quality and a statistical algorithm;

wherein said comparator is configured to generate an ordered list based on the sorting of said unused ones of said one or more channels,

wherein the wireless communication device is configured to broadcast said ordered list to one or more mobile devices registered with said base station.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said statistical algorithm comprises one of:

least recently used (LRU);

least frequently used (LFU);

or

adaptive replacement.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein said signal comparator further divides said ordered list between two or more bearer signals.

17. The device of claim 14 wherein said signal detector measures said signal quality using one or more of:

a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio; and

a received signal strength indicator (RSSI).

18. A wireless communication system comprising:

a plurality of sectors, each of said plurality of sectors served by a base station;

a plurality of channels available to said plurality of sectors wherein said base station controls allocation of said plurality of channels to one or more access terminals (ATs) registered with said base station; and

an ordered list of unused channels created by said base station in each of said plurality of sectors, wherein said base station creates said ordered list based on;

one or more of said plurality of channels currently unused in one of said plurality of sectors served by said base station;

a signal quality of said one or more of said plurality of channels currently unused; and

a statistical algorithm;

wherein said ordered list is stored by said base station and said one or more ATs registered with said base station and wherein communication between said base station and said one or more ATs occurs using a channel selected from said ordered list.

19. The wireless communication system of claim 18 wherein said signal quality comprises one or more of:

a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio; and

a received signal strength indicator (RSSI).

20. The wireless communication system of claim 18 wherein said signal quality is influenced by one or more of:

a channel deployment pattern in neighboring one of said plurality of sectors; and

an environmentally occurring signal source.

21. The wireless communication system of claim 18 wherein said base station creates said ordered list in further consideration of:

a channel deployment rule that divides said ordered list between two or more bearer signals.

22. The wireless communication system of claim 18 further comprising:

a local ordered list of unused channels created by each of said one or more ATs, wherein each of said one or more ATs creates said local ordered list in consideration of;

one or more local channels of said plurality of channels currently unused in a location surrounding each of said one or more ATs;

a local signal quality of said one or more local channels; and

an AT statistical algorithm;

wherein said local ordered list is compared against said ordered list stored by each of said one or more ATs registered with said base station and wherein said selected channel from said top portion of said ordered list comprises a highest ordered channel common to each of said local ordered list and said ordered list.

23. The wireless communication system of claim 18 wherein said statistical algorithm comprises one of:

least recently used (LRU);

least frequently used (LFU);

or

adaptive replacement.