Apparatus and methods for networking omni-modal radio devices
First Claim
1. A radio frequency management system for reallocation of radio spectrum among a plurality of wireless communication networks using differing radio frequency modulation protocols and differing radio frequencies to communicate with a plurality of frequency and protocol agile portable radio devices each of which is responsive to portable radio device control signals to change its operating frequency and modulation protocol, comprisingcapacity detection means for generating a frequency request signal upon determining that a first wireless communication network operating using a first radio frequency spectrum allocated to said first wireless communication network and using a first modulation protocol, is at or near full capacity, frequency reallocating means responsive to a frequency request signal for reassigning temporarily radio spectrum from a second wireless communication network operating using a second radio frequency spectrum allocated to said second wireless communication network and different from said first radio frequency spectrum and using second modulation protocol, to the first communication network determined by said capacity detection means to be at or near full capacity, and means for causing portable radio control signals in at least some of the frequency and protocol agile portable radio devices to change their operating frequency and modulation protocol to permit the portable radio devices so changed to communicate over the temporarily reassigned radio spectrum.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A network and method of operating a network of wireless service providers adapted to interact with a plurality of omni-modal wireless products within a given geographic area in a manner to permit the wireless service providers to “borrow” radio frequencies from other wireless service providers within the same geographic region. As a cellular service provider in a given region finds that one of its service areas or cells has become nearly or fully loaded, frequency could be borrowed from a competitor, such as a PCS provider serving the same region. Selected omni-modal wireless product users in the overloaded area would be told to switch their omni-modal to the “leased” frequency but to use the non-PCS communications protocol appropriate to the type of service desired by the user. Implementation of this method broadly within a given geographic region will have the effect of insuring that the available radio spectrum is used to its maximum capacity to serve the needs of the wireless users on a real time basis.
116 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A radio frequency management system for reallocation of radio spectrum among a plurality of wireless communication networks using differing radio frequency modulation protocols and differing radio frequencies to communicate with a plurality of frequency and protocol agile portable radio devices each of which is responsive to portable radio device control signals to change its operating frequency and modulation protocol, comprising
capacity detection means for generating a frequency request signal upon determining that a first wireless communication network operating using a first radio frequency spectrum allocated to said first wireless communication network and using a first modulation protocol, is at or near full capacity, frequency reallocating means responsive to a frequency request signal for reassigning temporarily radio spectrum from a second wireless communication network operating using a second radio frequency spectrum allocated to said second wireless communication network and different from said first radio frequency spectrum and using second modulation protocol, to the first communication network determined by said capacity detection means to be at or near full capacity, and means for causing portable radio control signals in at least some of the frequency and protocol agile portable radio devices to change their operating frequency and modulation protocol to permit the portable radio devices so changed to communicate over the temporarily reassigned radio spectrum.
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13. A method for reallocation of radio frequency spectrum among a plurality of wireless communication networks at least some of which may be available and operating at a given time and location using differing radio frequency modulation protocols and over differing radio frequencies to communicate with a plurality of frequency and protocol agile portable radio devices each of which is responsive to portable radio device control signals to change its operating frequency and modulation protocol, comprising the steps of
generating a frequency request signal upon determining that a first wireless communication network is at or near full capacity, reassigning temporarily in response to said frequency request signal radio spectrum from a wireless communication network utilizing less of its normally assigned radio frequency to the communication network determined to be at or near full capacity, and causing portable radio control signals in at least some of the frequency and protocol agile portable radio devices to change their operating frequency and transmission protocol to permit the portable radio devices so changed to communicate over the temporarily reassigned radio spectrum.
