Methods and apparatus for assigning frequencies in a cellular network
First Claim
1. A method for assigning frequencies to a plurality of cells in a cellular network, comprising the steps of:
- generating a difficulty factor for each cell, wherein each cell'"'"'s difficulty factor is based on a number of available frequencies for that cell, and wherein the number of available frequencies for that cell is a variable number that can vary as frequencies are selected for cells in the cellular network, wherein each cell requires a predetermined number of frequencies to be selected for that cell, and wherein the step of generating a difficulty factor includes a step of determining each cell'"'"'s difficulty factor based on the predetermined number of frequencies required to be selected for that cell, the number of available frequencies for that cell, and an adjustment factor for that cell, wherein each cell'"'"'s adjustment factor is indicative of a relative level of difficulty in selecting the required predetermined number of frequencies for that cell during a previous assignment attempt;
selecting a cell from the plurality of cells based on each cell'"'"'s difficulty factor;
selecting a frequency for the selected cell from the available frequencies for that cell; and
repeating the steps of generating a difficulty factor, selecting a cell and selecting a frequency, to assign the frequencies to the plurality of cells in the cellular network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and computerized apparatus for assigning frequencies to a plurality of cells in a cellular network. Each cell requires a predetermined number of frequencies. The method includes generating a difficulty factor for each cell, wherein each cell'"'"'s difficulty factor is based on an adjustment factor for that cell, and wherein, following a first unsuccessful assignment attempt, each cell'"'"'s adjustment factor is indicative of a relative level of difficulty in selecting frequencies for that cell during the first unsuccessful assignment attempt. The method further includes the steps of selecting a cell from the plurality of cells based on each cell'"'"'s difficulty factor; selecting a frequency from the available frequencies for the selected cell; when at least one of the plurality of cells requires at least one more frequency and there is at least one frequency available for use by that cell, repeating the steps of generating a difficulty factor, selecting a cell and selecting a frequency; and when at least one of the plurality of cells requires at least one more frequency and there are no frequencies available for use by that cell, updating each cell'"'"'s adjustment factor, unselecting all of the selected cells and all of the selected frequencies for the selected cells, and re-performing the steps of generating a difficulty factor, selecting a cell, selecting a frequency, as a second assignment attempt.
33 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for assigning frequencies to a plurality of cells in a cellular network, comprising the steps of:
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generating a difficulty factor for each cell, wherein each cell'"'"'s difficulty factor is based on a number of available frequencies for that cell, and wherein the number of available frequencies for that cell is a variable number that can vary as frequencies are selected for cells in the cellular network, wherein each cell requires a predetermined number of frequencies to be selected for that cell, and wherein the step of generating a difficulty factor includes a step of determining each cell'"'"'s difficulty factor based on the predetermined number of frequencies required to be selected for that cell, the number of available frequencies for that cell, and an adjustment factor for that cell, wherein each cell'"'"'s adjustment factor is indicative of a relative level of difficulty in selecting the required predetermined number of frequencies for that cell during a previous assignment attempt; selecting a cell from the plurality of cells based on each cell'"'"'s difficulty factor; selecting a frequency for the selected cell from the available frequencies for that cell; and repeating the steps of generating a difficulty factor, selecting a cell and selecting a frequency, to assign the frequencies to the plurality of cells in the cellular network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for assigning frequencies to a plurality of cells in a cellular network, wherein each cell requires a predetermined number of frequencies to be selected for that cell, comprising the steps of:
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generating a difficulty factor for each cell, wherein each cell'"'"'s difficulty factor is based on an adjustment factor for that cell, and wherein, following a first assignment attempt, each cell'"'"'s adjustment factor is indicative of a relative level of difficulty in selecting the required predetermined number of frequencies for that cell during the first assignment attempt; selecting a cell from the plurality of cells based on each cell'"'"'s difficulty factor; selecting a frequency from the available frequencies for the selected cell; when at least one of the plurality of cells requires at least one more frequency and there is at least one frequency available for use by that cell, repeating the steps of generating a difficulty factor, selecting a cell and selecting a frequency; and when at least one of the plurality of cells requires at least one more frequency and there are no frequencies available for use by that cell, updating each cell'"'"'s adjustment factor to represent the relative difficulty in selecting frequencies for that cell during a second assignment attempt, unselecting all of the selected cells and all of the selected frequencies for the selected cells, and re-performing the steps of generating a difficulty factor, selecting a cell, selecting a frequency, as the second assignment attempt. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computerized apparatus for assigning frequencies to a plurality of cells in a cellular network, the computerized apparatus comprising:
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an input/output device; memory, coupled to the input/output device, wherein the memory stores, at least temporarily, a computer program; and a processor, coupled to the input/output device and the memory, wherein the processor executes the computer program in response to a command from the input/output device, the computer program comprising; means for generating a difficulty factor for each cell, wherein each cell'"'"'s difficulty factor is based on a number of available frequencies for that cell, and wherein the number of available frequencies for that cell is a variable number that can vary as frequencies are selected for cells in the cellular network, wherein each cell requires a predetermined number of frequencies to be selected for that cell, and wherein the means for generating a difficulty factor includes means for determining each cell'"'"'s difficulty factor based on the predetermined number of frequencies required to be selected for that cell, the number of available frequencies for that cell, and an adjustment factor for that cell, wherein each cell'"'"'s adjustment factor is indicative of a relative level of difficulty in selecting the required predetermined number of frequencies for that cell during a previous assignment attempt; means for selecting a first cell from the plurality of cells based on each cell'"'"'s difficulty factor, and a frequency for the selected first cell from the available frequencies for the selected first cell; and means for selecting a new cell from the plurality of cells based on each cell'"'"'s difficulty factor, and a frequency for the selected new cell, wherein the new cell is one of the first cell and a second cell. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification