Dynamic reallocation of spectral capacity in cellular communication systems

Claim 2

A method as claimed in claim 1 whereby said comparing step additionally comprises the step of determining (163) a forecasted demand for communication services of said cell (34) by using historical cell loading information (62) stored in said communication system, and whereby said assigning step (169) additionally includes the step of assigning spectral capacity from said nearby cell (111) in response to said forecasted demand.

Claim 3

A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said comparing step further comprises the step of determining (161)an amount of spectral capacity required by said cell (34) to meet said demand for communication services.

Claim 4

A method as claimed in claim 1 additionally comprising the steps of: locating (164) all nearby cells; and identifying (164) an unused spectral capacity for each of said nearby cells.

Claim 5

A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the step of assigning additionally comprises the step of allocating said unused spectral capacity of said nearby cells such that all of said nearby cells are below said predetermined service capacity as a result of said allocating step.

Claim 6

A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the the step of allocating unused spectral capacity further comprises the step of notifying a system operator when said unused capacity of said nearby cells is insufficient to meet said demand for communication services of said cell.

Claim 7

A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said identifying step further comprises the steps of: identifying said unused spectral capacity in frequencies and time slots for each cell of said nearby cells; verifying for each cell of said nearby cells that no interference will be created should said identified unused capacity be allocated to said cell; and allocating at least some of said identified unused spectral capacity of at least one of said nearby cells to said cell.

Claim 8

A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said step of allocating at least some of said identified unused spectral capacity further comprises the steps of: comparing said identified unused spectral capacity of said nearby cells to locate a first least utilized nearby cell; reducing said identified unused spectral capacity of said least utilized nearby cell; locating a next least utilized nearby cell; reducing said next least utilized nearby cell; and repeating said locating step and said second reducing step until said demand for communication services is satisfied or no more identified unused spectral capacity exists in said identified nearby cells.

Claim 9

A cellular communication system (10) having a plurality of cells (34), each cell (34) of said plurality of cells having a demand for communication services associated therewith, said cellular communication system (10) comprising; a subscriber antenna (82) associated with a portion of said plurality of cells (34); a multi-channel transceiver 80 coupled to said subscriber antenna (82), said multi-channel transceiver (80) capable of transmitting and receiving orthogonal channel sets; a processor (84) linked to said multi-channel transceiver (80); a storage medium (86) linked to said processor (84), said processor (84) and said storage medium 86 for: measuring said demand for communication services within said first cell (34); comparing said predetermined service capacity of said first cell (110) with said demand for communication services to determine if said first cell (110) is at or near said predetermined service capacity; identifying a second cell (111) having a second channel set associated therewith, said second channel set being orthogonal to said first channel set; determining an unused spectral capacity in said second cell by comparing a demand for communication services within said second cell with said predetermined spectral capacity of said second cell; and assigning said unused spectral capacity from said second cell to said first cell by switching off a portion of said second channel set in said second cell and switching on a portion of said second channel set in said first cell.

Claim 10

A cellular communication system (10) having a plurality of cells (34) and a demand for communication services associated with each cell (34) of said plurality, said cellular communication system (10) comprising: a subscriber antenna (82) associated with a portion of said plurality of cells (34); a multi-channel transceiver (80) coupled to said subscriber antenna, said multi-channel (80) transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving orthogonal channel sets from within said plurality of cells; a processor (84) linked to said multi-channel transceiver (80); a storage medium (86) linked to said processor 84, said storage medium (86) for pre-assigning said orthogonal channel sets from a least one cell (34) of said plurality to a cell having a predetermined high demand for communication services.