IP Library Granted Patent US 10,680,703
Granted Patent B2
US 10,680,703 · App. 16/264,072 · Granted Jun 9, 2020

Systems and methods for beacon detection infrastructures

Inventors: Peter Paul Smyth (Newbourne, GB); Lin Cheng (Superior, CO); Jim O'Connor (Idaho Springs, CO); Eric Winkelman (Boulder, CO); Thomas H. Williams (Longmont, CO); Belal Hamzeh (Westminster, CO); Steve Arendt (Longmont, CO)
Assignee: Cable Television Laboratories, Inc
H04B7/18519H04B7/0413H04B7/18517H04B17/3913H04W16/14H04W16/20H04W52/242H04B7/0617
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,680,703
App. No.
16/264,072
Granted
Jun 9, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A communication system includes an earth station configured to receive a downlink transmission from a satellite and transmit an uplink transmission to the satellite. The communication system further includes a server in operable communication with the earth station, a beacon detector in operable communication with the server, an access point configured to operate within a proximity of the earth station, and a beacon transmitter disposed within close proximity to the access point. The beacon transmitter is configured to transmit a beacon signal to one or more of the server and the beacon detector. The beacon signal uniquely identifies the access point. The server is configured to implement a measurement-based protection scheme with respect to at least one of the downlink transmission and the uplink transmission.

Claims (26)

1. A communication system, comprising:

an earth station configured to receive a downlink transmission from a satellite and transmit an uplink transmission to the satellite;

a server in operable communication with the earth station, wherein the server is configured to implement (i) a measurement-based protection scheme with respect to at least one of the downlink transmission and the uplink transmission, and (ii) a protection zone layering scheme about the earth station;

a beacon infrastructure having a plurality of beacon transmitters and a plurality of beacon detectors in operable communication with the server;

an access point (AP) in proximity to at least one beacon transmitter of the plurality of beacon transmitters, and configured to operate within a first protection zone layer of the protection zone layering scheme;

a first user equipment (UE) within the first protection zone and configured to transmit, according to instructions from the server, at a first power level; and

a second user equipment (UE) outside of the first protection zone and configured to transmit, according to instructions from the server, at a second power level different from the first power level.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first UE comprises a plurality of first UE devices within an operational range of the AP.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the AP is further configured to model an aggregate transmitter power within the first protection zone for the plurality of first UE devices.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein at least one first UE device of the plurality of first UE devices is configured to transmit a UE beacon to at least one of (i) the AP, and (ii) at least one beacon detector of the plurality of beacon detectors in proximity to the AP.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one first UE device is configure to transmit the UE beacon as a continuous operation.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one first UE device is configure to transmit the UE beacon during a calibration phase.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the AP is further configured to transmit an AP beacon, wherein the server is further configured to measure, during the calibration phase, (i) a UE beacon for each first UE device of the plurality of first UE devices, and (2) the AP beacon.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the server is further configured to determine an effective AP transmitter power of the AP based on the measured UE beacons and the measured AP beacon.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the server is further configured to determine the effective AP transmitter power as an effective isotropic radiated power function of a number of the first UE devices.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the server is further configured to develop a statistical model for the AP by repeating the calibration phase over time.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first power level is based on the statistical model for the AP.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein first power level is dynamically adjustable according to changes to the statistical model over time.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of first power UE devices are located at distances greater than 500 meters from the earth station.

14. The system of claim 4 , wherein the UE beacon includes at least one of an ID, a transmitted power level, and a GPS location of the first UE.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the server is further configured to dynamically reduce a transmitter power of the AP based on a shadow effect of a physical structure disposed between the earth station and the first UE at a first UE location.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the server is further configured to dynamically reduce a transmitter power of the AP based on a corner effect of the first UE having moved from the first UE location to a second UE location enabling a direct line of sight between the earth station and the first UE.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the server is further configured to determine that a signal strength from the first UE is sufficiently high to designate the first UE as a hotspot of potential interference to the earth station.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the server is further configured to determine the signal strength from the first UE (i) continuously, (ii) periodically, (iii) during a calibration phase, and/or (iv) upon measurement of an environmental change to the system.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the server is further configured to direct the AP to avoid the first UE.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the server is further configured to dynamically adjust a size of the first protection zone based on real-time measurements of one of the AP, the first UE, and the second UE.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 31, 2019
From: SMYTH, PETER PAUL; CHENG, LIN; O'CONNOR, JIM; WINKELMAN, ERIC; WILLIAMS, THOMAS H.; HAMZEH, BELAL; ARENDT, STEVE
To: CABLE TELEVISION LABORATORIES, INC
Reel/Frame 048212/0439 →
Continuity (12)
Continuation 16142933 · Sep 26, 2018
Continuation In Part 15809658 · Nov 10, 2017
Provisional Application 62420124 · Nov 10, 2016
Provisional Application 62563185 · Sep 26, 2017
Provisional Application 62564115 · Sep 27, 2017
Provisional Application 62609071 · Dec 21, 2017
Provisional Application 62617882 · Jan 16, 2018
Provisional Application 62621354 · Jan 24, 2018
Provisional Application 62621673 · Jan 25, 2018
Provisional Application 62623923 · Jan 30, 2018
Provisional Application 62682306 · Jun 8, 2018
Related Publication 20190199429A1 · Jun 27, 2019