Spectrum sharing in a microwave radio link network

Abstract

A control unit for a microwave radio link, RL, transceiver, wherein the control unit is arranged to obtain information related to a current traffic capacity of the RL transceiver and a desired traffic capacity of the RL transceiver, and to characterize at least one interfering signal by determining for each of the at least one interfering signal a respective frequency distance from a frequency band edge of a communication frequency band of the RL transceiver to an interference frequency band of the interfering signal, wherein, when the current traffic capacity is less than the desired traffic capacity, the control unit is arranged to increase a bandwidth of the communication frequency band by adjusting the communication frequency band of the RL transceiver in dependence on the determined frequency distances, and wherein, when the current traffic capacity is greater than the desired traffic capacity, the control unit is arranged to decrease the bandwidth of the communication frequency band by adjusting the communication frequency band of the RL transceiver in dependence on the determined frequency distances.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to microwave radio link transceivers, and more particularly to microwave radio link networks. Network management tools for managing one or more microwave radio link networks, as well as network nodes, computer programs, and computer program products, are also disclosed. Background Technology

[0002] Microwave radio links are highly directional point-to-point radio links, used for example to backhaul services from cellular access radio base stations to the core network, or for fiber optic replacement in high-speed data service applications.

[0003] The capacity of such microwave radio links is particularly dependent on the signal-to-interference-to-noise ratio (SINR) experienced by the microwave radio link receiver. This SINR deteriorates if the microwave radio link receiver is subjected to radio interference from one or more adjacent radio transmitters. Therefore, minimizing interference to the radio link is desirable.

[0004] Typically, microwave radio links are carefully deployed relative to each other, ensuring minimal interference between transceivers located in the same local area. However, planning errors frequently occur, leading to interference between transceivers. Furthermore, with increasing receiver sensitivity and changes in the propagation environment over time, non-negligible interference can still arise despite careful frequency planning.

[0005] EP2883321A1 discusses the harmful effects of interference in microwave radio links and proposes some techniques to mitigate interference.

[0006] WO2015070896A1 relates to interference from transmitters in adjacent channels and methods for mitigating such interference.

[0007] However, further improvements are needed in interference mitigation techniques for microwave radio links.

[0008] Spectral efficiency is becoming increasingly important in microwave radio link networks. Higher spectral efficiency means more data can be transmitted over a limited frequency band. This is an advantage because spectrum is scarce and its licensing is typically very expensive.

[0009] The goal is to maximize the spectral efficiency in microwave radio link networks. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The object of this invention is to provide a technique for improving spectral efficiency in microwave radio link networks. This object is achieved by a control unit for a microwave radio link (RL) transceiver. The control unit is arranged to obtain information related to the current service capacity and the desired service capacity of the RL transceiver, and to characterize at least one interfering signal by determining a corresponding frequency distance from the edge of the communication band of the RL transceiver to the interfering band of the interfering signal for each of at least one interfering signal. When the current service capacity is less than the desired service capacity, the control unit can increase the bandwidth of the communication band by adjusting the communication band of the RL transceiver based on the determined frequency distance. Furthermore, when the current service capacity is greater than the desired service capacity, the control unit can decrease the bandwidth of the communication band by adjusting the communication band of the RL transceiver based on the determined frequency distance.

[0011] This allows for more efficient use of available communication resources within the network, resulting in increased spectral efficiency – a significant advantage. The proposed technique is particularly well-suited for autonomous implementation, where adjustments are performed automatically with minimal manual configuration. Therefore, the disclosed technique can be used to provide networks of radio link transceivers that dynamically adjust their respective communication bands based on desired service capacity to increase overall data throughput when needed.

[0012] Depending on the circumstances, the control unit is arranged to characterize at least one interfering signal by detecting the center frequency and frequency bandwidth associated with the interfering signal in the received signal of the RL transceiver and / or the adjacent frequency band edges associated with the interfering signal. Effective methods for this type of interference detection will be discussed below. These methods can be configured to rely on measurements taken by the individual radio link transceivers, thus eliminating the need for central coordination, which is an advantage.

[0013] Depending on the circumstances, the control unit is arranged to characterize at least one interfering signal by receiving data associated with the interfering signal from a remote RL transceiver connected via a radio link. Interfering data received from the remote end is generally more relevant than interfering data measured at the near-end transceiver. Therefore, more accurate interference characterization can be performed, which is an advantage.

[0014] Depending on the circumstances, the control unit is configured to characterize at least one interfering signal by receiving data from a remote server, the data being correlated with the bandwidth and center frequency of the interfering signal. This allows the interfering data to be shared efficiently between radio link transceivers, which is an advantage. It has been recognized that the bandwidth and center frequency of the interfering signal are sufficient for the efficient implementation of the technique proposed herein.

[0015] Depending on various factors, the control unit is configured to adjust the communication band of the RL transceiver by changing not only the bandwidth of the communication band but also its center frequency. By adjusting the operating center frequency, further improvements in spectral efficiency can be achieved at the network level. This is because, in addition to dynamically adjusting the bandwidth of the communication band, the radio link can also dynamically change the frequency depending on interference conditions.

[0016] Depending on the circumstances, the control unit is configured to increase the bandwidth of the communication band only when the frequency distance to adjacent interfering signals meets the distance acceptance criteria. This limits the potentially harmful effects of interference on the communication signal, which is an advantage. By increasing the bandwidth of the communication band only when there is sufficient frequency space, the operation of radio link transceivers in the radio link transceiver network is protected from the overly severe adverse effects of interference caused by dynamic adjustments to the communication band. A similar effect can be achieved if the control unit is configured to increase the bandwidth of the communication band only when the signal-to-interference-to-noise ratio (SINR) and / or mean square error (MSE) associated with the RL transceiver is higher than the corresponding distortion acceptance threshold.

[0017] Depending on the circumstances, the control unit is configured to determine the relative priority value of the RL transceiver relative to one or more other RL transceivers, and to increase the bandwidth of the communication band if the relative priority value is higher than a priority threshold. This feature allows for priority differences between different radio links, which allows operators greater freedom to configure the techniques disclosed herein to achieve one or more desired effects at the network level. Some radio links may be considered more important than others, and then it may be permissible to exclude other less important radio links. The relative priority value can be determined, for example, by querying a remote server and / or a local priority database.

[0018] Depending on various factors, the control unit is configured to periodically increase the bandwidth of the communication band by a predetermined probability, where the predetermined probability is configured based on the relative priority values ​​of the RL transceivers. This feature also allows for the differentiation between high-importance and less important radio links, which is an advantage because it allows operators to optimize network functionality.

[0019] Depending on various factors, the control unit is configured to adjust the modulation and / or coding configuration of the RL transceiver before increasing the bandwidth of the communication band. By adjusting the modulation and / or coding of the radio link signal, communication can be made more resilient to noise and distortion before adjusting the communication band. In this way, adjustments can be made more robust, and communication more reliable.

