Allocating communication frequencies to clusters of access points
View Patent ↗A system is used in a wireless communication system made up of cells, at least one of which includes at least one sector. The system includes first access points in a first area of a sector of a cell. The first access points are prohibited from communicating over a first frequency. The system also includes second access points in a second area of the sector of the cell. The second access points are prohibited from communicating over a second frequency that is different from the first frequency.
1. A system for use in a wireless communication system comprised of cells, at least one of the cells comprising at least one sector, the system comprising:
first access points in a first area of a sector of a cell, wherein the first access points are prohibited from communicating over a first frequency;
second access points in a second area of the sector of the cell, wherein the second access points are prohibited from communicating over a second frequency that is different from the first frequency; and
a macro base transceiver station (BTS) in the cell, the macro BTS being configured to communicate with a mobile station;
wherein, in the first area, the first frequency is reserved for communication between the macro BTS and the mobile station and, in the second area, the second frequency is reserved for communication between the macro BTS and the mobile station.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
third access points in a third area of the sector of the cell, wherein the third access points are prohibited from communicating over a third frequency that is different from the first frequency and different from the second frequency.
3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
an N th (N>3) set of access points in an N th area of the sector of the cell, wherein the N th set of access points are prohibited from communicating over an N th frequency that is different from the first frequency, different from the second frequency, and different from the third frequency.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first access points are prohibited from communicating over a third frequency that is different from the first frequency and the second frequency; and
wherein the second access points are prohibited from communicating over a fourth frequency that is different from the first frequency, the second frequency, and the third frequency.
5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the mobile station; and
a controller associated with the sector, the controller being configured to:
direct the mobile station, after entering an area of the sector, to communicate over a frequency over which access points in the area are prohibited from communicating.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to identify interference in communications with the mobile station and to direct the mobile station after identifying the interference.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first area and the second area are separated by a zone in which communications of the first access points and the second access points do not interfere.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the zone is predefined based on geography of a region encompassing the sector.
9. A method for use in a wireless communication system comprised of cells, at least one of the cells comprising at least one sector, the method comprising:
first access points in a first area of a sector of a cell communicating over one or more frequencies but not over a first frequency;
second access points in a second area of the sector of the cell communicating over one or more frequencies but not over a second frequency that is different from the first frequency; and
a macro base transceiver station (BTS) in the cell, the macro BTS communicating with a mobile station in the cell;
wherein, in the first area, the first frequency is reserved for communication between the macro BTS and the mobile station and, in the second area, the second frequency is reserved for communication between the macro BTS and the mobile station.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
third access points in a third area of the sector of the cell communicating over one or more frequencies but not over a third frequency that is different from the first frequency and different from the second frequency.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
an N th (N>3) set of access points in an N th area of the sector of the cell communicating over one or more frequencies but not over an N th frequency that is different from the first frequency, different from the second frequency, and different from the third frequency.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first access points are prohibited from communicating over a third frequency that is different from the first frequency and the second frequency; and
wherein the second access points are prohibited from communicating over a fourth frequency that is different from the first frequency, the second frequency, and the third frequency.
13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
the mobile station attempting to communicate with a base station associated with the sector; and
a controller directing the mobile station, after entering an area of the sector, to communicate over a frequency over which access points in the area are prohibited from communicating.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the controller identifies interference in communications with the mobile station and directs the mobile station after identifying the interference.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first area and the second area are separated by a zone in which communications of the first access points and the second access points do not interfere.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the zone is predefined based on geography of a region encompassing the sector.
17. A method comprising:
sharing frequencies for communication among access points of a cell sector;
in each predefined area of a sector, reserving at least one frequency for communication by a mobile station, the at least one frequency being different in each area;
wherein access points in each area of the sector are configured not to communicate over the at least one frequency for each corresponding area;
wherein the at least one frequency in each area is reserved exclusively for communication between a macro base transceiver station (BTS) in the cell and the mobile station.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
upon entering an area of the sector, controlling the mobile station to communicate over the at least one frequency corresponding to the area entered if interference from an access point is detected.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein there are N (N≧2) areas; and
wherein there are a multiple of N frequencies reserved for communication by the mobile station.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein predefined areas of the sector are separated by substantially interference-free zones.
21. A macro base transceiver station (BTS) for use in a wireless communication system comprised of cells, at least one of the cells comprising at least one sector, the wireless communication system comprising:
first access points in a first area of a sector of a cell, wherein the first access points are prohibited from communicating over a first frequency; and
second access points in a second area of the sector of the cell, wherein the second access points are prohibited from communicating over a second frequency that is different from the first frequency;
the macro BTS being in the cell, and the macro BTS being configured to communicate with a mobile station such that: (i) the macro BTS is configured to communicate with the mobile station using the first frequency in the first area, but not the second frequency, and (ii) the macro BTS is configured to communicate with the mobile station using the second frequency in the second area, but not the first frequency.
22. One or more machine-readable storage devices storing instructions that are executable by a macro base transceiver station (BTS), the macro BTS for use in a wireless communication system comprised of cells, at least one of the cells comprising at least one sector, the wireless communication system comprising:
first access points in a first area of a sector of a cell, wherein the first access points are prohibited from communicating over a first frequency; and
second access points in a second area of the sector of the cell, wherein the second access points are prohibited from communicating over a second frequency that is different from the first frequency;
the macro BTS being in the cell, and the macro BTS being configured to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising communicating with a mobile station such that: (i) the macro BTS communicates with the mobile station using the first frequency in the first area, but not the second frequency, and (ii) the macro BTS communicates with the mobile station using the second frequency in the second area, but not the first frequency.