Channel assignment based on spatial strategies in a wireless network using adaptive antenna arrays

• US 7,539,496 B1
• Filed: 03/28/2002
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Trott, Mitchell D., Kasapi, Athanasios A., Sousa, Elvino S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Huy Q
• Application Number:
  US10/112,164
• Time in Patent Office: 2,616 Days
• Field of Search: 455/450, 455/452.1, 455/452.2, 455/434, 455/509, 455/464, 455/453, 455/422.1, 455/562.1, 455/575.7, 370/328, 370/329, 370/334
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/046 the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria

Abstract

The present invention can improve efficiency in wireless radio networks using spatial division multiple access (SDMA) strategies. One embodiment of the invention includes determining a quality parameter of a user terminal based on a signal received from the user terminal at a base station. One embodiment further includes determining a co-spatial constraint on the user terminal based on the quality parameter, the co-spatial constraint comprising a limitation on the quantity of additional user terminals with which the user terminal can share a conventional communications channel.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a radio signal at a first radio from a second radio;

determining a quality parameter of the signal received from the second radio;

deriving a co-spatial constraint based on the quality parameter, the co-spatial constraint comprising a limitation on the quantity of additional radios with which the second radio can share one of a plurality of conventional communications channels;

assigning the co-spatial constraint to the second radio;

searching for a communications channel having a co-spatial constraint equal to the co-spatial constraint assigned to the second radio and having a number of assigned radios no more than the co-spatial constraint of the communication channel;

if such a communications channel is found, then selecting the communications channel and assigning the second radio to the found communications channel;

if a such a communications channel is not found, then searching for a communications channel having a co-spatial constraint that is less than the co-spatial constraint assigned to the second radio and having a number of assigned radios no more than the co-spatial constraint of the communications channel;

if such a communications channel is found, then selecting the communications channel and assigning the second radio to the found communications channel having the highest co-spatial constraint; and

if such a communications channel is not found, then denying service to the second radio.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising if no communications channel is found, then assigning the co-spatial constraint of the second radio to an available communications channel and assigning the second radio to the available communications channel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting the communications channel comprises selecting a communications channel that is in use by the first radio for communications with one or more additional radios, the additional radios having co-spatial constraints at least as restrictive as the co-spatial constraint for the second radio.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting the communications channel comprises selecting a communications channel that is in use by the first radio for communications with one or more additional radios, the additional radios having the same co-spatial constraints as the co-spatial constraint for the second radio.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein signals transmitted using the selected communications channel are below a threshold level of power.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the quality parameter of the second radio comprises determining one or more of a distance of the second radio from the first radio, a strength of the received signal, a SNR of the received signal, a SINR of the received signal, a quality of service designation of the second radio, a mobility designation of the second radio, a mobility of the second radio, a Doppler shift of the received signal, a Doppler spread of the received signal, a velocity of the second radio, and an angle spread of the received signal.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a communications signal from the first radio to the second radio over the selected communications channel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the quality parameter, and selecting the communications channel are performed by the first radio, the first radio being comprised of a base station and the second radio being comprised of one of a plurality of subscriber units.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the quality parameter comprises:

receiving the signal at the first radio;

extracting data included in the received signal related to the quality parameter; and

determining the quality parameter based on the extracted data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the quality parameter comprises receiving the signal at the first radio;

measuring a known characteristic of the received signal; and

determining the quality parameter based on the measurement.

11. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing instructions, which if executed by the machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving a radio signal at a first radio from a second radio;

determining a quality parameter of the signal received from the second radio;

deriving a co-spatial constraint based on the quality parameter, the co-spatial constraint comprising a limitation on the quantity of additional radios with which the second radio can share one of a plurality of conventional communications channels;

assigning the co-spatial constraint to the second radio;

searching for a communications channel having a co-spatial constraint equal to the co-spatial constraint assigned to the second radio and having a number of assigned radios no more than the co-spatial constraint of the communication channel;

if such a communications channel is found, then selecting the communications channel and assigning the second radio to the found communications channel;

if a such a communications channel is not found, then searching for a communications channel having a co-spatial constraint that is less than the co-spatial constraint assigned to the second radio and having a number of assigned radios no more than the co-spatial constraint of the communications channel;

if such a communications channel is found, then selecting the communications channel and assigning the second radio to the found communications channel having the highest co-spatial constraint; and

if such a communications channel is not found, then denying service to the second radio.

12. The medium of claim 11, further comprising if no communications channel is found, then assigning the co-spatial constraint of the second radio to an available communications channel and assigning the second radio to the available communications channel.

13. The medium of claim 11, wherein selecting the communications channel comprises selecting a communications channel that is in use by the first radio for communications with one or more additional radios, the additional radios having co-spatial constraints at least as restrictive as the co-spatial constraint for the second radio.

