SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CHANNEL SELECTION TO REDUCE IMPACT TO AN EXISTING NETWORK

• US 20150133057A1
• Filed: 11/12/2013
• Published: 05/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Yavuz, Mehmet, Sadek, Ahmed Kamel
• Granted Patent: US 9,756,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/63.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria

Abstract

Described herein are techniques for reducing interference to non-cellular communications on an unlicensed band by a network entity sending/receiving cellular communications on the unlicensed band. For example, the technique may involve accessing a list of channels for cellular communication on the unlicensed band, the list having the channels in an order of priority for reducing interference to non-cellular communication on the unlicensed band. The technique may involve determining an interference criteria for a received signal, the interference criteria being based at in part on at least one of a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) or a duty cycle of the received signal. The technique may involve going through, in the order of priority, each channel in the list to identify a first channel that satisfies the interference criteria.

Claims

1. A method operable by a network entity configured for wireless communication, the method comprising:

accessing a list of channels for cellular communication on an unlicensed band, the list having the channels in an order of priority for reducing interference to non-cellular communication on the unlicensed band;

determining an interference criteria for a received signal, the interference criteria being based at in part on at least one of a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) or a duty cycle of the received signal; and

going through, in the order of priority, each channel in the list to identify a first channel that satisfies the interference criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the first channel for cellular communication in the unlicensed band to further reduce the interference to non-cellular communication in the unlicensed band.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the cellular communication comprises Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication on the unlicensed band; and

the non-cellular communication comprises wireless local area network (WLAN) communication on the unlicensed band.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the WLAN communication comprises 801.11 (Wi-Fi) communication on the unlicensed band.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to none of the channels in the list satisfying the interference criteria, identifying a second channel on which the cellular communication results in a least amount of interference to non-cellular communication on the unlicensed band.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein identifying the second channel comprises:

for each channel in the list, determining an RSSI;

apportioning non-cellular contribution and cellular contribution to the RSSI; and

assigning higher weight to the non-cellular contribution to the RSSI.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the network entity comprises a mobile device or a small base station.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

means for accessing a list of channels for cellular communication on an unlicensed band, the list having the channels in an order of priority for reducing interference to non-cellular communication on the unlicensed band;

means for determining an interference criteria for a received signal, the interference criteria being based at in part on at least one of a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) or a duty cycle of the received signal; and

means for going through, in the order of priority, each channel in the list to identify a first channel that satisfies the interference criteria.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising means for selecting the first channel for cellular communication in the unlicensed band to further reduce the interference to non-cellular communication in the unlicensed band.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the cellular communication comprises Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication on the unlicensed band; and

the non-cellular communication comprises wireless local area network (WLAN) communication on the unlicensed band.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising means for identifying a second channel on which the cellular communication results in a least amount of interference to non-cellular communication on the unlicensed band, in response to none of the channels in the list satisfying the interference criteria.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

means for determining an RSSI for each channel in the list;

means for apportioning non-cellular contribution and cellular contribution to the RSSI; and

means for assigning higher weight to the non-cellular contribution to the RSSI.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one radio frequency (RF) transceiver;

at least one processor coupled to the at least one RF transceiver and configured to;

access a list of channels for cellular communication on an unlicensed band, the list having the channels in an order of priority for reducing interference to non-cellular communication on the unlicensed band;

determine an interference criteria for a received signal, the interference criteria being based at in part on at least one of a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) or a duty cycle of the received signal; and

go through, in the order of priority, each channel in the list to identify a first channel that satisfies the interference criteria; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor for storing data.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to select the first channel for cellular communication in the unlicensed band to further reduce the interference to non-cellular communication in the unlicensed band.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to identify a second channel on which the cellular communication results in a least amount of interference to non-cellular communication on the unlicensed band, in response to none of the channels in the list satisfying the interference criteria.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine an RSSI for each channel in the list;

apportion non-cellular contribution and cellular contribution to the RSSI; and

assign higher weight to the non-cellular contribution to the RSSI.

17. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for causing a computer to;

access a list of channels for cellular communication on an unlicensed band, the list having the channels in an order of priority for reducing interference to non-cellular communication on the unlicensed band;

determine an interference criteria for a received signal, the interference criteria being based at in part on at least one of a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) or a duty cycle of the received signal; and

go through, in the order of priority, each channel in the list to identify a first channel that satisfies the interference criteria.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the computer to select the first channel for cellular communication in the unlicensed band to further reduce the interference to non-cellular communication in the unlicensed band.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the computer to identify a second channel on which the cellular communication results in a least amount of interference to non-cellular communication on the unlicensed band, in response to none of the channels in the list satisfying the interference criteria.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the computer to:

determine an RSSI for each channel in the list;

apportion non-cellular contribution and cellular contribution to the RSSI; and

assign higher weight to the non-cellular contribution to the RSSI.