US6229481B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of improving quality of radio connection
Assignee: Nokia Oyj
•
Filing: 1998-11-04
•
Granted: 2001-05-08
•
Expires: 2018-11-04
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a method of improving the quality of a radio connection (170) in a cellular radio network. Relevant for the invention, the cellular radio network includes a base station system (126) and a subscriber terminal (150). A bi-directional radio connection (170) using a directional antenna beam (304) is provided between the base station system (126) and the subscriber terminal (150). In the method, in the base station system (126) an angle of incidence (302) of the directional antenna beam (304) is formed on the basis of a received radio signal (170A) transmitted by the subscriber terminal (150). The base station system (126) transmits a radio signal (170B) to the subscriber terminal (150) in the direction of an angle of departure (308) formed on the basis of the angle of incidence (302). In accordance with the invention, a ratio is formed for the imbalance between the downlink and uplink traffics. The processing of the directional antenna beam (304) of the radio signal (170A, 170B) is controlled on the basis of the formed ratio.
Inventors
- 👤 Marcos Katz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 04:48
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W16/00; H04W16/24; H04W16/28; H04B; H04B7/00; H04B7/02; H04B7/04; H04B7/06; H04B7/0613; H04B7/0615; H04B7/0617
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
199 words
A method of improving the quality of a radio connection ( 170 ) in a cellular radio network, comprising a base station system ( 126 ), a subscriber terminal ( 150 ), and a bi-directional radio connection ( 170 ) between the base station system ( 126 ) and the subscriber terminal ( 150 ) using a directional antenna beam; in which method in the base station system ( 126 ), an angle of incidence ( 302 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) is formed on the basis of a received uplink radio signal ( 170 A) transmitted by the subscriber terminal ( 150 ), and the base station system ( 126 ) transmits on the downlink a radio signal ( 170 B) to the subscriber terminal ( 150 ) in the direction of an angle of departure ( 308 ) formed on the basis of the angle of incidence ( 302 ), characterized by forming a ratio for the imbalance between the downlink traffic and the uplink traffic, and, controlling the processing of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) of the radio signal ( 170 A, 170 B) on the basis of the ratio.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
199 words
A method of improving the quality of a radio connection ( 170 ) in a cellular radio network, comprising a base station system ( 126 ), a subscriber terminal ( 150 ), and a bi-directional radio connection ( 170 ) between the base station system ( 126 ) and the subscriber terminal ( 150 ) using a directional antenna beam; in which method in the base station system ( 126 ), an angle of incidence ( 302 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) is formed on the basis of a received uplink radio signal ( 170 A) transmitted by the subscriber terminal ( 150 ), and the base station system ( 126 ) transmits on the downlink a radio signal ( 170 B) to the subscriber terminal ( 150 ) in the direction of an angle of departure ( 308 ) formed on the basis of the angle of incidence ( 302 ), characterized by forming a ratio for the imbalance between the downlink traffic and the uplink traffic, and, controlling the processing of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) of the radio signal ( 170 A, 170 B) on the basis of the ratio.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that in the transmission, the forming of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) of the radio signal ( 170 B) transmitted by the base station system ( 126 ) to the subscriber terminal ( 150 ) is controlled on the basis of the ratio.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that in the reception, the processing of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) of the radio signal ( 170 A) received by the base station system ( 126 ) from the subscriber terminal ( 150 ) is controlled on the basis of the ratio.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
94 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the ratio is formed by subtracting from the number of the signals transmitted on the downlink during a given period of time the number of the signals received on the uplink during the same given period of time, and by dividing the difference thus obtained by the sum of the number of the signals transmitted on the downlink and the number of the signals received on the uplink, said sum being formed using the same parameters that were used for forming said difference.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in claim 4 , characterized in that when the ratio obtains a value of about zero, the traffics are balanced.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as claimed in claim 4 , characterized in that when the ratio obtains a value greater than zero, the traffics are unbalanced in such a manner that the downlink traffic is heavier than the uplink traffic.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as claimed in claim 4 , characterized in that when the ratio obtains a value lower than zero, the traffics are unbalanced in such a manner that the uplink traffic is heavier than the downlink traffic.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 4 , characterized in that when the ratio obtains a value 1, only the downlink has traffic.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 4 , characterized in that when the ratio obtains a value −1, only the uplink has traffic.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that a suitable algorithm for forming the directional antenna beam is selected on the basis of the ratio.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the width of the directional antenna beam is determined on the basis of the ratio.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as claimed in claim 11 , characterized in that the width of the directional antenna beam depends on an equation in which the proportionality constant is divided by a difference, which difference is formed by subtracting the ratio from the sensitivity parameter which is greater than one.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
