METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SELECTION OF CHANNELS FOR UNLICENSED WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS

摘要

Methods, devices and systems are disclosed to enable the use of unlicensed wireless channels by nodes and devices in a network, such as a mobile or cellular communications network, which primarily operates over licensed wireless channels. A selected channel, or selected channel and node pair for serving a user device are determined based on a combined metric of a signal quality level and a target time share parameter. The time share parameter represents the estimated data rate available for each potential channel, or channel and node pair, in light of the requirement to share the unlicensed wireless channel resources with other equipment. The signal quality level represents an estimated signal quality at the user device for each channel and node based on factors including residual interference from other communications signals transmitted over the unlicensed channels.

主权项

1. A method for selection of an unlicensed wireless channel, comprising:
for a user device and one or more network nodes:
determining a signal quality level associated with each of the one or more network nodes and each of two or more unlicensed wireless channels available to the user device and to that network node; andobtaining a target time share parameter associated with each of the two or more unlicensed wireless channels and each of the one or more network nodes; and selecting an unlicensed wireless channel for use as a carrier by the user device, the unlicensed wireless channel being selected based on both the signal quality level and the target time share parameter.