Automatic frequency control for a cellular base station

• US 6,370,157 B2
• Filed: 04/30/1997
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation), University of Utah (State of Utah)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Lieu, Winston Hong, Boccuzzi, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, BRIAN D
• Application Number:
  US08/847,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20010043619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,805 Days
• Field of Search: 370/482, 370/335, 370/337, 370/319, 370/320, 370/321, 370/328, 370/342, 370/347, 455/161.1, 455/161.2, 455/161.3, 455/164.1
• US Class Current: 370/482
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method for automatic frequency control in a wireless communication network having public frequency channels comprises the steps of: scanning the public frequency channels; locking the cellular base station to a signal on one of the public frequency channels; and returning the cellular base station to normal operation.

Claims

1. In a wireless communication environment wherein a first base station for a first wireless communications system, is operated within a coverage area of a second base station for a second wireless communications system, and wherein signals transmitted from said second base station are maintained at a predetermined frequency tolerance, a method for automatic frequency control for signals generated by said first base station comprising the steps of:

causing a receiving device at said first base station to periodically scan said signals from said second base station;

locking the first base station to a frequency of one of said second base station signals;

adjusting a carrier frequency of said first base station to said locked second base station frequency;

returning the first base station to normal operation, wherein said normal operation is operation within said first wireless communication systems;

wherein the step of locking further comprises the step of deriving a carrier frequency reference from the locked second base station frequency; and

further comprising the step of adjusting a carrier frequency of said first base station as a function of said derived carrier frequency reference.

2. In a wireless communication network having a base station transmitting signals on a set of frequency channels, wherein transmitted frequencies of said frequency channels are maintained within a predetermined frequency tolerance, a method for automatic frequency control of a personal base station operated within a coverage area of said network base station, the method comprising the steps of:

causing a receiving device at said personal base station to periodically scan said transmitted signals from said network base station;

locking the personal base station to a frequency of one of said network base station signals;

adjusting a carrier frequency of said personal base station to said locked network base station frequency;

returning the personal base station to normal operation, wherein said normal operation is operation within said set of frequency channels;

wherein the step of locking further comprises the step of deriving a carrier frequency reference from said frequency of said one of said network base station signals; and

further comprising the step of adjusting a carrier frequency reference of the personal base station as a function of said derived carrier frequency reference.