Systems, methods, and devices for electronic spectrum management for identifying open space

• US 10,237,099 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2018
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DGS Global Systems, Inc., Digital Global Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DGS Global Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Carbajal, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzlo, John
• Application Number:
  US15/987,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20180331863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 370252, 370329, 370430
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0246 involving frequency difference of arrival or Doppler measurements G01S5/02685 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0006 Assessment of spectral gaps suitable for allocating digitally modulated signals, e.g. for carrier allocation in cognitive radio for spectrum sharing between different networks H04W16/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/023 Multiplexing of multicarrier modulation signals multicarrier modulation H04L27/2601
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0473 the resource being transmission power

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for automated identification of open space in a wireless communications spectrum, by identifying sources of signal emission in the spectrum by automatically detecting signals, analyzing signals, comparing signal data to historical and reference data, creating corresponding signal profiles, and determining information about the open space based upon the measured and analyzed data in near real-time.

Claims

1. A system for identifying open space in a wireless communications spectrum comprising:

at least one device operable to scan a frequency range, wherein the scan includes a default scan between about 54 MHz and about 804 MHz, an Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) scan between about 900 MHz and about 2.5 GHz, an ISM scan between about 5 GHz and about 5.8 GHz, and/or a scan where the frequency range is an inputted frequency range;

wherein the at least one device is operable to sense and/or measure signals transmitted from at least one signal emitting device in the frequency range, thereby creating signal data;

wherein the at least one device is operable to identify open space by comparing the signal data with the stored data for predetermined times and frequencies; and

wherein the signal data includes at least one of;

in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) data of the signals;

energy measurements of the signals and a time associated with each of the energy measurements;

at least one parameter of the signals, the at least one parameter including at least one of modulation type, protocol data, protocol type, payload scheme, symbol rate, symbol timing data, frequency, frequency repetition interval, data type, bandwidth, source system, source location, bandwidth, time of arrival measurement, frequency peak, power, peak power, average power, and duration; and

changes for the signals, the changes including at least one of a combination of amplitude changes and frequency changes that are averaged over bandwidth and time to compute a modulation type, frequency offset changes, orthogonal frequency division modulation changes, time changes, and/or I/Q phase rotation changes.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the stored data includes at least one of:

in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) data of received signals;

energy measurements of the received signals and a time associated with each of the energy measurements;

at least one parameter of the received signals, the at least one parameter including at least one of modulation type, protocol type, payload scheme, data type, symbol rate, symbol timing data, frequency repetition interval, bandwidth, source system, source location, center frequency, bandwidth, power, time of arrival measurement, frequency peak, peak power, average power, and signal duration;

a characteristic listing for at least one signal group, the characteristic listing including at least one of protocol data, environment data, and noise data;

changes for the received signals, the changes including at least one of a combination of amplitude changes and frequency changes that are averaged over bandwidth and time to compute a modulation type, frequency offset changes, orthogonal frequency division modulation changes, time changes, and/or I/Q phase rotation changes;

information used to determine spectral density, center frequency, bandwidth, baud rate, modulation type, protocol, system or carrier using licensed spectrum, signal source location, and timestamp corresponding to the received signals; and

indications of signal activity, power, bandwidth, frequency, duration, time, day, and/or combinations thereof relating to the open space.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the stored data is either retrievable from memory of the at least one device or accessible to the at least one device over a network from at least one remote device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one device is operable to scan the open space for an allotted amount of time between a minimum of about 15 minutes up to about 30 days.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification of the open space:

occurs in near real-time;

includes a percent activity associated with the identified open space on predetermined frequencies, user-defined frequencies, and/or ISM bands;

is based upon predetermined frequencies, user-defined frequencies, and/or ISM bands;

is based upon measured frequency, bandwidth, and duration;

is displayed or visually indicated, in whole or in part, by the at least one device; and

