SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THE DELIVERY OF HIGH SPEED DATA SERVICES OVER DEDICATED AND NON-DEDICATED PRIVATE LAND MOBILE RADIO (PLMR) CHANNELS USING COGNITIVE RADIO TECHNOLOGY

• US 20100303033A1
• Filed: 06/17/2008
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ondas Networks Inc.
• Original Assignee: Full Spectrum Inc.
• Inventors: Shahar, Menashe, Kantor, Stewart
• Granted Patent: US 8,619,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0093 Point-to-multipoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/10 Dynamic resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/535 based on resource usage policies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A system and method for delivery of high speed data services over dedicated and non-dedicated private land mobile radio (PLMR) channels using cognitive radio technology. The PLMR system provides bi-directional Point-to-Multipoint (PtMP) data communication between a dispatch center and many fixed or mobile remote terminals. A plurality of base stations communicate with a base station controller at the dispatch center and a plurality of remote radios communicate with at least one of the remote terminals. PLMR channel scanners, located in each base station and remote radio, scan the PLMR channels to determine which of the PLMR channels is idle at any point of time so that data communication may take place.

Claims

1. A point to multipoint wireless system for communication between a dispatch center hub and a plurality of remote terminals, the system comprising:

a base station controller in communication with the dispatch center hub;

a plurality of base stations, each of said plurality of base stations in communication with the base station controller, each of said plurality of base stations being located at a corresponding one of a plurality of private land mobile radio (PLMR) tower sites;

a plurality of remote radios in communication with at least one of said plurality of remote terminals;

at least one PLMR channel scanner embedded in each of said plurality of base stations;

at least one PLMR channel scanner embedded in each of said plurality of remote radios,

wherein each of said at least one PLMR channel scanners embedded in each of said plurality of base stations and remote radios is configured to scan the PLMR channels to determine which of the PLMR channels is idle at any point of time; and

wherein each of said plurality of base stations maintains two-way data communication over idle PLMR channels with the plurality of remote radios in its serving area.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of radio relays transceivers in communication with said plurality of base stations and wherein each of said plurality of radio relays transceivers communicate with said plurality of remote radios.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said idle PLMR channels are non-dedicated PLMR channels.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said idle PLMR channels comprise a plurality of individual adjacent PLMR channels combined into a single wider channel.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein said idle PLMR channels comprise a plurality of individual non-adjacent PLMR channels.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of base stations comprises:

a RF front end in communication with said at least one PLMR channel scanner embedded in each of said plurality of base stations;

a cognitive controller in communication with the RF front end and said at least one PLMR channel scanner; and

a baseband modem in communication with the RF front end and the cognitive controller.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein each of said plurality of base stations further comprises:

a plurality of transmitters in communication with the cognitive controller, each of the plurality of transmitters configured to perform modulation for a single PLMR channel; and

a plurality of receivers in communication with the cognitive controller, each of the plurality of receivers configured to perform demodulation for a single PLMR channel.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said single PLMR channel comprises the bandwidth of all the available adjacent PLMR channels.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein each of said plurality of base stations further comprises:

an inverse Mux in communication with said cognitive controller, said inverse Mux configured to convert a high bit rate data stream into multiple lower bit rate data streams for delivery to said plurality of transmitters; and

a Mux in communication with said cognitive controller, said Mux configured to convert multiple lower bit rate data streams received into one high bit rate data stream for delivery to a local user.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of remote radios comprises:

a RF front end in communication with said at least one PLMR channel scanner embedded in each of said plurality of remote radios;

a remote radio (RR) cognitive controller in communication with the RF front end and the remote radio scanner; and

a modem in communication with the RF front end and the RR cognitive controller.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein each of said plurality of remote radios further comprises:

a plurality of transmitters in communication with the RR cognitive controller, each of the plurality of transmitters configured to perform modulation for a single PLMR channel; and

a plurality of receivers in communication with the RR cognitive controller, each of the plurality of receivers configured to perform demodulation for a single PLMR channel.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said single PLMR channel comprises the bandwidth of all the available adjacent PLMR channels.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of remote radios further comprises:

an inverse Mux in communication with said RR cognitive controller, said inverse Mux configured to convert a high bit rate data stream into multiple lower bit rate data streams for delivery to said plurality of transmitters; and

a Mux in communication with said RR cognitive controller, said Mux configured to convert multiple lower bit rate data streams received into one high bit rate data stream for delivery to a local user.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the channel width of said PLMR channels is within a range of 6.25 KHz to 50 KHz.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein said PLMR channels comprise one of a group of characteristics including a single channel per PLMR channel and two sub-channels separated by a guard band.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of base stations comprises:

an Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM)/Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) transmitter configured to transmit a multiple carrier waveform over adjacent or non adjacent PLMR channels an OFDM/OFDMA receiver configured to receive the OFDM/OFDMA waveform generated by the remote OFDM/OFDMA transmitter over adjacent or non adjacent PLMR channels;

