Advanced backhaul services

• US 8,989,762 B1
• Filed: 12/05/2013
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: COMS IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: CBF Networks, Inc. (COMSovereign Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Negus, Kevin J., Proctor, James A Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsvey, Gennadiy
• Application Number:
  US14/098,456
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 455/450, 455/454, 455/509, 455/515, 370/341
• US Class Current: 455/454
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0475 with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion H04B1/0483 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/711 the interference being multi-path interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0632 Channel quality parameters, e.g. channel quality indicator [CQI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0634 Antenna weights or vector/matrix coefficients
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

“Tiered” groups of devices (tiered service radios) and/or licenses associated with the devices or users so as to provide a hieratical set of interference protection mechanisms for members of each tier of service are disclosed. Point-to-point and point-to-multipoint data links for any communication application, including wireless backhaul applications, are also disclosed. Exemplary systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein allow for the efficient operation of such a tiered service. Interference protection among tiered service devices belonging to one or more tiers of the service, from other devices within the same tier of service, or devices of other tiers of service, is disclosed. Identification of other devices of the same or differing tiers of service, and interference mitigation between other tiered service devices based upon intercommunication between the devices, and/or via a central registry database, are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A first tiered service radio for operating in a radio frequency band according to rules for operation allowing for radios of multiple tiers of service, comprising:

a plurality of receive RF chains;

one or more transmit RF chains;

an antenna array comprising a plurality of directive gain antenna elements, wherein each directive gain antenna element is couplable to at least one receive RF or transmit RF chain; and

an interface bridge configured to couple the first tiered service radio to a data network,

wherein the first tiered service radio is configured to perform each of the following;

communicate with a network based registry to determine registry information associated with any registered radios meeting specific criteria, wherein the specific criteria includes at least information associated with at least higher priority tiered service radio devices to that of the first tiered service radio;

scan one or more radio frequency channels for the presence of signature radio signals transmitted from one or more other tiered service radios to generate scan data, and wherein the first tiered service radio comprises at least one adjustable network parameter that is adjustable based on the scan data,

wherein at least one of said signature radio signals transmitted from the one or more tiered service radios are transmitted as a spread spectrum signal embedded within and simultaneously with information symbols in time from at least one of the tiered service radios,

wherein said scanned one or more radio frequency channels are selected based upon said registry information, and

wherein the at least one network parameter is adjusted to reduce a potential of interference of the first tiered service radio with the other tiered service radios or said registered radios,

wherein the adjusting the at least one network parameter comprises one or more of;

selecting a frequency channel utilized between the first tiered service radio and a second tiered service radio;

adjusting the effective radiation pattern of the first tiered service radio;

selecting one or more of the plurality of directive gain antenna elements; and

adjusting the physical configuration or arrangement of the one or more of the plurality of directive gain antenna elements,

wherein said first tiered service radio transmits a signature radio signal as a first signature during operation with second tiered service radios,

wherein said transmitted first signature is transmitted with progressively increasing interference potential for a period of time prior to initiation of full operation between the first and second tiered service radios,

wherein the progressively increasing interference comprises one or more of;

transmission at a power level with an increasing duty cycle over successive periods of time and,

transmission at several increasing power levels over successive periods of time, and

wherein the first tiered service radio alters said at least one network parameter based upon detecting information within said registry or otherwise receiving information informing of detected interference related to the transmitted first signature.

2. The tiered service radio of claim 1, wherein the tiered service radio is further configured to generate a scan report based on the scan data and transmit the scan report to a server.

3. The tiered service radio of claim 1, wherein the signals comprise a signal licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under service having at least three tiers of service, wherein said tiers include at least legacy point to point backhaul devices at the highest tier and listed in said registry, registered and licensed devices at a second tier, and unlicensed and registered devices at a third and lower tier.

4. The tiered service radio of claim 1, wherein the adjusting the at least one network parameter comprises adjusting the effective radiation pattern, and wherein the adjusting the effective radiation pattern comprises one or more of:

steering the effective radiation pattern in elevation; and

steering the effective radiation pattern in azimuth.

5. The tiered service radio of claim 1, wherein the adjusting the at least one network parameter comprises adjusting the effective radiation pattern, and wherein the adjusting the effective radiation pattern comprises:

calculating digital beam former weights based upon at least one constraint related to the potential of interference; and

applying the digital beam former weights.

6. The tiered service radio of claim 5, wherein the constraint is selected from the group consisting of:

properties related to or derived from said scan result;

a direction in which signal transmission is to be limited;

parameters which reduce the potential for interfering with one or more of said registered radios meeting said specific criteria;

parameters which increase the likelihood of said first and said second tiered service radios meeting performance goals with respect to an interposed wireless communication link;

a restriction of use of specific transceivers or specific antennas of a plurality of transceivers or antennas;

a use of specific polarizations for transmission;

attributes of a collective transmission radiation pattern associated with a plurality of transmitters;

a frequency or geometric translation of beam forming weights between receiver weights and transmitter weights;

a change in antennas used or selected;

a change in operating frequency; and

combinations thereof.

7. The tiered service radio of claim 2, wherein the scan report comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of:

the location of said first tiered service radio;

the latitude and longitudinal coordinates of one or more tiered service radios;

configuration information related to the first tiered service radio;

capability information related to the first tiered service radio;

a transmission power capability of said first tiered service radio;

operating frequency capability of said first tiered service radio;

antenna property information related to one or more antenna for use in reception or transmission by said first tiered service radio;

received signal parameters or demodulated information from another tiered service radio;

received signal parameters from a tiered service radio; and

combinations thereof.

8. The tiered service radio of claim 1, wherein the tiered service radio is further configured to assess performance after adjustment of the at least one adjustable network parameter.

9. The tiered service radio of claim 8, wherein the performance of said first tiered service radio is assessed by one or more selected from the group consisting of:

performing additional scans;

performing additional scans with specific search criteria;

performing additional scans with limitations in frequency, azimuth, elevation, or time;

performing additional scans with a modified antenna selection configuration;

performing additional scans using antennas intended for transmission during normal operation for reception during the additional scanning process;

performing transmission of a signal from the first tiered service radio to the second tiered service radio,

receiving a signal from the second tiered service radio by the first tiered service radio.

10. The tiered service radio of claim 1, wherein the first tiered service radio is configured to align the antenna array with the second tiered service radio prior to the scan based on at least one criterion.

11. The tiered service radio of claim 10, wherein the at least one criterion is based at least in part upon a signal transmitted from the second tiered service radio.

12. The tiered service radio of claim 10, wherein the at least one criterion comprises a GPS location and a compass direction.

13. The tiered service radio of claim 1, wherein the specific criteria includes a geographic region.

14. The tiered service radio of claim 1, wherein the specific criteria includes a tier of service of the first tiered service radio.

15. The tiered service radio of claim 1, wherein the specific criteria includes a date on which service commenced for any tiered service radio registered in the registry.

16. The tiered service radio of claim 1, wherein said first tiered service radio transmits a signature radio signal as a first signature during operation with second tiered service radios.

17. The tiered service radio of claim 1, wherein one or more of said other tiered service radios is respectively also one or more of the registered radios meeting the specific criteria.

18. The tiered service radio of claim 1 wherein said scan data comprises one or more of the following:

information derived from the reception of signature radio signals,

information derived from the reception of signals transmitted from said other tiered service radios,

information derived from radios other than tiered service radios,

received signal strength information,

channel propagation information,

tiered service radio identity information,

angle of arrival of signal information,

interference information,

path loss information, and

signal transmission periodicity information.

19. The tiered service radio of claim 1, wherein said registered radios include devices of the same priority as the first tiered service radio.

20. The tiered service radio of claim 1, wherein said registered radios include devices of lesser priority as the first tiered service radio.

21. The tiered service radio of claim 1, wherein said registered radios include devices of any tier or any priority.

22. The tiered service radio of claim 1, wherein said specific criteria additionally includes devices of the same priority as the first tiered service radio.

23. The tiered service radio of claim 1, wherein said specific criterion additionally includes devices of lesser priority as the first tiered service radio.

24. The tiered service radio of claim 1, wherein said specific criteria additionally includes devices of any tier or any priority.

25. The tiered service radio of claim 1, wherein said scan is performed on a common control channel, said common control channel being a defined channel for signature radio signal transmission and reception commonly known to a group of tiered service radios upon interaction with the registry.

26. The tiered service radio of claim 8, wherein the performance of said first tiered service radio is assessed performing additional scans with specific search criteria, and wherein said specific search criteria comprises one or more of the following:

information derived from the reception of signature radio signals,

information derived from the reception of signals transmitted from said other tiered service radios,

information derived from radios other than tiered service radios,

received signal strength information,

channel propagation information,

tiered service radio identity information,

angle of arrival of signal information,

interference information,

path loss information, and

signal transmission periodicity information.

27. A first tiered service radio for operating in a radio frequency band according to rules for operation allowing for radios of multiple tiers of service, comprising:

a plurality of receive RF chains;

one or more transmit RF chains;

an antenna array comprising a plurality of directive gain antenna elements, wherein each directive gain antenna element is couplable to at least one receive RF or transmit RF chain; and

an interface bridge configured to couple the first tiered service radio to a data network,

wherein the first tiered service radio is configured to perform each of the following;

communicate with a network based registry to determine registry information associated with any registered radios meeting specific criteria, wherein the specific criteria includes at least information associated with at least higher priority tiered service radio devices to that of the first tiered service radio;

scan one or more radio frequency channels for the presence of signature radio signals transmitted from one or more other tiered service radios to generate scan data, and wherein the first tiered service radio comprises at least one adjustable network parameter that is adjustable based on the scan data,

wherein said scanned one or more radio frequency channels are selected based upon said registry information,

wherein the at least one network parameter is adjusted to reduce a potential of interference of the first tiered service radio with the other tiered service radios or said registered radios,

wherein the adjusting the at least one network parameter comprises one or more of;

selecting a frequency channel utilized between the first tiered service radio and a second tiered service radio;

adjusting the effective radiation pattern of the first tiered service radio;

selecting one or more of the plurality of directive gain antenna elements; and

adjusting the physical configuration or arrangement of the one or more of the plurality of directive gain antenna elements,

wherein said first tiered service radio transmits a signature radio signal as a first signature during operation with second tiered service radios,

wherein said transmitted first signature is transmitted with progressively increasing interference potential for a period of time prior to initiation of full operation between the first and second tiered service radios,

wherein the progressively increasing interference comprises one or more of;

transmission at a power level with an increasing duty cycle over successive periods of time, and

transmission at several increasing power levels over successive periods of time, and

wherein the first tiered service radio alters said at least one network parameter based upon detecting information within said registry or otherwise receiving information informing of detected interference related to the transmitted first signature.

28. The tiered service radio of claim 27, wherein the first signature is transmitted inline with information symbols in time.

29. The tiered service radio of claim 27, wherein the first signature is transmitted as an embedded spread spectrum signal linearly combined with information symbols simultaneously in time.

30. The tiered service radio of claim 27, wherein the signals comprise a signal licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under service having at least three tiers of service, wherein said tiers include at least legacy point to point backhaul devices at the highest tier and listed in said registry, registered and licensed devices at a second tier, and unlicensed and registered devices at a third and lower tier.

31. The tiered service radio of claim 27, wherein the adjusting the at least one network parameter comprises adjusting the effective radiation pattern, and wherein the adjusting the effective radiation pattern comprises one or more of:

steering the effective radiation pattern in elevation; and

steering the effective radiation pattern in azimuth.

32. The tiered service radio of claim 27, wherein the adjusting the at least one network parameter comprises adjusting the effective radiation pattern, and wherein the adjusting the effective radiation pattern comprises:

calculating digital beam former weights based upon at least one constraint related to the potential of interference; and

applying the digital beam former weights.

33. The tiered service radio of claim 27, wherein said scan is performed on a common control channel, said common control channel being a defined channel for signature radio signal transmission and reception commonly known to a group of tiered service radios upon interaction with the registry.

34. The tiered service radio of claim 27, wherein said registered radios include devices of the same priority as the first tiered service radio.

35. The tiered service radio of claim 27, wherein said registered radios include devices of lesser priority as the first tiered service radio.

36. The tiered service radio of claim 27, wherein said registered radios include devices of any tier or any priority.

37. The tiered service radio of claim 27, wherein said specific criteria additionally includes devices of the same priority as the first tiered service radio.

38. The tiered service radio of claim 27, wherein said specific criterion additionally includes devices of lesser priority as the first tiered service radio.

39. The tiered service radio of claim 27, wherein said specific criteria additionally includes devices of any tier or any priority.