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US7813311B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for synchronizing base stations

Assignee: InterDigital Technology Corp
•
Filing: 2002-12-18
•
Granted: 2010-10-12
•
Expires: 2022-12-18
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Abstract

Abstract Method and apparatus for synchronizing base stations employing an independent synchronizing source or identifying a base station as a master source. An RNC (C-RNC) or a base station may designate one base station or a UE to acquire measurements derived from base stations to achieve synchronization. Synchronization activities may be regularly scheduled or may be undertaken when periodic measurements indicate that a drift value exceeds a given threshold.

Inventors

  • 👤 Stephen G. Dick
  • 👤 James M. Miller

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 09:42
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B7/00; H04B7/24; H04B7/26; H04B7/2662; H04B7/2671; H04B7/2678; H04B7/2687; H04B7/269; H04W; H04W56/00

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 167 words
A method for time synchronizing a plurality of base stations in a wireless communication system, comprising: detecting at least one of a plurality of out-of-sync base stations; measuring a plurality of cell timing signals, wherein the measuring includes sending a request for a base station time of arrival (BSTOA) value to at least one of the out-of-sync base stations, and transmitting the BSTOA value; correcting the at least one of a plurality of out-of-sync base stations, wherein the correcting includes: comparing the BSTOA value with a stored BSTOA value; generating a correction message; transmitting the correction message to the out-of-sync base station; receiving a report from the out-of-sync base station; and updating a covariant matrix database; maintaining the covariant matrix database on a radio network controller (RNC); wherein at least one out-of-sync base station or at least one user equipment (UE) is under control of at least two different RNCs, and: establishing a communications path between the at least two different RNCs; and performing base station synchronizing.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 167 words
A method for time synchronizing a plurality of base stations in a wireless communication system, comprising: detecting at least one of a plurality of out-of-sync base stations; measuring a plurality of cell timing signals, wherein the measuring includes sending a request for a base station time of arrival (BSTOA) value to at least one of the out-of-sync base stations, and transmitting the BSTOA value; correcting the at least one of a plurality of out-of-sync base stations, wherein the correcting includes: comparing the BSTOA value with a stored BSTOA value; generating a correction message; transmitting the correction message to the out-of-sync base station; receiving a report from the out-of-sync base station; and updating a covariant matrix database; maintaining the covariant matrix database on a radio network controller (RNC); wherein at least one out-of-sync base station or at least one user equipment (UE) is under control of at least two different RNCs, and: establishing a communications path between the at least two different RNCs; and performing base station synchronizing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 38 words
The method of claim 1 wherein detecting at least one of a plurality of out-of-sync base stations comprises: updating a covariant matrix database; and determining at least one out-of-sync base station from the plurality of cell timing signals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 44 words
The method of claim 1 wherein measuring a plurality of cell timing signals further comprises: sending a request for the BSTOA value to at least one of a plurality of user equipments (UEs) to measure the out-of-sync base stations; and transmitting the BSTOA value.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 121 words
A method for time synchronizing a plurality of base stations in a wireless communication system, comprising: scheduling a plurality of cell timing measurements of at least one of a plurality of base stations; making the cell timing measurements, wherein the making of the cell timing measurements includes: blanking a downlink physical synchronization channel in the plurality of base stations; receiving a burst signal in one of a plurality of base stations; and measuring the burst signal at the one of the plurality of base stations; developing a plurality of time drift factor values for the at least one of the plurality of base stations; and scheduling periodic time update transmissions to the at least one of the plurality of base stations.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 121 words
A method for time synchronizing a plurality of base stations in a wireless communication system, comprising: scheduling a plurality of cell timing measurements of at least one of a plurality of base stations; making the cell timing measurements, wherein the making of the cell timing measurements includes: blanking a downlink physical synchronization channel in the plurality of base stations; receiving a burst signal in one of a plurality of base stations; and measuring the burst signal at the one of the plurality of base stations; developing a plurality of time drift factor values for the at least one of the plurality of base stations; and scheduling periodic time update transmissions to the at least one of the plurality of base stations.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 140 words
A base station (BS) for a wireless digital system with the ability to time synchronize to at least one of a plurality of other base stations, comprising: circuitry configured to detect at least one of a plurality of out-of-sync base stations; circuitry configured to measure a plurality of cell timing signal values; circuitry configured to receive a measured and sent base station time of arrival (BSTOA) value from the out-of-sync base station; circuitry configured to correct the at least one of out-of-sync base stations, wherein the circuitry configured to correct includes circuitry configured to compare the at least one out-of-sync base station's BSTOA value with a stored BSTOA value found in a covariant matrix database; circuitry configured to transmit a correction message and receive a report; and circuitry configured to update the covariant matrix database from data from the report.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 140 words
A base station (BS) for a wireless digital system with the ability to time synchronize to at least one of a plurality of other base stations, comprising: circuitry configured to detect at least one of a plurality of out-of-sync base stations; circuitry configured to measure a plurality of cell timing signal values; circuitry configured to receive a measured and sent base station time of arrival (BSTOA) value from the out-of-sync base station; circuitry configured to correct the at least one of out-of-sync base stations, wherein the circuitry configured to correct includes circuitry configured to compare the at least one out-of-sync base station's BSTOA value with a stored BSTOA value found in a covariant matrix database; circuitry configured to transmit a correction message and receive a report; and circuitry configured to update the covariant matrix database from data from the report.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 45 words
The base station of claim 5 wherein the circuitry configured to detect includes: updating a covariant matrix database with the plurality of cell timing signal values; and further circuitry configured to determine an out-of-sync base station from at least one of plurality cell timing signals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 134 words
A base station (BS) for a wireless digital system with the ability to time synchronize a plurality of other base stations, comprising: circuitry configured to schedule a plurality of time sync measurements from at least one of a plurality of other base stations; circuitry configured to develop a time sync drift pattern for the at least one of the plurality of other base stations and; circuitry configured to schedule periodic update transmissions to the at least one of the plurality of other base stations; circuitry configured to blank a plurality of downlink physical synchronization channels in a plurality of base stations; and circuitry configured to send a burst signal to at least one of the plurality of base stations to measure a BSTOA value from at least one of the plurality of base stations.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 134 words
A base station (BS) for a wireless digital system with the ability to time synchronize a plurality of other base stations, comprising: circuitry configured to schedule a plurality of time sync measurements from at least one of a plurality of other base stations; circuitry configured to develop a time sync drift pattern for the at least one of the plurality of other base stations and; circuitry configured to schedule periodic update transmissions to the at least one of the plurality of other base stations; circuitry configured to blank a plurality of downlink physical synchronization channels in a plurality of base stations; and circuitry configured to send a burst signal to at least one of the plurality of base stations to measure a BSTOA value from at least one of the plurality of base stations.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 143 words
A base station (BS) for a wireless digital system with the ability to time synchronize a plurality of other base stations and which minimizes service interruption needed to time synchronize, comprising: circuitry configured to schedule a plurality of time sync measurements from at least one of a plurality of other base stations; circuitry configured to develop a time sync drift pattern for the at least one of the plurality of other base stations; circuitry configured to schedule periodic frequency update transmissions to the at least one of the plurality of other base stations; circuitry configured to blank a plurality of downlink physical synchronization channels in a plurality of base stations; and circuitry configured to send a burst signal to at least one of a plurality of base stations to measure a BSTOA value from at least one of a plurality of base stations.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 143 words
A base station (BS) for a wireless digital system with the ability to time synchronize a plurality of other base stations and which minimizes service interruption needed to time synchronize, comprising: circuitry configured to schedule a plurality of time sync measurements from at least one of a plurality of other base stations; circuitry configured to develop a time sync drift pattern for the at least one of the plurality of other base stations; circuitry configured to schedule periodic frequency update transmissions to the at least one of the plurality of other base stations; circuitry configured to blank a plurality of downlink physical synchronization channels in a plurality of base stations; and circuitry configured to send a burst signal to at least one of a plurality of base stations to measure a BSTOA value from at least one of a plurality of base stations.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2013-10-11 2014-04-12 2014-10-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2017-10-11 2018-04-12 2018-10-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2021-10-11 2022-04-12 2022-10-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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