Downlink power control for interference mitigation in competing communication systems
Systems and methods presented herein provide for altering communications of a LTE wireless communication system operating in an RF band with a conflicting WiFi system. In one embodiment, an LTE system includes a wireless base station operable to transmit downlink communications to a UE in the RF band and to receive uplink communications from the UE in the RF band. The LTE system also includes a processor operable to detect the uplink communications from the UE, to estimate a location of the UE based on the detected uplink communications, to determine a communication capability between the UE and the wireless base station based on the location of the UE, and to downgrade the downlink communications from the wireless base station to the UE based on the determined communication capability to avoid interference with the WiFi communication system.
1 . A method operable with a wireless communication system operating in a Radio Frequency (RF) band with a conflicting additional wireless communication system, the method comprising:
receiving uplink communications from a user equipment (UE) in the RF band via a wireless base station;
estimating a location of the UE at least partially based on the uplink communications;
determining that additional physical layer resources are available to support the UE, the additional physical layer resources including one or more of (i) additional time resources and (ii) additional frequency resources; and
in response to determining that additional physical layer resources are available to support the UE:
reducing a transmit power of the wireless base station,
directing the UE to reduce its transmit power, and
changing a Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) of wireless communication signals between the wireless base station and the UE at least partially based on a communication capability of the UE at the location of the UE,
to avoid interference with the conflicting additional wireless communication system.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising allocating additional time and/or frequency resources to the UE, to enable the wireless communication system to meet downlink data needs of the UE at a minimum required MCS of downlink communications to the UE.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining minimal signal energy required by the UE to meet its downlink data needs; and
reducing transmit power level of the wireless base station according to the minimal signal energy required by the UE to meet its downlink data needs.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the communication capability of the UE at the location of the UE.
5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising determining the communication capability of the UE at least partially as a function of downlink data rate needs of the UE.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein changing the MCS of the wireless communication signals between the wireless base station and the UE comprises reducing an order of the MCS of the wireless communication signals between the wireless base station and the UE to reduce an energy footprint of the wireless communication signals between the wireless base station and the UE.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the wireless base station operates according to a cellular wireless communication protocol; and
the conflicting additional wireless communication system operates according to a WiFi wireless communication protocol.
8 . A wireless communication system capable of operating in a Radio Frequency (RF) band with a conflicting additional wireless communication system, the wireless communication system comprising:
a wireless base station operable to transmit downlink communications to a user equipment (UE) in the RF band and to receive uplink communications from the UE in the RF band; and
a processor that is separate from the UE, the processor being operable to:
detect the uplink communications from the UE,
determine a location of the UE based at least partially on the detected uplink communications,
determine that additional physical layer resources are available to support the UE, the additional physical layer resources including one or more of (i) additional time resources and (ii) additional frequency resources, and
in response to determining that additional physical layer resources are available to support the UE:
change a transmit power of the wireless base station,
direct the UE to reduce its transmit power, and
change a Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) of wireless communication signals between the wireless base station and the UE at least partially based on a communication capability of the UE at the location of the UE,
to avoid interference with the conflicting additional wireless communication system.
9 . The wireless communication system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further operable to allocate additional time and/or frequency resources to the UE, to enable the wireless communication system to meet downlink data needs of the UE at a minimum required MCS of downlink communications to the UE.
10 . The wireless communication system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further operable to:
determine minimal signal energy required by the UE to meet its downlink data needs; and
reduce transmit power level of the wireless base station according to the minimal signal energy required by the UE to meet its downlink data needs, to avoid interference with the conflicting additional wireless communication system.
11 . The wireless communication system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the communication capability of the UE at the location of the UE.
12 . The wireless communication system of claim 11 , wherein the communication capability of the UE is at least partially a function of downlink data rate needs of the UE.
13 . The wireless communication system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to change the MCS of the wireless communication signals between the wireless base station and the UE by reducing an order of the MCS of the wireless communication signals between the wireless base station and the UE to reduce an energy footprint of the wireless communication signals between the wireless base station and the UE.
14 . The wireless communication system of claim 8 , wherein:
the wireless base station operates according to a cellular wireless communication protocol; and
the conflicting additional wireless communication system operates according to a WiFi wireless communication protocol.
15 . A method operable with a wireless communication system operating in a Radio Frequency (RF) band with a conflicting additional wireless communication system, the method comprising:
receiving uplink communications from a user equipment (UE) in the RF band via a wireless base station;
estimating a location of the UE at least partially based on the uplink communications;
determining that additional physical layer resources are available to support the UE, the additional physical layer resources including one or more of (i) additional time resources and (ii) additional frequency resources; and
in response to determining that additional physical layer resources are available to support the UE:
changing a transmit power of the wireless base station,
directing the UE to reduce its transmit power, and
changing wireless communication resources of the wireless base station allocated to the UE at least partially based on a communication capability of the UE at the location of the UE,
to avoid interference with the conflicting additional wireless communication system.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
determining minimal signal energy required by the UE to meet its downlink data needs; and
reducing transmit power level of the wireless base station according to the minimal signal energy required by the UE to meet its downlink data needs, to avoid interference with the conflicting additional wireless communication system.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the wireless communication resources of the wireless base station allocated to the UE comprise one or more of time resources and frequency resources.
18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining the communication capability of the UE at the location of the UE.
19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining the communication capability of the UE at least partially as a function of downlink data rate needs of the UE.
20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the wireless base station operates according to a cellular wireless communication protocol; and
the conflicting additional wireless communication system operates according to a WiFi wireless communication protocol.