Patents by Inventor Stephen R. Bales

Stephen R. Bales 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).

  • Patent number: 10050752
    Abstract: A device, method, and computer-readable medium are provided for adjusting omnidirectional antenna array elements for mitigating cross interference between communication network cells. Radially disposed antenna array elements are configured to collectively function as a single omnidirectional antenna assembly at a cell. Signal data associated with signal strength and/or quality is monitored and received. Based on the signal data received, at least one antenna array element is selected for disconnection from the antenna assembly. The at least one antenna array element is disconnected from the assembly to nullify at least a portion of the omnidirectional signal distributed therefrom, thereby mitigating cross-interference with a neighboring cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Bales, Martin D. Zeller, Maneesh Gauba, Eugene S. Mitchell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9917363
    Abstract: A method, system, and medium are provided for dynamically adjusting an angular orientation of cross-polarized antenna array elements to optimize select radio-frequency (RF) parameters. RF uplink signals are received from a plurality of mobile devices, and the signals are analyzed to determine parameters associated with signal strength and/or signal quality. Based on the determination, a first set of cross-polarized antenna array elements are deactivated and a second set of cross-polarized antenna array elements are activated, where the second set of antenna array elements has a different angular orientation relative to the first set of antenna array elements. Activation enables the second set of antenna array elements to transmit and receive communication signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Maneesh Gauba, Stephen R. Bales, Greg T. Nohalty, Matthew J Masters
  • Patent number: 9859620
    Abstract: Increased energy efficiency of a small cell antenna is provided. Electromagnetic energy radiated outside the desired radiation pattern of a small cell antenna is wasted. An antenna is provided which includes a circular set of antenna elements having a plurality of radio-frequency (RF) reflectors positioned within and around the circumference of the set of antenna elements facing substantially outward. Each RF reflector is configured to reflect the RF signal transmitted from the ring outwardly from a corresponding antenna element at an angle with respect to the plane of the circular set of antenna elements. By adjusting the angles of the reflectors, the signal may be reflected downward toward target areas that are nearer or farther from the small cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Maneesh Gauba, Eugene S. Mitchell, Jr., Stephen R. Bales
  • Patent number: 9781658
    Abstract: A wireless detection device receives a user input indicating at least one wireless communication network service. The detection device processes the user input to select a pseudo-pilot signal configuration. The detection device wirelessly transmits a pseudo-pilot signal having the selected pseudo-pilot signal configuration. The detection device wirelessly receives a device identifier from a wireless communication device responsive to the pseudo-pilot signal. The detection device stores data indicating the device identifier and a time when the device identifier was received from the wireless communication device. The detection device may transfer the data to a control system or display the data to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Mohammed Ghouse Mohiuddin, Stephen R. Bales
  • Patent number: 9609529
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for optimizing coverage for a cell site are provided. Cell sites are typically configured with antennas that emit a standard petal lobe pattern for a sector. The needs of the sector are not taken into account since a standard pattern is emitted for all antennas. The antennas may be adjusted at times to increase signal strength to particular regions but the pattern then returns to the standard petal pattern. Customized patterns may be created in order to optimize coverage for a sector. Sector needs may be taken into consideration such as object interference, geographical information, population data, and the like, in order to crate the customized pattern for a sector. The antenna may then emit the customized pattern for a predetermined length of time as a static pattern for that cell site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Maneesh Gauba, Stephen R. Bales, Rajveen Narendran
  • Patent number: 9479927
    Abstract: A wireless communication system provides call routing when the connection to a core network is lost. A base station wirelessly exchanges data packets associated with one or more communication sessions with one or more wireless communication devices. An Internet Protocol (IP) router scans the data packets to identify active users on the base station. The IP router generates a database of the active users. The IP router detects a loss of connection to the core network and determines which of the communication sessions can be maintained based on the database of active users. The IP router routes the data packets for the communication sessions that can be maintained back to the base station for delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Bales, Maneesh Gauba, Dwight Edward Patton, Cary Carnell Truley, Sr.
