Apparatus, communication system and methods for enabling spectrum access

• US 20070253466A1
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: IPWireless Inc. (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Inventors: Howard, Paul, Jones, Alan, Darwood, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,280,385 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/131
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide for allocating spectrum in a wireless communication system that supports simultaneously at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation. Logic is arranged for determining a proportion of spectrum required for the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation. Logic for allocating spectrum allocates a temporary guard band between a first portion of spectrum for the first mode of operation and a second portion of spectrum for the second mode of operation for use whilst the wireless communication unit operates simultaneously in the first mode of operation and second mode of operation.

Claims

1. Apparatus for allocating spectrum in a wireless communication system that supports simultaneously at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein the apparatus comprises:

logic for determining a proportion of spectrum required for a wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation; and

logic for allocating spectrum in a wireless communication system capable of allocating a temporary guard band between a first portion of spectrum for the wireless communication unit to operate in the first mode of operation and a second portion of spectrum for the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in the second mode of operation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first mode of operation comprises operation in unpaired spectrum and the second mode of operation comprises operation in paired spectrum.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first mode of operation comprises downlink only transmissions and the second mode of operation comprises frequency division duplex (FDD) uplink operation.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first mode of operation comprises broadcast TV downlink transmissions.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a bandwidth of the allocated temporary guard band is preconfigured based on a mapping of services to one or more frequency carrier(s).

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein a bandwidth of the allocated temporary guard band is configured as an integer multiple of an unpaired channel bandwidth.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the temporary guard band comprises a bandwidth that falls at least partially within a first spectrum band supporting the first mode of operation.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a bandwidth of the allocated temporary guard band is configured as an integer multiple of the first portion of spectrum.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the temporary guard band comprises a bandwidth that falls at least partially within a second spectrum band supporting the second mode of operation.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a transmitter for transmitting a message to the wireless communication unit wherein the message comprises an instruction to the wireless communication unit to limit transmissions within the temporary guard band.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the logic for allocating spectrum in a wireless communication system is capable of re-allocating a portion of the temporary guard band for use by at least one further wireless communication unit.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a receiver for receiving a first signal from the wireless communication unit wherein the first signal comprises a request for the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the receiver receiving the first signal comprises logic for identifying an implicit request from the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the receiver receiving the first signal comprises logic for identifying a request for a service from the wireless communication unit.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the requested service comprises a broadcast service.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the receiver receiving the first signal comprises logic for identifying an explicit request from the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a transmitter capable of sending to the wireless communication unit a request for an indication from the wireless communication unit of a desired temporary guard band.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising logic for receiving an indication from the wireless communication unit of a desired temporary guard band.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a transmitter to transmit at least an encryption parameter to the wireless communication unit to instruct the wireless communication unit to operate in a first portion of spectrum in the first mode of operation and simultaneously in a second portion of spectrum in the second mode of operation.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a first Operator and a second Operator are allocated shared spectrum on one or both sides of the temporary guard band.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the first Operator utilises spectrum allocated to the second Operator.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the spectrum allocation from the first Operator and second Operator is aggregated and at least a portion of the aggregated spectrum shared therebetween.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the at least a portion of the aggregated spectrum is shared to provide shared content.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the shared content comprises shared TV channels.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the shared aggregated spectrum comprises unpaired spectrum adjacent to the frequency division duplex (FDD) uplink (UL) allocation.

26. A method for enabling spectrum access in a wireless communication system that supports simultaneously at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein the method comprises:

determining a proportion of spectrum required for the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation; and

enabling spectrum access in a wireless communication system by allocating a temporary guard band between a first portion of spectrum for the wireless communication unit to operate in the first mode of operation and a second portion of spectrum for the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in the second mode of operation.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the first mode of operation comprises operation in unpaired spectrum and the second mode of operation comprises operation in paired spectrum.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the first mode of operation comprises downlink only transmissions and the second mode of operation comprises frequency division duplex (FDD) uplink operation.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the first mode of operation comprises broadcast TV downlink transmissions.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein allocating a bandwidth of the temporary guard band is based on a mapping of services to one or more frequency carrier(s).

31. The method of claim 26 wherein allocating a bandwidth of the temporary guard band comprises allocating a bandwidth of the temporary guard band that is an integer multiple of an unpaired channel bandwidth.

