Patent ID: 7068976

Claim:
A method of determining interference at a first base station located in a first cell from transceivers operating in a remote cell, said method comprising: verifying the operation of a first transceiver used to perform signal strength measurements of signals transmitted by transceivers in the remote cell, wherein said verifying comprises: receiving a signal on a first channel associated with the first base station with the first transceiver; measuring the signal strength of the signal received on the first channel by the first transceiver; determining whether the first transceiver is functional by comparing the signal strength measurements of the signal received by the first transceiver to signal strength measurements of corresponding signal received by a second transceiver at the first base station; after verifying that the first transceiver is operational, receiving signals on a second channel associated with a second base station in the remote cell with the first transceiver; measuring the signal strength of the signals received by the first transceiver on the second channel; and determining the interference based on the signal strength of the signals received on the second channel.