/or

is accurate to a predetermined degree of confidence, the predetermined degree of confidence being between about 80 and about 100 percent or between about 80 and about 95 percent.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one device is operable to:

obtain and update a listing or a report of all frequencies in a frequency range associated with the spectrum;

derive the frequencies based on frequency rules actionable so that only predetermined frequencies are plotted;

generate a file including the average and/or aggregated values of power and bandwidth for each of the frequencies;

assess whether the signals include analog or digital signals;

determine a category for the signals based on power, sideband, and frequency;

determine a multiplex for the signals, the multiplex being a time division, a frequency division, or a code division multiplex;

identify the at least one signal emitting device; and

/or

determine the open space for predetermined times and days.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one device is operable for network-based communication with at least one server and/or at least one other device.

8. An apparatus for identifying open space in a wireless communications spectrum comprising:

the apparatus operable to scan a frequency range, wherein the scan includes a default scan between about 54 MHz and about 804 MHz, an Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) scan between about 900 MHz and about 2.5 GHz, an ISM scan between about 5 GHz and about 5.8 GHz, and/or a scan where the frequency range is an inputted frequency range;

wherein the apparatus is operable to sense and/or measure signals transmitted from at least one signal emitting device in the frequency range, thereby creating signal data;

wherein the apparatus is operable to identify open space by comparing the signal data with stored data for predetermined times and frequencies; and

wherein the signal data includes at least one of;

in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) data of the signals;

energy measurements of the signals and a time associated with each of the energy measurements;

at least one parameter of the signals, the at least one parameter including at least one of modulation type, protocol data, protocol type, payload scheme, symbol rate, symbol timing data, frequency, frequency repetition interval, data type, bandwidth, source system, source location, bandwidth, time of arrival measurement, frequency peak, power, peak power, average power, and duration; and

changes for the signals, the changes including at least one of a combination of amplitude changes and frequency changes that are averaged over bandwidth and time to compute a modulation type, frequency offset changes, orthogonal frequency division modulation changes, time changes, and/or I/Q phase rotation changes.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the stored data includes at least one of:

in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) data of received signals;

energy measurements of the received signals and a time associated with each of the energy measurements;

at least one parameter of the received signals, the at least one parameter including at least one of modulation type, protocol type, payload scheme, data type, symbol rate, symbol timing data, frequency repetition interval, bandwidth, source system, source location, center frequency, bandwidth, power, time of arrival measurement, frequency peak, peak power, average power, and signal duration;

a characteristic listing for at least one signal group, the characteristic listing including at least one of protocol data, environment data, and noise data;

changes for the received signals, the changes including at least one of a combination of amplitude changes and frequency changes that are averaged over bandwidth and time to compute a modulation type, frequency offset changes, orthogonal frequency division modulation changes, time changes, and/or I/Q phase rotation changes;

information used to determine spectral density, center frequency, bandwidth, baud rate, modulation type, protocol, system or carrier using licensed spectrum, signal source location, and timestamp corresponding to the received signals; and

information about the open space, the information corresponding to the identified open space and including indications of signal activity, power, bandwidth, frequency, duration, time, day, and/or combinations thereof.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the stored data is either retrievable from memory of the apparatus or accessible to the apparatus over a network from at least one remote device.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is operable to scan the open space for an allotted amount of time between a minimum of about 15 minutes up to about 30 days.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the identification of the open space:

occurs in near real-time;

includes a percent activity associated with the identified open space on predetermined frequencies, user-defined frequencies, and/or ISM bands;

is based upon predetermined frequencies, user-defined frequencies, and/or ISM bands;

is based upon measured frequency, bandwidth, and duration;

is displayed or visually indicated, in whole or in part, by the apparatus; and

/or

is accurate to a predetermined degree of confidence, the predetermined degree of confidence being between about 80 and about 100 percent or between about 80 and about 95 percent.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is operable to:

obtain and update a listing or a report of all frequencies in a frequency range associated with the spectrum;

derive the frequencies based on frequency rules actionable so that only predetermined frequencies are plotted;

generate a file including the average and/or aggregated values of power and bandwidth for each of the frequencies;

assess whether the signals include analog or digital signals;

determine a category for the signals based on power, sideband, and frequency;

determine a multiplex for the signals, the multiplex being a time division, a frequency division, or a code division multiplex;

identify the at least one signal emitting device; and

/or

determine the open space for predetermined times and days.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is operable for network-based communication with at least one server and/or at least one other apparatus.

