Patents by Inventor Thomas Novlan

Thomas Novlan 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: 12262306
    Abstract: The technology is generally directed towards sending multiplexing capability data between integrated access and backhaul (IAB) nodes, such as for use in coordinating the communications of the nodes, including using multiplexed resources. In addition to different types of multiplexing capabilities, the technology facilitates sending condition data (e.g., measured interference, traffic, beam data and the like) by which a parent node can make determinations with respect to coordinating (e.g., scheduling and/or guard symbol usage) child node communications. Further, the technology provides for sending usage criterion data with the multiplexing capability indication data, such that, for example, any specified usage criterion needs to be satisfied before a particular type of multiplexing can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas Novlan
  • Publication number: 20250097854
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining a self-interference channel response of a transceiver of a mobile base station having a transmitter and a receiver. The self-interference channel response spans multiple sub-bands of a predetermined mobile cellular frequency channel. A first sub-band of the multiple sub-bands is identified according to the self-interference channel response and, an estimate is determined, at the receiver, of a first coupled transmit power level of the transmitter when operating within the first sub-band. A receiver sensitivity is adjusted according to the first coupled transmit power level to obtain an adjustment adapted to increase receiver sensitivity, while restricting operation of the receiver to a substantially linear region. The adjustment allows a transmission within the first sub-band and a reception within a second sub-band of the plurality of sub-bands to occur simultaneously at the mobile base station. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2024
    Publication date: March 20, 2025
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Aditya Chopra, Salam Akoum, Thomas Novlan
  • Patent number: 12256309
    Abstract: The described technology is generally directed to over-the-air configuration and management of new radio multifrequency smart repeaters. To facilitate data forwarding, a smart repeater is configured via a first frequency to generate a forwarding layer that is logically above a physical layer of a mobile termination function (corresponding to a repeater link) and a physical layer of distributed unit function of the repeater equipment (corresponding to an access link, configured to use a second frequency). Via the forwarding layer, when traffic is received from a parent node, the traffic is forwarded via the access link to user equipment, and when traffic is received from a user equipment, the traffic is forwarded via the access link to a parent node. As one example, control plane signaling can be performed via the sub-six gigahertz band, and data plane signal forwarding can be performed via the millimeter wave band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas Novlan
  • Publication number: 20250080973
    Abstract: In a 5G network, control unit (CU) can be connected to a radio access network controller (RC). In response to receiving measurement data from the CU, the RC can process the measurement data to determine polices and procedures related to radio resource management, and/or radio resource control, which can then be utilized to manage mobility, dual-connectivity, carrier aggregation, and/or integrated access and backhaul topology formation and routing. The measurement data provided by the CU can be provided directly to the RC without processing of the measurement data by the CU.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas Novlan, Arunabha Ghosh, Milap Majmundar
  • Patent number: 12245203
    Abstract: Dynamic frame structure coordination is performed between a parent integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node and child IAB node based on one or more multiplexing options. The parent node sends a dynamic frame structure coordination (DFSC) message to an IAB user equipment function of a child node, indicating that resources are available or released, overriding a semi-statically coordinated and configured downlink/uplink resource pattern. The parent node can make, or the child node can request, the modification. The DFSC message includes multiplexing option(s). The child IAB node's user equipment function communicates the frame structure update to the child node's distributed unit function, which allows the distributed unit function to utilize those resources in accordance with the multiplexing option.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas Novlan
  • Publication number: 20250048347
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, configuring, coordinating, and operating frequency division multiplexing on one or more access and backhaul links. The subject disclosure further describes how an IAB node and a serving parent node can coordinate resource block (RB) usage and RB set usage using over-the-air signaling. Other embodiments are described in the subject disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2024
    Publication date: February 6, 2025
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas Novlan
  • Patent number: 12219619
    Abstract: Long-term evolution assisted new radio initial access and mobility for 5G or other next generation networks are provided herein. A method can include transmitting, by a first network device of a wireless network and comprising a processor, a first timing synchronization signal and first acquisition information of the first network device to a mobile device. In response to the transmitting and based on a transmission received from the mobile device, a connection between the mobile device and a radio resource control of the wireless network can be facilitated. In addition, in response to the mobile device determining the location of the second timing synchronization signal based on the data indicative of the location of the second timing synchronization signal, the second network device can transmit, to the mobile device, the second timing synchronization signal and second acquisition information of the second network device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas Novlan, Salam Akoum, Arunabha Ghosh, Milap Majmundar
