Methods and apparatus of improving inter-sector and/or inter-cell handoffs in a multi-carrier wireless communications system
First Claim
1. A device comprising:
- a processor configured to control a base station transmitter to implement a method, the method comprising;
i) transmitting into a first frequency band during a first period of time during which said base station transmitter does not transmit into a second frequency band; and
ii) transmitting into a second frequency band during a second period of time which is shorter than said first period of time, said base station transmitter transmitting into said second frequency band for a period of time which is less than 1/N the period of time said base station transmitter transmits into said first frequency band, where N is a positive value greater than 2, transmitting into the second frequency band during the second period of time including concentrating at least 60 percent of a transmitted power on one or more tones occupying less than one fifth of the second frequency band.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless communications system, e.g., an OFDM system, uses a plurality of carrier frequencies each with an associated frequency band. A base station sector transmitter in the system transmits ordinary signaling, e.g., user data, in its own assigned band. In addition the sector base station transmitter periodically transmits beacon signals into its own frequency band and the frequency bands used by adjacent sector transmitters for their ordinary signaling. Beacon signals, being short duration high power signals with sector transmission power concentrated on one or a few tones, are easily detectable. Each beacon signal may be identified as to the source base station sector transmitter, e.g., based on tone. A mobile node, tuned to a single carrier band, receives a plurality of beacon signals, identifies the sources of the received beacons, compares the received strength of the beacons, and makes handoff decisions, without having to switch carrier band.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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a processor configured to control a base station transmitter to implement a method, the method comprising; i) transmitting into a first frequency band during a first period of time during which said base station transmitter does not transmit into a second frequency band; and ii) transmitting into a second frequency band during a second period of time which is shorter than said first period of time, said base station transmitter transmitting into said second frequency band for a period of time which is less than 1/N the period of time said base station transmitter transmits into said first frequency band, where N is a positive value greater than 2, transmitting into the second frequency band during the second period of time including concentrating at least 60 percent of a transmitted power on one or more tones occupying less than one fifth of the second frequency band. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for controlling a base station transmitter to implement a method, the method comprising:
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i) transmitting into a first frequency band during a first period of time during which said base station transmitter does not transmit into a second frequency band; and ii) transmitting into a second frequency band during a second period of time which is shorter than said first period of time, said base station transmitter transmitting into said second frequency band for a period of time which is less than 1/N the period of time said base station transmitter transmits into said first frequency band, where N is a positive value greater than 2, transmitting into the second frequency band during the second period of time including concentrating at least 60 percent of a transmitted power on one or more tones occupying less than one fifth of the second frequency band. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A base station, comprising:
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a transmitter configured to transmit signals into a first frequency band and a second frequency band; a control module configured to control said transmitter to; i) transmit into a first frequency band during a first period of time during which said first transmitter does not transmit into a second frequency band; ii) transmit into a second frequency band during a second period of time which is shorter than said first period of time, said transmitter transmitting into said second frequency band for a period of time which is less than 1/N the period of time said transmitter transmits into said first frequency band, where N is a positive value greater than 2, transmitting into the second frequency band during the second period of time including concentrating at least 60 percent of a transmitted power on one or more tones occupying less than one fifth of the second frequency band. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A base station, comprising:
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means for transmitting signals into a first frequency band and a second frequency band; means for controlling said means for transmitting to; i) transmit into a first frequency band during a first period of time during which said means for transmitting do not transmit into a second frequency band; and ii) transmit into a second frequency band during a second period of time which is shorter than said first period of time, said means for transmitting transmitting into said second frequency band for a period of time which is less than 1/N the period of time said means for transmitting transmits into said first frequency band, where N is a positive value greater than 2, transmitting into the second frequency band during the second period of time including concentrating at least 60 percent of a transmitted power on one or more tones occupying less than one fifth of the second frequency band. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A device operable to control a base station transmitter, comprising:
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a processor configured to; transmit into a first frequency band during a first period of time during which said base station transmitter does not transmit into a second frequency band, said base station transmitter transmitting user data into said first frequency band on a plurality of different tones during said first period of time; and transmit into a second frequency band during a second period of time which is shorter than said first period of time, said base station transmitter transmitting into said second frequency band for a period of time which is less than 1/N the period of time said base station transmitter transmits into said first frequency band, where N is a positive value greater than 2, said base station transmitter transmitting transmitter information but no user specific data into said second frequency band during said second period of time, said transmitter information being transmitted using at least one tone, said base station transmitter transmitting at least M times an amount of power on said at least one tone than base station transmitter transmits on any one tone used to transmit user data during said first period of time into said first frequency band, where M is a positive integer greater than 2. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for controlling a base station transmitter to implement a method, the method comprising:
