Methods and apparatus for selecting a communication node by monitoring signals

• US 9,496,609 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2014
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SkyCross Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Achilles Technology Management Co Ii, Inc.
• Inventors: Marshall, John, Caimi, Frank M., Montgomery, Mark T., Kishler, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, DUC CHI
• Application Number:
  US14/471,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20150117219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 23/02 Arrangements for measuring frequency, e.g. pulse repetition rate; Arrangements for measuring period of current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 25/00 Arrangements for measuring phase angle between a voltage and a current or between voltages or currents
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/0807 characterised by the application
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/10 Radiation diagrams of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/50 Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/521 reducing the coupling between adjacent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/103 with variable reactance for tuning the antenna tuning resonant circuits H03J
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/00 Antenna arrays or systems arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0006 Particular feeding systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/12 Parallel arrangements of substantially straight elongated conductive units travelling-wave antennas comprising transmission line loaded with transverse elements H01Q11/02; Yagi antennas H01Q19/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/34 by electrical means active lenses or reflecting arrays H01Q3/46
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/00 : Arrangements for simultaneous operation of antennas on two or more different wavebands, e.g. dual-band or multi-band arrangements combinations of separate active antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system H01Q21/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/22 : RF wavebands combined with non-RF wavebands, e.g. infrared or optical
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/371 : Branching current paths
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 : Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/48 : Combinations of two or more dipole type antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/04 : Resonant antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0442 : with particular tuning means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/145 : by varying the electrical length
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 : with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/28 : Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/30 : with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/40 : Element having extended radiating surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 : with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 2200/15 : Tuning of resonator by means of digitally controlled inductor bank
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 5/0245 : Discontinuous tuning using an electrical variable impedance element, e.g. a voltage variable reactive diode, in which no corresponding analogue value either exists or is preset, i.e. the tuning information is only available in a digital form microprocessor tuning H03J1/0008
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 5/242 : used exclusively for band selection
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 5/244 : using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0053 : with common antenna for more than one band
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 : Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 : for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/024 : Co-operative use of antennas of several sites, e.g. in co-ordinated multipoint or co-operative multiple-input multiple-output [MIMO] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0404 : the mobile station comprising multiple antennas, e.g. to provide uplink diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 : MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0417 : Feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0608 : Antenna selection according to transmission parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0628 : Diversity capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0632 : Channel quality parameters, e.g. channel quality indicator [CQI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0691 : using subgroups of transmit antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 : Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/12 : using signalling between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 : Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 : for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 : by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 : using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/12 : based on transmission quality or channel quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 : locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 : Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 : based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 : using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, a circuit for receiving bandwidth utilization information associated with each of a plurality of communication nodes, and initiating communications with a communication node selected from the plurality of communication nodes according to a comparison of the bandwidth utilization information and a measure of quality of a communication link of each of the plurality of communication nodes. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

monitoring, by a communication device comprising a processor, bandwidth utilization at each of a plurality of communication nodes;

determining, by the communication device, a measure of quality of a communication link between the communication device and each of the plurality of communication nodes; and

initiating, by the communication device, communications with a communication node selected from the plurality of communication nodes according to a comparison of the bandwidth utilization and the measure of quality of the communication link of each of the plurality of communication nodes, and according to a type of content transmitted during the communications between the communication device and the communication node over the communication link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring of the bandwidth utilization at each of the plurality of communication nodes comprises monitoring a control channel of each of the plurality of communication nodes.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the control channel comprises a wireless control channel utilized by other communication devices communicating with the plurality of communication nodes.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a predetermined total bandwidth capacity of at each of the plurality of communication nodes; and

comparing the predetermined total bandwidth capacity of each of the plurality of communication nodes to traffic information of each of the plurality of communication nodes derived from monitoring each of the plurality of communication nodes; and

determining a residual bandwidth capacity at each of the plurality of communication nodes from the comparison, wherein the bandwidth utilization at each of the plurality of communication nodes comprises the residual bandwidth capacity at each of the plurality of communication nodes.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the traffic information is determine from monitoring a control channel of each of the plurality of communication nodes, and wherein the predetermined total bandwidth is obtained from a look-up table stored in the communication device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the bandwidth utilization and the measure of quality of the communication link of the communication node selected has a first net benefit that exceeds a second net benefit determined from the bandwidth utilization and the measure of quality of the communication link of each of a remainder of the plurality of communication nodes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each one of the plurality of communication nodes comprises one of a macro cell communication node, a small cell communication mode, a micro cell communication node, a femto cell communication node, a Bluetooth communication node, a zigbee communication node, or a wireless fidelity communication node.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises a plurality of antennas having a reduced radio frequency (RF) signal correlation between antenna ports coupled thereto, wherein the plurality of antennas are configured to combine common mode currents and differential mode currents resulting in the reduced RF signal correlation between the antenna ports.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two communication links between the communication device and the plurality of communication nodes comprises a multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) communication session.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising initiating, by the communication device, communications with a second communication node selected from the plurality of communication nodes according to the comparison of the bandwidth utilization and the measure of quality of the communication link of each of the plurality of communication nodes.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein communications with the communication node is based on a first MIMO communication session, wherein communications with the second communication node is based on a second MIMO communication session, wherein the first MIMO communication session operates in a first band of an antenna configuration, and wherein the second MIMO communication session operates in a second band of the antenna configuration.

