RSSI ESTIMATION IN MULTI-TECHNOLOGY COMMUNICATION TERMINALS

• US 20110136498A1
• Filed: 08/10/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell World Trade Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Gazneli, Tamir, Porat, Tal, Ben-Ari, Daniel, Rosenzweig, Nir, Alexander, Danny, Moravchik, Oren, Ben-Eli, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,238,929 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/452.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method used in a receiver includes measuring first Received Signal Strength Indications (RSSIs) in respective first communication channels, which are located in a given frequency band and which each have a first channel bandwidth. Based on the first RSSIs, second RSSIs are computed for respective second communication channels, which are located in the given frequency band and which each have a second channel bandwidth that is larger than the first channel bandwidth. At least one of the first and second communication channels over which to receive signals at the receiver are selected using the first and second RSSIs.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a receiver, measuring first Received Signal Strength Indications (RSSIs) in respective first communication channels, which are located in a given frequency band and which each have a first channel bandwidth;

computing, based on the first RSSIs, second RSSIs for respective second communication channels, which are located in the given frequency band and which each have a second channel bandwidth that is larger than the first channel bandwidth; and

selecting, using the first and second RSSIs, at least one of the first and second communication channels over which to receive signals at the receiver.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein measuring the first RSSIs comprises measuring signal strengths of the signals received over at least one of the first communication channels in accordance with a first Radio Access Technology (RAT), and wherein the second communication channels correspond to a second RAT, different from the first RAT.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein only one of the first and second RATs is active when the first RSSIs are measured, and wherein selecting the at least one of the first and second communication channels comprises identifying the active RAT.

4. The method according to claim 2, comprising, in response to identifying the active RAT, initiating communication with a base station of the identified active RAT.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein measuring the signal strengths comprises receiving the signals of a Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) RAT, and wherein computing the second RSSIs comprises computing the second RSSIs in accordance with a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) RAT.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein computing the second RSSIs comprises calculating a second RSSI for a respective second communication channel by summing the first RSSIs measured on a subset of the first communication channels overlapping the second communication channel.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein summing the first RSSIs comprises assigning respective weights to the first RSSIs in the subset, and summing the weighted first RSSIs.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein summing the first RSSIs comprises multiplying a sum of the first RSSIs in the subset by a factor that depends on respective first and second channel filter shapes of the first and second communication channels.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiver includes first and second reception circuitry for receiving the first and second communication channels, respectively, and comprising deactivating the second reception circuitry during measurement of the first RSSIs.

10. A receiver, comprising:

reception circuitry, which is configured to receive first communication channels that are located in a given frequency band, each of the first communication channels having a first channel bandwidth, and to receive second communication channels that are located in the given frequency band, each of the second communication channels having a second channel bandwidth that is larger than the first channel bandwidth; and

processing circuitry, which is configured to measure first Received Signal Strength Indications (RSSIs) in the respective first communication channels, to compute, based on the first RSSIs, second RSSIs for the respective second communication channels, and to select, using the first and second RSSIs, at least one of the first and second communication channels over which to receive signals at the receiver.

11. The receiver according to claim 10, wherein the reception circuitry is configured to receive the signals in at least one of the first communication channels in accordance with a first Radio Access Technology (RAT), and wherein the second RSSIs second communication channels correspond to a second RAT, different from the first RAT.

12. The receiver according to claim 11, wherein only one of the first and second RATs is active when the first RSSIs are measured, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to identify the active RAT.

13. The receiver according to claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to initiate communication with a base station of the identified active RAT in response to identifying the active RAT.

14. The receiver according to claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to measure the first RSSIs by measuring the signals of a Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) RAT, and to compute the second RSSIs in accordance with a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) RAT.

15. The receiver according to claim 10, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to calculate a second RSSI for a respective second communication channel by summing the first RSSIs measured on a subset of the first communication channels overlapping the second communication channel.

16. The receiver according to claim 15, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to assign respective weights to the first RSSIs in the subset, and to sum the weighted first RSSIs.

17. The receiver according to claim 15, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to multiply a sum of the first RSSIs in the subset by a factor that depends on respective first and second channel filter shapes of the first and second communication channels.

18. The receiver according to claim 10, wherein the reception circuitry comprises first and second circuitry for receiving the first and second communication channels, respectively, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to deactivate the second circuitry during measurement of the first RSSIs.

19. A mobile communication terminal comprising the receiver of claim 10.

20. A chipset for processing signals in a mobile communication terminal, comprising the receiver of claim 10.