METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATION BY A SECONDARY USER OF SPECTRUM

• US 20080039101A1
• Filed: 08/10/2006
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Callaway, Edgar H.
• Application Number:
  US11/463,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20080039101A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/26 Route discovery packet
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/16 based on interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/28 for reactive routing

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for allowing communication of a secondary communication device over spectrum allocated to a primary user. During operation a node wishing to communicate will determine a route to a destination device that will cause a least amount of interference to a primary communication system. Communication will then take place only if the sum of all communications along the route will not cause interference to the primary communication system.

Claims

1. A method for communicating by a secondary communication device over spectrum utilized by a primary communication device, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a best route to utilize based on a function of intervening nodes'"'"' distance to a primary communication device or signal-strength measurements of the primary communication device; and

utilizing the best route to transmit data to the destination node.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the function comprises a sum of all intervening nodes'"'"' signal strength measurements of a primary spectrum user.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of selecting the best route comprises the step of selecting a route with a least sum of all intervening nodes'"'"' signal strength measurements of the primary spectrum user.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the function comprises a sum of all intervening nodes'"'"' distances to a primary spectrum user.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of selecting the best route comprises the step of selecting a route with a greatest sum of all intervening nodes'"'"' distances to a primary spectrum user.

6. A method for communicating by a secondary communication device over spectrum utilized by a primary communication device, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting at least one route to a destination node using a cost, wherein the cost of the route is a function of intervening nodes'"'"' signal-strength measurements of a primary communication device; and

utilizing a route to the destination node having a least cost.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the function comprises a sum of all intervening nodes'"'"' signal strength measurements of a primary spectrum user.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of utilizing the route to the destination node further comprises the step of utilizing the route to the destination node only if the cost of the route is less than a threshold value.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the cost of a route comprises a sum of all intervening nodes'"'"' signal strength measurements of a primary spectrum user.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of utilizing the route comprises the step of transmitting to the destination node sharing the spectrum with primary incumbents.

11. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving a route reply (RREP) message, wherein the route reply message comprises a cost for a route, and wherein the cost for the route is a function of intervening nodes'"'"' signal-strength measurements of a primary spectrum user;

determining a signal strength measurement of the primary spectrum user;

modifying the cost of the route based on the signal strength measurement of the primary spectrum user; and

forwarding the modified RREP message.

12. An apparatus comprising:

logic circuitry selecting at least one route to a destination node using a cost, wherein the cost of the route is a function of intervening nodes'"'"' signal-strength measurements of a primary communication device; and

a transmitter utilizing a route to the destination node having a least cost.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the function comprises a sum of all intervening nodes'"'"' signal strength measurements of a primary spectrum user.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the transmitter utilizes the route to the destination node further comprises the step of utilizing the route to the destination node only if the cost of the route is less than a threshold value.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the cost of a route comprises a sum of all intervening nodes'"'"' signal strength measurements of a primary spectrum user.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the transmitter transmits to the destination node sharing the spectrum with primary incumbents.

17. An apparatus for communicating by a secondary communication device over spectrum utilized by a primary communication device, the apparatus comprising:

logic circuitry selecting a best route to utilize based on a function of intervening nodes'"'"' distance to a primary communication device and/or signal-strength measurements of the primary communication device; and

a transmitter utilizing the best route to transmit data to the destination node.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the function comprises a sum of all intervening nodes'"'"' signal strength measurements of a primary spectrum user.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the function comprises a sum of all intervening nodes'"'"' distances to a primary spectrum user.