12. A machine-readable storage device, comprising instructions, which when executed by a circuit, cause the circuit to perform operations comprising:

monitoring signals to obtain bandwidth utilization information from each of a plurality of communication nodes;

determining a measure of quality of a communication link with each of the plurality of communication nodes; and

initiating communications with a first communication node selected from the plurality of communication nodes according to a comparison of the bandwidth utilization information and the measure of quality of the communication link of each of the plurality of communication nodes; and

selecting the first communication node based on a net benefit of communicating with the first communication node exceeding a net benefit of communicating with a remainder of the plurality of communication nodes.

13. The machine-readable storage device of claim 12, wherein the comparison comprises determining a net benefit of communicating with each of the plurality of communication nodes according to the measure of quality of the communication link of each of the plurality of communication nodes and the bandwidth utilization information of each of the plurality of communication nodes.

14. The machine-readable storage device of claim 12, wherein each one of the plurality of communication nodes comprises one of a macro cell communication node, a small cell communication mode, a micro cell communication node, a femto cell communication node, a Bluetooth communication node, a zigbee communication node, or a wireless fidelity communication node.

15. The machine-readable storage device of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

obtaining a predetermined total bandwidth capacity of at each of the plurality of communication nodes; and

comparing the predetermined total bandwidth capacity of each of the plurality of communication nodes to traffic information of each of the plurality of communication nodes derived from monitoring the signals; and

determining a residual bandwidth capacity at each of the plurality of communication nodes from the comparison, wherein the bandwidth utilization information at each of the plurality of communication nodes comprises the residual bandwidth capacity at each of the plurality of communication nodes.

16. The machine-readable storage device of claim 12, wherein at least two communication links with the plurality of communication nodes comprises a multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) communication session.

17. The machine-readable storage device of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise initiating communications with a second communication node selected from the plurality of communication nodes according to the comparison of the bandwidth utilization information and the measure of quality of the communication link of each of the plurality of communication nodes, wherein communications with the first communication node and the second communication node occur simultaneously.

18. A communication device, comprising:

a plurality of antennas having a reduced radio frequency (RF) signal correlation between antenna ports coupled thereto, wherein the plurality of antennas are configured to combine common mode currents and differential mode currents resulting in the reduced RF signal correlation between the antenna ports;

a memory to store instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, which responsive to executing the instructions the processor performs operations comprising;

monitoring radio frequency channels to obtain bandwidth utilization information associated with each of a plurality of communication nodes; and

initiating communications with a communication node selected from the plurality of communication nodes according to a comparison of the bandwidth utilization information and a measure of quality of a communication link of each of the plurality of communication nodes.

19. The communication device of claim 18, wherein the measure of quality of the communication link is based on one of a received signal strength indication measurement, a signal to noise ratio measurement, a bit error rate measurement, a packet loss rate measurement, or any combinations thereof.

20. The communication device of claim 18, wherein the comparison comprises determining a net benefit of communicating with each of the plurality of communication nodes according to the measure of quality of the communication link of each of the plurality of communication nodes and the bandwidth utilization information of each of the plurality of communication nodes.

21. The communication device of claim 18, wherein each one of the plurality of communication nodes comprises one of a macro cell communication node, a small cell communication mode, a micro cell communication node, a femto cell communication node, a Bluetooth communication node, a zigbee communication node, or a wireless fidelity communication node.

22. The communication device of claim 18, wherein the communication device comprises one of a stationary communication device or a mobile communication device.

23. The communication device of claim 18, comprising an antenna structure for initiating communications with the communication node selected from the plurality of communication nodes, wherein the operations further comprise detecting an operating frequency offset of the antenna structure and tuning the antenna structure to mitigate the operating frequency offset to achieve a desire operating frequency.

24. The communication device of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise:

obtaining a predetermined total bandwidth capacity of at each of the plurality of communication nodes; and

comparing the predetermined total bandwidth capacity of each of the plurality of communication nodes to traffic information of each of the plurality of communication nodes derived from monitoring the radio frequency channels; and

determining a residual bandwidth capacity at each of the plurality of communication nodes from the comparison, wherein the bandwidth utilization information at each of the plurality of communication nodes comprises the residual bandwidth capacity at each of the plurality of communication nodes.