Patents by Inventor Brendan McWilliams
Brendan McWilliams has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9578517Abstract: Coordination of the use of radio resource between a first Radio Access Network (RAN) and a second RAN is provided, each RAN being configured to communicate over the same predefined bandwidth range. A first priority associated with traffic to be carried over the first RAN and a second priority associated with traffic to be carried over the second RAN are determined. A first portion of the radio resource comprising one or more first bandwidth segments is assigned to the first RAN and a second portion of the radio resource comprising a plurality of second bandwidth segments is assigned to the second RAN, based on the first and second priorities. The first portion is indicated to a first RAN scheduler and/or the second portion is indicated to a second RAN scheduler. At least one first bandwidth segment is assigned between two of the second bandwidth segments.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2014Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing LimitedInventors: Andrea De Pasquale, Francisco Javier Dominguez Romero, Brendan McWilliams
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Patent number: 9496612Abstract: A transmission system and method for use in a mobile communication network comprising an active antenna arrangement of multiple antennas. The active antenna arrangement comprising several pairs of radiofrequency sub-modules each radiofrequency sub-module including a first phase shifter module, a TRX module and a radiating antenna element and where an dynamic phase offset is applied to one of the sub-modules of each pair, and where the phase offset vector is selected according to the signal quality received by users of the mobile communication network using an algorithm which minimizes the duration of the selection process.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2012Date of Patent: November 15, 2016Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing LimitedInventors: Yannick Le Pezennec, Javier Lopez Roman, Brendan McWilliams
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Patent number: 9225403Abstract: A transmission method and system for use in a base station of a mobile communication network. It provides a simple and efficient technique which improves the performance of prior art solutions for MIMO user equipments (especially in bad or medium radio conditions scenarios).Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2013Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: VODAFONE IP LICENSING LIMITEDInventors: Brendan McWilliams, Yannick Le Pezennec
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Patent number: 9106278Abstract: A method for data transmission in a wide area mobile network supporting both MIMO User Equipments and non MIMO User Equipments includes allocating in a first signal the traffic of non MIMO user Equipments, a first MIMO data stream and a primary pilot channel, allocating in a second signal a second MIMO data stream and a secondary pilot channel, and transmitting the first signal and the second signal with two orthogonal circular polarizations.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2010Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: VODAFONE GROUP PLCInventors: Andrea De Pasquale, Kyriakos Exadaktylos, Esperanza Alcazar Viguera, Maria Diaz Mateos, Beatriz Garriga Muñiz, Francisco Javier Dominguez Romero, Brendan McWilliams, Julio Urbano Ruiz, Clara Serrano Solsona, Javier López Roman, Aitor García Viñas, Santiago Tenorio Sanz, Yannick Le Pezennec
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Patent number: 9065515Abstract: Method and system for improving the performance of mobile communication networks. The method and system employs the additional functionality whereby an additional phase offset can be applied to one of the physical paths (one physical antenna) in order to modify and adapt the transmit polarization. In the preferred embodiment, the criterion for selecting the additional phase offset will be to maximize the energy received from the HSPA serving cell by the legacy HSDPA user equipments.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2011Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: VODAFONE IP LICENSING LIMITEDInventors: Yannick Le Pezennec, Miguel Arranz Arauzo, Brendan McWilliams, Javier Lopez Roman, Julio Urbano Ruiz, Santiago Tenorio Sanz
