Method and apparatus for assigning duplex radio channels and scanning duplex radio channels assigned to mobile and portable radio telephones in a cellular radiotelephone communications system
First Claim
1. A method of controlling radio frequency (RF) signal communications paths to remote stations of a communications system, said communications system including a plurality of cells partitioned from a geographical area;
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means, RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies, and RF signal receiving means coupled to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
said method performed by each of said cell control means comprising the steps of;
(a) assigning one of the RF signal channels to each requesting remote station;
(b) sampling N times the strength of the RF signal received by each antenna means from each remote station assigned an RF signal channel, where N is an integer number greater than one;
(c) selecting for each such remote station the antenna means for which at least one of its N sampled signal strengths has a magnitude greater than the magnitude of any of the N sampled signal strengths for all other antenna means;
(d) comparing the magnitude of the largest sampled signal strength of the selected antenna means for each such remote station to a predetermined magnitude; and
(e) requesting at least one other cell control means to sample the signal strength of a remote station when the magnitude of the largest sampled signal strength of the selected antenna means for said remote station is less than the predetermined magnitude.
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Abstract
A unique method and apparatus for efficiently assigning duplex radio channels and scanning duplex radio channels assigned to mobile and portable radiotelephones in a cellular communications system is described. Each cell includes a base station radio having a signalling channel and a plurality of voice channels, and a base site controller adapted to utilize the methods embodying the present invention for controlling communications paths to mobile and portable radiotelephones. The base station radios include a signalling transceiver operable on the signalling channel, a plurality of voice transceivers each operable on a voice channel, and a scanning receiver for sampling the signal strength of active radiotelephones. Transmitters of signalling transceivers and voice transceivers are combined and coupled to an omnidirectional antenna; and the receivers of the signalling transceiver, voice transceivers and scanning receiver are couplable to one or more of six sector antennas. In practicing the methods of the present invention, the microprocessor controlled base site controller maintains high quality communications paths to mobile and portable radiotelephones by periodically monitoring their signal strength and when signal strength degradations are detected, either changing the base station sector antennas coupled to voice transceivers, increasing or decreasing radiotelephone power output, or handing radiotelephones off to another cell.
226 Citations
67 Claims
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1. A method of controlling radio frequency (RF) signal communications paths to remote stations of a communications system, said communications system including a plurality of cells partitioned from a geographical area;
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means, RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies, and RF signal receiving means coupled to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
said method performed by each of said cell control means comprising the steps of;(a) assigning one of the RF signal channels to each requesting remote station; (b) sampling N times the strength of the RF signal received by each antenna means from each remote station assigned an RF signal channel, where N is an integer number greater than one; (c) selecting for each such remote station the antenna means for which at least one of its N sampled signal strengths has a magnitude greater than the magnitude of any of the N sampled signal strengths for all other antenna means; (d) comparing the magnitude of the largest sampled signal strength of the selected antenna means for each such remote station to a predetermined magnitude; and (e) requesting at least one other cell control means to sample the signal strength of a remote station when the magnitude of the largest sampled signal strength of the selected antenna means for said remote station is less than the predetermined magnitude. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means, RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies, and RF signal receiving means coupled to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
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10. A method of controlling radio frequency (RF) signal communications paths to remote stations of a communications system, said communications system including a plurality of cells partitioned from a geographical area;
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means, RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies, and RF signal receiving means coupled to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
said method performed by each of said cell control means comprising the steps of;(a) assigning one of the RF signal channels to each requesting remote station; (b) sampling N times the strength of the RF signal received by each antenna means from each remote station assigned an RF signal channel, where N is an integer number greater than one; (c) selecting for each such remote station the antenna means for which at least one of its N sampled signal strengths has a magnitude greater than the magnitude of any of the N sampled signal strengths for all other antenna means; (d) comparing the magnitude of the largest sampled signal strength of the selected antenna means for each such remote station to a predetermined magnitude; and (e) transmitting a control signal to a remote station for causing said remote station to increase the strength of its transmitted RF signal when the magnitude of the largest sampled signal strength of the selected antenna means for said remote station is less than the predetermined magnitude. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means, RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies, and RF signal receiving means coupled to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
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14. A method of controlling radio frequency (RF) signal communications paths to remote stations of a communications system, said communications system includ:
- ng a plurality of cells partitioned from a geographical area;
each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means, RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies, and RF signal receiving means coupled to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
said method performed by each of said cell control means comprising the steps of;(a) assigning one of the RF signal channels to each requesting remote station; (b) sampling N times the strength of the RF signal received by each antenna means from each remote station assigned an RF signal channel, where N is an integer number greater than one; (c) selecting for each such remote station the antenna means for which at least one of its N sampled signal strengths has a magnitude greater than the magnitude of any of the N sampled signal strengths for all other antenna means; (d) comparing the magnitude of the largest sampled signal strength of the selected antenna means for each such remote station to a predetermined magnitude; and (e) transmitting a control signal to a remote station for causing said remote station to decrease the strength of its transmitted RF signal when the magnitude of the largest sampled signal strength of the selected antenna means for said remote station is greater than the predetermined magnitude. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
