Frequency overlay technique for a pico cell system

• US 7,907,578 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Haynberg, Sean Patrick, Harvey, Richard Lee, Stone, William Howard Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Santiago-Cordero; Marivelisse
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, MUNJALKUMAR C
• Application Number:
  US11/416,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20070258417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,777 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/16 for PBS [Private Base Station] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

To ameliorate interference between an indoor wireless pico cell system, for example in an aircraft, and public wireless communications systems operating in a surrounding or over-flown area, frequencies of operation of the indoor system are coordinated with those used by the public wireless systems in the surrounding area. The pico cell system operates one type of service on all or a portion of a band used for a different type of service by the public system. In the aircraft example, a pico cell system might support GSM narrowband service and CDMA broadband service. The airborne GSM operations use a portion, e.g. corresponding to a guard band, of CDMA service spectrum in the terrestrial network. The airborne CDMA service uses a band used for GSM service by the terrestrial network. The pico cell system dynamically changes its frequency band(s), as the aircraft flies over different areas.

Claims

1. A method, comprising steps of:

operating a pico cell system in an interior of a moving vehicle to provide wireless communications in the moving vehicle, in accordance with a first public wireless communication protocol;

operating the pico cell system in the interior of the moving vehicle to provide wireless communications in the moving vehicle, in accordance with a second public wireless communication protocol different from the first public wireless communication protocol; and

ameliorating interference between the pico cell system and public wireless communications systems operating in surrounding outdoor regions through or over which the moving vehicle travels, by coordinating frequencies of operation of the pico cell system with frequencies of operation used by the public wireless communications systems in the regions, the step of ameliorating interference comprising;

a) controlling the pico cell system to provide the wireless communication service for one or more mobile devices within the wireless communications in accordance with the first public wireless communication protocol, on a first frequency band corresponding to at least a portion of a frequency band allocated for wireless service via a public mobile communication network operating in a first surrounding outdoor region in accordance with the different second public wireless communication protocol;

b) controlling the pico cell system to provide the wireless communication service for one or more mobile devices within the wireless communications in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol, on a second frequency band corresponding to at least a portion of a frequency band allocated for wireless service via a public mobile communication network operating in the first surrounding outdoor region in accordance with the first public wireless communication protocol;

c) monitoring position of the vehicle and detecting from that monitoring when the vehicle moves into a different second surrounding region;

d) dynamically changing the first frequency band so as to correspond to at least a portion of a different frequency band allocated for second protocol wireless service via a public mobile communication network operating in the different second surrounding outdoor region, upon detecting movement of the vehicle into the different second surrounding outdoor region; and

e) dynamically changing the second frequency band so as to correspond to at least a portion of a different frequency band allocated for first protocol wireless service via a public mobile communication network operating in the different second surrounding outdoor region, upon detecting movement of the vehicle into the different second surrounding outdoor region, wherein;

the pico cell system operating in the interior of the moving vehicle includes at least one base station,

the step of dynamically changing the first frequency band so as to correspond to at least the portion of the different frequency band allocated for the second protocol wireless service includes dynamically changing the first frequency band on which the at least one base station provides services for a first plurality of mobile devices to the different frequency band allocated for the second protocol wireless service, thereby enabling the at least one base station to provide the services to the first plurality of mobile devices on the different frequency band allocated for the second protocol wireless service, and

the step of dynamically changing the second frequency band so as to correspond to at least the portion of the different frequency band allocated for the first protocol wireless services includes dynamically changing the second frequency band on which the at least one base station provides services for a second plurality of mobile devices to the different frequency band allocated for the first protocol wireless services, thereby enabling the at least one base station to provide the services to the second plurality of mobile devices on the different frequency band allocated for the first protocol wireless service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless communications service provided in accordance with the first public wireless communication protocol is a narrowband wireless communication service;

the frequency bands allocated for second protocol wireless service via public mobile communication networks in the first and second outdoor regions are bands allocated for broadband wireless service in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol in the surrounding outdoor region;

the wireless communications service provided in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol is a broadband wireless communication service; and

the frequency bands allocated for first protocol wireless service via public mobile communication networks in the first and second outdoor regions are bands allocated for narrowband wireless service in accordance with the first wireless communication protocol in the surrounding outdoor region.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein steps (a) and (d) cause the pico cell system to operate to provide service in accordance with the first wireless communication protocol on frequency bands corresponding to guard band portions of the frequency bands allocated for mobile wireless communication in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol in the first and second surrounding outdoor regions, respectively.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the narrowband wireless service provided in accordance with the first public wireless communication protocol is a Global System for Mobile (GSM) service; and

the broadband wireless service provided in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol is a code division multiple access (CDMA) service.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless communications service provided in accordance with the first public wireless communication protocol is a broadband wireless communication service;

the frequency bands allocated for second protocol wireless service via public mobile communication networks in the first and second outdoor regions are bands allocated for narrowband wireless service in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol in the surrounding outdoor region;

the wireless communications service provided in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol is a narrowband wireless communication service; and

the frequency bands allocated for first protocol wireless service via public mobile communication networks in the first and second outdoor regions are bands allocated for broadband wireless service in accordance with the first wireless communication protocol in the surrounding outdoor region.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the moving vehicle is an aircraft.

