System And Method For Assigning Frequency Resources In A Three-Hop Repeater

• US 20160128068A1
• Filed: 11/03/2015
• Published: 05/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nextivity Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nextivity Incorporated
• Inventors: Lotter, Michiel Petrus
• Granted Patent: US 10,454,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15542 Selecting at relay station its transmit and receive resources selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02; arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path by two-dimensional division of the resources H04L5/0003, or by allocating sub-channels H04L5/003
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference

Abstract

A system and method for allocating frequency resources in a three-hop repeater are disclosed. Bandwidth can be allocated asymmetrically, and in non-contiguous blocks for the required bandwidth for a transmission operation. Bandwidth is dynamically allocated on an as-needed basis.

Claims

1. A method of assigning frequency resources in a three-hop repeater, in either a downlink direction or uplink direction on a middle hop of the three-hop repeater, the middle hop being between a network unit and a coverage unit, the method comprising:

selecting a transmission band for a transmission operation;

scanning the transmission band for interference to the transmission operation; and

dynamically allocating a center frequency and a required bandwidth for the transmission operation within the transmission band, the allocation being based on a lowest interference within the transmission band.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the middle hop of the three-hop repeater uses an unlicensed or general use band of frequencies.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the middle hop of the three-hop repeater uses a licensed band of frequencies that requires registration of either the network unit or coverage unit for the transmission operation.

4. The method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the required bandwidth is allocated in one or more noncontiguous blocks of spectrum of the unlicensed or general use band of frequencies.

5. A method of dynamically assigning frequency resources in a three-hop repeater in the uplink direction on a middle hop of the three-hop repeater, the middle hop being between a network unit and a coverage unit, the method comprising:

detecting a need to assign frequency resources based on a detection of uplink traffic;

selecting a transmission band for a transmission operation;

scanning the transmission band for interference to the transmission operation; and

dynamically allocating a center frequency and a required bandwidth for the transmission operation within the transmission band, the allocation being based on a lowest interference within the transmission band.

6. The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the middle hop of the three-hop repeater uses an unlicensed or general use band of frequencies.

7. The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the middle hop of the three-hop repeater uses a licensed band of frequencies that requires registration of either the network unit or coverage unit for the transmission operation.

8. The method in accordance with claim 6, wherein the required bandwidth is allocated in one or more noncontiguous blocks of spectrum of the unlicensed or general use band of frequencies.

9. A method for dynamically de-assigning frequency resources in a three-hop repeater in the downlink direction on a middle hop of a three-hop repeater, the middle hop being between the network unit and coverage unit for boosting and relaying signals between the network unit and the coverage unit, the method comprising:

detecting a need to assign frequency resources in the uplink direction based on a detection of uplink traffic;

if no additional frequency resources are available in the uplink direction for a transmission operation, finding frequency resources currently assigned in the downlink direction to relay a downlink signal for whose paired uplink transmission no frequency resources was available; and

de-assigning the frequency resources in the downlink direction so that the downlink signal is no longer boosted.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the middle hop of the three-hop repeater uses an unlicensed or general use band of frequencies.

11. The method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the middle hop of the three-hop repeater uses a licensed band of frequencies that requires registration of either the network unit or coverage unit for the transmission operation.

12. The method in accordance with claim 10, wherein a required bandwidth is allocated in one or more noncontiguous blocks of spectrum of the unlicensed or general use band of frequencies.