Method and apparatus for controlling link quality in a wireless communication system
First Claim
1. In a wireless communication system comprising a control facility and at least one transceiver node which interfaces between a communication unit (CU) and the wireless communication system, a method for the CU to affect power levels of channels which the CU uses to communicate with the wireless communication system, wherein the channels are provided by the at least one transceiver node, the method performed by the CU comprising the steps of:
- a) generating a first power level measurement of a first power level of a first channel which is provided by a first node of the at least one transceiver node; and
b) sending the first power level measurement and a geographic location of the CU to the control facility;
c) occasionally repeating the steps of generating the first power level measurement and sending the first power level measurement to the control facility;
d) the control facility developing a geographic map which provides an indication of power measured by the CU as a function of the geographic location of the CU; and
e) the control facility using the geographic map to affect power levels of channels which the CU uses to communicate with the wireless communication system.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A control facility (130) within a wireless communication system receives, from a communication unit (120) (CU), a power measurement (306) of a signal (150) projected by a transceiver node (102). The power measurement (306) can be associated with location information (304) for the CU (120) and a time stamp (302). The control facility (130) uses this information to determine whether the CU (120) is being provided with a signal (150) having an acceptable link margin. If not, the control facility mitigates (408, 508, 512, 514, 518, 520) the effects of the unacceptable link margin, if possible. When power measurements (306) are received from multiple CUs (120), the control facility (130) can use the measurements (306) to create (402, 502) a link margin map which correlates CU location (304) with power measurements (306). The map is used to analyze the link margins within the system.
53 Citations
13 Claims
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1. In a wireless communication system comprising a control facility and at least one transceiver node which interfaces between a communication unit (CU) and the wireless communication system, a method for the CU to affect power levels of channels which the CU uses to communicate with the wireless communication system, wherein the channels are provided by the at least one transceiver node, the method performed by the CU comprising the steps of:
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a) generating a first power level measurement of a first power level of a first channel which is provided by a first node of the at least one transceiver node; and b) sending the first power level measurement and a geographic location of the CU to the control facility; c) occasionally repeating the steps of generating the first power level measurement and sending the first power level measurement to the control facility; d) the control facility developing a geographic map which provides an indication of power measured by the CU as a function of the geographic location of the CU; and e) the control facility using the geographic map to affect power levels of channels which the CU uses to communicate with the wireless communication system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In a wireless communication system comprising a control facility and at least one transceiver node which interfaces between multiple communication units (CUs) and the wireless communication system, a method for handing-off a CU from a first channel to a second channel, wherein the first channel and the second channel are provided to the CU by the at least one transceiver node, and the second channel is a channel which has an adequate power level at a location of the CU which enables the at least one transceiver node which is providing the second channel to provide acceptable communication service between the CU and the at least one transceiver node, the method performed by the control facility comprising the steps of:
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a) identifying a need to hand off the CU from the first channel; b) evaluating previously received power measurements which were received from the multiple CUs at at least one earlier time; c) developing a geographic map which provides an indication of power measured by the multiple CUs as a function of the geographic location of the CU; d) processing power measurements to determine the second channel to which the CU should hand off, wherein the power measurements represent power levels of signals transmitted to the multiple CUs from the at least one transceiver node, and the power measurements are received from the multiple CUs; and e) sending a message to the CU which includes parameters identifying the second channel so that the CU can hand off to the second channel. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A control facility for controlling power levels of at least one communication channel used by a communication unit (CU) in a wireless communication system comprising the control facility and at least one transceiver node which provides the at least one communication channel to the CU, the control facility comprising:
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a receiving means for receiving power level measurements from the CU, wherein the power level measurements indicate a first power level of a signal received by the CU from a transceiver node; a processing means, coupled to the receiving means, for processing the power level measurements to determine whether a second power level of a communication channel will enable the transceiver node which is providing the communication channel to provide acceptable communication service between the CU and the transceiver node and for developing a geographic map which provides an indication of power measured by the CU as a function of the geographic location of the CU; and a transmitting means, coupled to the processing means, for sending at least one message to a device which can affect the power level, wherein the device is from a group comprising the transceiver node and the CU.
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Specification