System and method for cellular beam spectrum management
First Claim
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1. A method for continuously managing a plurality of antenna beams to service wireless communications in progress on one channel of a plurality of channels, said method comprising the steps of:
- continuously monitoring signal reception conditions on ones of the antenna beams;
detecting commencement of a wireless communication on the channel, said wireless communication thereupon becoming a managed communication;
assigning ones of the antenna beams to the managed communication according to a regime of predetermined beam assignment rules, said regime responsive to currently monitored signal reception conditions in applying said beam assignment rules; and
periodically updating said beam assignments in accordance with the regime in light of subsequently monitored signal reception conditions including a comparison of at least one of said subsequently monitored signal reception conditions to a preselected threshold.
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Abstract
A system and method for continuously managing antenna beam assignment for a particular channel in a cell is disclosed. Reception conditions on the antenna beams are continuously monitored whereby wireless communications are initially assigned antenna beams based on reference, in part, to the currently prevailing reception conditions. Antenna beam assignment for continuing wireless communication is periodically updated based reference, in part, to subsequently prevailing reception conditions.
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Citations
80 Claims
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1. A method for continuously managing a plurality of antenna beams to service wireless communications in progress on one channel of a plurality of channels, said method comprising the steps of:
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continuously monitoring signal reception conditions on ones of the antenna beams; detecting commencement of a wireless communication on the channel, said wireless communication thereupon becoming a managed communication; assigning ones of the antenna beams to the managed communication according to a regime of predetermined beam assignment rules, said regime responsive to currently monitored signal reception conditions in applying said beam assignment rules; and periodically updating said beam assignments in accordance with the regime in light of subsequently monitored signal reception conditions including a comparison of at least one of said subsequently monitored signal reception conditions to a preselected threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for continuously managing a plurality of antenna beams to service wireless communications in progress on one channel of a plurality of channels, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) continuously monitoring signal reception conditions on ones of the antenna beams, said monitoring step including the substep of periodically measuring received signal strength on ones of the antenna beams; (b) detecting commencement of a wireless communication on the channel, said wireless communication thereupon becoming a managed communication; (c) assigning ones of the antenna beams to the managed communication according to a regime of predetermined beam assignment rules, said regime responsive to currently monitored signal reception conditions in applying said beam assignment rules, said regime including a descending hierarchy of antenna beams arranged in decreasing order of measured received signal strength, said assigning step including assigning said ones of the antenna beams in sequence starting with the beam with strongest measured received signal strength and continuing in order of the descending hierarchy; (d) periodically updating said beam assignments in accordance with the regime in light of subsequently monitored signal reception conditions, said updating step including the substeps of; (i) periodically comparing the identity of the beams currently assigned to the managed communication with the identity of the current strongest beams in the descending hierarchy; and (ii) if necessary, making one or more beam reassignments so as to maintain the current strongest beams in the descending hierarchy assigned to the managed communication, said reassignments thereby identifying replacing beams to be substituted for corresponding replaced beams, the regime of predetermined beam assignment rules requiring that beam reassignments may only be made when the measured received signal strength on the replacing beam exceeds the measured received signal strength on the replaced beam by a preselected amount, said beam reassignment substep comprising the substeps of; (1) initially determining whether the managed communication has been terminated; (2) in cases where the managed communication has been terminated, designating ineligible those replacing beams whose measured received signal strength exceeds a first threshold value for a predetermined period of time, said ineligible designation precluding any further assignment to the managed communication until designated eligible again; (3) in cases where the managed communication has not been terminated, verifying that the measured received signal strength on replacing beams exceeds a second threshold value; (4) in cases where the managed communication has not been terminated and for replacing beams whose measured received signal strength does not exceed the second threshold value, verifying prior to beam reassignment that the source of the measured received signal strength on said replacing beams is the managed communication, said source verifying substep made on a first priority basis for replacing beams whose antenna coverage does not neighbor a beam currently assigned to the managed communication, and on a second priority basis for replacing beams whose antenna coverage does neighbor a beam currently assigned to the managed communication; and (5) for replacing beams whose source of received signal strength is determined not to be the managed communication, (A) designating said replacing beams ineligible for any further assignment to the managed communication until designated eligible again, and (B) maintaining the current beam assignments for the managed communication; and (iii) periodically validating the source of measured received signal strength on beams assigned to the managed communication at times when no beam reassignment is made following said comparing step, said validating substep comprising the substeps of; (1) initially verifying that the managed communication has been terminated; and (2) if the managed communication has not been terminated, (A) periodically verifying according to a predetermined schedule that the source of the measured received signal strength on beams assigned to the managed communication is the managed communication, and (B) if said source is not the managed communication, designating ineligible beams assigned to the managed communication and reassigning thereto the next strongest beams in the descending hierarchy, said ineligible designation precluding any further beam assignment to the managed communication until designated eligible again; (e) periodically checking beams currently assigned to the managed communication for low signal strength, said checking step including the substep of re-assigning any beam assigned to the managed communication whose measured received signal strength falls below a third threshold value for a predetermined period of time to a replacing beam whose measured received signal strength is at least the third threshold value and whose source of measured received signal strength is verified to be the managed communication, said checking step further including the substep of intervening if no replacing beam is available whose measured received signal strength is at least the third threshold value and whose source of measured received signal strength is verified to be the managed communication, said intervening substep including one or more actions taken from the group of actions consisting of; (i) changing the channel to any open channel among said plurality of channels; (ii) handing off the managed communication to be serviced elsewhere; (iii) forcing an alternate wireless communication, said alternate wireless communication being under common channel control and antenna beam control with the managed communication, to be handed off to be serviced elsewhere and then servicing the managed communication in place thereof; and (iv) exchanging channels with a switchable wireless communication, said switchable wireless communication being under common channel control and antenna beam control with the managed communication; and (f) periodically designating eligible again ineligible beams (1) whose source of received signal strength is subsequently verified to be the managed communication, or (2) whose received signal strength falls below a preselected interference threshold for a preselected period of time. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A system for continuously managing a plurality of antenna beams to service wireless communications in progress on one channel of a plurality of channels, said system comprising:
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means for continuously monitoring signal reception conditions on ones of the antenna beams; means for detecting commencement of a wireless communication on the channel, said wireless communication thereupon becoming a managed communication; means for assigning ones of the antenna beams to the managed communication according to a regime of predetermined beam assignment rules, said regime responsive to currently monitored signal reception conditions in applying said beam assignment rules; means for designating ones of the antenna beams ineligible for assignment to the managed communication responsive to said currently monitored signal reception conditions, wherein said designating means is operable to designate as ineligible said antenna beams regardless of said currently monitored signal reception conditions being suitable for assignment to the managed communication according to said regime of predetermined beam assignment rules; and means for periodically updating said beam assignments in accordance with the regime in light of subsequently monitored signal reception conditions. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A computer program product having a computer readable medium on which computer readable logic is recorded for continuously managing a plurality of antenna beams to service wireless communications in progress on one channel of a plurality of channels, said computer program product operable in a computer system having a processor and a memory and a display device, said computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable storage medium; and a computer program stored on said storage medium comprising; means for continuously monitoring signal reception conditions on ones of the antenna beams; means for detecting commencement of a wireless communication on the channel, said wireless communication thereupon becoming a managed communication; means for assigning ones of the antenna beams to the managed communication according to a regime of predetermined beam assignment rules, said regime responsive to currently monitored signal reception conditions in applying said beam assignment rules; and means for periodically updating said beam assignments in accordance with the regime in light of subsequently monitored signal reception conditions including a comparison of at least one of said subsequently monitored signal reception conditions to a preselected threshold. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
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Specification