Channel selection in wireless communications

• US 10,461,905 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2017
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyynel Oy
• Original Assignee: Kyynel Oy
• Inventors: Linden, Toni, Raustia, Matti, Vanninen, Teemu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamza, Faruk
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lindenbaum, Alan L
• Application Number:
  US15/680,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20180019850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 5/0044 allocation of payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/006 Quality of the received signal, e.g. BER, SNR, water filling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0064 Rate requirement of the data, e.g. scalable bandwidth, data priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0094 Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal

Abstract

A solution for operating a radio communication apparatus exchanges narrowband control messages with other radio communication apparatuses, each control message comprising a pilot sequence and an identifier identifying a transmitter of the control message. The radio communication apparatus receives a broadband signal through a broadband radio receiver and correlates sub-bands of the received signal so as to detect a narrowband control message within the received broadband signal. Upon detection of the narrowband control message on a sub-band of the received broadband signal, the transmitter of the narrowband control message is determined from the identifier of the narrowband control message. It is also determined from the reception of the narrowband control message on the sub-band that the sub-band is preferred by the transmitter of the narrowband control message, and said sub-band is utilized in data communication with the transmitter of the narrowband control message.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first network node from a second network node through a radio path, a first message comprising a pilot sequence;

processing the received first message and determining, by the first network node as a result of processing the pilot sequence, whether the first message has travelled the radio path as a surface wave along a ground surface or as a reflection from an ionosphere;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the surface wave, selecting by the first network node a first set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the reflection from the ionosphere, selecting by the first network node a second set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node, wherein the second set of communication parameters is at least partly different from the first set of communication parameters; and

causing transmission of a second message from the first network node to the second network node by using the selected first or second set of communication parameters, wherein the second set of communication parameters specifies a communication frequency preferred exclusively by the second network node, and wherein the first set of communication parameters specifies a communication frequency preferred by both the first network node and the second network node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pilot sequence occupies more than half of a length of the first message.

3. The method of claim 1, said processing the pilot sequence comprising:

performing a correlation for the received pilot sequence; and

performing said determining on the basis of positions of peaks in said correlated pilot sequence.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set of communication parameters specifies that the first network node shall not perform a channel sensing procedure prior to transmitting the second message, and wherein the first second set of communication parameters specifies that the first network node shall perform a channel sensing procedure prior to transmitting the second message.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a processing device; and

a storage device to store instructions that, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising;

receiving, in a first network node from a second network node through a radio path, a first message comprising a pilot sequence;

processing the received first message and determining, as a result of processing the pilot sequence, whether the first message has travelled the radio path as a surface wave along a ground surface or as a reflection from an ionosphere;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the surface wave, selecting a first set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the reflection from the ionosphere, selecting a second set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node, wherein the second set of communication parameters is at least partly different from the first set of communication parameters; and

causing the first network node to transmit a second message to the second network node by using the selected first or second set of communication parameters, wherein the second set of communication parameters specifies a communication frequency preferred exclusively by the second network node, and wherein the first set of communication parameters specifies a communication frequency preferred by both the first network node and the second network node.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the pilot sequence occupies more than half of a length of the first message.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to perform said processing the pilot sequence by at least:

performing a correlation for the received pilot sequence; and

performing said determining on the basis of positions of peaks in said correlated pilot sequence.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second set of communication parameters specifies that the first network node shall not perform a channel sensing procedure prior to transmitting the second message, and wherein the first second set of communication parameters specifies that the first network node shall perform a channel sensing procedure prior to transmitting the second message.

9. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first network node from a second network node through a radio path, a first message comprising a pilot sequence;

processing the received first message and determining, by the first network node as a result of processing the pilot sequence, whether the first message has travelled the radio path as a surface wave along a ground surface or as a reflection from an ionosphere;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the surface wave, selecting by the first network node a first set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the reflection from the ionosphere, selecting by the first network node a second set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node, wherein the second set of communication parameters is at least partly different from the first set of communication parameters;

causing transmission of a second message from the first network node to the second network node by using the selected first or second set of communication parameters, said determining further comprising determining whether or not the first message has travelled the radio path both as the surface wave and as the reflection from an ionosphere; and

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path both as the reflection from the ionosphere and the surface wave, selecting by the first network node a third set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node, wherein the third set of communication parameters is at least partly different from the first set of communication parameters and the second set of communication parameters.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the third set of communication parameters specifies a communication frequency that is higher than specified by the first set of communication parameters and the second set of communication parameters.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a processing device; and

a storage device to store instructions that, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising;

receiving, in a first network node from a second network node through a radio path, a first message comprising a pilot sequence;

processing the received first message and determining, as a result of processing the pilot sequence, whether the first message has travelled the radio path as a surface wave along a ground surface or as a reflection from an ionosphere;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the surface wave, selecting a first set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the reflection from the ionosphere, selecting a second set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node, wherein the second set of communication parameters is at least partly different from the first set of communication parameters;

causing the first network node to transmit a second message to the second network node by using the selected first or second set of communication parameters;

determining whether or not the first message has travelled the radio path both as the surface wave and as the reflection from an ionosphere; and

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path both as the reflection from the ionosphere and the surface wave, selecting by the first network node a third set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node, wherein the third set of communication parameters is at least partly different from the first set of communication parameters and the second set of communication parameters.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the third set of communication parameters specifies a communication frequency that is higher than specified by the first set of communication parameters and the second set of communication parameters.

13. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first network node from a second network node through a radio path, a first message comprising a pilot sequence;

processing the received first message and determining, by the first network node as a result of processing the pilot sequence, whether the first message has travelled the radio path as a surface wave along a ground surface or as a reflection from an ionosphere;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the surface wave, selecting by the first network node a first set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the reflection from the ionosphere, selecting by the first network node a second set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node, wherein the second set of communication parameters is at least partly different from the first set of communication parameters;

causing transmission of a second message from the first network node to the second network node by using the selected first or second set of communication parameters;

determining whether or not the second network node is capable of receiving messages from the first network node as said reflection from the ionosphere; and

upon determining that the second network node is capable of receiving messages from the first network node as said reflection from the ionosphere, transmitting a message to the second network node by using geocasting.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first network node from a second network node through a radio path, a first message comprising a pilot sequence;

processing the received first message and determining, by the first network node as a result of processing the pilot sequence, whether the first message has travelled the radio path as a surface wave along a ground surface or as a reflection from an ionosphere;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the surface wave, selecting by the first network node a first set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the reflection from the ionosphere, selecting by the first network node a second set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node, wherein the second set of communication parameters is at least partly different from the first set of communication parameters;

causing transmission of a second message from the first network node to the second network node by using the selected first or second set of communication parameters;

determining one or more communication frequencies on which a third network node in a determined geographical area is not capable of receiving a message from the first network node;

determining that an undesired receiver is in the same area as the third network node; and

performing reverse geocasting by selecting at least one of the one or more communication frequencies for transmitting said second message, thus preventing the undesired receiver to receive the second message.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a processing device; and

a storage device to store instructions that, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising;

receiving, in a first network node from a second network node through a radio path, a first message comprising a pilot sequence;

processing the received first message and determining, as a result of processing the pilot sequence, whether the first message has travelled the radio path as a surface wave along a ground surface or as a reflection from an ionosphere;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the surface wave, selecting a first set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the reflection from the ionosphere, selecting a second set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node, wherein the second set of communication parameters is at least partly different from the first set of communication parameters;

causing the first network node to transmit a second message to the second network node by using the selected first or second set of communication parameters;

determining whether or not the second network node is capable of receiving messages from the first network node as said reflection from the ionosphere; and

upon determining that the second network node is capable of receiving messages from the first network node as said reflection from the ionosphere, transmitting a message to the second network node by using geocasting.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a processing device; and

a storage device to store instructions that, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising;

receiving, in a first network node from a second network node through a radio path, a first message comprising a pilot sequence;

processing the received first message and determining, as a result of processing the pilot sequence, whether the first message has travelled the radio path as a surface wave along a ground surface or as a reflection from an ionosphere;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the surface wave, selecting a first set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the reflection from the ionosphere, selecting a second set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node, wherein the second set of communication parameters is at least partly different from the first set of communication parameters;

causing the first network node to transmit a second message to the second network node by using the selected first or second set of communication parameters;

determining one or more communication frequencies on which a third network node in a determined geographical area is not capable of receiving a message from the first network node;

determining that an undesired receiver is in the same area as the third network node; and

performing reverse geocasting by selecting at least one of the one or more communication frequencies for transmitting said second message, thus preventing the undesired receiver to receive the second message.

17. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory distribution medium readable by a computer and comprising program instructions that, when executed by an apparatus, perform operations comprising:

receiving, in a first network node from a second network node through a radio path, a first message comprising a pilot sequence;

processing the received first message and determining, as a result of processing the pilot sequence, whether the first message has travelled the radio path as a surface wave along a ground surface or as a reflection from an ionosphere;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the surface wave, selecting a first set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the reflection from the ionosphere, selecting a second set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node, wherein the second set of communication parameters is at least partly different from the first set of communication parameters; and

causing the first network node to transmit a second message to the second network node by using the selected first or second set of communication parameters, wherein the second set of communication parameters specifies a communication frequency preferred exclusively by the second network node, and wherein the first set of communication parameters specifies a communication frequency preferred by both the first network node and the second network node.

18. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory distribution medium readable by a computer and comprising program instructions that, when executed by an apparatus, perform operations comprising:

receiving, in a first network node from a second network node through a radio path, a first message comprising a pilot sequence;

processing the received first message and determining, as a result of processing the pilot sequence, whether the first message has travelled the radio path as a surface wave along a ground surface or as a reflection from an ionosphere;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the surface wave, selecting a first set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the reflection from the ionosphere, selecting a second set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node, wherein the second set of communication parameters is at least partly different from the first set of communication parameters; and

causing the first network node to transmit a second message to the second network node by using the selected first or second set of communication parameters, said determining further comprising determining whether or not the first message has travelled the radio path both as the surface wave and as the reflection from an ionosphere and, if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path both as the reflection from the ionosphere and the surface wave, selecting by the first network node a third set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node, wherein the third set of communication parameters is at least partly different from the first set of communication parameters and the second set of communication parameters.

19. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory distribution medium readable by a computer and comprising program instructions that, when executed by an apparatus, perform operations comprising:

receiving, in a first network node from a second network node through a radio path, a first message comprising a pilot sequence;

processing the received first message and determining, as a result of processing the pilot sequence, whether the first message has travelled the radio path as a surface wave along a ground surface or as a reflection from an ionosphere;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the surface wave, selecting a first set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the reflection from the ionosphere, selecting a second set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node, wherein the second set of communication parameters is at least partly different from the first set of communication parameters;

causing the first network node to transmit a second message to the second network node by using the selected first or second set of communication parameters;

determining whether or not the second network node is capable of receiving messages from the first network node as said reflection from the ionosphere; and

upon determining that the second network node is capable of receiving messages from the first network node as said reflection from the ionosphere, transmitting a message to the second network node by using geocasting.

20. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory distribution medium readable by a computer and comprising program instructions that, when executed by an apparatus, perform operations comprising:

receiving, in a first network node from a second network node through a radio path, a first message comprising a pilot sequence;

processing the received first message and determining, as a result of processing the pilot sequence, whether the first message has travelled the radio path as a surface wave along a ground surface or as a reflection from an ionosphere;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the surface wave, selecting a first set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node;

if it is determined that the first message has travelled the radio path as the reflection from the ionosphere, selecting a second set of communication parameters for communication with the second network node, wherein the second set of communication parameters is at least partly different from the first set of communication parameters;

causing the first network node to transmit a second message to the second network node by using the selected first or second set of communication parameters;

determining one or more communication frequencies on which a third network node in a determined geographical area is not capable of receiving a message from the first network node;

determining that an undesired receiver is in the same area as the third network node; and

performing reverse geocasting by selecting at least one of the one or more communication frequencies for transmitting said second message, thus preventing the undesired receiver to receive the second message.