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US6118767A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Interference control for CDMA networks using a plurality of narrow antenna beams and an estimation of the number of users/remote signals present

Assignee: META WAVE COMMUNICATIONS Corp
•
Filing: 1997-11-19
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Granted: 2000-09-12
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Expires: 2017-11-19
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Abstract

Abstract Systems and methods for providing mitigation of interference in a CDMA cellular network caused by excessive in band energy are disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, multiple narrow antenna beams are used to isolate the excessive energy from that of signals from mobile units. Control circuitry measures the power level on each of these multiple beams, compares this measurement to an estimated number of mobiles operating in the associated antenna beam, and determines if excessive energy is present in the beam. If excessive energy is determined to exist, the present invention causes the gain of particular antenna beams to be adjusted so as to mitigate the effect of the excessive energy.

Inventors

  • 👤 Donglin Shen
  • 👤 Martin J. Feuerstein

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 14:54
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B1/00; H04B1/69; H04B1/707; H04B1/7097; H04B17/00; H04B17/30; H04B17/309; H04B17/318; H04B17/327; H04B17/345; H04B17/354; H04W; H04W16/00; H04W16/24

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 62
Claim 1
Independent Claim 136 words
A system for suppression of interference in a predefined frequency band as received on multiple narrow antenna beams, said system comprising: means for determining whether excess energy within said predefined frequency band is present in at least one narrow antenna beam of said ones of said multiple narrow antenna beams, wherein said determination is a function of a measured received power and an estimation of a number of remote unit signals present; and means for adjusting an attribute of a selected antenna beam signal of at least one narrow antenna beam of said ones of said multiple narrow antenna beams, wherein said adjusted antenna beam signal is selected as a function of said at least one narrow antenna beam determined to include excess energy, and wherein said adjustment is selected to provide said suppression of interference.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 136 words
A system for suppression of interference in a predefined frequency band as received on multiple narrow antenna beams, said system comprising: means for determining whether excess energy within said predefined frequency band is present in at least one narrow antenna beam of said ones of said multiple narrow antenna beams, wherein said determination is a function of a measured received power and an estimation of a number of remote unit signals present; and means for adjusting an attribute of a selected antenna beam signal of at least one narrow antenna beam of said ones of said multiple narrow antenna beams, wherein said adjusted antenna beam signal is selected as a function of said at least one narrow antenna beam determined to include excess energy, and wherein said adjustment is selected to provide said suppression of interference.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 60 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said estimation of a number of remote unit signals present is made as a function of a measured received power level of a particular narrow antenna beam of said multiple narrow antenna beams and information with respect to a total number of remote unit signals in said ones of said multiple narrow antenna beams.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
The system of claim 2, wherein said information with respect to said total number of remote unit signals is provided from a base station apparatus external to said system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 42 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said determination of excess energy in said at least one narrow antenna beam includes a comparison of a measured received power level of said at least one narrow antenna beam to a preselected threshold power level.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 41 words
The system of claim 4, wherein said threshold power level is preselected as a function of said estimated number of remote unit signals received and a power level statistically determined to represent the power level of a single remote unit signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 32 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said determination of excess energy in said at least one narrow antenna beam includes a comparison of reverse link loading estimates with forward link loading estimates.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 45 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said determination of excess energy in said at least one narrow antenna beam includes a comparison of a relative power measurement of a portion of said predefined frequency band with a relative power measurement of said predefined frequency band.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 23 words
The system of claim 7, wherein said power measurement of said portion of said predefined frequency band is made utilizing a narrow-band receiver.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 24 words
The system of claim 7, wherein said power measurement of said portion of said predefined frequency band is made utilizing Fast Fourier Transform processing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 22 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said attribute of a selected antenna beam signal adjusted by said adjusting means is an amplitude.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 32 words
The system of claim 10, wherein said amplitude adjustment is a reduction in gain of an antenna beam signal of said at least one narrow antenna beam determined to include excess energy.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 29 words
The system of claim 10, wherein said amplitude adjustment is attenuation of an antenna beam signal of said at least one narrow antenna beam determined to include excess energy.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 41 words
The system of claim 10, wherein said amplitude adjustment is an increase in gain of an antenna beam signal of said at least one narrow antenna beam other than said at least one narrow antenna beam determined to include excess energy.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 73 words
The system of claim 10, wherein said amplitude adjustment is a first change in amplitude of an antenna beam signal of said at least one narrow antenna beam determined to include excess energy and a second change in amplitude of an antenna beam signal of a narrow antenna beam other than said at least one narrow antenna beam determined to include excess energy, wherein said first and second changes are converse amplitude adjustments.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 39 words
The system of claim 10, wherein said amplitude adjustment includes attenuation of an antenna beam signal associated with said at least one narrow antenna beams determined to include excess energy to effectively interrupt transmission of said antenna beam signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 22 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said attribute of a selected antenna beam signal adjusted by said adjusting means is a phase.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 28 words
The system of claim 1, where said ones of said multiple narrow antenna beams are a set of said multiple narrow antenna beams defining a cellular network cell.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 30 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said ones of said multiple narrow antenna beams are a set of said narrow antenna beams defining a sector of a cellular network cell.
Claim 20
Independent Claim 165 words
A method for mitigating interference in a CDMA communication network, said CDMA communication network having at least one base station utilizing a plurality of narrow antenna beams each providing an antenna beam signal, said CDMA communication network also having a plurality of remote units in communication with said base station, said method comprising the steps of: determining the presence of interference in excess of a preselected threshold in at least one antenna beam signal of said ones of said antenna beam signals, wherein said determination is made as a function of a measured preselected attribute of said at least one antenna beam signal and an estimated number of remote unit signals in said at least one antenna beam signal; and adjusting an attribute of at least one antenna beam signal of said ones of said antenna beam signals, wherein said at least one antenna beam signal adjusted is selected as a function of said at least one antenna beam determined to include said excess interference.
Claim 21
Independent Claim 165 words
A method for mitigating interference in a CDMA communication network, said CDMA communication network having at least one base station utilizing a plurality of narrow antenna beams each providing an antenna beam signal, said CDMA communication network also having a plurality of remote units in communication with said base station, said method comprising the steps of: determining the presence of interference in excess of a preselected threshold in at least one antenna beam signal of said ones of said antenna beam signals, wherein said determination is made as a function of a measured preselected attribute of said at least one antenna beam signal and an estimated number of remote unit signals in said at least one antenna beam signal; and adjusting an attribute of at least one antenna beam signal of said ones of said antenna beam signals, wherein said at least one antenna beam signal adjusted is selected as a function of said at least one antenna beam determined to include said excess interference.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 62 words
The method of claim 19, wherein said estimation of a number of signals of said plurality of remote units present in a particular antenna beam signal is made as a function of said measured preselected attribute of said particular antenna beam signal and information with respect to a total number of remote unit signals in said ones of said antenna beam signals.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 38 words
The method of claim 20, wherein said total number of remote unit signal information is provided from a base station apparatus selected from the group consisting of: a scan receiver; a base station controller; and a demodulation receiver.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method of claim 19, wherein said determining step includes the step of: comparing a reverse link loading estimate with a forward link loading estimate.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 19, wherein said measured preselected attribute is a receive power level.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 80 words
The method of claim 23, wherein said estimation of a number of signals of said plurality of remote units present in a particular antenna beam signal is made as a function of a total number of remote unit signals in said ones of said antenna beam signals scaled by a fraction of said receive power level of said particular antenna beam signal to a sum of said receive power level of each of said ones of said antenna beam signals.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 36 words
The method of claim 23, wherein said determining step comprises the step of: comparing a receive power measurement of a portion of said predefined frequency band with a receive power measurement of said predefined frequency band.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 25, wherein said receive power measurement of said portion of said predefined frequency band is made utilizing a narrow-band receiver.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method of claim 25, wherein said receive power measurement of said portion of said predefined frequency band is made utilizing Fast Fourier Transform processing.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 23, wherein said preselected threshold is a preselected threshold power level.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 38 words
The method of claim 28, wherein said threshold power level is preselected as a function of said estimated number of remote unit signals received and a power level representative of the power level of a remote unit signal.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method of claim 19, wherein said attribute of said selected antenna beam signal adjusted by said adjusting means is an amplitude.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 30, wherein said amplitude adjustment is a reduction in gain of said antenna beam signal determined to include excess interference.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 30, wherein said amplitude adjustment is attenuation of said antenna beam signal determined to include excess interference.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 33 words
The method of claim 30, wherein said amplitude adjustment is an increase in gain of an antenna beam signal other than said at least one antenna beam signal determined to include excess interference.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 30, wherein said amplitude adjustment includes attenuation substantially interrupting transmission of said antenna beam signal determined to include excess interference.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method of claim 19, wherein said attribute of at least one antenna beam signal of said ones of said antenna beam signals adjusted by said adjusting means is a phase.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 19, wherein said ones of said antenna beam signals are associated to define a cell.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method of claim 19, wherein said ones of said antenna beam signals are associated to define a sector of a cell.
Claim 40
Independent Claim 228 words
A system for mitigating interference experienced at a receiver in a CDMA cellular network, said CDMA cellular network having at least one base station utilizing a plurality of narrow antenna beams each providing an antenna beam signal suitable for use by said receiver, said CDMA cellular network also having a plurality of mobile units in communication with said base station, said system comprising: antenna beam signal attribute adjustment circuitry providing independent adjustment of a preselected attribute of ones of said antenna beam signals; antenna beam signal measurement circuitry coupled to ones of said multiple narrow antenna beams accepting said ones of said antenna beam signals, said measurement circuitry providing a measurement signal output including information with respect to measurement of said ones of said antenna beam signals, wherein said measurement signal output is a function of a measured received power and an estimation of a number of remote unit signals present; and processor based controller circuitry coupled to said measurement circuitry accepting input of said measurement signal output, said controller circuitry also coupled to said adjustment circuitry and providing a control signal output thereto, wherein said controller circuitry provides at least one control signal output according to a predefined protocol to control said adjustment circuitry to adjust at least one selected antenna beam signal of said antenna beam signals as a function of said accepted measurement signal output.
Claim 41
Independent Claim 228 words
A system for mitigating interference experienced at a receiver in a CDMA cellular network, said CDMA cellular network having at least one base station utilizing a plurality of narrow antenna beams each providing an antenna beam signal suitable for use by said receiver, said CDMA cellular network also having a plurality of mobile units in communication with said base station, said system comprising: antenna beam signal attribute adjustment circuitry providing independent adjustment of a preselected attribute of ones of said antenna beam signals; antenna beam signal measurement circuitry coupled to ones of said multiple narrow antenna beams accepting said ones of said antenna beam signals, said measurement circuitry providing a measurement signal output including information with respect to measurement of said ones of said antenna beam signals, wherein said measurement signal output is a function of a measured received power and an estimation of a number of remote unit signals present; and processor based controller circuitry coupled to said measurement circuitry accepting input of said measurement signal output, said controller circuitry also coupled to said adjustment circuitry and providing a control signal output thereto, wherein said controller circuitry provides at least one control signal output according to a predefined protocol to control said adjustment circuitry to adjust at least one selected antenna beam signal of said antenna beam signals as a function of said accepted measurement signal output.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim 30 words
The system of claim 38, wherein said measurement circuitry comprises: a narrow-band receiver measuring receive power in a particular portion of a frequency band associated with said CDMA cellular network.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim 24 words
The system of claim 39, wherein said narrow-band receiver operates to scan various portions of said frequency band associated with said CDMA cellular network.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim 19 words
The system of claim 38, wherein said measurement circuitry comprises: a wideband receiver coupled to circuitry detecting narrow-band interference.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim 15 words
The system of claim 41, wherein said narrow-band interference detection circuitry comprises a filter bank.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim 17 words
The system of claim 41, wherein said narrow-band interference detection circuitry comprises Fast Fourier Transform processing circuitry.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim 45 words
The system of claim 38, wherein said measurement circuitry comprises: antenna beam traffic loading calculation circuitry providing a calculation of distribution of communication traffic associated with said plurality of mobile units on each of said ones of said antenna beam signals to said controller circuitry.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim 53 words
The system of claim 44, wherein said calculation of distribution of communication traffic includes a determination of forward link traffic and a determination of reverse link traffic, and wherein said protocol utilizes a comparison of said forward link and reverse link traffic determinations in adjusting said at least one selected antenna beam signal.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim 51 words
The system of claim 45, wherein said forward link traffic determination is made utilizing monitored information selected from the group consisting of: a transmitted power; a transmitted signal-to-interference ration; a pilot channel measurement; a demodulation utilization determination; a modulation utilization determination; a resource allocation determination; and a back haul trunk utilization.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim 32 words
The system of claim 44, wherein said protocol utilizes said calculation of distribution of communication traffic in providing said plurality of control signal outputs to selected ones of said antenna beam signals.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim 59 words
The system of claim 47, wherein said protocol comprises a set of instructions operable to compare said measurement signal output for each of said ones of said antenna beam signals with a corresponding said calculation of distribution of communication traffic of said ones of said antenna beam signals, wherein said control signal output is a function of said comparison.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim 29 words
The system of claim 44, wherein said calculation circuitry is also coupled to circuitry external to said system and is adapted to accept a signal from said external circuitry.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim 30 words
The system of claim 49, wherein said external circuitry signal includes information with respect to a number of said mobile units communicating on said ones of said antenna beam signals.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim 48 words
The system of claim 38, further comprising: interference detection circuitry, wherein said measurement circuitry measures a forward link power level and a reverse link power level, and wherein said detection circuitry utilizes a comparison of said forward and reverse link power levels in determining the presence of interference.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim 10 words
The system of claim 38, further comprising: interference detection circuitry.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim 18 words
The system of claim 38, wherein said preselected attribute of said antenna beam signals adjusted is an amplitude.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim 23 words
The system of claim 53, wherein said adjustment circuitry includes a variable attenuator for each of said ones of said antenna beam signals.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim 24 words
The system of claim 53, wherein said adjustment circuitry includes a variable gain device for each of said ones of said antenna beam signals.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim 53 words
The system of claim 53, wherein said antenna beam signal attribute adjustment circuitry is also providing independent adjustment of a phase of ones of said antenna beam signals, and wherein said controller circuitry also provides a control signal output according to said predefined protocol to control a phase of an antenna beam signal.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim 21 words
The system of claim 38, wherein said measurement circuitry measures a power level of said ones of said antenna beam signals.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim 16 words
The system of claim 38, wherein said controller circuitry comprises a general purpose processor based system.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim 25 words
The system of claim 38, wherein said plurality of narrow antenna beams are 12 substantially 30° non-overlapping antenna beams disposed azimuthally about said base station.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5884147A Cited
US5887262A Cited
US5745841A Cited
US5771461A Cited
US5889494A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2003-09-12 2004-03-13 2004-09-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2007-09-12 2008-03-13 2008-09-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2011-09-12 2012-03-13 2012-09-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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