Method and apparatus for high throughput multiple radio sectorized wireless cell

• US 7,305,246 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2005
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Woodbury Wireless LLC
• Original Assignee: Rotani, Inc.
• Inventors: Lastinger, Roc, Spenik, John, Woodbury, Brian C
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): DESIR, PIERRE LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US11/160,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20050282545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 455/434, 455/466, 455/562.1, 455/419, 455/452.1, 455/447, 370/330, 370/328
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2605 Array of radiating elements provided with a feedback control over the element weights, e.g. adaptive arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/382 for resource allocation, admission control or handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0491 using two or more sectors, i.e. sector diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0495 using overlapping sectors in the same base station to implement MIMO for antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/00 Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/02 Resource partitioning among network components, e.g. reuse partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/12 Fixed resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• 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 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for high throughput wireless cells, capable of functioning as access points, are described. The wireless cells may be equipped with multiple radios to increase the amount of throughput available through a single wireless cell. Multiple antennas attached to the radios through RF switches may enable the wireless cell to service multiple clients simultaneously. The physical sectors of the antennas may overlapped to form virtual sectors that provide greater flexibility in client load management and in simultaneously servicing multiple clients. Attenuators may reduce interference from foreign wireless cells or clients. Systems and methods for assigning minimally interfering channels to either physical sectors or to radios to reduce interference between adjacent sectors and overlapping sectors are also disclosed. An antenna horn may also allow any antenna to be used as a directional antenna and may enable the antenna'"'"'s angle of coverage to be adjusted. The use of multiple antennas on a client to reduce interferences is also described.

Claims

1. A method performed by a first wireless cell for improving a throughput between the first wireless cell and a first wireless client, the method comprising:

sending a first data to the first client using a first antenna of a plurality of antennas and a first channel of a plurality of channels;

sending a second data to a second wireless client using a second antenna of the plurality of antennas and a second channel of the plurality of channels;

receiving a first message from the first client that the first channel does not provide a sufficient throughput to the first client; and

selecting a first different channel for communication with the first client, wherein;

the first wireless cell comprises the plurality of antennas and the plurality of channels;

the first client comprises the plurality of channels;

the second client comprises the plurality of channels;

the first antenna comprises a first physical sector having an angle of coverage less than about 270 degrees;

the second antenna comprises a second physical sector having an angle of coverage less than about 270 degrees;

the first physical sector overlaps at least 30 percent of the second physical sector thereby forming a virtual sector;

the first channel and the second channel comprise different channels;

the first client and the second client are positioned inside the virtual sector;

the first wireless cell simultaneously communicates with the first client and the second client using the first antenna and the second antenna respectively.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting further comprises:

detecting the throughput between the first wireless cell and the first client for each channel of the plurality of channels; and

selecting as the first different channel one channel of the plurality of channels that provides throughput greater than a threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting further comprises:

determining that no channel delivers the sufficient throughput to the first client; and

selecting a channel that provides a throughput greater than a threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending a third message to the first client and the second client

to inform the first client and the second client that the

a channel change is complete.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a third message from the first client indicating that the first different channel provides the sufficient throughput to the first client.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to selecting, selecting a second different channel for communication with the second client; and

sending a third message to the second client to inform the second client to change to the second different channel.

7. A method performed by a first wireless client for improving a throughput between a first wireless cell and the first client, the method comprising:

receiving a first data from the first wireless cell using a first channel of a plurality of channels;

detecting that the throughput of the first data is insufficient;

sending a first message to the first wireless cell indicating that the throughput is insufficient; and

receiving a second message from the first wireless cell to change to a different;

channel wherein;

the first wireless cell comprises a plurality of antennas and the plurality of channels;

the first client comprises the plurality of channels;

the second client comprises the plurality of channels;

the first wireless cell communicates with the first client and the second client using a first antenna and a second antenna respectively of the plurality of antennas;

the first antenna comprises a first physical sector having an angle of coverage less than about 270 degrees;

the second antenna comprises a second physical sector having an angle of coverage less than about 270 degrees;

the first physical sector overlaps at least 30 percent of the second physical sector thereby forming a virtual sector;

the first channel and the second channel comprise different channels;

the first client and the second client are positioned inside the virtual sector;

the first wireless cell simultaneously communicates with the first client and the second client using the first antenna and the second antenna respectively.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising receiving a third message from the first wireless cell indicating that a channel change is complete.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein detecting comprises detecting when the fullness decreases below a threshold.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising changing to the different channel responsive to receiving the second message.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising sending a third message to the first client indicating no channel provides the sufficient throughput.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising detecting whether the throughput using the different channel is sufficient.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

detecting that the throughput using the different channel is sufficient; and

sending a third message to the first wireless cell to inform the first wireless cell that the throughput is sufficient.

14. The method of claim 7 further comprising receiving a third message from the first wireless cell indicating no channel provides the sufficient throughput.

15. The method of claim 7 further comprising at least one of transcoding to a lower bit rate and displaying a message to the user respectively responsive to receiving the third message.