Precise common timing in a wireless network
First Claim
1. A method of providing precise common timing to wireless entities including mobile stations and base stations in a wireless network, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) measuring timing differences between pairs of a plurality of base stations including at least one reference base station and timing associations for said at least one reference base station;
b) obtaining absolute timing differences (ATDs) from said measured timing differences (MTDs);
c) aggregating said ATDs for each of said pairs of said plurality of base stations, wherein said aggregating includes averaging said ATDs for each base station pair using a moving weighted average, wherein each value for said moving weighted average is determined according to
ATD1=ATD1 (n=1) and,
ATDn+1=(1−
w)ATDn+w ATDn+1 (n≧
1);
where,ATDn=nth absolute time difference (obtained after ATDn−
1 and before ATDn+1),ATDn=nth value for moving weighted average, andw=weight (0<
w<
1);
d) adjusting said measured timing associations to current time;
e) reducing errors in said aggregated ATDs;
f) obtaining timing associations for non-reference base stations from said timing associations and said aggregated ATDs; and
g) providing said obtained timing associations to selected wireless network entities.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of providing precise common timing in a wireless communications network including at least one timing marker unit with a precise common time source, e.g., GPS. Wireless mobile units and/or timing marker units periodically measure transmission timing differences between pairs of neighboring base stations and each provide the measurements to a base station or central network entity. Timing marker units measure timing associations and return the results. An absolute transmission timing difference (ATD) is determined for each base station timing difference measurement. ATDs are collected and combined for each pair of base stations. A timing relationship is developed for all base stations from the combined ATDs, relating transmission timing of non-reference base stations to reference base stations. Timing associations are extracted for non-reference base stations from these timing difference relationships and the timing associations for the reference base stations.
27 Citations
62 Claims
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1. A method of providing precise common timing to wireless entities including mobile stations and base stations in a wireless network, said method comprising the steps of:
-
a) measuring timing differences between pairs of a plurality of base stations including at least one reference base station and timing associations for said at least one reference base station; b) obtaining absolute timing differences (ATDs) from said measured timing differences (MTDs); c) aggregating said ATDs for each of said pairs of said plurality of base stations, wherein said aggregating includes averaging said ATDs for each base station pair using a moving weighted average, wherein each value for said moving weighted average is determined according to
ATD1=ATD1 (n=1) and,
ATDn+1=(1−
w)ATDn+w ATDn+1 (n≧
1);
where,ATDn=nth absolute time difference (obtained after ATDn−
1 and before ATDn+1),ATDn=nth value for moving weighted average, and w=weight (0<
w<
1);d) adjusting said measured timing associations to current time; e) reducing errors in said aggregated ATDs; f) obtaining timing associations for non-reference base stations from said timing associations and said aggregated ATDs; and g) providing said obtained timing associations to selected wireless network entities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of providing precise common timing to wireless network entities including mobile stations and base stations in a wireless network, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) measuring timing differences between pairs of a plurality of base stations including reference base stations and measuring timing associations for said reference base stations; b) obtaining absolute timing differences (ATDs) from measured said timing differences (MTDs); c) aggregating and combining said ATDs for each of pairs of said plurality of base stations; d) adjusting measured said timing associations to current time; e) forming a network graph representing combined aggregated ATDs for said plurality of base stations, said forming further comprising the steps of; i) representing each said reference base station as a reference node in said network graph; ii) representing each remaining one of said plurality of base stations as a non-reference node in said network graph; and iii) linking selected pairs of network nodes, said network nodes including said reference nodes and said non-reference nodes, each link between said network nodes representing an ATD between corresponding represented said base stations; f) graphically reducing errors in said combined aggregated ATDs; g) obtaining timing associations for non-reference base stations from said timing associations and error reduced said ATDs; and h) providing obtained said timing associations to selected wireless network entities. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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Specification