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Patent number: 8868094Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for improving bandwidth usage in a cellular communication network serving at least one mobile terminal, the network being arranged to use a predefined bandwidth range. The apparatus includes a base band unit for capable of supporting at least a first radio access technology and a second radio access technology, a counting means for determining the number of mobile terminals within a cell of the first radio access technology supporting the second radio access technology and a measuring means for determining the level of traffic carried by the first radio access technology cell. Bandwidth assignment means are also provided so that the bandwidth assigned to GSM and LTE can be configured to take account of changes in the traffic levels and device capabilities in either RAT.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2013Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: Vodafone Group PLCInventors: Andrea De Pasquale, Francisco Javier Dominguez Romero, Brendan McWilliams
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Patent number: 8780742Abstract: Method and network element for reducing energy consumption in WCDMA cells of a mobile network, the method comprising: monitoring traffic conveyed in the traffic channels of a cell; analyzing certain predetermined parameters in the monitored traffic; determining whether said predetermined parameters meet corresponding predetermined conditions; and when said predetermined conditions are met, switching off continuous transmission of common channels and facilitating the intermittent transmission of the common channels during one or more transmission events, thereby causing the cell to enter a cell standby mode.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2010Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: Vodafone Group PLCInventors: Brendan McWilliams, Francisco Javier Dominguez Romero, Yannick Le Pezennec
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Publication number: 20130300604Abstract: An active antenna controller, arranged to provide a control signal for dynamic adjustment of the beam shape of an associated active antenna based upon a quality measurement for a signal communicated through the active antenna.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2013Publication date: November 14, 2013Inventors: Javier LOPEZ, Yannick LE PEZENNEC, Brendan MCWILLIAMS
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Publication number: 20130250789Abstract: A transmission method and system for use in a base station of a mobile communication network. It provides a simple and efficient technique which improves the performance of prior art solutions for MIMO user equipments (especially in bad or medium radio conditions scenarios).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2013Publication date: September 26, 2013Inventors: Brendan McWilliams, Yannick Le Pezennec
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Publication number: 20130181868Abstract: A transmission system and method for use in a mobile communication network comprising an active antenna arrangement of multiple antennas. The active antenna arrangement comprising several pairs of radiofrequency sub-modules each radiofrequency sub-module including a first phase shifter module, a TRX module and a radiating antenna element and where an dynamic phase offset is applied to one of the sub-modules of each pair, and where the phase offset vector is selected according to the signal quality received by users of the mobile communication network using an algorithm which minimizes the duration of the selection process.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2012Publication date: July 18, 2013Inventors: Yannick LE PEZENNEC, Javier LOPEZ ROMAN, Brendan MCWILLIAMS
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Patent number: 8472335Abstract: Method and RNC for selecting transmission technology when a UE enters the network, which checks whether the UE is MIMO and, if so and only one carrier is available, allocates its traffic to said carrier and uses a S-CPICH to provide all MIMO traffic with a diversity pilot and Virtual Antenna Mapping for balance. If more than one carrier is available, the number of UEs, their radio conditions and load of carriers are checked periodically. If the carrier is busy only with MIMO and its load is higher than the load of the remaining carriers, diversity CPICH of STTD is selected; otherwise and only if the UEs vulnerable to STTD with good radio conditions exceed a certain number, the S-CPICH is selected. The RNC can reconfigure the network from transmitting MIMO traffic with STTD to using MIMO with S-CPICH or vice versa dynamically by periodical check of the load and UEs criteria for configuration change.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2010Date of Patent: June 25, 2013Assignee: Vodafone Group PLCInventors: Andrea De Pasquale, Kyriakos Exadaktylos, Esperanza Alcazar Viguera, Maria Diaz Mateos, Beatriz Garriga Muñiz, Francisco Javier Dominguez Romero, Brendan McWilliams, Julio Urbano Ruiz, Clara Serrano Solsona, Javier López Roman, Aitor García Viñas, Santiago Tenorio Sanz, Yannick Le Pezennec
