Charter Communications Operating, LLC

Perwaiz Akhtar

Saran Khalid

Haider H Syed

Volkan Sevindik

Manoj Kumar Das

MohammedYusuf Shaikh

Ahmed Bencheikh

Vijay Kumar Mechineni

Mohammedyusuf M Shaikh

Muhammad Gill

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for achieving frequency, phase and time of day synchronization in wireless systems. An exemplary method of operating a first wireless base station in a first network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of: (i) receiving, at the first wireless base station, a first message; (ii) in response to receiving the first message entering, by the first wireless base station, into a first mode of operation; and (iii) while operating in the first mode of operation, obtaining, by the first wireless base station, synchronization information from a first user equipment device using over the air device to device communications, the synchronization information including time synchronization information.

Methods and apparatus for frequency, phase and time of day synchronization in wireless systems

Methods and apparatus for managing spectrum in a CBRS network to provide services to user equipment devices located at a customer's premises. In various embodiments, the customer premises has no landline connection. An exemplary method embodiment includes the steps of: receiving, by the CBRS CPE base station, over the air from each of a plurality of Citizens Broadband Radio Service Fixed Wireless Access (CBRS FWA) tower base stations a reference signal; selecting, based on the strength of each of the received reference signals, a primary CBRS FWA tower base station from the plurality of CBRS FWA tower base stations; establishing, by the CBRS CPE base station, a wireless communications link connection with the CBRS FWA tower base station selected as the primary CBRS FWA tower base station; reserving, by the CBRS CPE base station, an amount of spectrum for communicating with one or more auxiliary CBRS FWA tower base stations.

Methods and apparatus for reserving and/or utilizing resources in a wireless network

Configuration information that identifies a plurality of components that define a network is received. Based on the configuration information, a plurality of virtual network function (VNF) instances are caused to be generated on a plurality of general-purpose computing devices to implement the network on the plurality of general-purpose computing devices, each VNF instance corresponding to one of the plurality of components. Based on the configuration information, at least some of the VNF instances of the plurality of VNF instances are configured. Testing data and testing criteria are obtained. The testing data is submitted to the network, and network test results based on the testing data and the testing criteria are output.

Automated network generation, validation and implementation in a production environment

Methods and apparatus for optimizing antenna beam and performance within a wireless system. In one embodiment, the methods and apparatus utilize so-called 'quasi-licensed' CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) wireless spectrum in conjunction with a controller that dynamically adjusts antenna direction, orientation and receive/transmit beam for receiving/transmitting the information at an installed fixed wireless apparatus (FWA) at user or subscriber premises. In one variant, the FWA includes controller logic that tracks Radio Frequency (RF) propagation parameters and optimizes antenna azimuth and tilt to maximize the antenna gain towards a serving base station. As such, service calls by operator personnel to optimize antenna performance are not required, thereby reducing network operating expenses. Moreover, increased customer density at a prescribed service level is achieved through more precise coordination and mitigation of interference between nearby FWA devices and their serving base stations.

Methods and apparatus for antenna optimization in a quasi-licensed wireless system

Methods and apparatus related to radio configuration of a wireless device, such as for use in a quasi-licensed wireless system. In one embodiment, a computerized apparatus is provided, which comprises at least one computer program configured to: (i) detect at least one connectable wireless network; (ii) obtain data relating to one or more associated network conditions; and (iii) change radio configuration of the wireless device based on the obtained data e.g., to enable the wireless device to connect to an optimal base station. In one variant, the data relating to the one or more network conditions is obtained via one or more configurable logic blocks (CLBs) of the wireless device. In one implementation, a CLB can be configured to e.g., generate network data traffic to detect the network conditions. Furthermore, the CLBs can be configured to activate or de-activate individual ones of an array of radios with sectorized antenna of the wireless device.

Methods and apparatus for radio configuration in a wireless system

According to one configuration, a communication management resource in a wireless network environment records a location of a wireless base station. The communication management resource then defines a region of wireless coverage provided by the wireless base station based on feedback received from the wireless base station. For example, in one arrangement, the user equipment provides performance metrics to the wireless base station. The wireless base station uses the performance metrics to determine boundaries associated with a region of wireless coverage provided by the wireless base station. The wireless base station communicates the boundary information to the communication management resource. Subsequent to identifying the location of the wireless base station and defining the determined region of wireless coverage associated with the wireless base station, the communication management resource then controls allocation of wireless bandwidth in a vicinity of the region of wireless coverage to protect the wireless base station from interference.

Priority access license holder protection

A network-management system capable of reducing negative impacts of natural disasters on network services. In an example embodiment, in response to an indication of potential failure of one or more network resources in a meteorological event, the network controller operates to orchestrate re-hosting of affected VNFs and perform SDN-based reconfiguration of switches to adapt the traffic flows to the re-hosted VNFs. The indication of potential failure can be provided, e.g., by a specialized application capable of estimating the probabilities of failure for individual network resources based on a plurality of inputs, such as digital weather forecasts for the corresponding geographical area, geographical locations of individual network resources, tolerances of different network resources to specific environmental conditions, previous history of network damage in the same geographical area, alerts from power suppliers, etc. Upon reconfiguration, the network may beneficially have a lower likelihood of service disruptions and/or outages during the meteorological event.

Network adaptation based on assessment of meteorological impact

A wireless network environment includes multiple wireless stations (such as fixed wireless access points or customer premises equipment), a wireless network of one or more wireless base stations, and a communication management resource. A first wireless station establishes a first wireless link with the wireless network. A second wireless station establishes a second wireless link with the wireless network. Additionally, the first wireless station establishes second wireless connectivity providing a direct connection (wireless communication link) between the first wireless station and the second wireless station. Via the second wireless connectivity, the first wireless station receives data from the second wireless station. The first wireless station communicates the received data over the first wireless connectivity from the first wireless station to a communication management resource. The received data includes any suitable data such as performance metrics associated with the second wireless station and/or the second wireless link.

Efficient collection and communication of wireless data

Apparatus and methods for providing multi-tier quasi-licensed spectrum service via a common wireless access node. In one embodiment, the quasi-licensed system utilizes 3.55-3.70 GHz CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) GAA and PAL spectrum selectively applied to first and second transceiver chains (including one or more antenna elements each) of the wireless access node. In one variant, GAA spectrum is used for unlicensed and unrestricted user access within an indoor portion of a premises, while PAL is used for licensed and restricted use in an outdoor area of/external to the premises.

Apparatus and methods for heterogeneous coverage and use cases in a quasi-licensed wireless system

A wireless network environment includes communication management hardware, a wireless base station, a core network, and multiple remote networks. The communication management hardware monitors traffic associated with first radio access technology and second radio access technology supported by the wireless base station. The monitored traffic is conveyed through a core network such as from the wireless base station to the remote networks or from the remote networks to the wireless base station. The controller produces control information to convey the traffic through the core network between the wireless base station and multiple remote networks. Based on the control information, the communication management hardware controls conveyance of the monitored traffic through the core network depending on whether the traffic is associated with first radio access technology or second radio access technology.

Content distribution in a multi-network environment

Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for location based broadcast channel selection and update for mobile devices. The location based broadcast channel selection and update method includes determining a location of a mobile device. The location is checked against a current location area. A query is sent to a license server with the location if the location is beyond the current location area. A list of television broadcast channels associated with the location is sent by the license server and the received list of television broadcast channels are mapped against the current list of television broadcast channels. The mobile device is reconfigured with the mapped list of television broadcast channels.

Growing community of inventors

Aurora, CO, United States of America

Perwaiz Akhtar