Systems and methods for real time allocation of bandwidth at a femtocell

Abstract

Systems and methods for real time allocation of radio devices in a femtocell that includes a plurality of software-defined radios (SDRs) are provided. The SDRs can be reconfigured in real time based on the changing network conditions and/or changes to contractual obligations of the femtocell provider. The femtocell can be reconfigured in real time either remotely from a network operations center (NOC) or the femtocell can be configured to automatically detect changing usage patterns and to automatically reconfigure the SDRs. The femtocell can also be configured to receive emergency override signals from the NOC to cause the femtocell to reconfigure one or more of the SDRs for use by emergency responders.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wireless base station, comprising:
 radio devices configured to establish wireless connections between the base station and user devices;   a network interface configured to send data to a network and receive data from the network;   a processor; and   a radio allocation module comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the base station to
 identify a carrier associated with a new user device, 
 determine whether one of the radio devices is available for communication with the new user device, 
 determine, in the case that one of the radio devices is not available for communication with the new user device, whether there is an unutilized one of the radio devices contracted by a carrier different than the associated carrier, 
 determine, in the case that there is an unutilized one of the radio devices contracted by the different carrier, whether there is a user device associated with the different carrier that may be handed off to the base station, and 
 configure, in the case that there is not a user device associated with the different carrier that may be handed off to the base station, the unutilized one of the radio devices to operate for connecting with user devices associated with the associated carrier and establish a connection between the new user device and the reconfigured unutilized one of the radio devices. 
   
     
     
         2 . The wireless base station of  claim 1 , wherein configuring the unutilized one of the radio devices to operate for connecting with user devices associated with the associated carrier includes configuring a frequency used by the unutilized one of the radio devices. 
     
     
         3 . The wireless base station of  claim 1 , wherein configuring the unutilized one of the radio devices to operate for connecting with user devices associated with the associated carrier includes configuring a protocol used by the unutilized one of the radio devices. 
     
     
         4 . The wireless base station of  claim 1 , wherein the radio allocation module further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the base station to:
 determine whether the associated carrier has contracted for coverage from the base station;   determine, in the case that the associated carrier has contracted for coverage from the base station, whether there is an available contracted one of the radio devices; and   establish, in the case that there is an available contracted one of the radio devices, a connection between the new user device and the available contracted radio device.   
     
     
         5 . The wireless base station of  claim 4 , wherein the radio allocation module further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the base station to:
 determine, in the case that there is not an available contracted one of the radio devices, whether the associated carrier has contracted for overdraft coverage from the base station;   determine, in the case that the associated carrier has contracted for overdraft coverage from the base station, whether there is an available uncontracted one of the radio devices; and   configure, in the case that there is an available uncontracted one of the radio devices, the available uncontracted one of the radio devices for connecting with user devices associated with the associated carrier and establish a connection between the new user device and the reconfigured available uncontracted one of the radio devices.   
     
     
         6 . A method for use in allocation of bandwidth at a base station, the base station comprising a processor and a plurality of radio devices, the method comprising, by the processor:
 detecting a connection request from a new user device;   identifying a carrier associated with the new user device;   determining whether one of the plurality of radio devices is available for communication with the new user device;   determining, in the case that one of the plurality of radio devices is not available for communication with the new user device, whether there is an unutilized one of the plurality of radio devices contracted by a carrier different than the associated carrier;   determining, in the case that there is an unutilized one of the radio devices contracted by the different carrier, whether there is a user device associated with the different carrier that may be handed off to the base station; and   configuring, in the case that there is not a user device associated with the different carrier that may be handed off to the base station, the unutilized one of the radio devices to operate using a frequency and protocol suitable for connecting with user devices associated with the associated carrier and establish a connection between the new user device and the reconfigured unutilized one of the radio devices.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein configuring the unutilized one of the radio devices to operate for connecting with user devices associated with the associated carrier includes configuring a frequency used by the radio unutilized one of the radio devices. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein configuring the unutilized one of the radio devices to operate for connecting with user devices associated with the associated carrier includes configuring a protocol used by the radio unutilized one of the radio devices. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 determining whether the associated carrier has contracted for coverage from the base station;   determining, in the case that the associated carrier has contracted for coverage from the base station, whether there is an available contracted one of the radio devices; and   establishing, in the case that there is an available contracted one of the radio devices, a connection between the new user device and the available contracted radio device.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 determining, in the case that there is not an available contracted one of the radio devices, whether the associated carrier has contracted for overdraft coverage from the base station;   determining, in the case that the associated carrier has contracted for overdraft coverage from the base station, whether there is an available uncontracted one of the radio devices; and   configuring, in the case that there is an available uncontracted one of the radio devices, the available uncontracted one of the radio devices for connecting with user devices associated with the associated carrier and establishing a connection between the new user device and the reconfigured available uncontracted one of the radio devices.   
     
     
         11 . A configurable base station, comprising:
 radio devices arranged to establish wireless connections with user devices, each of the radio devices configurable to establish wireless connections with user devices associated with one of a plurality of carriers;   a network interface that sends data to a network and receives data from the network; and   a processor arranged to configure the radio devices, the configuration of the radio devices based on contractual arrangements of carriers associated with user devices connected to the base station and contractual arrangements of carriers associated with user devices requesting to connect to the base station.   
     
     
         12 . The configurable base station of  claim 11 , wherein the radio devices include a software-defined radio device. 
     
     
         13 . The configurable base station of  claim 11 , wherein configuration of the radio devices includes configuring a frequency suitable for connecting with user devices associated with one the plurality of carriers. 
     
     
         14 . The configurable base station of  claim 11 , wherein configuration of the radio devices includes configuring a protocol suitable for connecting with user devices associated with one the plurality of carriers. 
     
     
         15 . The configurable base station of  claim 11 , wherein the configuration of the radio devices is further based on usage of the base station. 
     
     
         16 . The configurable base station of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further arranged to:
 monitor usage by user devices associated with a first carrier of the plurality of carriers and usage by user devices associated with a second carrier of the plurality of carriers; and   reconfigure one of the radio devices allocated to user devices associated with the first carrier to satisfy peak needs for user devices associated with the second carrier.   
     
     
         17 . The configurable base station of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further arranged to:
 monitor usage by user devices associated with a first carrier of the plurality of carriers and usage by user devices associated with a second carrier of the plurality of carriers; and   reconfigure, in the case that user devices associated with the first carrier are not within the coverage area of the base station, one of the radio devices allocated to user devices associated with the first carrier to satisfy peak needs for user devices associated with the second carrier.   
     
     
         18 . The configurable base station of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further arranged to:
 determine whether a handoff of one or more user devices to the base station is imminent, the one or more user devices to be handed off being associated with a first carrier; and   reserve, in the case that a handoff is imminent, at least one of the radio devices for use by the one or more user devices to be handed off.   
     
     
         19 . The configurable base station of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further arranged to:
 monitor usage by user devices associated with a first carrier of the plurality of carriers and usage by user devices associated with a second carrier of the plurality of carriers;   determine whether a handoff of one or more user devices to the base station is imminent, the one or more user devices to be handed off being associated with the first carrier; and   reconfigure, in the case that a handoff is not imminent, one of the radio devices allocated to user devices associated with the first carrier to satisfy peak needs for user devices associated with the second carrier.   
     
     
         20 . The configurable base station of  claim 11 , further comprising a sniffer module configured to detect radio frequency signals, and wherein the processor is further configured to cause the sniffer module to sweep a range of frequencies and to identify frequencies on which other base stations or the user devices are transmitting. 
     
     
         21 . The wireless base station of  claim 20 , further comprising
 an antenna; and   a radio-frequency front end module comprising circuitry for coupling the antenna to one or more of the radio devices and to the sniffer module.   
     
     
         22 . The wireless base station of  claim 20 , wherein the processor is further configured to use information collected about detected radio frequency signal from the sniffer module for load balancing.