System and method for controlling transmitter power of a narrowband advanced messaging system

• US 6,657,976 B1
• Filed: 09/01/1999
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: USA Mobility Wireless, Inc. (Spok Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WebLink Wireless, Inc. (Spok Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Larghi, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): KWOH, JASPER C
• Application Number:
  US09/387,470
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/311, 370/332, 370/334, 370/278, 455/69, 455/522
• US Class Current: 370/278
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/08 Closed loop power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/28 using user profile, e.g. mobile speed, priority or network state, e.g. standby, idle or non transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/343 taking into account loading or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/346 distributing total power among users or channels

Abstract

A reverse channel power controller for use in a narrowband wireless messaging network containing a plurality of base stations that communicate with subscriber communication devices. The reverse channel power controller controls the transmission power of the subscriber communication devices. The reverse channel power controller contains: 1) a reverse channel traffic determination circuit for determining a level of reverse channel traffic received by a selected one of the plurality of base stations; and 2) a communication controller for transmitting to the selected subscriber communication device a power control command capable of causing the selected subscriber communication device to adjust a power level of a reverse channel signal transmitted by the selected subscriber communication device.

Claims

1. For use in a narrowband wireless messaging network comprising a plurality of base stations capable of communicating with a plurality of subscriber communication devices, a reverse channel power controller for controlling a transmission power of a selected one of said plurality of subscriber communication devices comprising:

a reverse channel traffic determination circuit operable to determine an amount of reverse channel traffic received by a selected one of said plurality of base stations, wherein said reverse channel traffic determination circuit determines said amount of reverse channel traffic received by said selected base station by using reverse channel traffic pattern data stored in a memory associated with said reverse channel power controller and wherein at least one of said reverse channel traffic pattern data is associated with a selected time of day; and

a communication controller operable to transmit to said selected subscriber communication device a power control command in response to said amount of reverse channel traffic, said power control command capable of causing said selected subscriber communication device to adjust a power level of a reverse channel signal transmitted by said selected subscriber communication device.

2. The reverse channel power controller set forth in claim 1 further comprising a signal detector for detecting a status signal intermittently transmitted by said selected subscriber communication device.

3. The reverse channel power controller set forth in claim 2 wherein said communication controller transmits said power control command to said selected subscriber communication device if said status signal is not detected by said signal detector.

4. The reverse channel power controller set forth in claim 2 wherein said communication controller transmits said power control command to said selected subscriber communication device if a power level of said status signal detected by said signal detector is low.

5. The reverse channel power controller set forth in claim 1 wherein said reverse channel traffic determination circuit further determines said amount of reverse channel traffic received by said selected base station by monitoring at least one received signal strength indicator (RSSI) data associated with said selected base station.

6. The reverse channel power controller set forth in claim 1 wherein a selected one of said plurality of base stations transmits messages to said selected subscriber communication device in a forward channel and receives messages from said selected subscriber communication device in a reverse channel, and wherein an antenna associated with said selected base station transmits said forward-channel messages at a first angle of electrical downtilt below the horizon and receives said reverse-channel messages at a second angle of electrical downtilt, wherein said second angle of electrical downtilt is less than said first angle of electrical downtilt.

7. A narrowband wireless messaging network comprising:

a plurality of base stations operable to communicate with a plurality of subscriber communication devices; and

a reverse channel power controller for controlling a transmission power of a selected one of said plurality of subscriber communication devices comprising;

a reverse channel traffic determination circuit operable to determine an amount of reverse channel traffic received by a selected one of said plurality of base stations, wherein said reverse channel traffic determination circuit determines said amount of reverse channel traffic received by said selected base station by using reverse channel traffic pattern data stored in a memory associated with said reverse channel power controller and wherein at least one of said reverse channel traffic pattern data is associated with a selected time of day; and

a communication controller operable to transmit to said selected subscriber communication device a power control command in response to said amount of reverse channel traffic, said power control command capable of causing said selected subscriber communication device to adjust a power level of a reverse channel signal transmitted by said selected subscriber communication device.

8. The narrowband wireless messaging network set forth in claim 7 further comprising a signal detector for detecting a status signal intermittently transmitted by said selected subscriber communication device.

9. The narrowband wireless messaging network set forth in claim 8 wherein said communication controller transmits said power control command to said selected subscriber communication device if said status signal is not detected by said signal detector.

10. The narrowband wireless messaging network set forth in claim 8 wherein said communication controller transmits said power control command to said selected subscriber communication device if a power level of said status signal detected by said signal detector is low.

11. The narrowband wireless messaging network set forth in claim 7 wherein said reverse channel traffic determination circuit further determines said amount of reverse channel traffic received by said selected base station by monitoring at least one received signal strength indicator (RSSI) data associated with said selected base station.

12. The narrowband wireless messaging network set forth in claim 7 wherein a selected one of said plurality of base stations transmits messages to said selected subscriber communication device in a forward channel and receives messages from said selected subscriber communication device in a reverse channel, and wherein an antenna associated with said selected base station transmits said forward-channel messages at a first angle of electrical downtilt below the horizon and receives said reverse-channel messages at a second angle of electrical downtilt, wherein said second angle of electrical downtilt is less than said first angle of electrical downtilt.

13. For use in a wireless network comprising a plurality of base stations capable of communicating with a plurality of mobile devices, a method for controlling a transmission power of a selected one of the plurality of subscriber communication devices comprising the steps of:

determining an amount of reverse channel traffic received by a selected one of the plurality of base stations using reverse channel traffic pattern data stored in a memory wherein at least one of the reverse channel traffic pattern data is associated with a selected time of day; and

transmitting to the selected subscriber communication device a power control command in response to said amount of reverse channel traffic, said power control command capable of causing the selected subscriber communication device to adjust a power level of a reverse channel signal transmitted by the selected subscriber communication device.

14. The method set forth in claim 13 further comprising the step of detecting a status signal intermittently transmitted by the selected subscriber communication device.

15. The method set forth in claim 14 further comprising the step of transmitting the power control command to the selected subscriber communication device if the status signal is not detected.

16. The method set forth in claim 14 further comprising the step of transmitting the power control command to the selected subscriber communication device if a power level of the detected status signal is low.

17. The method set forth in claim 13 wherein the step of determining further comprises the step of monitoring at least one received signal strength indicator (RSSI) data associated with the selected base station.