[0020] Depending on various aspects, the control unit is configured to reduce bandwidth when the frequency distance to an adjacent interfering signal is below a distance acceptance threshold. This feature is also used to reduce interference in radio link transceiver networks, as it can back off a radio link if the interfering radio link signal is determined to be nearing its end. The control unit can also be configured to reduce bandwidth when SINR and / or MSE and / or MCS are below the corresponding distortion acceptance threshold.

[0021] Depending on various factors, the control unit is configured to reduce the bandwidth to, but not below, a predetermined minimum bandwidth. This allows the radio link to maintain a minimum operating bandwidth, which may be necessary to maintain radio link operation. Furthermore, operators can use this feature to conveniently configure a minimum capacity that should always be available on a given radio link hop.

[0022] Depending on the circumstances, the control unit is positioned adjacent to the communication band to insert a guard carrier, which is configured to shield adjacent interfering signals. This feature allows for the convenient removal of other radio links without increasing the risk of interference in the primary communication band of the radio link.

[0023] Depending on the circumstances, the control unit includes a machine learning architecture configured to predict future business patterns of the RL transceiver. This machine learning architecture can be used to predict future business patterns efficiently. The machine learning architecture will be discussed in more detail below. Generally, machine learning architectures can be used to predict, for example, business patterns that are difficult to detect by other means.

[0024] Depending on various factors, the control unit is configured to increase the bandwidth of the communication band to, but not exceed, the block-licensed band. This means that operation can be conveniently restricted to, for example, a block license held by a given operator.

[0025] This document also discloses methods, control units, circuits, network nodes, and computer program products related to the above advantages. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] Figure 1 An example communication network is shown;

[0028] Figure 2 It is a graph showing the received radio signal level versus frequency;

[0029] Figure 3 A microwave radio link receiver is schematically shown;

[0030] Figures 4A to 4BAn example report of detected interference signals is shown;

[0031] Figure 5 The interference situation in the microwave radio link network is shown;

[0032] Figure 6 A radio link network for dynamic spectrum sharing is illustrated schematically;

[0033] Figures 7A to 7B This illustrates a first example of dynamic spectrum sharing operation;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the example method;

[0035] Figures 9A to 9B A second example of dynamic spectrum sharing operation is shown;

[0036] Figures 10A to 10B A third example of dynamic spectrum sharing operation is shown;

[0037] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating the example method;

[0038] Figures 12 to 13 An example network node is illustrated schematically;

[0039] Figure 14 The processing circuitry is schematically shown; and

[0040] Figure 15 The computer program product is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0041] Various aspects of the invention will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the different devices, systems, computer programs, and methods disclosed herein can be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the aspects set forth herein. The same numerals in the drawings consistently refer to the same elements.

[0042] The terminology used herein is for describing aspects of the invention only and is not intended to limit the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0043] Figure 1An example communication system 100 is illustrated, comprising one or more radio base stations 130 configured to serve multiple wireless devices 150 included in a cellular coverage area 140. The communication system 100 may be a fourth-generation (4G), fifth-generation (5G), or even sixth-generation (6G) network as defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), or some other type of communication network. It should be understood that the techniques disclosed herein are not limited to any particular type of communication system, but can be applied to most wireless systems including microwave radio links.

[0044] A microwave radio link 111 between a pair of microwave radio link transceivers 110 and 115 is used for backhaul data services between wireless equipment 150 and core network 120. As described above, the microwave radio link transceiver is a radio transceiver operating at a high carrier frequency, such as above 6 GHz or higher, and is configured with a highly directional antenna to provide a stable, high-throughput data connection between two fixed points. For these reasons, microwave radio links are often referred to as point-to-point microwave radio links. It should be understood that backhaul links typically have more stringent requirements in terms of error rate, packet loss, etc., compared to radio links between radio base stations and user equipment in the access network.

[0045] The throughput and robustness of microwave radio link 111 are determined at least in part by the signal-to-interference-to-noise ratio (SINR) experienced at receiver 110. This SINR deteriorates if the receiver is subjected to radio interference 165 from an external source 160, such as another radio link transceiver in the radio link transceiver network.

[0046] Typically, the deployment of fixed point-to-point radio links is planned such that adjacent, and therefore potentially interfering, radio links are assigned to different communication bands for operation. These communication bands typically include transmit and receive bands, which may be separated by a known duplex distance. Due to inaccuracies in propagation models and other uncertainties, large margins are often used to ensure error-free radio link operation. From a spectral efficiency perspective, these large margins are inefficient. The spectrum sharing techniques described below provide a mechanism that can reduce these large margins, thereby improving the spectral efficiency of the communication system.

[0047] Communication band allocation in radio link transceiver networks is typically fixed, meaning it includes a fixed operating center frequency and a fixed communication bandwidth. From a spectral efficiency perspective, this fixed frequency planning in radio link networks is also inefficient because spectrum usage is not suited to current traffic conditions. For example, suppose a first radio link serves one or more access points near an office building, where many users generate data traffic during office hours, while a second radio link serves a residential area with few users during office hours. Then, during office hours, when the second radio link may be less used, the traffic load on the first radio link may be much higher, possibly even saturated (close to peak capacity). Then, the traffic load changes after office hours, at which point the second link may be carrying more traffic than the first link. The spectrum sharing techniques described below also provide a mechanism in which two or more radio links can adjust their communication bands based on the current traffic load on the link, thereby improving the spectral efficiency of the communication system.

[0048] Figure 2 Example Figure 200 shows a received example radio signal, such as that generated by... Figure 1 The microwave radio link 111 shown receives a signal, where the received signal power in dBc is plotted relative to the frequency in Hz. The received signal shown is associated with an intermediate frequency (IF) bandwidth 210. This IF bandwidth can be determined by the capability of the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and / or the analog filter bandwidth configured in the front-end section of the microwave radio link receiver. The received radio signal includes an information signal 201. This component of the received radio signal is the part carrying useful information about the radio link, such as information transmitted through the IF. Figure 1 The actual backhaul data of microwave radio link 111 is shown. Microwave radio links are typically designed to transmit single-carrier quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) information signals, but other options are also available. Such other options include, for example, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) information signals, and code division multiple access (CDMA) type signals. The information signals are included in communication band 220. As mentioned above, most radio links generate traffic in one band in one direction and traffic in another band in the other direction. However, to avoid complicating the invention, this document assumes that the radio link operates in a single communication band.

[0049] Several other interference signals, 202, 203, and 204, also exist. Some of these interference signals are undesirable because they potentially reduce the SINR seen at the receiver of information signal 201 without carrying any traffic in the network. Some of the other interference signals are caused by other data transmissions in the network and are therefore not undesirable from the network's perspective.