  • Publication number: 20250024496
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein provide for a closed loop Listen Before Talk (LBT) which is a coexistence mechanism used by wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi, to access unlicensed shared spectrum, such as the ISM UNII bands (5 GHz). The embodiments disclosed herein enable a base station to coordinate the LBT process at both the base station and a receiver in order to avoid hidden node interference where the interfering nodes are outside the sensing range of the transmitting node. The base station device can send an LBT trigger to the receiver to synchronize the clear channel assessments that are performed at each device to determine if there is any activity on the channel. The receiving device can send back a report to the base station device, and if no activity on the channel is detected, the base station device can schedule a transmission on the channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2024
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Inventors: Thomas Novlan, Arunabha Ghosh, Abdulrauf Hafeez
  • Patent number: 12200629
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining a self-interference channel response of a transceiver of a mobile base station having a transmitter and a receiver. The self-interference channel response spans multiple sub-bands of a predetermined mobile cellular frequency channel. A first sub-band of the multiple sub-bands is identified according to the self-interference channel response and, an estimate is determined, at the receiver, of a first coupled transmit power level of the transmitter when operating within the first sub-band. A receiver sensitivity is adjusted according to the first coupled transmit power level to obtain an adjustment adapted to increase receiver sensitivity, while restricting operation of the receiver to a substantially linear region. The adjustment allows a transmission within the first sub-band and a reception within a second sub-band of the plurality of sub-bands to occur simultaneously at the mobile base station. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Aditya Chopra, Salam Akoum, Thomas Novlan
  • Patent number: 12177934
    Abstract: In a 5G network, control unit (CU) can be connected to a radio access network controller (RC). In response to receiving measurement data from the CU, the RC can process the measurement data to determine polices and procedures related to radio resource management, and/or radio resource control, which can then be utilized to manage mobility, dual-connectivity, carrier aggregation, and/or integrated access and backhaul topology formation and routing. The measurement data provided by the CU can be provided directly to the RC without processing of the measurement data by the CU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas Novlan, Arunabha Ghosh, Milap Majmundar
  • Patent number: 12156187
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, configuring, coordinating, and operating frequency division multiplexing on one or more access and backhaul links. The subject disclosure further describes how an IAB node and a serving parent node can coordinate resource block (RB) usage and RB set usage using over-the-air signaling. Other embodiments are described in the subject disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas Novlan
  • Publication number: 20240334292
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example receiving a group of mobility measurements associated with a communication device. A group of communication devices is communicatively coupled to the mobile IAB node device as a mobility group. Further embodiments include receiving a request from the communication device to join the mobility group, selecting the communication device to join the mobility group based on the group of mobility measurements, and transmitting a confirmation message to the communication device. The confirmation message indicates that the mobility group comprises the communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas Novlan
  • Patent number: 12108446
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein provide for a closed loop Listen Before Talk (LBT) which is a coexistence mechanism used by wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi, to access unlicensed shared spectrum, such as the ISM UNII bands (5 GHz). The embodiments disclosed herein enable a base station to coordinate the LBT process at both the base station and a receiver in order to avoid hidden node interference where the interfering nodes are outside the sensing range of the transmitting node. The base station device can send an LBT trigger to the receiver to synchronize the clear channel assessments that are performed at each device to determine if there is any activity on the channel. The receiving device can send back a report to the base station device, and if no activity on the channel is detected, the base station device can schedule a transmission on the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas Novlan, Arunabha Ghosh, Abdulrauf Hafeez
  • Patent number: 12096455
    Abstract: The described technology is generally directed towards operating a user equipment node as a scheduler user equipment (e.g., which can be a local manager of other nodes in a group). The scheduler user equipment receives a scheduling request for the scheduling of the resources for transmission of data by a transmitter user equipment, and based on the traffic type requested, schedules the transmitter user equipment and receiver user equipment(s) with scheduling data/allocated radio resources. The transmitter user equipment can directly transmit to the receiver user equipment(s) on the allocated radio resources, e.g., without further involvement of the scheduler user equipment/local manager. For cellular data, the scheduler user equipment can schedule the transmitter user equipment to transmit to the scheduler user equipment as a receiver node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Xiaoyi Wang, Arunabha Ghosh, Andrew Thornburg, Thomas Novlan, Ralf Bendlin, Milap Majmundar