7. A pico cell system for use in an interior of a moving vehicle to provide wireless communications in the moving vehicle, the pico cell system comprising:

one or more base stations configured for communication with mobile stations in accordance with different first and second public wireless communication protocols respectively, within the interior of the moving vehicle;

a base station controller for controlling wireless operations of the one or more base stations; and

a communication interface coupled to the one or more base stations for providing two-way communications to and from a public communication network,

wherein the base station controller is configured to control operations of the one or more base stations so as to ameliorate interference between the pico cell system and public wireless communications systems operating in surrounding outdoor regions through or over which the moving vehicle travels, by coordinating frequencies of operation of the pico cell system with frequencies of operation used by the public wireless communications systems in the regions, the amelioration of interference comprising functions of;

a) controlling the pico cell system to provide the wireless communication service for one or more mobile devices within the wireless communications in accordance with the first public wireless communication protocol, on a first frequency band corresponding to at least a portion of a frequency band allocated for wireless service via a public mobile communication network operating in a first surrounding outdoor region in accordance with the different second public wireless communication protocol;

b) controlling the pico cell system to provide the wireless communication service for one or more mobile devices within the wireless communications in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol, on a second frequency band corresponding to at least a portion of a frequency band allocated for wireless service via a public mobile communication network operating in the first surrounding outdoor region in accordance with the first public wireless communication protocol;

c) monitoring position of the vehicle and detecting from that monitoring when the vehicle moves into a different second surrounding region;

d) dynamically changing the first frequency band so as to correspond to at least a portion of a different frequency band allocated for second protocol wireless service via a public mobile communication network operating in the different second surrounding outdoor region, upon detecting movement of the vehicle into the different second surrounding outdoor region; and

e) dynamically changing the second frequency band so as to correspond to at least a portion of a different frequency band allocated for first protocol wireless service via a public mobile communication network operating in the different second surrounding outdoor region, upon detecting movement of the vehicle into the different second surrounding outdoor region, wherein;

the base station controller function of dynamically changing the first frequency band comprises controlling one or more base stations to dynamically change the first frequency band to correspond to at least the portion of the different frequency band allocated for the second protocol wireless service, thereby enabling the one or more base stations to provide the services to a first plurality of mobile devices on the different frequency band allocated for the second protocol wireless service, and

the base station controller function of dynamically changing the second frequency band comprises controlling one or more base stations to dynamically change the second frequency band to at least the portion of the different frequency band allocated for the first protocol wireless service, thereby enabling the one or more base stations to provide the services to a second plurality of mobile devices on the different frequency band allocated for the first protocol wireless service.

8. The pico cell system of claim 7, wherein:

the one or more base stations provide the wireless communications service in accordance with the first public wireless communication protocol as a narrowband wireless communication service;

the frequency bands allocated for second protocol wireless service via public mobile communication networks in the first and second outdoor regions are bands allocated for broadband wireless service in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol in the surrounding outdoor region;

the one or more base stations provide the wireless communications service in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol as a broadband wireless communication service; and

the frequency bands allocated for first protocol wireless service via public mobile communication networks in the first and second outdoor regions are bands allocated for narrowband wireless service in accordance with the first wireless communication protocol in the surrounding outdoor region.

9. The pico cell system of claim 8, the amelioration functions (a) and (d) cause the pico cell system to operate to provide service in accordance with the first wireless communication protocol on frequency bands corresponding to guard band portions of the frequency bands allocated for mobile wireless communication in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol in the first and second surrounding outdoor regions, respectively.

10. The pico cell system of claim 9, wherein the one or more base stations provide Global System for Mobile (GSM) type narrowband communication service within the indoor service area and provide code division multiple access (CDMA) type broadband communication service within the indoor service area.

11. The pico cell system of claim 7, wherein:

the one or more base stations provide the wireless communications service in accordance with the first public wireless communication protocol as a broadband wireless communication service;

the frequency bands allocated for second protocol wireless service via public mobile communication networks in the first and second outdoor regions are bands allocated for narrowband wireless service in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol in the surrounding outdoor region;

the one or more base stations provide the wireless communications service in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol as a narrowband wireless communication service; and

the frequency bands allocated for first protocol wireless service via public mobile communication networks in the first and second outdoor regions are bands allocated for broadband wireless service in accordance with the first wireless communication protocol in the surrounding outdoor region.