[0050] Some of the interfering signals 202 and 204 are out-of-band interference signals, meaning they include signal energy primarily located outside the communication frequency band 220. However, there is also in-band interference 203 that directly causes a decrease in SINR. Typically, the interfering signal is associated with the signal power level 230, the frequency bandwidth 240, and the carrier frequency 250, which can also be referred to as the center frequency. These measures are well-known and will not be discussed in detail here.

[0051] Now assume that a radio link receiver is capable of detecting and characterizing interference signals in some frequency bands beyond the communication frequency band 220. The radio link receiver may, for example, be able to determine the interference-free distance from the communication frequency band 220 to one or more edges of the interfering signal frequency bands. An example is as follows... Figure 2 The distance shown is the frequency distance 208. This information can then be used to autonomously adjust the communication frequency band to utilize available frequency resources. Figure 2 In the example, communication band 220 can be extended to lower frequencies, perhaps up to interfering signal 204, or even further if the modulation and coding scheme is suited to account for interfering signal 204, without interfering with transceivers communicating at center frequency 250. Therefore, if a given radio link wishes to increase its service capacity, it can autonomously extend its communication band to cover unused spectrum based on the characteristics of different interfering signals near its communication band 220.

[0052] Simultaneously, given the current communication frequency band, radio links currently operating far from their peak capacity can be deferred, i.e., their communication frequency band bandwidth can be reduced to make room for other radio links. Figure 2 In the example, this might mean that the rightmost edge of communication band 220 is moved to the left to make room for the expansion of transceivers communicating at the center frequency 250. This operation can also be performed autonomously.

[0053] Now, if the entire network of radio links is deployed in a certain area, perhaps in a block-licensed operating band, and this type of functionality is enabled, then the radio links will be able to autonomously increase and decrease communication bands, and optionally also move the center depending on the difference between the current service capacity and the expected service capacity.

[0054] Also refer to Figure 14This will be discussed in more detail below. The proposed technique can be implemented by a control unit 1400 of microwave radio link (RL) transceivers 110, 115, and 160. The control unit 1400 is arranged to acquire information related to the current service capacity and the expected service capacity of the RL transceiver. For example, the service capacity can be measured based on the information bit rate (bits per second (bps)) as a function of time. The service capacity can also be expressed in terms of packet rate.

[0055] Typically, current traffic capacity can be determined based on the current modulation and coding scheme (MCS) (i.e., how many useful information bits each modulation symbol can transmit) and the current symbol rate (primarily a function of the operating communication band). It should be understood that the current traffic capacity on the forward and reverse links of a microwave radio link hop may differ, possibly because one end of the hop may experience different interference compared to the other, thus using different modulation and / or channel codes.

[0056] Expected traffic capacity is a measure of the traffic load that a link is expected to carry. For example, expected traffic capacity can be determined based on the buffer fill level of a microwave radio link or a measure of the latency of the traffic buffers on the link. The packet drop rate of the radio link's traffic processing function can also be used as a measure of expected traffic capacity, as a significant packet drop rate can indicate a saturated radio link. Expected traffic capacity can also be a predicted future throughput demand. For example, a radio link control unit can record traffic flow on the radio link as a function of, for example, date and time, and predict the expected future traffic rate based on this data. Machine learning structures such as neural networks can be configured to predict this expected future traffic capacity. For example, historical data on the link's traffic load can be used to train neural networks or other machine learning structures.

[0057] In summary, the expected traffic capacity of an RL transceiver is a function of the current traffic load and / or average buffer fill level of the RL transceiver, depending on several factors.

[0058] Depending on several other factors, the expected service capacity of the RL transceiver includes a forecast of future service patterns for the RL transceiver. The control unit 1400 optionally includes a machine learning architecture configured to predict these future service patterns.

[0059] As mentioned above, radio links typically use one frequency band in each direction within a hop. Note that the technique proposed in this paper can be used with symmetrical links, where the frequency bands in the forward and reverse directions of a radio link hop have equal widths. However, additional advantages can be gained if the radio link is allowed to operate asymmetrically, using more frequency resources in one direction than the other. This increases the possibility of adjusting unbalanced traffic flows in the forward and reverse directions of the link.

[0060] The control unit 1400 is arranged to characterize at least one interfering signal 202 by determining a corresponding frequency distance 208 from the band edges 206, 207 of the communication band 220 of the RL transceiver to the interfering band of the interfering signal 202 for each of the at least one interfering signal 202. The band edges are herein considered to be the start 206 and end 207 of the communication band 220. The start and end positions in the frequency range can be defined, for example, as frequencies where the communication band power equals the noise floor power 260, but other definitions are of course possible.

[0061] Figure 3 An example microwave radio link receiver 300 is shown in accordance with some of the teachings herein, which includes functions for characterizing one or more interfering signals. This receiver 300 can, for example, form such... Figure 1 This is a portion of the microwave radio link transceiver 110 shown. The receiver 300 includes an analog front-end with an amplifier 301 and a mixer 302. The analog front-end receives two signals: an information signal f. RX Such as the combination above Figure 2 The information signal 201 under discussion; and the unwanted interference signal f I Such as, for example, any of the interference signals 202, 203, and / or 204. The analog front end is associated with an analog IF bandwidth that is wider than the information signal bandwidth. An ADC is used to convert the received radio signal into the digital domain, and then this digital signal is arranged to be processed by a digital signal processing unit (DSP) before being fed to a limiter. The limiter module 313 is arranged to detect the information signal Sdet, i.e., the one combined with the above. Figure 2 The data-bearing signal 201 is illustrated and discussed. The limiter performs data detection, i.e., recovers the data carried by the information signal. In the case of a QAM modulated signal, the limiter essentially performs a series of threshold comparisons to detect the QAM modulated information symbol sequence. OFDM modulated signals require a set of thresholding devices arranged in a known manner to detect information symbols on multiple subcarriers. Other modulation formats may require other types of limiter modules. The principles and mechanisms by which the limiter module performs data detection are well-known and will not be discussed in detail here.

[0062] The ADC, DSP, and limiter form part of a digital demodulator 310. This demodulator includes input ports 311 and 312, which are arranged to receive radio signals Din and Sin. Note that "radio signal" is interpreted broadly in this context. It can be interpreted as an analog input sample from the ADC, a digital output sample Din from the ADC, and / or an intermediate output Sin from the DSP, such as a downsampled and filtered version of the output sample from the ADC. All these radio signals are typically functions of time t, but can also include frequency-independent functions, as in OFDM modulation systems involving multiple subcarriers. According to some other aspects, the received radio signal Din is associated with an IF bandwidth 210 exceeding the communication band 220 of the information signal Sdet. According to some other aspects, the received radio signal Sin includes a digital signal associated with a bandwidth smaller than the IF bandwidth 210 of the analog radio front end. The signal Sin may be sampled at twice the information symbol rate, or at the information symbol rate of the information signal, or at other rates that are not necessarily even multiples of the symbol rate.

