Abstract: Co-channel interference in a wireless network is identified and quantified. Rather that using color code identification, a more reliable identification property of each co-channel component of the received composite signal is used, namely, the time of arrival of a known part of a signal. Detection and timing measurement is performed even in presence of stronger signals by focusing selectively on bursts having fixed contents (e.g., the FCCH burst used in GSM for frequency correction). The repetitive measurements of the time-of-arrival of each of the interfering components of the signal during a drive test enables determination of the geographical location of the interfering co-channel base stations.
Abstract: An apparatus and method for assessing the signal strength, quality and sources of interference in a wireless network. A drive test is performed using a receiving scanner in a geographic area that contains a plurality of base stations within a carrier's wireless network. The receiver and companion logic measure, analyze and record synchronization channels across all the frequencies used by the local base station. Signal quality is computed and expressed in the form of RxQual. Multiple readings are taken in a brief time period (˜480 msec) thus an average, representative quality is assessed. Signal fading, degradation, and interference are calculated using corelative techniques, for each used frequency. If the signal quality level is insufficient, then a scan for adjacent channel and co-channel interference is done. The data and analyses are used by the carrier to fine tune the wireless network system.
Abstract: A hybrid radio transceiver that includes one wideband receiver and multiple narrowband transmitters for use in wireless networks, having the advantage of providing lower cost but performance that is comparable to a transceiver that uses multiple narrowband transceivers. The hybrid radio transceiver provides software defined parameters to achieve flexibility in modulation and protocol types. The hybrid radio transceiver is adaptable to both capacity intensive and wide coverage applications, and supports communication links that are imbalanced in terms of data transmission capacity. The wideband receiver, of the hybrid radio transceiver, converts the RF to an IF which is digitized and passed to digital signal processors for tuning, filtering, demodulation and protocol control with eventual interface to the network.
Abstract: A system and method to connect standard telephone subscriber equipment (telephone, facsimile, personal computer) to a fixed wireless terminal via power lines. The system comprises fixed wireless terminals connected to a power line interface device. Subscriber equipment is connected to the power line interface device thereby allowing telecommunication signals to be transmitted to the fixed wireless terminal for subsequent wireless transmission. The fixed wireless terminal exists at an individual subscriber's home/business within a given step-down power transformer cluster. The step-down power transformer provides signal isolation so that the same or similar addresses can be used between clusters without confusion as to the identity of the individual subscriber. The FWT is also connected to the power meter at a subscriber location such that power utilization can be communicated to the power company in a wireless fashion.
Abstract: A network management method and appartus for wireless terminals. The method and apparatus comprises a new generation of wireless terminals having digital signal processors that can monitor the operating characteristics of the associated wireless terminals and report those characteristics to a network management computer. The network management computer receives communications from the wireless terminals and takes corrective action for out-of-specification conditions and updates the associated DSPs with corrections and flexible dialing instructions. The network management computer also gathers utililization statistics reported to it by the wireless terminals. The wireless terminals can be initialized by direct connection to the wireless terminal with a simple telephone instrument or can be initialized over the air by the network management computer.