Method and apparatus for controlling transceiver operations in a radio communications system to reduce same channel frequency interference

• US 5,778,322 A
• Filed: 08/17/1995
• Issued: 07/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Rydbeck, Nils Rutger
• Primary Examiner(s): Stoll, Thomas L.
• Application Number:
  US08/516,254
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 379/58, 379/59, 379/357, 455/33.1, 455/33.4, 455/34.1, 455/56.1, 455/186.1, 455/558-561, 455/422, 455/426, 455/454-450
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72511 Searching for available channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 including a card reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/16 for PBS [Private Base Station] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/38 adapting due to varying relative distances between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/244 Interferences in heterogeneous networks, e.g. among macro and femto or pico cells or other sector / system interference [OSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/265 taking into account the quality of service QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/267 taking into account the information rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Transceiver frequency and power level are allocated in a radio communications system which includes a base station, a radio personal communications terminal, and a radio personal communications network, by using a smart card to store frequency and power level indicators. The stored indicators are used to set personal communications terminal-to-base station communications. The smart card may be removably coupled to the base station or the personal communications terminal. Since the smart cards are issued by the radio personal communications system carrier, appropriate frequencies and power levels can be assigned for base stations, to minimize same channel interference with the radio personal communications network.

Claims

1. A radio personal communications system comprising:

a cellular network including a plurality of cells, each of which communicates over a set of assigned frequencies;

a radio personal communications terminal including first radio transceiving means;

a portable base station, electrically connected to a wire telephone network, and including second radio transceiving means for communicating with said first radio transceiving means, said base station being located within a first one of said plurality of cells having a first set of assigned frequencies, said base station including a smart card coupling interface; and

a smart card configured to removably couple to said base station, located within said first one of said plurality of cells, said smart card including;

interface means for electrically connecting said smart card to said smart card coupling interface of said portable base station;

memory means for storing indications of at least one radio transmission frequency and power level, said at least one radio transmission frequency being selected from said sets of frequencies assigned to the plurality of cells in the cellular network and being different from said first set of assigned frequencies; and

a controller operatively connected to said interface means of said smart card for providing said at least one radio transmission frequency and said power level to said portable based station;

said base station further comprising;

means for obtaining from the smart card signals representing said at least one radio transmission frequency and power level, said at least one radio transmission frequency being selected from said sets of frequencies assigned to the plurality of cells in the cellular network and being different from said first set of assigned frequencies; and

means for controlling said second transceiving means to operate at a frequency and a power level corresponding to the at least one radio transmission frequency and power level, said at least one radio transmission frequency being selected from said sets of frequencies assigned to the plurality of cells in the cellular network and being different from said first set of assigned frequencies, such that frequency interference between said second radio transceiving means and said cellular network is reduced.

2. The radio personal communications system of claim 1 further comprising a radio personal communications network, wherein said radio personal communications terminal further comprises:

means for controlling said first transceiving means to communicate with said base station when said radio personal communications terminal is relatively close to said base station, and for controlling said first transceiving means to communicate with said radio personal communications network when said radio personal communications terminal is relatively far from said base station, said first transceiving means operating at a frequency selected from said sets of frequencies assigned to the plurality of cells in the cellular network and which is different from said first set of assigned frequencies, such that frequency interference between said first transceiving means and said cellular network is reduced.

3. The radio communications system of claim 1 wherein said radio personal communications terminal comprises a radio telephone.

4. The radio personal communications system of claim 3 wherein said radio telephone is a cellular telephone.

5. A portable base station for a cellular network including a plurality of cells, each of which communicates over a set of assigned frequencies comprising:

means for electrically connecting said portable base station to a wire telephone network, said portable base station being located within a first one of said plurality of cells having a first set of assigned frequencies;

radio transceiving means;

a smart card coupling interface having an access opening on an exterior surface of said portable base station;

a smart card configured to removably couple to said smart card coupling interface, said smart card including;

interface means for electrically connecting said smart card to said smart card coupling interface of said portable base station;

memory means for storing indications of at least one radio transmission frequency and power level, said at least one radio transmission frequency being selected from said sets of frequencies assigned to the plurality of cells in the cellular network and being different from said first set of assigned frequencies;

a controller operatively connected to said interface means of said smart card for providing said at least one radio transmission frequency and said power level to said portable base station;

said portable base station further comprising;

means for obtaining from said smart card signals representing said at least one radio transmission frequency and power level; and

means, responsive to said signals representing said at least one radio transmission frequency and power level, for operating said transceiving means at a frequency corresponding to the obtained radio transmission frequency signal and at a power level corresponding to the obtained power level signal, said frequency being selected from said sets of frequencies assigned to the plurality of cells in the cellular network and being different from said first set of assigned frequencies, such that frequency interference between said transceiving means and said cellular network is reduced.