[0063] Interference detection module 314 is configured to determine the differential signal as the difference between the received radio signal Din,Sin and the detected information signal Sdet. This operation is essentially equivalent to removing the information signal from the received signal, leaving essentially one or more interference signals and receiver noise as residue. The differential operation can be implemented as a complex amplitude differential operation or as a frequency differential operation, i.e., filtering to remove the information signal's frequency band from the received radio signal IF bandwidth 210. It should be understood that the differential operation may include reconstruction of the information signal, such as through pulse shaping. It should also be understood that the differential operation may include phase and / or delay adjustment to address the phase difference and / or delay difference between the received radio signal and the information signal, respectively. Conceptually, the interference detection module receives signals similar to... Figure 2 The signals shown are the information signal 201 and the signal in question. The differential operation between the two corresponds to removing the information signal 201 from the signal content, leaving only the interference signals 202, 203, and 204.

[0064] Interference detection module 314 is configured to detect one or more interference signals 202, 203, 204 by identifying the signal content included in the differential signal. (See again...) Figure 2 Suppose, for example, a threshold level set depending on the noise floor power 260 has been determined to be consistent with the receiver's noise floor. Any signal with power exceeding this threshold level is defined as an interference signal. Of course, other threshold levels can be selected. For example, a threshold level 261 determined by adding a configurable margin value M to the noise floor level can also be used.

[0065] The interference detection module 314 is also arranged to associate at least one of the detected interference signals 202, 203, 204 with one or more corresponding identification features. Some example identification features will be discussed below. Typically, the identification feature of the detected interference signal is some form of characterization feature that can be used to distinguish the interference signal from other interference signals. The demodulator 310 includes an output port 315, which is arranged to output data 400, 450 indicating one or more identification features. This output port can be the same output port used to output the detection data carried by the information signal, or it can be a separate output port.

[0066] Therefore, demodulator 310 is arranged to receive radio signals including information signals, and the information carried by the information signals is detected by limiter 313. Furthermore, the demodulator also outputs data indicating some form of interference present in the received radio signals, where the interference can be in-band or out-of-band, or both. The data indicating interference can take many different forms and is interpreted broadly in this context. For example, the data could simply include a flag indicating the interference components detected in the received radio signals. Figure 4A and Figure 4B A more advanced example of interference data that can be output from demodulator 310 is shown. See also... Figure 4A and Figure 4B The identification features of interest that can be output from demodulator 310 may include any of the following: the signal power level 230, 430 of the detected interference signal, the frequency bandwidth 240, 420 of the detected interference signal, the carrier frequency or center frequency 250, 410 of the detected interference signal, and / or the polarization distribution of the detected interference signal, i.e., the average signal power ratio in the first polarization (such as horizontal polarization) compared with the polarization orthogonal to the first polarization.

[0067] The data 400, 450 indicating one or more identification features optionally includes a list 440 of a predetermined number of detected interference signals, such as... Figure 4A and Figure 4B As shown in the diagram, these detected interference signals can be classified or ranked according to severity criteria. These severity criteria could be, for example, the power level of the interference, and / or whether the interference is in-band. Separate reports can also be issued for in-band and out-of-band interference signals. Note that... Figure 4A and Figure 4B The interference signal characteristics shown are merely examples. The interference signal characteristics may also include only the distance to the nearest interference signal band edge on either side of the communication band 220, possibly supplemented by the power or severity of the detected interference signal.

[0068] Given information associated with interfering signals near communication band 220, control unit 1400 can dynamically adjust its communication operating band. Therefore, when the current service capacity of the RL is less than the desired service capacity, i.e., in the event of insufficient service capacity, control unit 1400 can operably adjust the communication band 220 of the RL transceiver to increase the bandwidth of communication band 220 based on the determined frequency distances to one or more interfering signals. Furthermore, when the current service capacity is greater than the desired service capacity, i.e., when there is excess service capacity, control unit 1400 is configured to reduce the bandwidth of communication band 220 by adjusting the communication band 220 of the RL transceiver based on the determined frequency distances, in order to make room for other radio links that may experience insufficient service capacity.

[0069] Note that the radio link control unit 1400 performs adjustments based on the determined frequency distance to one or more interfering signals. This means that, in situations where interference does not permit, the radio link controller may not actually continue to increase the communication bandwidth, as will be discussed in more detail below. It may also mean that the radio link controller may not continue to reduce the communication band if the interference situation indicates that such a reduction cannot be utilized by some other radio links in the radio link network. This will be discussed in conjunction with... Figure 8 The proposed method for operating a radio link transceiver is discussed in detail, with examples provided.

[0070] According to some aspects, the control unit 1400 is configured to increase the bandwidth of the communication band 220 to, but not exceed, the block-licensed band. In fact, it is advantageous for multiple radio links to operate within the block-licensed band (i.e., a continuous frequency range managed by a single radio link operator), because the radio links can be configured to operate autonomously or at least semi-automatically to increase and / or decrease the bandwidth of the communication band 220 within the operator-managed block license.

[0071] Furthermore, note that additional advantages can be obtained if the control unit 1400 is also configured to adjust the communication band 220 of the RL transceiver by changing not only the bandwidth of the communication band 220 but also its center frequency 205. In this way, the control unit 1400 can reposition the communication band, thereby achieving a potentially greater increase in bandwidth compared to a case where the center frequency remains fixed.

[0072] Figure 5Scenario 500 is illustrated, in which two radio link transceiver pairs 510, 510', 520, 520' are established to transmit data via their respective radio links 530, 540. These two radio links are spatially separated, but still interfere with each other due to sidelobe emissions 550, 560. In radio link transceiver networks, it is sometimes difficult to model these rather complex interference correlations between radio links, which is one reason why large safety margins are often used—a significant drawback in terms of network spectral efficiency. However, with the techniques disclosed herein, one or both radio links will dynamically adjust their respective communication bands to best utilize the available spectrum without interfering with the other radio link transceiver.

[0073] Figure 5 It is clearly shown that the interference situation at the far-end radio link transceiver is of paramount importance when determining the appropriate communication band for the near-end radio link transmitter. For example, radio link transceiver 520 is interfered with by radio link transceiver 510, and if it is desired to increase its service capacity by adjusting the communication band, the operating band of the transmitter at 520' should be adjusted, not the operating band of the transmitter at transceiver 520. The same applies to radio link 530. If the service capacity of radio link 530 is to be increased in the direction of transceiver 510, the interference situation at transceiver 510 will determine the adjustment to the transmitted signal of transceiver 510'. For these reasons, control unit 1400 can be arranged to characterize at least one interfering signal 202 by receiving data associated with the interfering signal from a far-end RL transceiver connected to the RL transceiver via the radio link. This function then becomes similar to an adaptive modulation feature (AdMod) or automatic transmit power control (ATPC) feature, where the operation of the transmitter is based on measurement data generated at the receiver of the transmitted signal.