86 words
A method as claimed in claim 11 , characterized in that the width ( 306 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) of the radio signal ( 170 A, 170 B) used by the base station system ( 126 ) in the radio connection ( 170 ) further directly depends on the uncertainty time ( 400 A, 400 B) elapsed between the formation of a last angle of incidence ( 302 ) and the use of the radio signal ( 170 A, 170 B).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
76 words
A method as claimed in claim 13 , characterized in that in the transmission, the width ( 306 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) of the radio signal ( 170 B) transmitted by the base station system ( 126 ) to the subscriber terminal ( 150 ) directly depends on the uncertainty time ( 400 A) elapsed between the formation of the last angle of incidence ( 302 ) and the transmission moment.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
76 words
A method as claimed in claim 13 , characterized in that in the reception, the width ( 306 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) of the radio signal ( 170 A) received by the base station system ( 126 ) from the subscriber terminal ( 150 ) directly depends on the uncertainty time ( 400 B) elapsed between the formation of the last angle of incidence ( 302 ) and the reception moment.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as claimed in claim 13 , characterized in that the width ( 306 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) is increased in the direction of movement of the subscriber terminal ( 150 ).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
82 words
A method as claimed in claim 13 , characterized in that the width ( 306 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) of the radio signal ( 170 A, 170 B) used by the base station system ( 126 ) in the radio connection ( 170 ) directly depends on the channel of the radio connection ( 170 ) established on the basis of a preceding radio signal ( 170 A) received, transmitted by the subscriber terminal ( 150 ).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
99 words
A method as claimed in claim 13 , characterized in that the width ( 306 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) of the radio signal ( 170 A, 170 B) used by the base station system ( 126 ) in the radio connection ( 170 ) directly depends on the time elapsed between the channel estimation of the radio connection ( 170 ) performed on the basis of the preceding radio signal ( 170 A) received, transmitted by the subscriber terminal ( 150 ), and the use of the radio signal ( 170 A, 170 B).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 13 , characterized in that the dependence is linear or in accordance with any other increasing function.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 13 , characterized in that the width ( 306 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) is changed in predetermined steps.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as claimed in claim 13 , characterized in that the width ( 306 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) is changed steplessly.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as claimed in claim 13 , characterized in that the width ( 306 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) is further inversely affected by the distance between the base station system ( 126 ) and the subscriber terminal ( 150 ).
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 13 , characterized in that the method is used in radio connections ( 170 ) comprising sporadic and/or asymmetric traffic.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in claim 23 , characterized in that the method is used in connection with packet transmission.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
191 words
A cellular radio network comprising a base station system ( 126 ), a subscriber terminal ( 150 ), and a bi-directional radio connection ( 170 ) between the base station system ( 126 ) and the subscriber terminal ( 150 ) using a directional antenna beam, and the base station system ( 126 ) forms an angle of incidence ( 302 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) on the basis of a received uplink radio signal ( 170 A) transmitted by the subscriber terminal ( 150 ), and the base station system ( 126 ) transmits on the downlink a radio signal ( 170 B) to the subscriber terminal ( 150 ) in the direction of an angle of departure ( 308 ) formed on the basis of the angle of incidence ( 302 ), characterized in that the base station system ( 126 ) is arranged to form a ratio for the imbalance between the downlink traffic and the uplink traffic, and, control the processing of the antenna beam ( 304 ) of the radio signal ( 170 A, 170 B) on the basis of the ratio.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
191 words
A cellular radio network comprising a base station system ( 126 ), a subscriber terminal ( 150 ), and a bi-directional radio connection ( 170 ) between the base station system ( 126 ) and the subscriber terminal ( 150 ) using a directional antenna beam, and the base station system ( 126 ) forms an angle of incidence ( 302 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) on the basis of a received uplink radio signal ( 170 A) transmitted by the subscriber terminal ( 150 ), and the base station system ( 126 ) transmits on the downlink a radio signal ( 170 B) to the subscriber terminal ( 150 ) in the direction of an angle of departure ( 308 ) formed on the basis of the angle of incidence ( 302 ), characterized in that the base station system ( 126 ) is arranged to form a ratio for the imbalance between the downlink traffic and the uplink traffic, and, control the processing of the antenna beam ( 304 ) of the radio signal ( 170 A, 170 B) on the basis of the ratio.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
57 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 25 , characterized in that in the transmission, the base station system ( 126 ) is arranged to form on the basis of the ratio the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) of the radio signal ( 170 B) to be transmitted to the subscriber terminal ( 150 ).