  • Patent number: 9437918
    Abstract: An antenna mounting bracket with adjustable azimuth settings and a method and medium for using the antenna mounting bracket are provided. The antenna mounting bracket includes a fixed bracket assembly coupled to a support structure, and a movable bracket assembly to which an antenna is mounted. The movable bracket assembly is rotatably coupled to the fixed bracket assembly by a pivot rod. Locking pins associated with the fixed bracket assembly can be used to reversibly secure the movable bracket assembly at a certain azimuth. A gearbox assembly associated with the movable bracket assembly can be actuated to angularly rotate the movable bracket assembly a predetermined number of degrees relative to the pivot rod when the movable bracket assembly is not secured to the fixed bracket assembly by the locking pins. Rotation of the movable bracket assembly causes the mounted antenna to angularly rotate to a new azimuth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Bales, Noel M. Hansen, Greg Nohalty, Maneesh Gauba
  • Patent number: 9392584
    Abstract: In a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system, a User Equipment (UE) receives Mobility Management Entity (MME) selection data. The UE processes the MME selection data to select one of multiple MMEs. The UE wirelessly transfers an LTE attachment request to an LTE access point. The LTE attachment request indicates the selected MME. The UE wirelessly receives an attachment acceptance from the selected MME through the LTE access point in response to selecting and indicating the MME in the LTE attachment request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Maneesh Gauba, Stephen R. Bales, Dwight Edward Patton
  • Patent number: 9374721
    Abstract: Methods and systems for reducing interference between base stations are disclosed herein. In accordance with an example method, a first base station iterates through emitting of a plurality of different radiation patterns from the first base station. The first base station also receives, from a second base station, feedback based on evaluation by the second base station of noise floor respectively for each of the different radiation patterns emitted from the first base station. Based on the received feedback, the first base station then sets itself to operate with a particular one of the radiation patterns. Example base stations and communication networks operable to perform the disclosed methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Bales, Maneesh Gauba, Gene S. Mitchell, Martin Zeller
  • Patent number: 9253662
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and corresponding system for dynamically activating a relay in a radio access network (RAN) that includes a plurality of base stations. Each base station may radiate to define one or more respective wireless coverage areas, and each coverage area may operate on one or more carrier frequencies. The RAN may be arranged to receive, from a user equipment device (UE) that is being served by a base station of the RAN on a first carrier frequency, a report indicating threshold low wireless performance on the first carrier frequency. In response to the report indicating threshold low wireless performance, the RAN may be arranged to then activate a relay that functions to communicate with the base station over a relay backhaul interface, and communicate with the UE on a second carrier frequency that is different from the first carrier frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Sreekar Marupaduga, Maneesh Gauba, Gene S. Mitchell, Stephen R. Bales
  • Patent number: 9236984
    Abstract: A wireless communication device to facilitate determination of frequency band information comprises a processing system and a wireless communication transceiver. The processing system is configured to identify a carrier frequency stored within the wireless communication device and determine a direct current (DC) subcarrier associated with the carrier frequency. The wireless communication transceiver is configured to synchronize with the DC subcarrier to obtain channel information, wherein the channel information comprises a channel size and a DC subcarrier offset. The processing system is configured to process the DC subcarrier with the DC subcarrier offset to determine a starting frequency of a frequency band associated with the carrier frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Bales, Kanwar-Preet Singh Jolly, Maneesh Gauba, Mark A. Moore
  • Publication number: 20160007331
    Abstract: In a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system, a User Equipment (UE) receives Mobility Management Entity (MME) selection data. The UE processes the MME selection data to select one of multiple MMEs. The UE wirelessly transfers an LTE attachment request to an LTE access point. The LTE attachment request indicates the selected MME. The UE wirelessly receives an attachment acceptance from the selected MME through the LTE access point in response to selecting and indicating the MME in the LTE attachment request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Maneesh Gauba, Stephen R. Bales, Dwight Edward Patton
  • Patent number: 9220033
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein provide systems, methods, and software for operating a wireless base station with dynamic pilot signals. In one example, a method of operating a wireless base station includes transmitting a first pilot signal at a first pilot frequency centered in a frequency band, wirelessly receiving first user data using a first filter configuration to pass energy within the frequency band, and detecting a network condition. The method further includes, in response to detecting the network condition, terminating transmission of the first pilot signal, and transmitting second and third pilot signals at second and third frequencies. The method also includes wirelessly receiving second user data using a second filter configuration, and wirelessly receiving third user data using a third filter configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Bales, Maneesh Gauba, Paul Jacob Sterchi, Sreekar Marupaduga
  • Patent number: 9209853