12. The pico cell system of claim 7, wherein the pico cell system is configured for use in an aircraft as the moving vehicle.

13. A program product comprising a non-transitory machine readable medium and executable code embodied on the medium, wherein execution of the code by a programmable controller of a pico cell system operating in an interior of a moving vehicle will cause the controller to control operations of the pico cell system to provide wireless communications for narrowband and broadband mobile stations in the interior of the moving vehicle, the controlled operations including steps comprising:

operating a pico cell system in the interior of the moving vehicle to provide wireless communications in the moving vehicle, in accordance with a first public wireless communication protocol;

operating the pico cell system in the interior of the moving vehicle to provide wireless communications in the moving vehicle, in accordance with a second public wireless communication protocol different from the first public wireless communication protocol; and

ameliorating interference between the pico cell system and public wireless communications systems operating in surrounding outdoor regions through or over which the moving vehicle travels, by coordinating frequencies of operation of the pico cell system with frequencies of operation used by the public wireless communications systems in the regions, the step of ameliorating interference comprising;

a) controlling the pico cell system to provide the wireless communication service for one or more mobile devices within the wireless communications in accordance with the first public wireless communication protocol, on a first frequency band corresponding to at least a portion of a frequency band allocated for wireless service via a public mobile communication network operating in a first surrounding outdoor region in accordance with the different second public wireless communication protocol;

b) controlling the pico cell system to provide the wireless communication service for one or more mobile devices within the wireless communications in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol, on a second frequency band corresponding to at least a portion of a frequency band allocated for wireless service via a public mobile communication network operating in the first surrounding outdoor region in accordance with the first public wireless communication protocol;

c) monitoring position of the vehicle and detecting from that monitoring when the vehicle moves into a different second surrounding region;

d) dynamically changing the first frequency band so as to correspond to at least a portion of a different frequency band allocated for second protocol wireless service via a public mobile communication network operating in the different second surrounding outdoor region, upon detecting movement of the vehicle into the different second surrounding outdoor region; and

e) dynamically changing the second frequency band so as to correspond to at least a portion of a different frequency band allocated for first protocol wireless service via a public mobile communication network operating in the different second surrounding outdoor region, upon detecting movement of the vehicle into the different second surrounding outdoor region, wherein;

the pico cell system includes at least one base station,

dynamically changing the first frequency band so as to correspond to at least the portion of the different frequency band allocated for the second protocol wireless service includes dynamically changing the first frequency band on which the at least one base station provides services for a first plurality of mobile devices to the different frequency band allocated for the second protocol wireless service, thereby enabling the at least one base station to provide the services to the first plurality of mobile devices on the different frequency band allocated for the second protocol wireless service, and

dynamically changing the second frequency band so as to correspond to at least the portion of the different frequency band allocated for the first protocol wireless services includes dynamically changing the second frequency band on which the at least one base station provides services for a second plurality of mobile devices to the different frequency band allocated for the first protocol wireless services, thereby enabling the at least one base station to provide the services to the second plurality of mobile devices on the different frequency band allocated for the first protocol wireless service.

14. The product of claim 13, wherein:

the wireless communications service provided in accordance with the first public wireless communication protocol is a narrowband wireless communication service;

the frequency bands allocated for second protocol wireless service via public mobile communication networks in the first and second outdoor regions are bands allocated for broadband wireless service in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol in the surrounding outdoor region;

the wireless communications service provided in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol is a broadband wireless communication service; and

the frequency bands allocated for first protocol wireless service via public mobile communication networks in the first and second outdoor regions are bands allocated for narrowband wireless service in accordance with the first wireless communication protocol in the surrounding outdoor region.

15. The product of claim 14, wherein steps (a) and (d) cause the pico cell system to operate to provide service in accordance with the first wireless communication protocol on frequency bands corresponding to guard band portions of the frequency bands allocated for mobile wireless communication in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol in the first and second surrounding outdoor regions, respectively.

16. The product of claim 15, wherein:

the narrowband wireless service provided in accordance with the first public wireless communication protocol is a Global System for Mobile (GSM) service; and

the broadband wireless service provided in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol is a code division multiple access (CDMA) service.

17. The product of claim 13, wherein:

the wireless communications service provided in accordance with the first public wireless communication protocol is a broadband wireless communication service;

the frequency bands allocated for second protocol wireless service via public mobile communication networks in the first and second outdoor regions are bands allocated for narrowband wireless service in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol in the surrounding outdoor region;

the wireless communications service provided in accordance with the second public wireless communication protocol is a narrowband wireless communication service; and

the frequency bands allocated for first protocol wireless service via public mobile communication networks in the first and second outdoor regions are bands allocated for broadband wireless service in accordance with the first wireless communication protocol in the surrounding outdoor region.