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
55 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 25 , characterized in that in the reception, the base station system ( 126 ) is arranged to form on the basis of the ratio the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) of the radio signal ( 170 A) received from the subscriber terminal ( 150 ).
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
105 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 25 , characterized in that the base station system ( 126 ) is arranged to form the ratio by subtracting from the number of the signals transmitted on the downlink during a given period of time the number of the signals received on the uplink during the same given period of time, and by dividing the difference thus obtained by the sum of the number of the signals transmitted on the downlink and the number of the signals received on the uplink, said sum being formed using the same parameters that were used for forming said difference.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
26 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 28 , characterized in that when the ratio obtains a value of about zero, the traffics are balanced.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
40 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 28 , characterized in that when the ratio obtains a value greater than zero, the traffics are unbalanced in such a manner that the downlink traffic is heavier than the uplink traffic.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
40 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 28 , characterized in that when the ratio obtains a value lower than zero, the traffics are unbalanced in such a manner that the uplink traffic is heavier than the downlink traffic.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
25 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 28 , characterized in that when the ratio obtains a value 1, only the downlink has traffic.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
25 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 28 , characterized in that when the ratio obtains a value −1, only the uplink has traffic.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
39 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 25 , characterized in that the base station system ( 126 ) is arranged to select a suitable algorithm for forming the directional antenna beam on the basis of the ratio.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
37 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 25 , characterized in that the base station system ( 126 ) is arranged to determine the width of the directional antenna beam on the basis of the ratio.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
65 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 35 , characterized in that the base station system ( 126 ) is arranged in such a manner that the width of the directional antenna beam depends on an equation in which the proportionality constant is divided by a difference, which difference is formed by subtracting the ratio from the sensitivity parameter which is greater than one.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
92 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 35 , characterized in that the base station system ( 126 ) is arranged to form the width ( 306 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) of the radio signal ( 170 A, 170 B) used in the radio connection ( 170 ) to be directly dependent on the uncertainty time ( 400 A, 400 B) elapsed between the formation of a last angle of incidence ( 302 ) and the use of the radio signal ( 170 A, 170 B).
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
85 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 37 , characterized in that in the transmission, the base station system ( 126 ) is arranged to form the width ( 306 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) of the radio signal ( 170 B) to be transmitted to the subscriber terminal ( 150 ) to be directly dependent on the uncertainty time ( 400 A) elapsed between the formation of the last angle of incidence ( 302 ) and the transmission moment.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
83 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in cliam 37 , characterized in that in the reception, the base station system ( 126 ) is arranged to form the width ( 306 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) of the radio signal ( 170 A) received from the subscriber terminal ( 150 ) to be directly dependent on the uncertainty time ( 400 B) elapsed between the formation of the last angle of incidence ( 302 ) and the reception moment.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
49 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 37 , characterized in that the base station system ( 126 ) is arranged to increase the width ( 306 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) in the direction of movement of the subscriber terminal ( 150 ).
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
94 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 37 , characterized in that the base station system ( 126 ) is arranged to form the width ( 306 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) of the radio signal ( 170 A, 170 B) used by the base station system ( 126 ) in the radio connection ( 170 ) to be directly dependent on the channel of the radio connection ( 170 ) established on the basis of a preceding radio signal received, transmitted by the subscriber terminal ( 150 ).
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
114 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 37 , characterized in that the base station system ( 126 ) is arranged to form the width ( 306 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) of the radio signal ( 170 A, 170 B) used by the base station system ( 126 ) in the radio connection ( 170 ) to be directly dependent on the time elapsed between the channel estimation of the radio connection ( 170 ) performed on the basis of the preceding radio signal ( 170 A) received, transmitted by the subscriber terminal ( 150 ), and the use of the radio signal ( 170 A, 170 B).
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
25 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 37 , characterized in that the dependence is linear or in accordance with any other increasing function.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
30 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 37 , characterized in that the width ( 306 ) of the antenna beam ( 304 ) is changed in predetermined steps.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
29 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 37 , characterized in that the width ( 306 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) is changed steplessly.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
48 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 37 , characterized in that the width ( 306 ) of the directional antenna beam ( 304 ) is further inversely affected by the distance between the base station system ( 126 ) and the subscriber terminal ( 150 ).
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
30 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 37 , characterized in that the cellular radio network is used in radio connections ( 170 ) comprising sporadic and/or asymmetric traffic.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
24 words
A cellular radio network as claimed in claim 47 , characterized in that the cellular radio network is used in connection with packet transmission.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-05-07 | 2004-11-06 | 2005-05-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-05-07 | 2008-11-06 | 2009-05-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-05-07 | 2012-11-06 | 2013-05-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |