摘要 |
In a TDMA cellular network, there is provided a mechanism for shared-carrier frequency-hopping. It comprises: allocating on a frame basis within a reuse diameter to one coverage area (A-I) during certain timeslot(s) at least one from a pool of TDM frame-hopped carriers and allocating on a frame basis within that carrier reuse diameter to another coverage area (A-I) during certain other, substantially non-overlapping timeslot(s) that frame-hopped carrier, all in substantially non-interfering time-synchronism with any proximal reuse of that carrier, whereby the advantages of frequency hopping are obtained. Stated differently, it comprises: at one instant in time, allocating within a reuse diameter to one coverage area (A-I) at least one of a plurality of hopped carriers and at that same instant in time, allocating within that carrier reuse diameter to another coverage area (A-I) another of that plurality of hopped carriers, all in time-synchronism with any proximal reuse of that carrier. The control and access carriers may also be included in the hopping pool, causing certain timeslots to be hopped on a sequence different from the others. The pool of hopped carriers is further apportioned among co-located sites into hopping groups, thereby reducing intra-system synchronization requirements. To solve the near/far problem, TDM timeslots bordering hopping boundaries are preferentially allocated to less distant mobile users. |