Flexible channel allocation for a cellular system based on a hybrid measurement-based dynamic channel assignment and a reuse-distance criterion algorithm

• US 6,154,655 A
• Filed: 03/05/1998
• Issued: 11/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kahn, Colin L., Zhang, Bulin B., Kumaran, Krishnan, Grandhi, Sudheer A., Borst, Simon C., Huang, Joe
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): APPIAH, CHARLES NANA
• Application Number:
  US09/034,923
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 455/509, 455/513, 455/450, 455/460, 455/452, 455/451, 455/453, 455/446, 455/447, 370/343, 370/330, 370/436, 370/478
• US Class Current: 455/451
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/10 Dynamic resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

In a cellular system, channels are assigned for new calls using a flexible channel allocation algorithm that is a hybrid of a measurement-based dynamic channel assignment (MBDCA) algorithm and a reuse-distance criterion algorithm, such as a cost-function-based DCA (CFBDCA). In one embodiment, the MBDCA algorithm is implemented at each cell site in the cellular system and generates a list of candidate channels for each new call. The list is transmitted to the mobile switching center (MSC), which implements the CFBDCA algorithm to select a particular channel from the list of candidate channels for the new call.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically allocating channels in a cellular system, comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a list of candidate channels for a new call using a measurement-based dynamic channel assignment (MBDCA) algorithm;

(b) applying a dynamic reuse-distance criterion algorithm to the list of candidate channels based on a specified minimum reuse distance and current usage of one or more of the candidate channels in neighboring cells to select a channel for the new call; and

(c) using the selected channel for the new call.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the reuse-distance criterion algorithm is a cost-function-based dynamic channel assignment (CFBDCA) algorithm.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein the MBDCA algorithm is implemented in each cell site of the cellular system and the reuse-distance criterion algorithm is implemented in a mobile switching center (MSC) of the cellular system.

4. The invention of claim 3, wherein the MSC transmits a list of one or more poor channels to a cell site and the cell site ignores the poor channels when generating the list of candidate channels.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein the reuse-distance criterion algorithm is a CFBDCA algorithm.

6. A cellular system, comprising:

(a) a mobile switching center (MSC); and

(b) a plurality of cell sites, communicating with the MSC, wherein;

a cell site generates a list of candidate channels for a new call using an MBDCA algorithm;

the MSC applies a reuse-distance criterion algorithm to the list of candidate channels based on a specified minimum reuse distance and current usage of one or more of the candidate channels in neighboring cells to select a channel for the new call; and

the cell site uses the selected channel for the new call.

7. The invention of claim 6, wherein the reuse-distance criterion algorithm is a CFBDCA algorithm.

8. The invention of claim 6, wherein the MSC transmits a list of one or more poor channels to a cell site and the cell site ignores the poor channels when generating the list of candidate channels.

9. The invention of claim 8, wherein the reuse-distance criterion algorithm is a CFBDCA algorithm.

10. A mobile switching center (MSC) for a cellular system further comprising a plurality of cell sites, wherein:

a cell site generates a list of candidate channels for a new call using an MBDCA algorithm;

the MSC applies a reuse-distance criterion algorithm to the list of candidate channels based on a specified minimum reuse distance and current usage of one or more of the candidate channels in neighboring cells to select a channel for the new call; and

the cell site uses the selected channel for the new call.

11. The invention of claim 10, wherein the reuse-distance criterion algorithm is a CFBDCA algorithm.

12. The invention of claim 10, wherein the MSC transmits a list of one or more poor channels to a cell site and the cell site ignores the poor channels when generating the list of candidate channels.

13. The invention of claim 12, wherein the reuse-distance criterion algorithm is a CFBDCA algorithm.

14. A cell site for a cellular system further comprising a mobile switching center (MSC) and one or more other cell sites, wherein:

the cell site generates a list of candidate channels for a new call using an MBDCA algorithm;

the MSC applies a reuse-distance criterion algorithm to the list of candidate channels based on a specified minimum reuse distance and current usage of one or more of the candidate channels in neighboring cells to select a channel for the new call; and

the cell site uses the selected channel for the new call.

15. The invention of claim 14, wherein the reuse-distance criterion algorithm is a CFBDCA algorithm.

16. The invention of claim 14, wherein the MSC transmits a list of one or more poor channels to a cell site and the cell site ignores the poor channels when generating the list of candidate channels.

17. The invention of claim 16, wherein the reuse-distance criterion algorithm is a CFBDCA algorithm.