14. The medium of claim 11, wherein selecting the communications channel comprises selecting a communications channel that is in use by the first radio for communications with one or more additional radios, the additional radios having the same co-spatial constraints as the co-spatial constraint for the second radio.

15. The medium of claim 14, wherein signals transmitted using the selected communications channel are below a threshold level of power.

16. The medium of claim 11, wherein determining the quality parameter of the second radio comprises determining one or more of a distance of the second radio from the first radio, a strength of the received signal, a SNR of the received signal, a SINR of the received signal, a quality of service designation of the second radio, a mobility designation of the second radio, a mobility of the second radio, a Doppler shift of the received signal, a Doppler spread of the received signal, a velocity of the second radio, and an angle spread of the received signal.

17. The medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions further cause the machine to perform an operation comprising transmitting a communications signal from the first radio to the second radio over the selected communications channel.

18. The medium of claim 11, wherein determining the quality parameter, and selecting the communications channel are performed by the first radio, the first radio being comprised of a base station and the second radio being comprised of one of a plurality of subscriber units.

19. The medium of claim 11, wherein determining the quality parameter comprises:

receiving the signal at the first radio;

extracting data included in the received signal related to the quality parameter; and

determining the quality parameter based on the extracted data.

20. The medium of claim 11, wherein determining the quality parameter comprises receiving the signal at the first radio;

measuring a known characteristic of the received signal; and

determining the quality parameter based on the measurement.

21. A communications device comprising:

a receiver to receive a signal from a second radio;

a processor communicatively coupled to the receiver to;

determine a quality parameter of the signal received from the second radio;

derive a co-spatial constraint based on the quality parameter, the co-spatial constraint comprising a limitation on the quantity of additional radios with which the second radio can share one of a plurality of conventional communications channels;

assign the co-spatial constraint to the second radio;

search for a communications channel having a co-spatial constraint equal to the co-spatial constraint assigned to the second radio and having a number of assigned radios no more than the co-spatial constraint of the communication channel;

if such a communications channel is found, then select the communications channel and assigning the second radio to the found communications channel;

if a such a communications channel is not found, then search for a communications channel having a co-spatial constraint that is less than the co-spatial constraint assigned to the second radio and having a number of assigned radios no more than the co-spatial constraint of the communications channel;

if such a communications channel is found, then select the communications channel and assigning the second radio to the found communications channel having the highest co-spatial constraint; and

if such a communications channel is not found, then deny service to the second radio.

22. The communications device of claim 21, wherein if no communications channel is found, then the processor assigns the co-spatial constraint of the second radio to an available communications channel and assigning the second radio to the available communications channel.

23. The communications device of claim 21, wherein the processor selects the communications channel using by selecting a communications channel that is in use by the communications device for communications with one or more additional radios, the additional radios having co-spatial constraints at least as restrictive as the co-spatial constraint for the second radio.

24. The communications device of claim 21, wherein the processor selects the communications channel by selecting a communications channel that is in use by the communications device for communications with one or more additional radios, the additional radios having the same co-spatial constraints as the co-spatial constraint for the second radio.

25. The communications device of claim 24, further comprising a transmitter to transmit signals, wherein signals transmitted from the transmitter using the selected communications channel are below a threshold level of power.

26. The communications device of claim 21, wherein the processor determines the quality parameter of the second radio by determining one or more of a distance of the second radio from the communications device, a strength of the received signal, a SNR of the received signal, a SINR of the received signal, a quality of service designation of the second radio, a mobility designation of the second radio, a mobility of the second radio, a Doppler shift of the received signal, a Doppler spread of the received signal, a velocity of the second radio, and an angle spread of the received signal.

27. The communications device of claim 21, further comprising a transmitter to transmit a communications signal from the communications device to the second radio over the selected communications channel.

28. The communications device of claim 21, wherein the communications device comprises a base station in a wireless radio network.

29. The communications device of claim 21, wherein the processor determines the quality parameter by:

extracting data included in the received signal related to the quality parameter; and

determining the quality parameter based on the extracted data.

30. The communications device of claim 21, wherein the processor determines the quality parameter by:

measuring a known characteristic of the received signal; and

determining the quality parameter based on the measurement.

31. A method comprising:

sending a signal on a first communications channel to a first radio from a second radio; and

receiving an assignment from the first communications channel to a second communications channel from the first radio, the assignment being based on determining a quality parameter of the signal sent from the second radio, deriving a co-spatial constraint based on the quality parameter, the co-spatial constraint comprising a limitation on the quantity of additional radios with which the second radio can share one of a plurality of conventional communications channels, assigning the co-spatial constraint to the second radio, searching for a communications channel having a co-spatial constraint equal to the co-spatial constraint assigned to the second radio and having a number of assigned radios no more than the co-spatial constraint of the communication channel, if such a communications channel is found, then selecting the communications channel and assigning the second radio to the found communications channel, if a such a communications channel is not found, then searching for a communications channel having a co-spatial constraint that is less than the co-spatial constraint assigned to the second radio and having a number of assigned radios no more than the co-spatial constraint of the communications channel, if such a communications channel is found, then selecting the communications channel and assigning the second radio to the found communications channel having the highest co-spatial constraint, and if such a communications channel is not found, then denying service to the second radio.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein selecting the communications channel comprises selecting a communications channel that is in use by the first radio for communications with one or more additional radios, the additional radios having co-spatial constraints at least as restrictive as the co-spatial constraint for the second radio.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein determining the quality parameter comprises receiving the signal at the first radio, extracting data included in the received signal related to the quality parameter, and determining the quality parameter based on the extracted data.

34. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing instructions, which if executed by the machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

sending a signal on a first communications channel to a first radio from a second radio; and

receiving an assignment from the first communications channel to a second communications channel from the first radio, the assignment being based on determining a quality parameter of the signal sent from the second radio, deriving a co-spatial constraint based on the quality parameter, the co-spatial constraint comprising a limitation on the quantity of additional radios with which the second radio can share one of a plurality of conventional communications channels, assigning the co-spatial constraint to the second radio, searching for a communications channel having a co-spatial constraint equal to the co-spatial constraint assigned to the second radio and having a number of assigned radios no more than the co-spatial constraint of the communication channel, if such a communications channel is found, then selecting the communications channel and assigning the second radio to the found communications channel, if a such a communications channel is not found, then searching for a communications channel having a co-spatial constraint that is less than the co-spatial constraint assigned to the second radio and having a number of assigned radios no more than the co-spatial constraint of the communications channel, if such a communications channel is found, then selecting the communications channel and assigning the second radio to the found communications channel having the highest co-spatial constraint, and if such a communications channel is not found, then denying service to the second radio.

35. The medium of claim 34, wherein selecting the communications channel comprises selecting a communications channel that is in use by the first radio for communications with one or more additional radios, the additional radios having the same co-spatial constraints as the co-spatial constraint for the second radio.

36. The medium of claim 34, wherein determining the quality parameter of the second radio comprises determining one or more of a distance of the second radio from the first radio, a strength of the received signal, a SNR of the received signal, a SINR of the received signal, a quality of service designation of the second radio, a mobility designation of the second radio, a mobility of the second radio, a Doppler shift of the received signal, a Doppler spread of the received signal, a velocity of the second radio, and an angle spread of the received signal.

37. A communications device comprising:

a transmitter to send a signal from a second radio to a first radio on a first conventional communications channel; and

a receiver to receive an assignment from the first communications channel to a second communications channel from the first radio, the assignment being based on determining a quality parameter of the signal sent from the second radio, deriving a co-spatial constraint based on the quality parameter, the co-spatial constraint comprising a limitation on the quantity of additional radios with which the second radio can share one of a plurality of conventional communications channels, assigning the co-spatial constraint to the second radio, searching for a communications channel having a co-spatial constraint equal to the co-spatial constraint assigned to the second radio and having a number of assigned radios no more than the co-spatial constraint of the communication channel, if such a communications channel is found, then selecting the communications channel and assigning the second radio to the found communications channel, if a such a communications channel is not found, then searching for a communications channel having a co-spatial constraint that is less than the co-spatial constraint assigned to the second radio and having a number of assigned radios no more than the co-spatial constraint of the communications channel, if such a communications channel is found, then selecting the communications channel and assigning the second radio to the found communications channel having the highest co-spatial constraint, and if such a communications channel is not found, then denying service to the second radio.

38. The communications device of claim 37, wherein the communications device comprises a mobile unit in a wireless radio network.

39. The communications device of claim 37, wherein the quality parameter is determined by measuring a known characteristic of the received signal and determining the quality parameter based on the measurement.

40. A subscriber device comprising:

a transmitter to send a signal from the subscriber device to a base station on a first conventional communications channel; and

a receiver to receive an assignment from the first communications channel to a second communications channel from the base station, the assignment being based on determining a quality parameter of the signal sent from the subscriber device, deriving a co-spatial constraint based on the quality parameter, the co-spatial constraint comprising a limitation on the quantity of additional radios with which the subscriber device can share one of a plurality of conventional communications channels, assigning the co-spatial constraint to the subscriber device, searching for a communications channel having a co-spatial constraint equal to the co-spatial constraint assigned to the subscriber device and having a number of assigned radios no more than the co-spatial constraint of the communication channel, if such a communications channel is found, then selecting the communications channel and assigning the subscriber device to the found communications channel, if a such a communications channel is not found, then searching for a communications channel having a co-spatial constraint that is less than the co-spatial constraint assigned to the subscriber device and having a number of assigned radios no more than the co-spatial constraint of the communications channel, if such a communications channel is found, then selecting the communications channel and assigning the subscriber device to the found communications channel having the highest co-spatial constraint, and if such a communications channel is not found, then denying service to the subscriber device.