15. A method for identifying open space in a wireless communications spectrum comprising:

at least one device scanning a frequency range, including a default scan between about 54 MHz and about 804 MHz, an Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) scan between about 900 MHz and about 2.5 GHz, an ISM scan between about 5 GHz and about 5.8 GHz, and/or a scan where the frequency range is an inputted frequency range;

the at least one device sensing and/or measuring signals transmitted from at least one signal emitting device in the frequency range, thereby creating signal data; and

the at least one device identifying open space by comparing the signal data with stored data for predetermined times and frequencies;

wherein the signal data includes at least one of;

in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) data of the signals;

energy measurements of the signals and a time associated with each of the energy measurements;

at least one parameter of the signals, the at least one parameter including at least one of modulation type, protocol data, protocol type, payload scheme, symbol rate, symbol timing data, frequency, frequency repetition interval, data type, bandwidth, source system, source location, bandwidth, time of arrival measurement, frequency peak, power, peak power, average power, and duration; and

changes for the signals, the changes including at least one of a combination of amplitude changes and frequency changes that are averaged over bandwidth and time to compute a modulation type, frequency offset changes, orthogonal frequency division modulation changes, time changes, and/or I/Q phase rotation changes.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the stored data includes at least one of:

in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) data of received signals;

energy measurements of the received signals and a time associated with each of the energy measurements;

at least one parameter of the received signals, the at least one parameter including at least one of modulation type, protocol type, payload scheme, data type, symbol rate, symbol timing data, frequency repetition interval, bandwidth, source system, source location, center frequency, bandwidth, power, time of arrival measurement, frequency peak, peak power, average power, and signal duration;

a characteristic listing for at least one signal group, the characteristic listing including at least one of protocol data, environment data, and noise data;

changes for the received signals, the changes including at least one of a combination of amplitude changes and frequency changes that are averaged over bandwidth and time to compute a modulation type, frequency offset changes, orthogonal frequency division modulation changes, time changes, and/or I/Q phase rotation changes;

information used to determine spectral density, center frequency, bandwidth, baud rate, modulation type, protocol, system or carrier using licensed spectrum, signal source location, and timestamp corresponding to the received signals; and

information about the open space, the information corresponding to the identified open space and including indications of signal activity, power, bandwidth, frequency, duration, time, day, and/or combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the at least one device:

retrieving the stored data from memory of the at least one device; and

/or

accessing the stored data over a network from at least one remote device.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the at least one device performing a scan of the open space for an allotted amount of time between a minimum of about 15 minutes up to about 30 days.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein identifying the open space:

occurs in near real-time;

includes a percent activity associated with the identified open space on predetermined frequencies, user-defined frequencies, and/or ISM bands;

is based upon predetermined frequencies, user-defined frequencies, and/or ISM bands;

is based upon measured frequency, bandwidth, and duration;

includes displaying or visually indicating, in whole or in part, by the apparatus; and

/or

is accurate to a predetermined degree of confidence, the predetermined degree of confidence being between about 80 and about 100 percent or between about 80 and about 95 percent.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising the at least one device:

obtaining and updating a listing or a report of all frequencies in a frequency range associated with the spectrum;

deriving the frequencies based on frequency rules actionable so that only predetermined frequencies are plotted;

generating a file including the average and/or aggregated values of power and bandwidth for each of the frequencies;

assessing whether the signals include analog or digital signals;

determining a category for the signals based on power, sideband, and frequency;

determining a multiplex for the signals, the multiplex being a time division, a frequency division, or a code division multiplex;

identifying the at least one signal emitting device; and

/or

determining the open space for predetermined times and days.