[0074] Figure 6 A network of radio link transceivers 600 is shown, wherein each radio link includes a first radio link transceiver 610 and a second radio link transceiver 610' arranged for point-to-point communication. Point-to-point communication occurs in a corresponding communication frequency band, such as communication band 220 discussed above. It is now assumed that at least some transceivers in the radio link network periodically monitor for interference to characterize interference signals near their own communication frequency band, i.e., List 620, as described above. Figure 4A and Figure 4BDiscuss lists 400 and 450. Each pair of radio link transceivers can then determine whether there is room to extend the current communication band by determining the frequency distance to the nearest interfering source to the left and / or right of the communication band. If, for example, no interference is detected within the IF band, the radio link is free to extend its operation to consume more frequency resources. However, if there are interfering sources on one or both sides of the communication band, the radio link may only extend its operation to a margin at the edge of the band from the interfering signal. This extension of the communication band used by a radio link can be conditional on their need for more communication resources. For example, a radio link can assess its current traffic capacity and desired traffic capacity, and increase its bandwidth only if the current traffic capacity is less than the desired traffic capacity. In a similar manner, if the current traffic capacity exceeds the desired traffic capacity—that is, if the current traffic capacity of a radio link is not fully utilized—one or more radio links in the radio link network can choose to reduce the width of the communication band they are operating in.

[0075] Each pair of radio link transceivers can independently assess interference using techniques such as those discussed above, or it can obtain interference data from other entities (such as remote server 170). This remote server can collect interference data through the radio link network and maintain a database of interference signals. In fact, the remote server does not necessarily need to be combined with... Figure 3 As discussed, measurement data can be obtained from different radio link receivers, and it can also characterize the interfering signal in other ways, such as by deploying a passive listening device configured to detect interfering signals within a certain frequency range. The radio link transceiver can then obtain data related to the interference situation from the remote server 170 before adjusting the communication band. In other words, the control unit 1400 can be arranged to characterize at least one interfering signal 202 by receiving data from the remote server 170, which is associated with the bandwidth and center frequency of the interfering signal and / or the band edges of the interfering signal.

[0076] According to some aspects of the technology disclosed herein, the control unit is arranged to characterize at least one interference signal 202 by detecting a center frequency 250 and a frequency bandwidth 240 associated with an interference signal 202 in the received signal of an RL transceiver. This detection can be achieved through the combination of the above... Figure 3 The discussed techniques or other known techniques are used to achieve this. In this paper, the detection center frequency and bandwidth are broadly interpreted as referring to... Figure 4A and Figure 4B The examples actually list any of the center frequencies and bandwidths. However, the techniques disclosed herein can also be based on the detection of adjacent frequency band edges of the interfering signal.

[0077] For completeness, it should also be noted that the characteristics of the interfering signal (such as center frequency, bandwidth, and power) are identifying features that can be used to identify the source of the interference. For example, suppose... Figure 1 Radio link receiver 110 is subjected to strong in-band interference at a first center frequency. If the operator can determine this first center frequency, they can compare the center frequency of the interfering signal with that of adjacent transmitters, potentially identifying the culprit. Interference mitigation measures can then be taken to reduce interference in the microwave radio link network, for example, by altering the frequency planning within the network, and / or by adjusting the output power within the network or by adjusting the operating parameters of the interfering radio link receiver. Therefore, interference characterization data can be used for many purposes, not just for dynamically adjusting the communication bands of one or more radio links.

[0078] Similar to Figure 2 The received radio signal plotted in the diagram is associated with a noise floor power level 260, which includes, in particular, the thermal noise generated at the receiver. This type of noise floor can be used as a predetermined threshold level. For example, the noise floor level can be determined by averaging out transient effects and removing strong signal components from the determination result. Any signal content within the IF band with power exceeding the threshold level is likely an information signal or is caused by interfering transmitters. Therefore, interfering signals can be identified by comparing the signal content in the IF bandwidth with the threshold level. Of course, a margin M can be added to the noise floor level so that the threshold level 261 is a margin M higher than the receiver noise floor. This threshold level 261 in... Figure 2 The middle part is indicated by a double-dotted line.

[0079] As described above, indicating one or more identification features from Figure 3 The output data of demodulator 310 can be used to identify interfering transmitters so that interference mitigation measures can be taken or the interference can be reported to management authorities. Once the interfering radio transmitter is identified, adjustments can be made in the network to mitigate the effects of such interference. Communication systems (as described above) can be integrated in microwave radio link transceiver 110 and / or network nodes. Figure 1 This identification of interfering transmitters in the discussed communication system 100, where network nodes are deployed to perform network operation and maintenance OAM functions in a network of multiple microwave radio link transceivers 110, 115, 160. The network nodes then implement a tool for managing interference in a network comprising multiple microwave radio link transceivers.

[0080] By identifying and classifying interference sources according to, for example, frequency, power, and / or bandwidth, it becomes possible to initiate actions to mitigate interference. By distinguishing interference-induced failure modes from other failure modes that cause bit errors or capacity degradation, operators can take appropriate measures to resolve the problem. Without knowing the current source of interference, operators may be more likely to assume the problem is caused by a failure in the interfered radio link. Identifying interference sources by power level, frequency band, and bandwidth allows them to be classified as belonging to either the operator's own network or part of an external network. Furthermore, if the interference source is within a licensed frequency band but originates from an external source, a complaint report can be sent to the frequency management authority. These techniques can be advantageously combined with the types of dynamic adjustments to the communication operating frequency bands discussed above.

[0081] Figure 3 One possible use case for receiver 300 is when a new radio link transmitter is installed in the same network and interferes with the receiver of another radio link. This could also be caused by changes in the environment, such as new buildings, billboards, or changes in the configuration of existing transmitters. In all these cases, receiver 300 can identify the in-band interference source, and if the channel frequency and modulation bandwidth match some known transmitters in the network, this can be tested by performing a handshake coordinated by the central control unit. The handshake can be accomplished by changing the power or frequency of the suspected interfering transmitter according to a known pattern. If the interfering signal in the receiver follows the same pattern, then we know that the transmitter is the source.

[0082] In-band interference sources can also be part of an unknown network. This can happen, for example, if another operator installs a new link, changes an existing transmitter configuration, or the environment changes, causing radio signal energy to be reflected in a new direction. If the interference source characteristics, such as channel frequency and bandwidth, do not match any radio link transmitters in the area, it is likely due to an external interference source. The identified interference source characteristics can then be sent to the network controller unit. The network controller provides the network operator with an event report containing information about the interference source characteristics, such as the frequency, bandwidth, and received signal strength of the interfering signal.

[0083] The proposed receiver 300 can also detect very low and insignificant interference. There may be situations where the receiver experiences very weak in-band interference, which, under normal operating conditions, is insufficient to significantly impact radio link performance. Using the interference source detection method proposed in this paper, it is still possible to detect the interference source and report it to the network operator.