32. The method of claim 26 wherein allocating a bandwidth of the temporary guard band comprises allocating a bandwidth that falls at least partially within a first spectrum band supporting the first mode of operation.

33. The method of claim 26 wherein allocating a bandwidth of the temporary guard band comprises allocating a bandwidth as an integer multiple of the first portion of spectrum.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein allocating a bandwidth of the temporary guard band comprises allocating a bandwidth that falls at least partially within a second spectrum band operating in the second mode of operation.

35. The method of claim 26 further comprising transmitting a message to the wireless communication unit to instruct the wireless communication unit to limit transmissions within the temporary guard band.

36. The method of claim 26 wherein enabling spectrum access in a wireless communication system further comprises re-allocating at least a portion of the temporary guard band for use by at least one further wireless communication unit.

37. The method of claim 26 further comprising receiving a first signal from the wireless communication unit wherein the first signal comprises a request for the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein receiving the first signal comprises receiving an implicit request from the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein receiving the first signal comprises receiving a request for a service from the wireless communication unit.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the requested service comprises a broadcast service.

41. The method of claim 37 wherein receiving the first signal comprises identifying an explicit request from the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation.

42. The method of claim 26 further comprising sending to the wireless communication unit a request for an indication from the wireless communication unit of a desired temporary guard band.

43. The method of claim 42 further comprising receiving an indication from the wireless communication unit of a desired temporary guard band.

44. The method of claim 26 further comprising transmitting at least an encryption parameter the wireless communication unit to instruct the wireless communication unit to operate in a first portion of spectrum in the first mode of operation and simultaneously in a second portion of spectrum in the second mode of operation.

45. The method of claim 26 further comprising enabling access to a first Operator and a second Operator are allocated shared spectrum on one or both sides of the temporary guard band.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the first Operator utilises spectrum allocated to the second Operator.

47. The method of claim 45 further comprising aggregating a spectrum allocation of the first Operator and second Operator and sharing at least a portion of the aggregated spectrum therebetween.

48. The method of claim 47 further comprising providing shared content in the shared at least a portion of the aggregated spectrum.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the shared content comprises shared TV channels.

50. The method of claim 47 wherein the shared aggregated spectrum comprises unpaired spectrum adjacent to the frequency division duplex (FDD) uplink (UL) allocation.

51. A wireless communication unit capable of simultaneously communicating in at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein the wireless communication unit comprises:

a transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving simultaneously in both a first mode of operation in a first portion of spectrum and a second portion of spectrum in a second mode of operation; and

logic for adapting a frequency of operation of the transceiver to accommodate an allocated temporary guard band between the first portion of spectrum and second portion of spectrum.

52. The wireless communication unit of claim 51 further comprising logic for determining a desired temporary guard band operably coupled to the transceiver capable of transmitting an indication of the desired temporary guard band from the wireless communication unit to spectral allocation logic in a wireless communication system supporting the first mode of operation and second mode of operation.

53. The wireless communication unit of claim 52 wherein the wireless communication unit is a subscriber wireless communication unit.

54. The wireless communication unit of claim 51 wherein the wireless communication unit is a base station.

55. A method of simultaneously communicating in at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation of a wireless communication system, wherein the method comprises:

transmitting and receiving simultaneously in both a first mode of operation in a first portion of spectrum and in a second mode of operation in a second portion of spectrum; and

adapting a frequency of operation of transmitting and receiving simultaneously in a first portion of spectrum and second portion of spectrum to accommodate an allocated temporary guard band between the first portion of spectrum and second portion of spectrum.

56. A communication system capable of supporting simultaneously at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein the communication system comprises:

logic for determining a proportion of spectrum required for the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation;

logic for enabling spectrum access in the wireless communication system; and

logic of allocating a temporary guard band between a first portion of spectrum for the wireless communication unit to operate in the first mode of operation and a second portion of spectrum for the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in the second mode of operation.

57. A computer program product comprising program code for allocating spectrum in a wireless communication system, the computer program product comprising program code for:

determining a proportion of spectrum required for the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation;

enabling spectrum access in a wireless communication system capable by allocating a temporary guard band between a first portion of spectrum for the wireless communication unit to operate in the first mode of operation and a second portion of spectrum for the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in the second mode of operation.