Sprint Communications Comapny L.p.

T-Mobile Innovations LLC

Matthew J Starzec

Zheng Fang

Sreekar Marupaduga

Kelley W Ireland

A system for sensing an environmental parameter at a cell site of a cellular communication network and transporting corresponding data over an operations and maintenance ('O&M') channel of the cellular communication network comprises a remote radio head and a sensor operably coupled to the remote radio head to receive electrical power from the remote radio head and transmit sensor data corresponding to the environmental parameter to the remote radio head. The sensor is operable to use at least some of the electrical power to generate the sensor data and is operable to use at least some of the electrical power to transmit the sensor data to the remote radio head. The remote radio head is operable to provide the electrical power to the sensor, is operable to receive the sensor data, and is operable to transmit operations and maintenance data and the sensor data over the O&M channel.

Method of sensing-data collection and transport at remote radio head

To wirelessly communicate through a physical barrier, a network communication device determines uplink beamforming information and uplink power information. The network communication device wirelessly transfers the uplink beamforming information and the uplink power information to a serving communication device. The serving communication device wirelessly receives the uplink beamforming information and the uplink power information. The serving communication device receives an uplink signal from a user communication device. The serving communication device beamforms the uplink signal based on the uplink beamforming information. The serving communication device amplifies the uplink signal based on the uplink power information. The serving communication device wirelessly transfers the beamformed and amplified uplink signal to the network communication device. The network communication device wirelessly receives the beamformed and amplified uplink signal from the serving communication device. The network communication device wirelessly transfers the uplink signal to a wireless access node.

Wireless communication through a physical barrier using beamforming power control

Methods and systems provide data transmission through unused transmission channels. In one embodiment, the method includes identifying one or more available audio channels in the communication stream available to transmit non-audio data, wherein the communication stream includes a plurality of audio channels and transmitting the non-audio data through the identified one or more available audio channels. Identifying the available audio channels includes determining each audio channels from the plurality of audio channels that is unused in the communication stream. Identifying the available audio channels may also or alternatively include identifying one or more channels from the plurality of audio channels in the communication stream as potential channels available to transmit the non-audio data and reserving the potential channels for transmitting the non-audio data.

System and method for transmitting non-audio data through existing communication protocols

A wireless communication system wirelessly communicates through a physical barrier using beamforming. A serving transceiver determines and transfers downlink beamforming and power information to a network transceiver. The serving transceiver may determine the downlink power information based on the beamforming information to increase downlink power based on a beamforming aperture. The network transceiver wirelessly receives the downlink beamforming and power information from the serving transceiver. The network transceiver wirelessly receives a downlink signal from a wireless access node. The network transceiver beamforms and amplifies the downlink signal based on the downlink beamforming and power information. The network transceiver wirelessly transfers the beamformed and amplified downlink signal to the serving transceiver. The serving transceiver wirelessly receives the beamformed and amplified downlink signal from the network transceiver. The network transceiver transfers the downlink signal to a user communication device.

A method for providing data to a user comprising communicating, from a radio access network to a Minimization of Drive Tests ('MDT')-channel-communicative sensor device, at least one MDT signal selected from the group consisting of an MDT configuration signal and an MDT control signal. The method also comprises generating, at least in part in response to the MDT signal and using an onboard sensor of the MDT-channel-communicative sensor device, sensor data comprising non-MDT data. The method also comprises receiving at least a portion of the sensor data into the radio access network over an MDT channel and communicating at least the portion of the sensor data from the radio access network to the user.

Method and system for sensing-data collection and transport from Minimization-of-Drive Tests device

In a wireless communication system that traverses a physical barrier, a serving transceiver determines a downlink beamforming matrix. The serving transceiver determines a downlink power based on the downlink beamforming matrix. A network transceiver beamforms and amplifies a downlink signal based on the downlink beamforming matrix and downlink power. The network transceiver wirelessly transfers the downlink signal through the physical barrier to the serving transceiver. Contemporaneously, the network transceiver determines an uplink beamforming matrix. The network transceiver determines an uplink power based on the uplink beamforming matrix. The serving transceiver beamforms and amplifies an uplink signal based on the uplink beamforming matrix and uplink power. The serving transceiver wirelessly transfers the uplink signal through the physical barrier to the network transceiver.

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Leesburg, VA, United States of America

Matthew J Starzec