Selecting Among Spectrums Within Cells of A Wireless Communication Network

• US 20140148189A1
• Filed: 11/28/2012
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Tapia, Pablo
• Granted Patent: US 9,014,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/454
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures

Abstract

A method of managing signals within a wireless network that comprises at least one macro cell, wherein the macro cell comprises at least one base station and a plurality of pico cells, and wherein each pico cell comprises an access point in communication with the at least one base station. The method includes selecting a spectrum to use for transmission of signals within a corresponding pico cell, wherein the spectrum that is selected is one of (i) a spectrum licensed for wireless communication, and (ii) a spectrum that is unlicensed. Signals within the corresponding are then transmitted and received over the selected spectrum.

Claims

10-1. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the spectrum to use for transmission is based upon at least one of an amount of traffic in the wireless network, load in the wireless network, interference, delay, location of the cells, and/or weather.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a tangible storage medium; and

instructions stored in the tangible storage medium, the instructions being executable by the apparatus to

select a spectrum to use for transmission of signals within a corresponding cell within a wireless network, wherein the spectrum that is selected is one of (i) a spectrum licensed for wireless communication, and (ii) a spectrum that is unlicensed;

transmit, via the spectrum that is selected, signals from a corresponding access point to one or more user devices located within the corresponding cell; and

receive, via the spectrum that is selected, signals at the corresponding access point from the one or more user devices located within the corresponding cell.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further executable by the apparatus to:

evaluate the spectrum that is selected;

based upon the evaluating, determine, to change channels within the spectrum that is selected; and

inform user devices within the corresponding cell to change channels.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein inform user devices within the corresponding cell to change channels comprises informing user devices within the corresponding cell to one of (i) change channels in a certain amount of time, or (ii) change channels at a certain time.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein inform user devices within the corresponding cell to change channels comprises:

handing off the user devices to a corresponding base station within the wireless network;

changing channels within the spectrum that is selected; and

receiving user devices within the corresponding cell back from the corresponding base station.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further executable by the apparatus to:

evaluate the spectrum that is selected;

based upon the evaluating, determine to change spectrums;

select a new spectrum to use for transmission of signals within a corresponding cell, wherein the new spectrum is one of (i) a spectrum licensed for wireless communication, and (ii) a spectrum that is unlicensed; and

inform user devices within the corresponding cell to change spectrums to the new spectrum that is selected.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein inform user devices within the corresponding cell to change spectrums comprises informing user devices within the corresponding cell to one of (i) change spectrums in a certain amount of time, or (ii) change spectrums at a certain time.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein inform user devices within the corresponding cell to change spectrums comprises:

handing off, by the corresponding access point, the user devices to a corresponding base station within the wireless network;

changing, by the corresponding access point, to the new spectrum that is selected; and

receiving, by the corresponding access point, user devices within the corresponding cell back from the corresponding base station.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further executable by the apparatus to:

determine that at least one of the one or more user devices within the corresponding cell should only operate on a licensed spectrum; and

in response to the spectrum that is selected being an unlicensed spectrum, hand off the at least one of the one or more user devices to a corresponding base station.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the spectrum that is selected is an unlicensed spectrum; and

the transmit and the receive comprise transmit and receive data signals.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further executable by the apparatus to:

transmit, via a spectrum that is licensed for wireless communication, voice signals from the corresponding access point to one or more user devices located within the corresponding cell; and

receive, via the spectrum that is licensed for wireless communication, voice signals from the one or more user devices located within the corresponding cell.

23. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is the corresponding access point.

24. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is included within the corresponding access point.

25. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the instructions are executable by the apparatus to select the spectrum to use for transmission based upon at least one of an amount of traffic in the wireless network, load in the wireless network, interference, delay, location of the cells, and/or weather.

26. A method comprising:

selecting, by a corresponding access point within a corresponding pico cell of a wireless network that comprises at least one macro cell, a spectrum to use for transmission of signals within the corresponding pico cell, wherein the spectrum that is selected is one of (i) a spectrum licensed for wireless communication, and (ii) a spectrum that is unlicensed, wherein the macro cell comprises at least one base station and a plurality of pico cells, and wherein each pico cell comprises an access point in communication with the at least one base station;

transmitting, by the corresponding access point via the spectrum that is selected, signals to one or more user devices located within the corresponding pico cell; and

receiving, by the corresponding access point via the spectrum that is selected, signals from the one or more user devices located within the corresponding pico cell,

wherein selecting a spectrum to use for transmission of signals within the corresponding pico cell is coordinated by the corresponding access point with the base station.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

evaluating, by the corresponding access point, the spectrum that is selected;

based upon the evaluating, determining, by the corresponding access point, to change channels within the spectrum that is selected; and

informing, by the corresponding access point, user devices within the corresponding pico cell to change channels.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein informing user devices within the corresponding pico cell to change channels comprises:

handing off, by the corresponding access point, the user devices to the at least one base station;

changing, by the corresponding access point, channels within the spectrum that is selected; and

receiving, by the corresponding access point, user devices within the corresponding cell back from the at least one base station.