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i) transmitting into a first frequency band during a first period of time during which said first base station transmitter does not transmit into a second frequency band, said first base station transmitter transmitting user data into said first frequency band on a plurality of different tones during said first period of time; and ii) transmitting into a second frequency band during a second period of time which is shorter than said first period of time, said base station transmitter transmitting into said second frequency band for a period of time which is less than 1/N the period of time said base station transmitter transmits into said first frequency band, where N is a positive value greater than 2, said base station transmitter transmitting transmitter information but no user specific data into said second frequency band during said second period of time, said transmitter information being transmitted using at least one tone, said base station transmitter transmitting at least M times an amount of power on said at least one tone than said base station transmitter transmits on any one tone used to transmit user data during said first period of time into said first frequency band, where M is a positive integer greater than 2. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A base station, comprising:
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a transmitter configured to transmit signals into a first frequency band and a second frequency band; a control module configured to control said first transmitter to; i) transmit into a first frequency band during a first period of time during which said transmitter does not transmit into a second frequency band, said transmitter transmitting user data into said first frequency band on a plurality of different tones during said first period of time; and ii) transmit into a second frequency band during a second period of time which is shorter than said first period of time, said transmitter transmitting into said second frequency hand for a period of time which is less than 1/N the period of time said transmitter transmits into said first frequency band, where N is a positive value greater than 2, said transmitter transmitting transmitter information but no user specific data into said second frequency band during said second period of time, said transmitter information being transmitted using at least one tone, said transmitter transmitting at least M times an amount of power on said at least one tone than said transmitter transmits on any one tone used to transmit user data during said first period of time into said first frequency band, where M is a positive integer greater than 2. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A base station, comprising:
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means for transmitting signals into a first frequency band and a second frequency band; means for controlling said means for transmitting to; transmit into a first frequency band during a first period of time during which said means for transmitting does not transmit into a second frequency band, said means for transmitting transmitting user data into said first frequency band on a plurality of different tones during said first period of time; and transmit into a second frequency band during a second period of time which is shorter than said first period of time, said means for transmitting transmitting into said second frequency band for a period of time which is less than 1/N the period of time means for transmitting transmits into said first frequency band, where N is a positive value greater than 2, said means for transmitting transmitting transmitter information but no user specific data into said second frequency band during said second period of time, said transmitter information being transmitted using at least one tone, said means for transmitting transmitting at least M times an amount of power on said at least one tone than the means for transmitting transmits on any one tone used to transmit user data during said first period of time into said first frequency band, where M is a positive integer greater than 2. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A device operable to control a base station transmitter, comprising:
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a processor configured to; transmit into a first frequency band during a first period of time during which said base station transmitter does not transmit into a second frequency band; and transmit into a second frequency band during a second period of time which is shorter than said first period of time, said base station transmitter transmitting into said second frequency band for a period of time which is less than 1/N the period of time said base station transmitter transmits into said first frequency band, where N is a positive value greater than 2, transmitting into a second frequency band during a second period of time including transmitting a tone with at least 20 times an average per tone power used to transmit tones in a preceding 1 second time interval.
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22. A computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for controlling a base station transmitter to implement a method, the method comprising:
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transmitting into a first frequency band during a first period of time during which said base station transmitter does not transmit into a second frequency band; and transmitting into a second frequency band during a second period of time which is shorter than said first period of time, said base station transmitter transmitting into said second frequency band for a period of time which is less than 1/N the period of time said base station transmitter transmits into said first frequency band, where N is a positive value greater than 2, transmitting into a second frequency band during a second period of time including transmitting a tone with at least 20 times an average per tone power used to transmit tones in a preceding 1 second time interval.
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23. A base station, comprising:
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a transmitter configured to transmit signals into a first frequency band and a second frequency band; a control module configured to control said transmitter to; i) transmit into a first frequency band during a first period of time during which said first transmitter does not transmit into a second frequency band; and ii) transmit into a second frequency band during a second period of time which is shorter than said first period of time, said transmitter transmitting into said second frequency band tor a period of time which is less than 1/N the period of time said transmitter transmits into said first frequency band, where N is a positive value greater than 2, transmitting into a second frequency band during a second period of time including transmitting a tone with at least 20 times an average per tone power used to transmit tones in a preceding 1 second time interval.
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24. A base station, comprising:
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means for transmitting signals into a first frequency band and a second frequency band; means for controlling said first transmitter means to; transmit into a first frequency band during a first period of time during which said means for transmitting does not transmit into a second frequency band; and transmit into a second frequency band during a second period of time which is shorter than said first period of time, said means for transmitting transmitting into said second frequency band for a period of time which is less than 1/N the period of time said means for transmitting transmits into said first frequency band, where N is a positive value greater than 2, transmitting into a second frequency band during a second period of time including transmitting a tone with at least 20 times an average per tone power used to transmit tones in a preceding 1 second time interval.
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25. A base station comprising:
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means for transmitting into a first frequency band during a first period of time during which said base station does not transmit into a second frequency band; and means for transmitting into a second frequency band during a second period of time which is shorter than said first period of times said base station transmitting into said second frequency band for a period of time which is less than 1/N the period of time said base station transmits into said first frequency band, where N is a positive value greater than 2. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification