Method and system for wireless coverage redundancy

• US 9,363,764 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2013
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Black, Peter J., Grob, Matthew S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Fanghwa
• Application Number:
  US13/946,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20130310025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/18 TPC being performed according to specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/12 between access points and access point controllers

Abstract

Devices and methods are provided for providing wireless coverage redundancy in case, for example, the backhaul of an access point (AP) base station is not available. In one embodiment, the method involves monitoring the backhaul, and in response to the backhaul being available, facilitating communication between an access terminal (AT) and the macro network via the backhaul. In addition, or in the alternative (e.g., when the backhaul is not available), a communication signal between the AT and a macro base station (or another AP base station) may be boosted.

Claims

1. A method for communicating using a dual-mode base station, comprising:

simultaneously operating the dual-mode base station as an access-point base station for a femtocell and as a repeater for a macro base station, wherein simultaneously operating the dual-mode base station comprises;

facilitating, by the dual-mode base station operating as the access-point base station, communication between one or more authorized access terminals and a macro network via the femtocell in operative communication with a backhaul, wherein the one or more authorized access terminals are authorized to access the femtocell;

simultaneously boosting, by the dual-mode base station operating as the repeater, one or more communication signals between one or more unauthorized access terminals and the macro base station in operative communication with the macro network, wherein the one or more unauthorized access terminals are not authorized to access the femtocell; and

matching a transmission power level of a femtocell transceiver and a transmission power level of a repeater transceiver.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the transmission power level of the femtocell transceiver;

monitoring the transmission power level of the repeater transceiver; and

regulating the transmission power level of the femtocell transceiver and the transmission power level of the repeater transceiver to reduce interference.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein boosting the one or more communication signals comprises:

receiving the one or more communication signals from the macro base station;

amplifying the received one or more communication signals; and

forwarding the amplified one or more communication signals to the one or more unauthorized access terminals.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein boosting the one or more communication signals comprises:

receiving the one or more communication signals from the one or more unauthorized access terminals;

amplifying the received one or more communication signals; and

forwarding the amplified one or more communication signals to the macro base station.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein boosting the one or more communication signals comprises:

receiving the one or more communication signals from the macro base station over a licensed radio-frequency (RF) band;

amplifying the received communication signal; and

forwarding the amplified communication signal to the one or more unauthorized access terminals over the licensed RF band.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein boosting the one or more communication signals comprises:

receiving the one or more communication signals from the one or more unauthorized access terminals;

demodulating the one or more communication signals;

amplifying the demodulated one or more communication signals; and

retransmitting the amplified one or more communication signals to the macro base station.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein facilitating communication comprises allowing the one or more authorized access terminals to access the femtocell.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein facilitating communication comprises allowing the macro network to locate and communicate with the one or more authorized access terminals via the femtocell.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if the backhaul is available;

in response to the backhaul being unavailable, operating the dual-mode base station as a repeater.

5. A dual-mode base station, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory module operatively coupled with the at least one processor and comprising executable code for the at least one processor to;

simultaneously operate the dual-mode base station as an access-point base station for a femtocell and as a repeater for a macro base station;

facilitate, by the dual-mode base station operating as the access-point base station, communication between one or more authorized access terminals and a macro network via the femtocell in operative communication with a backhaul, wherein the one or more authorized access terminals are authorized to access the femtocell;

simultaneously boost, by the dual-mode base station operating as the repeater, one or more communication signals between one or more unauthorized access terminals and the macro base station in operative communication with the macro network, wherein the one or more unauthorized access terminals are not authorized to access the femtocell; and

match a transmission power level of a femtocell transceiver and a transmission power level of a repeater transceiver.

6. The dual-mode base station of claim 5, wherein the memory module further comprises executable code for the at least one processor to:

monitor the transmission power level of the femtocell transceiver;

monitor the transmission power level of the repeater transceiver; and

regulate the transmission power level of the femtocell transceiver and the transmission power level of the repeater transceiver to reduce interference.

7. The dual-mode base station of claim 5, wherein boosting the one or more communication signals comprises:

receiving the one or more communication signals from the macro base station;

amplifying the received one or more communication signals; and

forwarding the amplified one or more communication signals to the one or more unauthorized access terminals.

8. The dual-mode base station of claim 5, wherein boosting the one or more communication signals comprises:

receiving the one or more communication signals from the one or more unauthorized access terminals;

amplifying the received one or more communication signals; and

forwarding the amplified one or more communication signals to the macro base station.

9. A dual-mode base station, comprising:

means for simultaneously operating the dual-mode base station as an access-point base station for a femtocell and as a repeater for a macro base station;

means for facilitating, by the dual-mode base station operating as the access-point base station, communication between one or more authorized access terminals and a macro network via the femtocell in operative communication with a backhaul, wherein the one or more authorized access terminals are authorized to access the femtocell;

means for simultaneously boosting, by the dual-mode base station operating as the repeater, one or more communication signals between one or more unauthorized access terminals and the macro base station in operative communication with the macro network, wherein the one or more unauthorized access terminals are not authorized to access the femtocell; and

means for matching a transmission power level of a femtocell transceiver and a transmission power level of a repeater transceiver.

10. The dual-mode base station of claim 9, further comprising:

means for monitoring the transmission power level of the femtocell transceiver;

means for monitoring the transmission power level of the repeater transceiver; and

means for regulating the transmission power level of the femtocell transceiver and the transmission power level of the repeater transceiver to reduce interference.

11. The dual-mode base station of claim 9, wherein the means for boosting the one or more communication signals comprises:

means for receiving the one or more communication signals from the macro base station;

means for amplifying the received one or more communication signals; and

means for forwarding the amplified one or more communication signals to the one or more unauthorized access terminals.

12. The dual-mode base station of claim 9, wherein the means for boosting the one or more communication signals comprises:

means for receiving the one or more communication signals from the one or more unauthorized access terminals;

means for amplifying the received one or more communication signals; and

means for forwarding the amplified one or more communication signals to the macro base station.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising:

code for causing a computer to simultaneously operate the dual-mode base station as an access-point base station for a femtocell and as a repeater for a macro base station, wherein the code for causing a computer to simultaneously operate the dual-mode base station comprises;

code for causing a computer to facilitate, by a dual-mode base station operating as the access-point base station, communication between one or more authorized access terminals and a macro network via the femtocell in operative communication with a backhaul, wherein the one or more authorized access terminals are authorized to access the femtocell;

code for causing a computer to simultaneously boost, by the dual-mode base station operating as the repeater, one or more communication signals between one or more unauthorized access terminals and the macro base station in operative communication with the macro network, wherein the one or more unauthorized access terminals are not authorized to access the femtocell; and

code for causing a computer to match a transmission power level of a femtocell transceiver and a transmission power level of a repeater transceiver.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:

code for causing a computer to monitor the transmission power level of the femtocell transceiver;

code for causing a computer to monitor the transmission power level of the repeater transceiver; and

code for causing a computer to regulate the transmission power level of the femtocell transceiver and the transmission power level of the repeater transceiver to reduce interference.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the code for causing a computer to boost the one or more communication signals comprises:

code for causing a computer to receive the one or more communication signals from the macro base station;

code for causing a computer to amplify the received one or more communication signals; and

code for causing a computer to forward the amplified one or more communication signals to the one or more unauthorized access terminals.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the code for causing a computer to boost the one or more communication signals comprises:

code for causing a computer to receive the one or more communication signals from the one or more unauthorized access terminals;

code for causing a computer to amplify the received one or more communication signals; and

code for causing a computer to forward the amplified one or more communication signals to the macro base station.