Systems and methods for scoring communication spectrum maximization

• US 7,613,464 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2007
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Broadcast Sciences Corporation
• Original Assignee: Media Technology Ventures, LLC
• Inventors: Unkefer, Ronald A., Lawrence, Gary Marlin, Hieatt, III, William Roland, Rose, Harold A., Keon, Neil Jennings, Kalvenes, Joakim
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard, Patrick N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ, JULIO R
• Application Number:
  US11/690,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20070225006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.11, 455/446, 455/422.1, 455/423, 455/403, 455/42.1, 455/427, 342/357.06, 715/848, 703/13, 703/2
• US Class Current: 455/452.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/391 Modelling the propagation channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity
• 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 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

A computer-based program performs calculations to analyze, vary, test, manage, and/or improve the performance of channels and/or frequencies in the communication spectrum. The program varies parameters of a point of communication, such as the location, transmission power, channel frequency, antenna height, and the like, alone or in combination, to measure, test, and/or evaluate which parameter changes increase the market coverage of a target market or area. In some scenarios, changes to one point of communication cause the regulations governing the broadcast relationship between one or more nearby points of communication to be violated. When this occurs, the program determines which of the parameters, such as the location, transmission power, channel and/or frequency, antenna height, and the like, alone or in combination, of the point of communication interfering with the increased market coverage scenario to vary to overcome the conflict with communications and/or regulatory law. In addition, the program can determine simultaneously which of the parameters of multiple points of communication to vary to overcome the conflict with communications and/or regulatory law. The program outputs multiple solutions with varying degrees of difficulty and varying amounts of performance improvement.

Claims

1. An apparatus for improving the coverage of a target area by a radio transmitter, the method comprising:

one or more processors configured to create multiple potential alternative locations for a radio transmitter;

one or more processors configured to analyze potential alternative locations, alternative classes alternative frequencies and/or alternative channels associated with a radio transmitter;

one or more processors configured to test whether the alternative locations, alternative classes, alternative frequencies and/or alternative channels or combinations thereof are feasible; and

one or more processors configured to score the alternative locations, alternative classes, alternative frequencies and/or alternative channels, wherein the scoring generates a numerical score that represents potential population and/or demographic coverage within a target area and potential implementation costs;

wherein the numerical score comprises a net present value (NPV_k) of a radio transmitter j having the alternative locations, alternative classes, alternative frequencies and/or alternative channels of a scenario k, wherein

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein

ERP_J comprises a transmission power for the radio transmitter j,

ERP_j^new comprises a new transmission power for the radio transmitter j in the scenario k,

FS comprise a field strength in dBu defining a field strength contour using F^50,50,

HAAT_j comprises a height above average terrain for the radio transmitter j

HAAT_j,k^New comprises a new height above average terrain for the radio transmitter j in the scenario k,

α

_j comprises a marginal value per population and/or demographic covered for the radio transmitter j, and

Δ

_j,k^Pops comprises a change in covered population and/or demographic for the radio transmitter j in the scenario k.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein

C_J,k comprises a cost attributed to the radio transmitter j for the scenario k,

C_j,k^NewTX comprises a cost of a new transmission facility for the radio transmitter j for scenario k,

FC^Antenna comprises a cost of an antenna,

FC^Construct comprises a fixed cost to construct a new tower,

VC_t^Construc comprises a variable cost per meter to construct the new tower,

FC^Extend comprises a fixed cost to extend an existing tower, and

VC^Extend is the variable cost per meter to existing tower.