Method for self-calibration of a wireless communication system

• US 6,775,549 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2002
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Wireless Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Benveniste, Mathilde
• Primary Examiner(s): APPIAH, CHARLES NANA
• Application Number:
  US10/267,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20030064745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 455/450, 455/452.1, 455/452.2, 455/62, 455/63.1, 455/67.1, 455/522, 455/453, 455/458, 455/68, 455/69, 455/455, 455/422.1
• US Class Current: 455/452.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/04 Traffic adaptive resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/08 Load shedding arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/10 Dynamic resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/08 Closed loop power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/30 using constraints in the total amount of available transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/362 Aspects of the step size
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/50 at the moment of starting communication in a multiple access environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Self RF engineering is made possible for a wireless communication system by adding to the self-configuration capability the ability to set autonomously the power levels of the system base stations. The same data is employed as in self configuration. A further improvement for systems using the IS 136 Air Interface Standard consists of the capability to collect the required data through the functionalities of the MAHO/MACA (Mobile Assisted Hand Off/Mobile Assisted Channel Assignment). Improved system-initialization procedures are presented.

Claims

1. A wireless communications system having service areas partitioned into a plurality of cells, wherein a set of communication channels are available for allocation among the cells, the system comprising:

means for collecting data during system operation, wherein the data includes signal strength data acquired by peer-to-peer communication between base stations of the plurality of cells;

means for autonomously determining estimates of channel assignment admissibility criteria based on the data collected during system operation;

means for collecting signal strength or interference measurements acquired by communication between mobiles and base stations; and

means for improving the estimates of channel assignment admissibility criteria using the signal strength or interference measurements acquired by communication between mobiles and base stations.

2. The system of claim 1, including:

means for using improved estimates of channel assignment admissibility criteria for determining the admissibility of a channel assignment.

3. The system of claim 1, including:

means for using improved estimates of channel assignment admissibility criteria for determining RF transmit levels of base stations of the system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein improved estimates of channel assignment admissibility criteria determine the admissibility of a channel assignment.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein improved estimates of channel assignment admissibility criteria are employed in the allocation of control channels.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein improved estimates of channel assignment admissibility criteria are employed in the allocation of traffic channels.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein improved estimates of channel assignment admissibility criteria determine RF transmit levels of the base stations on the control channel.

7. A wireless communications system having service areas partitioned into a plurality of cells, wherein a set of communication channels are available for allocation among the cells, the system comprising:

means for autonomously determining estimates of channel assignment admissibility criteria based on the data collected during system operation, wherein the data includes signal strength data acquired by peer-to-peer communication between base stations of the plurality of cells;

means for collecting signal strength or interference measurements acquired by communication between mobiles and base stations including moving operator-controlled mobiles, engaged in calls, about the system serving area;

means for improving the estimates of channel assignment admissibility criteria using the signal strength or interference measurements acquired by communication between mobiles and base stations; and

means for admitting customer mobiles into the system;

including;

means for assignment of channels through the use of peer-to-peer base station communications of signal strength measurements.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein improved estimates of channel assignment admissibility criteria determine the admissibility of a channel assignment.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein improved estimates of channel assignment admissibility criteria determine RF transmit levels of the base stations.

10. A wireless digital TDMA system employing an Air Interface Standard providing automatic measurement of channel signal strengths for assisting channel assignments and having service areas partitioned into a plurality of cells, wherein a set of communication channels are available for allocation among the plurality of cells, the system comprising:

means for collecting data during system operation, wherein the data includes acquiring signal strength data acquired by peer-to-peer communication between base stations of the plurality of cells;

means for collecting signal strength or interference measurements acquired by communication between mobiles and base stations including moving operator-controlled mobiles about the system service areas;

means for improving estimates of the channel assignment admissibility criteria using the signal strength or interference measurements acquired by communication between mobiles and base stations; and

admitting customer mobiles into the system.

11. The wireless communications system of claim 10, wherein improved estimates of channel assignment admissibility criteria determine the admissibility of a channel assignment.

12. The wireless communications system of claim 10, wherein improved estimates of channel assignment admissibility criteria determine the RF transmit power levels of the base stations.

13. The system of claim 10, including:

means for using improved estimates of channel assignment admissibility criteria for determining the admissibility of channel assignments.

14. The system of claim 10, including:

means for using improved estimates of channel assignment admissibility criteria for the allocation of control channels.

15. The system of claim 10, including:

means for using improved estimates of channel assignment admissibility criteria for the allocation of traffic channels.

16. The system of claim 10, including:

means for using improved estimates of channel assignment admissibility criteria for determining the neighbor list of base stations of the system.