  • Patent number: 12095713
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein provide for a multi-beam Listen Before Talk which is a coexistence mechanism used by wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi, to access unlicensed shared spectrum, such as the ISM UNII bands (5 GHz). The embodiments disclosed herein enable a transceiver to determine whether or not there is activity on a beam to avoid causing interference. The transceiver can determine that there is activity in a certain direction, and then avoid transmitting on a beam in that direction until the activity ceases. While there is activity in a first beam, the transceiver can continue to transmit on other beams that will not cause interference with a transmission associated with the first beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Abdulrauf Hafeez, Thomas Novlan
  • Publication number: 20240306258
    Abstract: A closed loop carrier sense multiple access multiuser request to send and clear to send handshaking system is provided to efficiently allocate licensed and unlicensed spectrum for a plurality of mobile devices and across different base stations and mobile network operators. A user equipment device can be connected to a base station device via a first frequency in licensed spectrum, and a second frequency in unlicensed spectrum. The air interface on the first frequency can then be used to coordinate physical and virtual carrier sensing on a second frequency among a plurality of user equipment devices. Moreover, carrier sensing results from a plurality of UEs can be reported a base station device via the first frequency in licensed spectrum. The base station device can then schedule multiple user multiple input, multiple output (MU-MIMO) transmissions to a plurality of UEs on the second frequency in unlicensed spectrum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2024
    Publication date: September 12, 2024
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Ralf Bendlin, Thomas Novlan, Arunabha Ghosh, Abdulrauf Hafeez
  • Patent number: 12089181
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, obtaining media content from a media content server over a mobile network, and providing the media content to a communication device over a first direct communication link. Embodiments include detecting a mobility event associated with the mobile network, and providing a notification message to a first network device associated with the mobile network. Further embodiments can include obtaining instructions from the first network device, wherein the instructions indicate to provide a mobility event notification. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Thomas Novlan
  • Patent number: 12035248
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein provide for a power control system in a multi-hop integrated access and backhaul network. In the multi-hop integrated access and backhaul network, a donor node can communicate with user equipment devices and relay nodes that have varying power levels; and to avoid receiving uplink transmissions with varying power levels which can impact automatic gain control systems and lower overall throughput, the power control system can manage the power levels of the relay node in order to reduce the difference in power levels. The power control system can schedule relay node devices to transmit uplink transmissions alongside user equipment devices that have a high signal strength; schedule relay nodes and user equipment devices to separate symbols within a time slot; and/or perform closed loop power control management at the relay node to reduce the power level for an uplink transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: AT&T Intellect al P Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Aditya Chopra, Arunabha Ghosh, Thomas Novlan, Andrew Thornburg, Xiaoyi Wang, Ralf Bendlin
  • Patent number: 12028939
    Abstract: A closed loop carrier sense multiple access multiuser request to send and clear to send handshaking system is provided to efficiently allocate licensed and unlicensed spectrum for a plurality of mobile devices and across different base stations and mobile network operators. A user equipment device can be connected to a base station device via a first frequency in licensed spectrum, and a second frequency in unlicensed spectrum. The air interface on the first frequency can then be used to coordinate physical and virtual carrier sensing on a second frequency among a plurality of user equipment devices. Moreover, carrier sensing results from a plurality of UEs can be reported a base station device via the first frequency in licensed spectrum. The base station device can then schedule multiple user multiple input, multiple output (MU-MIMO) transmissions to a plurality of UEs on the second frequency in unlicensed spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Ralf Bendlin, Thomas Novlan, Arunabha Ghosh, Abdulrauf Hafeez
  • Patent number: 11910453
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein provide for facilitating creating a mesh connectivity between network nodes in a hierarchical network. According an embodiment, a method comprising receiving a first condition, wherein the first condition indicates whether to setup a mesh connection with a first distributed unit node of a first node device. The method further comprising, in response to determining that the first condition indicates establishment of the mesh connection, facilitating establishing a peer-to-peer connection directly with the first distributed unit node of the first node device and a second distributed unit node of a second node device, wherein the first distributed unit node comprises wireless communication technologies and the second distributed unit node comprises wireless communication technologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Milap Majmundar, Thomas Novlan, Xiaoyi Wang, Salam Akoum