Wireless radio system optimization by persistent spectrum analysis
Apparatuses and methods for simultaneously operating as a wireless radio and monitoring the local frequency spectrum. For example, described herein are wireless radio devices that use a secondary receiver to monitor frequencies within the operating band and prevent or avoid interferers, including in particular half-IF interferers. The systems, devices, and methods described herein may adjust the intermediate frequency in a superheterodyne receiver to select an intermediate frequency that minimizes interference. In particular, described herein are apparatuses and methods that use a second receiver which is independent of the first receiver and may be connected to the same receiving antenna to monitor the geographically local frequency spectrum and may detect spurious interferers, allowing the primary receiver to adjust the intermediate frequency and avoid spurious interferes.
1. A method of controlling reception for a wireless broadband radio by simultaneously monitoring a frequency spectrum of an operating band and transmitting and receiving wireless information within the operating band to minimize spurious interference at a predetermined frequency, the method comprising:
receiving and transmitting radio frequency (RF) signals within the operating band using a primary receiver and transmitter or a primary transceiver of a wireless radio device that includes an integrated spectrum analyzer, the wireless radio device operating in a wireless network;
continuously monitoring the frequency spectrum of the operating band using the spectrum analyzer of the wireless radio device concurrently with receiving and transmitting the radio frequency signals, wherein the spectrum analyzer is coupled to a secondary RF receiver or a secondary transceiver, without modifying the wireless radio device using a RF spectrum information collected from the spectrum analyzer;
transmitting the RF spectrum information collected from the spectrum analyzer to a remote spectrum analysis unit;
aggregating, in the remote spectrum analysis unit, the RF spectrum information with additional RF spectrum information from other wireless devices; and
adjusting an operation of the network using the aggregated RF spectrum information.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the RF spectrum information comprises transmitting the RF spectrum information along with geographic information.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the RF spectrum information comprises transmitting the RF spectrum information along with geographic information and information identifying the wireless radio device.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the RF spectrum information in the wireless radio device.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising encoding the RF spectrum information in the wireless radio device.
6. A method of simultaneously and independently monitoring a frequency spectrum of an operating band and transmitting and receiving wireless information within the operating band, the method comprising:
receiving and transmitting radio frequency signals within the operating band using a primary receiver and transmitter or a primary transceiver of a wireless radio device that includes an integrated spectrum analyzer, the wireless radio device operating in a wireless network;
continuously monitoring the frequency spectrum of the operating band and encoding collected a radio frequency (RF) spectrum information using a spectrum processor portion of the spectrum analyzer of the wireless radio device concurrently with receiving and transmitting the radio frequency signal within the operating band, wherein the spectrum analyzer is coupled to a secondary RF receiver or a secondary transceiver, without modifying the wireless radio device using the RF spectrum information collected from the spectrum analyzer; and
transmitting the RF spectrum information to a remote spectrum analysis unit;
aggregating, in the remote spectrum analysis unit, the RF spectrum information with additional RF spectrum information from other wireless devices; and
adjusting an operation of the network using the aggregated RF spectrum information.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein transmitting the RF spectrum information comprises transmitting the RF spectrum information along with geographic information.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein transmitting the RF spectrum information comprises transmitting the RF spectrum information along with geographic information and information identifying the wireless radio device.
9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising storing the RF spectrum information in the wireless radio device.
10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising encoding the RF spectrum information in the wireless radio device.