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23. A radio frequency management system for providing information useful in selecting among a plurality of wireless communication networks having different and variable operating characteristics and accessed by a plurality of portable radio devices each of which is capable of accessing any of the plurality of wireless communication networks comprising:
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wireless communication network monitoring means for monitoring the current network load of each of the plurality of wireless communication networks;
processing means connected with said network monitoring means for receiving a signal indicative of said current network load and for generating a signal representing current operational characteristics of each of the wireless communications networks in response thereto;
network information transmission means connected with said processing means for receiving said signal and for transmitting said operational characteristics for each of the plurality of wireless communication networks to each of the plurality of portable radio devices thereby allowing each of the portable wireless devices to selectively access one of said plurality of wireless communications networks in response to said operational characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. In a cellular radio communication network operating over a predetermined frequency range subdivided in frequency into frequency bands, said network comprising at least a first independent radio communication system and a second independent radio communication system each providing radio telecommunication service over a common geographic region, a method for using said frequency range comprising the steps of:
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assigning from said predetermined frequency range at least one first frequency band to be used as a control channel by said first independent radio communication system;
assigning from said predetermined frequency range at least one second frequency band to be used as a control channel by said second independent radio communication system; and
sharing by said first independent radio communication system and said second independent radio communication system frequency bands in the portion of said predetermined frequency range not assigned as control channels to provide radio telecommunication service to a plurality of subscribers located in said common geographic region. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. In a cellular radio communication network operating over a predetermined frequency range subdivided in frequency into frequency bands, said network comprising at least a first independent radio communication system and a second independent radio communication system each providing radio telecommunication service over a common geographic region, a method for using said frequency range comprising the steps of:
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assigning from said predetermined frequency range at least one first frequency band to be used as a control channel by said first independent radio communication system;
assigning from said predetermined frequency range at least one second frequency band to be used as a control channel by said second independent radio communication system;
assigning from said predetermined frequency range a predetermined portion of said predetermined frequency range to be used by said first independent radio communication system to provide radio telecommunication service to a plurality of subscribers located in said geographic region; and
sharing by said first independent radio communication system and said second independent radio communication system frequency bands in the portion of said predetermined frequency range not assigned as control channels or assigned exclusively to said first independent radio communication system, to provide radio telecommunication service to the plurality of subscribers located in said geographic region. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. In a cellular radio communication network comprising a plurality of independent systems each providing service within a common geographic area, and operating within a frequency range comprising a plurality of frequency bands, a method of allocating frequency bands to said independent systems said method comprising the steps of:
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assigning one or more first frequency bands to each of said independent systems, wherein said first frequency bands are used for control channels within the independent systems to which each is assigned; and
allocating one or more second frequency bands to said independent systems on a shared basis, wherein said second frequency bands are used for traffic channels within the independent system to which each is currently allocated. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A cellular communications network providing service over a frequency range comprising a plurality of first frequency bands and a plurality of second frequency bands, said network comprising:
a plurality of independent radio communications systems, each of said independent systems providing service in a coverage area, the coverage areas of each of said independent systems having a common area, each of said independent systems being assigned one or more of said first frequency bands for use as control channels for each independent system and providing service over said plurality of second frequency bands on a shared basis. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
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42. A wireless communication system organized to promote user driven competition among a plurality of commercially independent wireless service networks operating with differing frequencies and/or differing protocols and serving, within a given geographic region, a population of portable radio devices that are sufficiently frequency and protocol agile to allow access to more than one of the wireless service networks, comprising:
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a. an accessing circuit associated with each portable radio device for providing access to any one of a plurality of the wireless service networks by requesting access and, if available, establishing access in response to an access control signal that adjusts the radio frequency and the protocol of the associated portable radio device as necessary to access the selected wireless service network, b. control signal generator for generating the access control signal in response to user defined criteria to cause access to the wireless service network that best satisfies the user criteria, and c. a frequency reallocator for increasing the capacity of any one of the wireless service networks as the aggregate demand for access to that wireless service network increases by allowing portions of the radio spectrum, otherwise available to another wireless service network, to be used by the wireless service network experiencing increased demand.