    Abstract: A switching device and a method and medium of using the switching device are provided. The switching device is positioned between a remote radio unit (RRU) and an antenna on a base station. The switching device utilizes a plurality of switching cables to couple each radio port of the RRU to each of the antenna ports associated with the antenna. The switching device further comprises one or more switching units that are used to selectively communicatively couple one of the RRU's radio ports to one of the antenna ports using at least one of the switching cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Greg Nohalty, Maneesh Gauba, Stephen R. Bales
  • Patent number: 9137132
    Abstract: An antenna monitoring system in one example embodiment includes a plurality of analog-to-digital (A/D) converters configured to receive a plurality of tapped antenna signals and generate a plurality of digitized antenna signals, and an antenna monitor coupled to the plurality of A/D converters and coupled to a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) of the distributed antenna system, with the antenna monitor comprising a storage system configured to store an antenna monitor routine and a plurality of per-antenna information, a communication transceiver configured to transfer the plurality of per-antenna information, and a processing system configured to receive the plurality of digitized antenna signals from the plurality of A/D converters, reverse-process the plurality of digitized antenna signals to generate the plurality of per-antenna information, and feed the plurality of per-antenna information back to the BTS, with the BTS using the plurality of per-antenna information to monitor the plurality of antenna sub-sy
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Bales, Maneesh Gauba, Kaushik Goswami, Paul Jacob Sterchi
  • Patent number: 8364155
    Abstract: A method of operating a computer system to project future communication loading for a wireless communication network that covers a geographic area having population data and a plurality of different land use descriptions is provided herein. The method comprises geographically separating the geographic area into a plurality of geographic bins, allocating historical communication loading to each one of the bins based on the population data and the land use descriptions, geographically allocating the bins to geographic sections of a new configuration for the wireless communication network, and totaling the historical communication loading from the bins in each one of the geographic sections to project the future communication loading for each one of the geographic sections in the new configuration of the wireless communication network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Syed U. Ahmed, Rajeev Aggarwal, Rickey Jack Haught, Stephen R. Bales, Feng Xie, Jorge T. Climaco
  • Patent number: 8326311
    Abstract: Method for determining one or more sectors requiring additional communications resources in a network divided into a plurality of sectors. Usage data is determined within each sector. The sectors are divided into a number of groups based on the usage data for each sector. An ordering of sectors in each group is created, based on average usage data of the sectors. One or more sectors requiring additional communication resources are determined based on the ordering of sectors in each group, and the allocation of additional communications resources is facilitated consistent with the ordering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Feng Xie, Syed Ubaid Ahmed, Jorge Toledo Climaco, Stephen R. Bales, Cheryl Nichols
  • Patent number: 8265634
    Abstract: A wireless spectrum valuation system receives input data. The system processes the input data to identify and display a geographic area with a population density greater than the population density threshold. The system calculates and displays a number of cell sites required for an initial deployment in the identified geographic area and calculates a first number of subscribers per cell site. If the first number of subscribers per cell site is greater than a cell site utilization threshold, then the system calculates and displays an additional number of cell sites required for the initial deployment and recalculates a number of subscribers per cell site. The system calculates a number of carriers required per cell site, calculates a cost for the initial deployment, and calculates and displays a value of a wireless spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Bales, Syed U. Ahmed, Feng Xie, Vijay Rudraraju
  • Patent number: 8073455
    Abstract: An embodiment of the current invention is directed to determining one or more sectors in a network divided into sectors that require additional communication resources. Total-hourly, busy-time traffic is collected for each sector. A total-monthly, busy-time traffic is determined for each month, based on the total-hourly, busy-time traffic. The sectors are divided into a number of groups, based on the total-monthly, busy-time traffic for each sector. An ordering of sectors in each group is created, based on the total-hourly, busy-time traffic, utilizing a different ordering algorithm for each group. One or more sectors requiring additional communication resources are determined based on the ordering of sectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Feng Xie, Syed Ubaid Ahmed, Jorge Toledo Climaco, Stephen R Bales, Cheryl Nichols
  • Patent number: 7453995
    Abstract: A method of sizing a communication link comprises: determining daily peak callers and daily calling time for plurality of days; determining a sizing factor that represents a slope of a line formed by plotting the daily peak callers against the daily calling time for the plurality of days; determining peak day calling time; multiplying the peak day calling time by the sizing factor to obtain peak day peak callers; determining a bandwidth per caller; multiplying the peak day peak callers by the bandwidth per caller to determine peak day peak bandwidth; and sizing the communication link to support the peak day peak bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Bales, Renee Fleeman