Operational parameter selection to avoid interference in a wireless communication system

• US 8,897,721 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2014
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Prise, Michael Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US14/244,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20140220907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 235 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/414.1, 455/41.2, 455/404.2, 455/456.1, 455/63.1, 455/436, 455/77, 455/78, 455/69, 455/563, 455/88, 370/280, 370/337
• US Class Current: 455/77
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/50 using different frequencies for the two directions of communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 15/02 Reducing interference from electric apparatus by means located at or near the interfering apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2215/062 by inhibiting burst transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference

Abstract

A wireless communication device uses operational parameters stored in a capabilities list to control operation of the device. The device may also provide auxiliary services, such as reception of broadcast television signals and location detection using network assisted GPS. When auxiliary services are selected, the cellular operation may cause interference with the auxiliary services. The wireless communication device includes a reduced set of capabilities to control operation of the wireless communication device when an auxiliary service is requested. The particular set of reduced capabilities may depend on the specific type of auxiliary service that has been requested. Upon termination of the auxiliary services, the full capabilities list may be restored and the operation of the wireless communication device is thereafter controlled by the full set of operational capabilities.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a transceiver that transmits and receives using a plurality of communication bands;

an auxiliary receiver that communicates using a first communication band of the plurality of communication bands when the auxiliary receiver is selectively activated;

a data storage structure that stores data indicating operational capabilities of the transceiver, the operational capabilities comprising a set of communication bands of the plurality of communication bands on which the transceiver communicates when the auxiliary receiver is selectively activated; and

a controller that controls operation of the transceiver by selecting a communication band from the set of communication bands based on the data in the data storage structure when the auxiliary receiver is activated,

wherein the transceiver communicates using an initial communication band of the plurality of communication bands when the auxiliary receiver is not activated, and

wherein the controller alters the initial communication band on which the transceiver communicates if the initial communication band is not one of the set of communication bands when the auxiliary receiver is activated.

2. The device in claim 1, wherein the controller further causes a re-registration process upon alteration of the initial communication band on which the transceiver is communicating.

3. The device in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary receiver is part of an auxiliary transceiver.

4. The device in claim 1, wherein the data storage structure stores data relating to operational capabilities comprising a signaling protocol, a transmission power level, and a bandwidth.

5. The device in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary receiver is contained within a housing containing the transceiver.

6. The device in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary receiver receives signals from a global positioning system satellite.

7. A method comprising:

determining, by a wireless communication device comprising a processor and a transceiver, that an auxiliary receiver of the wireless communication device has been activated, wherein the transceiver communicates using a plurality of communication bands, and wherein the transceiver comprises a first transmitter and a first receiver;

determining, by the wireless communication device, that the wireless communication device is not communicating on any of a set of communication bands of the plurality of communication bands on which the wireless communication device communicates when the auxiliary receiver is activated;

altering, by the wireless communication device, operation of the wireless communication device to communicate using one of the set of communication bands; and

re-registering, by the wireless communication device, the wireless communication device with a communications network using the one of the set of communication bands.

8. The method in claim 7, wherein the auxiliary receiver comprises a broadcast television receiver.

9. The method in claim 7, further comprising determining that the auxiliary receiver is deactivated.

10. The method in claim 9, further comprising altering operation of the wireless communication device to communicate using the one of the set of communication bands.

11. The method in claim 7, wherein the auxiliary receiver comprises a global positioning system receiver.

12. The method in claim 7, wherein the auxiliary receiver is used to support network-assisted global positioning system functionality.

13. The method in claim 7, further comprising transmitting, to the communications network, data indicating operational capabilities of the transceiver, the data comprising the one of the set of communication bands on which the transceiver operates.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

determining that an auxiliary receiver of a wireless communication device that communicates using a plurality of communication bands is activated, wherein the wireless communication device comprises a transceiver, and wherein the transceiver comprises a first transmitter and a first receiver;

determining that the wireless communication device is not communicating on any of a set of communication bands of the plurality of communication bands on which the wireless communication device communicates when the auxiliary receiver is activated;

altering operation of the wireless communication device to communicate using one of the set of communication bands; and

re-registering the wireless communication device with a communications network using the one of the set of communication bands.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium in claim 14, wherein the auxiliary receiver comprises a broadcast television receiver.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium in claim 14, wherein execution of the computer instructions causes the processor to perform operations further comprising determining that the auxiliary receiver has been deactivated.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein execution of the computer instructions causes the processor to perform operations further comprising altering operation of the wireless communication device to communicate using one of the plurality of communication bands.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the auxiliary receiver is activated to receive broadcast television signals.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the auxiliary receiver is activated to receive signals from a global positioning system satellite.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the auxiliary receiver is used to support network-assisted global positioning system functionality.