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Patent number: 8355735Abstract: Base station apparatus (1) is provided for improving bandwidth usage in a cellular communication network serving at least one mobile terminal. The network is capable of supporting at least a first radio access technology (i.e. GSM) and a second radio access technology (LTE) and uses a predefined bandwidth range. The apparatus comprises a base band unit (3) including a counting means for determining the number of mobile terminals within a cell of the first radio access technology supporting the second radio access technology and a measuring means for determining the level of traffic carried by the first radio access technology cell; and a bandwidth assignment means for dynamically assigning a first portion of the bandwidth range to the first radio access technology and a second portion of the bandwidth range to the second radio access technology on the basis of the number of supportive mobile terminals and the level of first radio access technology traffic.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2009Date of Patent: January 15, 2013Assignee: Vodafone Group PLCInventors: Andrea De Pasquale, Francisco Javier Dominguez Romero, Brendan McWilliams
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Patent number: 8345531Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for selecting a transmission technology (MIMO or non MIMO) for a HSDPA connection established between a RNC and a UE depending on the mobility of said UE, measured at the RNC as variations of the position of the UE. Then, if the connection is established with HSDPA MIMO technology and the position variations exceed a first pre-defined threshold, the connection is switched to HSPDA non MIMO technology. Also, if the connection is established with HSPDA non MIMO technology and the position variations are below a second pre-defined threshold, the connection is switched to HSPDA MIMO technology.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2010Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: Vodafone Group PLCInventors: Andrea De Pasquale, Kyriakos Exadaktylos, Esperanza Alcazar Viguera, Maria Diaz Mateos, Beatriz Garriga Muñiz, Francisco Javier Dominguez Romero, Brendan McWilliams, Julio Urbano Ruiz, Clara Serrano Solsona, Javier López Roman, Aitor García Viñas, Santiago Tenorio Sanz, Yannick Le Pezennec
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Patent number: 8326237Abstract: System and method for transmitting a radio signal in a mobile communication network. The radio signal has a circular polarisation.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2010Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Vodafone Group PLCInventors: Andrea De Pasquale, Kyriakos Exadaktylos, Esperanza Alcazar Viguera, Maria Diaz Mateos, Beatriz Garriga Muñiz, Francisco Javier Dominguez Romero, Brendan McWilliams, Julio Urbano Ruiz, Clara Serrano Solsona, Javier López Roman, Altor Garcia Viñas, Santiago Tenorio Sanz, Yannick Le Pezennec
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Publication number: 20120113797Abstract: The described method provides a Network Controller (e.g., RNC) with an active set update procedure for application when activating STTD in the 3G networks. To avoid any call drop due to misalignments between the respective transmission diversity mode configurations of cells and the presence/absence of support for transmission diversity in user terminals, STTD mode is deactivated, in cases where the terminal is rejecting the Active Set Update message due to ‘invalid configuration’. The misalignments between the respective transmission diversity mode configurations may arise in a number of scenarios: handover from a cell with STTD deactivated to a cell with STTD activated, handover from a cell with STTD activated to a cell with STTD deactivated, or handover between cells with STTD activated. In all cases the solution consists of indicating to the UE the STTD Off configuration to obtain a success active set update procedure irrespective of the true configuration status.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2011Publication date: May 10, 2012Inventors: Andrea DE PASQUALE, Kyriakos Exdaktylos, Esperanza Alcazar Viguera, Clara Serrano Solsona, Javier López Roman, Aitor García Viñas, Santiago Tenorio Sanz, Yannick Le Pezennec, Maria Diaz Mateos, Beatriz Garriga Muñiz, Francisco Javier Dominguez Romero, Brendan McWilliams, Julio Urbano Ruiz
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Publication number: 20120113840Abstract: Method and system for improving the performance of mobile communication networks. The method and system employs the additional functionality whereby an additional phase offset can be applied to one of the physical paths (one physical antenna) in order to modify and adapt the transmit polarization. In the preferred embodiment, the criterion for selecting the additional phase offset will be to maximize the energy received from the HSPA serving cell by the legacy HSDPA user equipments.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2011Publication date: May 10, 2012Applicant: VODAFONE IP LICENSING LIMITEDInventors: Yannick Le Pezennec, Miguel Arranz Arauzo, Brendan McWilliams, Javier Lopez Roman, Julio Urbano Ruiz, Santiago Tenorio Sanz