- ng a plurality of cells partitioned from a geographical area;
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18. A method of controlling radio frequency (RF) signal communications paths to remote stations of a communications system, said communications system including a plurality of cells partitioned from a geographical area;
- each cell allocated first and second groups of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means, RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies, and RF signal receiving means coupled to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies; and
at least first and second non-adjacent cells being allocated the same first and second groups of duplex RF signal channels;
said method performed by said cell control means of said first and second cells comprising the steps of;(a) at said first cell, assigning one of said first group of RF signal channels to a requesting remote station, and assigning one of said second group of RF signal channels to a requesting remote station when all RF signal channels of said first group have been assigned; and (b) at said second cell, assigning one of said second group of RF signal channels to a requesting remote station, and assigning one of said first group of RF signal channels to a requesting remote station when all RF signal channels of said second group have been assigned. - View Dependent Claims (19)
- each cell allocated first and second groups of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means, RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies, and RF signal receiving means coupled to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies; and
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20. Control means for a base station of a radio frequency (RF) signal communications system providing communications to remote stations, said communications system including a plurality of cells partitioned from a geographical area;
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means and a base station, each base station including RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies and RF signal receiving means coupled to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
said cell control means comprising;means for assigning one of the RF signal channels to each requesting remote station; means for sampling N times the strength of the RF signal received by each antenna means from each remote station assigned an RF signal channel, where N is an integer number greater than one; means for selecting for each such remote station the antenna means for which at least one of its N sampled signal strengths has a magnitude greater than the magnitude of any of the N sampled signal strengths for all other antenna means; means for comparing the magnitude of the largest sampled signal strength of the selected antenna means for each such remote station to a predetermined magnitude; and means for requesting at least one other cell control means to sample the signal strength of a remote station when the magnitude of the largest sampled signal strength of the selected antenna means is less than the predetermined magnitude. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means and a base station, each base station including RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies and RF signal receiving means coupled to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
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29. Control means for a base station of a radio frequency (RF) signal communications system providing communications to remote stations, said communications system including a plurality of cells partitioned from a geographical area;
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means and a base station, each base station including RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies and RF signal receiving means coupled to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
said cell control means comprising;means for assigning one of the RF signal channels to each requesting remote station; means for sampling N times the strength of the RF signal received by each antenna means from each remote station assigned an RF signal channel, where N is an integer number greater than one; means for selecting for each such remote station the antenna means for which at least one of its N sampled signal strengths has a magnitude greater than the magnitude of any of the N sampled signal strengths for all other antenna means; means for comparing the magnitude of the largest sampled signal strength of the selected antenna means for each such remote station to a predetermined magnitude; and means for transmitting a control signal to a remote station for causing said remote station to increase the strength of its transmitted RF signal when the magnitude of the largest sampled signal strength of the selected antenna means for said remote station is less than the predetermined magnitude. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means and a base station, each base station including RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies and RF signal receiving means coupled to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
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33. Control means for a base station of a radio frequency (RF) signal communications system providing communications to remote stations, said communications system including a plurality of cells partitioned from a geographical area;
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means and a base station, each base station including RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies and RF signal receiving means coupled to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
said cell control means comprising;means for assigning one of the RF signal channels to each requesting remote station; means for sampling N times the strength of the RF signal received by each antenna means from each remote station assigned an RF signal channel, where N is an integer number greater than one; means for selecting for each such remote station the antenna means for which at least one of its N sampled signal strengths has a magnitude greater than the magnitude of any of the N sampled signal strengths for all other antenna means; means for comparing the magnitude of the largest sampled signal strength of the selected antenna means for each such remote station to a predetermined magnitude; and means for transmitting a control signal to a remote station for causing said remote station to decrease the strength of its transmitted RF signal when the magnitude of the largest sampled signal strength of the selected antenna means for said remote station is greater than the predetermined magnitude. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means and a base station, each base station including RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies and RF signal receiving means coupled to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
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37. Control means for a base station of a radio frequency (RF) signal communications system providing communications to remote stations, said communications system including a plurality of cells partitioned from a geographical area;
- each cell allocated first and second groups of duplex RF signal channels, each cell further including cell control means and a base station, each base station including RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies and RF signal receiving means coupled to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies, and at least first and second non-adjacent cells being allocated the same first and second groups of duplex RF signal channels;