[0084] The ability to detect interference sources across the entire receiver bandwidth and at the band edges is an advantage. When the interference source and the interfered link have different bandwidths, this effect may be intermittent, such as degrading performance during rain, but having little or no impact under normal operating conditions.

[0085] In the event of detected interference, various interference mitigation techniques can be used. For example, when an operator holds block licenses, alternative channel allocations can be tested to see if the interference situation improves. Therefore, the techniques proposed in this paper allow operators to better optimize the use of licensed frequencies. When the interference source is identified as part of an operator's network, it is often possible to reconfigure the radio links involved to resolve the interference situation. This can be achieved, for example, by reducing the output power of the interference source, changing the radio channel used by the interfering and / or interfered radio links, activating Automatic Transmit Power Control (ATPC) at the interference source, and / or increasing the output power at the far end of the interfered radio link. When the interfering device is located outside the operator's own network, it is possible to perform actions such as increasing the output power in the direction of interference, changing the channel at the interfered radio link, and / or notifying the regulatory authority of the interference situation.

[0086] According to some aspects, the control unit 1400 is arranged to determine the relative priority value of the RL transceiver relative to one or more other RL transceivers, and to increase the bandwidth of the communication band 220 only if the relative priority value is higher than a priority threshold. This means that even in the presence of interference signals, a high-priority radio link transceiver can forcibly obtain more communication resources by increasing the frequency bandwidth of the communication band. As long as the interfering transceiver also implements the techniques discussed herein, it will relinquish the communication resources once it detects an increase in interference.

[0087] Figure 7A and Figure 7B The proposed concept is illustrated schematically using graphs of transmission spectral power as a function of frequency. These graphs show two radio links, each comprising its own communication band. The first communication band used by the first radio link is shown by the dashed spectrum, while the second communication band used by the second radio link is shown by the solid spectrum. Initially, as shown in Figure 700, the first radio link operates in a much smaller band compared to the second radio link. However, the first radio link subsequently becomes traffic-saturated and desires to expand its communication operating band. Since the first radio link has already been assigned a higher priority than the second radio link, it begins to expand its communication operating band. This results in increased distortion for both links, but the second radio link, which determines that the interference is generated by the higher-priority link, automatically retreats to the smaller communication band, such as... Figure 7BAs shown in chart 750. Note that in Figure 7B In the example, the center frequency of the operation also changed.

[0088] Relative priority values ​​can be obtained, for example, by the control unit by querying a remote server 170 and / or a local priority database. A low-complexity implementation of this priority value is to simply hardcode low-frequency and high-frequency priority values, which indicate whether a radio link has a higher priority relative to lower- and higher-frequency interference signals, respectively. This is an example of a relative priority value determined as a predetermined binary priority value. Another way to implement binary priority values ​​is to simply hardcode binary high-priority flags, where a radio link with a high-priority flag set will force other transceivers to give way, while a radio link transceiver without a flag set will yield to other radio transceivers.

[0089] The configured priority value can typically be configured as a function of time and / or date, so that one link can be a high-priority link during, for example, office hours, while another link is a high-priority link outside of office hours.

[0090] The control unit 1400 may optionally be arranged to periodically increase the bandwidth of the communication band 220 by a predetermined probability, wherein the predetermined probability is configured based on the relative priority values ​​of the RL transceivers. This results in high-priority radio links consuming more communication resources on average than low-priority links, which may be desirable behavior in some radio link networks.

[0091] It should be understood that, in the presence of interfering signals, an increase in bandwidth may lead to an increase in noise floor. To prevent bit errors and potential information loss due to increased interference power experienced by both radio links, control unit 1400 may optionally be configured to increase the bandwidth of communication band 220 only if the frequency distance to the adjacent interfering signal 202 meets the distance acceptance criterion. Therefore, if the interfering signal is too close, the radio link controller may decide to postpone or even cancel the planned increase in the bandwidth of communication band 220. In a similar manner, control unit 1400 may be arranged to increase the bandwidth of communication band 220 only if the signal-to-interference-to-noise ratio (SINR) and / or mean square error (MSE) associated with the RL transceiver is higher than the corresponding distortion acceptance threshold.

[0092] To protect data transmission from bit errors and packet loss, the control unit 1400 can be configured to adjust the modulation and / or coding configuration of the RL transceiver before increasing the bandwidth of the communication band 220. This adjustment makes the radio link data transmission more robust against interference (which may occur as the frequency bandwidth of the communication band is adjusted). Specifically, more robust transmission can be achieved by switching to a stronger error correction code and / or switching to a lower-order QAM modulation. Once the transmission conditions of the new communication band have been evaluated, for example, in terms of MSE, the MCS can be restored to the desired MCS.

[0093] The radio link controller can also be configured to forgo bandwidth by reducing the frequency width of the communication band 220. According to some aspects, the control unit 1400 is then arranged to reduce bandwidth when the frequency distance to the adjacent interfering signal 202 is below a distance acceptance threshold, and / or to reduce bandwidth when the SINR and / or MSE and / or MCS are below the corresponding distortion acceptance threshold, and / or to reduce the bandwidth to, but not below, a predetermined minimum bandwidth.

[0094] In summary, according to some aspects of the invention, each radio link transceiver can be configured to autonomously adjust its communication band based on the characterization of interference near its communication band, and possibly also depending on the relative priority values ​​and distortion metrics described above. This means that a group of radio link transceivers can be configured to automatically adjust the spectrum resources consumed depending on the traffic load without any central coordination, which is an advantage. Furthermore, advanced radio propagation simulations or large margins are not required to ensure that significant interference does not occur in the network, because the radio links will instead adapt to interference conditions autonomously.

[0095] Figure 8 Example 800 of this type of operation is shown. According to this example, the radio link first determines 801 the current traffic capacity and current traffic load. If the current capacity is greater than the current traffic load, no additional communication resources are needed. The radio link then proceeds to investigate 802 for any interference sources near the edges of the communication band. If no interference source is found, no action is taken. However, if interference is detected, the radio link continues to adjust 803 the bandwidth of the communication band to free up additional communication resources for adjacent radio links.

[0096] Conversely, if the current capacity is less than the current traffic load, it means that more traffic capacity is needed; that is, given the current traffic load and available communication resources, there is insufficient traffic capacity. When this occurs, the radio link investigation 804 identifies what interference exists and also determines 805 several radio link performance metrics, such as mean square error (MSE), received signal strength indicator (RSSI), etc. If it is determined 806 that there is available spectrum, i.e., an opportunity to increase communication bandwidth without affecting other radio links, the radio link continues to adjust 807 the bandwidth of the communication band to utilize the available spectrum.

[0097] Conversely, if it is determined that there is no available spectrum at 806, then the radio link assessment at 808 evaluates the relative priority of the interfering transceiver detected near the edge of the communication band. If the radio link is determined to be more important, it will continue to occupy more spectrum resources at 809, effectively pushing the interfering transmitter aside to make way. On the other hand, if it is determined that the relative priority is not worth pushing the interfering transmitter aside to make way, then the radio link investigation will determine whether it should adjust by reducing the spectrum occupied at 803 to consume less frequency resources, rather than making room for adjacent higher-priority radio links.