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43. A wireless communication system organized to promote competition among a plurality of commercially independent wireless service networks operating with differing frequencies and/or differing protocols and serving, within a given geographic region, a population of user held portable radio devices that are sufficiently frequency and protocol agile to allow access to a plurality of the wireless service networks, comprising:
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a. a frequency reallocator for increasing the capacity of any one of the wireless service networks as the aggregate demand for access to that wireless service network increases by allowing portions of the radio spectrum, otherwise available to another wireless service network, to be used by the wireless service network experiencing increased demand, b. an accessing circuit associated with each portable radio device for providing access to any one of a plurality of the wireless service networks by requesting access and, if available, establishing access in response to an access control signal that adjusts the radio frequency and the protocol of the associated portable radio device as necessary to access the selected wireless service network, and c. control signal generator for generating an access control signal in response to control instructions received from a wireless service network which has borrowed frequency from another wireless service network through operation of said frequency reallocator to cause said accessing circuit to access to the wireless service network on the reallocated frequency.
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44. A wireless communication system organized to promote user driven competition among a plurality of commercially independent wireless service providers, comprising
a. a plurality of independent wireless service networks operated by the wireless service providers to provide wireless services within a common geographic region using differing frequencies and/or differing protocols, b. a plurality of portable radio devices, located within the geographic region, that are sufficiently frequency and protocol agile to allow access to more than one of the wireless service networks, each said portable radio device including i. an accessing circuit for providing access to any one of a plurality of the wireless service networks by requesting access and, if available, establishing access in response to an access control signal that adjusts the radio frequency and the protocol of the associated portable radio device as necessary to access the selected wireless service network, ii. memory for storing a user defined criteria for selecting a wireless service, and iii. control signal generator for automatically generating the access control signal in response to an automated selection of the wireless network that best satisfies the stored criteria for wireless service and for causing said accessing circuit to access the wireless service network identified by the access control signal generated.
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45. A wireless communication system organized to promote user driven competition among a plurality of commercially independent wireless service networks operating with differing frequencies and serving, within a given geographic region, a population of portable radio devices that are sufficiently frequency agile to allow access to more than one of the wireless service networks, comprising
a. an accessing circuit associated with each portable radio device for providing access to any one of a plurality of the wireless service networks by requesting access and, if available, establishing access in response to an access control signal that causes said accessing circuit to adjust the radio frequency of the associated portable radio device as necessary to access the selected wireless service network, b. network information transmitter for transmitting operational characteristics for more than one of the wireless service networks to each of the portable radio devices c. control signal generator associated with each portable radio device for generating the access control signal in response to receipt of transmitted operational characteristics for more than one of the wireless service networks, and d. a frequency reallocator for increasing the capacity of any one of the wireless service networks as the aggregate demand for access to that wireless service network increases by allowing portions of the radio spectrum, otherwise available to another wireless service network, to be used by the wireless service network experiencing increased demand.
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46. A wireless communication system organized to permit maximum utilization of the available radio spectrum assigned to a plurality of independent wireless service networks operating over differing communication channels to provide wireless service within a common geographic area to a plurality of portable radio devices that are sufficiently frequency agile in response to command signals supplied to the portable devices by the independent wireless service to allow selective access by each portable radio device to more than one of the wireless service networks,
a. an accessing circuit associated with each portable radio device for providing access to any one of a plurality of the wireless service networks by requesting access and, if available, establishing access in response to an access control signal that causes said accessing circuit to adjust the radio frequency of the associated portable radio device as necessary to access the selected wireless service network, b. a frequency reallocator for increasing the capacity of any one of the wireless service networks as the aggregate demand for access to that wireless service network increases by allowing portions of the radio spectrum, otherwise available to another wireless service network, to be used by the wireless service network experiencing increased demand, and c. access control signal generator associated with each portable radio device for generating an access control signal that will cause a portable radio device, in response to receipt of a command signal from that wireless service network, to access a wireless service network using a frequency that has been reallocated to that wireless service network by said frequency reallocator.
Specification