Methods and apparatus for channel assignment

• US 7,873,319 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2008
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US12/134,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20080274748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 455 631- 634, 455/67.13, 455446-447, 455/562.1, 455/450
• US Class Current: 455/63.1
• 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

A method, according to various aspects of the present invention, for assigning channels to a plurality of wireless cells. The method is performed by the plurality of wireless cells. The method includes in any practical order: (1) assigning an initial integer to a master wireless cell, wherein the integer is denominated a current hop number and each one wireless cell has a shape of coverage similar to a square; (2) setting a next hop number as the current hop number plus one; (3) assigning the next hop number to each one wireless cell nearest to each one wireless cell assigned the current hop number; (4) incrementing the current hop number by one; (5) repeating setting, assigning the next hop number, and incrementing until all wireless cells of the plurality of wireless cells are assigned a hop number; (6) forming a nine-cell channel pattern by assigning a channel assignment pattern to the master wireless cell, to each of the wireless cells assigned the initial integer plus one, and to each of the wireless cells that are substantially adjacent to two wireless cells assigned the initial integer plus one; and (7) assigning the nine-cell channel pattern to the plurality of wireless cells such that the center cell of the nine-cell channel assignment pattern falls only on wireless cells assigned the initial integer plus an even integer.

Claims

1. A method performed by a plurality of wireless cells that cooperate to assign channels to each wireless cell of the plurality of wireless cells, the method comprising:

assigning an initial integer to a master wireless cell, wherein the integer is denominated a current hop number and each one wireless cell has a shape of coverage similar to a square;

setting a next hop number as the current hop number plus one;

assigning the next hop number to each one wireless cell nearest to each one wireless cell assigned the current hop number;

incrementing the current hop number by one;

repeating setting, assigning the next hop number, and incrementing until all wireless cells of the plurality of wireless cells are assigned a hop number;

assigning a channel assignment pattern to the master wireless cell, to each wireless cell assigned the initial integer plus one, and to each wireless cell that are substantially adjacent to two wireless cells assigned the initial integer plus one, thereby forming a nine-cell channel pattern; and

assigning the nine-cell channel pattern to the plurality of wireless cells such that the center cell of the nine-cell channel assignment pattern falls only on wireless cells assigned the initial integer plus an even integer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein assigning an integer to the master wireless cell further comprises selecting the first wireless cell initialized as the master wireless cell.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein assigning the next hop number further comprises using a physical distance to detect a nearest wireless cell.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein assigning the next hop number further comprises using a table lookup to detect a nearest wireless cell.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein opposing sectors of adjacent wireless cells do not use a same channel.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein opposing sectors of adjacent wireless cells use a same channel.

7. A method performed by a plurality of wireless cells that cooperate to assign channels to each wireless cell of the plurality of wireless cells, the method comprising:

assigning an integer to a master wireless cell, wherein the integer is denominated a current hop number and each one wireless cell has a shape of coverage similar to a triangle;

setting a next hop number as the current hop number plus one;

assigning the next hop number to each one wireless cell nearest to each one wireless cell assigned the current hop number;

incrementing the current hop number by one;

repeating setting, assigning the next hop number, and incrementing until all wireless cells of the plurality of wireless cells are assigned a hop number; and

assigning a channel assignment pattern to each one wireless cell in accordance with the hop number assigned to each one wireless cell.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein an area of coverage of each one wireless cell of the plurality of wireless cells is substantially adjacent to the area of coverage of at least one other wireless cell.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein:

an area of coverage of each one wireless cell may differ in size by a factor of about ( 1/2 )ⁿ from the area of coverage of any another one wireless cell; and

n is any integer.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein selecting the master wireless cell comprises a manual election by an operator.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein assigning an integer to the master wireless cell further comprises selecting the first wireless cell initialized as the master wireless cell.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein assigning the channel assignment pattern further comprises:

assigning the channel assignment pattern to all wireless cells having an even hop number;

rotating the channel assignment pattern about 60-degrees in a direction selected from the group of clockwise and counter-clockwise; and

assigning the rotated channel assignment pattern to all wireless cells having an odd hop number.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein assigning the channel assignment pattern further comprises:

assigning the channel assignment pattern to the master wireless cell;

selecting a direction from the group of clockwise and counter-clockwise;

rotating the channel assignment pattern about 60-degrees in the selected direction;

assigning the rotated channel assignment pattern to all wireless cells having the next higher hop number;

repeating rotating and assigning until all wireless cells are assigned a channel assignment channel pattern.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein assigning the next hop number further comprises using a physical distance to detect a nearest wireless cell.

15. The method of claim 7 wherein assigning the next hop number further comprises using a signal strength to detect a nearest wireless cell.

16. The method of claim 7 wherein assigning the next hop number further comprises using a time-of-flight to detect a nearest wireless cell.

17. The method of claim 7 wherein assigning the next hop number further comprises using a global positioning system (GPS) coordinates to detect a nearest wireless cell.

18. The method of claim 7 wherein assigning the next hop number further comprises using a table lookup to detect a nearest wireless cell.

19. The method of claim 7 wherein opposing sectors of adjacent wireless cells do not use a same channel.

20. The method of claim 7 wherein opposing sectors of adjacent wireless cells use a same channel.