[0098] Now, suppose Figure 6 At least a subset of the transceivers in the network implements this type of functionality for dynamically adjusting individual communication frequency bands. The result is that the radio link transceiver network periodically or even continuously adjusts its respective operating frequency bands (in terms of bandwidth and / or center frequency) to adapt to traffic and interference conditions in the network. Figure 9A and Figure 9B An example is shown where four different radio links RL1 through RL4 are initially configured with equal-width operating communication bands included within the block-licensed band of Operation 900. Over time, traffic load distribution and interference conditions in the network have led RL1 to reduce the width of its operating band and move it to a lower frequency. RL2 has expanded its operating band to handle more traffic and also follows RL1 to a lower frequency. On the other hand, RL3 and RL4 have moved to higher frequencies. RL3 now operates on a wider communication band, at the cost of RL4 retreating to a smaller communication band on the high-frequency periphery of Block-Licensed 900.

[0099] Figure 10A and Figure 10B Another example operation of the technology disclosed herein is shown. In this example, the control unit 1400 is arranged adjacent to the communication band 220 to insert guard carriers 1020, 1030, which are configured to shield adjacent interference signals 1040, 1050.

[0100] Figure 10A An example scenario 1000 of radio link signal 1010 is shown, which initially operates in a communication band and has adjacent interfering signals 1040, 1050 on both sides (i.e., at lower and higher frequencies). It is desirable to extend the communication band of radio link signal 1010.

[0101] Figure 10B It shows Figure 10A In example scenario 1000, scenario 1060 follows, in which guard carriers 1020 and 1030 have been inserted adjacent to the communication band 220. These guard carriers are configured to shield adjacent interference signals 1040 and 1050, and the bandwidth of the radio link signal 1010 has been increased at the expense of adjacent interference signals 1040 and 1050.

[0102] Therefore, a radio transceiver wishing to push other radio link transceivers aside to make way can use a guard carrier to interfere with adjacent radio links. Upon detecting interference from the guard carrier, the adjacent radio link begins to back off to make more space for its neighbor. This type of guard carrier can be used to protect particularly sensitive radio links from interference from adjacent transmitters. When adjacent links attempt to gain more communication resources, guard carriers 1020 and 1030 will exhibit strong interference, thus serving as a deterrent.

[0103] Refer again Figure 6 This document also discloses a network node configured as a remote server 170, wherein the remote server 170 is configured to maintain a database 630 of characteristic interference signals 202 in the network of radio link transceivers 110, 115, 160, 510, 520, and 610, wherein each characteristic interference signal in the database 630 is associated with a bandwidth and a center frequency, and wherein the network node is configured to transmit data associated with the bandwidth and center frequency of at least some of the interference signals to one or more radio link transceivers 110, 115, 160, 510, 520, and 610 in the radio link transceiver network. The remote server then acts as an intermediary and can distribute necessary interference characterization information to the radio links. One advantage of doing so is that the remote server also allows radio links that do not include advanced interference characterization capabilities to participate in the dynamic adjustment of their communication operating frequency bands.

[0104] Depending on various aspects, database 630 includes one or more relative priority values, each indicating the priority of a corresponding radio link transceiver relative to one or more other radio links, wherein network nodes are arranged to transmit data to one or more radio link transceivers 110, 115, 160, 510, 520, 610 in the radio link transceiver network, the data being associated with one or more relative priority values. Therefore, a remote server distributes priority data, which can be conveniently configured by the operator.

[0105] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating a computer-implemented method executed in the control unit 1400 of microwave radio link (RL) transceivers 110, 115, 160, 510, 520, 610. The method includes obtaining S1 information related to the current service capacity and the expected service capacity of the RL transceivers, and characterizing at least one interfering signal 202 by determining a corresponding frequency distance 208 from the band edge 206, 207 of the communication band 220 of the RL transceiver to the interfering band of the interfering signal 202 for each of the at least one interfering signal 202.

[0106] The method further includes: when the current service capacity is less than the expected service capacity, increasing the bandwidth of the S3 communication band 220 by adjusting the communication band 220 of the RL transceiver according to the determined frequency distance; and when the current service capacity is greater than the expected service capacity, decreasing the bandwidth of the S4 communication band 220 by adjusting the communication band 220 of the RL transceiver according to the determined frequency distance.

[0107] Figure 12 The components of a control unit 1200 for microwave radio link transceivers 110, 115, 160, 510, 520, and 610 are schematically shown according to multiple functional modules. The control unit includes:

[0108] The acquisition module Sx1 is configured to acquire information related to the current service capacity and the expected service capacity of the RL transceiver, and

[0109] Characterization module Sx2 is configured to characterize at least one interfering signal 202 by determining a corresponding frequency distance 208 from the band edges 206, 207 of the communication band 220 of the RL transceiver to the interfering band of the interfering signal 202 for each of the at least one interfering signal 202.

[0110] The control unit further includes: a bandwidth increase module Sx3, configured to increase the bandwidth of the communication band 220 by adjusting the communication band 220 of the RL transceiver according to the determined frequency distance when the current service capacity is less than the expected service capacity; and

[0111] The bandwidth reduction module Sx4 is configured to reduce the bandwidth of the communication band 220 by adjusting the communication band 220 of the RL transceiver according to the determined frequency distance when the current service capacity is greater than the expected service capacity.

[0112] Figure 13 Various implementations 1300 of the above-described methods, apparatus, and techniques are shown. The methods and receivers discussed above can be implemented in a baseband processing unit (BBU), which can be deployed centrally or in virtual nodes within the communication network 100. The division between physical nodes and a central node can be at different levels, such as at the I / Q sample level from the radio unit. Parts of the proposed methods can also, of course, be implemented on remote servers included in a cloud-based computing platform.

[0113] Figure 14 The general components of the control unit 1400 according to the embodiments discussed herein are schematically illustrated with respect to multiple functional units. The processing circuitry 1410 is provided using any combination of one or more suitable central processing units (CPUs), multiprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), etc., capable of executing software instructions stored in a computer program product (e.g., in the form of storage medium 1430). The processing circuitry 1410 may also be provided as at least one application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or field-programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0114] Specifically, the processing circuit 1410 is configured to cause the device 1400 to perform a set of operations or steps, such as combining Figure 8 The methods discussed above are analogous to those described above. For example, storage medium 1430 may store the set of operations, and processing circuitry 1410 may be configured to retrieve the set of operations from storage medium 1430 to cause the device to perform the set of operations. The set of operations may be provided as a set of executable instructions. Thus, processing circuitry 1410 is arranged to perform the methods disclosed herein. In other words, a network node 1400 is shown, including processing circuitry 1410, a network interface 1420 coupled to processing circuitry 1410, and a memory 1430 coupled to processing circuitry 1410, wherein the memory includes machine-readable computer program instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry, cause the network node to perform at least some of the techniques disclosed herein.