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Patent number: 8116821Abstract: An active antenna with an IP address including a first set of modules (Mi) and a second set of modules (M?j), both sets using a same hardware platform and each set integrating radiofrequency sub-modules. Further including at least an Ethernet connection to the core network for providing the active antenna with capability of operation from an anchor site, and a digital platform integrating a set of modules for base-band processing, operating in one or more of 2G, 3G and LTE technologies. The active antenna includes processing apparatus for control plane of 2G and 3G radio access networks, routing apparatus for lu, Gb or S1 data relay from/to the core network to provide the active antenna with capability of operation from a relay site. Further included is at least two optical ports for connection in chain with a pair of active antennas in the same relay site and a power supply connection.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2009Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: Vodafone Group PLCInventors: Yannick Le Pezennec, Brendan McWilliams, Javier Lopez Roman, Santiago Tenorio Sanz, Manuel Lopez Roman
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Publication number: 20110194429Abstract: Method and network element for reducing energy consumption in WCDMA cells of a mobile network, the method comprising: monitoring traffic conveyed in the traffic channels of a cell; analyzing certain predetermined parameters in the monitored traffic; determining whether said predetermined parameters meet corresponding predetermined conditions; and when said predetermined conditions are met, switching off continuous transmission of common channels and facilitating the intermittent transmission of the common channels during one or more transmission events, thereby causing the cell to enter a cell standby mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2010Publication date: August 11, 2011Inventors: Brendan MCWILLIAMS, Francisco Javier Dominguez Romero, Yannick Le Pezennec
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Publication number: 20110122962Abstract: A system and method are described for detecting and controlling the phase difference introduced to radio signals by transmission branches of a transmission system in a mobile communication network. Periodically a calibration signal is generated at an input of the transmission branches during a phase calibration mode. The phase difference introduced by the two transmission branches is detected by detecting the phase difference between the calibration signal, which has at least partly passed through the first transmission branch and the calibration signal, which has at least partly passed through the second transmission branch. The phase difference between the radio signals is controlled based on the detected phase difference.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2010Publication date: May 26, 2011Applicant: VODAFONE GROUP PLCInventors: Andrea De Pasquale, Kyriakos Exadaktylos, Esperanza Alcazar Viguera, Maria Diaz Mateos, Beatriz Garriga Muñiz, Francisco Javier Dominguez Romero, Brendan McWilliams, Julio Urbano Ruiz, Clara Serrano Solsona, Javier López Roman, Aitor Garcia Viñas, Santiago Tenorio Sanz, Yannick Le Pezennec
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Publication number: 20110085614Abstract: Method and RNC for selecting transmission technology when a UE enters the network, which checks whether the UE is MIMO and, if so and only one carrier is available, allocates its traffic to said carrier and uses a S-CPICH to provide all MIMO traffic with a diversity pilot and Virtual Antenna Mapping for balance. If more than one carrier is available, the number of UEs, their radio conditions and load of carriers are checked periodically. If the carrier is busy only with MIMO and its load is higher than the load of the remaining carriers, diversity CPICH of STTD is selected; otherwise and only if the UEs vulnerable to STTD with good radio conditions exceed a certain number, the S-CPICH is selected. The RNC can reconfigure the network from transmitting MIMO traffic with STTD to using MIMO with S-CPICH or vice versa dynamically by periodical check of the load and UEs criteria for configuration change.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2010Publication date: April 14, 2011Inventors: Andrea De Pasquale, Kyriakos Exadaktylos, Esperanza Alcazar Viguera, Maria Diaz Mateos, Beatriz Garriga Muñiz, Francisco Javier Dominguez Romero, Brendan McWilliams, Julio Urbano Ruiz, Clara Serrano Solsona, Javier López Roman, Aitor Garcia Viñas, Santiago Tenorio Sanz, Yannick Le Pezennec