Method for synchronizing a terminal with a frequency of a radio-communications network, corresponding computer software product, storage means and terminal

• US 9,113,409 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2011
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sierra Wireless Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sierra Wireless Incorporated
• Inventors: Haessler, Ludovic, Flchelle, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOPKINS, MATTHEW A
• Application Number:
  US13/117,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20110292786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 370/329, 370/338, 455/434
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/327 Received signal code power [RSCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0035 detecting errors in frequency or phase
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for synchronizing a terminal with a frequency from an ordered initial sequence of frequencies of a radio-communications network. An available power spectrum associates to each frequency of the initial sequence a power value representing the power with which the frequency is received by the terminal. At least one first range of consecutive frequencies is determined within the initial sequence, having a power variation below a first predetermined threshold. The terminal attempts at least one first synchronization with a frequency of the first range. If each first synchronization fails, the terminal obtains a modified sequence by modifying the position of the frequency or frequencies of the at least one first range of the initial sequence or by eliminating the at least one first range. The terminal then attempts a second synchronization with at least one of the frequencies of the modified sequence.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing a terminal with a frequency from among an ordered initial sequence of frequencies indexed within a frequency table of a radio-communications network, the terminal having available a power spectrum associating to each frequency of the initial sequence a power value representing the power with which the frequency is received by the terminal, wherein the method comprises:

detecting at least one part of the power spectrum that presents a power variation below a first predetermined threshold;

determining, within the initial sequence, at least one first range of consecutive indexes of consecutive frequencies of the frequency table, which is associated with said at least one part of the power spectrum;

attempting at least one first synchronization of the terminal with a frequency of said at least one first range;

in the event of failure of each of said at least one first synchronization, obtaining a modified sequence by modifying the consecutive indexes of the consecutive frequencies of said at least one first range within the initial sequence; and

attempting a second synchronization of the terminal with at least one of the frequencies of the modified sequence.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein attempting at least one first synchronization comprises attempting synchronization at a frequency within the first range that is associated with a power value above a second predetermined threshold.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one first range possesses a bandwidth greater than a third predetermined threshold.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of attempting at least one first synchronization comprises:

determining at least one second range of consecutive indexes of consecutive frequencies of the frequency table within said at least one first range; and

attempting a first synchronization with each frequency of said at least one second range.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said at least one second range has a bandwidth greater than a fourth predetermined threshold.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said radio-communications network is compliant with a standard belonging to the group consisting of:

the GSM standard, the D-AMPS standard and the TETRA/TETRAPOL standard.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the event of failure of each of said at least one first synchronization, wherein modifying the consecutive indexes to obtain the modified sequence comprises moving a position of the consecutive frequencies of the consecutive indexes of said at least one first range to a lower rank within the initial sequence.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein in the event of failure of each of said at least one first synchronization, wherein modifying the consecutive indexes to obtain the modified sequence comprises moving a position of the consecutive frequencies of the consecutive indexes of said at least one first range to an end of the initial sequence.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the event of failure of each of said at least one first synchronization, wherein modifying the consecutive indexes to obtain the modified sequence comprises eliminating the consecutive frequencies of the consecutive indexes of said at least one first range from the initial sequence.

10. A computer-readable memory storing a computer program comprising a set of instructions executable by a computer to implement a method of synchronizing a terminal with a frequency from among an ordered initial sequence of frequencies indexed within a frequency table of a radio-communications network, the terminal having available a power spectrum associating to each frequency of the initial sequence a frequency index and a power value representing the power with which the frequency is received by the terminal, wherein the method comprises:

detecting at least one part of the power spectrum that presents a power variation below a first predetermined threshold;

determining, within the initial sequence, at least one first range of consecutive indexes of consecutive frequencies, which is associated with said at least one part of the power spectrum;

attempting at least one first synchronization with a frequency of said at least one first range;

in the event of failure of each of said at least one first synchronization, obtaining a modified sequence by modifying a position the consecutive indexes of the consecutive frequencies said at least one first range within the initial sequence; and

attempting a second synchronization with at least one of the frequencies of the modified sequence.

11. A terminal comprising:

a memory comprising computer-readable instructions stored thereon;

an available power spectrum which associates each frequency of an ordered initial sequence of frequencies indexed within a frequency table of a radio-communications network with a power value representing a power with which the frequency is received by the terminal; and

a processor, coupled to the memory and configured by the instructions to synchronize with a frequency from the ordered initial sequence of frequencies, wherein the processor is configured;

to detect at least one part of the power spectrum that presents a power variation below a first predetermined threshold;

to determine, within the initial sequence, at least one first range of consecutive indexes of consecutive frequencies of the frequency table, which is associated with said at least one part of the power spectrum;

to attempt at least one first synchronization with a frequency of said at least one first range;

to obtain a modified sequence, activated in the event of failure of each of said at least one first synchronization, said modified sequence being obtained by modifying a position the consecutive indexes of the consecutive frequencies said at least one first range within the initial sequence; and

for attempting a second synchronization with at least one of the frequencies of the modified sequence.