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Self-configurable wireless systems: spectrum monitoring in a layered configuration

  • US 6,615,040 B1
  • Filed: 09/22/1999
  • Issued: 09/02/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method for coordinating RF use in primary and adjunct wireless systems which are layered in a common geographic area, the adjunct system shielded from interference from the primary system, and which share the same RF spectrum, wherein the adjunct system includes adjunct base stations defining respective adjunct wireless cells and serving adjunct mobile stations located within the respective adjunct cell and the primary system includes primary base stations defining respective primary wireless cells and serving primary mobile stations located within the primary wireless cell, comprising:

  • monitoring all RF channels by the adjunct system and partitioning unused frequencies by the primary system into two sets, a set of channels likely to be interference-free and a set of noisy channels;

    forming a pool of interference-free channels for use by all adjunct base stations;

    assigning channels to adjunct cells from the interference-free set;

    grouping interference-free channels left unassigned as back-up channels in case the assigned channels become noisy;

    during an operation phase, performing sequential tests of the channel, wherein an analysis of the noise or interference signal strength is made after each individual measurement;

    if the noise or interference signal strength is detected above a specified threshold, then the channel is immediately reclassified as noisy; and

    if a channel currently classified as noisy has a detected noise or interference signal strength below a specified threshold, then a stopping criterion interval is checked, wherein if the time expired since the first low-noise measurement is less than the stopping criterion interval, then a sampling of additional measurements of the channel are made before changing the classification to interference-free, wherein the magnitude of the stopping criterion interval and the sample size for low signal-strength measurements are based on an error probability analysis.

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