said first and second cell control means of said first and second cells, respectively, comprising;said first cell control means including means for assigning one of said first group of RF signal channels to a requesting remote station, and means for assigning one of said second group of RF signal channels to a requesting remote station when all RF signal channels of said first group have been assigned; and said second cell control means including means for assigning one of said second group of RF signal channels to a requesting remote station, and means for assigning one of said first group of RF signal channels to a requesting remote station when all RF signal channels of said second group have been assigned. - View Dependent Claims (38)
- each cell allocated first and second groups of duplex RF signal channels, each cell further including cell control means and a base station, each base station including RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies and RF signal receiving means coupled to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies, and at least first and second non-adjacent cells being allocated the same first and second groups of duplex RF signal channels;
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39. A method of controlling radio frequency (RF) signal communications paths to remote stations of a communications system, said communications system including a plurality of cells partitioned from a geographical area;
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means, RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies, and a plurality of RF signal receiving means each couplable to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
said method performed by each of said cell control means comprising the steps of;(a) assigning one of the RF signal channels and one of the plurality of RF signal receiving means to each requesting remote station; (b) periodically sampling N times the strength of the RF signal received by each antenna means from each remote station assigned an RF signal channel, where N is an integer number greater than one; and (c) coupling the assigned RF signal receiving means for each such remote station to the antenna means for which at least one of its N sampled signal strengths has a magnitude greater than the magnitude of any of the N sampled signal strengths for all other antenna means. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42)
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means, RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies, and a plurality of RF signal receiving means each couplable to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
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43. Control means for a base station of a radio frequency (RF) signal communications system providing communications to remote stations, said communications system including a plurality of cells partitioned from a geographical area;
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means and a base station, each base station including RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies and a plurality of RF signal receiving means each couplable to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
said cell control means comprising;means for assigning one of the RF signal channels and one of the plurality of RF signal receiving means to each requesting remote station; means for periodically sampling N times the strength of the RF signal received by each antenna means from each remote station assigned an RF signal channel, where N is an integer number greater than one; and means for coupling the assigned RF signal receiving means for each such remote station to the antenna means for which at least one of its N sampled signal strengths has a magnitude greater than the magnitude of any of the N sampled signal strengths for all other antenna means. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means and a base station, each base station including RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies and a plurality of RF signal receiving means each couplable to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
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55. A method of controlling radio frequency (RF) signal communications paths to remote stations of a communications system, said communications system including a plurality of cells partitioned from a geographical area;
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means, RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies, and a plurality of RF signal receiving means each couplable to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
said method performed by each of said cell control means comprising the steps of;(a) assigning one of the RF signal channels and one of the plurality of RF signal receiving means to each requesring remote station; (b) incrementing timers for each remote station assigned an RF signal channel by a predetermined amount at successive time intervals; (c) re-assigning RF signal channels that were previously assigned to remote stations whose timer has a magnitude greater than a predetermined maximum magnitude; (d) selecting a remote station whose transmitted RF signal is being received and whose timer has a magnitude greater than a predetermined minimum magnitude; (e) sampling N times the strength of the RF signal received by each antenna means from said selected remote station, where N is an integer number greater than one; and (f) resetting the timer of said selected remote station to a predetermined initial magnitude. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means, RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies, and a plurality of RF signal receiving means each couplable to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
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62. Control means for a base station of a radio frequency (RF) signal communications system providing communications to remote stations, said communications system including a plurality of cells partitioned from a geographical area;
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means, RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies, and a plurality of RF signal receiving means each couplable to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
said cell control means comprising;means for assigning one of the RF signal channels and one of the plurality of RF signal receiving means to each requesting remote station; means for incrementing timers for each remote station assigned an RF signal channel by a predetermined amount at successive time intervals; means for re-assigning RF signal channels that were previously assigned to remote stations whose timer has a magnitude greater than a predetermined maximum magnitude; means for selecting a remote station whose transmitted RF signal is being received and whose timer has a magnitude greater than a predetermined minimum magnitude; means for sampling N times the strength of the RF signal received by each antenna means from said selected remote station, where N is an integer number greater than one; and means for resetting the timer of said selected remote station to a predetermined initial magnitude. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
- each cell allocated a predetermined number of duplex RF signal channels, and each cell including cell control means, RF signal transmitting means for transmitting RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies, and a plurality of RF signal receiving means each couplable to a plurality of antenna means for receiving RF signals at a plurality of signal frequencies;
Specification