Method and apparatus for collecting and processing interference information
A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may perform, for example, a method for receiving interference information from each of the plurality of communication devices detecting interference information in a plurality of segments of a radio frequency spectrum, correlating the interference information of the plurality of communication devices to generate correlated information, and identifying a plurality of interferers according to the correlated information. Other embodiments are disclosed.
1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a system comprising a processor, interference information associated with a plurality of communication devices, wherein the interference information is detected according to at least one adaptive threshold for detecting signal interference in a plurality of resource blocks in a radio frequency spectrum of a wireless communication system;
detecting, by the system, a plurality of interferers according to correlating of the interference information;
determining, by the system, a recurrence of a first interferer of the plurality of interferers according to the interference information; and
identifying, by the system, a source interferer for the first interferer by comparing characteristics of the first interferer with profile characteristics indicated in a profile for the source interferer, wherein the profile is stored in a database of profiles of known interferers, and wherein the comparing is based on determining a threshold amount of similarity between the characteristics and the profile characteristics.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the characteristics and the profile characteristics include a spectral shape.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the characteristics and the profile characteristics include a frequency of occurrence.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the characteristics and the profile characteristics include a time of occurrence.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the characteristics and the profile characteristics include an amplitude.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the characteristics and the profile characteristics include a phase.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending, by the system, a notification describing the recurrence of the first interferer.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving of the interference information comprises receiving the interference information from the plurality of communication devices.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the system from a first communication device of the plurality of communication devices, spectral data to enable presentation of radio frequency spectral information.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of communication devices comprise a plurality of stationary base stations.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of communication devices comprise a plurality of mobile communication devices.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the profile comprises one of spectral shape, amplitude, phase, time of occurrence, frequency of occurrence, geographic location of occurrence, network traffic levels at a time of detection of the signal interference, or any combination thereof.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the first interferer is detected by multiple communication devices of the plurality of communication devices.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an approximate location of the source interferer according to a location of one or more of the plurality of communication devices.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
adjusting an interference map according to the determining of the recurrence and the identifying of the source interferer, wherein the interference map indicates temporal recurrences of other interferers.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the interference map depicts location information for the source interferer and the other interferers.
17. A machine-readable storage device comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving interference information associated with a plurality of communication devices, wherein the interference information is based on detecting signal interference in a plurality of segments in a radio frequency spectrum of a wireless communication system;
detecting a plurality of interferers according to correlating of the interference information;
determining a recurrence of a first interferer of the plurality of interferers according to the interference information;
identifying a source interferer for the first interferer by comparing characteristics of the first interferer with profile characteristics indicated in a profile for the source interferer, wherein the profile is stored in a database of profiles of known interferers; and
approximating a location of the source interferer according to location information provided by one or more of the plurality of communication devices.
18. The machine-readable storage device of claim 17 , wherein the comparing is based on determining a threshold amount of similarity between the characteristics and the profile characteristics, and wherein the receiving of the interference information comprises receiving the interference information from the plurality of communication devices.
19. A system, comprising:
a memory that stores executable instructions; and
a processor coupled to the memory and communicatively coupled to a plurality communication devices, wherein execution of the executable instructions by the processor causes the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving interference information associated with a plurality of communication devices, wherein the interference information is based on detecting signal interference in a plurality of segments in a radio frequency spectrum of a wireless communication system;
determining a recurrence of a first interferer according to the interference information;
identifying a source interferer for the first interferer by comparing characteristics of the first interferer with profile characteristics indicated in a profile for the source interferer, wherein the profile is stored in a database of profiles of known interferers; and
adjusting an interference map according to the determining of the recurrence and the identifying of the source interferer, wherein the interference map indicates temporal recurrences of other interferers.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the comparing is based on determining a threshold amount of similarity between the characteristics and the profile characteristics, and wherein the receiving of the interference information comprises receiving the interference information from the plurality of communication devices.