Method and apparatus for use of expected signal strength difference to improve channel selection
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- a wireless communication device (WCD) wirelessly receiving from a radio access network (RAN) a channel list message (CLM) specifying a plurality of channels on which the RAN engages in air interface communication, the plurality of channels including a first channel and a second channel;
the WCD receiving from the RAN a value representing an expected delta between a signal strength of the first channel and a signal strength of the second channel;
the WCD taking a measurement of signal strength of the first channel, and the WCD applying the received delta value to the measurement to compute a predicted signal strength of the second channel;
due at least in part to the predicted signal strength of the second channel, the WCD selecting for communication with the RAN, from the specified plurality of channels, a channel other than the second channel; and
the WCD communicating with the RAN on the selected channel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a mechanism for efficient channel selection in a wireless communication system. A wireless communication device (WCD) receives from a radio access network (RAN) a channel list message that specifies channels on which the RAN communicates in a coverage area. Further, the WCD receives from the RAN for at least a given one of the channels an expected delta value indicating an expected difference in signal strength between that channel and another channel. The WCD may then take an actual measurement of signal strength on the other channel and apply the expected delta to predict a signal strength of the given channel. Based on the predicted signal strength being threshold low, the WCD may then select a channel other than the given channel on which to communicate with the RAN, and the WCD may then communicate with the RAN on the selected channel.
26 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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a wireless communication device (WCD) wirelessly receiving from a radio access network (RAN) a channel list message (CLM) specifying a plurality of channels on which the RAN engages in air interface communication, the plurality of channels including a first channel and a second channel; the WCD receiving from the RAN a value representing an expected delta between a signal strength of the first channel and a signal strength of the second channel; the WCD taking a measurement of signal strength of the first channel, and the WCD applying the received delta value to the measurement to compute a predicted signal strength of the second channel; due at least in part to the predicted signal strength of the second channel, the WCD selecting for communication with the RAN, from the specified plurality of channels, a channel other than the second channel; and the WCD communicating with the RAN on the selected channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method comprising:
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a wireless communication device (WCD) wirelessly receiving on a primary channel from a radio access network (RAN) a channel list message (CLM), the CLM specifying a plurality of channels on which the RAN communicates, including the primary channel and at least one secondary channel, and specifying respectively for each secondary channel an expected delta between a signal strength of the primary channel and a signal strength of the secondary channel; the WCD taking a measurement of signal strength of the primary channel; respectively for each secondary channel, the WCD applying the specified delta to the measurement so as to compute a predicted signal strength of the secondary channel; the WCD applying a channel-selection process to select from the CLM a channel on which to communicate with the RAN, but excluding from the channel-selection process any channel whose predicted signal strength is threshold low; and the WCD communicating with the RAN on the selected channel. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A wireless communication device (WCD) comprising:
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a wireless communication interface for engaging in air interface communication with a radio access network (RAN), wherein the wireless communication interface is arranged to receive on a first air interface channel from the RAN a channel list message that specifies a plurality of channels on which the RAN communicates, including the first channel and at least one second channel, and that specifies respectively for each second channel an expected delta between a signal strength of the first channel and a signal strength of the second channel, the WCD being arranged to take a measurement of signal strength of the first channel, the WCD being arranged to predict a signal strength respectively of each second channel by applying to the measurement the expected delta specified for the second channel, the WCD being arranged to apply a channel-selection process to select a channel from the CLM but to exclude from the channel-selection process any channel whose predicted signal strength is threshold low, and the WCD being arranged to then communicate with the RAN on the selected channel. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification