Uplink interference management in shared spectrum networks

Abstract

A network control system configured to manage radio communication devices for a Spectrum Access System (SAS) shared spectrum wireless network is disclosed. The network control system may include a receiver to receive an estimate of a proximity to a Priority Access License (PAL) radio communication device for a plurality of user terminals. The estimate may be based on measurements of signals transmitted by the PAL radio communication device. The network control system may also include a processor configured to cause a user terminal to be configured to perform measurements based on the estimate of the proximity to the PAL radio communication device. The performed measurements may include an interference measurement indicative of interference to the PAL radio communication device from a General Authorized Access (GAA) radio communication device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A network control system configured to manage radio communications devices for a Spectrum Access System (SAS) shared spectrum wireless network, the network control system comprising:
 a receiver to receive measurements of one or more signals from a plurality of user terminals, the one or more signals transmitted by a Priority Access License (PAL) radio communication device, and determine an estimate of a proximity to the PAL radio communication device for the plurality of user terminals, wherein the estimate is based on the measurements of the one or more signals transmitted by the PAL radio communication device; and   a processor, operably coupled to the receiver, configured to cause a user terminal to be configured to perform interference measurements based on the estimate of the proximity to the PAL radio communication device, the performed interference measurements including an interference measurement indicative of interference to the PAL radio communication device from a General Authorized Access (GAA) radio communication device, wherein the processor is configured to sort the plurality of user terminals based on their respective measurements of the one or more signals transmitted by the PAL radio communication device and select the user terminal to perform interference measurements based on the sorting.   
     
     
         2 . The network control system of  claim 1 , wherein the sorting of the plurality of user terminals comprises ranking each of the plurality of user terminals according to their respective measurements of the one or more signals. 
     
     
         3 . The network control system of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to select the user terminal from the plurality of user terminals based on the ranking of the plurality of user terminals. 
     
     
         4 . The network control system of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to select a plurality of measurement user terminals, including the user terminal, based on the estimate of the proximity by selecting a first subset of the plurality of user terminals that are ranked higher based on their respective measurement of the one or more signals transmitted by the PAL radio communication device as the plurality of measurement user terminals. 
     
     
         5 . The network control system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to compare a signal power measurement reported for a first user terminal of the plurality of user terminals to a signal power measurement reported for one or more other user terminals of the plurality of user terminals, and select the user terminal from the plurality of user terminals based on the comparison. 
     
     
         6 . The network control system of  claim 1 , wherein the estimate of the proximity is based on an Observed Time Difference of Arrival positioning based on signals transmitted from the PAL radio communication device. 
     
     
         7 . The network control system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether to perform uplink power control based on the interference measurements. 
     
     
         8 . The network control system of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to determine whether to perform uplink power control based on the interference measurements by:
 determining to perform uplink power control if the interference measurements indicate excessive interference to the PAL radio communication device.   
     
     
         9 . The network control system of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to determine whether to perform uplink power control based on the interference measurements by:
 comparing the interference measurements to a predetermined interference threshold; and   determining to perform uplink power control if the interference measurements satisfy the predetermined interference threshold.   
     
     
         10 . The network control system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to adjust a transmit power allocation of one or more user terminals of the plurality of user terminals based on the estimated proximity to the PAL radio communication device for the one or more user terminals by:
 selecting one or more user terminals of the plurality of user terminals that have close estimated proximities to the PAL radio communication device as the one or more selected user terminals; and   reducing the transmit power allocation of the one or more selected user terminals.