a RF front end in communication with the OFDM/OFDMA receiver, an OFDM/OFDMA transmitter and at least one PLMR channel scanner embedded in each of said plurality of base stations; and

a cognitive MAC controller in communication with said at least one PLMR channel scanner embedded in each of said plurality of base stations, said OFDM/OFDMA receiver and OFDM/OFDMA transmitter,

wherein said cognitive controller being configured to allocate non-dedicated PLMR channel resources based upon scanner reports.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said RF front end comprises:

a Receive Notch Filter Bank (RNFB) configured to block signals received over non usable portions of the channel and over non idle non-dedicated PLMR channels; and

a Digital Pre-Distortion Equalizer (DPD) configured to eliminate products of the transmit signal to be transmitted over non usable portions of the channel and over non idle non-dedicated PLMR channels.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said Receive Notch Filter Bank is programmable and controlled by the cognitive MAC controller.

19. The system according to claim 16, wherein said cognitive MAC controller is configured to control frequency allocations for all remote radios with which it communicates.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of remote radios comprises:

an Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM)/Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) transmitter configured to transmit a multiple carrier waveform over a single or multiple adjacent or non adjacent PLMR channels;

an OFDM/OFDMA receiver configured to receive the OFDM/OFDMA waveform generated by the remote OFDM/OFDMA transmitter over a single or multiple adjacent or non adjacent PLMR channels;

a RF front end in communication with the OFDM/OFDMA receiver, the OFDM/OFDMA transmitter and at least one PLMR channel scanner embedded in each of said plurality of remote radios; and

a cognitive MAC controller in communication with said base station scanner, said OFDM/OFDMA receiver and OFDM/OFDMA transmitter, said cognitive controller being configured to allocate non-dedicated PLMR channel resources based upon scanner reports.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said RF front end comprises:

a Receive Notch Filter Bank (RNFB) configured to block signals received over non usable portions of the channel and over non idle non-dedicated PLMR channels; and

a Digital Pre-Distortion Equalizer (DPD) configured to eliminate products of the transmit signal to be transmitted over non usable portions of the channel and over non idle non-dedicated PLMR channels.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said Receive Notch Filter Bank is programmable and controlled by the cognitive MAC controller.

23. The system according to claim 20, wherein said cognitive MAC controller is configured to only control local operational parameters of the remote radio.

24. The system according to claim 16, wherein said OFDM/OFDMA transmitter is configured to transmit a multiple carrier waveform over a single or multiple adjacent or non adjacent PLMR channels with non usable portions, dedicated PLMR channels and non-dedicated PLMR channels.

25. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one PLMR scanner comprises a detector, said detector configured to perform one of a group of operations including comparing the power level at each PLMR channel against a threshold level;

detecting a Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System (CTCSS) within the PLMR channel;

detecting a Digital Code Squelch (DCS) signal within a PLMR channel and detecting channel allocation control messages over a control channel of a trunked radio system.

26. A method for the delivery of high speed data services, the method comprising the steps of:

scanning private land mobile radio (PLMR) channels;

determining which of the PLMR channels are idle at any point of time; and

allocating at least one of the idle PLMR channels for data communication.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein said idle PLMR channel is a non-dedicated PLMR channel, and said step of determining comprises at least one of the steps of:

comparing the power level at each PLMR channel against a threshold level;

detecting a Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System (CTCSS) within the PLMR channel;

detecting a Digital Code Squelch (DCS) signal within a PLMR channel; and

detecting channel allocation control messages over a control channel of a trunked radio system.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein said idle PLMR channel is a non-dedicated PLMR channel, and said step of allocating comprises the step of:

combining individual adjacent PLMR channels into a single wider channel.

29. The method according to claim 26, wherein said idle PLMR channel is a non-dedicated PLMR channel, and said step of allocating comprises the steps of:

limiting the period of time for data transmission; and

releasing the PLMR channel for a period of time thereby allowing voice users to regain access to the non-dedicated PLMR channel.

30. The method according to claim 26, wherein at least one of said idle PLMR channels is embedded in each of a plurality of base stations and wherein at least one of said idle PLMR channels is embedded in each of a plurality of remote radios and further comprising the step of:

each of said plurality of base stations maintaining a two-way data communication over at least one of said idle PLMR channels with each of said plurality of remote radios in its serving area.

31. The method according to claim 30, comprising the step of:

limiting the overall transmission power transmitted by each of said plurality of remote radios.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the step of limiting comprises at least one of the steps of:

applying pre-distortion to the baseband signal to eliminate interference that is generated throughout the RF section;

limiting the total peak TX power below a pre-determined Max power level value;

limiting the number of PLMR channels that may be concurrently used by each of said plurality of remote radios; and

shifting transmission by each of said plurality of remote radios over multiple non-dedicated PLMR channels in time relative to each other of said plurality of remote radios.