[0115] Storage medium 1430 may also include permanent memory, which may be any one or a combination of magnetic memory, optical memory, solid-state memory, or even remotely mounted memory.

[0116] The device 1400 may also include an interface 1420 for communicating with at least one external device. Thus, the interface 1420 may include one or more transmitters and receivers, including analog and digital components, and an appropriate number of ports for wired or wireless communication.

[0117] The processing circuit 1410 controls the general operation of the control device 1400, for example, by sending data and control signals to the interface 1420 and the storage medium 1430, by receiving data and reports from the interface 1420, and by retrieving data and instructions from the storage medium 1430. Other components and related functions of the control node are omitted to avoid obscuring the concept presented herein.

[0118] Figure 15 A computer-readable medium 1510 carrying a computer program is shown, the computer program including program code means 1520, which, when the program product is run on a computer, is used to perform, for example... Figure 8 and Figure 11 The method shown. A computer-readable medium and a code device can together form a computer program product 1500.

Claims

1. A control unit (1400) for microwave radio link RL transceivers (110, 115, 160, 510, 520, 610). The control unit (1400) is arranged as follows: Obtain information related to the current service capacity and expected service capacity of the RL transceiver, and The at least one interfering signal (202) is characterized by determining, for each of the at least one interfering signal (202), the corresponding frequency distance (208) from the band edge (206, 207) of the communication band (220) of the RL transceiver to the interfering band of the interfering signal (202). in, When the current service capacity is less than the expected service capacity, and when the frequency distance to the adjacent interfering signal (202) meets the first distance acceptance criterion, the control unit (1400) is arranged to increase the bandwidth of the communication band (220) by adjusting the communication band (220) of the RL transceiver depending on the determined frequency distance. Wherein, when the current service capacity is greater than the expected service capacity, and when the frequency distance to the adjacent interference signal (202) meets the second distance acceptance criterion, the control unit (1400) is arranged to reduce the bandwidth of the communication band (220) by adjusting the communication band (220) of the RL transceiver depending on the determined frequency distance.

2. The control unit (1400) according to claim 1 is arranged to characterize the at least one interference signal (202) by detecting the center frequency (250) and frequency bandwidth (240) associated with the interference signal (202) in the received signal of the RL transceiver and / or the adjacent frequency band edge associated with the interference signal (202).

3. The control unit (1400) according to claim 1 or 2 is arranged to characterize the at least one interference signal (202) by receiving data associated with the interference signal from a remote RL transceiver connected to the RL transceiver via a radio link.

4. The control unit (1400) according to claim 1 or 2 is arranged to characterize the at least one interference signal (202) by receiving data from a remote server (170), the data being associated with the bandwidth and center frequency of the interference signal.

5. The control unit (1400) according to claim 1 or 2 is arranged to adjust the communication band (220) of the RL transceiver by changing the center frequency (205) of the communication band (220) in addition to changing the bandwidth of the communication band (220) of the RL transceiver.

6. The control unit (1400) according to claim 1 or 2 is arranged to increase the bandwidth of the communication band (220) only if the signal interference noise ratio (SINR) and / or mean square error (MSE) associated with the RL transceiver are higher than the corresponding distortion acceptance threshold.

7. The control unit (1400) according to claim 1 or 2 is arranged to determine a relative priority value of the RL transceiver relative to one or more other RL transceivers, and to increase the bandwidth of the communication band (220) if the relative priority value is higher than a priority threshold.

8. The control unit (1400) according to claim 7 is configured to determine the relative priority value by querying a remote server (170) and / or a local priority database.

9. The control unit (1400) according to claim 7 is arranged to determine the relative priority value as a predetermined binary priority value.

10. The control unit (1400) according to claim 7 is arranged to periodically increase the bandwidth of the communication band (220) by a predetermined probability, wherein the predetermined probability is configured depending on the relative priority value of the RL transceiver.

11. The control unit (1400) according to claim 1 or 2 is arranged to adjust the modulation and / or coding configuration of the RL transceiver before increasing the bandwidth of the communication band (220).

12. The control unit (1400) according to claim 1 or 2 is arranged to reduce the bandwidth when the SINR and / or MSE and / or MCS are below the corresponding distortion acceptance threshold.

13. The control unit (1400) according to claim 1 or 2 is arranged to reduce the bandwidth to, but not below, a predetermined minimum bandwidth.

14. The control unit (1400) according to claim 1 or 2 is arranged to insert a guard carrier (1020, 1030) adjacent to the communication frequency band (220), the guard carrier being configured to shield adjacent interference signals (1040, 1050).

15. The control unit (1400) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the expected service capacity of the RL transceiver is a function of the current service load and / or average buffer fill level of the RL transceiver.

16. The control unit (1400) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the expected service capacity of the RL transceiver includes the predicted future service patterns of the RL transceiver.

17. The control unit (1400) of claim 16, comprising a machine learning structure configured to predict future business patterns of the RL transceiver.

18. The control unit (1400) according to claim 1 or 2 is configured to increase the bandwidth of the communication band (220) to, but not exceed, the block licensed band.

19. The control unit (1400) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit is arranged to autonomously increase and / or decrease the bandwidth of the communication band (220).

20. A radio link transceiver (110, 115, 160, 510, 520, 610) comprising a control unit (1400) according to any one of the preceding claims.

21. A computer-implemented method executed in a control unit (1400) of a microwave radio link RL transceiver (110, 115, 160, 510, 520, 610), the method comprising: Obtain (S1) information related to the current service capacity and expected service capacity of the RL transceiver, and The method further includes (S2) characterizing the at least one interfering signal (202) by determining a corresponding frequency distance (208) from the band edge (206, 207) of the communication band (220) of the RL transceiver to the interfering band of the interfering signal (202) for each of the at least one interfering signal (202), wherein the at least one interfering signal (202) is characterized by determining a corresponding frequency distance (208) from the band edge (206, 207) of the communication band (220) of the RL transceiver to the interfering band of the interfering signal (202). When the current service capacity is less than the expected service capacity, and when the frequency distance to the adjacent interference signal (202) meets the first distance acceptance criterion, the bandwidth of the communication band (220) is increased (S3) by adjusting the communication band (220) of the RL transceiver based on the determined frequency distance. When the current service capacity is greater than the expected service capacity, and when the frequency distance to the adjacent interference signal (202) meets the second distance acceptance criterion, the bandwidth of the communication band (220) is reduced (S4) by adjusting the communication band (220) of the RL transceiver depending on the determined frequency distance.

22. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program (1520), the computer program including program code, which, when run on a processing circuit (1410) of a computer or control unit (1400), is used to perform the method according to claim 21.

23. A computer program product (1500) comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program as claimed in claim 22.

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